Mommy and Sweet Pea

I'm in my final week of summer before work as a middle school teacher begins again. This time of year I'm always in a reflective mood.  I look back and feel so lucky to have had this time with my kids. We went camping, biking, boating, golfing, and hiking. We celebrated my sister's wedding, we did projects together, watched movies, and just hung out at home. It really was everything that summer is meant to be. There were many events and plans that we canceled due to Covid, but we did all the most important things. We missed friends, but I also reveled in the togetherness with my little family unit. Today, I spent time registering for fall childcare and activities. It's less than usual, but still I can see the pace of our lives picking up. As we move into a season of more busy-ness, more work, and likely more stress, this poem sums up the feelings I'm experiencing.... Vacation End by Leslie Pinckney Hill From the charm of radiant faces, From the days we took to dream...

This morning: "I want to watch the show with the cheese you don't eat. The show with Squidgy" Joe and I have no idea what that means, ask him questions to try to narrow it down - "Is Squidgy an animal? It is a character on Wild Kratts?" No luck. I start scrolling through the options on Netflix, asking "Is this it?" until we get to Justin Time, a show I've never watched. But, apparently Henry has watched it sometime in the super TV marathon that this week has been, as he and Stella have had a horrible bug all week. "Yes! Justin Time!!" Phew. I guess I need to watch more TV with my kids? Also this morning: I try to make Henry cinnamon toast for breakfast. He wants to help spread the butter, and cut the toast. "I can do it myself!" Pushing my arm away. Then after struggling for a few minutes, "I CAN'T do it, Mama!!!" desperately pleading, why aren't I helping him?! We get the toast cut into small squares ...

Last Friday, we got over six inches of snow in Eugene. Today is Wednesday, and school is still cancelled due to icy roads. We are at the point where we have done all of the fun snow activities, and all of the fun indoor activities we can think of. I took my kids to daycare today so they could play with friends and I could get some work done (lesson planning). But then I thought of my lonely little blog and figured I would share a couple of the pictures I've taken the last few days of our snowy wonderland and cookie baking fun. Neighbor's house with the lovely sky. It's been so clear! She runs everywhere, in every condition. Attaching straps to tow Stella by bike. Henry thought it was a bad idea. Stella loved it and didn't want to stop. Cold little nose and mis-matched mittens. Just doing some blending with ski hat and glasses. No big deal. Swings! We love cookies! Notice all the sprinkles? Stella's favorite part. Th...

Starting August 26, I will be a full time, grade 7-8 teacher. I am really excited about my new job, and satisfied with our daycare situation. My husband just got a new job as well, so we are going through lots of changes lately! In the meantime, since school got out and sub jobs ended, I took a very part-time job working at an upscale clothing store. I would want to work there more often if it weren't for the fact that I either pay for childcare, negating most of my profit, or miss out on family time with my husband every time I work. I also have spent most of my paychecks on clothing that I buy with my employee discount, so I'm basically getting paid in clothes, which I do desperately need after the last several years of being pregnant, postpartum, and finally losing all of the baby weight plus some. Overall, the job is mostly fun, often rewarding, and a great learning experience for me in many ways. I keep wanting to share what I've learned with other women so we can all...

Today during Henry's nap, Stella and I baked cookies. I used the recipe on the top of the oatmeal container, modified for ingredients that I like better. It ended up looking like this: 1 stick of butter, softened 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 cup Sucanat (sugar cane natural) 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 1/2 cups Quaker Oats, uncooked 1/2 cup Craisins 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped coconut assorted sprinkles 1. Heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy 2. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. 3. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. 4. Add oats, Craisins, pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut; mix well. 5. Scoop with a cookie dough scoop onto parchment paper on your cookie sheets. The dough doesn't stick together super well so you will have to finger shape and smoosh it together (...

My Sweet Pea turned four years old this week. Unbelievable! This year, I quit my job to spend more time at home with my kids. Or, more precisely, I took a leave of absence from my part-time teaching job that I actually worked at nearly full-time because my part-time teaching wages didn't cover full-time daycare for two children and working full-time was stressful for me and my family, even though I loved my job. (Precision is wordy.) I was hoping that I could net more income overall by subbing a few days a week, and I am so far! Last spring, even after I knew I wouldn't be working every day, I was researching preschools for Stella because age three is the year when children generally start preschool. I found some really great-looking schools and situations, but it seemed the more I liked the school, the more it cost (my preference was for Montessori or bilingual, of course). Since I was planning to be home most days, the more I thought about it, the less sense it made to me t...

