golden girl

I know that as parents, we all love our children to pieces. I'm not talking about just the two of us in our parenting unit but all parents collectively. We think our children hung the moon and are the most special, bright beings ever created. Each of our children is the absolute best, and we are unwilling or unable to hear otherwise. My mind tells me that my bias blinds me against our children's faults and weaknesses, yet still in my heart I know that my children ARE the best.

Genevieve had her well child visit, and the doc gushed over her as usual. She said something to the effect of "You are my absolute favorite kids today, and I'm so glad you came to see me!" which could have been just fluff but who cares? Loving her bedside manner. I ate it up as much as my kids did, since I still have my fervent desire to please all who can be considered teachers in this life. And our pediatrician is most certainly my #1 teacher at the present time. It was she, you might remember, who told us that we should ignore rather than acknowledge our kids' protests when they don't want the meal we are serving. Pure genius, that woman.

Meanwhile, Vivi strutted her stuff during her appointment, as per her usual diva standards. She walked back and forth on command and answered all questions enthusiastically. Her favorite fruit is mango, and her favorite veggie is edamame (at least it's green). After the visit, I treated the girls to ice cream and then a bus ride home, which sounds like no fun to you or me but is high on their list of amazing feats.

Hey y'all. I'm on instagram now! You can see this photo there too...and follow me.

Nate and I were conversing last night about her appointment, and I started in again about not being sure I am enjoying her enough. Rather than griping about it, I am more resigned to the situation as it is and have moved on to explaining the possible reasons I'm feeling this way. Looking at Vivi's preschool photo, I am caught imagining what her senior picture will look like. Then I think about how it's not so many years from now, and then I have to sit on my hands to prevent launching myself upstairs to wake her up and give her a hug.

So why don't I just sit around hugging her all day? The truth is that while the two-dimensional girl in the photo is easy to put on a pedestal and adore, the walking/talking version of the girl is a whirling dervish who hardly sits still all day. She is a chatterbox with the ideas and energy of three children together. I find that the best way to enjoy her is to set her loose and watch the Tasmanian devil in action. Any attempt to pin her down winds up frustrating all of us.

Actually, if I had to pick one concern I have for her next year, it's that I think kindergarten is probably the time when she will be asked to sit still and complete tasks more, and I know she will clash with her teacher over this requirement. At the kindergarten parents' night, the teachers suggested we start giving her responsibility to complete tasks on her own. While I am happy to oblige, my tasks are certain to be less challenging to her since I don't accompany them with a room full of peers for her to befriend. Her pre-k teachers have told me that when Vivi is chatting with friends, there is little they can do to encourage her to stay on task. She is super duper excited about kindergarten beginning in the fall, and I know she'll do great. I guess what I'm saying is that I hope they don't change her too much. I enjoy her unbridled innocent joie de vivre!

She is still a music-lover, and her current favorite is the Icona Pop song, "I Love It (I Don't Care)." Nate and I wince when she gets to the lyrics "You're so damn hard to please, we gotta kill this switch. You're from the 70's, but I'm a 90's bitch." I've mostly decided to let it happen, figuring if she says these words in her normal conversations, I will address it then. It's not like she has any clue of what the singer means, so it seems harmless enough. Right? RIGHT?

Just a few more days until SUMMER OFFICIALLY BEGINS!!!!1!
xoxo
~J

{20}: I wish I was in the Caribbean rum punch

{On the Range} is my weekly series where I discuss what we're doing, reading, and eating. It's a little bit 52 project and other photo projects, and a little bit {Did you Read?} and {In the Ranger Kitchen}.

On the Range

May 14 - 20, 2013

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013."

We are at the Belmont Town Day in this picture. As Becky would say, see how Charlie is having fun but Vivi is really selling it? Also, I choose not to correct Charlie when she calls the carousel a "fairies go around." The adorable meter is at an all-time high with her.

My week...

