. . .And Onto the Munchkin

The little munchkin received his new sweater today. It fit! He'll get a little wear out of it before the weather gets altogether too warm. It was nice to see it on him. :)

Sorry I didn't get a better picture- I thought I had, but when I loaded them into the computer they were pretty blurry. It's too bad, because Mouse is MEGA cute!! That said, there's something quite nice about this picture, I think:


Something about the mood strikes a chord for me. Anyway, just wanted to share the sweater on its new home!

Babyman's First Haircut

Now that Billy has heroically figured out a way to unload pictures from my camera (since I still don't have the USB cable), I have a few illustrated blog posts in the wings. One momentous event was Babyman's first haircut!


He was less than thrilled with the experience.


He cried through most of the haircut.


"Seriously? Why do you guys do these things to me?"


He was beginning to get used to the experience, and Scooby Doo on the TV was fairly interesting. I love this picture.


All done! (Just needed a little fluffing up.) Sigh. At least he still has his curls!

Two Years

From this:


to, very shortly thereafter, this:


Then it's just two years. . . two short years, and we have this rascal:


We love you, sweet Babyman!

Navel Gazing: "Shut Up."

My brain has been waking up.

You know that saying, that you don't know what you have until it's gone? Well, sometimes you don't know what you've lost until it returns.

See, Babyman isn't sleeping through the night. He's nearing 18 months old, but he still isn't sleeping through the night. Gradually gradually however, he has been doing better at night. I've had a number of nights now where he has only woken once, and often that's while I am still up. So for me, there have been a number of nights that I get a full night's sleep. It's heavenly. I'm still tired all the time, and it will be a long while before I catch up on my sleep, but the difference is palpable.

Before, I felt like I was functioning pretty well, and I guess I was. The kids were cared for, the bills were paid, we managed to get to our various commitments if not on time, then at least in time to participate. The house wasn't (isn't) clean, but we had clothes to wear and dishes to eat out of. I spoke to my friends and family on a regular basis and felt like I'd had a good conversation once in awhile. I knew I wasn't doing as much as I'd like, but I was doing the best I could and it was OK.

Now I realize how little I was engaging the world around me. Sure, I was talking to people and observing my environment, but only a small percentage was being processed. I didn't talk as much as I might normally, because I couldn't hold a coherent thought in my head long enough to verbalize it and still be in the flow of the conversation. I wasn't actually noticing a lot of what was going on around me. I knew what the kids were up too; that was important. But beyond that, I was too sleepless and distracted to see much of what was happening. So I listened a lot, heard a little, and talked less.

I am still distracted, still scattered, but I am a lot more awake and aware than I was before. My neurons are firing in sync a lot more often than they were before, allowing me to follow conversations and think of things to say. This has led to a new problem: I talk too much. Now I make connections between what is being said in the conversation and my own experiences, and I am blurting them out before I've had time to think about whether it's really going to further the discussion or not. Sometimes, I am so excited by what's being said that I am interrupting people to blurt out things that are marginally useful at best. This goes for conversations with adults AND things I say to my kids. Too often, I am telling myself, "Shut up, Kit, just shut up."

I am SO glad to be functioning a little better. The sleep was desperately needed. I feel so much more awake and engaged, and I am getting more done. I see the benefits in so many little areas of my life. I didn't realize how badly my sleepless nights were taking their toll, until I started waking up. However, I am going to have to reign in this verbal barrage that spills out of my mouth. It's going to take conscious effort. Listen more, talk less. Make words the currency that you spend wisely. That's what I will work toward. (Hmm, it might be a good goal for my WRITING too, eh? Sorry.) Hopefully, I will find my balance where I can take care of business, enjoy socializing, and contribute to conversations without running my mouth non-stop. It's a goal. :)

Those of you with kids: did you notice the difference in your life when your baby (or babies) started sleeping better? In your mental function? Everyone: is there anything you are working toward improving in yourself right now?

Breezing by

First off, I'd like to announce that Babyman MIGHT be getting the right idea when it comes to sleeping at night. MIGHT. Maybe. I hope. He (and therefore I) have slept well the past two nights. Aaaaah. (I won't dwell on the fact that it's taken 10 MONTHS to get this far. . . No, I won't.) Combine that with the first handful of nice, cool days we've had this year and I am feeling quite sunny. :)

* * *

Babyman now has three teeth, and though he doesn't yet crawl in the typical, cross-crawling formation on hands and knees, he can drag himself around quite sufficiently. (It's pretty funny looking!) The other day he surprised me by using a sound effect while pretending to drive a toy car on my shirt. Just like his older brothers! And now, if you ask him if he is a doggy, he will gleefully hang his tongue out and pant like a dog. (LOL! I guess he picked that up from Gypsy and Gimli.) On the one hand I am always hoping for him to develop faster to make some things easier for me, but on the other hand I am amazed at how quickly it seems to go. Like watching paint dry while you sit inside a speeding rocketship.

