How Does Your Garden Grow?

Much to my suprise, things are GROWING on our back deck. We haven't made our raised bed because Drew is killing himself to keep the gumballs from taking over our backyard. However, Miss Moo and I are enjoying our daily afternoon ritual of check on our plants and watering them.

So far we have strawberries, beans, spinach, basil, lettuce, and tomato plants all sprouting and looking fabulously green.

Moo was particularly excited about our first strawberry.

Doesn't it look delightful?

Very proud of her berry.

 

And the taste test!

I'm very glad that we've been able to do more planting this year. Last year I was GREAT with child right now and trying to plant or maintain flowers for my porch seemed like climbing Everest, much less plants to tend daily for food. Moo has enjoyed planting and having her hands in the dirt. She's much more aware of what we have to do to keep our plants healthy and growing this spring.  And she's delighted to pick the berries each time they appear.

We are also using our plants as another way to ease into homeschooling. Moo is learning the proper tool names for the gadgets in my gardening pouch and has a set of her own.  We are also working on a very elementary discussion of photosynthesis by discussing why our sprouted plants, and our big plants and trees, need sunlight, water, and their pretty green leaves and hidden roots. I was skeptical that any of our discussions were sinking in. I know my kid is bright but she's still two and a half and some concepts could be difficult to understand.

While driving towards the store this week, Moo pointed out the window.

"What's that, Mommy?"

"Those are trees."

"Tees? We need to take care of tees, Mommy. They help us have air to live."

"That's right Baby Girl!"

That's MY kid.

A visit from One E. Bunny

Life is sllllllowly returning to normal after Easter, NanaPop, and "Spring Break."  Miss Moo is back to her routine and Miss Roo has another tooth - for a grand total of 5. I am still behind on all I need to get done and I'm starting to accept that as the norm around here.

Moo was very excited to see that Mr. E. Bunny visited us on the morning of the 8th.

The girls shared a basket.

Roo happily received a book, a Waldorf doll from a local artisan, and a wooden bunny teether.

Moo was elated with her dragon and rider, book, coloring book, and CAMERA!!

Moo is ecstatic about her camera. She's been interested in our big camera for a while, but I've been too frightened to let her try. Although her camera IS plastic, it is highly reviewed as durable and should last us through her sister.

She spent a few days taking pictures of herself, NanaPop, Roo, and the ceiling and floor. We haven't loaded them to the computer just yet, but at this point its all about process and not product. 

We also plan to use it as a way to engage her in things she otherwise might find - less than fun. I am hoping that giving her a way to document from her perspective and be able to share that with us will bring us another type of bonding and a new platform for discussion.

Or maybe it will just be something fun for her while I take pictures with the big camera.

Spring Break

NanaPop are here! We are a little busy playing, giggling, and having fun but we'll post something soon!

I am a Villager

There are times when words are chosen with great care when discussing things with a two and a half year old. I seldom give her enough credit for her knowledge of things in general and the ability to really understand what we are saying. Sure, she has convenient hearing like most young children, but she also has an amazing sense of compassion and understanding that makes her seem wise beyond her years. Our close friend LizBet described her as having an old soul at times. I couldn't agree more.

Last Thursday, the girls and I left the house on an adventure. We were traveling a little ways down the road to Goochland Courthouse to order a GF cake for Miss Roo's big birthday bash. The weather was a tad chilly and there were rather seriously looking skies around, so we spent some time looking out at our surrounding as we drove. Moo asked questions about the countryside and I silently longed for where I grew up - summers that seemed to never end, lightning bugs in Mason jars, and mountains.

We drove past a school with a lot of yellow buses, fields with grazing cattle, farm houses, ponds, and the river. We found the main street and the bakery. We kept driving to explore for a few more minutes before turning around to go back to order Roo's cake. As we crossed the river again, we came upon a building now on Moo's side of the van.

"What's dat, Mommy?" she asked pointing at the colonial looking building and grounds.

