ABC, What Do I See?

The Bear is right on the threshold of learning how to turn letters into words. Really, one of the most exciting moments of kid life. This book worm Mom is beside herself to share the joy of reading with my son. Just the sheer anticipation of all the imaginative worlds he will discover gets me a little teary eyed. I love make believe. I love stories. I love the wonder of books. My little guy is almost there.

This month I have decided to work on a series of special notecards to place around our home. To get Cubs involved, I'll make simpler ones for him to enjoy. Special Alphabet cards he can use for a letter hunt. The Bear will have Word cards taped to various objects and pieces of furniture. We'll hunt them down and use the words to make sentences and stories. (I know, I am a nerdy teacher to the core). The Bear loves hide and seek type games, he loves to search and discover. Playing this game will help him learn new sounds, words and how to connect things.

We will start out small. For example, I'll hide the letters B, E and D somewhere in his room. We'll hunt for them using verbal clues. Once we find them, we'll put them together to make a new card which will read, "Bed." Then we can tape it to his bed for a new hunt the following day. He'll have a hand in building all the words we use and will therefore have an easier time identifying them later.

Is it just me or is homeschool great?

This game will be lots of fun once we incorporate the boy's new mailboxes. Nothing fancy mind you, just two empty tin containers of Cafe Bustelo that we decorated. We are tying them to the tree out front and using it to correspond with everyone from Diego to the Swiss Family Robinson crew.

Mommy is pleased with this little game. It will entice the 3 year into further heights of learning and provide ample exercise for the rowdy 2 year old while also giving him a few basic challenges.

Lastly, I am contemplating saving all our letters in a scrap book of sorts for the boys to enjoy. Wouldn't it be great to have a book filled with letters addressed to you from Aslan, Robin Hood, Mike Mulligan, and Paul Bunyan?

Christmas Unwrapped

Our vacation days are slowly dwindling down, soon it will be time to return to our little bungalow. I am looking forward to cozying back in for another year of motherhood with my ever growing brood of boys.

We had a lovely Christmas this year, albeit a scattered and strange one. We celebrated with my family on the 12th of December and with J's family on the 26th & 27th. The calender was slightly off with all the traveling and birthdays thrown into the mix. Making a concentrated effort to teach your preschoolers the Christmas Story is difficult when there are so many events crowding each day. And then of course the added dimension of having multiple preschool age children to instruct is quite challenging.

A deep desire of my heart is for my children to enjoy worshipping Jesus from an early age. Falling in love with God will be the greatest joy of their lives and I am excited to share in that with them. But how to impart such meaning into tiny hearts? I am always encouraged at BSF to pray for my boys and for their understanding of worship and the word. I believe its the most valuable thing I can do for them.

I am also finding other ways to teach my boys. History and tradition play a great part in this hunt and I am eager to establish both in my own little family. I am always on the lookout for special ideas for events or whimsical items that can be absorbed into our family traditions. I found a few this year that I would love to share with you!

I found this beautiful advent calender designed by Kurt Adler. I fell in love with the small wooden drawers that open each day to reveal a hand painted figurine from the Nativity. Each piece has a magnetic back and adheres to the painted backdrop. I love that I can share the Christmas Story with my boys a little bit at a time. Its so much more tangible for them at this age.
I also found this fantastic advent book. Designed by Jack & Kathy Stockman of Chicago, IL. This will definitely by considered a family heirloom for us. There are 25 beautifully designed pages, each with its own special door which opens up to reveal another piece of the Christmas Story. Our favorite door is fashioned after one of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs. You can find both the book and information about its design and history here.

Lastly, I don't have a photo of it, but I finally found an Advent wreath to call my own! I've been looking around for several years and never quite found one that "fit." This year I managed to find a simple pewter one with the lyrics of my favorite Christmas hymn inscribed around the band. O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

I am excited about these little additions to our traditions. More importantly, I am over the moon knowing that my boys are growing spiritually. I wonder what other spiritual treasures we will glean throughout the church calender this year.

We will be home within the week. The boys have made great memories with J's parents. Despite having the flu for the first few days of our visit, we really made the most of our time with them. I am still floating on the white fluffy cloud called, "I haven't fixed dinner in a week"... I'll be firmly ensconced there until Saturday. Did I mention that I managed to read six or seven books on my new kindle? Ahhh, joy. I feel rested and ready to return.

I'll be updating as much as I can this year with stories and projects and memories for my boys to look back on one day. Of course, several odes to both bungalow and garden will be included.