* * *

I am in love with fall weather. Give me the first couple breezy, sunny cool days and my whole soul feels different. It's a remarkable (and sometimes much needed) attitude adjustment!

* * *

I'll close now because I want to ride my fall weather high (and had-enough-sleep energy level) for more productive pursuits. I'll leave you with a fun link:
http://www.theevolutionofdance.com/
Enjoy!

Scatterbrained Mini-musings

Ohhhh, I have a migrane.

The wild grapevines are starting to gild the foliage here and there, in tangles by roadsides- the first sign this year of Autumn. I welcome thee!

Babyman slept soundly last night from about 9:30 pm till about 3:30 am. 6 hours! A record. He then slept on, till about 7 am. I am very pleased- it's a sign, I hope, of better nights to come. A light at the end of the tunnel. A knot at the end of my rope. And so on, and so forth. Too bad I stayed up late. DOH!

My new favorite drink at Starbucks is a tall soy chai latte, no water. Yum.

Littleman's favorite phrase right now seems to be "You don't underSTAND me!" (~rolling eyes~) The kid is 4 for heaven's sake!

Sweetcheeks had a fun birthday. (Thank you all, who came out!) He's 3! I think he had a blast, and really felt special. I was glad to see that. It's tough, being the middle kid.

Babyman LOVES to wave these days. Smile and wave, smile and wave. Politics? Hollywood? He laughs a lot, loves to hang upside down and is trying to figure out the whole crawling thing. He likes cheerios and can really pack away some baby food. (I think it's all stored in his fat little knee rolls.) Still nursing, too. He loves music and singing, and will "sing" along with a CD or "sing" himself to sleep. He loves books and no paper is safe in his reach. He's still quite demanding, but will play by himself for short stretches now.

Thanks to a Wendy's kids meal prize, the boys have discovered the joy of books on CD. (So something good came out of that trip, besides convenience!) We have been listening to Magic Tree House books on CD just as fast as we can check them out from the library. It's been great!!



On that note, I've completely run out of steam. Besides, my head feels like it is imploding and I'm a little nauseous. I'm going to go to bed and pray for a repeat sleep performance from Babyman tonight. Is there a Native American dance, like a rain dance, to encourage babies to sleep at night?

Oh, CRAP.
Did I jinx it?
Babyman wakes.
Dammit. And a whole host of other expletives.
Ah, well. Off I go.

A Simple Solution

It is easy to forget the simplest and best solutions, sometimes.

I realized this yesterday, while caring for Babyman. He'd been fussy all morning, not at all interested in letting me set him down and get any housework or office work done. He was discontent and demanding, and it was putting me on edge. I tried so many things to engage his attention away from me. I'd been nursing AGAIN, which probably helped me because of all the relaxing, feel-good hormones it releases into my blood stream. So I was supporting Babyman as he sat on my lap, rubbing his back and patting it softly. He was content for the moment, simply looking around the room. I was tired (as always) and relaxed, and started to lose myself in quiet, loving contemplation of my baby. I stroked his hair, and pressed my cheek to his, and admired his fat, fat little dimpled knees. He burped, as I'd expected him to, and smiled. Right about then is when I'd normally move on to something else, probably changing his diaper and trying to set him down somewhere so I could do laundry or whatever else. But right then, I was too tired and content to go anywhere. So I simply continued holding and loving Babyman, stroking his back gently.

Then, he belched. I mean, REALLY belched- the sort of primal release that still startles me to hear out of so small a person, even though he is my third child and I should be used to them by now. It was followed by a dainty burp, and Babyman laughed. Not to go all sappy on you, but it was ridiculously darling! (I know, I know, only a mother. . .) We enjoyed each other's company a little while longer, before I got up and put him on the nursery floor to play. He was happy there while I folded some laundry. Whether he'd been uncomfortable and fussy because he needed to burp, or simply been in need of a little undivided mommy attention, all I had to do was slow down, quit trying to do several things at once, and just BE with my baby. Such a simple solution, and yet so easy to forget.

Baby Time. Remember that it moves at a much more sedate pace than we do. To understand and connect with your baby, you have to slow down and focus on the present. It's a very Eastern mode of handling the situation, I think- and it really, really helps.

* * *

Today's thumbs-up goes to this site's ideas to help one be more present, or "in the moment":
http://zenhabits.net/2007/07/5-inspirations-for-being-in-the-moment/

Babyman's First Swim

I was gone again, and now I'm back again!

