Month in Review and August Goals

I met all of my critical July goals – if you make it cloth diaper in the singular rather than plural! Actually, that diaper turned out so well that my only reason for not making more is that I want to see how that one fits and then adjust the pattern; I’m confident I can make more fairly quickly. I even made Johnny two pairs of shorts, although I only blogged about one. The baby clothes are washed (provided we have a girl as expected), and hospital bags are packed. Having my 14-year-old sister and 17-year-old brother stay with us for the last week of July was a huge help in getting everything done, as was having my 14-year-old sister here for most weekends during the month. If only they didn’t live far across the ocean in Europe!

As for those bonus goals:

• Organize some activities to keep Emma and Johnny busy once the baby arrives: I made each child a crayon roll, which makes coloring time more peaceful and better organized. I also used paint chips to make this matching file folder game and this color scheme activity. I also picked up some workbooks, flashcards, and write-on boards from Target’s dollar section, and both kids are loving playing with their “school things”.
• Have the baby: Did not happen, but it was a funny goal to set since I didn’t really have any control over it anyhow.

On to annual goals:

• Find places to keep all those odds and ends that get stashed in random places: Does organizing baby clothes count?
• Potty train Emma: Done. Johnny used the potty a couple times, too.
• Get Johnny to eat more solid food: He’s doing well except when teething…
• Be more patient with cooking/baking that involves a rolling pin: Thoroughly ignored.
• Take the kids outdoors more: It rained a LOT this July, but I think they were outside nearly every other day.
• Get the kids to sleep through the night better: Emma’s doing well at this, and while she doesn’t nap every day she seems okay so long as she naps every other day. Johnny’s cutting 2-year molars, and it seems to be taking forever.

August goals:

• Appreciate the relative simplicity of only having two children for however many days I have left before we welcome our third child.
• Enjoy having a newborn (whenever she decides to show up).
• Enjoy having family around. My mom and dad will be staying with us this week, and my mom will stay until the 15th. My 14-year-old sister will be here until the 4th, and then back August 13-15. My 21-year-old brother (who I haven’t seen for three years!) will fly out to visit August 15-27. And one of Mike’s cousins will be staying here en route to college the night of August 20th.
• Adjust to life as a family of five.

As a bonus goal, I’m interested in making a very large diaper bag – anyone have a tutorial or pattern they love? I’ve never tried sewing a bag before, so I’m thinking sweet and simple.

MaryAnne Kochenderfer

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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.