Immersed in Potty Training

Potty training the nerdlet was easy.  She really did it all herself.  She got the idea within hours of the first day and only had a few pee accidents on the first day.  On day three, she had her first poop accidents and that was pretty much it (except at my MIL's, but that is another story).  She was fully day and night trained before she was 2.  The only thing that took some time was the telling me because she was non-verbal until almost 3.

I knew training the bear cub would be difficult because of her low tone.  I started as soon as she could walk 10 steps (shortly after she turned 2) and we're still working on it.  She isn't at all night or sleep trained and she can't hold it longer than 30 minutes.  She is also non-verbal and shows no interest in telling us when she has to go, and truthfully, I'm not sure she even really always knows.  She tries hard and is mostly day trained though.  The school has even had a lot of success helping with the potty training of typical kids because she does have to go so often.

Darth Baby is not being easy at all.  She seems to get it, but she has no interest in being potty trained.  She tells me, "No, I not big girl.  I baby."  When I know she has to go and we're waiting on the potty, she waits until the nerdlet needs me and in the few seconds I am away, she will get up, poop on the floor, and then sit back down on the potty.  She will pee on the potty, then get up an pour the pee on the floor.  The minute I put her on the potty, she starts scooting the potty into the another room.  She'll pee a little in the potty, then when I put her in a pair of panties, she'll pee in them, and then tell me, "I not.  I not changing."  Yesterday, when I told her it was time to potty and to not put anything in the potty, she pointed at me and told me, "I not.  You not mama." by which I'm pretty sure she means that I can't make her.  I started a few weeks ago and really I'm tempted to put her back in diapers and let her wear them until she's 12.

Grandpa's Quilt

Every year I make one person a big gift.  This year was the year of Q's great grandpa.  I felt like I had a great idea and last year I asked everyone to send me profile pictures that I could turn into silhouettes and have all his kids, grandkids, and great grandchildren on a quilt.  I gave them three months so that I would have time to turn them into silhouette's and applique them all on.  Unfortunately, only my SIL and myself could be bothered to snap a couple of shots in three months time, so I did something that I really hated to do and bought a quilt kit.

I think the end quilt came out beautiful and I feel like I succeeded in making something that he will really like (based on the fact that my FIL really likes it).  I spent a lot of time making sure everything was perfect and the top was so neat and flat that the quilt top looked like cheater's cloth. The center is a panel and the borders are pieced onto the panel.

Here is a closeup of the quilting.

And the back.  I used to be afraid of doing a huge contrast in thread to the fabric because any flaw shows, but my quilting has gotten good enough that I don't feel that I need to worry about it anymore.

And the final quilt (74" x 52").

I just finished it and Q is currently wrapping it.  I'm so happy to have it done in time.

Irresponsible Parenting

Dear Mother at Six Flags,

Today, your budding psychopath attempted to push my two-year-old off of the Six Flags playset.  We are all very lucky that my husband was right there to stop him.  This was actually the third time your son attempted to push her and we are also very lucky that a) my husband did not witness the first two attempts and b) that I wasn't the one that was right beside my daughter when the third push happened as he is one of the most gentle persons on the planet and grew up in a loving, stable, non-violent home, and my instincts would have resulted in my likely incarceration after my response. We are also all very lucky that I wasn't present for your follow-up conversation with my husband because no, we don't have to understand that he is the eighth child.  Not only do I not have to understand it, I can't even comprehend how that is supposed to explain or excuse what happened.  So at which child did you give up responsible parenting and decide to let your children do whatever to other kids without any parent around to supervise?  I'm guessing it wasn't with number eight.  Please take a parenting class and also read up on how to teach your children the things that you have clearly neglected to date.

Thanks so much,
Mother of Darth Baby.

Beginner French Seam Pillowcase Tutorial

I'm making pillowcases for Christmas for the travel pillows my daughters and nieces have (Don't worry, they all get plenty of 'real' gifts and even some of those from me) and I thought I'd give a simple tutorial.  I've given measurements before, but these are a really simple way of making a high quality pillowcase.  After Christmas, I plan on making myself some body pillow cases since my body pillow that is actually supportive and good for my back doesn't actually fit in pillow cases that you can buy for body pillows (though they fit the cheapo $10 body pillows fine).

First, cut and iron your main fabric.

Travel case:  18 inches x 28 inches.

Standard case:  27 inches x 45 inches (or as close as you can get it width-wise).

Body pillow case:  50 inches x 45 inches (I wouldn't choose a fabric that is much less than 44 inch in width).

If adding trim, cut and iron the trim

Travel case:  3 inches x 28 inches.

Standard case:  3 inches x 45 inches.

Body pillow case:  3 inches by 45 inches.

Cut and iron the flange.

Travel case:  7 inches x 28 inches.

Standard case:  12 inches x 45 inches.

Body pillow case:  20 inches by 45 inches.

Next, fold the trim piece in half with wrong sides together and iron.

Place the flange fabric face up.  Place the main fabric face up on top of it lining up the edge.  Place the folded trim piece face up on that and again line up the edge.

Roll up the main fabric to where there is plenty of room to fold the flange in two.

Fold the flange over and line up all the edges.

Sew across the top (I use 1/4 inch seam here).

Pull all the fabric out of the tube.

Unroll the tube.

Iron.

Now for the French seams.  This gives both sides a nicer and stronger finish.  Fold the fabric in two with wrong sides together.

Sew around using a seam 1/8-1/4 inch smaller than your usual seam.  (If you are a precision sewing, use 1/8 inch seam like I do.  A beginner should use 1/4 inch seam.)  On this pillow I actually turned my trim up which is why the flange looks smaller than the previous pictures.  Trim the seam to 1/8 of an inch or if it is frayed.

Turn inside out and press.

Sew again.  (I use 1/4 inch seam here.  Beginners should probably use 1/2 inch).

Turn back right side out and press.  In the even that there are threads or part of the earlier seam sticking out, you can simply turn back inside out and sew the seam a little further out at that point.

Here is a view of the final pillow case on the pillow.

Edited 12/19 to add trimming suggestions for stray threads or showing seams.

Hot Tubs

I'm thankful for hot tubs.  I'm also rather grateful for heated pools.

What a Day at Disney with My Girls Looks Like

These pictures are only from a couple of moments from today, but the whole day yesterday and today was pretty much like this.  I love the stamina my girls have.  After all day yesterday at Magic Kingdom, the bear cub had no problem dancing in the street with the parade until they marched right out of there.

Texting

I forgot to post yesterday and so I'm posting another thankful post today.  I'm thankful that I don't have a smart phone or texting.  We're having so much fun at Disney and I can't help but notice the unhappy faces on all the people that are having to check their phones.  I already feel like a phone is basically an electronic leash and I'm glad that it doesn't have any power over me or my hubby or my mom.