Oscar Can't Get Any Love

Poor Oscar. He's been officially rejected. After being rejected by the bunny at the pet store he was going to possibly get a girlfriend from the Guardian Angels Shelter. But no girl will have him apparently. Soooo...I'll be picking him up. I've been reading through plans for building a bunny home for him as he's going to move up from the basement. Poor Gizmo is still hanging out in the basement. And now that there's no bunny to trade him for I guess the deal's off. So, we're going to have to try to get rid of him somehow. I know that sounds harsh, but with the daycare I don't have room for two separate bunny habitats in this house and they will not live together without killing one another. Gizmo is not getting quality care down in the basement...not to mention it's cold down there. It's really not a good place for him, but we have no choice right now. So in the basement he'll stay until we find a home for him. In the meantime, I'll add "build a bunny home" to my list of things to do. *sigh* I'm kind of excited though. I've found some great online instructions and pictures. This is going to stretch my crafting skills though. Hopefully I can get T to drill some holes for me though.

Boo and Santa

Well, Boo LOVES Santa. He loves to point him out in books, pics, etc... "Sinta" he calls him. Well, he LOVES Santa as long as Santa keeps his distance! We took him to the mall to see "Sinta" on December 23rd. And here was the result...


And actually, that's when we got him to not scream for all of two seconds! In his defense, this was quite a scary looking Santa Clause. He was thin and so the belly that he wore just made him look odd. His cheeks had a bit of a sunken in look to them. In fact, I would go so far as to say that they were a bit gaunt looking. He didn't speak or smile at Boo or make any other attempt to get Boo to be comfortable with him. I'm hoping next year they upgrade when they hire for Santa. Oh well...at least we have our Santa pic!

Out of the Funk, Boo's Vocabulary, and Getting into "Trouble"

Well, I'm out of my funk that I've been in - thank God. I don't know how many more days of that I could've dealt with. I think crafting last night cheered me up. I love scrapbooking and while I wasn't working on my own stuff, there's still something extremely rewarding about seeing a blank page and a picture turn into a masterpiece before your very eyes!

Boo is growing up so fast. I'm amazed by all of the things that he does. He's changing and learning new things. His vocabulary astounds me. He knows so many words. I'll try to write a current list, but I know that I'll miss many.

mama
daddy
doggy
duck
truck - "tuk"
more
milk
water - "awa"
I'm stuck - "I tuk"
cow
cot
diaper - "dapper"
Presley (his cousin) - "pessy"
Parker (his cousin)
feet
sock
shoe
thank you
baby Jesus - "batey Juwus"
Santa - "Sinta"
tree
baby - "batey"
snack - "nak"
night night
snow - "know"
outside - "utsigh"
upstairs - "ustairs"
downstairs - "destairs"
bye bye
book
hot
banana - "nana"
apple
Nathanial - "naniel"
Maddie - "mahee"
pizza
hat
music - "muni"
Crystal - "Kisstal"
grandma - "gammah"
papa
hello - "ehoh"
hi
potty
pee-eww (holds his nose while saying) - "peetu"
no
yes
push
cereal

Well, I know there's more, but that's all I can think of off of the top of my head.

Also, he's recently figured out how to get himself out of "trouble." When he's doing something that I don't like, usually "redecorating" the X-mas tree or standing on the coffee table, I usually get agitated after moving/ redirecting him for the fifth time in a row. He can see that a mile away. So what does he do then? He hugs me and gives me kisses. And he's got these beautiful angelic blue eyes. Good grief...I'm in trouble!

Crafting

Well, I have crafted my heart out and am now ready for bed. I wish I had some film...I would've taken pics of the things I created for my dc families. Earlier in the month I had the parents bring their childrens' Christmasy outfits. I changed them all into their outfits and took pics of them in front of my tree in a red radio flyer wagon. They turned out really great. The individual ones I scrapbooked on Christmasy paper with Christmasy accents and put in picture frames. The one that had all three of the kiddos together is on a handmade ornament that we made out of appetizer sized paper plates. It felt so good to create.

I absolutely love to scrapbook and never really get to do it. I want to make more time to scrapbook in the coming year. I'd really love to get going on Boo's book. Also, I found a cool idea in Creating Keepsakes magazine that I want to try. There's a project kit coming out in January that is entitled "Project 365". Basically, you take a picture for every day of the year and scrapbook it. The kit comes with pockets so that each two pages in your scrapbook is a week spread. It's not something where I'll be getting overly creative with layout as the pockets are there waiting to be filled, but I thought it would be great to work on my photography skills through the year and hopefully see some sort of progression by year's end. Also, it's a neat way to capture a year of life in detail. The creator of the kit has a little blurb about it on her blog.

Becky Higgins blog

Anyhoo, I'm excited to be done with the daycare kiddos gifts. I wanted to give the families cookies, but I don't see that happening. That means I would have to get them done tomorrow during the daycare day and I just don't see that happening. Oh well. I'll save the cookies for our family get together. I have to figure out what else I'm going to make though. Hmmm....oh well. I've got another day to think about that.

Weird Day Is Now a Weird Week

Okay, I'm officially having a weird week. I don't know what the deal is. Perhaps it's the weather and being cooped up inside. Perhaps it's the fact that I didn't get to go see friends in the burbs. Perhaps it's that I feel trapped in a life going nowhere. I don't know. All I do know is that I feel like complete crap. My mood is horribly depressive right now, especially for someone who usually really loves the Christmas season. I find that I feel a bit hopeless about everything right now, which is not my usual mode of feeling. And the fact that I feel hopeless causes me to feel guilty and ungrateful because I know that there are so many people in need not just of Christmas presents, but of basics like food and clean water. So knowing that makes me feel crappy for not feeling happy. Anyhoo, I think I'll stop writing before I bring others down with me.

Support Home Birth Midwives!

I'm just going to put a link to this post because it gives all of the necessary information.

Illinois Families for Midwifery Rally

I would LOVE to attend this. Does anyone want to commute with me?

Weird Day and Some Random Stuff

I've had a very weird day today and I can't quite put my finger on why. My emotions have been somewhat down all day. I think part of it is that there's so many things up in the air right now. I'm trying to get my daycare licensed. T is extending his army reserve contract. We're trying to figure out how to afford to live while he goes to school. I'm trying to figure out the rest of our Christmas shopping. I'm bummed because we were supposed to go to the burbs this weekend and go to a Christmas party and see friends. It's the one party I can count on every year to be there. It's sad and somewhat pathetic, but I've actually been looking forward to it all year. So it's a major letdown to not attend. I'm wondering how we'll ever get out of the rut of "going nowhere" that we're in.

On a positive note I got some knitting done today. I'm hoping to finish Boo's hat soon. Then I'll start on the two sets that I'm knitting for a friend's children.

Boo's language is just exploding. He says so many words that I can't keep up. I'm working on "Merry Christmas" with him. We have a couple of Christmas books and one tells the Christmas story. So I'm working on "baby Jesus" with him. I want so much for him to grasp the fact that Christmas is about Jesus' birth as opposed to rampant consumerism. It's hard to know how to get that point across when our culture is consumed with Christmas spending. It's easy to get caught up in it. Of course we plan to do Santa and all that with him too, but I want to somehow focus in on Jesus' birth as that's the part that's important to us as a family.

I Want a Vacation

I want a vacation. I want to go somewhere far away where it's warm and there's ocean. I want to watch Boo play in the waves. And I want to work on my tan - this means going from ultra pale to really pale - it's slightly darker. I want to go somewhere where the economy doesn't suck and my college degree is actually useful. I want to feel the sun in my face instead of freezing wind and I want to be surrounded by natural beauty instead of cornfields.

Honestly, I feel like T and I have lived in one place for too long. We're used to moving around more. It's a bit unnerving. Granted, we don't plan to stay where we're at. We long to go out west someday. I really like the idea of somewhere in Oregon personally. But we'll see. We are just trying to stick with our decision that we made - that T would be all done with nursing school before we move. Perhaps I'd feel better about that decision if we weren't still trying to figure out the financial logistics of him going to school. Ugh - it's been so frustrating and I'm so impatient - just wanting this to be done already.

I guess I'm looking for more than a vacation. I feel like we're getting stuck where we're at and it's not a good feeling. Hopefully we'll figure out how to get unstuck soon so we can get this show on the road.

A Post for Women!!

If you're a man this will probably be TMI, so consider yourself warned!

Last year I read the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. It was an amazing read. It's crazy how many things about my body that I did not know! They don't get this detailed in sex ed. in school. This book talks a lot about the Fertility Awareness Method of birth control/conception, depending on the results you're wanting. Anyways, I couldn't really put it to use much as I didn't really have AF until very recently. The author includes a free software trial with the book. I downloaded the software and it really does make life easy, but the trial is only for 15 days and the software is $40 to purchase. Soooo I started asking around and looking around online and lo and behold I found what I needed for free.

Fertility Friend Website

The focus of this site is on conception as opposed to pregnancy prevention. I'm currently preventing, but it's still easy to apply the site for myself. Anyways, I just thought that anyone who uses the Fertility Awareness Method should be aware of this site. It's very easy to use. I'm sure tracking it by hand is easy once you get the hang of it, but I just didn't want to have to do that. And now I don't have to. I find it very easy to use. They also have tutorials on the site for those who want to learn about FAM. I haven't done the tutorials yet as the book I read was a very great introduction. But for someone not familiar with FAM and not wanting to buy Toni's book, I'm sure that this would be a great opportunity to learn for free. I do like the book because there's pictures that help to cement the learning. I don't know if the tutorial does this or not. I haven't bothered to look. At some point I may get around to skimming the tutorials at least. Anyways, enjoy!

