The Quiet Book Project, Part 1*!

*Part 1 Because I am guessing there will be future posts on this topic.

So, I'm making a quiet book! When I saw them on sale on etsy for $150 I knew I would never pay that much for a kids book that I could make myself. But these cloth/fabric/homemade books vary in complexity (and size) so I thought making my own book from scratch would take...forever.  Then I talked to some other mama's and we all want our kid more entertained and a co-op book idea was formed.

So basically I have recruited other crafty moms to each make 1-2 pages for the book, with multiple copies of each (that way you only need creative juices for 1 mass-produced page) and then we will all trade pages and have complete and varied books.

The tricky part of this is making sure the pages are similar enough to all go together in the book. And not to overwhelm any of use, since we are all new moms within the last year (or new moms to more than 1!). So th is a more simple version of a quiet book, but hopefully one that will still entertain the tots.

If any non-facebook readers want to participate, let me know. You must make a minimum of 6 pages and mail them to me by May 10. (We have 10+ participants right now so if you make 9 pages you will get 9 back in your book, etc. I will know the final # of participants by early next week. )

Onto the instructions the core group is waiting for:

1) The pages will be made of Stiffened Felt. Our page size is 9x9 and we are accounting for an inch of binding on either side (since I don't know if your page will be a front or backside in the book. [This means your design area is 7x9 inches]. Note this UPC specifically says "Stiffened Felt", not the floppy felt. (Floppy felt is fine for decorating.)

 Here is what your page will look like...cut off the bottom 3". This leaves you with the 9x9 page. Avoid crafting on the left and right margin (1 inch).  You can orient your page horizontally or vertically because the book can always be turned during reading. I hope this makes sense.

My practice page was making a sensory octopus. This is geared more towards the younger crowd since it is more about feeling the textures of different ribbon, but with an older child you can ask them to find a certain color ribbon, etc.  I started with ribbon I had on hand (although I would have loved to use rick rack and curly ribbon as I saw on a blog.)  I cut my strips 5-6 inches.  Then I took 2 scraps from the felt part I cut off my main page and taped half of the ribbon down to the top.  My "scraps" were 1.5"x4". (you could pin the ribbon on individually to allow for sewing, but who has time to pin individual ribbons?) So again, I laid out the ribbons across the yellow scrap shown below and taped the top. Then I ran the non-taped part (still touching the yellow scrap) through the sewing machine a few times to anchor the ribbons.  I did this twice per octopus, then layered them underneath the octopus head (stitching them again, this time to the page).

Here I have both layers of my ribbon strips stitched to my page. The ribbon is longer than the page but I trimmed it later.

 I cut an octopus head shape (freehanded, but you could find lots of pictures online) that was a little wider than my ribbon strips and then sewed it on. This is the first time I've ever bothered to change thread color to match my project. It is was worth it!  Also, sewing felt on felt is SO nice. As in, so easy. I may become addicted.

 I used a few other supplies - I glued a surprise fish to my page underneath the tentacles. I tried to make sure I had glue on the entire bottom surface so prying little fingers will not find a gap to rip the fish off.

 I also found some non-toxic puffy paints in my stash (From Emily's burp rag project!) to make the eyes. I was especially happy they were non toxic. I tried not to make the paint eyes too "tall" so that John won't try to pick them off. (I smeared the paint to be flat.)

 On a second test page I sewed this mitten for a child to put their hand in. In retrospect, tracing my own hand then sewing it on make it a little small for grown ups. But this is just a test one and it fits John's hand just fine.  You will notice in the below picture I have also stitched this to the yellow page (note the square sewn around the mitten) with the left 1 inch reserved for binding. More on binding when I get my grommet kit tomorrow.

 Its a hit! And yes I am wearing batman fleece pajamas and pink socks in that picture.

To make both pages last night took me less than 2 hours, and that was with finding the stuff, faking a pattern, and learning as I go. It would have gone faster if I knew I was making the same page over and over, etc. So hopefully this is a manageable project for all of us involved!

I still have a few more page ideas that I hope some additional participants will volunteer for:

Tie My Shoe / Lacing Page (lacing football, ballet slipper, etc)

Flaps / High Contrast (any page with flaps to lift to reveal something underneath)

Marble Maze

Traffic Light with Velcro colors

Anything with buttons - for dexterity

Anyhow, there are TONS of options and variations to include/not include beads, buttons, etc. You can find tons of quiet book ideas with a simple pinterest or etsy search. If you want to participate after lasting through this entire post, leave a comment and I will get in touch with you!

Stories

Sooo...just to tell a few stories about how fast John is growing and changing...so I remember them for the scrapbook. (Ha! I just said scrapbook...no really!)  So bathtime is a highlight of our day. For me, because it means no whining for possibly up to 15 minutes and it gets the dried spit up out of his hair.  For John it means a variety of activities, starting with:

1. Eat bathroom mat tag while Mom fills the bath. Then stand at bathtub edge putting mouth on nasty shower door railing and screeching about getting in.

