12 in 12 and 'a' Birthday!

Alternative title: Don't sew when your mad!

Here is my 12 in 12 submission for this month. A pair of refashioned yoga pants for my little Anna. This month it was 'Something in Knit' (Darn Knit!)

Doesn't she looked please! lol! (And like she loves having her hair done!)

I took this Roxy top of mine that is to small now.....

Cut it into pieces......and ended up with this!

A little happier but still looks like no one owns her!

It has a roll over top. She does actually love them. They may turn in to the bottom half a PJ set I think as I was a little flustered when I sewed them and ended up needing to make quite a few adjustments here and there. And there was some unpicking along the way. All in all though happy with the outcome.

Head over to My Favourite for more 12 in 12 submissions!

In other news, I turned 28 on Friday!

We dined on a super yummy Chinese dinner.....complete with Tinkerbell table wear. (Thanks guys..lol!)

My birthday card from my gorgeous nephew Caleb.....

Chocolate AND Caramel Mudcake!

(I kinda look pretty horrible here)

Special thanks to my Brother Daniel, my SIL Melissa, my loving children and of course the major person that was missing on the night, my Mum! (Mum is currently over in the Soloman Island for work but was definitely here in spirit!)

Mission: Complete one library bag before the morning

And I forgot so didn't get started until around 10pm!

Mitchell has library tomorrow. I wanted to make him a bag. Cost = nothing as I already had all the materials here.

Outer is black corduroy as well as the strap, lined with Thomas the Tank Engine. 'M' is also Thomas fabric ( but I guess the photo gives that away...lol). I also added two little blue snaps to keep it closed.

Mitchell is yet to see it so I hope he likes it!

A day late but done!

Carolyn over at My Favourite is doing a 12 in 12 and I decided to participate. January's project was 'Something for yourself'. I'm a day late posting this but better late than never hey!

So I won't keep you waiting, here is my Madison Skirt....

I'm pretty happy with the outcome and I'm going to make another in a shorter length.

You know this blogging thing is hard to keep up with!

Things have been really busy around here...

1. Ashlee started year 7 on Thursday and....

2. Mitchell started Kindergarten on Friday

3. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse......I have been diagnosed with a congenital kidney defect....lovely hey!

4. Our new year has begun with appointments - busy busy

5. Zach has had his follow up from his botox - we will need to meet with the head of anaesthesia at the SCH before his next botox round in about 4.5 months and he has also had 2 lots of casting for 4 and 5 days. Very happy with the result.

6. I have actually been sewing and crafting - as well as catching up on some TV time and enjoying having only 2 small children at home.

7. I'm going to be studying this year too because I didn't think I had enough to do - LOL!

All this will come with pictures and I need to complete my 'a photo day' posts. They kinda went out the window didn't they?! But photo's were still taken and will come I promise.

I'll leave you with these two pages I scrapped recently....

{ LOVE }

Credits: Kit - Smooch

{ 27 years young }

Credits: Free Spirit

OK, make that 3......

{ Merry Christmas 09 }

Credits: to come...

Oh....and before I forget! Rae and Dana are

doing a WHOLE month of......

Totally love this idea and will be following along! You should too!

Afternoon break

This morning I have:

# Washed & hung out 3 loads of washing (with one more still on the go)
# Cleaned out the car
# Scrubbed the kids bathroom and toilet from top to bottom
# Cleaned the laundry
# Made beds and thoroughly dusted, tidied & vacuumed the kids bedrooms

# Tidied and sweep out the back

Not to bad since I got a late start and didn't begin until 11am.

I have a few more things on my list to do but right now I'm sitting here with a cold drink and hoping that the mail arrives soon!

I'm waiting for....

this...

and this....

to come (and some other patterns for the kids). The weather is hot and my wardrobe sucks and since I've made a little packed with myself to not buy any clothes for at least 3 months I'm dying to get some of these sewn and ready to wear! I've also pulled out some old clothing to do some refashioning too.

