Sometimes, you just need an octopus dress. 😊
(I was sorely tempted to make a James Bond reference in the post title, but I restrained myself).
I wrote last week that this month has passed in a fog for me.
There are a lot of reasons for that, but some of them are related to sleep deprivation. I know, I know. Sleep deprivation is a fact of life when you have small children, but in my case, sleep deprivation has been my constant companion for the past decade. It has been significantly worse in the years since Birdie's birth, given all her health issues. I've been known to run for weeks on 2-3 hours of sleep a night. It takes a toll.
The kids have been passing around one virus after another since Pascha. Ponchik has been sick for more than a week (and consequently not sleeping well); Birdie caught it on Friday and hasn't slept since. Thus, I've not really slept since then either. I'm kind of running on fumes at this point.
The funny thing is, I've actually been sleeping better and for more hours at night this winter, as we've had an unusually light sick season this year. Birdie started seeing a new specialist in the fall, and he changed some of her protocols; this has made a huge difference for her baseline health. She's had a few very minor viruses (i.e. normal kid sicknesses) but that's it! Her sleep has been better and therefore, my sleep has been better (well, for the most part; I'm still getting up with the other kids sometimes, and my husband's CPaP often wakes me up in the middle of the night, but the point is, I've been running on more sleep this school year). I think some of my weight loss success this winter and spring has been due to just getting better sleep and being in a headspace to make better food decisions.
I realized recently that my eating habits are significantly worse when I'm more tired than usual. I go into survival mode and I do what I can just to stay awake and keep putting one foot in front of the other. And usually, that means sugar and caffeine. Generally not a good strategy for weight loss or healthy weight maintenance. My headspace since Pascha has been very survivalist. My husband is up to his eyes in work and he has been away a lot since February. It doesn't look to let up any time soon.
But back to the dress(es). Ponchik loves octopuses (weird, I know) and sometime earlier this spring, I remembered that Cotton+Steel had an octopus print in one of their collections from last year. Sadly, the colorway I really wanted was out of stock everywhere, but I was able to find this lovely blue version in an etsy shop. I quickly bought enough to make her a surprise birthday dress and then thought no more about it.
I tried to work on it during times when she was occupied with a sitter or out of the house, but I didn't actually get to sewing it until last week when she was home sick most of the week. It was a fast project, and she was oblivious at the time. While I was sewing it, I got the mad idea to make one for myself. Because it seemed like a fun thing to do for her birthday today. Plus I wanted some variety in my closet. I'm trying to own my printy-utilitarianism. (Me-Made-May is always so sartorially clarifying for me).
I know it is basically another blue dress, but it feels fun and fresh and I really like it! I made it in a mad rush over the weekend so that we could match today. Because I'm silly like that. Plus the project gave me a mood boost on a day when I sorely needed it. Let's just say that holidays are not my husband's strong suit. Ponchik is really happy that we are matching today. She is four! I can't believe it.
Just the facts:
Octopus Mama and Me dresses: Simplicity 1080 (heavily redrafted), Simplicity 8101 (size four, with 1 1/2" added for length), Cotton+Steel fabric, Gutermann 251 thread, elastic, vintage cotton bias tape in Copen.
Sweater (on me): Banana Republic via ThredUp
Socks: Sock Dreams Novella Above-Knee stockings in black
Boots: KadiMaya
Earrings: etsy
Necklace: bought in Scotland twelve years ago
The funny thing is, I've actually been sleeping better and for more hours at night this winter, as we've had an unusually light sick season this year. Birdie started seeing a new specialist in the fall, and he changed some of her protocols; this has made a huge difference for her baseline health. She's had a few very minor viruses (i.e. normal kid sicknesses) but that's it! Her sleep has been better and therefore, my sleep has been better (well, for the most part; I'm still getting up with the other kids sometimes, and my husband's CPaP often wakes me up in the middle of the night, but the point is, I've been running on more sleep this school year). I think some of my weight loss success this winter and spring has been due to just getting better sleep and being in a headspace to make better food decisions.
I realized recently that my eating habits are significantly worse when I'm more tired than usual. I go into survival mode and I do what I can just to stay awake and keep putting one foot in front of the other. And usually, that means sugar and caffeine. Generally not a good strategy for weight loss or healthy weight maintenance. My headspace since Pascha has been very survivalist. My husband is up to his eyes in work and he has been away a lot since February. It doesn't look to let up any time soon.
I'm finding it quite difficult to get myself back together and embrace the basic asceticism of healthy eating habits. We've had a lot of celebrations this month (two birthdays, our anniversary, end-of-year parties, a dinner party or two, plus general Pascha-tide food) and I've just not been that motivated to work on my poor habits. I'm going to keep struggling though, and hope that sleep comes my way again soon.
But back to the dress(es). Ponchik loves octopuses (weird, I know) and sometime earlier this spring, I remembered that Cotton+Steel had an octopus print in one of their collections from last year. Sadly, the colorway I really wanted was out of stock everywhere, but I was able to find this lovely blue version in an etsy shop. I quickly bought enough to make her a surprise birthday dress and then thought no more about it.
I tried to work on it during times when she was occupied with a sitter or out of the house, but I didn't actually get to sewing it until last week when she was home sick most of the week. It was a fast project, and she was oblivious at the time. While I was sewing it, I got the mad idea to make one for myself. Because it seemed like a fun thing to do for her birthday today. Plus I wanted some variety in my closet. I'm trying to own my printy-utilitarianism. (Me-Made-May is always so sartorially clarifying for me).
I know it is basically another blue dress, but it feels fun and fresh and I really like it! I made it in a mad rush over the weekend so that we could match today. Because I'm silly like that. Plus the project gave me a mood boost on a day when I sorely needed it. Let's just say that holidays are not my husband's strong suit. Ponchik is really happy that we are matching today. She is four! I can't believe it.
Just the facts:
Octopus Mama and Me dresses: Simplicity 1080 (heavily redrafted), Simplicity 8101 (size four, with 1 1/2" added for length), Cotton+Steel fabric, Gutermann 251 thread, elastic, vintage cotton bias tape in Copen.
Sweater (on me): Banana Republic via ThredUp
Socks: Sock Dreams Novella Above-Knee stockings in black
Boots: KadiMaya
Earrings: etsy
Necklace: bought in Scotland twelve years ago
lovely outfit. I am so sorry you have been struggling so much and with your Husband having so much work on his plate. The dress is so nice and so sweet to have you both matching. I will pray for you today. Much love. remember I am just an email away ok? LOVE to you!
ReplyDeleteThese are both lovely!
ReplyDelete