Two-Tiered Diaper Cake Tutorial

What to give a mother who is having her 5th girl??? Something practical, useful and a bit special! When my mom asked me to think of a baby gift, I was instantly reminded of the booth next to mine at the farmer's market. They sell two-tiered diaper cakes, diaper motorcycles, washcloth cupcakes, all with cute coordinating ribbon and plush toys. Problem is, they run about $60! I figured if I made one myself buying diapers and using crafty things I had on hand, I could walk away spending $30. Not bad.
My mom had a decorative 12" plate she picked up at a thrift store for a dollar, white tulle ribbon leftover from a previous project, dozens of rubber bands and safety pins. I picked up a package of size 1 Pampers Swaddlers with wetness indicators 40-count (a must for newborns-simply the best,) a 12 pack of Gerber baby washcloths, a giraffe rattle, three yards each of three coordinating ribbons, a 16oz bottle of Baby Magic baby wash, and Chips Ahoy cookies for mom to eat while I got started.

Step 1:
Using your stash of rubber bands, roll 36 diapers starting from the top. Try to hide as much of the color and the characters as you can.

Step 2:
Using a rubber band, secure two of the extra diapers around the base of the baby wash. You want your base form to be as circular as possible. Take your wrapped diapers and surround the bottle to make an inner ring. Secure with a rubber band.
While I opted for baby wash for my inner base, other good ideas include champagne or sparkling cider, baby powder or lotion, a piece of pvc pipe or a paper towel cardboard tube.

Step 3:
Form a second ring around your inner ring. Our rubber bands weren't big enough to secure this layer, so we used a small ribbon and two pairs of hands to get this nice and secure.

Step 4:
Repeat the step 2 on your second tier. We again used 2 of the extra unrolled diapers on the inside and used about 10 rolled diapers for the ring. A rubber band around the whole thing was perfectly snug.

Step 5:
Using tulle ribbon, we wrapped each tier individually. I cut it to size and tucked the top in over the top of the diapers to give it a more polished appearance.

Step 6:
Hide the rubber bands with the largest of the ribbon, securing it in the back with the super- nifty "as seen on TV" U-Glue. Secured coordinating ribbon just below.

Step 7:
Top you cake with whatever you like, silk flowers, ribbons and bows, stuffed animals. I chose to make 8 rosettes using the washcloths attaching them to the tulle with small safety pins. I shimmied the base of the rattle in between and called it good.


Place your cake on a plate and voila!


Attach a homemade card with a clothes pin and deliver to a very deserving mother!


Wrap in cellophane if you are traveling a long distance or if you want to present it as a wrapped gift. These cakes also make perfect centerpieces for baby showers!

After all was said and done we only spent a total of $21! Not bad!

Marshall Newsletter: Eleven Months

Nicknames: Mr., Little, Moo-me, Bubba, Mar-shall be quiet, Miggy

No teeth yet, but we can see your gums swelling with little white buds.

You cry if you get talked to too sternly.

Daddy used a serious voice with you when you were being a little reckless. You cried and screamed like the world was coming to an end. Daddy went to sit down on a chair, you stopped crying, followed him to the chair, touched his leg, looked at him, and started scream-crying again, reminding him that you would not forgive him.
You have a similar reaction when I'm trying to change your diaper and you are using all of your might to roll away. If I dare speak your name with too harsh a tone, you cry like I have beaten you with a stick. I don't know where this emotional little creature came from.

Once you started crawling, I tried to confine you to the carpeted area of the family room with cushions, the pack and play, toy baskets and pillows. I did the same thing for Remi when he started crawling. Barriers be damned! Nothing can hold you back! How many times did you climb over the pillows and bump your head on the tile trying to free yourself? I learned very quickly to not fence you in! I hope this is an indication of what kind of person you will grow up to be! Never giving up, no matter the obstacle! Your destinations with all of your freedom generally tend to be the dog cage, the kitchen table, or the lazy susan (or "lazy b!tch" as Dad calls it), but has expanded to the breakfast room windows, the laundry room and the dog dish. Lovely.