This super cute 'jumper' and this little wrap dress are also on the agenda to take a look at this afternoon.

All this is going to have to wait until this afternoon though. Zachary's ADHC physio is going to be here in half an hour and I really should go and freshen up. A morning of cleaning really gets the sweat going!

I'll also be playing 'A Photo a Day' catch up this afternoon.....

Another day another post!

A few weeks ago I took Ashlee to the doctors as she had been run down and generally unwell for quite a long time. Doctor did what doctors do and than decided she needed a blood test - he was thinking maybe Glandular Fever.........so off went. A few days later doctors surgery called to say the results were back and he would like to see Ashlee. Back to the doctors to find that Ashlee did not in fact have glandular fever but her iron levels were very high. There is a bit that goes into these tests so here's what is normal:

Serum Ferritin: 20 - 200 ng/ml

Transferrin Saturation: 20 - 30%

Ashlee's results:

Serum Ferritin: 314 ng/ml

Transferrin Saturation: 58% - this is the big indictor

So after a discussion about her diet....no, does not eat huge amounts of red meat etc.....and wheather she takes supplements......nope......we end up back getting blood tests. This time she they are testing for Haemochromatosis.

Christmas Eve I get a phone call from our doctor, yep she has it. Today we went back in for a discussion about treatment. We have been referred to a specialist but have also been told that the only treatment for Haemochromatosis is giving blood or at Ashlee's age just simply 'blood letting' since she is to young to give blood. Just a little fact for you all - as many as 1 in 300 people have it! It is also genetic and I have since found out that my Dad has it and I think it is in Ashlee's fathers side too. Today I had a blood test. Apparently because Ashlee has it I am at least a carrier the test is to see if I have it or not. Down the track all my other children will have to be tested as well - yippee!

So just more things to add to my plate. I also had an appointment today for the results of my cervix biopsy - see I must have done something terrible in my past life! For now we wait and repeat the biopsy in 6 months time - some good news I guess.

I'll leave it at that and leave you with some sewing that I completed today......

Firstly, a car seat canopy for my SIL Melissa and gorgeous little nephew Caleb. Now I completely forgot to take a picture when they came over earlier and picked it up, I'll have to get one later on. Until then think this but in these colours....

Then I 'whipped up' (lol!) a couple of burp cloths and a dribble bib complete with a snap

And this was sitting around waiting to be finished so I thought I would do it while I was on a roll!

One T-shirt - formally Ashlee's - refashioned into a T-shirt for Zachary!

He loves it and is currently wearing it while he is sleeping in his new bed!

Just for fun! This girl makes me laugh when I need it most!

December 14th 2009

(FIRSTLY - is anyone else having trouble with Blogger? My post is all stuffed up and it's done

all its own editing - fonts and font size etc!)

This was the day Zachary we went in for his first dose of Botox. We headed up to Sydney the afternoon before and spent the night at Ronald McDonald House Randwick. Met some lovely people and heard some amazing and some sad stories. I tell you staying there really makes appreciate each day more, your children and what you have - or don't have as the case may be.

8am and Zach was admitted. Being one of the youngest he was 2nd on the list. Zach freaked out as we wheeled him in (Anna had to be held back kicking and screaming by Nanny - poor baby girl). His cries got slower and slower as he drifted off to sleep. 40 minutes later he was back and he was upset but he soon settled down and then drank a whole cup of juice and 2 sandwiches. An hour later all seemed well and we were sent home. We had decided to spend the night at RMHagain and I'm just so glad that we did. Within 30 minutes of being back there Zach was getting very lethargic and also feeling very warm. We ended up taking his temperature it found it to be 38c. I called the ward and was advised to take him back to Children's Emergency, which we did. A small walk up to the hospital only to find his temperature was now 39.9c! It took 4 hours but we managed to get it down to 37.5c and another hour later it was still the same so we were sent on our way. By morning he was still a little warm but ok. It was scary to say the least but I was glad to be heading home.

