The Handmade Dress

Ahhhh! Another week has snuck by me! How does this time with a new babe get by me so fast, every single time?!! These are pictures of Penny's first doctor visit last week. Penny and Daddy... Penny and Mama I did a couple of quick projects this week too! An embellished diaper shirt, headband, and diaper cover.  Here is a fuzzy smile!  She has decided that she likes big sister's pappy. :) I feel like all I do (or want to do) is stare at those sweet little lips! They are so perfect that they look painted on! She looks bigger in pictures, but in person she is so dainty. She has the tiniest little features and her ears look like bitty butter beans. Oh and she has the sweetest disposition, she is so patient and sweet, and she sleeps!!! Oh yes! She sleeps from 11-4 and the 4:30- 7:30 most nights. She is the best nurser that I've ever had too! I'm thinking that's because she was a 37 weeker. :)  She loves to be in my lap, and

Today through Monday we will be having a 40% off sale on everything in the shop! Just enter the coupon code "black friday" at the checkout! Happy shopping! :) http://www.thehandmadedress.com/

For sleepy smiles, baby smells, adoring siblings, a two week babymoon with daddy home... ....for bitty wrinkly fingers and toes, for finally getting to see a baby in those wee hand knits, for a clean bill of health at the doctor today (her heart murmur is gone and the jaundice is almost gone), oh my, there is just so much to be thankful for. God has richly blessed us! I pray that all of you have a wonderful holiday! xo, Sam

Some have been spent gathered around a bilibed.... ....just watching her little smiles and grunts and faces. My favorite part was hearing Claire's occasional "Hey Peppy!" There have been little projects started now that we have our GIRL! There has been lots and lots of holding big babies and little babies.  And there has even been sewing! Yes, I've been in a diaper making frenzy since we opened our last package of hospital diapers and the meconium "mess" started to leave. Those bitty diapers make me so happy!!  And there has been late night picture taking sessions when our sweet Penny decided to look around for a bit. Oh these days are so much fun! They are what I look forward to the entire pregnancy. There is just nothing like the first few days with a new babe. She is 1 week old today... How did that happen? She is already such a big part of "us"; a sweet, gentle, wise, little soul that slipped into plac

We are finally home! We got to come home Thursday evening, but we had to come home with a bilibed because Penny was so jaundiced. It was hard to not hold her but one day at home on the bed did the trick! Friday evening the nurse called and said that her levels were safe and she could get off. As soon as she came out of that thing the girls and I dressed our Penny doll (we made headbands for her during the wait) and took her picture. It's so good to be home and have her in our arms, our perfect little Penny. She is such a sweet peaceful baby......oh we just love her so much! Penny Mae, you are just who we wanted! xo, Sam

.......our little Penny! Penelope Mae was given her name today. It fits her. :) She makes me so happy, our little Penny Mae. She fits right into mama's heart as if she has been here my whole life! *Love* xo, Sam

And it's the girl kind! I love her so much! She had a sweet, peaceful, drug free, but-fast at-the-end entrance into this world and surprised us all! She is a she! My first full term miracle baby and she is perfect. She weighed in at 8lbs 4oz and was 21 1/2" long and was born at 11:35 PM on Monday night. She....Well, she hasn't got a name just yet. :) When I'm rested we are going to try a few on for size. Thanks for all of the prayers! Our fifth little blessing is safe and sound in mama's arms tonight. Ahhhh! xo, Sam

I LOVE THIS!!! We have been having the best time the last few days! It's so much fun! Last night we went window shopping at the mall and ate Cindy's Cinnamon Rolls. I've been able to get out of the house almost everyday. Friday night we went grocery shopping, who knew that could be so much fun?! But more fun even than getting out of the house is the anticipation! The knowing that any day we could get our BIG surprise! It's not a worried anticipation, like I'm used to, it's the blissed out, we are finally here kind. I've never felt this way before! It's so much fun! We have about one million conversations a day about when the baby will come, what the baby will be, who will be the most surprised. I've done some nesting on my own and that has been fun too. :)  We went to Target the other night to get Claire some long sleeved t-shirts and she begged for this skirt! She just held it up to her and said over and over "My! My! My!" I for

If I can just make it until midnight I will be FULL TERM! We are all packed and ready, but if my little angel would like to wait a few more days that's fine too. :)  Now mommy is ready when you are precious, I'm pretty excited about meeting you! xo, Sam

The crazy pregnant lady voted yesterday JUST LIKE THIS! Ha! Ben snapped this picture just after I came out. :) We were running a bit late to take our time because I had to get to the doctor. I had just blow dried my hair and thrown it up into my "volumizing velcro rollers" as we left the house.  (Those things barely even work! Why do I keep trying?)  Our small community poll (in a little old empty house) nobody even seemed to care! The ladies working there are the same ones that work at the little gas station, so they just wanted to know about the babe. Oh the joys of living in a little country town! No lines, workers that know you by name and ask about the kids, and you can go looking like a freak-show and they love you anyhow. :)  Doctor day went well! I have dilated more, but I only have to make it THREE more days!! THREE people! That's huge!! I'm HUGE! I have had a pretty miserable week but yesterday and today I have felt fairly good. I'm not on any