2. Short bath trying to chase ducks. (They are hard to catch in water!)

3. Roll over in bath - end of bath. Mom empties bath.

4. Play in bath longer, practicing crawling. Give Mom heart attack about risks of cracking head on the bathtub.

5. Get removed from bath and extreme squirming in towel.

6. (my favorite part) - stand up from getting dried and see self in mirror. Flash huge dimple smiles and become very excited.

7 (new development) QUICKLY become tired of self in mirror and throw body towards sink to "wash hands." (I am sad about this one. I taught him the hand washing and now he totally wants to do that instead of looking in the mirror! Only in the main bathroom though.  Its like he doesn't realize the other bathroom also has a sink - so he likes mirror time in there.)

That is pretty much the end - cue extreme squirminess on the changing table, PJ's, nursing, and bedime.



You're welcome son, for not posting the picture of your front instead.

And even since the "hand washing" development, Zach taught John about light switches today. So now he also lunges towards every switch he notices when we walk by them. Which is a lot because he wants to be walked around all the time, or else he whines constantly. 

Luckily walks are still an acceptable substitute, here he is rocking his shades! His other pair of sunglasses are tight on his eyes so he just keeps his eyes closed and rips them off. These he will leave on - if I correct him enough times initially AND if its bright out -- but he will keep reaching up just to touch the lens as if he is thinking, "Are they still there? Yep. Ok." Super cute.

Here's an image from the baby monitor - we have increased crib play lately. A few months ago putting him down before he was super tired would yield only screaming. Now we may get some arguing (and who am I kidding - sometimes screaming) but also sometimes he just plays and explores the crib before conking out. Sweet!

And here he is in his plastic wagon. We push/pull him around the house in this.  He doesn't smile like that for the rides, though. He is VERY serious and holds on for dear life. (Zach once lifted his body to simulate a crash and John carried the wagon with him!) But after he is done emptying his wagon of toys, he tolerates as much wagon riding as we can tolerate (Hello, broken back) and it prevents The Whining.  So basically he always has to be in motion to be happy.  I guess it burns the ice cream off that Zach and I consume nightly after bedtime!

Anyhow, that sums up our typical day (in reverse order, I suppose!). We are looking for care options when I go back to work full time and it is SCARY! Drop my baby off at a facility and walk away? Or pay double to have him at home.  Eek.  Well, pray for us, we are praying too!

6 Months and Mobile!

I had grand ideas for this post. I wrote down John's 6 month milestones to talk about. That list is ALL THE WAY across the house. Will I go get it? No. Lazy.

My labor went from manageable to bad in this here gelato shop line 6 months ago! When I considered biting Zach in the shoulder, we decided it was time to go. 3 hours later...baby born!

Someone is pulling himself up on the side of the Pack and Play...

Then suddenly, if we put him in standing up, he could stay that way! (Now he can also pull himself up if he has a low enough hand hold.)

6 months old

I put him on the mat...and went to get the camera...and came back to this.

He's getting chunky!

"Hug me Mommy!"

I think these pictures pretty much sum up our now mobile (but not quite crawling) boy. He has found his voice (again) and while he is not talking as much as he was in early January, he is definitely voicing his displeasure regarding...everything.  Boy really has his whine on lately.  Cannot play very long independently before he whines to be held. And not just held. Held and walked around the house. (No sitting!) I'm not sure what is up with him - maybe just getting hungry/tired earlier than we think...still trying to work out the right time for naps and get better at sleeping through the night.  He takes 2-3 naps depending on what time he wakes up but that isn't too consistent either so...plus church and bible study throw off 2 days a week as well.

He can give kisses if he wants to...he sits up well...still loves going outside (the only satisfactory alternative to being held when whiney) and is enjoying starting on solids for the most part.

I have more pictures to share in another post when I'll catch up on whatever is missing from  my list. Then I'm also going to have a non-baby tutorial soon! :)

Oops, forgot the hyperlinks

Spicy Sausage Pasta
Maple Bourbon Glazed Salmon
Parmesan Sage Pork Chops

Recipe Recommendations!

In an attempt to cook more, I've been trying to find some newer recipes to make things interesting. That, and I don't want to sift through my old ones because it will take way too long! Although I do intend to do that soon.

Here are 3 recipes I highly recommend.  The first two aren't the original blog I got them from, but appear to be identical.

1) Spicy Sausage Pasta (A one-skillet wonder! Yay for easy! The original poster I read recommended Butterball Turkey Sausage, but I can't find that anywhere. We used our Aidell's chicken and apple sausages.)

2) Maple-Bourbon Glazed Salmon.  Really easy, really yummy. The hardest part was Zach finding travel sized bourbon at the liquor store.

