Instructions for String Easter Basket & Eggs

I was asked to share this fun craft from my previous post. It's very easy to do.

Supplies:
Balloons
Crochet string or yarn
School Glue
Paint brushes
Small paper cups.
Parchment paper or plastic bags to cover your work space because it's messy.
Optional: Glitter and spray glue. Print outs of easter clip art.

Steps:
1. Blow up balloons. We used tiny ones to make doll sized baskets.
2. Wipe a bit of Pam cooking spray on the balloon to make them a bit slick.
3. Mix school glue with a bit of water. You don't want it too runny or it won't harden - but you want it smooth enough to spread around and soak into the string.
4. You can either dip the string into the glue mixture or what we did was start wrapping the string around the balloon then using the paintbrush smear, soak the string with the glue. You want it super coated so that it hardens when it dries. I usually wrap the handle first then around the base, then pile string on at the bottom. The glue makes a sticky gloppy mess.
5. Rest on on a paper cup to dry or suspend from a ledge with tape. It will drip so you'll want something under them. I save the glue mixture - just in case we missed a spot.
6. Once dry check to see that the string is harden all over. If not reapply more glue.
7. One dry, take a pin or old lancet (had to get diabetes in there some how) and poke the balloon.
8. Pull out the old balloon leaving a 3d basket/egg.
9. Decorate. We're going to use glue spray and sprinkle glitter on the eggs. We're also going to use sculpty to make tiny doll easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and cut out easter clip art and ribbon to fill the doll easter baskets. But our eggs are still to wet to show that step:)

Crafting with Bean

I call Jillian 'Bean' or 'Jilly', sometimes even JillyBean which is now really fitting as Jelly Beans are hidden everwhere in this house because it's our favorite low treat. I really want to rename my blog 'Counting Jelly Beans in the Dark' because I do it so well. I'm a pro.

Today Bean and I did a bit of crafting. She has never made string easter baskets or eggs before. I remember making these in school all the time. But now that the schools do not celebrate easter there's a whole generation that is missing out on this fun easy craft. Well not my kid! I can't wait till these babies dry and we can pop those balloons.

Opps...

Did you know that we have diabetes? Because today I sure forgot....
After lunch Jillian was a little needy so I had her spend time with me showing her how to sew. We were sewing a hampster when half way through she commented how exhausting sewing was. She seemed kind of tired and quiet so I suggested maybe she needed a nap.
That's right. A nap. Because you know a nap makes everything better.
So a few more minutes go by and she says 'Mom I think I'm low'.
And then I recall that we have diabetes. We tested and she was 68. A few jelly beans later she was back to herself. And I'm so proud that she figured out she was low.

So today's rule is:
A nap will not cure a low.

She will only eat this for cold lunch...

Bento boxes!



And always with mini hot dogs, cheese block, cheese crackers, Horizon milk, a bannana and a small treat - like this mini rice krispie bar from Halloween for only 9 carbs. I keep asking her if she wants something else...but she won't budge. She does eat hot lunch 2-3 days a week as well.

So I've learned to live with the T1D rule...

Let her have some control over what she eats.

A childhood with diabetes means....

...using the three spent pod's from the saline trial as hover cars then later as a herd of computer mice that are about to attack the I-Carly dolls.

There's something so peaceful and normal about a child using an everyday object as a toy.

Loving the pod

We love the Omnipod. We're not really on it yet. Just the saline trial. But it's in many ways so much easier than shots. And I love that I can check her trends and I don't have to get cranky that one of us forgot to fill out the log book. I get cranky about that alot.

What I don't love is the test strips. And the light for the strip is pretty useless in a dark room. But that's why they invented night lights. I also don't like the waiting period . We should hear from Insulet in 3-5 days what the insurance will cover. 3-5 days! Lol. That's like a life time! I'm nervous though. Hopefully our insurance will accept that having one is a medical neccesity. It'll make a huge difference in her levels and ability to self-manage. And it's cheaper than a trip to the hospital. Come on insurance!

I keep meaning to do a diabetes related craft. I have some things floating around in my head but I just haven't gotten to it yet.

Having an 'I hate Diabetes' moment

We check Jilly's blood every night before going to bed. Last night I tip toed into her dark room like every night. Pulled out the pod to check her. I poked the inside of one finger and squeezed out a large drop of blood. All while holding her hand tight. She's learned to sleep through this but still will sometimes pull her hand away and I'll have to start over.
I'm not used to the Freestyle strips and find them more difficult than the One Touch. The blood never seems to want to go into the side of the strip and instead smears around. I eventually got it to read though. I held my breath and waited for the number to come up as it would tell me if I got to sleep through the night or not. And I was lucky she was in range.
I put everything away, tuck her in and kiss her good night. Walking back to my own bedroom. I look down at my hands to see her blood smeared all over them and and that point the self-pity came out.
How unfair. That while other parents get to tuck their children in to bed with out a care before heading off to sleep themselves. I get to go to bed with her blood on my hands. What really gets to me is how oblivious so much of the world is to Diabetes.
Stupid Diabetes.

The start of something new.

It's official...

We are now on the Omnipod saline trial! We have a loaner pump from the office and despite my nervous butterflies we are totally loving it. Jilly was a little scared at first - but quickly overcame it. If it works out we'll be putting our order in next week. Which is fantastic as we've already met tis years insurance deductable. We also ran into the family we met at ADA's family retreat at the doctor's office which was a totally fantastic surprise and helped set the mood for the visit. They are such a great family.