Transformations

It's been so long since I've had any time to even think about blogging that I hardly even know what to say. Blogging just seems like a distant memory in my current life of frequent doctor's visits and administration of children's medicines. I'm so tired of the kids getting sick. Lambchop #2, especially, has been particularly prone to illness these past few months. He's been growing a lot, and I can only assume that has left his body too exhausted to fight off the average bug or bacteria. Not only does he have his hearing issue that we needed to visit a doctor for, but he has also been sick with some other mysterious illness this week. So, we've actually seen two doctors this week. The ear-nose-and-throat specialist says he has about a 30% hearing loss in both ears. So, he's on medications to eliminate the fluids that are causing it. Then, he's been feverish and just generally sick-feeling for several days now. He seems to be getting better, but it just makes me sad to see how sweetly pathetic he looks when he's sick.

And, since we can't go too long with only one person sick around here, Lambchop #3 decided to join in and see if she couldn't out-do him. She's already got a persistent case of pink-eye we're doing a second round of eye drops on, but she has thrown in some fever and congestion to go along with it. This makes for really fun nights of sheet changes at 2 am when she throws up all over the bed because she gags on her own phlegm. So, I'm pretty much exhausted - both physically and emotionally. Honestly, I don't know how people can live through a child's illness. I mean a real one. These little bugs really take it out of me. I can't imagine having a child of mine truly ill. Just one more blessing to count.

And, speaking of blessings, I should count the fact that I can still find some time for myself when the house is quiet after the kids have gone to bed. Normally, that would be when I knit, but I've preferred the relative instant gratification of sewing lately. I've been sewing shirts and curtains every night. So far, I've finished one curtain, one shirt and have two other curtains and another shirt almost finished.

Pictured above is the finished one (Well, I certainly hope Blogger posts the picture. At the moment, it's not showing up in the preview of my post.). I was hoping to find some green bias tape to match the green leaves and stems on the flowers, but I wasn't satisfied with any of the shades of green I found. This orange matched perfectly, though, so I changed colors. I think in all, this shirt cost me about 2 euros. The sheet I used to make it cost me 33 cents, but I've got fabric left over. Then, I spent 2.10 euros on the bias tape and a little money on the thread. So, it probably cost no more than 2.50 euros. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I really wanted some little sleeves, but the pattern I made wasn't working out with sleeves. I finally gave up and decided it was really cute without them.

I'm also in the process of transforming some old clothes. I went through my drawers yesterday and pulled out things that don't fit anymore. I found some dresses that will look very cute on Lambchop #1 with very little modification, as well as a dress I wanted to redo for myself. It's almost completely refashioned into a tank top. I'll show you that one when I finish it. Lambchop #1 also learned to hand sew Barbie clothes yesterday. I was really happy to see how hard she worked on it, and now Barbie has a lovely new dress that perfectly matches my shirt.