Happy New Year to you and yours. God Bless!

So long, farewell

2010 was a very rough year for us. In fact, it was down right disheartening at times. Yet, the Lord was faithful to us and saw us through each rough moment and even saw fit to bless us with precious memories in the midst of our struggles. God is so very good.

I know many people are making their resolutions and taking time to reflect on their lives, today. I am not one for resolutions but I do love to reflect on all that was taken place this year.

Compared to last year: my house isn't any more organized or efficiently clean, most of my projects are still on the to do list, I inherited a panic disorder for a few months, my body is a bit flabbier, I have 8% more white hairs (ACK!) on my head, and I still haven't even come close to putting a nick on my "30 things to do before 30" list. Worst of all, I spent more days of 2010 sick than healthy. Ick.

And yet...and yet.....and yet...

Compared to last year: I read my Bible more, I love my husband more, I spent more time with my family, I gave life to another beautiful son that God blessed me with, I have another beautiful home birth experience under my belt, my garden survived its first complete year and I learned a lot about myself and my fears.

Best of all: I spent the better part of each day hugging, kissing, loving and affirming a squirmy, giggly passel of boys.

So I may not have a perfect house or a hot body or tons of money in the bank...believe me when I say that I am more than ok with my situation. I love my life. The juice stains, the cracker crumbs, the ENDLESS laundry (do you know how many socks reside in our bungalow?). The dog with WAY too much attitude, the crayon marks, the panic attacks from watching my death defying toddler all day, the heart attacks from listening to the other toddler say the most unbelievable things at times (read: "Mommy, this dragon is bigger than a penis"). Would I trade it all for a six pack and 3 extra hours of sleep every night?

No way.

Bring it on 2011. Bring it on.

Tis the Season

Tis the Season for glorious things:

Celebrating babies...one miraculous one in particular, but we can also enjoy all the other babies, bundled in heavy blankets and forced to wear tiny Santa hats.

Drinking fancy holiday drinks, peppered with special topping like shaved chocolate or roasted espresso beans. Its the time of year when you are willing to go that extra mile to deck the halls of your coffee mug for the sake of your taste buds.

Teaching bright eyed little tots about the wonders of Christmas. From the common practice of tree light viewing from underneath its scraggly boughs to the not so tidy joys of eating one's first ever peppermint stick.

Receiving oodles of snail mail each day from loved ones across the map. I love when more cards arrive than junk mail magazines. And this phenomenon occurs only once a year-- wonderful, glorious, Christmas time.

Just a few pretty universal musings I'm sure many of your identify with, regardless of zip code.

But some of you need cold weather, snow, and a toasty fire to really feel like its Christmas.

Our Season takes place somewhere hot and muggy, which is not so universal. My sister and I married a pair of northern boys and for them tis the season of ambiguous weather that does not feel like Christmas at all. And yet it is Christmas, its our Christmas. Its our palm trees lit up with twinkle lights and bedecked in tinsel. Its our flip flops patterned with plaid and lined with shearling. Its how we roll this time of year.

Yet can I say for the record, that I only enjoy Christmas at home and in church? Its true. December in this town stinks. Nasty creatures emerge from under rocks this time of year, to get behind the wheel of their cars in the hopes of running over their fellow man with vulgar shouts and curses all for the sake of a 10% discount at some crummy bargain store. Yuck. I went on a "quick run" to the grocery store a few nights ago. I almost died three times in the process. I was flipped off more times than I can count for things like letting an elderly woman cross the parking lot in front of my car. Pretty gruesome. I must say that while I love the Season, I am not a fan of the location or the majority of people that live in it.

But Christmas at home with the family is lovely. Sure it may be hot outside, with the occasional freakish cold weather day bottoming out at 50 degrees, but inside our home its Christmas. Drippy Advent candles, mangers packed with cattle lowing and plastic dinosaurs attacking, fleece footie pajamas, and thankful hearts for the birth of our Savior.

I hope the Season brings you joy wherever you are, whether surrounded by palm or pine, sun or snow. Merry Christmas.

Dinosaurs

The boys are on a major dinosaur kick. They LOVE all things dinosaur related. They love to play with plastic models, read books on the subject and have even memorized upwards of twenty scientific names (cretoxyrhina anyone?). They stomp, munch, and ROAR around the house...just like dinosaurs.

