Preparing for Baby (When You Don't Know the Sex!)

Since we do not know the sex of baby # 3, preparations have been a little different this go-around. I like to be planned and prepared, and this has been one of the challenges of not finding out for me. As winter shows hints of spring, I am reminded that my due date is getting closer. And it makes me a little bit more anxious to be ready for this baby! And knowing that I will still have two rambunctious boys to chase, as well as taking care of a newborn, makes me want the post-partum period to be as organized and stress-free as possible.

I eased a little bit of my anxiety this weekend when I pulled out all of the boxes of baby clothes and sorted them. I added a few new pieces to the mix that have been piling up on my desk over the past few months (gifts, little things I find at consignment sales, etc.) I cut up some cardboard for dividers to keep everything neat.

Doing this really did the trick for me. I feel much more ready...baby can arrive, and we can pull out the box of clothes and put them in baby's drawer (well, we have to get a dresser for baby still...another pre-baby To-Do.)

Photos of my boxes.

 The newborn box. Labels, so that anyone can figure it out. (eh, hm. David).

3 months + box. It made me sad to realize that my boys wore these sizes by the time they were 4-5 weeks old. They grow so fast! 

Sometimes it's the little things.

As for other preparations, here is my To-Do List.

Baby # 3 To-Do List

-Finalize names (we have a boy name & a girl name).

-Organize baby clothes.

-Set up the crib!

-Get a crib bumper.

-Finish crib bedding...Mattress pad and sheets.

-Acquire a dresser to store baby's clothes & diapers. I have been checking my swap group & Craigslist with no luck so far. We are maxed out on clothing storage as it is, right now, so we need to find a 3-drawer dresser to add to our bedroom.

-Complete diaper stash. We need 6-8 more newborn diapers and 2 more covers.

-Re-arrange carseats and install infant seat (we will probably wait until 36 weeks or so to do this.) 

-Update Dmitri & Damon's photo books. I was up to date through last summer, but I want to make sure I am completely current by the time # 3 arrives. Repeat it with me, I WILL NOT TAKE LESS PHOTOS OF CHILDREN #2...#3... + It's pretty much one of my greatest fears, and I'm not giving in.

-Summer wardrobes for Dmitri & Damon complete. (I think I only need to get them swimsuits and shoes. Knocked out a lot of it this weekend at a consignment sale, and I'm going to another next weekend! Yes, I am one of those moms. I sure do love buying used though!)

-Make a bunting for baby's crib.

-Hang curtain above crib

-Find a stroller that is car seat compatible. Neither of mine are. Maybe this?

-Finalize birth plan & childcare plan. We are stumped with what to do with the big brothers right now.

-Borrow a co-sleeper.

-Figure out what other house projects we want/need to complete.

-Assemble birth supplies.

And probably a bunch of other things that I'm forgeting. Suddenly, I feel unprepared again. Time to start knocking some of these out!

Any other ideas on things I should do before # 3 comes and shakes things up?! Hitting the third trimester next week. Bring it on!

How to Make a Fabric Baby Book

I made this fabric book for my newest niece for Christmas. I think it's so sweet, if I do say so myself.

I was inspired by Amanda Blake Soule's adorable fabric book that she created for her daughter's first birthday, but I had a hard time finding any tutorials online. So I decided to figure it out as I went. I failed in taking good photos of the process, but hopefully a simple step-by-step will suffice. It really was not as hard as I thought it might be, but it was still a challenge since I am definitely a sewing novice. And a little time consuming. I have no idea how Amanda Blake Soule made one in a single night...but I guess I rarely work in a solid block of time, only snippets here and there.

Supplies
-Printable fabric (I purchased mine from Joann's with a coupon. It comes in a package of 8.5" x 11" sheets and I got 100% cotton)
-Quilt batting -I already had some. Depending on my how many pages your book is, I would say to get half a yard...a yard if you want extra.
-Fabric - this is a great project for using up scraps! All of my fabric was from my scrap stash.
-A printer/ computer
-A sewing machine
-Scissors
-Optional embellishments - ribbon, buttons, ric rac, etc.

1. Print photos and any desired text onto printable fabric following instructions on package. You stick it in the printer and print just like normal paper, allow to dry, and then rinse off the back, then dry. I used an assortment of 3 x 5 and 4 x 6 photos.

2. Cut out fabric and batting. I cut mine into 8 1/2" square pieces. Next time, I think I might make it slightly bigger. And I would also cut the back and the cover pieces slightly larger than the rest of the book (half an inch or so). You need two fabric squares and 1 batting square for each "page".

3. Cut out fabric photos/text

4. Iron all photos and fabric so that it's smooth.

5. Lay out all of your fabric and photos so that you can make sure you get the order right and figure out the layout of the book.

6. Sew the photos and text onto their designated fabric squares. I used a zigzag stitch for this.

7. Once you have sewn all the photos onto the fabric, you can begin constructing the pages. Carefully take two fabric pieces that will be the "front and back" of a page and lay them facing each other. (So the photos are on the inside!) Add one batting square on top of the outside of the two pages. Sew around the edge like you are sewing a pillow, leaving a 4-5 inch opening so that you can turn the pages to their right sides. Trim the corners, and then turn right-side out. Sew up the opening, and your page is done!

8. Sew all the pages as directed above.

9. To put the book together, I sewed all the pages together in three spots along the left side (like where a three-ring-binder would be). And then I sewed buttons to cover the spots.

And it's DONE!

More photos...