Remi has been inviting you to play trains with him in the front foyer, even though he can't stand it when you take apart his tracks. Even so, he wants you around. He tries to distract you by giving you things to play with, or just getting fed up and forcing you to the floor. He is always asking for "Bebe, Bebe, Bebe!" He hears you cry and he gasps for you. Big brother is still rough with you, but he is learning that you can be a lot of fun if treated properly. He is also starting to push you to your limits, and I'm starting to see glimpses of the future when you two will be trying to seriously beat each other up. I have caught you screeching at Remi with your toothless mouth, twisted into a snarl, attacking brother with tiny little claws. Even so, you obviously love him. You love going to Remi's preschool, I swear you have more fun than he does! You clap to the music, dance, and flirt with the teachers and other parents.

How can a little nugget be so cantankerous and yet so sweet? It is a question I ask myself almost daily. This stems from the fact that you still don't sleep through the night and barely take naps. You always end up in bed with us during the night. I swear you get up and levitate out of your crib and under our covers. When morning rolls around, I have no recollection of going to get you. Mama can't operate off of the amount of sleep you are giving her! On the flip side, you love to snuggle, be bounced and you just recently started giving kisses.

Your vocabulary is starting to blossom. You imitate tone perfectly, and you can say "Dada," "Mama" and a version of "all done." Sometimes if my back is turned, I can't tell between your jibber-jabbering or Remi's. Your favorite thing to say is most definitely "Dada," and you say it with such tenderness that it makes me want to cry.

You are a kid on the go! You are the fastest crawler I have ever seen, you are right on the verge of walking, you love toys that you can climb or push. You love to give high-fives, and you love to stick your fingers in the mouth or nose of anyone who dares to get close enough.

You are so fun, I love your square-pumpkin smile and your wicked little giggles. I love the joy you bring to our family.

I love you, Little!

Love, Mama

Remember when....

Remember when you could crawl around on hard tile, wood floors, cement, and it didn't hurt?
Remember when you could sit like this: without a care in the world?
Hurts just looking at him!

Classic

Need I say more?

Marshall Newletter: Month Four

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn four months old!

Nicknames: Mister, Angry Kitten
You are a spunky little thing! You have decided many things for yourself this month. Firstly, you determined that a baby of your caliber no longer requires a pacifier unless it is of the thumb variety.
Secondly, you love to be a part of things. Whether it be sitting in your Bumbo during mealtimes, or hanging out on the couch with us when we watch TV, or even sitting in your bouncer in the bathroom while I get ready for the day, you always want to be included!
Thirdly, you love to talk and sing! You often yell yourself to sleep. It's not crying, just very loud talking. You will jibber jabber at anything with a face. You seriously talk more than Remi does.

You have abandoned need for your swing, my crutch. I have to do all the legwork to get you to sleep now. You love sprawling on the couch for naptime. I just moved you from the pack and play in the master bedroom to the crib in your room. I was worried at first, but you do great and sleep through the night pretty consistently.

You love your big brother and he loves you! Remi always kisses you goodnight and snuggles with you first thing in the morning. Remi gets worried if he thinks I'm leaving you behind when I put him in his carseat before I load you in. He often gasps when he hears you crying and I can pretty much trust him not to clobber you when he plays near you. He loves it when you get to lay in his crib. I hope you will be best buds.
You are a fatty! Wearing 9 month outfits and size 3 diapers!
We love you, nugget!
Love,
Mama

Marshall Newletter: Month Three

Nicknames: Mister, Monkey, Migiddy Marsh, Baby, Maushau,

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn three months old.

At least, That is what the calendar claims. Your body size would suggest otherwise! You are broaching NINE MONTH OLD baby outfits. You are a long fella, that is for sure. You've got a bit of girth, too!

Despite being a monster-sized baby, you are the apple of everyone's eye. Even Remi can't resist giving you about 20 kisses a day. I hope this affection lasts the rest of your lives! You have had visitors and met new people this month. You met my dad and his darling wife Christine, Gigi, Great-Grandma Mary, my cousins Morgan and Teryn. It seems like I've barely held you because someone is always aching for a baby snuggle, and you are the king of snuggling. Even your great-grandma Mary fell under your spell, even though you were crying at the time. When she picked you up, your cries turned to what we call "telling us about it," with a quasi-cry/talk.

You have hit my favorite milestone...sleeping through the night!!! The last week or so has yielded many nights where you sleep anywhere from 7-10 hours!!! Oh how I love you for this. I almost feel like a normal person again!

