BIG joys and {little} sorrows

{Small} in the grand scheme of things sorrow... I have a headache.

During naptime. 

On Friday. 

I feel like there should be some kind of law against this?


Also, it is cloudy and dreary and I feel lonely and blue. 

And I have accidentally overbaked two! pans! of my very favorite chocolate chip cookies. 

And! I tweaked the recipe and it doesn't taste as good. 

BLAH.  Woe is me.  (I know, I know. I am even annoying to myself.)  Moving on!

If my husband were home he would roll his eyes at me and put his thumb and forefinger together to make the world's smallest violin.  I would laugh and feel better. 

(He would also put the kettle on and suggest I take some ibuprofen.  Hold on a sec while I do that.)

Since he is NOT home, dear internet, I am instead sobbing on your shoulder.  You're welcome.  Or click the red X in the corner of the browser.  Either way.

And yes, I am indeed such a ditz that I have to be reminded to take something for my own headaches.  Frequently! Thank goodness for my husband!  He tells me to take something for my headaches, makes me laugh when I am mad (no small talent!), buys me spray paint and chocolate, and never complains.  He is my favorite.

And thank goodness (and a sweet friend) for new to us activities tucked away for dreary days such as this.  Added points if it is educational but they are having too much fun to notice!  They loved arranging the plastic shapes inside the pattern on the laminated sheets.  Kept wanting to keep going.  So fun watching them enjoy it and feel the pride of figuring it out.  They are becoming such smart little people!

Lord, I thank you for thrifted hoodies, cute handmedowns, my video monitor set up, Earl Grey tea, the afternoon sun that is just now bursting through the clouds and through my windows, and Saturday on the horizon. Amen.

And the ibuprofen/hot tea/sweet silence of naptime is kicking in and banishing the headache.  Yay!

Time for me to go wake up some sleeping kiddos {to make sure to have a smooth bedtime!} and maybe play some play dough! :)

Ta ta, friends, and happy weekend!

Keep your eyes out for the BIG joys and remember that the {little} sorrows will pass...

Wordless Wednesday

(Summer wedding! Congrats, Erik and Amber!)

Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea Review

I recently received some Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea for review.* 

Milkmaid Tea contains herbal galactagogues like fennel, fenugreek, anis seed, and caraway seed.


I haven't had trouble with milk supply (except during pregnancy, and Milkmaid Tea is not intended for use during pregnancy), but tandem nursing means I am producing a lot of milk (moo!) and so sometimes it is nice to give my milk production a little herbal support.  If you're struggling with milk production, start with this page from Kellymom on how milk production works, and then check out this page with things you can do for your supply.

 The day that my tea arrived, it was pretty warm, and the idea of a hot cup of tea was just not my cup of tea.  ;)  But on the back of the box it suggested that it was good iced or hot, so I made some iced tea with it.  It was great!  It has a nice, mild herbal flavor.  Compared to the Traditional Medicinals Organic Mother's Milk Herbal Tea  I felt that the Milkmaid Tea had a milder flavor.  I think Mother's Milk tea has a  stronger, more licorice like flavor.  I like licorice, so I don't mind it, but I know some people don't like licorice...

The next morning it was cooler and I had a hot cup of Milkmaid Tea instead.  It was tasty, but I felt that it was a bit weak tasting, which surprised me since I had used one tea bag in a standard sized mug and made sure to steep it for 10 minutes (the box suggests 5-10).  However, I didn't squeeze the tea bag at all, like I always do with the Mother's Milk Tea (it says to in the instructions for MMT), so perhaps that was part of it.  The next time I made a hot cup I made sure to squeeze the tea bag instead and I think it seemed stronger.

And because this is a truthful review  - Micah didn't realize what kind of iced tea I was drinking and took a drink.  He did NOT like it, and refused to believe that it didn't contain his childhood nemesis, Slippery Elm Bark, until I read him the ingredients list out loud, at which point he began talking about the need for an ingredient audit!  So, *I* think it tastes fine, but just for full disclosure, that is obviously not a universal belief!

Thanks, Earth Mama Angel Baby!


______________________________________________________________________________
*I was sent a box of Milkmaid tea to review.  I was not compensated in any way for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.  All links are Amazon affiliate links, so if you buy through them I have a few more pennies of play money.

Little Helpers

Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking has a new post on including kiddos in household work.  That is something that I really try to do with Nathan (and need to start doing more  with Miriam), so I loved reading about ways she tries to do that in their home.

I especially loved this...

"Including your children in your various household tasks may require more time and effort on your part to teach and instruct them, and there very well may be a bigger mess afterward…but what is more important? Investing in your relationship and teaching valuable skills in the process or sending them away and getting the job done quicker while losing out on this important opportunity?"

And here is my comment on her post...

My two year old "washes" dishes with me every morning.  He has also started putting things in the dryer as I unload the washer, getting specific items out of the fridge for me while I'm cooking, and throwing things away when I ask him to.  Yes, it takes longer, yes, sometimes the clean clothes end up on the floor before they make it to the dryer, and yes, we've broken a lot of glasses while washing dishes... but he is learning, he is trying to help, and we are enjoying working together!