Great. The prison. How do I answer THIS question.

I remembered reading a blog entry from Checklist Mommy that I had linked to my Facebook page on calling strangers "Tricky People" rather than strangers. There are times when your child might need a stranger if something happens -you're at the Children's Museum and she can't find you. Other Mommies are strangers but they can help you find Mommy. However some people might be out there to hurt you. These people are tricky people.

From this article I also thought about the consequences present from branding certain people as "bad" to my children.  Often we throw the word bad around without thinking of the lasting effects such a word has on our children because they ARE listening to us.  We are all guilty of making poor decisions from time to time. Some decisions are just larger and carry larger consequences than others. I wanted to be sure to not plant the seed of "bad" people in her head regarding a prison. I'd like to think that our system works occasionally and that some men and women use their incarceration to better themselves and plan for their future.

Somehow ALL of this runs through my head in 5 seconds. So, what do I tell her about the prison?? I quickly read the sign and I remember that it indicated there were mental and substance abuse treatment there (the exact words are now cloudy). It was also a women's center.

"Sometimes people are a little sick in their minds. That makes them do not nice things. They can go there and the people and doctors try to make them better."

Silence. Was that too much, I wonder.

"Oooh. Those poor people."

I glance at her and she genuinely has a look of compassion on her face. My eyes well up.

"Aww Baby Girl you're so sweet. "

"They will be otay, Mommy?"

"I hope so, baby."

We pull into the bakery parking lot and I get both my girls out of the van. We order our cake and I buy a cupcake for us to share as a treat. I load them back into the van and divvy the treat between them. Roo stuffs her face. Moo licks her icing. She giggles at me and then her sister. I look at them and wonder how I have managed to be blessed with two gorgeous and wonderful girls.

I know I can't protect them from the harshness of the world forever. There will be times when I will have to use terms that may be uncomfortable for us all but are needed to convey the gravity of the situation. I also want to teach my children compassion, love, and forgiveness. Setting them up to stereotype those around them hurts them more than anyone else. I was very thankful I had read something from another Mom that helped me with my girls in a moment where there was no manual for what to do or say. Far too often we try to do everything on our own, assuming that we are the Mom and therefore we should have all the answers.  We have some answers, but we are only one person. We need each other. We need to talk, to listen, and to learn. Not everything I say here works for everyone but it will work for some Mom who is suddenly faced with a decision for herself or her child.

That's why I write. I know I need villagers to help raise my children. Someday I hope to be that small voice in someone's mind. I hope that for a second they think and find the resolve to instill a sense of compassion in their children rather than an instant dismissal of someone they don't know. And I hope they are proud of their child. And them self.

I can see Moo's face in my mind as I glanced in the rear view mirror that cloudy, grey day. I saw a truth in that moment.

Go get 'em, girl!

Real Food - A Journey

Miss Roo's journey of food has been quite different from her sister's. Roo's place as a second child brought to the table (hee hee) a greater knowledge base, more patience, and a Mama with more resolve.

Breastfeeding is too often depicted as something romantic and simple. For me that was far from the truth. With Miss Moo I had supply issues and wasn't given any real support during my hospital stay.  I delivered on a Thursday afternoon and never saw a lactation consultant. She was born during the H1N1 panic and every type of drop-in care and support group was cancelled during her first 6 months of life. Visits to lactation consultants were costly after the first free visit and insurance wouldn't pay. She lost weight. We both cried. Our pediatrician sternly pointed at formula. Drew and I, being first time parents, conceded. And I cried some more. Moo began formula with what little breast milk I could provide and gained weight. By the next peds visit I was told she was TOO heavy. I felt embarrassed as I stood in the office. As I walked to the car I felt angry.