Digging Deep

I need to dig deep for patience today. It seemed like every time I turned around my dc kiddo was either eating a bulb off the X-mas tree or some other such "no no". He definitely knows the rules...I think he's looking for some extra attention today. Soooo, I'm going to try to do something he enjoys, like playdough, after they get up from nap.

I also need to dig deep for some motivation as I'd much rather dork away on the computer for awhile then go back downstairs and finish the dishes, fold some laundry, put laundry away, and work on organizing the bedrooms. I just want our house to be clean and organized already. I'd love to just wiggle my nose and have it be done. Wouldn't that be wonderful???

New Blog

I have a new blog. It's about my weight loss journey that I'm embarking on. Here's the link:

Sexy By 30

"No"

Boo said the "N" word for the first time yesterday. I was corraling the kiddos into the kitchen for afternoon snack like I always do. And I told him, "Come on Boo. Come wash your hands." He looked at me and said "no" clear as a bell. Of course he then came to wash his hands. So the meaning is not there yet. But the word is!

PLEASE READ THIS BOOK

I finally finished reading "Biblical Parenting" by Crystal Lutton. I know I've already mentioned it here, but it's worth another mention. It's probably one of my favorite parenting books so far. And I've read a ton!!!

What I love about this book is that it's practical. I've noticed that some books/resources/etc...that discuss the disadvantages of punitive parenting methods tend to stop there. They don't provide parents with gentle alternatives. So I think that contributes sometimes to the mistaken belief that gentle parenting is permissive parenting. NOT THE SAME THING!!!

There is discussion about tools that a parent can use for discipline as well as what discipline truly means for children of different ages. I think she does a fantastic job of breaking it down.

Honestly, if I could get on my knees and beg people to read this book I would. I just think she does a great job of explaining the needs of children. It's not all-inclusive and I don't think that it's meant to be. I think it's meant to be a starting point, with parents continuing to look for tools that will help them to guide their children.

I have a copy and will gladly lend it out to anyone who wants to read it!

DISCLAIMER

This book is probably not for you if you're not interested in christianity or religion. While she does have a lot of practical things that would apply to parents of all beliefs, discussion of God and the Bible is woven throughout the text (hence the name Biblical Parenting). I'm guessing that may not appeal to someone who's not interested in the christian religion.

The Fire Marshall Is Coming

AHHHHH!!!! The fire marshall is coming here next week in order to assess the house for daycare. There is sooo much to be done. Much of the house is a mess - think clutter. I know from working in facilities that clutter is bad and too much of it is considered a fire hazard. Crap - we have a lot to do before next week and I'm not sure when we're going to get it done. I am sooo sooo sooo sick of this licensing process. I want it to be done already.

Oscar's Rejection

Well, I got a call from the owner of the local pet shop, where Oscar has been trying to build a relationship with a female bunny. Apparently he's been rejected. He must not be her type. Poor little thing - he's been rejected. Well, now the plan is for him to have another go at this bonding thing with a female bunny from Guardian - the local shelter for bunnies. So he's going to go to a foster home that has a couple of options for females and work on bonding with a different bunny. This way we'll still be able to make the swap with Gizmo. So hopefully this will pan out. We miss Oscar and want him to come home. And honestly we can't wait to get Gizmo out the door. I know that sounds harsh, but we're tired of being in limbo and ready to move on. I'm looking forward to getting the bunny space set up and having them be part of the family. I know the dc kiddos will love the bunnies also.

Poor Oscar. I hope he recovers from his rejection and finds the love of his life at this next stop.

A Gentle Discipline Reminder and a Book Recommendation

I find as I watch three toddlers (one my own) day in and day out that I need more reminders to be gentle. I picked up one of my books that I've been reading, "Biblical Parenting" by Pastor Crystal Lutton. It was exactly the reminder that I needed. I was suprised at how practical some of the information in the book is. I was expecting more of a theological type discussion - which there is much of. But she gives some practical steps of positive discipline. I'm not done reading yet, so I don't claim to know all of her methods yet. But she talked about telling toddlers to "listen to my words" when giving them an instruction. And then asking them if they're able to "listen to my words" and then helping them "listen to my words" when they're not. Actually, this method is not new to me and in fact it's one that I like and try to use a lot. However, reading this came at the right time because I needed a reminder. It's definitely not a lazy person's method of discipline. One can holler "no blah blah blah" or "stop blah blah blah" from across the room. But to physically go over and help a child listen, well, it requires lots of getting up and down. I really liked one point she made about helping. It's not meant to be a punishment to help. Children at the age of toddlerhood are not developed in their ability to stop doing something they're enjoying in order to do something that they don't want to do or isn't as fun. So, when an adult helps, they're doing just that. Teaching a child how to stop fun behavior and do what needs to be done. It's nothing to get upset over. Now the toddler may whine and cry, throw themself on the ground, or whatever. But it's because of their immature development and lack of ability to transition from a fun activity in order to do something that needs to be done. So as a parent, my role is to help my child accomplish this without shaming him or making him feel bad about something that he is not developmentally able to do. I'm probably not explaining this nearly as well as the author did, but I think this book is worth a read. I would especially recommend this book to anyone who's interested in the idea of christian or biblical parenting. The author goes a lot into passages in the bible that are often used to support spanking. I think she does a great job of putting the passages in their context and explaining true meaning.

Allergic Reaction

Well, we started off the day at Prompt Care because Boo had a rash when he woke up. He was pretty cranky all evening yesterday. That's so not like him. He's such a happy guy most of the time. He's been on an antibiotic since Wednesday for his ear and sinus infection. Sooo...my guess was an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. Soooo...we went to prompt care since it's the weekend and his usual doctor is unavailable. The doctor there said it definitely looked like an allergic reaction and gave us a script for a different antibiotic. No more zithromax for us I guess!

My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

So yesterday was an interesting day. I wanted to pull my hair out by the end of the day! So here you go. Here's what my day was like!

Boo had been feverish on and off since Monday night. Tuesday night he was pretty cranky so I cancelled daycare for the next day. Good thing because that night his fever shot up to 104.1. So I got up at the crack of dawn to wait for the doctor's office to open and try to get him in that day. Finally I was able to get a hold of someone around 8:00 am and got him an appointment for 11:15 am. He continues to sleep on and off all morning. We get ready to go and I realize that the tires need air. Thank God I had a one dollar bill in my wallet (I never carry cash). So, no big deal. We stop by the gas station to air up the tires. The ones on the driver side were low. I checked the ones on the passenger side and they were fine.

So, anyways I get my coffee from Innkeeper's and we head to the doctor's office (which is in a different town about 15-20 minutes away). We get there with time to spare. The diagnosis - ear and sinus infection. Awww...poor Boo. He's a trooper though. So after the doctor's appointment we stop by Walgreens to get his medication. I drop off film and pay for same day processing. I figure we'll pick it up after going to HyVee. We head to HyVee because I wanted to get some bananas and soup and such as these are good for a sick little one. Soooo...this is where it gets interesting.

We pull into HyVee and someone comes up to my car before I even get out. I open my door and he asks me in an angry voice, "Do you know you have a flat rear tire?" I say, "No. I just aired up my tires this morning." Anyhoo, the guy stalks off quickly without another word as though I've done something to personally offend him. What the hell??? So, anyways, I walk around to the passenger side (remember, these tires were fine this morning). Flat, completely flat. Bummer. So now is when I start to panic inside my head a little bit. Who can I call? T is at work. My mom is at work. My dad is at work. Well, crap. So I figure, might as well go in and get what I came to get. I figured this would give me time to calm down and think. So, I get my stuff and get some cash back in quarters in case I end up needing to use the payphone (I don't have a cell phone).

So, I get out to the car and figure I'm just going to have to change this bad boy myself. Poor Boo's sitting in the shopping cart and it's a bit chilly (it could've been worse, but he is sick and all). But I didn't want to put him in the car in case I jacked it up wrong and it fell. Obviously I have tons of tire-changing experience. So anyways, I get the donut out, get the tool bag out, and get the jack out. I'm starting to think I can do this and then I realize I have absolutely no idea how the jack hooks onto the car. I'm standing in the HyVee parking lot staring at the jack as though it's the most foreign contraption I've ever seen (and sadly that's not far from the truth). By now I'm making a concerted effort to keep the panic off of my face. Tons of people walked past by the way. Just thought I'd point that out. Anyways, enter my good samaritan. I guy walked up and asked if I needed help. I must have looked incredibly pathetic as I said "yes." So he changed the tire and pointed me in the direction of the tire store located at the mall across the street. He informed me that the donut is low.

So...we're off to the tire shop. As I'm getting ready to cross the street towards the tire store a car pulls up next to me and honks. I roll down my window. "Your back tire is flat." I figure that the woman that pulled up misunderstood that I had a donut on the back. I hollered over to her car, "It's a donut. It's low I know." "I know it's a donut and it's pretty damn near flat" is her reply. "Oh, well I'm headed across the street to the tire store now." So then she says "ok" and drives off.