Spring IS on the way!

It was warm enough last week to take the kiddos outside without spending hours bundling everyone up to go out and freeze for ten minutes, so we went out and enjoyed the sunshine!

 

Nathan started out holding my hand and walking sedately.

Then the wild grassy spaces intoxicated his boyish soul,

and he was off, trotting in erratic circles in the still brown grass,

 

exploring the daffodils that are peeking out.

 

And Miriam and I traipsed along behind, 

(she is in the new podaegi I made, which I love)

(post planned on that on Friday)

enjoying the sunshine and fresh air 

and chasing the small explorer with camera in hand.

 

  

My caption for this one-

"Mama, haven't you taken enough pictures?"

 

"I have to go explore tree bark, and sticks, and fallen walnuts, 

and then I have to throw them for the dog, and throw them at the tree, 

and wave and say 'bye!' to every truck or car that goes by on the road..."

Podaegi!

I made my first podaegi recently. What is a podaegi, or podeagi  (or "pod" for short)? It is a traditional Asian carrier that is similar to a mei tai. Pictured podaegi, below, is from Etsy, here.

Sew She Sews has a very cute one pattern to make a podaegi here, and Jan Andrea has one here. Mine was pretty close to that first pattern, but I chose not to use multiple fabrics for the outside.  I used a pretty decorator fabric for the exterior of the body, and lighter fabric for the inside.  I used duck cloth for the straps.  After it was finished, I was excited to play around with it, as I'd never tried one before.  At first I had trouble getting it right... the decorator fabric seemed too stiff, and the blanket seemed too narrow.  Once I got the hang of it, it worked well, though. It seemed even easier than a mei tai!  Sadly, I didn't get any pictures before I loaned it out, but I have another one in the works... this one will have a wider body.  Not a really really wide one like the Jan Andrea pod, but definitely wider than the one from Etsy pictured.  I think the narrow body design was harder to wear correctly... I am very comfortable doing a back carry with my mei tai, but it was a hassle getting the pod spread out when the body was so small.  Also, my understanding is that the blanket part of a podaegi isn't weight bearing, so it can be blanket type fabric, so I'll use lighter weight fabric which I think will be easier to manage.  Plus I'll be able to use fabric from my stash, instead of having to wait to buy some! ;)

Here is a YouTube video of a back carry with one...



And here is a front carry, although I have to note that she ties the straps in a bow, I would much prefer a square knot for safety.



(Related posts from Babywearing it Up!: pod sew along on TBW
and Wrap pod tutorial.)

Some Favorite Children's Books

 Scuffy the Tugboat and His Adventures Down the River

I LOVE Scuffy. It has been one of my favorite read aloud books for many, many years... our copy is one I gave to one of my brothers many Christmases ago, and he passed it on to our little ones so it could give more enjoyment.  I love the storyline -  Scuffy is discontent where he is, so he sails off to find adventure, and then realizes that he really does need the man with the polka dot tie and his son, and wishes that he were back with them... and just as he is entering the ocean, which has no beginning or end, the man and his son scoop him up and he is safe again.

 

                                  One of our board book favorites is Barnyard Dance!  It was a gift to Nathan when he was born, and we've loved it ever since. It has a fun rhythm and shows all the different farm animals dancing.  It has a lot of "moo" and other animal noises, which makes it a toddler favorite, and the fun pictures also make it a good book to entertain the baby during church.

 "Bounce with the bunny.  Strut with the duck.  Spin with the chickens now- CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK!"


We also have another board book by Sandra Boynton called The Going-To-Bed Book- it is fun and is our current diaper bag book, for distracting and calming a wiggly little one in church or elsewhere. :)


It has a really fun cadence to it as well...

"And down once more, but not so fast, they're on their way to bed at last.
The day is done.  They say good night, and somebody turns off the light."


And of course, we love the classic kid books...
- Green Eggs and Ham,  Bears On Wheels, Make Way for Ducklings, The Little Engine That Could, Corduroy



As you can see, we're bookworms, and it seems to be passing on to the next generation!  I think we better get some more bookcases soon, because these are all  full already...  are any of these your favorite stories too?  Have any others we should put on our library/wish list? :)

(contains affiliate links, FYI)

Mrs. Peterson, babywearing back in 1963!

Love this!

"Why are you so interested in baby toting?" asks host Anna Cameron in this 1963 clip from CBC-TV's Telescope. Her guest, Mrs. Peterson, has a simple answer: she was looking for a way to keep her babies close to her while still having her hands free to do the housework. She began to research baby carriers around the world, and found a variety of innovative contraptions. She also found an added benefit to carrying your baby this way — the motion puts the little one to sleep!

Watch it here.  Very fun to see babywearing being explained as the reasonable solution to having a baby and getting things done! :)

Routines...

