DIY baby sandals by yours truly!!

We had plans to go to our neighborhood farmers market today but the weather in Providence has been wacky lately and the heavy thunderstorms left us housebound. Of course today Aurora decided to take the longest naps ever so I actually had time to do something not internet related! I stumbled upon a How To for fancy lady sandals using a pair of cheap flip flops and scraps of fabric. While I'm not sure I dig the style for grown ups it gave me a great idea! Old Navy has little baby flip flops like these:

My only issue with these is that I feel like the plastic bit that goes between the toes is a little too thick for such teensy tootsies and I already don't dig shoes on babies so feeling like they'd be uncomfortable to boot killed them for me. That being said, I thought they were so adorable that several times I considered going back on that decision. Once I saw this DIY flip flop trick I knew this would be the perfect use for it!

So I made this double handy by getting the flip flops on sale (not a huge deal since they're only $3.50 normal priced) and using an old onesie that Aura had outgrown. Genius, if I do say so myself. I can give a step by step but I think even minimally crafty people will get the basic idea, so I'll keep it simple. The first step was to cup off the plastic straps and pull them off along with the little plugs on the bottom that keep them in. Then you take four strips of fabric (I knew I'd need two longish and two shorter ones... but you can always adjust and trim later) for each sandal. Two get threaded through the middle hole and knotted underneath (the knot will tuck into the hole created by the original plastic stopper) Then the other ends and one end of the longer pieces  get threaded through each side and knotted. I put her foot in for this step so I could make sure the tops fit perfectly before tying the knot. So now they looked like this:

Makes sense so far right?
So after that all it took was a little trimming, a finish V cut to prevent fraying and a little bow added to the tops just because and those original cute but boring flip flops turned into these:

So there you have it, a cheap pair of flip flops, some scraps of cloth and about 20 minutes and you have awesome one of a kind sandals for your wee one! Best part is there's no sewing required unless you are super  picky about rough edges (I like them) or you are using a very delicate fabric that you need to layer. I left the straps in the back long enough to tie either behind or in front of the ankle but that's personal preference. I haven't gotten a picture of them on her yet but I'll attempt to rectify that soon as well as try to dig up the link for the adult version.
I've got to say, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself right about now...

Happy 6 months Aurora!

Today is your half birthday! I'm going to try my hardest to write you one of these little letters every six months. I will admit to you now that sometimes my best intentions lack followthrough, but so many other things have changed about me since you've come along that I have high hopes this time.

At six months you have come so far from the little helpless blanket-wrapped baby I brought home from the hospital that sometimes I have to look back at pictures to even wrap my head around it. You are big and strong and growing so fast! Everyday you start to show a little more of this amazing bubbly little personality that I only saw glimpses of a few months ago. You are a happy energetic little girl. You are curious and interested in everything you see. There is no doubt that you are taking it all in and learning so much... You laugh all the time! You love to be tickled. You love anything that surprises you, like peek-a-boo, and bouncy airplane rides keep you entertained for as long as I can keep them up until my arms turn to jello! Did I mention you are already so big! I like to carry you in our Moby wrap when we go for walks but sometimes you are so squirmy and heavy that we have to resort to a stroller for longer excursions. You love to look at things and you try to touch everything and everything you hold, you inevitably want to taste.

Oh, what is this? A book? What do books taste like??

You stare at strangers on bus rides and everyone who sees you can't help but smile. 

It's like carrying joy around with me everywhere we go... 

you are literally a bundle of joy.

People have dropped what they are doing just to come over and look at you. Others have called their friends and coworkers over just to see how pretty you are, even at the doctor's office, and they see babies all day! People are just drawn to you, it's amazing really. I used to avoid talking to strangers and now I can't help but show you off and be so proud knowing that no one can help but love you. It seems I'm not the only one who has fallen under your charming little spell...

When you were born and for those first few precious and precarious days I thought that my life was forever changed. I knew I would never be the same, I knew that I had never loved anyone or anything as wholly and completely as I loved you and I thought I could never love more than that.

I was wrong.

In the last six months that love has grown exponentially. With every giggle and every smile you steal another little piece of my heart... but I still never seem to run out.

Happy six month birthday little bean.

Guess who's a guest?!

Go check out the InstinctualMamas blog where the guest blogger post  is from... ME. Getting some really great feedback so far! Just goes to show how positive and supportive their community is when compared to some others (BC I'm looking at you!) Give it a look-see and tell me what you think!