Sooo...at the tire shop. And yes, that donut was flat. I finally give poor Boo his medicine. He slept in his stroller while we waited. Of course the tire's hole was in a place that they can't fix. And of course they don't have any used tires in the size I need. So now I have a brand spankin' new tire on my car.

So I drive home and intentionally left my film that I paid same day processing for at Walgreens. Because now I can't afford to pick it up. So I'll be picking it up on a different day but still paying the higher same day charge. Ugh!!

Then I get home and see that we didn't have enough in the bank account to cover the tires (which is suprising, because I really thought we did). So, I start to panic yet again. And then, "aha", I remembered that I had a daycare reimbursement check from my working days that I had yet to cash. Granted I was saving it for Christmas shopping, but whatever. Anyways, I knew it was in the pocket of my black jeans that I wore the other day. I put it there instead of around the house because I was trying to keep it out of T's hands. Well, I searched and searched and black jeans are nowhere to be found. I got a sick feeling to my stomach as I know I heard the laundry running early that morning. So I headed to the basement and there was my black jeans in the dryer. And there was the check in its pocket. Totally not cashable. Bummer. There goes that plan. So I resign myself to the fact that we may overdraw our account. So all in all it was a pretty crappy day.

I think what made the day seem worse was the fact that I had a flat tire and those that felt the need to inform me about it also felt the need to be pissed off about it. I'm still scratching my head on that one.

So, since I try so hard to be positive. Here's my list of all the things in the silver lining yesterday:

Boo's illness was not serious. He'll recover from a sinus and ear infection just fine.
The tire did not go flat on the way to or from the doctors. This would have been bad. Think stuck on the side of the highway with no phone. A good samaritan changed the tire for us. My initial feeling about my bank account was correct. There was enough money. Our online banking showed the money taken out, but did not show the actual transaction until the next day. Huge sigh of relief. I now have a new check from daycare reimbursement account on its way.

I'm on a roll

Three posts in one morning. I'm on a roll! Here's an article that I found that I thought was pretty great. I think it's a great description of attachment parenting for those who may not realize that they're an "attachment parent."

Are You an Attachment Parent?

Story of a co-sleeping family

I'm not sure that I've posted on co-sleeping as of yet, and since it's a pretty big deal as far as attachment parenting goes, I thought I'd attempt a post on this topic.

We started out when Boo was a newborn co-sleeping. At that point he was in a co-sleeper that was attached to our full-size bed. Our co-sleeper looks similar to this:

Co-sleeper pic

When Boo was younger he was pretty content to be in his co-sleeper. I would curl up next to the co-sleeper and he would curl towards me. He liked to sleep curled right to the inner edge. I would take him out when he needed nursed during the night and swaddle him and lay him back down when we were done. I had to sit up to nurse him because we couldn't seem to figure out side nursing at all! As Boo grew he decided that the co-sleeper wasn't close enough. He'd start out the night in the cosleeper and was usually okay with that. However, once he was out for that first nighttime feeding he preferred to stay in bed with mommy. So I'd hold him while we slept.

As he grew he started to move more and sit up and crawl and all of those wonderful things. Then it was time to put the co-sleeper away. :( At that point in time Boo would usually fall asleep on my lap for the night while I was downstairs watching a movie or tv program with the hubby. So we'd take him to his crib in his room and let him start the night there while we got to have some time to ourselves. This didn't work every night, but some nights it did. Once he woke up and let us know that he was hungry, unhappy, etc... he would come into our bed for the remainder of the night. At some point after putting the co-sleeper away we learned how to side nurse. Yay - oh happy day. What a difference it made!

When Boo was 7 months old, I went to work full time during the day. That was a very hard time. I did not enjoy being away from Boo at all and the money that I was making (not much) was hardly worth it. I was so happy to have my nighttime to reconnect with him. There were fewer nights that he started out in the crib as a result. As a working mom co-sleeping really helped me to get plenty of sleep. Even though Boo was waking to nurse, I didn't feel tired from this. Boo's food supply was lying right next to him so neither one of us had to fully wake for him to nurse. Once he was done he'd turn over and drift right back to sleep and so would I.

I quit working full time when Boo was 13 months old. I decided I'd had enough and wanted to open a home daycare so that I could be home with Boo, but still bring home some necessary income. As Boo got older we continued with the starting the night in the crib thing, with him spending a good part of the night in our bed. Except for now. I decided to clean out our bedroom and my way of doing this was moving everything into Boo's bedroom so that it could get organized before coming into this room. Problem is I ran out of money for this project (see part where I quit working above) and I still need tons of containers, shelves, etc... to make this work. So now we can't really get to Boo's crib because his room is so full of unnecessary crap. So, for the time being, Boo gets the whole night in bed with us. I must admit that I look forward to having that little bit of time at the beginning of the night where I get to stretch out in bed. It does get pretty cramped in a full size bed with three people! BUT, I do feel like it has been the best choice for us and we're happy with it despite some of the challenges.

Here's some articles that I found online. At some point I'll try to move some of these to my permanent links on the right side of this blog.

Ten Reasons to Sleep Next to Your Child

Cosleeping

Mothering's List of Articles

Enjoy!

What I've Been Up To

Well, all of my productivity went out the window over the weekend as I started reading the Twilight series. Actually, my original intent was to read the first book in preparation for the movie that's coming out. Well, here I am all four books later and my house is starting to fall apart. So now it's time to play some catch up around here! Anyways, it really is a great set of books for anyone that's into fantasy fiction. I tend to be drawn to fantasy fiction. I suppose that I enjoy fantasy fiction so much because it allows me to live in a completely different world for a time. Everyone needs an escape from reality once in awhile!

I'm killing time right now while I'm waiting for the doctor's office to open today. Boo had a fever Monday night and much of the day yesterday. It was back up last night, and a bit higher than it was on Monday night. So I'm hoping if I call first thing when they open, she can squeeze him in quickly. I'm hoping he doesn't have another ear infection, but one of his ears has looked a bit drippy as of late. So that very well could be a problem.

Anyhoo, I better get up and ready while he's still sleeping.

Just Some Random Muttering

I've started a new dc kiddo. She only comes three days a week and she comes at seven. My current one doesn't get here until eight. So that means I have to drag my lazy butt out of bed an hour earlier. Bummer! But I am happy to have another female in the house. I'm at max capacity for under two - even after getting licensed. The rest of the kiddos will have to be two or older. Although, I have one now who turns two in February, so I'll have a toddler spot open up then.

There are so many things I need to get done for licensing. I look around and the house just seems such a wreck to me. There's still areas that need to be painted. I'm thinking about maybe this weekend doing some scraping and painting on the areas that absolutely have to be fixed for licensing. The thing that sucks is that our landlord doesn't know what color is on the wall and doesn't know where the paint is - I guess he used to have some. Soooo...that means I'm going to have to try to match it and just let the wall look splotchy until we can afford to pain the whole thing. But...whatever. I just want it done so that it doesn't hold me back from licensing.

We're set to redo our lease soon and the landlord has casually mentioned that buying the house on contract could be an option. So...I'm needing to research that as I know nothing about how that would work. We definitely won't get a house with our credit anytime soon, so this could be a feasible way for us to get around that. The thing is, we're not sure where we're headed and want to be careful about getting too tied down. So we're just not sure at this point. But it's nice to know the option is on the table right now.

Boo had a bottle today

I've been having an ongoing issue with breastfeeding for over a week and a half. I was bit while nursing Boo awhile back. Since that time nursing became more and more painful and finally nearly unbearable. I tried Lansinoh. At someone's suggestion I tried a nipple shield. That just encouraged him to chew because it must've felt like a teether to him! Soooo...with the wound continuing to not heal (every time it seemed on the path to healing it got reopened), I finally chose the method of last resort. No nursing on that side. It's terrible because Boo always wants both sides. So I really didn't want to go this route because I knew how incredibly sad he would be. So today's been a bit rough. He's been eating on one side only and I've been pumping and giving him what I pumped. Earlier today he took it in a sippy cup. However, after his nap (which is when he usually cuddles and nurses while dc kiddo sleeps) he pitched a fit when I put the milk in his sippy cup. Soooo...I had to get out the bottle and give the milk to him in the bottle and I held him just like we were nursing. It was kind of weird as I haven't given him a bottle since he was several days old. I had some issues getting started with breastfeeding back then. Anyways, so it felt odd giving him a bottle. But he was much happier with the bottle and all cuddled up to mom. So, whatever works, right? Anyways, I'm hoping this heals fast as this really is a pain and I know he's rather sad about one side being off limits!

AP Talk Going On

There's AP talk going on around here. The LLL leader and I have talked together, albeit briefly, a couple of times about getting an AP group together here in Galesburg. I was at her son's birthday party with Boo today and we talked about it briefly again. Soooo...we're going to try to get together sometime and actually get something going. The closest AP group that I know of is an hour from here and it's a part of Attachment Parenting International. I've never been able to make it to a meeting. It's just a long drive for a Saturday. So, needless to say, I would love to have something local to socialize with other AP parents and also provide Boo with some more playmates. I'll keep you posted!

France Bans TV Shows Aimed At Children Under Three

I just got my new edition of Mothering magazine (a great one by the way). Anyhoo, there's an article about how France has banned French channels from airing tv shows that have a target audience younger than three years of age.

I think it's great that the French government is acting on behalf of children. However, I wonder who should have the say in this? I have no definitive opinion on this. I'm just sounding off. Should the government be able to ban something that's not good for children or should networks be able to do what they want, with parents making the final decision?

