Jar craft

I have been doing some rearranging and organizing of the kids rooms. Eme Lu hasn't had her own space as of yet and although I am very much pro room sharing I have realized how important it is for J to have his own space to retreat to. It gives him something of his own where he can zone out and not have to share things. I never thought I would do this but I am realizing how much HE needs this. So I am in the works of giving Eme her own space as well. She doesn't have much in there, since it's also our guest room. She loves crafts though. Stickers, colors, play dough, etc. I have so many mason jars and decided that I needed to jazz them up a bit and make a fun craft for the kids too. We decided to cover the jars with tissue paper. We made our own modge podge (half glue and half water) and tore pieces of tissue paper and glued them to the jar.

Here's J in our beginning phases of painting them on to the jar.

Eme Lu wanted to help as well!

This one we added stickers to the jar and then put the tissue paper over it. Turned out pretty cute.

Finished jars after they dried. It's not a perfect work of art but isn't that what makes art! Besides, J did most of this and I think he did a great job!

The jars now house our markers and paint brushes. We will likely make a couple more and add our color crayons and some other art supplies.

A nice way to turn regular mason jars in to something more appealing and fun for the kids! Enjoy.

xo

I love Mondays



A beautifuly hand felted sign that welcomes you as you walk through
the door of the Madison Waldorf School

It's true, I love Mondays. I know I sound crazy but seriously, it's one of my favorite days because it's Waldorf School Day. I get as excited as Bug gets to go, we love being there. For me it's a place where I feel at ease, find peace, and a sense of calm surrounds me. The feelings I have stay with me long after we leave, often for several days. I find I'm a better parent, spouse, friend, and I am more patient. For her it's a place where she can let down her guard, explore in an environment where imaginations run wild (and are encouraged), and to have some kid time with her friends. Since our first visit 3 weeks ago, she's been a totally different kid. Her play at home is more deeply involved, there is a lot of imagination play, and I mean a lot, and she's more creative with what she does with her (now very simple) toys.

During playgroup, adults do crafts and handwork projects while the children play.  I did not think this was possible, for me to be able to work on a craft project and Bug playing nearby, but it totally is!  

Children learn by seeing and imitating and when they see us activly engaged in meaningful work, they learn the dignity of work and the wonder of transformation.  They are also provided with ideas for imaginative play. 

-Nancy Gutknecht, playgroup leader

I love this beautiful quote.  I'm learning it's not only important for Bug to play, but it's equally important for her to see me doing meaningful work as well. Currently we're working on making felt story books. One of the amazing things about Waldorf education is it's focus on understanding how things work and where they come from. Our felt books, for example, started with a piece of wool, we shaped it into a rectangle and now we're adding different layers and colors of wool to it to make our picture. It's a work in progress, one that we'll work on for the rest of the semester. It's amazing being able to do this while the children play close by, occasionally looking over at us and being met with a smile and then going back to their important role of play.

 

The beginning stages of my felt book

A new J-ism

A little while back I had a girls night at a girlfriends house. It was pretty close so I left babe with two children who were wide awake, grumpy and ready for bedtime. I attempted to get them to sleep but it didn't work and if I hung around until they drifted off I would have missed the entire girls night! So off I went. I gave myself some extra Rescue Remedy sprays and prayed for the best.

I checked in with Z to see how everyone was doing and if I needed to come home. He got Eme Lu to sleep and was working on J. It wasn't going so well. When I got home I walked in to find Z sitting upright in the living room chair with Eme asleep on his chest and J asleep next to him sitting up as well. This is the story I heard..

Babe said J was having a tough time not having me home to lay with him. This was the dialogue between them..

J: "Dad drive me over there"
Z: "No buddy I'm not going to drive you over there. Mom will be home soon."
J: "Then I'm going to drive over there"
Z: "But you don't have a license"
J: "I'm just going to borrow yours daddy"

My three year old cracks me up! I thought this was one of the best J-isms to date! A photo to go along with the story..

SP chapter 1.. Why Simplify

I think I highlighted this entire chapter! Wow, what a great opening chapter. There were so many points that I felt hit hard for me. The very opening quote was this..

"we are facing an enormous problem in our lives today. It's so big we can hardly see it, and it's right in front of our face all day, every day. We're all living too big lives, crammed from top to toe with activities, urgencies, and obligations that seem absolute. There's no time to take a breath, no time to look for the source of the problem."

