DIY Lego Table

Hi friends!

I am so excited to share this with you! This was my very favorite Christmas project this year. It was also my first time painting and repurposing furniture. Yay for trying new things! I knew I wanted a LEGO table for Abbey, but we are limited on space. This ended up being the perfect size!

Easy Peasy DIY Cloth Diaper Safe Laundry Detergent

Hi friends!

I've been on a mission over the past year or so to get as many harsh cleaning chemicals out of our home as possible. One of the easiest ways to do that is to make homemade laundry detergent! I was using the most common dry recipe out there with Fels Naptha, but I found out when I was pregnant with Owen that Fels Naptha can build up in cloth diapers and impact their absorbency. No good! Then I found out that Castile Soap doesn't build up, and life was good again!

Here it is, my favorite recipe.

Homemade Sensory Play Mat

Hi friends!

It's time for more Ultimate Baby Blog Hop fun! Guess what...

I made a quilt! 

Let that sink in for a second.  A quilt. With a top, and a middle, and binding. Binding! It also turned out exactly like I had it in my head, which pretty much never happens. I'm pretty proud of this thing, not gonna lie.

Owen is almost 6 months old now (hold me!), and he wants to explore everything! He's not mobile yet, but he spins like a clock hand when he's laying on his tummy. I wanted him to have a play mat that would let him explore all sorts of sights and textures.

Here is what you need for a 36 x 36 inch play mat:

• 1 1/2 yards total for top fabrics (I used quilting cotton (airplanes), flannel (stars), and minkee)
• 1 1/4 yards backing fabric
• 1 1/4 yards quilt batting
• bias tape or quilt binding (I used satin)

I chose different fabrics for different reasons. I knew I wanted minkee because it's soft and dreamy, and the bumps add a nice texture. I loved the flannel because the stars stand out really well against the white background. When I saw the airplanes they were a given because my husband is a pilot, so we airplane all the things. It doesn't hurt that they're adorable!

I wanted each stripe to be a different size, so I quickly sketched out what I wanted and made sure my total added up to 36 inches. Then I added an inch to each strip to account for a 1/2 seam allowance. Cut strips. Sew strips. Easy peasy. I added ribbon loops between the center strips to add some fun texture. Owen can grab them, or we can attach toys to them.

The bottom strip has some buttons sewn onto it. I wanted to make sure they were really going to stay put, so they are stitched through both the fabric and the batting. They give Owen something else to explore, and stand out nicely on the white flannel. 

Once the top was stitched together I cut a 36x36 square of both the batting and the backing fabric. Then I sandwiched them all together and zig-zag stitched straight down the seams in the top. No fancy quilting here.

Once the whole thing is quilted together, add the binding. You can use plain bias tape, but I really like the satin binding. It added one more texture to the whole thing, and I love how the satin contrasts with all the softness of the rest of the quilt. I had never done a mitred corner before, but they're actually pretty easy! SewNews has a very easy to follow tutorial.

And you're done! Seriously, if I can do this, anyone can. All said and done it only took me a few hours. 2 naps, tops! Now you have a nice soft place for your little one to explore. Lots to look at, lots to feel, lots to learn! Since it's relatively small it is also super portable. Perfect for outings or playing in the back yard with big sister.

It is also excellent for exploring your toes.

This guy was a total grump for all of these pictures. Not a smile to be had! Apparently fussing his way through a 2 hour nap didn't do it for him today. Are you ready for the grumpiest blog model ever?

Tadaaa!

Look at that face! He just laid there like "what is happening, and why am I here?" #keepinitreal.

Go, make this play mat! It is so much easier than you think, and you will be so proud when you are done!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today is a very fun day in the blog hop. Everything is about play! Take a look at all the goodness going on across the web!

*Sensory Play

30+ Baby Safe Sensory Play Ideas - B-Inspired Mama

Mirror Play for Babies - Still Playing School

Fun and Safe Sensory Bins for Babies - The Eyes of a Boy

Jewelry Sensory Box - Trust Me, I’m a Mom

*Gross Motor

Encouraging Sibling Play with One Awesome App - Lalymom

Baby Play: Newborn Exercise - True Aim Education

Combining Gross Motor & Art - Bambini Travel

20+ Motor Play Ideas for Baby - Pink Oatmeal

Tummy Time Entertainment - Hand Made Kids Art

Simple Activities for 6 - 12 Month Olds - Powerful Mothering

Tummy Time: Why & How? - The Inspired Treehouse

Baby Play: Rolling a Ball - Wildflower Ramblings

How to Encourage Baby to Crawl- The Realistic Mama

*Busy Boxes & Baskets

Natural Spring Treasure Basket for Baby - Natural Beach Living

Montessori-Inspired Mini Discovery Boxes for Babies - Living Montessori Now

5 Fun Busy Boxes for Baby - Squiggles & Bubbles

14 Treasure Bins for Baby - Wildflower Ramblings

*Outdoor Play

5 Ideas for Playing Outdoors with a Baby - Barefeet on the Dashboard

Outdoor Play Ideas for 0 - 12 Months - Winegums & Watermelons

*Arts & Crafts for Baby

9 Tips for Painting with Infants - The Stay-at-Home-Mom Survival Guide

Smart Art for Your Burgeoning Mini Monet - Conceiving Piper

And there's still time to enter the giveaway! Get on it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be blessed,

Heather

My Favorite First Foods

Hi friends!

I can't believe it, but Owen is already starting to eat solids! 

