Designer Diaper Bag

Here's the diaper bag..only..err...I'm the designer! konon2...hehe..Ok i gotta tell you first off, I'm in love with this diaper bag so there'll be a lot of gushing in this entry probably :) I was trying not to obsess 24-7 about my problems in the previous entry so I threw myself into making this bag and I'm sooo glad I did!

The outer body of the bag is made with Joel Dewberry's home dec fabric from the Ginseng collection and it is just lovely! I swear it was calling out to me so I 'accidentally' bought extra amount of the fabric. I used fusible fleece on the outer body..this is my first time using it and I'm definitely getting more of that stuff! It's so easy to iron on, sews beautifully and holds up the shape up the bag well without making creases or making the bag stiff. Kinda like a quilted bag but without having to quilt, you know?


On the sides I made elastic pockets for water bottles

For the closing on the flap, I used these great magnetic snaps. It's my first time using them too..they're so cheap, and i didn't have to sew them on, and they give such a professional finish! I got them (and the fusible fleece) from U-handbag.

On the inside I made lots of elastic pockets for all the baby items..3 smaller pockets for Baby..

and 2 larger pockets for Adam. I added a zipper pocket for my own personal items time keys, hp, oyster card, cash, camera..etc.

I made these buggy straps on the sides

Here's what they look like when hung on the buggy

Also I made a diaper changing pad from the same fabric to match

This one is really simple to make. Just draw a template like the above shape, sew around right sides together leaving a hole, turn right side out and topstitch. Add velcro if you want it folded up nicely. For this one I used fusible fleece again as the padding and I use fusible laminate on the polka-dot fabric. I got the fusible laminate from U-handbag too. It serves the purpose of making the changing pad waterproof (and I get to use matching fabric) but I don't think I like the texture very much..kinda plasticky, and not in a good way. You could probably get better result using vinyl or oilcloth.

I'm really happy at how it turned out. It's definitely the best bag i've made so far. It was time-consuming to make but it was definitely worth it. It's also more costly after you add the costs of the designer fabrics and interfacings etc...but considering the exorbitant prices of diaper bags, it's still cheaper to make. My husband already requested a messenger bag for him too...hehe...

GTT

I had my 27 weeks check up last week. I also had my glucose tolerance test for diabetes which I was quite worried about – I’ve been eating way too much chocolates and sweets. I don’t know why..it’s like a craving..everyday at least a bar of Sneakers..ugh…

Today I received a letter from the hospital saying that my glucose level is higher than the normal level and that they would like me to come in for another more thorough test at the diabetic centre to check whether I’ve developed diabetes in pregnancy. Oh no…I’m so worried…I was really hoping to have a smooth sailing pregnancy so that I can qualify for a natural birth at the Birth Centre at St Mary’s Hospital.

I’ve read so many negative comments about births at the normal maternity ward at the hospital. Awful treatments like pain meds wearing out in the middle of a c-sect (aww!), non-existent after-care…etc..it was really horrifying to read..not to mention the fact that Adam can’t come visit me and my husband can only stay during visiting hours and then I’ll be left alone with the baby. But the Birth Centre which is located 1 floor below the maternity ward received wonderful testimonials. They have birthing pool, calm cosy environment, single rooms with double beds and even a tv. The partners can stay overnight. Of course if God forbid anything goes wrong the maternity ward is just one level above so you can still opt to go for C-sect, or epidural if you need to. The birth centre only has 5 rooms for natural births with no painkillers etc..and to qualify you must have a no-complication pregnancy.So..this is what I’m worried about..if I have diabetes I don’t think I’ll qualify…sigh…

I’ve just called the Diabetes Centre and the next available appointment for the glucose tolerance test is 12^th November..alamak lama lagi nak tunggu..the longer I wait the more I’ll worry..

On top of this I’m already worrying about leaving Adam with someone else while I’m at the hospital and my husband will be with me. Poor Adam…And then when we take the baby home, my husband will have to go back to work and I have no idea how I’m going to manage with a toddler and a newborn all by myself while trying to recuperate. I’ll have to do the cooking…chase Adam around as usual..I still have nightmares about my last confinement. It was a most painful experience I would rather not remember…yet that time I had a lot of help..

What will I do this time I don’t know…sigh….

Ok that’s a lot of whining in one entry…pls bear with me. I guess I’m just having a really bad day today after receiving that letter..

Baby's Twirly Dress

Ok, I know Baby probably won't be twirling right away, hehe..but...she'll still look pretty in this dress won't she? You have no idea how long I've been dreaming about making this dress..before Baby even existed...hehe..maybe she can be the flower girl at my brother's wedding..amacam Aie, boleh tak?

The dress ties with a knot..I used my buttonhole foot for the hole..

so Ernie, good enough for my 'clothing line'? hehe..

p/s: sorry for the poor quality of my photos..the weather has been so gloomy lately..

Itti Bitty Dress

This is the first dress I made for Baby. Isn't it pretty? I can just imagine her wearing this :)

I got the pattern for this dress here. Go ahead and try it...it's very easy to make. I wanted to try a ready-made pattern so that I can gauge the size of a newborn's dress...I have a million patterns in my own head I want to try out..


The fabric is from Tanya Whelan's French Hatbox collection..oh it's gorgeous..i love it..

Baby's knitted booties

After Adam's vest, I started working on these cuff booties for the baby..

Aren't they cute? but they're surprisingly hard to knit in comparison to the other projects..so small and fiddly with a million of threads to weave in after..Each one take about a couple days to knit..but i think they're worth it..