3) Parmesan Sage Pork Chops. We've made these twice now and loved every bit of them, served with rice or better yet - Trader Joe's cous cous.  These are a bit more work but we love breaded meat, so, we endure it.

In small fry eating land, someone has puked up a bunch of rice cereal (I guess we'll wait a little longer on that), enjoyed apple and pear juice from a meshy eating toy, and smashed avocado all over his high chair (I think some went into his mouth?) Then I handed him a large apple chunk to gnaw on, of which he gummed off a tiny piece, choked on it, and proved that yes, he does have the gag reflex fully in place to not choke on food. And threw up all his milk. And then tried to shove his bib into his mouth to get it back. GROSS. It is really funny, though, when he does have a bit apple hunk and can't pick it up, he gets it on his bib then lifts his bib to his mouth to chew it. Where do kids come up with this stuff?

And since I have no pictures of him eating (too messy) these will have to do:

A trip to Petco - I mean - the fancy aquarium!!!

More reading, with the boppy as an excellent lap pillow. (When did he explode with the sitting up??!!)

Trying to get a selfie to send to my sister...pardon the goofy look on my face, focus on the adorable outfit she bought him that he is wearing. 

He Sits! He Stands! He...falls...

Happy boy on his tummy...

Who loves standing!!!

Hey, is he sitting up by himself?

Well, not too well, I think he is tipping over.

Yep. That happened.

Pretty happy about giving it a second try with some support though!

Official 5 month shot.

Not about the baby

Just kidding. What else does my life revolve around lately?  Ok, I have had other thoughts about what to blog but I've forgotten most of them. However...

Meal Planning.  I want to get back into this. When I have a solid block of time to organize my recipes and sort them. I intend to capture our top 20-30 meals and make "weekly" plans of 4-5 meals (accounting for leftovers, etc).  That way I can just rotate through the "weeks" and we can eat mostly whatever is scheduled for that week. One fish, 2 chicken, 1 red meat or pork meal - etc. I'm OK with repeating our biggest favorites so I would imagine I could get perhaps 10 weeks out of this strategy.

Babysitters. LOVE IT when you get the right ones. I stole mine from the other moms at church. She grocery shops for me during nap time. Then she comes home and does whatever food prep I might need. LOVE HER. The other day we had a date and John was nursing when she came in. He immediately popped off and smiled at her, kept leaning back (horrible nursing behavior) and smiling some more. That was the end of that meal.

Nursing. Sucks. I want to quit so often. But, its close to free, so, I carry on. Lately John has been a bit of a pill and I'm hoping its just a phase. In my mind, everything will suddenly be perfect when we "start on solids" like everyone seems to suggest will solve everything.  I know this will not be the case, but I'm excited to start anyway. Like maybe I snuck a teaspoon of cereal in some milk today and gave it to him. Maybe he loved it.  Maybe.

BSF. Bible Study Fellowship.  I love the women in my group. Its hard to make "friends" at BSF but studying the bible together really is great. They have shown me SO much love through tons of prayer and even recently, meals as I continue to get over this infection I've had for several months.  (Nothing to worry about, Grandpa! I'll be fine!!!!!!)

5 Months. 14 pounds. Sitting up assisted, but would prefer to stand. Would greatly prefer to bounce. Won't bother rolling over unless the toy is REALLY worth it.  Talked up a storm over Christmas and now is mostly silent as a mouse except when we really get him laughing. 6 month clothing. (After taking 3 months to even get INTO 3 month clothes, here we are out of them 2 months later.) Loves bathtime. Sleeping 6:30p-7a +/- 60 minutes.  Mom and Dad are loving having nights to ourselves again. Although eating, baths, and bedtime by 6:30 seems really early - I'm barely off work by 5! I've been doing a dream feed around 10 and he is still waking up at least one extra time to eat...until last night when I let him cry it out for 10 minutes and he fell back asleep at minute 9. You can bet we're trying that again tonight now that he's proven he can do it! Yay.

And, pictures...

All dressed up for GG's 90th Bday Party. Snazzy!

Parent Fail: My kid has his own iPad mini apps. Only used when he wakes up before 6:30 though. Or if he is really whiney and I need to delay bedtime a little bit. He has this Twinkle Twinkle app and an aquarium display app.

New closed mouth/chewing on lip face he makes ALL.THE.TIME. Usually accompanied by some spitting.

High quality nursing moves. Thats his head under the blanket, if you're wondering. He'd rather eat blankets than nurse most of the time.

We've been going on a lot of walks in a new stroller someone gave us - so much to see!

We start early with Cribbage on my side of the family.

Entertaining our child while waiting for some food...

Favorite toy: Jumperoo.

Learning how to stand up in his Pack and Play...great...and more closed mouth smirks!