Two months/8 weeks

She was 8 weeks yesterday and not really "2 months" until the 1st November, but you know what I mean. One month photo here.

Big skirt --> Little skirt

Ah me. I was determined to sew something for Jemima today, whatever else happened. She has suddenly grown and nothing seems to fit her properly anymore. I am resisting doing a clothes shop because I love making her things, but time is so pressed these days with Miss Eve. Today was most frustrating as Eve decided not to sleep again after an hour long nap at about 9am. Now at nearly 6pm she is finally drifting off to sleep in her sling snuggled up to me... but I can't cook dinner with her in there. I'm too worried she will get splattered with a hot something. So Chris is picking up something on his way home. I hate not cooking dinner. It feels like mum fail, but I DID make a skirt which to my mind cancels that out. Take that, mother guilt!

So about the skirt: It is made out of an old skirt of mine that I still really loved, but was too small for me post 3 babies. A super quick little project to do in between settling the grumpy baby and entertaining the 3 year old. I wish I had sewn the pockets further apart, but can't be bothered with the unpicking to rectify that, and I plan to sew buttons to the pockets, but I am not sure that is going to happen!

I have at least 2 other much-loved-but-too-small-skirts that I want to refashion for one of the girls... but right now I think I will calm down by looking at my sleeping baby for a bit.

Introducing ESJAY Creative... pluggity plug

Excuse me while I put on my proud-big-sister hat for a moment... and potentially post too many photos (sorry)!

My sister Sarah has taken the plunge and officially started her own photography business, ESJAY Creative!

I am really fortunate to have a photographer in the family that does such lovely work. Her family photography is artistic, but natural and the photo shoots themselves are fun to take part in- and I HATE having my picture taken. A lot.

She is great with my kids, obviously being their “Aunty Sarah”, but I have observed her with lots of other children and kids love her… and consequently she gets great shots.

She is also a first class photo retoucher. Now, I know retouching (especially of children) is controversial in some circles. But there is retouching, and there is retouching, if you know what I mean. Sarah gets great results from working with the colours of her images and she can remove things/people in the background to enhance pictures… and of course lighten any bags under one’s eyes or remove a blemish that isn’t usually there… She is not going to change what you look like, but make you and your loved ones look their natural best- she isn’t going to give you a 2D nose job (unless you particularly want her to, I guess.)

As well as family photography, she offers corporate headshots, photography for private functions (including weddings), live music photography, band promo and “ubooth” where she sets up a “photo booth” at your function (fun!).

Her prices are extremely reasonable as she is just starting out on her own. So if you are in the market for some photography (and Sydney is not geographically impossible), look her up!

http://www.facebook.com/ESJAYcreative

A new t-shirt for Jemima

I came across Rocket and Bear recently and loved this idea of putting a favourite cuddly toy on a t-shirt. Lucy sells these t-shirts in her etsy store and shop. As I understand it, you send her a photo of a beloved toy, and she prepares the image and prints it onto a high quality t-shirt for you.

I thought I would DIY this one using t-shirt transfer paper I bought from Kmart. This is Kea, Jemima's fur baby. She actually has 3 of them as Chris and I thought it safer to have a few on standby as she had become such a favourite. She can tell the difference between them all though (only a mother could tell them apart), but she loves them all equally.

The transfer is pretty glossy and stiff, but she really loves her Kea t-shirt and it has already had an outing. It has cracked and bubbled a bit in the wash so doesn't look so flash anymore... to avoid these problems you could buy one from Rocket and Bear!

What I didn't DIY was one of these amazing tutus! I bought one this week for Jemima's Christmas present, and it is one of those gifts you just know will be a real winner for many years to come! There are free tutorials online for something similar (can't remember where), but I just know making one with all those layers and ruffles would do my head in and I would never be happy with it. Looking forward to Christmas already! (I just realised I have given Jems a tutu for Christmas every year. Haha. I think this one trumps the ones I have made though.)

PS Lucy knits and crochets really pretty blankets too. She has a very nice little shop.

PPS I think one of the hardest things for me about having a newborn even 3rd time around is "doing the right thing". She is very refluxy and so has difficulty settling to sleep more times than not, and often needs lots of cuddles to help her relax and go to sleep. I worry that she won't learn how to "self soothe", but then I think dammit, she is my last baby and if she needs a cuddle or to sleep in her sling, I will do it gladly. (Before I know it she will be 3 and a half and we will be scratching our heads wondering where our baby went.)

Since having Caleb, I tell all parents of newborns when they are stressing about how to set baby up to be happy and good sleepers is that my experience of the literature is that everyone says something different, so do what pleases you and baby. I need to listen to my own advice.

One month

I am going to follow the lead of a couple of other bloggers and try and post a monthly picture of Evie. Here is my little love on her quilt made by me during my final months of pregnancy.

I am so glad I finished it before her arrival, it gives me crafty joy looking at them both together.