At this point I lean more towards leaving the networks alone and letting parents make the call. But, I can definitely see the other side on this issue.

I think there is far too much tv watching going on in this age group. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children younger than two years should not watch television.

My Boo does have a few Baby Einstein videos, but honestly I could probably count on two hands the number of times that he's watched them. I'm not against it and at this point don't feel like there needs to be any kind of similar ban in this country. But I do think that children who don't have the option of staring at a screen will have to be more creative in creating their own fun. Also, there are studies that have linked television viewing in young children to ADHD and/or autism.

I admit sometimes I feel a little left out that other people's toddlers are going nutso over Elmo and my child has no clue who Elmo is. But it's always a passing feeling.

Anyways, something to think about at least. My personal challenge is to watch less tv myself. Granted, my daycare is a television-free environment. The tv absolutely does not come on while dc kids are here. But all too often it gets turned on when hubby gets home and is on the rest of the evening. There's been times where Boo has shut the tv off and brought a book over as if to say, "Please stop staring at that screen and pay attention to me." So, while he's really not allowed to watch tv, I think I'm going to try to watch less myself.

Precious Gem Halloween Party

The kiddos are down for nap. We've had a wonderful time today. I had planned a craft where the toddlers get to put their Halloween stickers on paper pumpkins. I decided at the last minute that wasn't enough - and I think I was right. I'm glad I added more to our day. We had such a fun time this morning. We colored with markers on paper bats, we put stickers on paper pumpkins, and we went "fishing" for pears (I was out of apples). We had a blast. We did everything between breakfast and snack so that we could still get out before lunch and enjoy the fantabulous weather that we're having here. The kiddos got stripped down to their diapers for "fishing". I put some water in a roasting pan and added pears and plastic fish. They used a net to catch the fish and enjoyed picking up the pears out of the water. It was a great time to be had by all! After snack we went out for our usual wagon ride/outdoor play. This afternoon we're doing cookies. I kept it simple and bought prepackaged sugar cookies that are the shape and color of jack o' lanterns. So that will be our afternoon snack. Happy Halloween all!

Nighttime diapering

It's been awhile since I've written about cloth diapering. We're still enjoying using cloth, but we've run into a problem. Boo's diaper reeks in the morning. I'm talking major ammonia smell. I've tried every combination known to man for nighttime - ok, maybe not, but I'm running out of money to try new things. I've tried stripping the diapers countless times. It doesn't seem to help. I don't have time to give him a bath in the morning as he often doesn't wake until after the dc kiddo is here. And I prefer not to just throw some lotion on him to cover the stench. I mean, come on, that's got "bad mommy" written all over it. Soooo...in the interest of not having the "stinky kid" I've decided to do disposables for nighttime diapering. I must say that T is absolutely elated. While he's been cooperative with cloth diapering he'd much prefer to use disposables. So he's thrilled. I will say that since we made the decision it's been nice to wake up to a non-stinky child. Although, I will say that disposables have a smell all their own that is not entirely pleasant. It's that overly powdery papery smell. I guess using cloth for so long I'm not really used to the smell of a disposable diaper. However, I'll take the powdery paper smell anyday over ammonia urine smell. I'm not saying I wouldn't try something else for nighttime. If anyone has any ideas I'd be open-minded. But for now I'm throwing in the towel. We still go through plenty of cloth during the day though!

I am thinking that he might be outgrowing some of his cloth. That makes me want to vomit...the thought of buying more cloth diapers. I keep trying to console myself with the fact that I won't be buying nearly so many cloth diapers with the next child. I think I'll feel more consoled when we actually have that child and don't have to buy diapers at all. Until then, it's financially painful to see so much money go to something that's on my child's butt!

Childcare Update

It's been a bit since I've written about the childcare business. Things are going pretty smoothly. My full-time dc kiddo is a great napper, so I love that! He's a few months older than Boo and so it's a lot of fun to see them together.

I'm interviewing a family this weekend for a spot, so we'll see how that goes. I'm so close to licensing that I can taste it, but I still have things to do. I feel a little overwhelmed. Plus, Christmas is around the corner and my mind is starting to turn to crafting and gifts. I think this will be a very busy season for me.

A Multi-party System

Why would I consider voting 3rd party? I've heard the argument that it's wasting a vote. I understand the sentiment behind this argument. There's a need by voters to feel as if their vote matters. And if one knows that a vote will not count, why cast it?

America has a multi-party system, not a two party system. Many people are fed up with the two party system. And many Americans would not only consider voting third party, but think that it would do the country some good if a third party president were elected. However, the majority of Americans believe that a third party cannot win. I got this information from the following poll. Pay attention to questions 33, 34, and 35:

Fox News Poll

So why don't people vote the way they believe? I think too many have bought into the line of thinking that says this vote would be wasted and they can't win anyways. However, if everyone who says they would consider a third party for president actually voted for a third party, wouldn't we see a change? The reality is that our system will continue to be a two-party system until we vote how we believe, instead of choosing the "lesser of two evils." We as Americans need to take responsibility for what the election process has become. This is, after all, our country. So until we do things differently there will be no change and things will continue the way they are.

I am now stepping down from my political soap box.

Added to the BLW Blog

I added to my BLW blog. It's been awhile, so I thought I'd post a little note here for anyone who may be following that one. The link is on the side of this page.

Stuck in the Middle

Have you ever been at that place where you start a new project with all the ambition in the world only to get stuck in the middle? That's how I feel about my attempt to organize our bedroom. It started off well enough. I cleared the space of most unnecessary crap. I even went through all of my clothes and gave some to Goodwill and threw some out. Everything got moved into Boo's bedroom until it has a home. Once an item has a home it's allowed back in the bedroom. The problem is that we're stuck at the providing homes part. I got some containers so that some of my clothes would fit (my closet is useless so I removed the rod and am trying to build up a plastic drawer/container collection. I've got a shelf that will fit some of the office items. But really I'm going to need another shelf. I still need quite a few containers, but our budget for this project is nada at the moment. So I guess we'll work on the few things that we have bought, but everything else will have to sit in Boo's room until funds become available. I have a vision of what I'd like this room to be, but it's so far from my vision right now. With being on the verge of licensing for daycare it's sucking any extra money away right now, so we're pretty darn broke. And I've figured out that I need to paint. I'm waiting on a bid from a painter, but I'm not sure that I can afford him. So I guess I'll see. So for now I'll remain a little stuck with everything!

Rainy Day and Bunny Love

Well, the word on Oscar is that he and Allie are starting to bond. They will go nose to nose now. How cute is that?! But they're still not ready to live together, so they need a bit more time. Oscar's still at the pet shop working on his relationship with Allie so that we can take it to the next level!

Todays' been a rainy day. That means no morning walk for us. Boo!!! And what a long morning it was without the walk. It makes me so thankful that I've made the walk a mandatory part of the program on days where the weather allows. I think we all feel better with the walk. The kiddos barely made it to lunch before they were starting to lose it. However, Boo decided he'd forego nap today. He finally went down 2 hours after our daycare kiddo. Ugh. So I might get a half an hour break if I'm lucky!

I'm looking forward to this Friday because I think I might finally have enough money to purchase a good table and chairs for the daycare. Woo hoo!

Building the Business

One thing about childcare is that it can be super expensive trying to get everything that is needed. I've been holding onto the business income so that I can save up for some things that are needed. But I'm so ready to cut myself that first paycheck. But I know that's the way it goes in small business. It's going to be awhile before I get to see the fruits of my labor. Talk about an exercise in patience!

I'm also looking at redoing our daycare space. Some areas are working for me and some are not. I'd like to make the space function a bit better. Since I have limited space to work with it's important that it's organized properly.

I Like My New Job

Well, so far I like my new job. Things are actually going pretty smoothly thus far. Although, it's really stupid to write that because I'm just jinxing myself here! I forgot what a joy it is to work with other people's children.

We go out for a walk every morning after breakfast and before morning snack and it's so refreshing. It's nice because it helps to clear my groggy morning head and I know the boys enjoy it. We also spend every afternoon after nap outside. For that time we head out to the sandbox and we play with outdoor toys - balls, trikes, wagon, etc... Of course Boo tires of that after awhile and then decides that he'd like to play with the neighbors' broken fence. *sigh*

It is demanding. I don't sit down all day, but I honestly feel better being on a schedule. I feel like I get so much more done, even non-daycare stuff. It feels good to be so productive. Now if I could just get back to my crafting. I miss my sewing and knitting and winter and Christmas are just around the corner, both reasons to sew and knit. I made Christmas presents last year and I'd like to again this year. I just don't know how I'll have the time!

Oh well. I just realized the time and I need to run!

What a Miserable Weekend!

I've been trying to keep my posts really positive, but what a miserable weekend! No sooner did my full-time kiddo leave on Friday than I started to feel a bit sick. Feeling a bit sick went quickly to fever and chills. That led to stomach ache and muscle aches and vomiting. Fun times. Poor Boo saw me throw up and it really upset him. What made it worse is I was trying to keep my distance so as not to get him sick. I still felt yucky all day Saturday. I didn't eat or drink much all day. Finally today I started eating more normally again. T got a bit of it late yesterday, but not to the extent that I did. So far so good with Boo. I'm hoping that the antibodies in my milk that he gets will keep him from getting sick. But he hasn't shown any signs yet. But I was sooo looking forward to having fun this weekend. We were supposed to go to a BBQ on Saturday that would've been so fun. Oh well. That's life sometimes. Also, I was supposed to get my hair done. I had to call and cancel. I know that my stylist is sooo booked this month too as she's covering some clients for another beautician who's on maternity leave. So I hope I can get in soon. My cute pixie cut isn't looking so cute or so pixieish lately. I'm hoping she can squeeze me in sometime this week.