A few weeks ago I ordered a few more toy dinosaurs from a surplus sale online. These dinos were teen tiny ones, essentially baby dinosaurs for the larger ones the boys already own. I knew my boys would love this idea. The Bear loves to categorize things into shapes, colors, and types. Cubs loves animal babies and mommies, he is all about the relationship aspect of play! Double win.

The dinosaurs arrived yesterday. 24 tiny little dinosaurs oddly packaged in a very large cardboard box.

I should mention that cardboard boxes are really exciting. I have to remind you of that, because for some reason as we grow older, we silly adults forget the magic of cardboard.

I took a pair of scissors and a magic marker to the box. I made a tunnel for the boy's trains to pass through for delivery of the precious baby dinosaur cargo to expectant Mommy and Daddy dinosaurs. The boys went bonkers for this game! So did I. J and I are thinking of adopting in a few years and anytime I can get this idea across to the boys its a major plus. Although, as the Bear pointed out to me, sometimes dinosaur adoption can be tricky...

"No, Mommy. Baby Triceratops can't live with Mommy Tyrannosaurus Rex because she's a carnivore and Baby Triceratops is an herbivore."

Good point, Bear. Utopian dinosaur communities do not exist. Interesting that even though they love watching pansy versions of dinosaur shows on television which portray T-rex and Triceratops living in perfect harmony, the boys still have an innate understanding that when it comes to dinos, its eat or be eaten.

Well our game started and the boys began their imaginary play. A few overheard comments:

1) "Oh! My baby Pteranodon loves his Mommy Spinosaurus. They are eating fish together and reading a book." ~B

2) "Nice to meet you" -C introducing babies to their mommies.

3) "The pleasure is all mine"- B responding to C's introductions.

4) "Look out, its the Velociraptor. Take your leaves and run!" ~B to all the peaceful herbivores on the south end of the tunnel.

5) Cubby made a Triceratops bite a Stegosaurus. "OUCH" said the Stegosaurus. "NAUGHTY" reprimanded a nearby Spinosaurus. "I so sorry. I love you." responded the contrite Triceratops. "Its O-tay." said Cubby, the patient diplomatic supervisor of dinosaur relations.

This game continued for...drumroll please... AN HOUR AND A HALF. That's right folks, 90 minutes of blissful, peaceful, imaginative playtime.

At one point the Bear started matchmaking and introduced some of the single Mommy dinosaurs to a few lonely Daddy dinosaurs. He attributed J's characteristics to the Daddy dinos and my characteristics to the Mommy dinos. Here is one example...

"Mommy Microraptor this is Daddy Allosaurus. Daddy Allosaurus goes to bicycle school, he is amazing! Mommy Microraptor is making special cakes. She is going to hug you and clean your boogies."

SIDE NOTE: J rides a bicycle to school every day, hence the idea of "bicycle school."

Suddenly, the Bear had Mommy Microraptor and Daddy Allosaurus dialoging...

"Daddy Allosaurus?"

"Yes Mommy Microraptor?"

"Take out the trash."

"Ok"

Yet another example of how the boys have an innate understanding of life.

I'm back

WHEW!!!

I don't think I have had a minute to myself since the last time I posted. My mom came over today and as she held the Babe and watched over the Bear and Cubs, I snuck off to the bathroom to pee. Alone. TMI? Sorry. But it was a monumental moment for me. I got to pee alone in the bathroom. Its been awhile since that happened, there is usually quite the crowd in there when I pee.

A few days ago, Cubs watched as I went. He noticed the anatomical differences and asked, with a concerned look on his face, about the whereabouts of my penis. "Nope. Mommy doesn't have one of those." He responded with great sadness, "oh no!!!" He pet my hand, gave me a little smile and walked away.

Privacy is a wonderful thing.

Anyways, I didn't sit down to post about my escapades in the bathroom.

Life has been busy, its true. 3 under 3 is just as crazy as it sounds, but oh the fun. I love my babies. I love that they love each other. I love their fingers, toes, giggles, bellies, and their long eyelashes. You know what I love most of all? That they are NOT triplets.

Being off bed rest is fantastic. A fire works worthy moment of my life. I am up and about, cleaning spaghetti off booster seats, changing diapers, breast feeding while doing my household chores, playing tickle monster, chasing toddlers. J grabbed me in the kitchen the other day and hugged me for awhile. "Its so great to have you back," he said.

I feel the same way.

