Mini Tutorial- Altering Pants

Earlier this week I mentioned quickly taking in some pants at the waist. I was always afraid of adjusting pants, but with my fluctuating post baby body, I needed a way to have pants that fit without lots of shopping. It may not be 100% perfect, but it works for me.

First, try on your pants to determine how much to take in. You'll be stitching at the side seams, so you'll want to divide that amount evenly between each side. You can either actually measure or just pinch and guesstimate like I did.

Now, you'll sew your new seam starting with the max amount at the waistband and tapering out to the seam somewhere around the middle to end of the pocket depending on what you need for fit and how the pants are structured. I didn't want to change the shape of the legs, so I just did a gradual taper of probably 5-6 inches. Repeat on the other side.

Some things to keep in mind while sewing:
Keep the waistband even at the top
Use a denim needle for thicker materials
Taper all the way out so you don't end up with a weird little pleat
Avoid stitching over belt loops.
WATCH OUT FOR METAL RIVETS. Seriously. I've had needles break and hit me in the face without hitting something metal. Use extra care if your jeans have metal details around the seams.

This tutorial was based on one I saw on another blog, but I can't find that blog now. If you know the one I'm talking about, please let me know. I would love to link back to it, and the blog probably has tons of other awesome tutorials I need to see.

Finnian's zoo trip

Finn had his first field trip this week. They went to the Fort Worth Zoo. Chris went along as a surprise for Finn since it was also his birthday. Aside from Finn getting worried when Chris got separated from the group and a boy from another group not wanting to leave and having to be carried all the way from the Texas Wild! exhibit, it sounds like everything went smoothly.

Here are some photos from the trip. I think Finn took a lot of the animal pictures.

Shopping with Beckett

I needed to pick up a prescription refill and some birthday cake supplies from the grocery store this morning. I was pretty sure that the pharmacy didn't open until sometime after 8:30am, but I really didn't want to go home just to get Beckett back into his car seat one more time then necessary. I killed time by stopping to top up the gas tank and then top up and change Beckett in the parking lot.

By the time we made it to the store, we still had about 25 minutes until the pharmacy opened. My plan was to shop slooooowly. Of course this meant Beckett decided to get fussy about the same time we walked in the door. I use a ring sling for shopping that usually keeps him happy, but he was starting to get tired and cranky. With some of the horror-ish stories I've heard since the whole "Mom Enough" TIME mess, I've been on guard when I'm out with Beckett. I half expect someone to feel the need to tell me what I'm doing wrong since I'm obviously one of those crazy babywearing, breastfeeding, attachment parenting weirdos. Probably a case of lingering postpartum paranoia, but whatever. A happy sling baby is harder to argue with than a cranky sling baby.

Luckily all the comments we got today were either sympathetic or of the "aww, how cute" variety. Beckett had one lady particularly entertained by smiling at her while continuing to share his displeasure with me by growling. Yes, my baby growls when he needs to complain without full-on crying.

It only took 10 minutes to get everything we needed and Beckett's growls were starting to turn into cries. The pharmacy was still deserted which probably meant I'd have to wait for them to get everything up and running after waiting the 10-15 minutes for them to open. Beckett wasn't going to make it, so we bought our things and left.

In the five minutes it took us to get home, Beckett went from fussy baby to this:

If only he had fallen asleep in the sling, I could have gotten everything done. Oh well. On my way out, I noticed Blue Bell is on sale, so we can stock up when we go back later today. :)

Routine and Driving with Mr. B

I'm usually a laid back, just roll with it kind of mom when it comes to routines and schedules, but with so much cleaning I need to get done before the weekend, I thought I'd try to add a little structure to our day. After reading this post on schedules at Fountains of Home (found through camp patton) I tried the sleep, eat, play pattern with Beckett.