That's when Dr Google came into play. After researching his symptoms I came up withMalignant Hyperthermia and guess what, its in our family. My Uncle (my Mum's

brother) flat lined on the table during an operation. So it is advised that we treat him like

he has it until we get some DNA testing done. More things he doesn't need.

So that was our first experience with Botox. Even though it wasn't the Botox that cause

the problem. We head back to Sydney on the 14th for a follow up visit and some

casting - I don't know how he will take that. Other than that Zachary is doing well.

He is talking incredibly well now and is such a funny little boy. TheraTogs are working

wonders and most days he actually asks to wear them and his AFO's! I guess he can see

the benefits.

In other news.....

Zachary and Anna got toddler beds for Christmas. My brother put them together for me

recently they have just been sitting in my room because their new mattresses hadn't

arrived. Today they did! I quickly got rid of the cots and put their beds in their room.

They were so excited! I also got them new quilts and junior pillows. Today's task - finish

their quilt covers and pillowcases. That I achieved!

One new Thomas Pillowcase - fabric was an ebay purchase

One new Thomas bed and Thomas quilt cover! (Panel from Spotlight and backing is a queen

sized white sheet that I got for $7 and did both covers and pillowcase!)

One new Dora pillowcase - another ebay purchase

Lastly is the new Dora bed (minus the stickers. I'll bed putting them on when no one is

watching!) and Dora quilt cover. Again the panel is from Spotlight.

My photo for today is coming - I don't think these count. Lol!

Just a couple of things....

Firstly, on Monday we picked up our glasses....Anna and Me.

Is she just the cutest?! Excuse the messy hair but hey its the new black, right?

She loves them, most of the time and I have found they are very strong because she has already throw them on the floor a few times and bent the arm which thankfully just bent right back.

Yesterday we went and picked up these.....

Notice no pics of Zachary wearing them....that's because once we took them off yesterday afternoon he was not having a bar of them again. This morning I struggled for a while to get his foot in the right position to slip right back in the heel and when I did finally get them on him he refused to stand at all and just cried non-stop for over an hour! Tomorrow we head back to The Spastic Centre just to make sure that they are fitting properly. Knowing Zach it is just a refusal to wear them that we are going to have to work through.

Just pure stubbornness really! Oh and check out the just got up recently do!

We also need to go shoe shopping and pick him up a new pair of shoes that fit - they say go up a size with splints on right?

Just Mitchell, looks so sweet doesn't he?

Did I tell you that I have two sets of twins?!

Nah, just joking. Ashlee and her friend could almost pass for twins though don't ya think?

Lastly, I actually have some sewing in the works! Can you believe it? I had to borrow my SIL's machine as mine is packed away in storage. I'm making a hooded towel, a baby blanket, a bib and 2 burp cloths for a friends dear sweet little girl born on Monday. Welcome little Bridie! Everything is cut out and pinned up and tonight (once the kiddies are sleeping) I will just whip around them with the machine and package them up ready to send off. Photos I promise!

Currently Zach and Anna are sitting on the kitchen floor eating strawberries that Anna raided from the fridge, at least its healthy!

Well what do you know

Thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law last night I had then opportunity to sew again - and it felt great! We went out to dinner last night to this lovely little Mexican place in Manuka, the food was lovely and the company was even better. Afterwards I went home, put the three little ones to bed and headed over to Dan and Mel's.

Currently all my things - well most of them - are locked up in a storage shed, this means that I can't really do anything that I want and I have been burning to do some sewing lately. Melissa needed a fold out nappy change pad for a baby shower she was going to and I was only to happy to help out! I think it turned out great and I think I make some more of these!

I took some photos with my brothers camera and he emailed them to me but unfortunately this is the only one that my computer says is readable.........?? I'll look into it and hopefully get some more photos up for you but until then just use your imagination. It rolls up and ties closed. Jessica is having a little boy and Peter Rabbit is the favoured theme so that's what Melissa went with.

Well heading off now to tame the children that are 'playing the drums' on the side table - someone smells a bit too!