I began slipping into a terrible PPD because I couldn't feed my child and was filling her full of food that was now, seemingly, making her heavy. I decided enough was enough. I stopped feeding her formula and we took a nursing vacation. I nursed her every 2-3 hours from 2 months until 6 months when she began taking solids more easily and drank water willingly. I admitted I needed help with my depression and saw my Midwifes. And I began educating myself.

Moo's First meal - rice cereal with banana.

With Miss Roo we did things entirely differently. I was educated before becoming pregnant with her but after we knew she was cooking I read everything I could on herbs, supplements, foods, and depression. A friend from college mentioned placenta encapsulation. I had run across it in some research while I was nursing Moo but decided to do additional research now that I would actually have a placenta to use. I talked with my Midwife and we decided to use that as an additional  preventative measure. When Roo arrive my house was well stocked with Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, Gaia Herbs Lactate Support, Mother's Milk tea, and placenta pills. When I prepare, I PREPARE.

Whether it was my planning, my supplements, my placenta, or my willpower doesn't truly matter. What matters is that it worked. Roo was a healthy breast milk baby. She made it a few weeks into her sixth month before she sampled food. This time we ignored what all the pediatricians and baby experts tell us to feed our children. We were (and still are) in the process of cleaning up our diet. We were replacing low fat, manipulated unhealthy food with real, organic, good fat, whole fat foods. We began this process shortly before we married but seem to layer our deck with life events one on top of another. So this evolution has been slow but consistent.

Where Moo had rice cereal, Roo had avacado and banana. Where Moo had jarred organic food, Roo had the food that we were eating. She sampled fruit, veggies, dairy and meat.

 Roo's first meal - whole milk yogurt with banana.

And she LOVED it.

This kid can EAT. Moo has always been a fabulous eater, but Roo puts her to shame. She is a carnivore. She loves pork and beef especially. She would eat bananas until they came out her ears, as Nana would say. She eats the rainbow daily and with fervor.  At most meals she cleans her plate and her sister's and then moves on to mine.  She has never turned down a food that we have preparedfor her. 

The girls enjoying a carpet picnic for "brunch":

Local, free range eggs, GFCF bacon, GF pancakes

with real maple syrup, organic OJ, and some local fruit

(missing from the picture because it is always consumed first.)

I know that I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or scientist, but I CAN tell you that eating real food works for developing a great love of real food in children and a healthy weight in both children and adults. I was trying desperately to lose my baby weight from both girls. Nothing was working. I was staying heavy even breastfeeding and counting calories. After a few months, I decided I was only going to eat good fats from meat, dairy, nuts and fruit as well as remove gluten and eat more veggies. I was not going to count calories or read the fat grams in the food I was eating. The results have been amazing.

 December 2011

 Janauary 2012

 February 2012

 March 2012

 April 2012

I'm not runway ready, but I'm better. I've lost weight, inches, sizes, and pain in my back and legs. 

Real food. That's where it's at.

Interested? Here's some books and films I love:

BOOKS:

 Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon  - http://www.newtrendspublishing.com/SallyFallon/

Wheat Belly by William Davis, M.D. - http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/buy-the-book/

Real Food and Real Food for Mother and Baby by Nina Planck - http://www.ninaplanck.com/books.html


The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife, C.N., N.D. - http://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Miracle-Previously-published-Healing/dp/1583332049

FILMS:

Ingredients  - http://www.ingredientsfilm.com/
Fresh - http://www.freshthemovie.com/
Food, Inc. - http://www.takepart.com/foodinc
Food Matters - http://www.foodmatters.tv/#
Fork Over Knives - http://www.forksoverknives.com/
Fat Head - http://www.fathead-movie.com/

I'm a Contributing Writer!!

