Ode to the Diaper Bag

My DH and I have survived a year of parenthood so far -- sleep deprived nights and all.  Along the way we have learned a few things.  The value of minizing stuff,  and that baby things are usually designed to make life easier with a baby. My best example of this is the diaper bag.  When I was pregnant with MR our daughter I researched what type of diapers to use, the bennefit of using cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers.  I looked at the cost of diaper bags that I would be willing to carry and more importantly that my DH would be willing to be seen with and shocked!  The prices I saw on messanger style bags were closer to $100 or more than I was even willing to consider.  So my DH gladly volunteered one of his messenger bags to be sacrificed for the diaper bag.  This bag was huge we could pack MR's stuff for more than a week and still have room to spare right!? 

I organized stuff in ziplock bags, one bag for clean diapers, dirty diapers, wipes, tylnol, socks etc. Whenever I needed something from the diaper bag I went digging and digging and digging.  In January I returned to work and bought a breast pump that came in a non descript bag.  There was barely enough room in the bag for the pump, cooler bag for the milk and my special handsfree pumping bra so I could eat and pump at the same time. This bag was set up and organized like a diaper bag...One day I decided to move the pump out of the bag and move MR's diaper stuff into the bag.  Magic happened -- I could fit more stuff in the bag designed to be a diaper bag than I could in my DH's messenger bag.  More importantly I could find stuff.  The time it took me to change MR's diaper outside of the house dramatically decreased.

There were pockets for diapers.  Pockets for wipes.  Another pocket for bottles... a place to stash my keys, some toys, a change of clothes, a jacket...you get the picture.  A diaper bag is kind of a baby's go bag.  Don't leave home without it!  We actually have two diaper bags now... a small version for the stroller so that when we are out on extended neighborhood walks we have stash of diapers, wipes , and changing mat for MR.

My husband and I are sometimes frugal people...so this non descript bag worked very well for us for quite a few months.  The only think it didn't have was a shoulder strap that I drap over the stroller handle or gasp my shoulder when I had my hands full with MR and ten other things.  Everyone's favorite big box store Costco had diaper bags -- diaper bags.  Yours truely got the grand idea to convince everyone at work to chip in for one to give to our coworker AK who would be going out on maternity leave soon.  Each week or two I would stop by Costco and check on their diaper bag inventory.  I took pictures so that the ladies in my office could help me decide which diaper bag to buy for AK.  Each time I went to costco the price dropped finally the price was just too good and I bought the bag.  DH wisely suggested I also buy one for myself, but stupidly I did not and when I went back to costco to do that very thing the bags were all gone and I was stuck with a boring non designer bag.

Oh well.

A few weeks ago I found a new diaper bag at our neighborhood consignement store.  I love it.  So inclosing mom to be's out there diaper bags are the baby tool box.  You need one and it will help make life outside of your home easier.  You wouldn't use a circular saw to cut paper, or put your very expensive laptop in a grocery bag so don't use a hand-me-down bag as your diaper bag.  Get one that is designed for babies and diaper changes in mind.

Mommy knitting

I love reading Elizabeth Zimmerman's books.  Its almost like having a conversation with her while she encourages you to take new challenging steps in your knitting adventures.  So in May I decided I was going to have a knitting adventure of my own.  I wanted a basic cardigan/ sweater jacket and I thought what better pattern to use than EZ's hurry up sweater pattern.  This was not my first time knitting on of EZ's hurry up sweaters I knitted one for my brother-in-law Beau a few years ago.  In fact when I bought I bought Cascade Eco for his sweater I bought enough so I could make at least two.

 

 

After I had calculated the number of stitches to cast on I started knitting, cheerfully thinking I was doing something I rarely did...knit for myself!

 

Since I was essentially designing my own sweater I decided to add a little shaping in back with some ribbing for couple of inches.  About this time I realized that I didn't have enough of the cascade eco to finish the sweater so I decided it could be a two tone sweater starting where I joined the sleeves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I am an impatient person knit the sleeves two-at-a-time until they were too big to fit on my circular needle.

