After making “Just Add Diapers” drawstring bags for both the Torrey Baby Girls, using Amy Butler’s Midwestern Modern (Lotus) fabric, my best friend Amie asked if I was for hire. I’ve been sewing little burp cloths for her niece, and I offered to also make her a “Just Add Diapers” because they are so darned handy! Little did we know that Amie would be adopting a baby girl the SAME DAY her niece was born!  Little did we know that our roomie from college, Ms. Shelley, would also be having another BABY GIRL!  In an odd twist of fate, my 5 college roomies and I have gotten together twice in one calendar year.  That’s a feat when you consider between the 6 of us we have 14 children with 1 on the way.  These developments made for some fast sewing to be finished before Sunday night’s awesome college roomie dinner at Cindy’s house.  Well, to be fair, the sewing would have been slow had Sara not gotten bronchitis followed by Kelly’s laryngitis, followed by my throat infection, followed by Daddy’s cold….

From left to right are Amanda’s bag (Amie’s sister), Shelley’s bag, and Amie’s bag.  I filled them with disposable changing pads, diaper throw away bags (which I ran out of at the last minute!), and disposable wipe containers.  Just-Add-Diapers.  Pull the strings, and with one finger you can yank your diaper changing needs out of your purse.  I love handmade, I love this fabric, and I love my friends.

As we sat around enjoying the warm glow of 18 years of friendship, I realized that Shelley may be having the last Bethel Baby (our group nickname from college).  No one is swearing it’s a done deal, but it’s pretty….done.  We are 37 years old.  We are awaiting the 15th baby.  That’s a lot of drama folks, if you specialize in baby math.  I was sad to have finally thought of a useful baby gift, just as the song ends.  Shelley is set to deliver on December 23rd.  The first Bethel baby was born on Christmas Day, 1994.  We began and will end on almost the same day.  If you would have told us in 1994 that we’d be procreating for 15 years, well, I guess 5 women would have pointed to me and would have said, “Lorgey.  She’ll be the tail end of this train.  Her fault entirely.” Close!  But believe it or not, 3 babies arrived after my last.  I was however, the last to marry, so their estimates wouldn’t have been terribly inaccurate.

When Angie realized how much time had passed and how the kids are growing up so quickly, she teared up.  Then I teared up.  Then Amie threatened to kill us if we made her cry, as she cuddled tiny Baby Bird Kylie, aka #14.  Then Shelley said, “Aw Angie”, in such a wonderful and loving Shelley way, a sound I’ve been hearing for 18 years; it feels like a big hug every time she says it. Then Cindy laughed at us and cut the cake and I packaged some up for Kelly (yep, that’s how Kelly Belly got her name) and her beautiful gang of 3 kiddios…..and well….as is a universal truth, cake fixes everything.

15 years.  15 babies.  Good Lord, it feels like more.  How are the 6 of us still standing after this much living?!!  And I think I should also say, DAMN WE LOOK GOOD!!!