Busy busy

Well, this week has been busy thus far, but fun. I make it a point to get the kids outside as much as possible. We go for a walk in the morning. And they play in the backyard in the afternoon. It's funny watching Boo adjust to all of this. I have to say that I'm pretty proud. He's taking all of this rather well so far. Although he doesn't nap as long as our daycare child, so he likes to wake up and pat him on the head saying, "nice". *sigh* So I have to keep him away while our daycare child sleeps another hour. So I've gotten about an hour completely to myself most days. Well, it's not really to myself, because I don't call cleaning the kitchen and doing other household chores an hour to myself. But its still nice and quiet!

T and I have been helping with Jr./Sr. High group at our church. That's on Wednesday nights. Last night we went out to the high school for a football game. We were quite a bit late due to T getting home from work late. Oh well, better late than never.

I called to check on Oscar and his possible girlfriend. Apparently she's being a butthead - the petshop owner's words, not mine! She wants more time to work with them. So she's got it. Oh, and I located Gizmo this morning. He's now back in his cage, rather unhappy about it I might add.

I've decided to join Weight Watchers this week. I've done it once before, but honestly, all I did was cheat the system. I'd starve myself all day and eat a candy bar every night. I lost weight - but somehow I don't think that's what the Weight Watchers creators had in mind! So, this time I'm going to try and actually do it right. I'm just so sick of carrying all this extra weight around. I've decided that I'm not going to take it into my 30s. I'm just not. I might even start a blog about my progress. But I'm not brave enough to post my weight or anything...just not going to do that.

Anyhoo, gotta run. I need to wake Boo up. Usually he's up by now. So I need to get him up and get him ready for his playmate who will be here within the next ten or fifteen minutes probably.

Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Bun Gone?

Oh where, oh where has my little bun gone?
Oh where, oh where can he be?
He got out of his cage in the basement,
Oh where, oh where can he be?


Gizmo, that is. Oscar is still with his girlfriend. The lady from Thorn's feel that the bonding may need a bit more time, but she's still hopeful. Apparently, Ally's being a bit difficult!

I haven't had time to look for Gizmo as I have a full-timer for daycare, so I can't really spend my time today searching the basement. Anyhoo, I'm really hoping he doesn't get hurt as our basement isn't bunny proofed. But I looked for him a bit while the kiddos were napping and he's nowhere to be found. But there are lots of hiding places in the basement.

Playdate for bunny

Well, we've been having an issue with the bunnies for awhile. We had to move them into the basement over the winter because the spot we had them in was too close to the back door and they were freezing. But we haven't been happy with them in the basement. They're too far away from everyone and not getting nearly the social interaction that they need. However, with starting the daycare I can't put them just anywhere in the house. They need to be somewhere where toddlers can't eat any poop that they might kick out of their cages. So, there is a spot that they could go in the kitchen. But there's only enough room for one cage. So, there's the dilemma. This wouldn't be a big problem if our bunnies would gladly be cagemates, but they hate each other. We've actually considered getting rid of Gizmo as he's never really bonded with anyone in the family, including our other bunny Oscar. We feel terrible about this, but haven't been sure what to do. Well, I spoke with the lady who owns the local pet shop. She's really nice. She suggested a possible. trade as she really can't take on an extra rabbit - she's having trouble finding homes for them. Soooo....Oscar went on a playdate today to see if he can possibly bond with their rabbit Allie. If so, we'll trade Allie for Gizmo. This may sound heartless, but I really feel that a trade would raise the quality of life for all of the rabbits involved. Allie attacked Oscar a couple of times during the playdate. The last time Oscar fought back. She's cute as can be and a mischievous little bun. Actually, she's a little big. She's bigger than Oscar. Anyways, the petshop owner decided she would take Oscar over the weekend and work on bonding them. She's going to keep Oscar until Tuesday. Despite their initial squabbles, the petshop owner feels that these two bunnies can be bonded. And we all think they'd make a cute little couple. So, Oscar's away at his "girlfriends" for the weekend. Naughty rabbit - don't have too much fun!!! Yes, they are fixed by the way! So I hope the bonding goes well. If it does we'll have a pair of rabbits that can live together and Gizmo will be able to find a home where maybe he can be a single rabbit in the home. Or perhaps there's a girl bunny out there for Gizmo.

The Final Frontier

Well, I'm working on the last bit of my house that's completely unorganized - the bedroom. Well, really the basement's not really organized either, but who cares about that? Anyways, I cleared all the junk out of the bedroom, took some measurements, and went and bought some appropriate containers. Then I ran out of money and still have tons of junk sitting in the middle of Boo's room that needs containers. Soooo...I guess it will sit there until I can afford to get some more storage units for them. There's probably a bit more I could do as far as going through all that junk - I just pulled it out, haven't gone through it yet. But I'm pooped. I worked for about 7 hours straight on this project. Yes, our bedroom is that bad! As I've worked to get the downstairs daycare ready, any junk/papers/etc...that still doesn't have homes was moved to the bedroom. I did splurge and get new bedsheets and a new duvet. And the room looks so much nicer with it. When I get more money I'll get some more storage containers, a shelf for the wall, and some sort of big plant to cover up a corner that is nothing but computer/printer/phone wires. I'd also like curtains and a curtain rod to go with it. I've decided on chocolate and different shades of blue as the color scheme. No other room in the house has a color scheme, but this will be the first. I've decided we'll need a haven from our daycare-ified home! So, that's what I'm gradually working towards. I'd love to paint, but the thought of all that work makes me want to vomit. So for now, organization and cleanliness will do. And perhaps a few pics on the wall.

Would you like to help end world hunger?

I'm participating in the CROP walk this Sunday. CROP stands for communities responding to overcome poverty. I'm raising donations for this cause. If you'd like to give, let me know. I am doing this last minute, I know. But even if I could raise $100 before Sunday, that would be something. So, if you'd like to help me out let me know. I'll need a check from you by Sunday. Or you can go online to donate with a credit card. Here's the link:

My Cropwalk page

Thank you for considering this opportunity!

Let's stop this government bailout!!!!

I'm not usually political in my posts, but I've been flaming mad about the current financial state of this country as well as the proposed "solution." I know that there are a lot of people that feel like me about this government bailout. It's absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible. The current administration is attempting to put an itty bitty bandaid on a gaping wound! I don't believe that this is going to trickle down to the little people (that's where I would be located). I think this will make things worse for everyone. Spending money that we don't have to bail out financial giants is irresponsible. As our government goes deeper in debt there will be less money available to help those who are truly in need. Funds for social programs will be end up being cut. Forget about the promises of either presidential hopeful - because the new administration will be financially crippled if this bailout goes through. Funding for education and medical care will suffer and so on. This proposed "solution" is a very bad idea. I've e-mailed my senators and plan to contact my representatives. Please do likewise!!! It took me a few minutes to google my senators' contact information and send them my opinion. Surely you can spare a few minutes. I know it's hard to feel that our words matter. I definitely feel that way a lot. But I know there's a lot of people out there like me who are the little ones on the bottom of the financial ladder in this country. We need to have our voices heard!!!

Mothering Your Nursing Toddler and Hair Pulling

I just finished reading the book "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler". I got it from the La Leche League here. They have a lending library. Isn't that nice? I like when I get to read books for free! Anyhoo, it was a great read. I found it to be just the sort of thing I've been looking to read as Boo and I move into a different stage here. Toddlerhood of course presents some challenges that infancy does not. Boo has a pretty spirited will, which I think is wonderful by the way. It will serve him well in life. So my goal is to guide him through childhood in a way that instills in him morality and all that good stuff without squelching the spirited personality inside. As he gets bigger I find myself having to remind myself to get off my butt and not just yell "no" or "not for Boo" from across the room. Especially challenging right now is his love of hair. Anyone that has really beautiful hair watch out. Boo wants to touch it and play with it. And he's not so gentle, even though he does try to be at times. So we're working on that. Anyways, this book, while about nursing, had enough reminders in it to give me hope that my child will not be pulling hair forever. In fact, this phase will pass all too quickly. So while it's a nuisance, I must remember to be gentle and respectful of him as I educate him in appropriate touch of someone's hair. This is easier some days than others, all depending on how much sleep I've gotten and my current mood, hunger level, etc.. Yelling, instilling fear, and shaming could perhaps squelch the behavior more quickly. But using a gentle approach that is respectful of him as a person will help him to change his behavior. I'd love for him to learn that it hurts others and not pull hair out of his affection for others. I don't want him to stop pulling hair for fear that mommy will be mad at him or he's afraid of being punished. My goal is to use discipline methods that focus on intrinsic reasons for changing behavior as opposed to extrinsic motivators.

I see that this post is turning into a mish mash of several ideas. Oh well, that's the way I write sometimes. Anyway, back to the whole nursing thing. I do love the book that I read and feel that it's got some great information for those who nurse longer. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone considering nursing past a year.

