girls clothes

OVERALL MOM: Thinking back on my sewing days - Piatt County Journal-Republican
Michigan Medicine Team Separates Conjoined Twins at CS Mott Children's Hospital | University of Michigan - University of Michigan Health System News
Garage Sales | Garage & Yard Sales | times-online.com - Times Record
Meet Courtney: American Girl’s new historic doll from way back in the ‘80s - KIRO Seattle

OVERALL MOM: Thinking back on my sewing days - Piatt County Journal-Republican

Posted: 17 Sep 2020 03:19 PM PDT

I was surprised to read that in 1982 President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation declaring September as National Sewing Month.

I was so excited when I read that, since some of my best memories have been those of when I was sewing. Whether with a needle and thread or on a machine, I have always enjoyed sewing.

There is something very magical about turning scraps of material into items you can wear or hang on your window or lay your head on.

Okay, so maybe wearing my childhood sewing projects in public was not something I would recommend, but I was certainly proud of what I created for my barbie doll.

Seems like back in the day everyone knew how to sew. Maybe because that skill was handed down from grandparents who survived the great depression and could not afford to shop out of catalogs or departments stores.

My grandma stitched very colorful play clothes for my siblings and myself out of, get this, none other than feed sack material. Of course, those days of feed sacks being made of cloth have long since passed and burlap might be a bit itchy.

My other grandmother made a career of sewing. She had a steady flow of customers needing alterations. Work she did from home as well as for one of the biggest department stores in Kankakee. She could sew anything from tailor suits to sun dresses.

Grandmother handed down her sewing skills to her daughter who handed the needle and thread down to me so I could pass the skill onto my children.

I genuinely enjoy sewing and followed my grandmother's footprint. I was able to stay home with my children when they were young by taking in alterations, which eventually developed into a full-time job sewing fully washable stuffed animals, many with interchangeable outfits.

I felt so blessed when my grandmother sewed my wedding dress. It was not only beautiful, but something that kept blessing my family time and again.

It seemed such a waste to tuck that beautiful gown away and never use it again, so after the birth of my oldest daughter when I need a baptismal gown, I decided why not.

I found a pattern for a baptismal gown, then took the material from the train of my wedding dress and created the perfect gown. Which all my children wore for their ceremony.

And when it came time to find a First Holy Communion dress for Stephanie, I decided to turn my wedding dress into her First Communion gown. Fortunately, I was very thin and petite when I married my kids' father, so I really did not have a whole lot of work to do in remaking the dress to fit her. Something all six of my girls wore for their first communion, along with my wedding veil redesigned for the occasion.

Sadly, fewer, and fewer people are sewing these days. It seems store bought clothes have all but replaced homemade clothing. Tragically, even if a button comes off you see folks tossing or donating perfecting good outfits.

'Sew' that is why I feel it is 'sew' fitting that we celebrate this month to stitch a few memories. The timing couldn't be more perfect during this pandemic since we have all been in lockdown anyway.

It was because I raised a mob of kids that friends and neighbors were always donating clothes to our family. And even though my children were little people, we would receive tons of clothes that were ten times the size of any of us.

That is when I took advantage of rainy days to have my children cut off buttons and rip zippers out of clothes that were far too big for any of us to wear. Then I would turn around and utilize those pieces for new outfits I would stitch together. In fact, if the material from those clothes was of good quality, I would set it aside to create new outfits, or let the girls make doll clothes with it or something as simple as a pillow.

I did not have to spend a dime on material to teach my girls to sew. There was always plenty of scraps laying around the house.

My grandmothers will never go down in history for sewing anything as famous as the first American Flag like Betsy Ross handstitched, but their legacy will live on. They handed down a valuable gift that keeps on giving.

Until next time, God Bless,

Mary Kruger is a mother of nine children and a grandmother of 12. She can be reached at Overallmom53@hotmail.com.

Michigan Medicine Team Separates Conjoined Twins at CS Mott Children's Hospital | University of Michigan - University of Michigan Health System News

Posted: 18 Sep 2020 09:02 AM PDT

The girls had weeks in the pediatric intensive care unit, sharing the same room, which is not typical. Their postoperative care was managed minute by minute by the Pediatric Surgical Critical Care team led by Samir Gadepalli, M.D., Meghan Arnold, M.D., Arul Thirumoorthi, M.D. and Anila Elliot, M.D.

