Apparently in toddler-speak...

The simple word "up" means:

1. pick me up
2. I would like to nurse (now!)
3. give me some of that food that you are serving the other kids

Good morning, little one

Adelle has been scary lately. My sweet little peanut was replaced by a cranky, opinionated toddler whose favorite word is no (not just a demure little no, either. We are talking the sassiest, loudest NO! that a 16-month-old can muster). She is in a good mood sometimes, but you can't count on it. It has been challenging, for sure.

This morning, she had woken up to nurse at 6:15 and then apparently Issy stirred and woke her up again at 6:45. I laid down in Issy's bed to nurse her again and snuggled her close to me. She started out a bit restless, but as she nursed, the good hormones worked their magic on us- she stopped fiddling, I could feel her breathing even, her little tummy rising rhythmically against mine. And I was filled with love and gratitude for her. She is a challenge at times, but so wonderful. So beautiful. Learning, imitating, growing. I am thankful for those peaceful moments, wrapped up in blankets and warm milk and love.

Pumpkin Patch 2010

The homeschooling group we belong to had a group get together at the pumpkin patch and we got to go earlier this week. The patch we went to had a lot of fun things to do- a zipline, bouncy mat, tricycle track, playground, big slides. And there was a great selection of pumpkins in their "school" patch. It was a lot of fun!

Adelle says, "Hmmm, which pumpkin should I choose?"

Zipline

Adelle was not feeling very cooperative with the group picture effort. In fairness, it was almost naptime for her.

Silly boys

Backyard

One gorgeous fall morning.

Isaac- the party

He wanted a chocolate cake with strawberry icing. And Thomas. This was the craftiest concoction I could come up with that met all the specification. He was a happy boy :)

Lots of fun stuff. Can't believe what a big boy he is getting to be!

Fall is here

Finally! We were able to go to a great little nature area a couple of times last week- once with my sister and her kiddos and once with a friend. It was so gorgeous. The leaves are starting to change, the weather was beautiful. Love it.

Jude and Isaac are best friends.

Big grasshopper!

There were several logs that had turtles lined up on them.

That is one big spider :)

Sweet Isaac is 6

Six years ago today I gave birth to my first son. His pregnancy was a challenge and a blessing. His birth and first few days were likewise.

My firstborn son is sweet, sensitive and beautiful. What a wonderful little boy.

First kisses

Little bluelight special. Later, we thought he looked like he needed a snuggle so we took turns holding him and sitting under the lights.

Settling in. Again.

Life is pretty beautiful here. I really like the new house. This is the view out my back windows:

It is like a little oasis in the middle of the busy East side. Joe has been coming home for lunch- we love getting to see him in the middle of the day for a little bit. I am really grateful that he no longer has to spend an hour getting to and from work.

The bedrooms are unpacked and decorated. We have moved so much in the last few years that I really want the kids to feel like that is something that is theirs no matter where we live.

Joe is on TEC this weekend, which is a little stressful, but life will die down a bit when he gets back. Finish organizing here and settling in.

But so far, I love it here. Love. I think this might be a really good fit for us. It is nice to feel at home.

There we go.

All moved. Unpacking at the new house and cleaning up the old house. Wondering when the newness will wear off and the kids will stop running around like I fed them each a pound of sugar?

Other than that, we are fine :) Looking forward to being settled and starting school again!

Whiney Wednesday

In an effort to purge myself of life's small annoyances and lest I scandalize anyone in thinking that I am living homeschooling dream perfection, I thought I would participate in this. At least this week.

1. Adelle has hit the teething hard. It is making me very tired. She had been down to one nursing between 10 and 6 and would go back down in her crib after she ate. Alas, no longer. Multiple nursings a night that may or may not need snuggling afterward (like, I put her back down and abooout when I am asleep again she is awake and grumpy). It is a bummer for her, too, poor little thing. *yawn* Pass the coffee, please.

2. I am excited about moving to our new house, but I haaaate packing. The Learning Room and I have been doing battle for the last week. I keep trying, but everytime I walk in there, it just overwhelms me. It is getting done, little by little.

3. Having a hard time coming up with a third. Hmmm. Mosquitos? Issy got bit by several in our new backyard yesterday afternoon, apparently I need to get some sort of repellent.

If you would like to participate in Whiney Wednesday, click here.