Tomorrow's the big day

Well, tomorrow is my first day that I have a kiddo. The downstairs is clean and somewhat organized. I definitely need to add some things to the collection. I'll be making a trip to the lending library this week to check out some toys and other supplies. I'm hoping to snag a double stroller provided they're not all checked out. I'm printing out some forms right now. Fun. Boo is asleep, thank goodness as I need to get stuff done. I took a day off yesterday. I've been reading, sleeping, breathing daycare stuff for the past couple of weeks pretty heavily, so I made it a point to not do anything daycare related yesterday. It was nice.

So that leaves me with some things to do tonight. Nothing major really. I need to get my sign in/out sheets ready, daily sheets, injury forms (just in case) and I want to get my kitchen tidied up a bit more. Also, all of my daycare files are hanging out in a file box instead of in the file cabinet, which is in our bedroom. The bedroom is an absolute mess right now so that will be my next organization project. I'm hoping to get it done before T gets home from Germany.

Quick Update

This will be quick as my child is attempting to crawl over my printer. We need a new bedroom office set up quick! I have two kiddos officially enrolled for daycare. Yippee!!! One starts part-time this coming week. The other starts full-time the week afterwards. So here we go!

Almost a Kitchen Fire

So tonight was a little more eventful than I would've liked. Boo was up running around. I was getting ready to settle in on the couch with a netflick and put Boo to sleep, but decided I needed some popcorn for the duration. So, I set about making my popcorn as usual. I use a stovetop popper with the handcrank and cook it with the oil - none of that overly dry airpopped crap for me. Anyways, for some reason my pot started smoking really badly. I'm not real sure why. It is an older pot, but it's what I've always used. Anyways, by the time I realized just how bad it was smoking (I'm stuffed up, so it took me awhile to smell it) I started hacking and my eyes and chest hurt. Poor little Boo was playing in the next room and he started hacking. So I turned off the burner and moved the pot, which had smoke pouring out of it by now. I grabbed some baking soda and threw it in the pot. The air was getting smoky. My fire alarm didn't go off. But it was hard to breathe in there. So I threw open a couple of windows and grabbed Boo and put him in the car. Once he was safely in the car I went back in for the pot and set it outside. Then away we went to let the house air out. My original plan was to get Dairy Queen and head back to the house, but I decided just to go to my parents' home for the night. I figured a fifteen minute trip to DQ and back probably wasn't going to air out the house enough. So hopefully it will be fine by morning. But I've had a pounding headache ever since we left. I'm glad I caught it though. It's odd. I've had other smoky kitchen incidents in the past, but this one really affected my lungs right away. I don't know if it had to do with the metal that it was burning through or what. But it hurt to breathe. Hence my decision to leave. I didn't want Boo's little lungs to be hurt. Anyhoo, crisis averted. Yay!

Just for the Record

I just want to state something for the record. I feel that recently I've been posting more blogs related to my way of parenting/living naturally/etc...So...I just want to comment on my reasons for posting more idealistic posts, for lack of a better word.

1. There are those out there who might be inspired and look into resources that they might not otherwise look into.

2. There are those out there who are definitely interested in these ideas and would like to know about additional resources.

3. This is a place for me to be accountable to live in a way that I have decided is right for me and my family.

I do not post on these topics to judge others who choose different paths. I have many friends, family members, etc... who have chosen different ways of doing things and I love them all. But I have decided as part of my personal growth process to stop avoiding topics whereby I know others have equally strong and opposite opinions. This is not respectful of myself.

So, I hope that those who read continue to do so with an open mind and know that I'm just trying to live life in the way that I believe is right, just as I'm sure that you're doing.

Much love,
Swimming-duck

Childcare Update

Well, I have sent an enrollment packet to someone who's interested in part-time care. So provided she continues to show interest I'll have my first little kiddie enrolled by the middle of next week. I have an appointment to take 1st aid and CPR. Fun...I've had this course like a zillion times. It's not rocket science, but I guess I can see the need for the refresher considering it's not used often. Actually, the only thing I've ever had to use is the back-pounding motion for choking with my own child. And I'm not sure he wouldn't have gagged it up on his own. But you know how we mothers feel the need to pound the second our child starts to look a little panicked. Better safe than sorry.

Boo's Missing Daddy and Childcare Stuff

It's a bit sad as I know that Boo can tell daddy is gone. I show him T's pic everyday and make sure that I talk about daddy coming back. I've talked to T a couple of times on the phone and I can tell that he misses Boo so badly. It breaks my heart to think how he must feel right now. I'd be devastated if I had to be away from Boo for so long. I don't think I could handle it. T will get to actually sees some parts of Germany this weekend, so I'm pretty excited for him.

Boo and I have kept busy this week though. I'm trying to get out and about while I still have my daytime freedom. Having a full-time childcare during the day is getting closer and closer. I put my licensing and license-exempt packets in the mail today. Woo hoo! The license-exempt will go through first. The licensing will take a bit longer. Filling out the license-exempt packet just allows me to be listed with the Childcare Resource and Referral service so that I can get free referrals from them for parents interested in childcare. Not a bad deal. I bought my fire extinguisher today so that was pretty exciting. Now I have to actually put it up!

I'm looking for an infant/child 1st aid and cpr class and I'm working on getting daycare insurance. Both the bunnies are getting checked out by the vet next week. Oh...so many fun things to do!

Anyways, I guess that's all the latest!

My Home is Clean and Somewhat Organized!

It's clean! I say somewhat organized because the bedroom is a disaster. It's where I've shoved all the leftovers that still don't have a home. But honestly, a lot of it is papers that need to be filed and the filing cabinet is in the bedroom. So there really aren't many items left that don't have homes. Just some that aren't in their homes yet. I'm hoping to do some decorating this week. I have an idea to copy some illustrations out of storybooks - think old Little Golden Book artwork - and put it in my reading corner that I created. I also have some shelves that I picked up for a few bucks while garage saleing. They're great. They look like airplanes, but they need a little help to be sturdy as they're worn in some places. So I may hit the hardware store. I need some additional cabinet locks anyways. So I guess that's where I must head at some point this week. But anyways, it feels soooo nice to have such a clean house. YAY!!!

Parenting with Love and Logic

We've been doing a study in my parenting class at church based on a program entitled "Love and Logic" parenting. I don't pretend to know all about it just yet as I've just got my feet wet so to speak. But I know that many people with children are looking for new resources as parenting is such a tough job. "Love and Logic" is based on teaching natural consequences to children and helping children to learn to solve their own problems. Here's a link to the site:

Love and Logic

Here's another link about parenting peacefully that lists some other resources as well as "Love and Logic."

Parenting Peacefully

Enjoy!

Cleansweep

Anyone ever see that show on TLC? That's what I've been trying to do in my house for the last four months or so. I've just now made real progress in the past couple of days. Woo woo for progress! I've been trying to get the house organized so that everything has a home. I feel that this is so crucial to my being able to run childcare out of the home. I have a couple of parents coming Monday night for parent interviews. So I now have a deadline. I think that I needed one to get my rear into high gear, know what I mean? I will say that my house has never looked nearly as bad as the ones on Clean Sweep though, just for the record!

Empathic Parenting

This is an exerpt from Jan Hunt's book "The Natural Child" regarding trusting children.

"* We understand that all children are doing the very best they can at every given moment.
* We trust that though children may be small in size, they deserve to have their needs taken seriously.
* We know that it is unrealistic to expect a child to behave perfectly at all times.
* We recognize that "bad behavior" is the child's attempt to communicate an important need in the best way she can.
* We learn to look beneath the child's outward behavior to understand what he is thinking and feeling.
* We see that in a very beautiful way, our child teaches us what love is."

And a quote from an author quoted in her book:

"Two questions help us see why we are unlikely to get what we want by using pumishment...The first question is: What do I want this person to do that's different from what he or she is currently doing? If we ask only this first question, punishment may seem effective because the threat or exercise of punitive force may well influence the person's behavior. However, with the second question, it becomes evident that punishment isn't likely to work: What do I want this person's reasons to be for doing what I'm asking?

We seldom address the latter question, but when we do, we soon realize that...punishment damages good will and self-esteem and shifts our attention from the intrinsic value of an action to external consequences. Blaming and punishing fail to contribute to the motivations we would like to inspire in others."

- Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg

Why I Shop Small Business

I know that some have wondered why I don't shop at Wal-Mart as a rule. I imagine that some even think that I'm doing so because I am "uppity" or "too good" or love to waste money. I'm sure the list of what others might think could go on and on. The reality is that saving a quick buck may not always be in the best interest of myself or my community. Every purchase that I make has long-term ramifications. That money goes somewhere.

I've radically changed the way that I shop for things in the last year or so. To give you an example, let me give you a run-down of my day:

I went out to buy groceries and cleaning supplies (I make all of my cleaners):

I started out at Target (yes, I realize this isn't small business) to get some new bedsheets (ours have holes and are worn beyond recognition) and paper towels and hopefully some spray bottles for my homemade cleaners. As far as I know, there's no small business in town that sells these items.

Next stop is Menards - Target didn't have the spray bottles. I get my spray bottles and move on.

I stop at Inner Wisdom. Now I'm enjoying myself. The shop owner's mother is there and she asks how my ankle is doing. She helped me pick out some natural remedies for my sprained ankle last week. I grab a couple of essential oils that I'm running low on - I use these in my cleaning recipes as well as for relaxation, massage, and aromatherapy.