We have been discovering that by changing our nap routine (one midday nap, and no napping past 4pm) the toddler goes to bed earlier and more easily.

On the other hand, this discovery went hand in hand with the discovery that if he goes to bed earlier, he doesn't need two daytime naps.  This I was horrified at not thrilled about.  I know I'm totally spoiled having an almost two year old who has been taking at least two (1 hour +) naps a day for the past six months, and three a day before that, but still!

Naptimes are times when I don't have to pop into the living room every five minutes just to check that the toddler isn't climbing the piano, make sure nobody is unrolling/eating/strangling their sibling in a ball of yarn, the baby isn't eating the toddler's snack, the toddler isn't trying to pick up the baby, the baby isn't eating a magazine, the toddler isn't unzipping the baby's outfit, etc.  Y'know.  I can power through laundry without interruptions, go to the bathroom without wondering what they're up to, or sit down with a cup of tea and concentrate on some reading.  So naptime is of course precious, and losing one?  Well, I'm going to have to get a lot more organized and incorporate the toddler into more of my housework while the baby is napping, I think!

So we've been pulling out puzzles and blocks and generally having fun figuring out a new normal, which has fit in nicely with the fact that he is ready for more "preschool" looking activities.  I'm planning on making him some playdough for his birthday, which I am really excited about.  We gave him eight pieces out of the giant bag of Duplo blocks I have stashed away for his birthday (shhhhh!) as an Epiphany gift, and he has been playing with them and really understanding how to pull them apart and put them back together.  Seeing him enjoy them so much is making it really hard to wait until his birthday to give him the rest of them! :)

Now that I've been thinking about this, and reading this post and  this post... I'm actually excited about this new opportunity for finding a new rhythm for our days! :)

Also, I'm wanting to start getting up earlier and working out while they're asleep... even if it is just a few minutes!  I think that will help me hit the day running... well, that and having a cuppa tea in my system before they wake up... ;-)

What do your days look like?

Sleeping Baby on My Back :)

I was playing around with adding watermarks and trying them out on this picture, so I thought I'd share it.  Miriam fell asleep in the mei tai a few weeks ago while I was working in the kitchen.  Amazingly, I was able to get her off my back and in her playpen asleep... she is a very sound sleeper!

Peaceful Moments

It is always a good idea to have a toy or two stashed so that your toddler finds it a new and novel distraction when you really need him to play happily in the other room and let his sister nurse. She tends to get distracted when he is in here kissing her feet... although it is so sweet it's more than worth the delay!

Picture This...

...a rainy fall day.

I found my card reader, finally.  I found it in the couch cushions while looking for the keys, which were actually behind the couch so I wasn't too far off!

A perfect day for a snuggly nap.

Or an adventure in a playhouse! :) 

A Rainy Fall Day

Today is the kind of day that just doubles the joy in baking, cups of hot tea, curling up with a book and two cuddly kiddos, wearing those warm winter clothes that have been packed away, and toasting your toes in front of the heater.

The maples are golden outside, the clouds are grey, but the fields are still green. I can't find my card reader, but when I do I'll have some pictures to share...

Hide your hearts, girls...

He's amazingly cute AND has a great sense of style. 

I assisted him in getting the backpack and slippers on, but he chose all the accessories here and put the hat on himself.  I do admit to dressing him in a long sleeved shirt and shorts, but the rest is allllllllll Nathan.

International Babywearing Week is here!

I LOVE babywearing.  :)  It makes my life so much less stressful- lots more baby cuddles and I can get more done with a happy baby along for the ride.  I wrote here about ring slings... just some info about making or buying one, and how much I love mine!  And here is the fun video for babywearing week... I love all those happy toddlers and babies who are "close enough to kiss"~ this year's theme for babywearing week. :)

Butter in the carpet...

I just turned around and noticed in horror that Nathan had two large handfulls of butter.  He was standing there in the office, on the carpet, and then he gaily threw each handful down.  Oh. my. I thought we were doing better about him getting into the butter, but maybe that was just me getting better about putting it away after meals.  The tally - 3/4 of a stick of butter, divided among the office carpet, living room rug, and dining table chair.  No real lasting damage.  This is precisely why I hate carpet and bought an inexpensive rug for the living room!

And it isn't even 9 AM yet!  Maybe mama's computer time needs to wait for naptime...? ;-)

Red Wine on a White Tablecloth

... an inevitable casualty of our cups running over. ;-) Actually, it was a small child *ahem!* whodunnit, as they say.

Any success stories on getting out red wine? What should I try? I've got it soaking in the washer now. Of course, things being what they are, the washer had to get unloaded for that to happen, but really that is just a bonus because otherwise it would've gotten overlooked over the weekend no doubt, which is just gross.

Perspective

"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labors, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes, and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute."

-G.K. Chesterton, in What's Wrong with the World

Mother and children...

(Image from The Graphics Fairy, here)

Thinking about having this printed this out and framing it for the nursery... not sure how best to get frame-able quality though... maybe take it in to the photo center & have it printed?