I thought I'd show you a few pics from Babyman's first swim, when we were in Orlando a couple weekends ago.



The water was so pleasant, and Babyman loved it.



(Check out his delightfully ridiculous hair.)



He did some splashing about and kicking, and enjoyed playing with the bilibo minis but mostly he just enjoyed being in the water and watching his brothers.



As always, Sweetcheeks was hard to catch with my camera. But I tried. Then I put the camera away and just played with my boys.



They had an absolute blast.

* * *

Thumbs-up today to bilibo! We have a big one and a couple of minis. They are a really cool toy!

A Day at the Park

Billy and I are sick to death of suburbia. On the one hand, we hate our complete and total dependence on cars to get anywhere. Even our neighborhood is not ideal for walking or bike riding, since drivers are too fast for comfort when my preschoolers are trying to get out of the way. (Besides, there are a couple ~huff, puff~ killer ~huff~ hills.) But on the other hand we yearn for a place where our children can go out the door and play, without me worrying about them being run over by cars or picked up by a passing stranger. Though I don't have time right now for much gardening, I do enjoy it (especially vegetable gardening!) and want to retain the space to grow foodstuffs. And I have dreams of raising goats (yes, goats! As if human kids weren't enough. . .) which is generally frowned on in suburban neighborhoods. At least around here.

HOWEVER. This isn't a post just to bitch about suburbia. In fact, I was musing on one aspect of this area that we really love (besides the library system!): the parks. We LOVE the parks around here. I have a long list of really wonderful playspaces that are all a short drive (there's that car dependence, again!) from home. Now, none of them are a substitute for unstructured time in forests and wild fields, but they sure are fun, and they give us sun, fresh air and fun activity.



We had a great day not long ago in a nearby park, riding bikes (well, Littleman prefers his scooter, and I was pushing Babyman in the stroller, and Billy was alternately walking to help Sweetcheeks or riding the kids' bike to speed things up. . . which garnered some double takes and laughs from passers-by. . . but you get the idea) and playing in the grass. I just love watching my boys play outside.



As usual, Sweetcheeks was avoiding the paparazzi. Littleman gave me his ham smile. It was a gorgeous day. I was feeling great from the exercise.



Babyman explored the fascinating texture of grass.



"Oooh!"

I am so glad it's Spring.

* * *

Thumbs-up today goes to this website with a list of the World's healthiest foods. Fill your diet with these power foods, and start feeling better!

Babyman's First "Solid" Food

So, Babyman got to try his first "solid" food: sweet potatoes! I didn't make it from scratch, and I could be all guilty about that, but by the third baby one learns to let some things slide. So what if it's sold by a monster corporation headquartered in some other corner of the world, processed into oblivion and shipped all over kingdom come? It's organic! So it's better! Right? Right? OK, never mind.




It was a new sensation for Babyman. New taste, new texture, new way of ingesting nutrients. He wasn't so sure about this whole spoon concept. And the flavor? Umm, not so sure about that either.



Sweet potatoes, rejected! "Honestly, Mommy. You guys are kidding me, right?"



He wouldn't open his mouth, after that. Billy resorted to trickery and distraction.



"YUCK!"

Tired, and some Breastfeeding Advice

Sorry for my absence! Nothing major going on here; just normal busy. I think my lack of sleep has been catching up to me, though. Wow, last night I was . . .

OK, so that was as far as I got yesterday. Now it's Saturday morning. I was going to tell you about being catatonic Thursday evening, wishing that Littleman and Sweetcheeks could brush their own teeth and put themselves to bed. They, on the other hand, were positively bouncing off the walls. Seriously. I mean, that always seemed like a typically exaggerated cliche to me, until I watched my boys springing around the living room Thursday evening. They really looked like escapees from a pinball machine. As long as they weren't endangering themselves, the lamps or the TV, it was pretty much OK- so I conserved my energy and left them to it.

Anyhow, I've been barely keeping up with the normal details, let alone finding the time to blog. I miss it! Blogging's really become a part of my days. I wish I had time to keep up with it more, and read others' blogs more. Ah, well. Perhaps in the near future.

* * *

I've been meaning to offer up a small insight for breastfeeding moms: the nursing tank top. See, with my first son I started out using a cover-up when I tried nursing in public. (Another popular brand are the Hooter Hiders- LOL!) Just a step up from throwing a blanket over baby and mom, the cover-ups are pretty self explanatory. I didn't like them. It was a bit of a hassle, I felt conspicuous and embarrassed, and Littleman kept yanking them out of place. I found I preferred to hide in the car to nurse rather than struggle with the cover-up. (Three babies later I care a lot less about being modest, but I am also more comfortable breastfeeding in general- with the first baby, I was still learning how to breastfeed successfully, and it was too much to have to worry about my appearance at the same time.)

