Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

Why did I take so long taking care of our changing table cover issue? For the longest time we have put a pillowcase over the pad, but they are to wide and not long enough. Now that Kaitlyn has her own pillow we go through a lot of pillow cases. I stopped putting one on her changing pad and opted to use a receiving blanket folded in half; it's to small to cover the whole surface too and it moves around so all in all it's a bit annoying. Yesterday I cut up two of Kaitlyn's receiving blankets to make a cover that fits the pad perfectly.

Because we don't have receiving blankets that match her room colors I decided to do a pink blue mix. I even went the extra mile and top stitched almost ever possible seam. Every seam is double top stitched (on each side of the seam), but the bottom panel. I was done sewing by the time I reached that point and just folded the seams one direction and top stitched.

This is the second time I've cut up a couple of her receiving blankets for a project. Last time I made her a pillow out of receiving blankets.

My second project of the weekend was altering some new PJs we bought for Kaitlyn. I have a big annoyance with Gerber. Why do they make things so small? Do they use Chines children for their measurements? Actually that wouldn't even matter because the weight/height charts they give are all wrong. Let me explain. Over the weekend we bought Kaitlyn some 24 month (they don't sell them in 2t) blanket sleepers. They were bright yellow with cup cakes, solid pink, purple with farm animals and solid purple I believe. Kaitlyn was at the bottom of the weight and not even on the height scale for the sleepers. When we got home I tried a pair on her. They were on the small side. There is no way they would fit her a year. I know her feet are a size and a half bigger then her 18-24 month size clothes, but are they not expected to grow at all next year? Her feet completely filled their allotted area. I returned the four pretty sleepers knowing my only other option, would be purchasing boy sleepers in 3t. Maybe I should have started this by saying they only get PJs in a couple times in the fall and then again in the spring. You must buy all you will need in those two shipments or buy online. Because everyone knows this most of the girl sleepers and many of the boys were gone. I has two choices as there were only two packages of 3t left; solid red and fire trucks or solid blue with green sleeves and camo with safari animals. We went with the latter. When we got home I put a sleeper on her and it fit. However, 3t are crazy long. She isn't near the height chart on those yet. She was walking around dragging the feet which by the way had the same size feet in them as the 24 months (insert rolling of the eyes). What's a mom to do? I cut the feet out. That's right, brand new PJs without the feet in them. I sacrificed a pair of my least favorite socks to make cuffs. Now the PJs fit great! Yes they are still long, but she isn't dragging them; the cuffs keep the legs up. I was impressed how well they turned out. Go ahead and tell me how smart I am. Go ahead. Yes, maybe not humble in this moment, but enjoying my one up on Gerber. If you find yourself in this situation too and want to consider yourself smart you must first get up the nerve to cut up some new PJs; you'll be glad you did. Now for everyone in a panic because Kaitlyn's feet aren't covered, fret not. They have these neat things called socks that are great for covering the feet. Not to mention with so much of her body covered her feet were actually warm yesterday evening. I was a bit worried the loose fitting PJs could cause her to fall while going down the stairs, but that isn't a worry anymore with the feet gone. Below are the before and afters.

Look how long these suckers are! Her feet are around where her knee should be.

And there's her feet sticking out of the black cuffs. In this picture Neal was trying to get a picture of her with the bag over her head. She was the funniest thing sitting there looking like a bag with legs.