• I am trying to get ready for my big trip, which involves lots of digging up baby clothing and maternity stuff to give to my preggers cuz. Yay! I am happy to be rid of it, with only minor pangs of baby nostalgia along the way. I keep reminding myself that once her baby is wearing all this loot, my heart will go on...
• My major dilemma at the moment is what I want to do next year. Do I want to try to get ready for nursing school or get a real-live job? Decision time is nigh, and I haven't a clue which direction I am headed.

Media

• Vice article in which James Franco reviews the Gatsby film. I plan to go see it as soon as someone offers to watch the kiddos for an evening

Meals

• Lentil barley soup by Jacques Pepin
• Do you count cocktails as a meal? I will. I made Caribbean rum punch this evening, and in it I put ice, dark rum, tangerine juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, and grenadine. It is a sugar shock but in a good way.

zombieland

Eating lunch with Charlie in the playhouse

I finally got some glorious sleep last night after three days of back-and-forthing to that marathon labor. It's hard to explain sleep deprivation to someone who's never missed the majority of three nights of sleep in a row, but anyone with kids knows what it is like. It's kind of like being drunk, or maybe punch-drunk is a better way to explain it. You are walking and talking, but the higher functions of your brain have receded into the depths, leaving you to utter bookoo unfiltered sentences.

Take, for example, when I met the husband of a mutual friend yesterday. After the couple walked off, I turned to my other friend and said "I didn't like his face." I meant more his expression at the time, but whatevs. Same diff.

Snark abounds.

Functioning on a low amount of sleep also reminds me of what its like to have the winter blues, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, as it's known to people who like to give stuff names. Unlike the time I cried when it snowed again, SAD is a more deceptive condition. I am depressed, but I couldn't completely articulate why. I might cry, but rather than cry over the weather, I cry over completely unrelated and unimportant issues. Or I might laugh, but instead of laughing at jokes, I laugh at the shriveled piece of corn under the refrigerator. But mostly I experience an absence of feeling. For a person who is normally irrationally exuberant, the lack of emotions is an unsettling experience. But what were we talking about again?

ANYHOO, today promises to bring with it some good wholesome American fun. We are headed out to the town fair, and then in the afternoon I'm off to tea again with a lady friend. I'll report back with pictures taken of both...probably with my new obsession, the iPhone.

We only have a week left here before the big month-long southbound excursion. I went ahead and scheduled our trip to start Memorial Day weekend, figuring the kids up here get out of school at the same time we did down South. I was forgetting that they don't go back to school here until AFTER Labor Day--something about snow, the details escape me--so their school ends a whole week into June. Yikes! This little scheduling error means we are pulling Vivi out of pre-K a full two weeks early and missing graduation. I am not sure whether to count this as a missed opportunity or a big win. What are your thoughts on celebrating small milestones like that?

meet the new baby

I wrote this post last night while at a birth...using my phone! 

You thought I was going to share a picture of my doula clients' baby, didn't you? No, but it's the next best thing! Meet Leila, who, for the redonkulous price of $150, you can have all to yourself. If that isn't creepy enough, she will squeeze your finger and whisper redrum in your ear. 

This is how I entertain myself when there's a lull during a birth. Well, that and I eat brownies and doughnuts until I make myself sick. And now I can blog too!! Lucky you. Right now I am sitting in a common area, where I am inadvertently-on-purpose overhearing a conversation between an older couple, who are discussing the fact that no one won the powerball and whether they want to get some black raspberry ice cream after this. And here I was, having forgotten all about that delicious flavor.

There's a lot to love about my new phone. Even more than just photographing interactive monkey dolls and pretending I am invisible during other people's chats. For instance, I had my first autocorrect fail, in which I meant to let my sitter know she could reach me if she needed anything but instead accidentally texted "feel free to text me if you need anthrax." The nurses and I had a good laugh about that one. But really, iPhone, is it necessary that I be able to type "anthrax" quickly? As I just typed that sentence, I imagined all the watch lists I am going to end up on after this post.

