Headbands!

I know there are only about a small handful of people who read this. Look over on the right hand side of the page, scroll down a little bit, see it? It's like a little tracker, and says where someone in logged in when they get onto the page. So I know about how many different people come across the page, and how you stumbled upon it!

 Would you mind to do me a favor? Go to my facebook page for headbands : facebook.com/storkbitesandangelkisses Look at the post about a give-away and SHARE it on your page. I'm trying to get the word out a little bit more about the headbands. I've got a couple of photographers who are going to take some pictures of babies modeling some for me soon. I'm also going to give away 2 headbands on Thursday--picked from people who have shared the post.  So if you have facebook, like the page, and share the post! The 2 winners will get a free headband, any color or type they would like! Thanks and SHARE AWAY! Every little bit helps!

NICU party

The yearly NICU party was a few weeks ago at Baptist St Thomas Midtown. I wanted to buy Lucy a cute new dress since I had the past two years :

 Mommy/Nana made dress @8 months

Star shirt and her favorite skirt that she STILL wears almost Daily @ 20 months

 

I went ahead & made her a dress again this year & a matching headband.

 

It was an easy tank dress. I had found the perfect fabric that I LOVED. Of course, it was from a line in 2011 & is not available to buy any more.

But I did find the  fabric I used for her dress in stock from Sarah Jane Studios and was able to buy a couple yards of Playouse from Children at Play.

 

 

And I also found the Out To Sea line that I am so excited to use for something at Landon & Lucy's Pirate & Mermaid birthday party in December!

 

 

The first step is to cut your baby's tank top where you want it to stop. I cut Lucy's about 3'' from the armpit.

I cut the fabric into a rectangle 30"x12". This all depends on where you want the dress to fall ( allow for hemming and the seam along the chest), and her measurement of 20" around. I made the width 1.5 larger for gathering. Fold the rectangle right sides facing, and sew up the  side--this will be the seam up the back.

I don't have a serger, so I stitched and then did a zig-zag stitch along the seam. Not completely sure if this is the correct way, but I'm not a seamstress. I just look at a few tutorials, and go from there ;)  This tank maxi tutorial was written for adult sizes, but is easily adaptable to make a toddler sized dress.

Next step: stitch around the top of your skirt fabric & gather. Some tutorials suggest using elastic thread. I have yet to use it for Lucy's dresses and they are OK. Since a toddler doesn't have chest or hip issues, it just slides on great. I did do this part 2 times though. I had gathered the fabric to 20", and then realized her head is bigger than that, and wasn't sure if it would fit. A lot of her 24m or 2T shirts are VERY VERY snug over her head. So I pulled out my basting stitches and re-did it, just not gathering as much. I think it probably would have been fine though.

Next: Slide your tank into the skirt section. Right sides should be facing.

I pinned them together in a few spots. Start with lining the back tag up with the seam, add a pin on each side and the front to even it out. Then you can add a few more. I did a straight stitch and also a zig zag along ( I think).

This is the dress right side out!

I do not know the correct way to hem. Some people say 'fold twice and sew'. I folded it under about 1/4" and stitched all the way around. Then I folded that stitch under & over 1 more time & stitched around the bottom.

Hem complete. She's 2. I'm not really too worried about it ;)

Now for the sash to tie around the dress. I just cut 2 long pieces about 3 inches wide. I stitched them together to make 1 long piece. Then fold the long piece in half ( right side in) and sew up the side, down one end, turn right side out, and sew the last end.

I think I might attach this tie to the front and sides of the dress. We lost the one from her tie dyed dress at church. It might help if I keep it attached.

 

 

 

Then I had to figure out a headband to match ;)

I added a small rosette to the chest, and it was done!

 

She looked cute enough for me to go hang out with her nurses and doctors!

(If you need a headband, like the Facebook Page .)

 

After we came home that night, I just was loving Lucy and thinking about the entire NICU journey. I posted this on my FB:

I know the NICU nurses & doctors at Baptist LOVE their patients. I don't know if they can ever fully understand how much we mommies LOVE THEM! The ones we still talk to, the ones we only saw once during day shift ( because I loved to feed/rock every night & 'put Lucy to bed') the one who only had our baby once but got her to take that bottle, they all are amazing to me. When you have no choice but to leave your baby with someone else for 2 months, you are forever grateful for their care! Lucy snuggled with me tonight ( for like the first time in over a year!), & I'm reminded how much i adore her! I'm so thankful for the baptist staff & all our friends or family that prayed for us during that time! You all had a part in who she is....& now I need a box of Kleenex .

 

 

2 months?!?!

It's been 2 months since I have sat down to write. And that means the summer is almost over =( I can already feel the seasonal depression taking over, and am trying to plan as many days at Nashville Shores as I can the next week. I'm so mad it closes (except for weekends) so early! After that, we will just have to deal with the baby pool, the sprinkler, and the splash pad.