Next stop is Innkeepers for a cup of coffee and sandwich as I know that I've been out for awhile and will get shaky if I don't eat soon. It's a local coffee shop that has really nice staff and an impressive array of food and goodies.

Now for Cornucopia and Uncle Billy's Bakery - the health food store. I pick up a few bulk spices for my menu for the week, some glycerin for cleaners I'm making, and some cheese and bread for a fancy version of grilled cheese I'm making later in the week. I chat with the new girl and discover that we graduated from high school in the same year.

And finally Hy-Vee - to round out my groceries. A few produce items that I know I won't be able to order from the Local Grower's Network (where I get my produce), a couple of pantry staples, and some baking soda and vinegar for my cleaners.

That's seven stops! Why all the trouble? I could've gotten everything but the sheets and essential oils at Hy-Vee. And believe me when I say that there's times I'm tempted as going to seven places is not quick!

However, there's a sense of community when buying from small business. As I've purchased from local vendors I've had a chance to chat with and get to know some of the small business owners in town. They're great people. I don't know that I've ever gotten to know a Target cashier the way that I've gotten to know some of these people. Also, the dollars that I spend at these local businesses help to keep those businesses here and keep dollars in the pocket of these hardworking people, rather than going into the corporate pot. Granted, I realize that Target and HyVee are corporations. Why Target over Wal-Mart? Wal-Mart is known for its socially irresponsible behavior. Granted, I'm sure that Target has done irresponsible things also. But I guess Wal-Mart is just known for being irresponsible and taking advantage of others. At some point though I have to buy the things that I need somewhere if I can't buy it from a small business.

I've always been interested in sociology. I think there's much to be learned from studying society. One thing that has been a disturbing trend in America is the loss of the sense of community. I strongly believe that the mindset of "saving a buck" at the expense of all else has contributed to this. That is what I meant by the money I spend having long term ramifications. We must stop thinking beyond our immediate pocketbooks and start looking at the long-term effects of our buying habits.

Homebirth

An article on homebirth:

LA Times Article

Most people don't know this, as I haven't said much. My birth experience was way more medical than I wanted. I was induced, which I did NOT want. I pushed for 2 1/2 hours because the first 2 hours I couldn't feel half of my lower body due to the epidural I had. It wasn't until the epidural started to wear off that I made progress with getting my child out. I was stuck on my back in a bed...which is exactly the WRONG position for giving birth. The thing is, I knew this going into my son's birth. I'm still scratching my head as to why I allowed the "authorities" to take over my son's birth when I knew that I didn't want to be induced, I didn't want to be hooked up to a monitor the entire time, I didn't want to be flat on my back in a bed, and I didn't want to be overmedicated. My child slept for days on end and had a really rough time getting going with breastfeeding. I believe all of the medication really influenced this. Of course I can never know for sure, but that is what I believe. It also didn't help that the nurses in the hospital gave my little one formula without my prior consent or knowledge.

I loved watching Rikki Lake's documentary, "The Business of Being Born" and felt very empowered that I could actually have a homebirth someday. Something that I initially thought was only for those "really out there" people seems so logical and well thought out to me now. I guess I'll just add this to one of the many ways in which I've changed over the last few years!

Dr. Seuss for Nursing Mommies

Dr Seuss for Nursing Mommies Would you nurse her at the park? Would you nurse him in the dark? Would you nurse him with a boppy? And when your boobs are feeling floppy? I would nurse her in the park. I would nurse him in the dark. I'd nurse with or without a boppy. Floppy boobs will never stop me. Can you nurse with your seat belt on? Can you nurse from dusk til dawn? Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull, I will nurse her til she's full. Can you nurse and make some soup? Can you nurse and feed the group? It makes her healthy strong and smart, Mommy's milk is the best start! Would you nurse him at the game? Would you nurse her in the rain? In front of those who dare complain? I would nurse him at the game. I would nurse her in the rain. As for those who protest lactation, I have a perfect explanation. Mommy milk is tailor made It's perfect food, you need no aid. Some may scoff and some may wriggle, Avert their eyes or even giggle. To those who can be cruel and rude, Remind them breast's the perfect food. I would never scoff or giggle, Roll my eyes or even wiggle! I would never be so crass or crude, I KNOW that this milk's the perfect food! We make the right amount we need, The perfect temp for every feed. There's no compare to milk from breast- The perfect food, above the rest. Those nursing smiles are oh so sweet, Mommy milk is such a treat. Human milk just can't be beat. I will nurse, in any case, On the street or in your face. I will not let my baby cry, I'll meet her needs, I'll always try. It's not about what's good for you, It's best for babies, through and through. I will nurse her in my home, I will nurse her when I roam. Leave me be lads, leave me be ma'am I will nurse her, MOM I am. I'm not sure who wrote this. I got it from one of my yahoo groups that I belong to. Enjoy!

Wined and Dined

Well, if you're a drinker of wine in the Galesburg area and have not paid a visit to Vintages, you're missing out! Last night I attended a girls' night out event. I'd been wanting to go for some time, but seeing as I don't have any girlfriends in the area that enjoy wine-tasting, I've never felt like I could go. Well Julie, the owner, encouraged me to come on my own. T was home in time to watch Boo so away I went. And I'm so glad I did!

The night started with a glass of wine from the selection set out by the owner. Then we headed next door to the wonderful shop "Toys & Teachers." It's a lovely shop owned by a very personable and friendly woman. I must admit that I take Boo in there quite often to drool over the things I'd like for him to have. In the end I selected a couple of books as well as a gift for an upcoming birthday party. Here's a link to the shop.

Toys & Teachers

Then we went back to Vintages and drank more wine (of course) and filled our plates with tantalizing food choices. A pastry that combined pear with applejack cheese was probably one of my favorites. There was also some bruschetta that was fresh and wonderful. Many of the ingredients came from Julie's farm (yes, she's very busy) and Julie prepared the food herself! There were pears poached in red wine that were absolutely delicious. I know that I'm forgetting some wonderful menu items, but my memory fails me.

Towards the end of the night we got to taste this lovely concoction (the name escapes me). It was a mix of Champagne and french vodka. It came in a beautiful bottle that resembled a perfume bottle. Julie will be stocking this in her store and I plan to purchase a bottle to take to our friends' Christmas party this year.

One thing I love about Vintages is that Julie is always friendly and helpful. I certainly don't think I'll get the level of service that she provides asking for help at the Hy-Vee liquor store or some other such place. When she has helped me pick out a wine to take somewhere, friends have never been disappointed and neither have I!

Here's a link to this wonderful store and if you haven't made it in, well, you simply must not put it off!

Vintages

Gentle Parenting and NO SPANKING!

I added a link for those interested in christian parenting that uses a gentle, grace-based approach.

Gentle Christian Mother Website

I haven't read through the entire website, but there's some great information about grace-based parenting and methods of discipline.

Here's an article about interpreting the whole "spare the rod, spoil the child" verse that many use as a justification for spanking.

Rod v. Shebet Article

I think most people who know me know that I don't believe in spanking. I've at least hinted to it. I'm probably not as forthright with it as I should be because I'm so afraid of "stepping on toes" and the like. But, the reality is that I don't believe in it. I think there are far better ways of guiding children. My point in stating this is not to isolate any friend who chooses to use this as a discipline method. But I quietly listen to everyone who says they spank and why and I feel that I have a right to speak my mind also. So there, I said it. I DON'T BELIEVE IN SPANKING. Ah - I feel much better.

Editing to add another

The Spanking Files

Attachment Parenting - The ABC's

Well, I've mentioned attachment parenting (AP) quite a few times and you may have noticed that I've got a few links to sites here on my blog. But in updating my profile I've realized that I've never really discussed attachment parenting in much depth. So, I've decided to write a little ditty today about what attachment parenting looks like in my family. I've decided to do an ABC format as I thought this would make for a fun writing exercise. So since my ankle is sprained and my parents took Boo for me, what better way to spend my time?

Disclaimers

This is going to have more of a personal focus, so I won't be quoting research and such. That's easily accessed by a google search.I'm also not going to waste my writing defending my choices. Maybe in another post. So, this post will probably be best received by those who practice AP or are really interested in the ideas of AP, not those who would like to debate. If you know you're not AP and not interested in AP, this post might just piss you off. That's not the intent of course. But I've noticed that sometimes we as moms get defensive and pissy when our ways are different from someone else's. So, this post isn't meant to be an attack on those who choose a different way. But as I've already said, this will be well-received by those who practice AP or are really interested in learning more about AP. I am also not trying to imply that everything I've listed is part of core AP theory/philosophy. This is what it looks like in our home.

A - Attachment - my days are spent letting Boo know that his relationship with mama is secure. One example is that I'm his attachment object. A lot of times this might be a blanket, a pacifier, a stuffed animal, etc...Right now, it's mama. Boo has no special relationship with any other object. He goes to mama for comfort. And I'm more than happy to provide this.

B - Breastfeeding - I continue to nurse as this promotes a close relationship. There is something about holding Boo physically close in this way that is very bonding.

C - Cosleeping - Sleeping at night is very cramped and squished as we all pile into a full-size bed...and I wouldn't have it any other way. I get to turn over and see a sweet little Boo all cuddled up next to mama and sometimes cuddled next to dadda.

D - Demanding - Boo is allowed to demand my attention. When he wants to be held in the middle of my fixing supper, cleaning, etc...I put him in a wrap on my back and we're good to go.