On an unrelated note, but one that also includes a pic I snapped with my phone, I found an added bonus to our new playhouse, which is that I can now sit outside to work AND see my computer screen. Winning!

how to clean area rugs, courtesy of the dudette

Last week I rolled up our winter rug and cleaned it to put it in storage. I am still trying to decide whether I want to buy a rug for summer or leave the floor bare. What do you do? I was telling Nate about my dilemma when he responded, completely without sarcasm, "But a rug really ties the room together." I paused mid-way up the stairs, laundry basket in hand, and leaned back my head for a deep rolling belly chuckle. His earnest appreciation for floor coverings smacked so much of The Dude--and so unintentionally so! My favorite times are when one of us is being funny without knowing it. It is truly the best way to get a laugh.

In case you would like to share in my rug-cleaning fun, I am sharing a new article I wrote about how to clean your area rugs. I partnered as a guest writer with the folks at Home Made Simple, a website with inspiring methods for organization, cleaning, and cooking. They offer some great ideas and resources, and I am shamelessly encouraging you to head over there today and check out what I wrote!

El Duderino would no doubt agree with me that a clean rug really spruces up your living room. If you need further encouragement to read my article, consider the fact that I used the word "sparkle." No, really.

Thanks, dudes.
xoxo

barreling along

I am am having this weird duality of personality this month; sometimes I am flying at warp speed and other times I can't pull myself off the couch to unload the dishwasher. I am SO ready for summer break, and I don't even have a job, y'all.

Well, right now I have a job. I've been jaunting back and forth to a birth, which could be why I am feeling so drained. It's a good thing I got my new phone because I actually had to send eleventy billion text messages. I'll spare you the boring story details about how I do not have the proper thumbs with which to text and instead will share some cute pics I took of the kids with my new toy:

spring cleaning and preparing, part two

We love that tulips are so popular in New England spring.

Welcome to the May 2013 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Emergency Preparedness
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared their plans to keep their families safe. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
***

Last spring I wrote a post about how we created and maintain a bin of emergency supplies. Today I'll cover the another important part of emergency planning, creating a family communication plan. Ready.gov has a family communications website with some ideas, and I've broken those tips down for you.

Creating an emergency communication plan:

1. Identify an out-of-state contact. In the recent Boston bombing, we had intermittent cell phone service within the city, so if we had been at the Marathon, we wouldn't have been able to reach each other. However, if you designate a person out-of-town that everyone will call, you can get updates through that intermediary. Be sure to tell that person of your communication plan.


2. Teach your child a contact number, either your cell phone or the designated contact person's. Children ages five and up are able to memorize 10-digit phone numbers. There are some great ideas out there for how to go about helping them memorize it.


3. Make sure your child knows how to use the phone in your home. In our house, we only have cell phones, and mine automatically locks, so I had to train Genevieve how to unlock it herself and call 911, then I had to do it again this week when I got a new iPhone.


4. Distribute your plan to your local emergency contact, a neighbor you trust, and your child's school, along with a letter to your child in case of an emergency. 

If you've made a bin of supplies and created a communications plan, consider learning additional ways to keep your home and family safe and finding escape routes. You can also make your stockpile larger in a frugal way by preserving your own food. We are trying not to eat canned food as much as possible due to concerns over BPA, so I've been storing lots of fruit jams and pickled veggies that can be canned using a boiling water bath. Get started with my round-up of canning resources.

