First Cloth Nappy and Wipes - made by me!

NAPPY
Ok, now before you start laughing, please remember this is my first attempt to make a nappy! This is a double fleece with terry soaker and flannelette inner. It was supposed to fit Laith but as you can see it is a bit small and the hook and loop (Velcro) is poor quality so it is easy to undo with a bit of movement.

What went wrong … well I did not trust the fleece too much (I got it here and was not sure of the quality) so I also placed a terry layer in between the double fleece which made it too bulky. I should have sewed the hook and loop on before putting the nappy together as once it was together with all the layers I could not get it through the machine (2 broken needles). I am also new on the over-locker and this takes a little mastering so hopefully next one will be a bit better. Wings needed to be larger. Oh, yeah and pink not the best choice for a boy but here in Muscat you have to take what you can get in terms of materials etc (no spotlight here ladies and gentlemen).

So I will go back and adjust the pattern and try another. Mum is bringing a proper pattern and materials with her so that should make a difference (mind you what is the saying … a good artist never blames his tools!!).

WIPES
These are simple flannel and terry wipes. Again I am new to over-locking and the corners are a bit of a bugger, but hey practice makes perfect.

Well, that’s it folks, my first attempt to make cloth nappies. Tomorrow is another day (17 days and counting …., lets remember that Laith was a week overdue!).

More pictures (because I know you are dying to see more with Laith as a model!) are available if you click on the photo album link on the right hand side of the Blog page.

Update on Life in Oman

Bumping Around...

Just thought a quick update was in order.

Last few weeks have just flown by and I can’t believe my Mum is arriving on Sunday.

We have had a good Ramadhan so far and each Thursday we have been having Iftar and dinner at one of Ali’s family. Last Thursday it was our turn, I was shattered on Friday.

Suddenly my “bump” is more like a massive boulder attached to my tummy. I find getting through doors, passing by tables etc a strategic movement. If your bump doesn’t get it then you can be assured your bum will!

Laith has been at home this week as he has a cold but still manages to enjoy his home time especially his Play-Doh. He is awaiting Grandma Didi’s arrival (so we can have cake … oh and to see her too!!), and the arrival of his sister (again he expects cake for new visitors … ummm honey this “visitor” is staying).

My cousin Tara in Switzerland is finally on Skype so now so we can chat more often, its just such a great thing and the line is so clear. Come on everyone else, get onto Skype to we can chat more.

I am taking a huge leap into the “world of cloth nappies”, yep me (!) a devoted disposable user is going to try cloth. In fact I have even got the machine out and starting sewing. When the first model is finished I’ll post a pic for you. These days it is not all the soaking etc that our Mum's had to do (Bless them!), its all drypailing and straight into the washer. Did you know it can take 500 years for 1 disposable to decompose fully!!! yikes.

Here is an example of a "modern cloth" nappy...(the first pic is one of Erica's )http://www.ericanappies.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=products_new&zenid=d304cef31cf119150f6c13c1456fb255

Hope all is well in your part of the world. Stay tuned for the impending arrival of Laith’s sister.

Hugs and Luv XOXOXOX

De-stress with bubble Wrap

De-stressing with Bubble Wrap

A friend of mine sent me this site last week and I just had to add it for you all.

When you need to de-stress, burst a sheet of bubble wrap! Just click here ... lots of fun, there is even a manic mode for those super stressful days.

http://users.adelphia.net/~venezian/bubblewrap1.swf

Happy Popping Folks.

The Family Were Here

(For more photos click on the link to MY PHOTOS on the right hand side bar)

Well it was a super short but fantastic visit. Laith had been waiting for Aunty Sharon, Uncle Silvio and Uncle Colm to come so we could have cake (as promised by his mum!!). He was so excited to have some new company in the house and especially liked the new gifts (what child doesn't) and new big boys to play Thomas the Tank Engine with. Silvio and Colm got into creating a great new track which Laith loved but I have to say was crushed within a week as there was not enough of a turning circle for him in the middle!

We had a great short all inclusive tour of Muscat including the souk, mosque, and drive around town. On the first evening we went off to have an Arabic style meal, sitting on a raised platform and munching on all sorts of goodies while the others smoked their Sheesha.

it seems that Sujata's (our helper) dahl was a big hit so Sharon will have to try and reproduce it when she gets home! and I think my cheesecake (as promised to Laith) was a hit too.

I was so upset to se them go but I would not have traded the 2 days for anything and Laith is still telling everyone who will listen about Uncle Colm, Uncle Silvio and Aunty Sharon!

So now we have my Mum's visit to look forward to.

Laith goes to school!

Last month Laith started “school” (well it’s nursery or in Oz they would say kindergarten, but we call it school because that is what he calls it!!). Anyway it was a big decision on my part to send him as I felt 2 years and 2 months was a little early but we found on our holidays that he loved going off to Kids Club on the ship and in the hotels so maybe it was time for some more social interaction. There are not as many “mother’s groups” here so his lack of little play mates was a concern.

After interrogating 4 nurseries I decided to go for this one as he has a lovely Omani teacher, Nasima, and she has a small class of 6 who only go 3 days a week so I liked the intimate environment. Then he mixes with the other classes for playtime and snack-time etc. So every Sat, Mon and Wed, Ali takes him on the way to work and drops him off at 8am and then I collect him at 12 noon.

Day 1 was awful! He had been to visit the nursery a few times when I was doing his paperwork and he was excited to go, but me …. I was not ready!! Yep, the crying started in the shower!! I put it down to pregnancy hormones, well that’s my excuse anyway! The plan was I would stay with him for 2 hours for the first few days to ensure he settled in but when we got there he just ran off to play and did not look back. Meanwhile I had to leave the play area to have another cry – useless! So I decided it was best for me to leave him to it and just go. Well a month has passed and he just loves school, in fact most days he is hurrying Dad along to get going!! (Except the one day when Uncle Col, Aunty Sharon and Uncle Silvio were here!) and I love the three mornings of peace, well at least for another month until bub arrives.

The photo is of Laith’s first day.

I Love My Wireless!!!

Love my wireless!!!

I just had to put “pen to paper” about our wireless set up… I LOVE IT!!! Earlier this month I decided that I wanted to be able to work on the laptop in any room and not be tied to the study so I decided to look into wireless. Now for you Aussies, this is old hat but over here it’s not sooooo big. After a rocky start I got the router to work upstairs but when I went downstairs I had a very weak signal, something to do with all the concrete in these houses. So off I went back to the computer store to hand over more money for another access point. I won’t bore you with the drama I had getting it connected but in the end I paid a nice computer guy to come to the house and set it up. For all his troubles and about 1.5 hours work it came to the pricey sum of RO 13 (including the network port for the PC), yep only AUD $40 not bad heh? (Except the router and additional access point cost RO 80 – AUD$260, I am sure you can get that cheaper in Oz as I only had the choice of one brand!).

So now I can take the laptop into bed and surf the net, check my emails, talk on the Skype (by the way what happened to you slacko’s who were going to look into it so we could talk for free???) and update my Blog!!!!

Just had to share my joy…. You know it’s the simple things in life that get ya!!!

(Two Blogs in on week … unheard of!!!)