How true is this? I think so often we cram our days with so much to do's and activities. I myself, am so guilty of this. Not long ago after seeing J's behavior deteriorate I vowed that I would have Mondays and Fridays be at home days. We did pretty good, for a while. And then life got busy again. Holidays, things to do, people to see, events planned. That is one of my New Year goals, SLOW DOWN!!

Here are some more points from the book that I felt were good reminders and/or interesting facts.

-"when you simplify a child's "world" you prepare the way for positive change and growth"
-"..four pillars of too much: too much stuff, too many choices, too much information, and too much speed"
-"I sincerely believe that our instinct to protect our children will be what motivates us to change"
-"our society-with its pressure of "too much"- is waging an undeclared war on childhood"
-"..normal stresses are examples of "necessary resistance"
-"we cram more and more in to our homes"
-"..the average age at which American kids start using mainstream technology gadgets, such as cell phones, MP3 players, and DVD players is now 6.7 years"
- "sleep deprived, people are much less able to retain or use what they learn while awake"
-"can we better prepare our children for adulthood by treating them more like adults?"
-"acting out of anxiety doesn't usually lead to long term efforts, or changes, much less large-scale transformations"
-"our daily lives can become disconnected from the hopes and dreams we hold for our family"
-"..four levels of simplification: the environment, rhythm, schedules and filtering out the adult world"
-on referring to toys, "the simpler the better: dolls, building toys, cherished bedtime toys, some kitchen things, balls"
-when referring to a family he helped simplify.. "we didn't just take away toys, we carefully added some. In one of the baskets we put a stack of brightly colored fabric pieces, some rope and clothespins"
-"children are such tactile beings. They live fully by their senses that if they see something, they will also want to touch it, smell it, possibly eat it, maybe throw it, feel what it feels like on their heads, listen to it, sort it, and, probably submerge it in water"
-"all children are quirky"- this had to be a favorite of mine in this chapter!
- "q+s=d; or: quirk plus stress equals disorder"
- "stress can push children along the behavioral spectrum. When you simplify a child's life on a number of levels, back they come"
-"as parents we must not become "harmony addicted." It's tempting to hope that every day might be sort of a "rainbow experience" for our children"- this section was also another one of my favorites. It was a reminder that stresses and difficult situations help us in the long run. We can't completely shelter our children from everything.
-"when we overprotect, when we become so neurotic about the perfection of our children's every experience and waking moment, we don't protect them from sliding along the behavioral spectrum. We push them along it"
-"the central struggle of parenthood is to let our hopes for our children outweigh our fears"- a powerful quote I think. 
-"...seven million children taking Ritalin"
-"Americans consume 80 percent of the world's Ritalin"- how depressing are these last two?
-"behavioral tendencies can be soothed or relaxed by creating calm"
-"kids are not monks who can meditate for hours a day, but they do equivalent when they are involved n deep, uninterrupted play"
-"as your awareness of your children widens and deepens, so too will your love"

Payne closes each chapter with this..

Imagine your home...
-as a place where time moves a little slower
-becoming less cluttered and more visually relaxing
-with space, and time, for childhood- and with time for another every day
-as a place were play and exploration are allowed, and honored
-having more ease as you begin to limit   distractions and to say no to this stress of too much, too fast, too soon
-as a sense of calm and security take hold
becoming a place where those we love know it, by virtue of our attention, protection, and appreciation.

I know this post has been a very long one but expect each chapter to be this lengthy! I was very impressed with this first chapter. I keep wanting to read more and if any of you are like me I need real life examples of someone who went from too much to simplified, which he gives. The one thing I can say is that the work that we have done to simplify around here has made me feel so good. It's almost become an addiction for myself, where else can I simplify. I now look around my house thinking, oh I don't need that. J has even started in saying, "you can donate that mom, I don't need it"! It feels refreshing to unload some of the clutter!

So if you have read this book or are thinking about starting it I'd love to hear your take on this first chapter. Has it pushed you to start the simplification process in your own life? Are you ready to tackle the clutter? I'm on the chapter two. Check back soon for more on 'Soul Fever'.

XO

A Mothers Love

This morning Eme and I were looking through photo albums (one of her favorite things to do) and I came across a photo book my hubby made for me on Mother's Day last year. What a lucky lady I am! He is such a wonderful man and is always doing what's best for his family. Okay enough doting on my handsome man, inside I found a poem that I thought I would share. Such a beautiful poem he shared with me and I thought all of you might like it as well.