"We all recognized that in some way, psychologically, this might be traumatic for these little patients because their lived experience had been with their twin right next to them. Our pediatric intensive care unit configured a room that could support both of them so they would see each other when they woke up," Mychaliska says.

"I'm a father of twins and know twins are very close," Mychaliska adds. "Sarabeth and Amelia will always share a really unique bond and I think the future is bright for both of them. We wish this family all the best."

The diagnosis for conjoined twins Sarabeth and Amelia

In February 2019, Phil and Alyson excitedly drove to their 20-week ultrasound, anxious to learn whether their now 3-year-old daughter Kennedy would be having a younger brother or sister.

The technician pulled up the screen but then almost immediately shut it down, asking who their doctor was. That was the first sign something was wrong.

Minutes later, the couple listened to their doctor explain they were having twins – but they were attached to each other.

"She told us she was sorry they couldn't help us and that we had an unfortunate decision to make," Phil says. "We were stunned."

Conjoined twins develop when an early embryo partially separates to form two individuals, but many are stillborn or die shortly after birth.

The couple was referred to Michigan Medicine's Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center. Before they got home from the appointment, U-M had already called.

"We were grateful that they responded so fast," Alyson says. "It was nice not to have to sit with that feeling of hopelessness and uncertainty for so long."

Labor and delivery for conjoined twins

The day after that ultrasound, they had a repeat ultrasound at Michigan Medicine's Fetal Diagnostic Center and met with the director, Marjorie Treadwell, M.D.

"We were struck by the support they had for each other and their vested interest in what would be the best thing for their daughters," Treadwell recalls. "When you're having a baby you have a vision for your family and news like this turns everything upside down. You have to readjust your expectations completely. We had a really challenging, honest and heartfelt conversation."

From the scans, it appeared the girls had their own vital organs and limbs and the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center team believed they could offer the family a separation surgery.

"We had some good appointments and some where we left crying. We were preparing for the worst possibility," Alyson says, adding she was grateful for the Mott music therapy team who recorded the babies' heartbeats and put them inside teddy bears.

Then, at her 34 week check in, Treadwell told them it was time. Blood flow had started to slow from the umbilical cord to the girls.

A few days later, they packed up for the hospital. During the nerve-wracking car ride, the country song "Stuck like Glue" by Sugarland came on the radio.

"We both laughed," Alyson says. "That helped break the tension."

On the day of the caesarean, nearly double the usual number of providers were in the room at Michigan Medicine Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, including OB anesthesiologists, nurses and neonatologists. A separate team was assigned to each baby plus Alyson.

There were extra logistical challenges in delivering two babies simultaneously, with 3D-printed models helping the team plan for the size of the incision and location of the placenta.

Several people worked together to coordinate lifting the babies out of the abdomen in concert without straining the organs where they were attached.

"We were prepared for everything and that is what it made it go so smoothly," Treadwell says. "We are all honored to have been part of Amelia and Sarabeth's journey."

And after a flurry of activity, the Irwins finally met their new daughters.

"I remember them briefly putting the girls on my chest. It was very sweet and special being able to hold them and see them for the first time," Alyson says. "It was just very surreal. There was so much adrenaline from everything that led up to that point."

But then the girls were quickly whisked away for care in the Mott Newborn Intensive Care Unit where they stayed for 85 days.

Conjoined twin sisters living as one

The blue-eyed twin sisters may be identical, but they have quickly shown their differences. Amelia is the vocal "little diva who both whines and smiles at the drop of a hat," her parents say, while Sarabeth is the "quiet and calm instigator."

And they had gotten used to sharing everything – from sideways diaper changes and feedings to learning to pull themselves up.

Garage Sales | Garage & Yard Sales | times-online.com - Times Record

Posted: 17 Sep 2020 09:00 AM PDT

Fri., Sept. 18th 2-6 PM Sat., Sept. 19th 9-11 AM 506 4th St NW - Girls clothes (18M to 4T), dance leo's and tights (XS-S), Boys clothes (18M-5/6). - Women's (S-XL) and men's clothes (L-2XL). - Maternity clothes (L-XL), winter gear and shoes, toys, baby monitor, sit and stand stroller. - 5 Piece office furniture set, bar stools, wine fridge, holiday items, mason jars, household plants, curtains and lots of household items.

Meet Courtney: American Girl’s new historic doll from way back in the ‘80s - KIRO Seattle

Posted: 18 Sep 2020 08:13 AM PDT

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Meet Courtney: American Girl's new historic doll from way back in the '80s KIRO Seattle