I was in a terrible mood yesterday morning. Our back fence in being replaced (the neighbor hired a company), so Glen can't go outside to potty or play without us taking him on the leash. Henry has been sick, really sick, for the past six days, and we are just starting to see real improvement, so I am exhausted. Stella has a cough too so I can't really send her to a friend's house to play, but she is not sick enough that she is happy to be just hanging out at home watching movies and playing with toys, so she is asking for a lot of attention, and begging for a friend to play with. My subbing paycheck for the month was tiny, so we are on a very tight budget. All of those things came together and made me a very grouchy mama. I ignored my kids for a few minutes, locked myself in the bathroom, and talked on the phone with my friend. When I came out, I was determined to change my attitude. I would make the best of all this forced togetherness, with no pressure to get anything in ...

Last week, Henry turned 1. Joe made this beautiful banana cake with peanut butter and chocolate frosting. The filling is marshmallow cream. We went with an Elvis theme as Henry shares his birthday. At age one, Henry crawls very quickly, eats like a champ and loves to feed himself, and giggles if you turn him upside down. He waves bye-bye, claps if you say "yay," and just learned to sign "more" if he wants more food. He will say mama and dada if he really wants us, but mostly just points and says "uh" for what he wants. This is how he often looks at the end of a meal: Today, he pulled himself to standing, and then let go! Two times! Stella got her first major hair cut yesterday. She has had it trimmed twice, by her babysitter at my request. The last time was over a year ago. This bob do I did myself, as she sat on a kids' chair in front of me and watched a show. Cutest questions she asked me regarding the haircut: "will it hurt?" a...

Just a basic journal-type entry about Henry, as he enters his last month before age one: At 11 months old, Henry seems to be squarely on track for all baby development signs, if a little slower than his sister with mobility. He has become an adept crawler over the last two months. He is starting to pull himself up on things, balancing on his knees. He eats a wide variety of food, and likes purees and finger foods including carrots, crackers, cereal, beans, corn, squash, apples, bananas, pears, rice, and peas. We have been through many different phases of sleep, including a really rough patch a few weeks ago, but seem to be coming out of that into an easier pattern of falling asleep. However, he seems to be at the beginning of the transition from two naps a day to one, which makes bedtimes inconsistent. Talking seems to be just around the corner, or may have already begun. Learning words seems to be such a gradual process, I never know when a baby crosses the line from babbling ...

Baby Henry is ten months old and growing, growing, growing. Every week there are clothes to add to the "too small" bin. Every day he seems to understand something he didn't before. Just this last week, he finally learned to crawl. Like, forward. He would only go backward or sideways for the longest time, it seemed. The first time crawling from one room to another was to come from his bedroom into the bathroom where his sister and I were. He was so thrilled when he made it across the threshold and into the room with us! He immediately sat up (standard position for him) and waved his arms, kicked his legs, and squealed. I fell in love with him again, just as I do every day with each adorable thing that he does. Nights have been a little rough lately. Henry is teething, or growing, or overwhelmed with his new learning, or something. Something that is making him wake up. Something that is making him scream for no apparent reason. And this kid can SCREAM - the high pitched, ...

The talented photographer Amanda Reed did family photos for us about a month ago. Here are a few: Eye contact He thinks we're funny - You guys stuck me in a bucket?! Best sister, cutest pose Pure sweetness toothy! My sister, just returned from two years in Madagascar, with her niece and nephew I'm pretty sure these are the cutest kids in the world. I know I will treasure these pictures forever. Thanks, Amanda!

My darling daughter has unique tastes. lunch yesterday: peanut butter, mayonnaise, cheese, pickles, and pretzels in one sandwich outfit today (and regularly): all pink - shirt, tights, skirt, undies, shoes hair: down, with the biggest barrettes or headbands or both that she can find. Sometimes she will let me braid it or do a ponytail, but she prefers it down and wild Some of my favorite things she is saying lately: "let's all split up and work together" "we can do it with teamwork!" "acciwentady" (accidentally) "Mom, that's not my plan!" singing "Henewy, stop crying! There's no crying in baseball, or in volvos" in a loud loud voice in the car, which inexplicably will often actually make Henry stop crying "let's do ballalet!" (dancing, ballet) "that trip to the library makes me have to watch a show" "I want to take a bath WITH Henry" (them in the bath together is one of the cu...

My last living grandparent passed away on September 30. His obituary is here . I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Pennsylvania with my children, husband, father, step-mom, and sister, and spend time with members of my dad's family that I hadn't seen in three years. I also got to do a reading at Grandpa Bob's funeral. The sweetest moment of the whole trip for me, besides hearing people say how much I looked like my grandma Anne, was when I finished the first reading, at the front of the church my grandparents were married in, and read the thanks to the lord, and my darling daughter replied "Thank you, Mama!" She doesn't know the norms of the Catholic mass but she is learning manners. Both kids did pretty well with the long days of traveling, thanks in large part to lots of helping hands from my family. It was so special to spend time in the place my grandparents were from and see where they are buried. We stayed in a really nice hotel, with a good fre...

