The Three B's...Bibs and Burpcloths for Babies

The Three B's...Bibs and Burp cloths for Babies was a hobby I started two years ago. I have never sewn a thing other than taking a one-time course in Home Economic my senior year in high school so that tells you I really didn't have much experience. Thanks to my mother-in-law, Barbara, for lending me her sewing machine and for her numerous help in the past.

Last year, I decided to go on ebay & browsed through variety of fabrics and they had darling materials to choose from...bright, colorful and cheery fabrics from designers like: Michael Miller, Robert Kauffman & Alexander Henry.

All burp cloths are dyed from home kit dyes with matching colored ric-rack trim. And the bibs has the minky mink dot fabric on the backside-so super soft and thick. The bibs are sized for 6 mos.old up to toddler years.

The reason I got motivated into doing something I never dreamed of doing was when Maddie was an infant...she would constantly spit up so much I was used to keeping several burp cloths around the house. It was hard to find stylish & cute bibs & burp cloths , but affordable ones that wouldn't cost more than $20 a set.

I am thinking of doing other things to sew like child-sized aprons and nap mats, but the bibs & burp cloths are my main expertise and every time I make them for someone it brings me back many fond memories of Maddie's sour spit-ups. Ha! Ha!

Beau's Blogs-R.I.P May 1997-June 2010

My name is Beau. And I have been with my mommy for ten years which would make me almost 12 years old. Top things to remember about me: either you love me or hate me. I love to sleep alone or with Mommy, love to cough up hairballs, love to eat kitty food and get treats daily, drink lots of water, use the kitty litter when needed, love to purr only when I am happy, love to be petted, do not care for children-sorry, Maddie and most of all, I hate being groomed, therefore, I have fur for a reason. Thank you!

Seagrove Beach, Florida (May 2008)

Acting all giddy like two happy, little children because every new year in January, Joe & I would get on the website looking for places to stay in the Seagrove area for a one week stay in May.

As May neared, we booked our tanning bed visits so we wouldn't get scorched on the beach. Our love for the sun and our skin doesn't really go together well. Within, a week from the time we depart-I loved shopping for last minute "do we need it stuff" and finally with 24 hours away from getting ready for the road towards paradise-things are packed and we're on the go.

The thought of driving down I-65 south until we turn off from the Montgomery exit (Hwy 331) excites us more than anything. Joe cruising with his shades on while I'm watching the movie, "Finding Nemo" in the backseat with Maddie on the way down and even a better feeling was when we saw the Florida state line sign in Florola, Alabama...because baby, we're ALMOST there.

Our most well known tradition of four years was to stop for boiled peanuts in Freeport, but this year was the first time we didn't get any because they weren't there. Oh, well...maybe they'll be there next year. Leaving Freeport, driving ahead is the most famous Bay Bridge. Every year, we would open up the moon roof, roll down the windows with the Beach Boys & Jimmy Buffet CDs playing in the background.

I could seriously live on the beach for a month at most...waking up at sunrise, walking on the beach, smelling the salty air with my eyes closed, listening to the waves crash, feeling the soft, gritty sand between my toes and just enjoying the scenery...nothing is more beautiful than the sunrise/sunset at the beach.

Of course, we knew it was more fun when it was just the two of us...nothing held us back and it was just...us alone. Maddie was younger and the environment was new to her...which was understandable, but she hated the sand so we had to put down a big sheet for her to lounge on with her cute little red child-sized folding chair she would sit in. Luckily, we came to our senses in buying one of those nice, big canopy tent you can buy from Wal-Mart-which to say was a great idea.

Our moment of peaceful meals at nice restaurants were over...well, just until she gets a little bit older. The whole week we were there...we went out to two restaurants -The Red Bar and Yianni's. Both times around 5:30 or so, she acted awful. We were slightly embarrassed by it and we asked nicely for the check & to put the food in a doggy bag to take home so that was a lesson learned. The rest of the week, we decided to go out to The Seafood Market and bought fresh shrimp, scallops & grouper for Joe to grill for dinner. We had a wonderful time getting meals prepared and eating outside on our balcony which was 200% better than any restaurants put together-"the view, casual attire, peace and quiet, but we could talk as loud as we wanted and could tolerate a screaming child and we were home". I don't mean to sound like she was this "horrible, evil child", it was just a lot of work especially at her age... "not respecting us when we say no or wouldn't hold our hands when we walk outside"...she was young and we were frustrated because it wasn't going as planned.

The majority of our stay...was great and memorable. Especially, we three, had great fun in the swimming pool which she loved. And finally, our last day there, we went to the beach to hang out (on the sheet, of course) as the sun sets, we knew it was the last daylight when the sun hit the horizon into the ocean. But until then, we'll be back!!!

Happy Birthday, Maddie!

My Darling Birthday Girl:

Can't believe you are two and how the time flies.

It seemed like it was just yesterday when she was born. Two years ago on August 1st@ 4:41 a.m., our little girl was 7 lbs., 13 ounces and 21 in. and she was a baby every new parent wanted in a firstborn. The night we brought her home from the hospital-she slept until 4 in the morning to be changed and fed. And from that time on, she was easy and we were lucky compared to a lot of stories our friends and family shared with us.

My goodness...just by looking at this picture is making me realized how much she has grown and now she's going through (what everyone says will happen)-a "Terrible Two" stage. Oh my, it's frustrating!

How Joe and Holly met?

Twenty two years ago, a young boy with blond hair and bright, big & blue eyes sat down behind me in Mrs. Cobb's class. I remember him from the year before, but he wasn't in my class so I knew he was somewhat new. He didn't say much at the time being shy as any new student would have been. I looked over my shoulder and said, "Hello, my name is Holly." And he responded back telling me his name, and he said, "Joe."

That was in the 4th grade, moving on to the 5th and finally to the 6th grade. For three years, I had the biggest crush on him and I tried everything I could to get him to notice me. I realized after going through all of my school (group) pictures-I was going through a ugly duckling stage. I just couldn't believe my mom would "let me wear this or wear my hair like that"...aackkk! Anyway, after we graduated from elementary school, I went to school in Allen County and stayed there until my high school graduation.

And I thought I'd never see him again until I met Farrah, a friend who had a boyfriend that was in the same fraternity as my ex, Will so we became friends. One night, she and her room mates had a party and lo & behold, Joe walked through the front door with some friends. And that was how we first got to know each other until much later in the second semester of our sophomore year. I had just broken up with my ex-boyfriend and Joe had just gotten out of a relationship as well. Back to Farrah, she invited me to go to Florida for Spring Break of '98 and Joe and his friend, Derek were going as well. I'll admit...I was so glad he went. Ever since the trip, Joe and I were inseparable.