Motherhood

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." -- Elizabeth Stone

I was laying in bed early this morning, nursing the baby and this quote came to mind. It is so spot on, at least for me. I remember being a teenager, surrounded by nieces and nephews and dreaming of the day when it would be my turn to get married and have a baby.

A baby. Even during our engagement, when Joe and I first started talking about our future family, that is what I thought of- babies.

Perhaps it was very shortsighted of me not to think about how my babies would someday grow into toddlers. Then preschoolers. Then kids. (and teenagers and adults eventually, but I still try not to think too much about that :) Maybe it was God's grace that led my short-sighted 20 year old self to think only about holding a soft, squishy baby and not think about all the sacrifice it would require to raise that baby into an adult and all the stages in between. Because really, if I had been aware of the sacrifice/ sorrow/ raw vulnerability that accompanied the overwhelming joy and Love, would I have jumped into parenthood with such abandon? Perhaps not. But I am forever thankful I did.

I think the first time the above quote became real for me was when Issy was faced with finding friends for the first time. She was so sad. And I couldn't make things better for her. There was no kiss-your-owie-and-make-it-all-better fix. I realized that was just the beginning, too. Over the years, especially as they grow in independence and encounter the world outside their home, there will be numerous occasions like that one. Some smaller and some bigger. I can help at times, but some growing pains situations they will have to navigate on their own. I hope to always be their soft place to land, though.

So what is a Mama to do? As I reflected on this, my recent post about Our Lady of Sorrows came to mind. Perhaps there is more than one reason God led me to choose that day. What a comfort. She was a Mama, watching her Son grow, navigate His way through sometimes painful situations. She shared in His absolute heavenly joy and his infinite Love. And when He was sentenced to death and crucified, she was there. She was His soft place to land.

How good it was of Him to give his mother to us- "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." (Jn 19: 26-27) What an awesome intercessor for mothers.

Life is pretty busy around here

Our C week books

D Week

My sister Michelle and I decided to put our preschoolers in the Art Start program at the Wichita Art Museum. (well, really, it was her idea, as most of the good ones are :) She watched the biggers and the little ones while I took Annika and Liam there yesterday. The topic was masks- they saw some, read a book about some and made one. Fun time for our kids!

The fruits of their labors.

Our big four year olds. I remember when they were born!

Grammie took the kids on a walk the other day and these are all the nature things they collected, which they proudly displayed on the kitchen table.

In other news, we are currently taking a break from the Alphabet Path (we are sticking with our core stuff, just scaled back a lot) while we pack and move. It is just to a house across town, right by Joe's work, which will be really nice for him. I hope to take up the Alphabet Path again sometime mid- October, once we are all settled. The kids have really been enjoying it!

Adelle says, "Wait, what? You are moving?"

"Don't forget to take me!"

Discoveries!

We have been working this school year on being observant. Noticing things around you- the beauty of nature, creatures, weather, the feelings of others. Becoming aware little people. Taking the time to stop and admire things (I have a hard time with this!) and taking in all the details.

So it was very interesting when this little (big!) guy hopped onto our window. We stood and studied him for ten minutes, admiring everything about him.

We had the opportunity to visit some friends who have a house on some land. We got to pick apples and pears (which we made into applesauce!) and see baby chicks. The kids had a great time!

D is for doughnuts (and St. Dominic, dinosaurs and double daisies!)

Our Lady of Sorrows

9 years ago today, Joe and I consecrated ourselves to Mary on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. It seemed appropriate at the time, the choice of feast day- my own mother had just died two and a half weeks prior. Although I don't spend as much time in my devotion to Mary as I used to, this post has given me occasion to reflect on the ways that her intercession has made a difference in my life over the last nine years. I mean, I will only be able to know all the ways it has changed me on the other side of eternity, but even now I can understand that she has been able to take the prayers from this mother's heart and lay them at the feet of her Son. What a wonderful gift God gave us in the Blessed Mother!

A is for Apple Pie

A couple of weeks ago, during A week, we made an Apple Pie to share with Grammie and Grandpa after dinner one night.

Take some Apples

+
Cute Kids

=
A Apple Pie

We had the opportunity to go to a local park for some nature study last week.

We saw some Bull Thistle

I think we decided this was Goldenrod?

Gumweed
And our cute little learners, sketching their discoveries.