Summer is officially over, in my view. Teachers are back at work, nights are cool, and it's time for preserving pears. That means fall. I didn't post a single thing on this blog all summer, but I would like to share and record some of what we did. I had a lovely summer full of fun outdoors, at the pool, the river, and my back yard. So, here are some photos to share a slice of our summer. Above: We had a lovely lunch date with some friends at King Estate Winery this weekend. It was nice to get out and have some grown-up time with a fun couple. I'm sure what everyone would rather see are photos of my adorable children, though. So, here are a few from a fun summer day at Odell Lake, a favorite spot for my family. Mostly, fun with hats, but also, Stella swimming in the pollen-filled lake: Thanks to Anne for inviting us up to visit her cabin for the day! Next year you're getting Stella overnight :) I will post more pho...

Since my last post , in March, I've returned to work, and life feels incredibly busy. The days go by so fast, even though I'm getting up earlier than ever (by 6:00 most days). I would love to share some photos but can't figure that out right now as my ancient computer is hopefully off somewhere getting fixed. At this moment, I am sitting on the bed in Henry's room, next to him as he stirs in his sleep, gazing out the window at the apple tree in my backyard that is absolutely coated in white blossoms. It's one of those spring afternoons where the sky is kind of dark and stormy but sunlight is coming in from the side and lighting up the fresh bright green-ness of everything. Just lovely. I love spring! One reason I have always loved the spring is that my birthday is in May. I'm not ashamed to admit - I love my birthday. This is the first year, though, that I will turn an age that might be seen as undesirable. Thirty years old does seem like a milestone of some kin...

Sweet Pea has been asking "why" for a while now, but in the last month it has become her response to practically everything I tell her. This can be fun (why is it cloudy?) and it can be frustrating (why can't I have another Lego set?). Sometimes I choose an answer I regret, because it leads to more confusion, more questions, and me doubting my own answer. One of the worst of these, I think, is the "we can't afford it" answer. First of all, it doesn't make any sense to her - money is just everywhere to her, and she sees us give money to salespeople and them giving us money right back (change). When she plays at buying things at home, imaginary money always changes hands both directions. How can a three-year-old be expected to understand things as complicated as paychecks, tax returns, and budgets? Secondly, I don't like this answer because it often rings false to me. When there is something that we really need, we buy it. We have credit cards for just...

Siblings cuddling in the morning. Isn't she sweet! Baby Henry is a fantastic sleeper. He has been giving us 6-8 hours uninterrupted at night for the last couple of weeks. He also takes long naps (often 2-3 hours) during the day, and is able to sleep in a variety of locations, including on his own in a bed. This is pretty shocking to me as my first child would pretty much only nap in my arms or in her car seat in a moving car for many months. One book that has helped me to understand baby sleep needs is The No-Cry Nap Solution . Stella was likely over-tired much of the time, and although lots of family members suggested that she needed more sleep, I couldn't figure out how to get her to sleep more or how to nap without me. Many days I didn't mind holding her for naps, but she probably could have slept longer if I had been able to put her down. Simply laying her down in her crib or co-sleeper when she was drowsy never worked for her, although I did try. With Henry, I hav...

We recently went through two challenging weeks with Henry. First, he was having trouble napping for no apparent reason, then he had a stomach virus. I was worried that I had done something to screw up his natural ability to nap, and we were never going to get back on track! However, the last few days he has been pretty much back to his pleasant, long-sleeping self. Even before this, several friends had recommended the book The Wonder Weeks . I finally got it a few days ago, and reading it helped me discover that the unexplained wakefulness/grouchiness before the illness was my little sweetheart likely passing through his 8-week fussy period. And now he has new skills! Smiling and interacting! Batting at objects! Knowing when he's about to get fed! I've read about a third of it, and am finding it is so helpful for understanding baby development and anticipating changes that will come. It also is an important reminder that sometimes babies are more fussy not because we are doing ...

Contains details of my birth experience - read on at your own risk. If you have been following along, you read about how I was sick of waiting for Henry's birth, and how every day after the external version (turning around a breech baby) I thought I was in early labor, or was about to be shortly. That kind of expectation is mentally exhausting. So, in a way, I felt like I was in labor for a week before he was born. Another way of looking at it is that I was only in labor for four hours, and yet another way would be that I was only in labor for 19 minutes. I will explain. On Saturday night, January 7, we went out to dinner with some good friends. I ate a lot of food, and I was having mild contractions about every 5-8 minutes. We went home, the contractions went away, and I got in the shower and cried. I was so tired of waiting, of being in that "at any minute" state of mind of anticipating the unknown and knowing that I was growing a bigger and bigger baby. I was als...

Baby Henry! Also known as Cupcake, Sugar, Hank, and Big Boy (so far). Born 2:19 AM January 8, at home (in the bathroom!), with a great team of support. 9 pounds 3 ounces, 21 inches, with a 14.5 inch head. We are getting good rest thanks to Henry's amazing sleeping abilities and the help of my wonderful mother.