A Mother's Love

A Mother's love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away...
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never falters
even though the heart is breaking...
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems...
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation...
A many splendured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.

Happy Sunday to you all!
XO

What makes a "peaceful parent"

My sister and I both, along with many others I know, follow a Facebook page called Peaceful Parenting. It is a wonderful site and provides us with so much useful information. For the most part I really enjoy this site and it fosters my inner "peaceful parent". There is however, a part of it that I very much do not agree with. They are self proclaimed "intactivists". For those who may not know what that means, they are very much anti circumcision. This blog post is a very personal one for me and a very sensitive one.
This is a touchy subject for many people. One that is very personal and I believe one that should not be judged. The other day as I was doing my daily FB check up I came across a question that was posted on there. The gist of it was this "how can a parent be an attachment parent and be pro-circumcision?". This post was made by a page called Saving Our Sons. I was enraged. Z and I made the decision to circumcise J for a variety of different reasons. I never thought of us as "mutilating" our child or "cutting" him as they so often refer to  it as. It sounds so violent and I certainly do not think Z and I are anything but loving parents. We love J sooo much and made this choice based off of our love for him and the facts we were presented with at the time. Misinformed? Absolutely. It's a topic I get very upset about when it comes to the medical world. We put so much trust in these Doctors to inform us and deliver us with both sides of the coin. Often times, they do not. As with this, we were told of all the bad things that could happen and that it's a "routine" procedure. It was a struggle up until the day I went in to labor. In the end, we made the decision to go ahead with it. One that I regret in some ways. That is why that question got me so upset. It was like adding salt to my open wound, a wound that I am working so hard on healing.

After processing this for a few days I keep thinking to myself, what makes a peaceful parent? This 'saving our sons' has basically said that you can not circumcise your son and be an attachment parent. What merit do they hold to take that title away from a parent, or to put stipulations on what an attachment parent means? Would they say the same thing about vaccinating? Giving vaccines is a choice that parents make for their child right? I don't think it's a right or wrong one way, I think it's a choice. What about natural childbirth vs. receiving an epidural? Does that start you off on the wrong foot of being a "peaceful parent". Co-sleeping vs. not? Breastfeeding vs. formula? These are choices we make as parents. We are confronted with tough decisions from the moment we find out we are pregnant. How do we know what the "right" decision is? I believe that parenting is a huge learning curve and that there is no "right". Have I changed as a parent from when J was born vs. when Eme was born? Absolutely. I have learned so much and my knowledge has expanded. I feel as though I have evolved as a parent over the past three years. I have learned that there is not one "right" way. Parenting is so much about what works for your child, your family. Z and I have veered off the mainstream course and are beginning to make decisions for our kids that others may question. I certainly don't want people to judge us based upon our decisions, I want people to acknowledge, from one parent to another, that we are doing what works for us.

I believe that Z and I are attachment, peaceful parents. Our children are filled with so much love from us, we nurture them, comfort them when they are hurt or sad, respect their feelings, embrace them for who they are and do not try and make them be who they are not. We have also chosen to have a big family bed, nurse them both on demand- J until 19 months and Eme is still going strong, vaccinate on some and not others, J was born in a hospital with no epidural and Eme at a freestanding birth center, baby wear them both as much as we can, not let them cry it out. These are our choices. I have many friends who choose other and I am in no place to judge them. This 'SOS' has made us feel that because of a choice we no longer are put in this category.

I believe that there are many parents out there that are peaceful parents. Most parents genuinely do what they think is best for their child. Making a decision that you later regret is not deserving of having that title taken away. When your children's love baskets are full, in my opinion, you are doing something that is right.

This blog post may be a controversial one. That is not my intentions. I am still mending some deep wounds. If Z and I were to have a boy again would we choose to circumcise him? I can't answer that. I hope that when the day comes when J asks us the why's we will be able to tell him in a loving way why we made this choice. I pray that he will not be resentful of our decision. For now, I am still working on my healing process. I'm hopeful that when that day does come, I'll feel stronger than I am today talking about it. This blog post is part of my healing, part of me standing strong as a parent. So just know, all parents make mistakes and/or choices they regret afterward. That doesn't take away from who you are as a parent, it makes you exactly that, a parent, a human being. Don't lose sight of who are as a parent and stand strong knowing your love for your children will overpower many of the other things.