Just now when I was taking the pics of these booties..the weather outside was rather gloomy and cloudy, so I tried different positions to catch the light in order to get the true colours of the booties..including holding them up like this..

Lps tu big bro pun sibukla nak tolong pegang jugak....hehe...

Adam @ 2 years old

I just can't believe my baby is 2 already...sigh..How fast does time fly huh..

Let's see what are his habits at 2 yo..

makan - makan

- Adam loves to play with our contact lens cases and pretend he’s trying to put them on. Few times we caught him going by himself to the bathroom, climbed up the toilet bowl and opening the bathroom cabinet to play with the cases. If we give him the case, he’ll put his finger in and pretend to put the ‘contact lens’ in. Beria-ria nak cucuk jari dlm mata (tapi tutup mata at the last minute). Ini kes ikut mak bapak la ni...

party toys

- Adam panggil air = yaya. Suka hati je buat sendiri. Normally if we ask him to say a word, he will try to copy the sound, even if tak betul sgt, it will sound somewhat similar. Tapi air mmg confident je dia reka word sendiri. Any water …air minum ke..air pancut ke…semua dia panggil yaya..

dan makan lagi

- Adam sgt pandai pujuk anybody who is upset. Whenever he sees me cry, or about to cry, he can sense it and immediately goes out of his way to make me feel better. He will smile, give me a hug, pat my arm, give me lots of kisses, say sorry (in case it’s him who got me upset), say something in a funny way (as if telling a joke) then laugh to make me laugh too, show something fun on tv/outside to distract me etc.

adam about to blow his candles

He’s very appreciative. When he sees me cooking…he’ll say..’wow!’ when I feed him food..he says ‘Sedap!’. When someone gives him something he says ‘Tiki’ (means thank you!)

Liza helped blow the candles..so she gets to share the best bits of the cake..chocolate shavings on the top! (he picked them all out and ate them before anybody else can get a slice!)

- He can pronounce and recognise some of the alphabets and most of the Arabic alphabets now. Sometimes I catch him reading by himself and saying the letters right. I’m so proud of him!

Adam opening his presents

- He likes to bake in his little kitchen. He learned by watching Daddy bake banana cakes in the oven. He would mix up some food in a pan, like rice krispies and sometimes water and then use his oven glove and put it in the oven. Then he would turn up the temperature and pretend to set the timing. Later he comes back to take the cake out and let us eat his cake.

p/s:photos are at his birthday party. Adam says thank you for the birthday presents!

Willows Farm Village

Last weekend we continued celebrating Adam birthday. We went to Willows Farm for a day trip. The journey there took 3 hours and was soo tiring...mainly because we took public transports..got lost..it was our first time there. By the time we get there, I was already wishing we didn't have to take the journey back. This farm better be good, i thought...and you know what, it was!

The weather was really beautiful that day, which was a good start..it was cool, since it was the start of autumn..but also really sunny and lovely..Adam was excited..

They had all these farm animals that you can feed and touch. Adam was really engaged with all the activities..he wasn't afraid to touch any of the animals. Here he was with a guinea pig. Comel sgt...

they have this HUGE indoor playground..and i believe it's the coolest indoor playground i've ever seen. the reason is that they design it so well that it's physically challenging as well as really really safe even for Adam to climb up and run all around. Adam was so active here..lari sana sini with his Daddy..until Daddy yg penat tak larat dah nak main..tapi Adam tak penat2..dia nak main lagi..dan lagi...dan lagi...

Outdoors on the farm also they have fun fair rides, bouncy castles, play grounds...Adam loved this ride..normally when we come across these kinds of rides he'll get excited but once we put him in he'll cry and wants to get off..but this time he really enjoyed it..tanak turun..

Adam on the trampoline

Adam feeding a goat

It was definitely worth the tiring journey there. But the way back took just about an hour because we know our way around already. But the best way would be if we just rented a car probably...we're definitely coming here again...It was so hard to persuade Adam to go back..kesian dia tanak balik..nak main lagi..afterwards pulak asik mintak tgk video2 dia main kat Willow farm je...teringat2 la tu kenangan manis..hehe...ok sayang..nanti kite pegi lagi ok..

p/s: on Sunday we had a birthday party for Adam at our house. more photos coming soon

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM !

Adam right after birth

Adam at 1 year old

Adam at 2 years old - he's wearing the vest i knitted for him, his birthday present

I can't believe how much he's grown. I guess because he's always been small and tiny, I always think of him as my little baby. Up until now I still tend to call him Baby. Looking at these pictures, i realise my little baby has become a big boy now...sigh...

Happy Birthday sayang...We love you sooo much...you're the best Gift I have ever had...

I love fabric

Eversince I found out I'm having a girl, I've been having visions of roses and polka dot fabrics for Baby. Tanya Whelan, one of my favourite fabric designers, has the most gorgeous fabric collections with the most perfect roses and dots. I can just imagine Baby surrounded with all these lovelyness - her dresses, her bedcovers, her pillows, her quilt...

To start with, I made this -

Tried it out on Adam first..hehe..it would be awesome to use it with a newborn later..

anak siapa ni?

With his new haircut..he looks really boyish now..and a lot of people say he looks like his Daddy..suddenly, my husband showed me this really old pic that he saved..

eh..ade persamaan tak? hehe..this was me, a long time ago. laa...betul la anak Mommy rupenye...hehe...