When we got home from our morning chauffeuring, Beckett was asleep, so I let him nap in his car seat. He woke up after about an hour, so I changed him, and let him eat his fill. Then we played for a little while, mostly making faces at each other with a few baby presses thrown in. (Multitasking at it's finest--entertaining baby while shaping my arms.) When Beckett got tired of that, I strapped him to me in the mei tai carrier and proceed to vacuum the house. The movement, closeness and noise knocked him out after about two rooms. I was able to lay him down for a thirty minute mommy's lunchtime nap.

We did that again about two more times before after school pickup time. I managed to wash a sink full of dishes, vacuum and mop my whole house, fold two baskets of laundry and wash two others, and take in a pair of my jeans at the waist with a quick and obvious method I learned at some blog I came across on a night of digging deeper and deeper into tutorial blogs. If I can find the blog again I'll post a link. If not, I'll post a tutorial and hope someone can point me to the original tutorial. Because I want to give proper credit an because they probably have other cool tutorials I need.

In other news, Mr. B. is almost able to sit in a Bumbo seat. Rather, his chunky thighs wedge him into the seat, but his head is still a little bobbley and he leans back in the seat. He seems to enjoy it, but I'm afraid he'll hurt himself like that. At the rate he's growing, I'm not sure if he'll be able to use it much when his head finally stabilizes. His thighs already stick in the Bumbo so that I have to pry it off his bum when I pick him up.

Happy little chubchub. 

Mr. B also hates the car. HATES. I've tried toys, music, windows up, windows down, everything I can think of to help. We finally discovered a soothing, albeit problematic solution while flipping radio stations about a week ago. See, Mr. Beckett apparently is either a fan of large posteriors or Sir Mix-a-Lot. I can get him to calm down in the car by turning on "Baby Got Back." And leaving it on. Loud. On repeat. Over and over and over and..... I wouldn't really mind, except that half the time I also have my five six year old in the car, too. I really don't need him to start asking why an anaconda would care about buns. But it's either that or NON STOP, BLOOD CURDLING SCREAMING.

There's also the fact that our AC isn't working as well as it should, at least for the front seats. So, I usually have my window rolled down. While driving through downtown. And blasting out "I like BIG BUTTS and I can NOT lie!" I've already noticed a few looks. One guy about fell off his scooter turning to look at us. If I was quicker with a camera (and not driving) I would totally start taking pictures of the looks for an album.

I've been invaded!

My husband took over my craft room. I didn't really mind, but I'll admit I was a little nervous. I had to fight the impulse to rush in and hide all my good scissors. I did practically say You. Don't. Touch. while pointing them out. I wasn't quite that blunt. I don't think.

R.I.P. Mr. Yardstick

There was also a rather frightening moment when I heard Finn start laughing and saying uh-oh and then Chris came in and asked if I had ever taken x part off my (beloved) sewing machine. (Um, no I hadn't.) Said part did return to it's proper place without any noticeable effects so far. At that point, though, I did reiterate that any injuries to my sewing machine would result in a possibly costly trip to the repair shop ASAP.

There was one casualty. The yardstick you see lying on the ironing board is now about a foot shorter. I didn't ask. It has been replaced.

This is the final product.

The green thing at the bottom is a leg. The post directly above it is to practice blocking a stomach shot. Which, I suppose means the attacking dummy has three arms and one leg. Hmm. 

It is a Mook Jong dummy (not Mah Jong as I'm constantly trying to call it) used to practice for their martial arts class. Notice the lovely sewn cushions.

Happy Birthday Finnian!

My baby is growing up. It's hard to believe that it only took 6 years to go from this:

to this:

Happy Birthday Finnian!

Weekend Review: The Waffle House Edition

Leaving Finn's Martial Arts class. See, Beckett isn't always happy.

Not sure which Beckett finds more concerning: the crazy person holding him or the crazy polka dot diaper.

Daddy blue steel. (Chris is so going to hate that I used this picture. But he never reads my blog, so ha! and who could resist the big baby laugh?)

I. don't. know.

Me and my big guy.

A less kissy-face picture.

More please.