XO

I Missed It

I missed it. Ugh, did I ever miss it. I was packing for a 2 day trip and Bug was keeping busy helping pack, playing with blocks, and doing other random things around the house. I walked into the kitchen and she was sitting on the floor under the table and counting. I asked her what she was up to and said she was playing hide and seek with the cat. Then she popped up, the cat ran, and she ran. It was adorable. And just like that I let it pass right by me without hardly blinking. I was too busy doing something, I don't even know what, but it could have waited. I should have stopped and played with her. This has happened before, I was "busy" doing something that wasn't important or could have waited and missed out on hearing her laugh so hard it has to be coming from her toes, or engaging with her as she's playing a game. The lesson I learned today, slow down. Unless its something that absolutely cannot wait, enjoy these moments. Breath. Just be. Enjoy.

Our Great Train Adventure!

Waiting.

Waiting some more.  In style. 

Bug and I took the train to visit family over a long weekend. It was quite an adventure, from driving in a snow and ice storm just to get to the train station to the train being more than 3 hours late getting us back home (forcing me to miss work).  The thing I kept telling myself is, it's not about the destination, but the journey.

One of the best things about the train are the people you meet. I've taken it many times and it's one of the things I look forward to most. Everyone is so kind. When we were at the station waiting for the train to arrive, another passenger was admiring Bugs blanket (fondly called Bia) when he opened his bag and handed her a tie-dyed cloth to keep. Turns out he does tye-dye for a living and was on a cross country trip to Seattle.  There was a kind man who helped me carry my bags from the train to the station, I had my backpack, luggage and a car seat as well as Bug in my arms.  There was no way I could carry it all and he saved me, plus it was 5 degrees out and we had a long way to walk to get inside.  We had talked on the train and come to find out his wife is pregnant with their 8th child (thanks Craig and good luck!). 

A real train table.  (That's a $6 beer there!) 

We had an awesome visit.  We hung out with my sister and the kids had a great time playing, I got to see my brother and his girlfriend and got some exciting news that my dad is getting married (congrats dad and Suzanne!).  We also had a great day at the Mall of America and hung out in the middle at the amusement park (not normally a place I enjoy going but this time is was fun).  My thoughts were confirmed, Bug is an adrenaline junkie.  We started the day off a semi truck ride for the kiddies that pretty much goes around a track and you can honk the horn.

We ended the day on the log chute.  My 2 year old daughter was obsessed with it.  I told her what it was about, it was dark and there was a huge drop at the end, that once we got on there was no getting off, but she didn't care.  So I bought the tickets and we went on it with my brother in law, Z, and my Uncle Bob.  I wasn't sure how she was going to do on it, but she loved it.  She didn't want to get off and once off, tried to get back on!  When I ask her about it now, she says her favorite part was the drop and the splash.  Seriously, what 2 year old goes on the log chute ride?!

The only thing I had to write/highlight with on the train were Bugs crayons.  You can't read Simplicity Parenting without marking up the pages! 

It was a great trip and while it had its challenges, it was worth every one of them.  It's true what they say, it's not about the destination, but the journey.  And it was a great journey I'm hoping she'll remember.   

A perfect moment.

MN winter..

It's usually dreadfully cold and we don't spend much time outdoors. Not this year, a glimpse in to what we've been up to this week. And I'm LOVING it!

SP Chapter 3, Environment

Each chapter I read I get more and more enthralled with this concept. Simplifying our lives creates a calmer and happier life. This chapter couldn't have emphasized this more. Our environment is such a huge part of our daily life and when there is so much clutter we become overstimulated. He talks about quality of toys vs. "filler" toys. Having a few good solid wood toys is better than having many mass produced plastic toys. The chapter really shows us that less really is more.

First Day Of Our New Life



First day of 'school' at Waldorf



A close friend called and told me there was an opening in the Waldorf Playgroup she was in.  I've been interested in this playgroup for a while but the cost of it discouraged me from exploring it further than the tuition page on their web page.  After hearing how her first day went, I had to look into it.  Honestly it sounded blissful.  I know what you're thinking, bliss and toddlers don't go together unless you're talking about them sleeping, which is why I had to check into it. 