We've had a nasty bug come to our house for a visit this month. First Remi, then you, then Dada. It's actually the sickest I've seen any of my boys, so it was hard to witness. There was an entire day you spent crying because you couldn't breathe well enough to eat. It was heartbreaking but all is well again. While Dada was sick he had to miss a week of work, which means we got him all to ourselves for 3 whole weeks! I love any chance you have to get to spend time with him, even with everyone is miserable with the sniffles.

Other little tidbits:
-You like the car, but only if it is moving
-Giggled for the first time while I was giving you a bath today!
-You really like people that have rough voices
-You will smile at anyone that will give you the time of day.
-The only time you cry during the course of a normal day is when I'm trying to take a shower
-You goo-goo to Dada on Skype
-You are quite nearly on the same sleep schedule as Remi. I almost get some peaceful afternoons around here!
-You can sleep in like a champ! I love that you take after me!

We are continually delighted to have you in our lives! What did we do without you???

Keep us smiling!

Love,
Mama

Hello!
I found you craning your neck one night while trying to fall asleep in your swing. I hold you with my left arm, so I can't only guess that were were trying to find Mama for comfort. You were trying so hard, it took everything I had not to disturb your sleep!
We took lots of walks before it got too hot and buggy
Chubs
Three months old and ready to eat some grub!
My blanket!

Marshall Newletter: Month Two

Nicknames: Nugget, Maushau, Baby Marshall, Kid, Bebe

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn two months old!

You are growing like a little baby weed. Today the doctor told me "we'll have to watch that" about your weight...Hmmm. What am I to do? I can't very well put
you on a diet now, can I? You have graduated to size 2 diapers and you are positively bursting out of your 3 month outfits. You are the perfect chubby baby in my opinion!

You have been smiling at everyone who little talk to you, and even those who don't necessarily talk (Remi) You are very very agreeable EXCEPT when I try to take a shower. Then you scream. Other than that, you are a sweetie.

You have fallen into a very nice routine with structured naps, going to bed at 8pm, feedings are pretty predictable. You LOVE to snuggle while trying to take a nap, and you tightly grip the shirt of whoever is holding you. I spoil you a bit too much and let you lay with me in the early morning hours. My little cuddle-bug

Other tidbits:
You love your blue heart binki, you love your swing, you are learning to sleep flat on your back instead of in your papasan, you love to "swim in the bubbles," your feet and tummy are a bit ticklish, you are a very fast eater, you spit up a lot, you have adorable chubby thighs, sometimes when you scream you turn purple, your fingernails grow faster than I can keep up with, you are pretty intense when you bang your head into someone's chest or when you kick your foot into something too hard, you love to stare at the sky or ceiling fan with your beautiful blue eyes and you are starting to recognize the difference in people voices. You actually like tummy time and sitting at the the computer while Mama or Dada "internets" (verb)

Your little personality is blossoming and I can't wait to see what happens next month.

I love you, nugget!

Love, Mama

34.5

Weeks, that is. Doctor says I'm measuring big, but we're also scheduling the little guy to come early so no biggie. Other than the fact that I can't sit, stand, drive, eat, sleep or do anything comfortably! Evening breathing is a challenge these days! On the bright side, it was a lovely 70 degree day so we packed up the kid and visited the Fine Arts Museum of Houston. This painting of Elsie Driggs was my favorite: Remi was a perfect gentleman but very time he made a squeak a frenzied, geriatric docent would appear out of nowhere to make sure he hadn't ruined a priceless work of art! What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!

Big Day

For anyone who is wondering, it looks like we will be scheduling my c-section for either March 1st or 2nd!
Hoping I don't go into labor before then, as I heard a report today stating c-sections are much riskier while a woman is in active labor.
I didn't think this would be my lot in life to bear children this way, but I'm so glad that everything has been relatively smooth sailing until now.
For the tsk-tskers that are asking "Why doesn't she just do a VBAC?" Well, my doctor, Keith and I made the decision together that this is the safest route to go, especially considering Remington's difficult birth. Yes, it's more expensive, harder to recover from and leaves a heck of an ugly scar, but I'll take my chances if it means that I can have another healthy baby boy.

Remington's future friend

Congrats to Tiffany, Shawn, Hollywood, and Georgia on their new addition! Hurray! Babies are just five weeks apart!