 I have been too busy with these 3 kids. I told Luke tonight we are too busy to even clean. And we are just exhausted!

I'll throw in some pictures from the summer and let you see what we have been up to!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, Ella turned 6 months and we got some pictures made =) Thanks Canaday Photography!

 

She turned 7 months!

Worked on the fire pit a little at a time( we can't find too much of that lately!)

 

Had some family fun around the 4th

 

Swam in the lake ( and caught some nasty green or blue algae something that made me throw up--story of my life the past 2.5 years.

 

Loved watching this little one grow up. TOO MUCH growing up!

 

Made some memories with my little man!

 

Bought color coordinating clothes for my kids and niece =)

My baby turned 8 months old? NNNOOOOO! I want her back laying on my chest warm as can be, hours old, in the hospital. =(

She is just simply adorable!  We can't get enough of her. Well, I mean, since she just started this crazy waking up at 3 AM thing, I mean, that I have had WAY more than enough of.....

 

And we have of course been filling as much of our time as we can at the waterpark here, we've been hanging out at the splash pad, we've gotten shaved ice, we went to the drive-in, Landon had a week of swim lessons, we've play in the sprinkler, and we've spent much time at the Y! Busy, busy, busy!

 

I will be back at it, and not taking off  2 months before I update again =)

 

One last picture:

 

Where did she get that adorable headband you ask? Oh, well you just need to check out my new little adventure! If you have instagram, you can follow me @storkbitesandangelkisses or you can find it on http://facebook.com/storkbitesandangelkisses

 

 

 

 

31 years (minus 16 months)

"The Grand Ole Opry, to a country singer, is what Yankee Stadium is to a baseball player. Broadway to an actor. It's the top of the ladder, the top of the mountain. You don't just play the Opry; you live it." -- Bill Anderson

31 years minus 16 months is how long Luke has lived in Nashville. I've only been here since 2002. But neither of us have been to the Grand Ole Opry--besides in high school when I had TNT with church. I heard a commercial the other day that mentioned some names. Oddly enough I missed the Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Ricky Scaggs part & only heard Lennon and Maisy and Kree Harrison and Kellie Pickler. COME ON, the most adorable sisters off of the show Nashville and the runner up on American Idol? And another fave from Idol. Yes, the girls really are sisters. Yes, they are amazing. Yes, I've been addicted to their Youtube for quite a while. I wasn't really sure about Kree Harrison. I know the judges raved about her on the show, but at the end I just never really thought she sounded that great. But I know she is bff with Kacey Musgraves--maybe she'd be around or even sing with her!

Once we decided to buy tickets, we saw who else was playing and we got super excited! It happened to be the night before my niece's 9th birthday, so I figured we'd call and see if they wanted to come down and go with us. We had a GREAT time! Apparently, from everyone else in line around us, they've always just walked up and walked into their seats. No one had ever seen the Opry like this. We had to stand outside in line a good 20-30 minutes ( we barely got a parking space about 9:10 & the show started at 9:30). There was definitely a lot of excitement in the air. We were all excited too.

When Luke called to get tickets, since he had never been in the building, he just asked what the best tickets left were. We were on the far right side on the lower level of the balcony. The seats were great--no complaints. But no one told us you can walk down to the stage if you're down there on the floor! We know for next time ;) Maybe we could have too, but that was too many steps.

Little Miss Dancing with the Stars winner kicked off the night. Oh my. I need to be on that show! One day I'll wear a dress like that again ;) LOVE HER. She sang her new single and of course Red High Heels and another.

A little bit of Diamond Rio.

Some Grand Ole Bill Anderson. Amazing shirt.

AHH! Yes, I squealed like a little girl. Enough so that the little girl in front of us turned to look at me =)

Lennon and Maisy! I forget what they sang first, but they did sing Ho Hey and Ring of Fire.

Ricky Scaggs

YAY Rascal Flatts! I know they sang What hurts the Most, but can't remember what else. It was getting late, and I was getting excited for the rest of the show! They were GREAT!

Keith Urban coming out to introduce Kree Harrison on her Opry Debut!

Singing her Idol single All Cried Out

She said she told my dad a long time ago if she ever made the Opry she'd sing his favorite hymn which was In the Gardens.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.



She also sang Help me Make it Through the Night with THIS GUY.

Standing ovation for her first time singing at the Opry! She is AMAZING! I absolutely love her voice. She did PHENOMENAL!

What an incredible ending to the night!

The crowd was on their feet.

Oh, he's my new favorite artist right now.

We had an amazing time. We love the atmosphere. We're not big concert goers, but this is something we can't BELIEVE we haven't done before! When we moved back I told Luke that we MUST do more Nashville things since we live here. This was #1.We will be back for sure!

Oh, and I ran into theses guys out front.

I won't comment on that interaction. But I got a sweet pic.