After 2 tours of the school in as many days, I knew I had to do it.  Bug was a different kid when we were there, she didn't want to leave and played in a way that I've never seen her.  She was playing make believe with dolls (this is huge, she doesn't do dolls) and set the table for us where we had our meeting (this included bringing real plates, real silverware and real cups as well as pretending to make us meals--I say real because it is real, not plastic, but glass and ceramic).  She was peaceful.  I was peaceful.  It was beautiful.

Today was the first day of our new life.  I say that because already I can see a change in our family.  I am more relaxed and she's way more into imagination play.  She's been playing with only a few "toys", a scarf, wood blocks, and her kitchen.  Recently we went to the store for her to pick out real dishes so she's always cooking up something.  This morning she told me she was making a $200 breakfast.  Yikes, do we have a foodie on our hands?!  I can count 5 toys that make noise and all but 1 are stashed away.  She wants nothing to do with them.  She's also asking to go outside all the time, which at first I found annoying.  Now I love it and join in the fun.  Seriously puddle jumping in the middle of winter is a blast!  More fun than the summer because you've got snow pants on and don't get wet!

Waldorf playgroup will be my sanctuary.  It will be Bug's too.  She talked about it all night.  Obsessively.  I came home from work for dinner and Husband was asking me if we did circle time and sang songs because she was talking about it and her teacher Miss Nancy, her good friend Link and all they did together.  But most of all she said she wanted to go back.  Sweet. 

I'll post more about Waldorf and our experience with playgroup, the importance of rhythm, how the kids interact together, crafts the mom's do while the kids are sleeping (we're making felt books from scratch-so cool!).  There's a lot of elements and I can't wait to start sharing them.  Now, can next week come already!

 

Paintbrush and thoughts

I have decided our bathroom is in need of a change. It's a really small bathroom with no window and for the past two years it's been a pretty dark goldish brown. On top of that my hubby thought it was a good place for Salvador Dali to be displayed. I did it for two years, now I'm ready for a change!

J was asleep downstairs and Babe and Eme were snuggling on the couch, it was just me, a paintbrush and my thoughts. I often think about our house and our future. We live about 20-30 minutes outside of the city. Our town isn't a super small town but it has a very cute downtown area that gives it a small town feel. We moved here two years ago under different circumstances. We currently rent our house with the option to buy if we wanted to go that route. I have mixed emotions about where we are at. We have a great backyard with no neighbors behind us (a schoolyard). We live on a culdesac. Our house is a good size for our family and there is a lot of potential. I like the area very much and we are relatively close to the city, since we go there quite often!. Plus, Eme Lu and I went perusing downtown this weekend and came across a sweet little shop that sells only organic/fair trade products. I was in love and for the first time in a while I felt as though perhaps this could be our home, for good.

But, with that being said I am one for change. I like big changes such as moving. It gives me a rush and there is excitement in the process for me. Since having kids it has shifted. While it still gives me excitement looking for "our" house (because this is a rental we didn't pick out our home) I am very conscious of what a move can do to a little one. Especially my little j. He is so very sensitive and already has a hard time sleeping away from home when we go anywhere. I know that he would adjust over time but it would be really hard for him to leave his comfort of home.

So for now, this is our home. There's room for expansion and while it's not our dream home it's the memories we've created while we have been here that mean so much. I can keep dreaming, and rearranging, and painting, and expanding.

Oh, and we painted the bathroom a light grey :)

XO

George and a fever.

We've had a pretty low key week. We spent all day at home Monday, went to the library with some friends Tuesday, and did a quick errand yesterday before returning home for the remainder of the day.

By late afternoon yesterday, J had the glossy look in his eyes. Uh oh, he's getting sick, I thought. Sure enough an hour passed and he was so whiny with a 102 fever, just like that it came on.

If you're like me, the second my children show signs of sickness i start getting anxiety. I instantly feel out of control and I hate that I can't take their pain away. For my Eme Lu it brings back the fear of last march when she was so sick. An ER visit and countless Dr appts before she was on the mend. The verdict was RSV and bronchiolitis. It was such a scary time for Z and I, watching our little 3 month old so sick. A couple weeks ago she started in with the same thing. A nasty cough, fever, goopy nose and double ear infection. My heart raced the entire time she was sick. I sat up with her in the middle of the night rocking her and didn't sleep much a wink. Thank goodness for my hubby and my mom to get me through it. She healed and here we are with J. The fever. It's such a dreaded time when they get one.

