Live and Learn

I did it. I left my baby for the first time.

My generous brother scored us VIP tickets to Widespread Panic Saturday night- which means I have been pumping milk for the past week in order for my child to be fed while we were gone. Call me an overachiever, but I pumped 6 bottles (36oz) and was worried it wouldn't be enough. Live and learn, right? I didn't think about having to leave her until D-Day. I could hardly walk out the door. . . which is ridiculous since we left her with K's mom who had triplets. Seriously. You'd think she knew what she was doing... but I still found myself telling her how to warm a bottle and what to do if she cried. Ridiculous. We had a great time, but I was SUPER happy to be back home with my little love- and my breast pump. Oh. My. Ladies. We were gone for about 7 hours and yowza I was hurtin'. and leakin'. and complainin'. I had a few beers at the show, so when I got home I still wasn't comfortable feeding her straight from the boob yet. So I "pumped and dumped" to get some relief. I am just. now. getting that relief. It was insane! Definitely not worth the beer. Period. End of story.

So, today while it was raining and I was recovering from excessive lactating, I decided to sew. and nap. I have been trying to get started, and couldn't seem to get the machine to work right. It knotted up every time I started:

So, while my brother and his wife were in town for the concert, I asked her to take a look. She sat down, checked a few points, and then flipped a switch. "Wait, what did you just do?" I asked. "Put the presser foot down..." Right. The presser foot. Of course. So in one day I learned that I am an overprotective mother and also an idiot. Wonderful.

Anyway, here's the process of making a simple swaddle:

Cut the fabric to size. Our swaddles measure 28 x 28.

I cut 29 x 29 to allow for a hem.

Pin the hem.

Sew the hem.

After you put the presser foot down.

Yes, I realize I was sewing backwards.

See above paragraph Re: "Idiot"

Pin the ribbon.

Sew ribbon over hem.

Look nasty and tired while holding a ghetto fab swaddle!

Wrap it around your precious little one and give out lots of kisses!

I call the swaddle "ghetto fab" because it is. The machine that I inherited has 20+ different types of stitches, so I played around with each one. . . it makes the blanket. . . unique.

Can't wait to show you the other blankets when I'm finished, now that I know what stitches I like best. And to put the presser foot down. Live and Learn.

Until Next Time,

The Guff