***
Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be updated by afternoon May 14 with all the carnival links.)

• Be Prepared for Emergencies — Becky at Crafty Garden Mama is reviewing Angela England's new ebook, The Untrained Housewife's Guide to Getting Prepared. See what measures she is learning to adopt in her family.
• Prepare to Expect a Safe and Beautiful Natural Birth — What do you need to have prepared so that you can have a nice and relaxing birth at home? Lisa at The Squishable Baby shares her list in a guest post at Natural Parents Network.
• Fire Boxes for Emergency Preparedness — Jana of Jananas tells why she bought a fire box to store important documents and what is stored in the box.
• Firefighter Training Homeschool Curriculum — Kellie at Our Mindful Life helped her homeschooled kids prepare for emergencies through a Firefighter Training unit.
• 3 Secrets to a Royal Emergency — Jaye Anne at Wide Awake, Half Asleep tells the secret to living like kings during a storm-induced power outage.
• Is Your Family Prepared for an Emergency? — Chrystal at Happy Mothering shares an overview of what her family has done to become more prepared for emergencies.
• What to Do in an Earthquake — Julia at A Little Bit of All of It gives instructions for staying safe in the event of an earthquake as well as tips for teaching your children to keep safe and where to find information online after an earthquake.
• Spring Cleaning & Preparing, Part 2 — Justine at The Lone Home Ranger organizes and replenishes her emergency supply every spring and is learning to add to the food stockpile by preserving year-round.
• 15 Must-Haves For The Natural Minded Family When Disaster or Emergency Strikes — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares how she prepares for disaster or an emergency as a natural minded mama. Learn what 15 natural items you should consider having on hand!

• Emergency Preparedness: Cosleeping, Cheezits, Chocolate — Kristine at All the Things in the World was happy to have cosleeping in her emergency tool kit during Hurricane Sandy.
• Being Prepared For Personal Disasters — Luschka at Diary of a First Child draws on her own recent experiences and considers five things every parent should have in place to ease the burden when sudden disaster strikes.
• The Natural Emergency Kit That I Always Carry in My Diaper Bag — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares the four green and natural items in her emergency kit that she can't do without when she's out and about with her little ones.
• Prepared... or not? — Is it dangerous to not prepare? Jorje of Momma Jorje shares whether her family prepares…or not.
• Pack a car safety kit: 25 must-have items for emergencies — Whether you're out for a leisurely drive or fleeing a disaster, Lauren at Hobo Mama offers tips on stocking your car with emergency supplies that will tide you over if you're stranded.
• Teaching My Children About Tornados — Destany at They Are All of Me writes about preparing her children for tornado season.
• Preparing our children for emergencies — Preparing for emergencies means preparing your children, and Robbie at Going Green Mama shares ways on how to empower kids when it comes to emergencies.
• Emergency Preparedness in Sub-Saharan Africa — After living in Sub-Saharan Africa for 7 years, emergency preparedness is not just a concept any more to Laura from Authentic Parenting.
• Five Ideas to Keep Babies and Toddlers Safe from Choking — Do you have a baby or toddler who likes to put everything (and I mean *everything*) in her mouth? Dionna at Code Name: Mama does, and today she's sharing a story and some tips on how to keep your little ones safe from choking.

on the range {week 19}: Mother's Day fun

{On the Range} is my weekly series where I discuss what we're doing, reading, and eating. It's a little bit 52 project and other photo projects, and a little bit {Did you Read?} and {In the Ranger Kitchen}.

On the Range

May 7 - 13, 2013

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013."

Milestones

• Vivi lost her first tooth! It was loose due to a falling injury last year, so I'm thinking this tooth would not have come out for years otherwise. Toothless is her new nickname.
• A late Christmas/Mother's Day gift for me was a new iPhone 4. Please share your favorite apps. I'm way behind on this whole neck-bending phone-watching trend.

Media

• A good part about blogging is when you are connected to others that are part of your métier.  A bad part about blogging is when you are connected to Internet trolls. Unfortunately this mom got the latter after writing about her fears that her daughter might become a bully.
• One of my favorite bloggers, Kate, almost never writes any more, but it's understandable now that she's got an army-crawling, table-biting boy. 
• Nate bought a Kindle version of Jim Gaffigan's new book, and I'm way psyched for it to be my turn to read it.

Meals

• Pasta all'amatriciana with portabellas
• Our Mother's Day tradition: TACOS!
• Vegan Thai noodles with chicken poached in water, onions, and Korean soy paste