Saturday, August 30, 2008

A Tribute to my Husband


My husband, Mathew, is the most ridiculous man I know. 

We were eating dinner one evening and Mathew had finished before the rest of us (as always) and got up from the table. The kids were tired and whiny and the dog was going crazy. I asked Mathew if he would help me clear the table before leaving the room. Do you know what he said?

"Okay. I guess I'll just poop my pants." 

And the kicker is that he would have too, just to prove a point.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Too Much Stuff

According to Target and Craigslist postings, it's almost Halloween so I thought I'd share our Christmas plans. 

I love Christmas. I love buying presents, I love giving presents and I love opening presents. I love seeing all of our relatives and spending time together as a family. When we started having children, we went a little crazy with the present buying. 

Christmas this year is going to be different. We are going to make presents. I'm not talking about the cheesy homemade bookmarks or can pencil holders (although watch out grandparents). My daughter is going to get some skirts, a couple of tutus, felt food, rainbow pillows and a play mat. My son is going to get a yo yo elephant, pillows (seriously, he lugs his sister's precious pillows around the house and says "night, night"), an eye spy bag and Mathew is going to make him some wooden stuff. 

I'm looking forward to giving handmade things to everyone in our family. In past years, we've gotten so caught up in the spirit of spending that we lost sight of the fact that our kids prefer the cardboard box over the actual toy.

Five Year Amendment

In an effort to be happy with what we have, I think we are going to try to stay here. My mind has this wonderful picture of five acres, an orchard, chickens and bees, but added into my already hectic life and I have no idea how I'd take care of all of that. My husband, bless his heart (isn't that what you say when you're about to say something nasty?), barely has time to mow our current half acre and I'm allergic to grass. 

We have started moving things around in our house and I am already happy with the arrangement. We have more than enough space outside to plant a few fruit trees and while the idea of fresh eggs from our chickens is appealing, I suppose we could just join a CSA (community support agriculture). 

Thursday, August 28, 2008

On a Roll

Our house was built in 1856. We gutted most of it when we moved in (think yellow walls from cigarettes and a kitchen the size of a closet) and have also added a very nice addition. All of the remodeling has left us with a beautiful house, although not the most functional in terms of space layout, at least on the main floor. I have come up with a plan that will solve it and am feeling quite brilliant. 

Now all we need is $15,000. Damn.

Fitting In

Honestly, I don't care much for play groups. Or maybe I just haven't found my niche. In any event, I usually feel out of place. My kids always have fun playing and I can typically find something to talk about with the other moms, but most of the moms don't share the same life philosophies as me. 

Almost all of the people I've met through play groups, with the exception of one, become just acquaintances. Meeting other moms and their kids is like dating and I didn't care much for that either. 

Ah, the problems of a stay at home mom....

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Bug Joke

As I was sitting in the arm chair breastfeeding my son, my daughter exclaimed, "Mom! There are big, black bugs all over the back of your chair!"

Imagining bugs crawling up the chair and into my hair, I ended the nursing session to take a look. 

What did I find?

Spit bubbles. And a very ornery three year old. 

Sunday, August 24, 2008

New Words

This conversation took place on our way home from Costco.

"Mom. let's go to Pottery Barn Kids."

"No, we can't right now because the soy milk in the back would go bad and would not be able to be drinkin. Wait, drunk, drank, how would I say that?"

Mathew, "How about saying you would not be able to drink the soy milk."

"Mom, can we please go to Pottery Barn Kids?"

"No, we have soy milk in the back and it would not be able to be drinkin'."

Saturday, August 23, 2008

I Am Awesome


I was able to sew a functional fitted pocket diaper. I even used elastic. Be jealous. 

Friday, August 22, 2008

Life Happens

Ask any of my friends from college what my parenting philosophy was and they will laugh and tell you that I was excited to send my kids to daycare. 

I loved college and loved learning (still do actually) and was accepted into three graduate schools. I was ready to become a professional and although I wanted to get married and have children, they weren't exactly priorities. 

Then I fell in love and life changed. 

A little over a year after we were married, I became pregnant. Every notion I had about parenting went out the window after our daughter was born. Much to my surprise, we co-slept (still do), I nursed way past a year, I made my own baby food, I wore her or carried her for the better part of the day and I certainly could not have imagine anyone else caring for our child. Call it instincts, call it overbearing, call it whatever, but that little baby that was created out of love and grew in my womb for nine months (and then some since she was late...) changed my life. 

I don't regret never going to graduate school. I am looking forward to homeschooling our children (another thing I never thought I'd consider) and watching life happen.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

One of a Kind


My daughter has been dressing herself for quite sometime now. At first, I was reluctant to allow her to express herself through clothing. As time has passed though, I have let go of all requirements (clean, matching, season appropriate and unstained) except that all important areas of the body must be covered.

So True

A Mother's Prayer:
Dear Lord, 

So far today I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or very indulgent. I'm very grateful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help. Amen. 

Taken from The Toddler's Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Back to Basics

I have a five year plan...of sorts. 

Five years from now I hope to be living on an acreage. I want chickens, an orchard, a beehive, a massive garden and a compost bin. I want my children to be able to explore the world around them and have a deep respect for nature. I want them to know where their food comes from and how it grows. I want to teach them lost arts like sewing and baking bread from scratch.  My kids will be proud to wear secondhand clothes and to do their part to reuse and recycle. They will be confident, respectful, reflective, inquisitive and compassionate children.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Teething

"Mom, why is Finn eating chocolate?"

"It's not chocolate. It's dirt."

Everything but Her

Current list of things in my daughter's bed:
-blue and green loofa
-green pillow
-blue blanket
-green blanket
-Tyrone stuffed animal
-Pablo stuffed animal
-beauty mask
-singing Blue
-Good Luck Care Bear

What's missing from this list, you ask? My daughter.