When Sweetcheeks came along, I definitely wanted a better alternative. Next in line to try was a nursing shirt. I shopped Motherwear.com and Expressiva.com for some basic tops I could mix and match in my wardrobe. Score! I loved them. They were comfortable, well-made, hassle-free and no matter how squirmy Mr. Sweetcheeks was, I could easily be discreet. A long sleeved shirt and a couple T-shirts were enough to get me by for awhile. Soon however, I was running into some problems with this solution: first of all, they are quite expensive. (Not as big a deal for me, since I practice extended breastfeeding and I planned on having more children. It's less cost-effective for someone who wouldn't get that much use out of them). Second, with so few nursing shirts at hand it was hard to keep up with laundry fast enough to always have a clean one ready. And of course, there was a certain lack of variety in my wardrobe. As I became more and more comfortable breastfeeding in public, I would simply wear whatever I wanted, and find a corner that was somewhat out of the way to lift my shirt. The more comfortable and confident my demeanor, the less anyone noticed what I was doing. That worked fine- I certainly never had any disgusted looks or negative comments like some nursing moms have to endure. However, I was still a bit self conscious, especially about that leftover baby fat on my torso. Who wants to show off her pale, pale stretchmarked love handles just to be able to feed her baby?

So with Babyman, I decided to try something new: a Glamourmom nursing tank. I'd heard good things about them, but balked at the price. When I got a chance to try some secondhand, I snapped them up. Turns out, there's a reason for the buzz. On the site all the models were pictured wearing the tank top on it's own, which works OK. But it's real value is as an undershirt. Take any top in your wardrobe, put it on over a nursing tank and voila! Instant nursing shirt. Lift the top layer to nurse, while keeping your torso fully covered. It's been great for me. So my new recommendation for nursing moms is to buy a few nursing tank tops, and call your nursing wardrobe complete.

OK, OK, it's not quite as simple as that- it can still take a little experimentation to find a variety of clothing combinations you are happy with. After all, this suggestion does nothing to make your pre-pregnancy clothes fit you properly again. Nor is it ideal when it's summer here in GA, and wearing two shirts would be torture. If you want a nursing tank top to wear by itself, the Glamourmom is OK. But the BEST nursing tank I've found is the Bravado nursing bra tank. This tank top is SO flattering. It has a real bra's support, not just a "shelf" bra like the Glamourmom and other nursing tanks I've seen. Best of all, it's slightly flared shape just skims the body for a nice, slimming silhouette. Other tanks I've tried hug the body- good as an undershirt, not usually so attractive on it's own. The only two downsides to this tank (besides the price, again) are that it is too thick (IMO) to comfortably wear under other clothes, and it has no coverage at all for the breast when you unclip it to feed. Minor quibbles, since when I wear it I feel pretty!

SO. Nursing moms looking for some comfortable, discreet options for breastfeeding in public: Get a couple nursing tanks to wear under your clothes, and if you think you might want to wear a tank top by itself (or under a jacket) get a Bravado nursing bra tank. But really, the best camouflage is a relaxed, confident demeanor. You have every right to feed your baby, wherever you may be. I just like to hide my squishy tummy while I'm at it, LOL! :)

Thumbs up to the Bravado nursing bra tank!

productive day

Well, I don't have much in mind for a blog post, but at least I am feeling somewhat accomplished. Today Billy had the two older boys for the day, and Babyman and I stayed home. I was able to do dishes, clean out the fridge, take out the trash, go grocery shopping, put groceries away, do a load of laundry AND take care of Babyman.

Who is crying. Impeccable timing, he has. 'Scuse me.



OK, I'm back. Anyway, there was still a lot more that needed doing, but at least I got a lot done. So, I'm feeling pleasantly accomplished. Billy had a fun day with the boys. We all went out for breakfast together, then he, Littleman and Sweetcheeks went to the studio for a recording session! What fun! I can't wait to listen to their CD. After that they went bike riding together, and had a blast. They alternated between zipping along at a good pace (Sweetcheeks was in the bike seat on Billy's bike) and getting gloriously muddy. Those thunderstorms that didn't blow us away did drop over an inch of rain here, and the greenway was a mess. The boys loved it.

I fixed dinner, and everyone cuddled and watched some of Two Towers. Which isn't exactly preschool fare- even as much as I love the Lord of the Rings films I wouldn't have chosen it for the boys- but Billy loves to share his favorite films with them, and he narrates and explains when helpful. His involvement and explanations seem to help the boys a lot, and they do seem to appreciate good movies. And, I figure the Daddy-bonding is more important than my arbitrary notions of "suitable" movies for the boys. (Sorry, I think my grammar is poor here, but I am tired and don't feel like making my point more clearly. So you will just have to follow me). ANYHOW, it was family dinner-and-a-movie night here, which was nice.