 

I am a plus size beauty so when this sweater was knitting up to be very large it did not cross my mind that it might be too big...So when I went to try it on in very warm coffee shop it was too big and I had to do something I very rarely do....rip back the sweater and try again and again and again....Around the 4th of July I declared my sweater finished.  It was still huge I will admit, but not as big as it was originally.  Then the idea floated into my head that maybe I should try to shrink it a little by lightly felting it....This was the death of my sweater.  I am now the proud owner of some very thick 100% wool felt.  I'm sure I'll use it eventually.

Introducing StarFish Baby Hats

My daughter Madeleine modeling her StarFish baby hat.

Thanks to Ann Keppler my professional knitting career has started. While attending Ann's "Next Months" Group at Birth and Beyond I was approached to knit baby hats for Birth and Beyond. I was actually knitting a slightly different style and stumbled upon this one as a mistake. I liked it and have kept knitting what I call StarFish baby hats. To date three of my little hats have been sold through the Birth and Beyond Store. I'm saddened that the owners have decided to end their retail operation and just facilitate educational classes for Seattle parents and children.

Inspired by the sale of my first three hats I needed a new place to sell my baby hats. On my birthday, Paul and I were in search of shoe store in the area of Pike Place Market we wandered into the Boston Street Baby Store on post alley by the Pike Place Market. Because who can resist looking at cute baby clothes?!! They loved Madeleine's hat and offered to sell them in their store. I haven't checked to see if any have sold yet, but I will keep you updated.

Time to plant potatoes

The Monday after Easter, we had absolutely beautiful weather in Seattle. It inspired Paul to clean house outside on our patio. He presured washed the everything pulled all the dead plants out of my raised garden beds and potato cans. Out patio looked beautiful ready for me to start our spring planting. Last year I didn't plant much of garden. A few flowers but no vegetables since I was expecting our first child I didn't think I would be up to doing a lot of gardening and I just wanted something pretty to look at outside.

Fast forward a few weeks. I was walking back to the car from having lunch with some of the mom's from the Next Months group that I attend with Madeleine every week at Birth and Beyond. We needed a rain break since it had started sprinkling outside and neither of us had rain coats. So we ducked into the city gardens store in Madison park. They were just starting to put out their vegetable starts and then I stumbled upon the potato starts. A couple of years ago I grew a batch of potatoes in garbage can and two years I bought two more garbage cans for that purpose, but this year I actually managed to plant the potatos. At the end of summer I'm sure we will have an abundance of red, white and blue potatoes. I'm looking forward to some very patriotic potato salad this fall.

Part of the potato planting challenge this year was that I had empty three full size garbage cans full of dirt so I could plant my potatoes in the bottom. The idea is that you put a little bit of dirt in the bottom and then place your potato starts. After the potatoes start of growing then you cover the plants with dirt until the garbage can is full of dirt and growing potatoes.

First bus ride

Yesterday Madeleine and took her first bus ride to down town on metro. I needed to apply for an enhanced drivers license since I'm planning a short trip across the boarder in the near future. $15 for an enhanced drivers license is a lot cheaper than renewing my passport.

It took two days of appointments and chasing down paperwork but within the next couple of weeks I should be the proud owner of an enhanced drivers license.

The picture is of Madeleine on our way home on metro today.

We have survived five months in the land of parenthood.

This coming Sunday will mark our daughter's five month birthday. It will also mark the one month anniversary of me returning to work. While I can't say that I'm in love with my job... I can say it has been a progressively good experience for everyone involved. Good father/ daughter time and good time out of the house for mommy.

I'm lucky that I have the type of job that I can "leave at work" and one that allows me to do things that I enjoy like knitting, reading and various other craft projects.

First weekend back to work

Well DD and I had our first big separation last weekend. Last Thursday was my first official day back to work. DD and DH had some quality bonding time together. They were in a positive grove together by the end of my work weekend. DH and I are fortunate that our work schedules mesh so that we don't half to find an outside care provider for DD.