I remember when I was sick how nice it was to snuggle on the couch and watch a movie. All warm and cozy and not doing much of anything other than laying. I'm letting go of my inner Waldorf today and letting J lay on the couch watching Curious George and Milo and Otis. He has his pillow, blanket and a warm cup of tea. Sounds cozy to me and I think it's okay for one day to help him rest and heal.

XO

Balloon Fun!

Monday's are always are recoup after the weekend day. We usually stay home this day and clean, bake, hang out. As I was cleaning today I found some balloons. I quickly filled two with water and gave one to each kid. That quickly turned in to filling more balloons with whatever we could find in the pantry!

The kids had a blast! They have played with them on and off all day. J just finished up the day by popping holes in the water filled balloons and squeezing the water out. He was having a ball and his smile was contagious.

A definite must try on days when the kids are bored.

XO

Of course you need to feel the balloons in your mouth

From top to bottom:

Rice, water, flour, sugar, oil and water

Wanting to read books while playing with his balloons

Playing so nicely together

Eme loved the water filled ones

Seems quite appropriate to feel it with your feet too!

Everything goes in her mouth, this is no exception!

Bad Dreams

I woke to a frantic scurry in Bug's room.  I could hear she was moving fast and called for me with panic in her voice.  I quickly went into her room and as I opened the door she was already saying to me, "no spiders on bed, mommy."  Oh no, must be a bad dream about the spider we saw at the zoo (the one she kept going back to see over and over).  I tried telling her there weren't any spiders and she was having a bad dream.  Then it went from the bed to anything-big or small-that was on the floor.  A piece of fuzz to a sock turned in on itself. Again, I tried reassuring her there were no spiders.  She kept looking at me in the most serious way and telling me otherwise.  On the walls.  Ceiling. Pillows.  Under the covers.  Under the bed.  It was brutal.  This went on for 20 minutes and I couldn't convince her otherwise.  She was terrified from all these spiders and it broke my heart.  But I decided something in that moment.  I was going to help her fight these spiders.  They weren't going to win.

I didn't know what else to say and the reassuring hugs weren't working.  She was still convinced there were spiders everywhere.  Her trembling body was a dead giveaway she was serious.  In her eyes, there were spiders everywhere.  I needed to come up with something quick.  How can I make her feel better?  Quick thinking at 6 in the morning isn't easy to do.  Then I remembered it.  I ran into the bathroom (with Bug right behind me) and grabbed it.  She looked at me puzzled and said, "spray bottle?"  I told her it wasn't just a spray bottle but a Super Spider Spray Bottle.  She was looking at me as if I had lost it (or maybe had a spider on my head).  We went back into her room and I had her show me "where" the spiders were.  She pointed to the bed.  I sprayed it.  Then the floor.  Then the walls.  I sprayed the corners of her room.  She was totally into it and asked to spray.  Sure kiddo, have at it, get those spiders.  I was so happy she wanted to take control of what was going on.  She sprayed everything and I helped her with the things she couldn't get.  I moved the chair, looked under the covers and most importantly, lifted her bed to get all the spiders under there.* 

Later that morning we were doing art and she started painting the spiders.  They were big and red with thick legs.  Just like the ones she described to me that morning.  I proud I was able to help her work through this scary dream and we came up with an interesting, yet effective way to combat those pesky spiders.  And I was so proud she was able to use art to express her feelings and her dreams.  She was able to show me what they looked like.  We got 'em.  Take that spider!     



Bug's picture of the spiders

*Fortunately we did not find any real spiders anywhere.  For the record I hate spiders.  Hate them.  But I have never said anything to Bug or made a big deal when they're in the house.  I want her to form her own opinion of things, not to be skewed by mine.  

Taking the stay at home plunge..

By request of a friend who is considering being a SAHM, she was wondering what a typical day looks like for us. She had the standard questions I think most do when considering making this change. 1) what do you do with the kids? Do they get bored? Do you get bored?, 2)How do you socialize the kids, and 3) MONEY!

Tonight I fell in love again

J can be very trying at times. He is a very intense little boy. Always wanting to be in the mix, kissing his sister non stop throughout the day, at my heels almost constantly, and his emotions are always very intense. The bigger the better! When he's happy you know he's happy, when he's sad you'll know it and when he's mad you'll definitely know it! He is my child when it comes to wearing his emotions on his sleeve.