* * *

Everyone stayed up too late, and right now Billy is helping them brush their teeth and go to bed. I can hear them through the baby monitor. Whenever Littleman is feeling uncooperative about brushing his teeth, he pulls out a maddeningly long list of excuses- "But I have to yawn", "My eye hurts!", "Noooooo", "Wait, I have to go pee pee!" and my personal favorite, "My legs hurt!". Why he thinks that has anything at all to do with brushing his teeth, I am not sure. Anyway, he was just whining to Billy that his legs hurt. I'm rolling my eyes.

* * *

Well, Billy wishes to use my 'puter and I really need to fold all the clean laundry that's strewn all over our bed. So, I'm off. After I eat just one more lemon cream girl scout cookie. Really. Just one.
Thumbs up, lemon creams. Mmmmm.

The Land of Happy

I was reading some Shel Silverstein poetry to Littleman the other night, and we read this one:

The Land of Happy

Have you been to The Land of Happy,
Where everyone's happy all day,
Where they joke and they sing
Of the happiest things,
And everything's jolly and gay?
There's no one unhappy in Happy,
There's laughter and smiles galore.
I have been to The Land of Happy-
What a bore!

:)
(from Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein)

Littleman asked me, "Why is it boring?"
"Well". . . I thought, "Because it's all the same all the time. Everything is always happy, and if there's nothing different than it's not interesting anymore. Happy is great, but we need all kinds of feelings to keep things different and interesting".

This seemed to satisfy him, and we moved on (to "Pirate Captain Jim"). Later on however, I was reading an article that touched on using failures as learning opportunities. The article (I think it was in Mothering magazine?) noted that it's important to teach our children to use their failures as an opportunity to learn and grow. The importance of that notion struck me, and all of a sudden I recalled my explanation of why the "land of happy" would be boring. I realized that there was a much better way of explaining why Silverstein's image of "The Land of Happy" would be such a bore: there would be no opportunity to grow! Without failures and frustration, life would be a blissful stagnant cesspool. We NEED sadness, frustration and trouble so that we can learn from our mistakes and grow. Therefore, rather than saying it would be a bore because it's always the same and not interesting, a more direct explanation would be that it would be a bore because no one would be learning anything new about themselves.

Just something I was thinking 'bout.

* * *

Right now everyone's in breathless anticipation of these severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes heading our way. Ho, hum. I know, I know, it is serious and I (especially, because of the kids) should be prepared. And we are as prepared as we can be, I think. But I must admit to rolling my eyes a little when I keep getting concerned phone calls from relatives checking on us, and the storms are barely out of Alabama! This is normal weather for Springtime around here. And heaven knows we need the rain. So anyhow, I'll let you know if we get blown away. Or rather, I'll let you know if we didn't. You know what I mean.

* * *

Babyman is crying AGAIN. Everywhere I go, people coo over him and exclaim "What a happy baby! Is he always this good?" To which I can only say, "No, not always." If only they knew. Yes, if I could hold him and make him the center of attention 24/7, he would always be that happy. (Pretty much). Since that's not the case (can we say two other kids and a host of responsibilities?), well, let's just say he can make his displeasure known. Sigh.

So anyhow, off I go. Sorry for the lapse in posting- I crash exhausted into bed every night, whether I meant to or not. (Hence a midday post, here). Hopefully I'll get more sleep.

Thumbs-up will have to wait! Bye!

a trip to Gramy's

Sorry for my recent absence! I have just been in a flurry of activity. I went to visit my Grandmother, which is something I don't do often enough. She is dear, and she misses us all. She is not that far away either- it's no small feat with the kids, but it's doable. And she is 83- she won't be here forever. Auntie G is on my way, so we arranged for me to pick her up and she went along. It was a very nice little trip.

Going to see Gramy always leaves me feeling guilty for not going more often. I need to do that!

Anyway, while there we took the boys down to the nearby playground and I actually remembered to take pictures!

Sweetcheeks. The weather was gorgeous. He loves being outside.


His slide technique is a wee bit sloppy! ;) He sort of hikes like that, as well- in a shambling, relaxed sort of manner that actually works very well. It's his own unique style.


Littleman on the other hand, likes to tackle his challenges precisely. That doesn't mean he is tidy- just check out the hair and his sandy fanny- but he knows what he wants to do and how he wants to do it. He preferred to scale the side of the play equipment rather than go around to the stairs.


Littleman, the victorious.

* * *

Oh, and in case you were wondering why Sweetcheeks ended up with that silly moniker, let's just say that his cheeks used to look just like Babyman's do now:

Reminds me of a bulldog's jowls. I just kiss and kiss them! Sweet cheeks!

