Back in the Saddle

Well, Lucas made it to camp safely and comes home tomorrow. Dropping him off was an exercise in maternal self-control, and I struck out. Before we got there, he asked if I could help him make his bed and set up everything, but when he saw the roomful of boys and only 2 other mothers, he became intimidated. I unpacked a few things, but when I told him I had put his "jammies" and Blue Dog in his sleeping bag (I thought I was very clever to hide them from view), he hissed, "Well you don't have to say it OUT LOUD!" (Strike 1)

When I heard they were going swimming straight away, I offered to put sunscreen on his back (so clever; he would be embarrassed if I did everything, so I'll just do what he can't reach), at which point he hissed, "Nobody else has THEIR shirt up!" and refused to lift his shirt, so I sat down and just reached up under his shirt to do his back. (Strike 2)

I forgot to snap pictures for Dean, so I snuck back around the corner of the building to get some while they all stood waiting to swim, and when he saw me he covered his head with his towel. (Strike 3 - yer OUTTA there!)

Oh well, I didn't cry, and we haven't gotten any phone calls yet, so it's probably going to be okay.

So here's what I accomplished that night - finishing Drew's shirt with my Brother, which turned out NOT to be broken, but only a victim of user error. Turns out that the piece that moves up and down at the top left of your machine holding the thread is hidden in my machine and I didn't know I was not getting the thread in it reliably. (That's what a knee-control will do for ya' - I got sloppy.) That results in nests and skipped stitches, so I look forward to swimsuit sewing with a hopeful attitude.

Anyway, back to Simplicity 9499. Turns out I forgot to staystitch the neckline and it stretched out some, so Drew is not such a fan.



(He also appears to be a hoodlum in this shot. Turn to the LEFT!) He did eventually smile, but the shirt is better seen in this pic. And to prove that I'm an equal-opportunity photo critic, I'll show you my shot where you can see the shirt best.



See, I'm not afraid of a half-closed eye and an ear giving a high-five (WHADJA SAY?). There was a nice one where my eyes were an ocean of blue and the ears were under the hair, but the shirt was blurry and I'm about the clothes, not the model. You know that from the swimsuit post last year.

So anyway, I think this shirt looks just fine on me, but he wants to sleep in it till I get a replacement made. Sort of a success, I guess. Now off to finish Lucas's shorts.