I'm very excited to announce that I have joined a fantastic group of women and am now serving as a contributing writer at Modern Alternative Mama!  If you haven't checked out her page, you should! Here's a little teaser of what I wrote. Head on over and check her out!!  (If you wanted to know about my beeswax wood polish, you'll find out there ;) )



 Rainbows and Reuse: DIY Birthday Ideas


In less than a month, my youngest daughter turns one. While my mind is spinning with the thought of my baby leaving babyhood, I am slowing charging into full party planning mode. As with every party or holiday, there will be gifts for the birthday girl. Frankly, I'm terrified of more plastic junk entering our house. We are trying to move towards having less (which in itself is a chore with two under 3), natural and green living, and using up before getting new.
This concept paired with Miss Roo's love of color has driven the direction of the birthday theme -- Rainbows! How simple and natural is a rainbow?  She will play with anything wooden or airy for hours at a time which has been an immense help in trying to plan a party for a wee girl that won't cost a ton and will help us be earth friendly.  We are planning to celebrate Miss Roo's party at a local park. It is our hope that our location will encourage outdoor play in all our guests, provide a connection to nature that a lot of us simply are not enjoying, and will support our locality rather than some big business and all their waste.  While I will be purchasing invitations due to my severely lacking Graphic Design skills, there are plenty of things that we can make at home to make the day color and bright.  So here are some DIY idea for decorations, gifts, and the favors to create a great party while reducing, reusing, and buying less!

Less is More

In two weeks and some change, Miss Roo will be one.

It is still difficult to comprehend that this little human has almost 365 days of existence under her belt. (Wait. It's leap year - so technically 366?!?) As a family we've been evolving for the past several years. We have been buying more reusable, earth friendly products. We cloth diaper as much as we can. We recycle. We buy locally. We are participating this year in CSAs - meat, fruit, egg, and vegetables. We "own" part of a cow and will receive raw milk starting next month. We compost. We've started a garden. We are using naturals in our home as much as we can. Plastics are being re-purposed or donated. Wood and glass are replacing them. We love our local organic restaurants and the resources our area has to offer. So far, we're improving.

But, a birthday presents challenges. A birthday calls for a huge celebration! Your gut tells you to buy buy buy!  Buy food that isn't healthy. Buy plastic toys that will be played with a handful of times. Buy decorations, invitations, stamps, etc. and use gas to buy, ship, and send. It calls for spending, wasting, and stressing. Ordinarily I would be charging full steam ahead to create an amazingly decorated and executed party. For a one year old.

She's one!! She cares about Mommy, Daddy, and Moo. She cares about friends, hugs, kisses, and giggles. She cares about seeing family that she doesn't see daily and seeing friends that she does. She cares about playing. She cares about kitties. She cares about eating REAL food. She cares about being outside.

I mentally suffered for a few months, considering what I should do about her birthday. Where should we have it? How many should we invite? What was the theme - decorations, favors, food, gifts. Lists began to form first in my mind and next on paper. Each item on the list suddenly had its own list. The tasks mounted. And I began to dread it all.

A few nights ago Andrew and I were talking about the upcoming milestone. I mentioned how I'd rather have a small party with a few friends and family and the ability to focus on seeing my children play and enjoy everyone rather than playing the hostess. As I continued my bleating I heard him sigh.

"If you don't want to do it, then don't."

"But, I have to! I mean, it's her birthday. I want it to be perfect for her."

It was then that I actually HEARD my words. This party was about her. It was about relationships, experiences, and enjoyment. It doesn't matter to her if the affair is catered or if I throw together a fruit bowl. What WILL matter to her now and in the future is that those who love her and who are contributing to her life and her rearing were there - that they toasted her life and her worth.

My lists have now evolved.  I will complete the invitations and send them out via email. I will make the small list of gifts I have for her rather than buy her. (I did cave and buy her a specially made wooden toy and a small purse whose pattern bears her name.) There will be no plastic toys, no wasted money on things we'll never use, and no junk (one of Moo's favorite words) to be sent home for others. We will feast on local fruit, cheeses, and freshly made lemonade.

We will have cake. 

I will continue to knit the blanket that I hope will become an heirloom for her children. And I will be content knowing that sometimes less really is more.