* * *

Today's thumbs-up is for these pics of funny signs. I chuckled, smiled, snorted, giggled and snickered.

Stuff I like: children's books

Friday, March 07, 2008

Stuff I like: children's books
Current mood: cheerful

Whew. What a week.
* * *

Anyway, tonight I have a post that was inspired by Foolery. Here, in no particular order, are just a few of our most favorite children's books (thus far)- I'll shoot for some of the lesser-known.

First, some board books:


Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers, illustrated by Marla Frazee
I love this book for it's sweet text, great rhythm and lovely illustrations. My boys have enjoyed it, and it's been a favorite for some of my friends, too. I like to give it as a gift. I like how the illustrations show a nice variety of people, places and objects that young children might encounter in their own lives.



*


Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton
This is classic Boynton, with wonderful rhythm and a nice sense of whimsy. It always made my boys giggle. We also love her Barnyard Dance for the same reasons.



*


Global Babies by the Global Fund for Children
This is a very beautiful book, with brightly colored close-up photographs of babies' faces. Any book with clear photos of baby faces seems to be a delight to other babies, and my boys have been no exception. I also love that this book celebrates the beauty found in many other cultures. The text, while not inspiring per se, is sweet and doesn't detract from the photography.


*


The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, illustrated by Jan Brett
This is the classic poem by Edward Lear, only here it is illustrated in Jan Brett's lush, detailed style. Be warned, older children (and silly adults) may giggle incessantly at the cat's being called "Pussy", but despite the antiquated language the poem is a delight and the illustrations are positively superb. Again, this one has a lovely rhythm when read out loud.



*


My First ABC Board Book by DK Publishing
This has simply been a favorite of my boys. They really love looking at the pictures, identifying things and learning the letters. Over and over again, they choose this book.


*


In the Garden With Van Gogh by Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober
I love that this book introduces children to the paintings of Van Gogh, and the text is nice too. My boys enjoyed it (especially Sweetcheeks). There are several other books in this series, as well.




I think I will stop there for now. More another day!

* * *

Tonight's thumbs-up is for Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Liquid Dish Soap. I have been having to wash all our dishes by hand (long story) and this stuff is great. I'm really pleased about that, because it is also biodegradable, all natural and cruelty-free. Booya!

"So, are you going to try for another one?"

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

"So, are you going to try for another one?"
Current mood: relaxed

Having three children now, of course people ask me if we will try for another or if we are done. Generally, I say that I think we're done. That's true. Most of the time if I think of it at all I think something along the lines of "hell, no". There are very good reasons for this.

But.
I must admit there are times that I am holding Babyman, and I mourn that this could be my last baby. I see Littleman and Mr. Sweetcheeks playing together, and I wish for a fourth to join in the fray. And even though my response to the question "Aren't you going to try for a girl?" is always "I DID!" (LOL) I have to admit the thought still lurks that maybe this time. . .

When I was younger, I always thought I'd want four kids. I don't know why. (Of course, I also imagined it would be two boys and two girls, but since when does the universe work that way?) There is something about the even number that seems right for siblings- every one can have a partner, and the middle children are not alone in their plight. Billy was one of four children close in age (two girls and two boys, can you believe it?) and it was an advantageous arrangement for them. Then again I was one of three children, and that's not bad either. :)

I have to remind myself of all the reasons why I've decided we're done- the expense of raising kids, for instance, and the more limited time I have available for each child as another child is added to the dynamic. There's the logisitical issues involved with a larger brood- everything from balancing everyone's schedules to not overwhelming potential babysitters to physically fitting all the carseats in a vehicle. Not to mention the fact that I just don't want to go through pregnancy again. I'm tired of doing that to my poor body. And finally, it really all comes down to our dreams- there are so many things we wish to do, and so many of them really need to wait until we are out of babyhood. As things stand now, in just a couple years I might consider a big trip or some other exciting or drastic adventure. But anything like that with a baby under two plus other young children. . . that's tough. I'm not saying it's impossible- I know we could do it. But it's a matter of cost vs. benefit. I just know I need the children to be a little bit older. Besides, I need to hold onto that part of myself that was around pre-babies, and the longer it takes me to nurture it the harder it is to find. I need to take back a little bit of my life, and I need my babies to grow a little before I am ready to do much of that.

See? Good reasons.

And they usually win out, hands-down. Despite the fact that Billy would LOVE another baby. But sometimes, sometimes I sort of think that maybe. . .
Nature is a powerful mistress.
And babies? Babies are wonderful.
But I do think we are done.