This week, I am reading up on some home schooling books by Linda Dobson. They've been extremely helpful and I am learning so much about my little boys. I am also catching up on a few way laid projects. Once I am caught up on those, I'll be turning my sights back onto this blog. I'd really like to include more resources that have helped/are helping me manage the house and the kids. While this is still a space for recording these next few years for my boys to look back on and enjoy one day, I would like to provide something for my girlfriends that are reading this each week. :)

I'd love to write more but there is this tiny bundle propped up on a pillow next to me. He is squirming around and making the cutest noises. That sweet baby smell is also wafting up in a way that beckons this Mommy in a way she can't refuse. What deliciousness. Mommy out.

77

He's here.

After 6 long weeks of bed rest and 77 hours of labor, he decided to make his big entrance. That sentence says so much about him...six weeks of "please, please, please, Mommy, can I come out and play?" And then when he gets the green light, he takes his sweet time. This has been duly noted in our parenting journals.

Most women have their own perspective on labor and their own pieces of advice/horror that they like to pass on to other expectant mothers. There are times when a friend comes to me for advice on their upcoming birth choices and its tempting to sit them down and talk their ears off about my own experiences. But really, how is that helpful? Especially when the advice/stories err on the side of horror? I typically advise to find the place where my friend feels the most support and safety. For me, that place is home and not a hospital.

We spent the first part of our labor in the hospital, where my labor dragged on and failed to progress. No surprise there. I hate hospitals. I hate needles. I hate drugs. They make me feel threatened. I also really hate having to explain myself and my birthing preferences to a nursing staff that only wants to help me in the ways they have been trained to help. It makes me feel almost bratty and ungrateful to say, "No IV, no this, no that, etc." It just adds to the stress of it all. The hospital itself was wonderful, but I just didn't fit there, its not what my body or my baby needed. I cried a lot. I missed my boys terribly. We ended up going home after 18 hours, still in labor and very frustrated.

Laboring at home took a while as well. Little boy was taking his sweet time readjusting, alternately letting me rest and then making me sick to my stomach. My body started feeling really exhausted as the hours dragged on, but being home made all the difference. I could eat food and keep up my strength. I could walk around without needles jabbing my veins. I could be with my boys.

Things finally picked up when I decided to stop thinking about labor. My mom took me to the ever wonderful garden center and bought me half the nursery. We came home and I set to work with J in the garden. It was only a matter of minutes before labor kicked in full swing.

"Pain" is always associated with labor. At the hospital, someone came in to check on me every hour and a half, one of the first questions they always asked was, "What is your pain level." They would roll their eyes when I said, "zero" or "I don't think of it as pain." (Again, stuff like this made me feel like a huge pain in the ass to them). At home, no one said the word. I stuck the concept up on the shelf and let the contractions do their thing. Are contractions comfortable wonderful joyous things? Of course not. Contractions are awful, but they are getting me somewhere I desperately want to be at in order to reach my end goal which in the course of 60 hours has transferred from BIRTH to SLEEP.

We labored quietly and intensely until it was time to push. Like his brother Cubs, this little guy had his hand up by his face and refused to move it. Needless to say, moving him through my cervix hurt like hell. He has a bruise on his arm to as a little badge from our battle of the wills. I won't go into details, but I had a very rough 15-20 minutes of convincing my son to drop his arms and go through my cervix. Once he did, he was out in two pushes. My midwife hollered for J's mom and my parents and sister to "GET OVER HERE FAST!" so that they wouldn't miss his big entrance. J and I birthed the baby in an inflatable tub in our living room. I wanted to pass out after he came, I was so bone tired. I also felt amazed that he held on until 2:11 AM so that he could be born at 37 weeks and 2 days, just like his two older brothers. Creepy little perfectionists that they are...

The Babe weighed in at 6 lbs 14 oz. although today he weighs in at 6lbs 6 oz since he is BMing like a champ! We think he looks just like the Bear. Cubs refuses to leave his side. He wants to hold him all the time and lets out the sweetest, "No, no, no, MY BABY" when someone comes to take the Babe away.

My favorite moments of our first day together (not including moments that involved sleeping or doughnuts with pink icing) have been the quiet, still ones. Sitting in bed with all three of my boys lined up at my side watching Speed Racer, their little bodies quietly breathing in and out together. What a precious moment....God knows all the other ones from here on out won't be anything like this first one.

My in-laws leave Monday and it will be back to the old routine plus one, for me. Three under three. Lord have mercy. I have decided to concentrate all my thoughts on what to bake during nap time. Something with enough chocolate to get me through the week!