With a sister that had been sick for a week his attention basket was less than full. He was in need of some mom time. What a trooper he's been but his behavior has been shifting these past couple days. He was very clingy today; asking for snuggles, laying on me, hugging me, kisses.

I've been feeling a bit of a disconnect from my little man lately. Tonight I fell in love with him all over again. As I watched him crouch down to choose books, looking so little in his footsie pajamas, he looked so sweet, so innocent. As I read him stories tonight and he snuggled in to my nook I caught a glimpse of his little dimpled, chubby fingers. The way he looked at me when he asked if we could read one more story, my heart melted right there. The way he smiled when I read him the book he chose reminded me of why I love being home and why I am his mama. My Jameson. I love this boy more than words will ever describe. As all of you look at your little ones the love you you feel for them can never be put in to words. You love them for all that they are. You love them for who they are now and who they will become. You love them in their darkest moments and their brightest. It truly is an amazing thing to be a mama. I once said to my mom, when they hurt I hurt. I feel all of their feelings.

Tonight I kissed my sweet little guy and snuggled him in extra close. I fell in love all over again and it was exactly what I needed!

XO

Someone Organize Me, PLEASE!

I'm always looking for a way to get organized.  I mean desperately.  Clutter is the quickest way to make me mentally unstable, so I'm constantly on the prowl to find cheap and creative ways to rid my life of it.  I haven't found The Solution for all our stuff, we live in a tiny 2 bedroom, 900 sq ft apartment, with Husband, Bug, a dog and 2 cats (don't ask), but I'm working on it.

I finally had it with all the magazines lying around.  Piles of them.  On the kitchen table.  In closets.  Next to the bed.  In the bathroom.  Next to the couch.  Under it.  Seriously, it was out of control.  And I knew it was going to only get worse, I had just bought a couple of 2 year subscriptions to magazines geared towards parents.   One night I had it.  I was over the stacks of paper everywhere.  The reason I had all these magazines was because I wanted to keep articles from them, usually only one or two.   So I startared tearing them out and before I knew it I had another mess on my hands.  More clutter.  What to do.  First off, a glass of wine was in order.  Calm the nerves.

Then I saw it.  The beautiful black book.  I heard the angels singing.  It was like a light was shining down on it saying, "here I am, the answer to all your problems."  Alright, it was a dusty old 3-ring binder from college that was stashed in a bookshelf.  I pulled it out, quickly emptied it of the psych 101 papers from my first year of college (perhaps this is part of the reason I have so much stuff... I graduated years ago).  It even had page dividers and clear plastic paper holders in it.  Score!  I stashed the articles I just ripped out of the magazines and put them in the plastic holders.  It was beautiful.  I had taken stacks of magazines and condensed them into a small binder that was easily accessible and didn't take up a ton of room.    

And when my mother in law gave us some of her favorite recipes in a 3-ring binder, my recipes started to organize themselves after that.

Ok, not really but it became that much easier!

No I got it..

Our poor Eme is sick. A double ear infection and bronchial infection. Needless to say, she's super fussy and unhappy. J has been for the most part very patient and good with her. And as usual, always wanting to help.

Today she wanted his juice cup but it was empty. My mom (who came in to town to help, thank goodness!) offered to go fill it. J quickly jumped up and said I'll do it. He likes to fill it in the bathroom upstairs so away he ran. I knew the top would be hard for him to get off but I wanted him to try on his own before jumping in.

This is how it went.. My mom, Eme and I stood at the bottom of the stairs listening. We asked a few times if he needed help in which he quickly answered no! He was up there for a bit when I finally said "J what are you doing up there? You're awfully quiet and making us wonder..". His response,"no I got it mom. I'm using a screwdriver!". My mom made it up there in record time.

Have to give my 3 year old some props for trying to problem solve how to get the top off, even if it wasn't the safest choice!

Throwback To My Childhood

It's the little things that make you smile. Bug was introduced to her first Slinky today and it proved to be quite entertaining for all of us. Her favorite was to hold one end up to her nose and let the other end fall to the floor, pretending to be an elephant.

elephant trunk!

I fondly remember the Slinky and when I heard Husband playing with it in the other room, it was I-not Bug-who ran in. I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven but never had one. But when my sister got one, I sneaked into her room and played with it all the time {sorry Sissy!}.

Are there any throwback toys your kids like to play with now that you did as a kid? I'd love to hear what they are.

JO

of course it has to go on your foot!