The Cousin Files

Last week, Issy's cousins Teresa and Annika came to spend the night. Lots of girl fun!

Impromptu group hug. I didn't pose this :)

Annika found a dress up shoe that she really liked (the dog chewed up the other one when she was a puppy). She wore it and carried it around. I walked into the room and she had put on the pillow because it was Cinderella's shoe. Cutie.

Issy's Scrapbook (or, A Mother's Lesson in Not Being a Control Freak)

Issy's Grammie and Grandpa gave her a scrapbook for her birthday. A Hello Kitty scrapbook, complete with book, cool paper, borders, scissors, sticker, glue, ribbon, sparkly pen and even a glitter pen. Pretty awesome. She got to pick it out, so she knew that she was going to get it and every time we would talk about her birthday she would mention her scrapbook that they were giving her.

Of course, she wanted to start on it pretty much right away. And because she has two brothers and a sister that would loooove to get into her stuff, I managed to hold her off until the time was convenient.

And so she started. And I have to tell you, I am not a control freak, but I have a really hard time with my children doing artsy things in a way that you wouldn't conventionally do them. Things are supposed to be neat. And symmetrical, or at least tidily asymmetrical. I have a thing about symmetry, actually. Always have. As a child, I would pull out the tooth on the opposite side of my mouth so that it would be symmetrical. But I digress....

Where was I? Right, symmetry. Anyways, I have enough self-awareness to know this about myself and instead of just taking over the scrapbook and doing it the "right" way, I let her go to it. I made a suggestion here and there, since she has never done it before, but she did it by herself.

And it is beautiful.

Sometimes my way isn't the best way, I guess

7!

7 years (and about a week, cause I am a little late) ago, our first child, a daughter, was born. She is a beautiful, wonderful, stubborn, snuggly, creative little girl. I love her to the moon and back a gazillion times and that isn't overstating it. What a fantastic introduction to motherhood!

The cake her Grammie made her- Chocolate with Cherry icing.

She got some socks for her birthday. She realized that they were similar to a pair I had and she wanted us to wear them together.

Her birthday gift from us- an Easter dress and shoes.

Back and forth...

I have a whole post devoted to my sweet Issy's 7th (7th!!) birthday when I get around to uploading the pictures, but until then...

Life has been very up and down, back and forth, high and low. Some days I feel like I am getting the hang of this life thing- like I am finally figuring out how to balance running a household, homeschooling the kids, doing my studies.

Other days, not so much. And it is on those days when I am feeling so overwhelmed- when I can see the laundry starting to accumulate, when I can see the dishes that I feel like I just did need doing again, when the kids are begging for a project, when my books call to me from my desk- it is on those days that I just want to crawl back into bed and hope for a better day tomorrow. Of course, that isn't really an option, but that seems preferable to forcing myself to do what I need to do all the while feeling like I have weights on my arms and legs and spirit.

I like the good days.

I am trying to decide what the difference is. What makes a good day good? How can I change my heart, my attitude on the bad days to make them better?

Here is hoping for a week of good days!

New adventure!

Here it is, friends. My desk. Complete with binders, frame with inspirational quote, basket of pens, highlighters, posty notes and books about birth. Oh, and the Jack-in-the-Box that the kids like to drive me crazy with so I confiscated it so I could study in peace for a bit.
This is where the learning happens. For those of you who don't know, I just started midwifery school last month after going back and forth about when I should start it for the last couple of years. I took the leap and have enthusiastically started my studies. In my former schooling career, what seems like a gazillion years ago, I was quite the procrastinator. I have been known to put off writing 15 page papers until the day before. No longer. I have decided I am not going to be a procrastinator. And since the subject interests me, I think I can do it.

But I am scared. And overwhelmed. And excited. And about 30 different other emotions.

I just want women to have options. I want them to have the opportunity to give birth in the safety and privacy of their home if they choose. To feel safe and supported and to have their space observed. Eh, I could ramble on and on, but instead, I want to share a quote that I resonates with me:

“Unfortunately, the role of obstetrics has never been to help women give birth. There is a big difference between the medical discipline we call “obstetrics” and something completely different, the art of midwifery. If we want to find safe alternatives to obstetrics, we must rediscover midwifery. To rediscover midwifery is the same as giving back childbirth to women. And imagine the future if surgical teams were at the service of the midwives and the women instead of controlling them.”

-Michael Odent, MD

I finally figured it out!

After several bread baking failed attempts over the last 3 years, I finally figured it out! And the results are delicious. I had been overheating my yeast, apparently. Joe had gotten me a stand mixer for Christmas, so I just throw the ingredients in, it does the kneading, I let it rise and viola! tasty, homemade bread.

... and girls.

So back in October of 2007 I taught Issy to knit. And she has been working on the same thing for 2 years. But she is young and her attention span is relatively short, so it is cool. Well, I told her recently that if she knit a row a day she might just finish that purse someday soon. So she has been getting it out more frequently and doing a row here and there. She may just finish!

We played dollies together one Saturday afternoon. She groomed Kit's hair.

Boys

I can't really remember what he was doing here. I was making dinner and it had something to do with the setting sun. He is such a silly boy.

Finally spent the gift cards that Grandpa got them for Christmas.

Boys and Legos. See how Liam is concentrating? Wait...

Sweet slingling

I have tried a few different baby carriers in my parenting career. I have had ones that I didn't like at all and ones that I have loved and have been used a ton. Different ones for different uses- my stretchy wrap for newborn and little baby cuddling, my mei tai for hiking. Well, Adelle is a mover and a shaker, so I needed something that was good for easy in and out. I was at a friend's house and she had a Slingling pouch on her chair and I asked if I could try it out. LOVE! Quick to put on. Easy for in and out.

So I bought one and it is so beautiful:

My little one snuggling with her dolly in our sling.