E - Effort - I have to choose every day to put forth the effort in maintaining AP principles. Sometimes it's easier to use a harsh "No" than redirect my child. I can do that while sitting on the couch. Redirection usually involves my getting up. Bummer. But,it is worth the effort.There's no doubt in my mind.

F - Feeding on demand - Boo knows the sign for milk and lets me know when he's hungry or thirsty. He's very adamant about it and makes sure that mama notices his sign!

G - Gentle - Discipline is gentle. Boo has recently discovered the sadness of leaving the swing behind at the park. Redirection/songs/tickling are all gentle methods that work. Last time we were at the park, the grass was a great distraction. He thought pulling it out was sooo fun!

H - Happy - Boo is a very happy child and I think part of that is definitely his nature, but I think having his needs met and feeling secure also have something to do with that.

I - Immunity - Boo is allowed to build up his own immunity, rather than being subject to the onslaught of childhood vaccinations.

J - Juice - I'm pretty anti-juice. Boo gets water besides breastmilk. He occasionally gets whole milk if I'm not around for some reason (date night, mom's night out, etc...). I look for natural ways to feed my child and that means trying to keep processed sugar out of his diet as much as possible.

K - Kindness -Boo is very kind. He gave me a hug yesterday when I was crying. In the same way I try to be empathic to his feelings by acknowledging his feelings and that they're valid. Ex - "You're so sad (mad,happy,frustrated,etc...)."

L - Listening - I try very hard to respond to Boo as quickly as possible. And when I can't get to him right away I often say, "Yes mommy hears you" or "Mommy's coming" so that he at least knows I'm listening to him.

M - Maternal Instincts - Do I believe everyone has them? No. I think sometimes people who grow up in extreme dysfunction do not. However, I think most moms do. And these instincts involve listening to the heart instead of to the "experts." My maternal instinct tells me to get Boo when he cries for me. Boo has never had to "cry it out."

N - Nice - Boo is very nice and likes to pet my head and say "nice". This is how he's been redirected from pulling hair. He still lapses into pulling hair sometimes, but is getting much better at being "nice".

O - Open-mind - Since I'm choosing to raise Boo in a way that is different from how I was raised, it's important to keep an open mind as I explore alternatives.

P - Parenting to sleep - Boo is allowed to cuddle and nurse to sleep (gasp). Some nights we're in bed when this happens. On weekends it's not too uncommon for T and I to be watching a movie together with Boo nursing to sleep on my lap.

Q - Quack - Boo's favorite animal says quack. Getting to know Boo's likes/dislikes and favorites is so much fun.

R - Reading and Research - I'm constantly reading and researching parenting topics. As AP is different from how I was raised and different from how most do things, I'm constantly trying to learn and this does take a fair bit of effort on my part.

R - Respect - I felt there had to be a second "R" for this. At the heart of AP is respect for the child. One way this is done in our home is the way that Boo is fed. He gets a little bit of everything we're eating (and he has since he was six months old) and gets to try what he wants and leave what he doesn't. I don't try to shovel in something he doesn't like. I respect his choice to eat what he likes. I continue to expose him to a variety of healthy choices. Baby-led weaning has helped with this.

S - Silly Comments - This may not be a positive aspect, but I feel that it's a reality. I feel that I must bite my tongue often. I'm subject to comments about "he's getting too big" for the wrap and "it's probably about time to move him to the crib" and other such silly comments.

T - Touch - Boo is very affectionate and likes to be cuddled and held. I hold him when he wants to be held and put him down when he's all done being held.

U - Understanding - Boo is communicating all the time. Even tears of rage communicate something. I tell Boo "You're mad about (fill in the blank)." when he's mad so that at least he knows his feelings are understood.

V - Villify - Often I feel villified due to some of my choices. I'm "endangering" my child by letting him sleep with me. He's not going to learn to comfort himself because I don't let him cry it out. He's never going to be independent because I coddle him...and the list could go on and on. If anything, AP has helped me to have a thicker skin when it comes to insensitive comments of others.

W - Wrap - I have a woven wrap that I made for $16.50 by buying some clearance fabric at the craft shop. I love babywearing and I love my wrap. Boo has been in it while I've been cooking, mowing the lawn, walking downtown, you name it. He likes to sleep there too!

X - Xtra - Yes, I know I spelled it wrong, but come on, it's "X" for crying out loud! I feel like I must go the extra mile in being present with my child, actively engaging all the time. I'm not saying I succeed at this all the time, but it is the goal.

Y - Yahoo - This helps me keep my sanity. Likeminded yahoo groups.

Z - Zebra - We saw a zebra while we were at the zoo. Enjoying fun activities together helps to promote those feelings of love and attachment.


Whew - "Q" was pretty tough! Anyways, I think I did sneak in a few defensive remarks. Oops! I tried to keep them at a minimum though. I enjoyed creating this list of ABC's. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Our Accident

We had an accident!

I went out walking and was sooo proud of myself for this by the way. I had decided that Boo wasn't getting enough time outdoors and that I needed to get up earlier and get him out of the house in the mornings after breakfast while it's nice and cool out. So today I was up early as I promised myself I would do. We got breakfast done. I put him in my homemade woven wrap (which I'm also very proud of) and headed out the door.

We walked. I pointed out trees and leaves and grass and let him run at a park. I felt very in touch with nature. Then I had to pee. I stopped by a friend's house that was close by. She wasn't home. No biggy. The church I used to attend is up ahead so I'll go there. I walk faster.

And then the unthinkable happened. I fell. My ankle rolled. I didn't trip. I just crumpled and Boo went with me. His head hit the concrete pavement. He was bleeding. My ankle was hurt. I laid there for a minute and then got up and limped to my friend's parents' house up ahead. It was about a block and a half. Boo was screaming and I was limping and it was all so traumatic. We got there and got cleaned up. I'm so thankful my friends parents were home. Boo is fine. A little banged up but fine. I have a sprained ankle, but I'll improve.

Anyways, I feel as though the babywearing was unfairly blamed for the fall. There were a few well-meaning comments that made me feel this way. Of course I didn't debate it. They helped me and I really appreciate it. I was kind of an emotional wreck showing up at their door with blood on my face.

Accidents happen, whether child is in a stroller or being worn, accidents happen. In fact, had I taken a stroller I think the accident would've been worse. Because Boo and I were about 40 minutes into the walk. He would've by then been "all done" with the stroller and I would've been pushing the stroller and carrying him when I fell, which means that he probably would've went flying and hit the ground. With my wearing him I actually took the brunt of the fall. But the momentum caused my body to roll to the side and that's when his head hit the ground.

It was a traumatic day and I'm glad it's over. But I did ask God to give me more patience at the beginning of yesterday. So now he's given me an opportunity to work on it. I need to be really careful what I pray for...LOL!

Extended Nursing Zone

So it's just now occurred to me that I've entered the "extended nursing zone". This is somewhere that I never thought I'd end up. In fact, while pregnant, my goal was nine months to a year. And here I am at 13 months and we're going strong. I've looked at a lot of information regarding breastfeeding and feel that a review of available information supports breastfeeding beyond one. In fact we're one of the few countries that ends so quickly. Other parts of the world breastfeed much longer and view that as NORMAL. We Americans are the exception. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until the age of two, so that is my new goal. Breastmilk continues to provide nourishment to my child's growing body and it is also an important part of my relationship with my son at this present time. I plan to revisit this subject when I have more time and when I don't need to get to bed. But this is a little preview of more to come.

Pondering Early Morning

"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

- Benjamin Franklin

Well, I'm not sure if there's any truth to this phrase or not, but it's been in my head all day. As I seek to make positive changes in my life I notice that I've fallen into a bit of a rut. Staying up late, to be specific. I stay up and then I sleep in late and next thing I know we're eating breakfast at 10:00am. Hmmm...a little late. Then lunch at 2:00, and well, it throws off the whole day. And I don't feel nearly as productive as when I get up early. It seems that I'm twice as productive before noon as after. I wonder if this is true for a lot of people or just me? One could argue that staying up late could be just as productive if one wants to be. This is true. But how often when I'm up late is it because I'm doing something productive? Usually by that point I'm vegging in front of the t.v. or dorking around online. Whereas when I get up early I'm usually engaged in cleaning/organizing/laundry and the like. So, I'm wondering if I need to work on shifting my schedule. A scary thought for me because I detest morning. I do...always have. Ever since I can remember I've NOT been a morning person. I remember being in grade school and having a really difficult time getting out of bed for school. So, is it possible for me to make this change? I don't really know honestly. I like to believe that all things are possible if you want it bad enough. But this is like changing my very nature that I was born with. I don't know. I want to try though. T and I have talked about how nice it would be to have breakfast together before he takes off for work. So we'd really like to try this. So, we'll see. Anyways, that's all.

Cloth Diapering and Flies

I just thought that I would post a tip for anyone who is cloth diapering. I've found that fresh lavendar at the bottom of a diaper pail helps with the pail and keeps bugs out (flies are repelled by lavendar). Also, I'll take a fresh cloth wipe and put some drops of tea trea essential oil (antifungal and antibacterial properties) and some peppermint oil (repells flies). We've had a horrible time with flies in the house this summer. So after an incident of flies trying to reproduce in the diaper pail (gross I know) I researched natural ways to keep the flies at bay. And...you know I love aromatherapy...so that's where I went first. Just thought I'd post.