* * *

An aside: I did inform Billy that IF (and it is a big IF), IF I were to change my mind, I will NOT be planning another hospital birth. Sorry, I am over it. I should have had homebirths all along, but was willing to assuage his concerns and compromise by choosing a hospital that was as close as possible to what I really wanted. But it's still a hospital, and no matter why you are there you are simply a number to crunch through the machine. No. Thank. You. I sincerely hope I do not ever need to check into a hospital ever again.

* * *

Tonight's thumbs-up goes to One Sentence, a website dedicated to telling one's story in just one sentence. Some of these are really quite brilliant. Could you tell a story well in only one sentence?

a smile and an analogy

Sunday, February 17, 2008

a smile and an analogy
Current mood: rushed

Here's a silly, drooly baby smile to start today's post:


Did it make you smile? Huh? Huh?
I fixed the photo so it's bigger, now. Yes, that's Babyman!
* * *

Do you remember that movie Speed? I never saw it, but I remember the previews. The premise is that there is a bomb planted on a bus, and if the bus slows down to less than 50 mph, then the bomb will explode.

This is what it is like to drive with a fussy baby in the backseat. Stay at a fast steady speed, and all is fine. Slow down too much, and they will explode.

Have to run! More later!

hide and seek, and other sundries

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

hide and seek, and other sundries
Current mood: tired

Billy came home early tonight, and was upstairs playing hide-and-seek with the boys. This involves one person hiding in another room while the other two wait, and then the hider yells "OK!" when he's ready to be found. Well, Sweetcheeks decided to be the hider. I hear Billy saying, "No, wait! Wait- wait until we're not looking, THEN you hide." There's a pause, and then I hear Sweetcheeks: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!" Billy chuckles. "Are you ready?" "OK!" yells Sweetcheeks. I hear Billy and Littleman head for the room where Sweetcheeks is presumably hiding. Billy adds as they enter the room, "And be really quiet so we don't hear where you are."
"OK!" comes the loud reply.
Oh, well.

* * *

This living room floor was clean 3 hours ago. Sigh.

* * *

To update on the Sweetcheeks potty saga, he is doing really, really well with peeing in the potty. Usually, if I forget to make him go, it will be fine- he will take himself to the potty and go when he needs too, without wetting his pants. (Exceptions are usually if we are out and about, and I forget to take him. Then, he's more likely to have an accident. So I still try to be diligent then). He's also been waking dry after a nap or even all night! He still has issues with pooping in the potty, though. I don't know why, but he apparently REALLY doesn't want to poop in the potty. He poops in his underwear every time. It's a real pain. I'm not sure how to solve that aspect, but we are not returning to diapers. So, I guess we'll see.

* * *

Earlier, I was looking forward to getting the kids in bed, and then sipping some wine (I almost spelled that "whine", LOL- I get a lot more of that, let me tell you!) while sitting on the couch and watching my new Harry Potter DVD with Billy. But now I am just too damn tired. Oh, well. I'll watch it at some point. At least we saw it in the theater!

* * *

We are all sick. It's been a head-crud kind of a cold. I thought Sweetcheeks was better, but yesterday he suddenly developed an earache. By evening it was severe. WHY do these things ALWAYS happen when the pediatrician is closed? But I had some natural remedies on hand from our last episode with an ear infection (they're infrequent around here, thank goodness. . . knock on wood. . .) and I started right in with a homeopathic blend and some herbal ear drops. (Plus some tylenol to stop the pain and hence, the screaming. Poor kiddo). Once the tylenol kicked in he felt better. I continued the remedies, and this morning he woke up fine. Hmm. This stuff is great, but THAT great? Maybe it wasn't an ear infection. He wasn't running a fever. In any case, I am very, very glad he is feeling better. I can focus my worry on Babyman, who now has a cough. It's not bad yet (still just in his head), and hopefully won't get any worse. But hearing that cough come from that baby body just curls my toes. I cringe just thinking about it. He's not running a fever, is sleeping and nursing well and seems like his normal self. So for right now, I'm in wait-and-see mode. Hopefully he will improve soon.

* * *

Today's thumbs-up is for my In-laws, who came today to play with the kids and help out a little so I could get a few things done. Yay, Grandma and Grandpa! I am blessed with great in-laws. But since that doesn't really seem to fit in with my usual thumbs-up format, I'll do another- it's a little random, but still great: a website to teach you how to tie knots. Each knot is pictured, the steps are described, and best of all each step is illustrated by video. It's really one of the best knot-tying tutorials I've seen. So, go learn a new skill today!

Here comes the rain. . .