I'm a big fan of homemade baby food for two reasons:

     - I know exactly what is going into it

     - it saves a ton of money

I remember reading somewhere once that no baby food company has been found to be completely honest about what goes into their food. Whether that is completely true or not, I would much rather know exactly what my little one is eating. That gets much harder to do as they get older, so I'm going to do it while I can!

Also, have you seen the price of baby food lately? Holy COW! No way. 

So here they are, my favorite first foods!

     

Applesauce
Vitamins: A, C, Folate 
Minerals: Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium 
Prep time: Zero! I usually grab a jar at the store. Just make sure it doesn't have added sugar. It is sweet enough on its own. Making applesauce is super easy, too. This one is super chunky and not great for first eaters, but I peeled and sliced some apples last weekend, threw them in the crock pot and cooked them until they were mushy. Perfect applesauce!

Bananas
Vitamins:  A, C, Folate  
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Selenium, Magnesium, Calcium
Prep time: Zero! Mash and serve. Bananas are also great because you can get them pretty much anywhere. Even gas stations have them, so if you find yourself out and about without baby food (or you left it on the counter which, of course, I have never done) you won't have to look far.

Avocados
Vitamins:  A, C, Niacin, Folate  
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron, Magnesium, Calcium
Prep time: Zero! Just like bananas, mash and serve!

Sweet Potatoes
Vitamins: A (tons of it! ), C, Folate 
Minerals: Potassium, Sodium, Selenium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Calcium
Prep time: 30-45 minutes. I prefer roasting sweet potatoes in the oven. The get super sweet and delicious, and they keep a great texture. You can also boil them or, in a pinch, microwave them. Then just mash and serve!

My Favorite Tips
     - Make large batches and freeze them in ice cube trays. Easy single servings, ready to grab and go!
     - Mix in breast milk, formula or water to thin out foods for early eaters.
     - If your child doesn't like something, keep trying! It can take over 10 tries to enjoy a new food

     - Try new foods one at a time, with a few days in between. That way if your child does have a reaction,           you will know which food caused it.
     - When in doubt, mix it with sweet potatoes! Little one not a fan of peas? Mix them with sweet potatoes.         Spitting out spinach? Mix them with sweet potatoes. Seriously. They're made of magic.




Disclaimer: I am NOT a medical professional or dietitian. Just a mom who has done this before. Most pediatricians recommend starting solids between 4 and 6 months of age. There is all sorts of research that debates starting solids and development of food allergies, but this is the recommended window. There are also some developmental things that need to happen for babies to even be able to attempt eating solids, and most of those have happened by this age as well. In all honesty, we started a little bit early, but Owen was showing every sign of being ready, so we gave it a shot. He had been extra hungry, and was SO interested in our eating. We figured if he didn't take to it we would wait a while and try again later. He took to it like he had been eating off of a spoon since he was born! We also don't have a family history of food allergies, and have stuck with low-allergen foods. When in doubt, talk to your doctor.

Have you ever made your own baby food? 
What are your favorites?

Be blessed,
Heather

DIY gifts for Little Ones {that you still have time to finish!!}

Hi friends!

So...who isn't done with their Christmas shopping yet??

I know it's hard to believe, but I actually am! It's pretty much a miracle.

But, considering the fact that I have spent many a Christmas Eve finishing gifts, I wanted to give you all a list of things that you still have time to get finished. All of these can be put together after the kids go to bed, and still let you get to bed at a decent hour!

Toddler Boxes

What little one wouldn't love a whole new set of fun things to play with? Put together a bunch of Toddler Boxes and let them go to town!

Magnetic Play Sets
Dress Up Doll

I made Abbey a magnetic Dress Up doll for our road trip over the summer, and she loves it! This one is completely backed with magnetic sheets.

Fill-A-Dot Games

So, it turns out that large, flat sequins are the perfect size for Bingo Dauber sheets! Who knew!? A piece of magnet on the back and you have dots that can be used over and over again. Print off your favorite Bingo Dauber sheets (my favorites are from DLTK), laminate them if you like, and play away!

Play Scenes

I found this adorable nativity scene at Babalisme. This girl has some ca-uuuute printables, so go check it out!

Light Table

A light table is such a fun play toy, and can be used for so many activities! This one is so simple to make, and fits into anyone's budget. Don't forget to throw in some DIY Color Discs!

Olliblocks

You guys. I am in LOVE with Olliblocks from Caravan Shoppe! These simple play sets are easy to make, and offer endless combinations of fun! I made Abbey the Christmas set last night. It took about 2 hours, including waiting for the ModPodge to dry, and doing 2 coats. She loves them! Bonus: They fit in the boxes I use for Toddler Boxes! Win!

The fantastic people at Caravan Shoppe have given me a 20% off coupon to share with you!
Use the code longstory20 (all lowercase!) for the next week! Yay!

Alright...now get those gifts done!

Be blessed!

Heather

DIY cloth training pants!

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

**update: These cloth training pants are now available for purchase at my shop www.etsy.com/shop/theflannellamb

 First of all, I have an important announcement: Abbey slept in big girl pants all night last night!! Yaaayyyy!!!

She slept in these:

Snow Dough

Hi friends!

Need something fun to do inside on a snowy day? Or a too-stinkin'-cold-out-there day? Or a we had snow yesterday, but now it's 40 and thunderstorming day? This is good for all of those! Even when they all happen in one week. Welcome back to Chicago, Heather.