Thursday, January 31, 2008


Here comes the rain. . .
Current mood: peaceful

Just a moment ago, the rain really started coming down. I just love that sound, especially if the rest of the house is quiet. (Hell, I just like the sound of the rest of the house being quiet, as long as it doesn't mean the kids are up to something disastrous somewhere out of my sight- but adding in the rain sound is especially lovely). My ears had barely registered the subtle hiss and drip-drop of a quiet, gentle rain outside. Then all of a sudden, the sound builds and builds to a beautiful heavy roar that beats down on the roof and rushes through the gutters. There's a whole little symphony of plops, drips, shushing and gurgling out there, if I stop typing to focus in and listen.

Oooh, and there's the train, sounding it's horn off in the distance. All the way from old town, that magical sound comes drifting through the watery night. What is it about the sound of a train that catches our attention, bringing to mind half-acknowledged glimpses of life's possibilities? That feeling that, even in this chaotic, messy life you are living right now- this Groundhog Day of runny noses, dirty laundry, running late and sibling rivalry- that even here there is magic and adventure just outside your door. I don't know why, but just hearing that sound makes me feel better, and seems (in a small way) to put my struggles in perspective. Life is good, remember?

And it's raining. :)

* * *

Sweetcheeks is doing really well with peeing in the potty. On the poop front, well, we're still working on that. He pooped in his underwear twice yesterday, but he voluntarily went and pooped in the potty again today. (One step forward, two steps back?) I hope he catches on sooner rather than later, because I have to say I am getting VERY tired of cleaning up poopy accidents. VERY tired. But over all, I'd say things are still going well with the Sweetcheeks potty saga.

And Babyman actually seemed to like his little massage after his bath tonight. Which is nice, because when I actually have the time to do it, I love giving my babies a massage. I ought to try teaching his older brothers how to give me one- at least on my neck and shoulders! (They did occasionally rub my feet for me when I was pregnant!)

Oh, and speaking of teaching them to be helpful, the other night Littleman requested chicken soup for dinner. He'd prefer soup in a can, but I didn't have any that he wanted. I did have some chicken broth in the fridge though, so I told him I'd make some soup for him. He grudgingly agreed. While the broth heated I pulled out some carrots, celery, garlic and noodles. I started to cut up the carrots before thinking, "DUH!" as I realized Littleman could participate. He has this little wood-handled vegetable chopper, which he had not had the opportunity to use yet. I set him up at the kitchen table with the carrots and celery, and showed him what to do. He did a great job cutting up the veggies for me, and even Sweetcheeks was able to cut a few carrot pieces, too! They were very excited about the whole thing, and gobbled the soup down when it was done. Littleman made sure to tell Daddy about the soup "he" had made!

* * *

I guess we could say that today's thumbs-up is for that little vegetable chopper. Or for rain (we need it so!). Or for that distant train. Or for this Mom's version of the the William Tell Overture on youtube. But I think right now, my winner will be fresh, clean sheets and my nice warm blanket. Ohhhh, YEAH.

'Night!

Blogging! Looking for feedback.

Sunday, January 27, 2008


Blogging! Looking for feedback.
Current mood: inquisitive

When I checked one last time, the dog was waiting to come in. Finally. So I didn't have to leave her out there all night. And, get this: Babyman slept in the cosleeper all night! So even though I was waking to nurse as usual, at least when I went back to sleep I could stretch out in whatever way was comfortable. THAT was nice. Thank you, Babyman!

* * *

I was thinking today about blogs, and blogging. Sometimes I think I'd like to get more serious about my blog, and actually promote it. Write for a general audience, rather than for all my wonderful readers who know me and are actually somewhat interested in the ins and outs of my daily life (bless you all!). But I'm so all over the place in this blog- I'm not sure what would actually be interesting to a more general reader. You can see that this blog is currently titled Kitmama's Pensieve, because I think it's very much like JK Rowling's concept of a "pensieve" in her Harry Potter books. I can pour my random thoughts out of my overstuffed head, and stir them around a bit to see if anything useful is revealed. (I'd probably have to choose a new name if I wanted to promote the blog at all). I can track visits to this blog, and learn things such as what words people typed into search engines that led to my blog, or what links in my blog they decided to click on. That information seems to tell me that my most popular postings are those related to cloth diapers and baby products. (My Cloth Diaper Primer is most popular by far). Perhaps I could be of service concentrating on those topics?

Any ideas, comments? What in this blog bores you? What keeps you coming back? Anything you wish I'd write more about?

As always, THANK YOU readers! This blog (on it's other server) has nearly 5,000 hits by now. If it weren't for you all, I probably wouldn't be writing anything. At least you keep me typing something, and possibly moving onward to bigger and better writing. Thank you!!!

* * *

Today's thumbs-up is for hot tea. I like mine with honey and lemon, or simply unadulterated. It's good for the soul. A zen moment. Whatever suits your fancy, go and brew yourself a cuppa. Do it for me! Enjoy.