At the doctor's office today.
Benjamin: I love it here.
Me: Do you think you might like to be a doctor when you grow up?
Benjamin: Nope. I want to be a Daddy.
Me: That's wonderful. But you can be both a daddy and a doctor.
Benjamin: I can? Yes!!!!
Monday, 31 March 2014
Saturday, 29 March 2014
Weaning
The time has come to wean. James and I have a 17 day anniversary trip in June when my mom will be here to watch the kids. Since Juliette is still nursing 3-4 times an hour (yes, an hour) and not able to go to sleep without being nursed or held, it's time to do some serious training. We have two months, which some days seems like a lot and others seems like just a breath.
First up, weaning during the day. I'm on day 6. The only way Juliette and I have made this work is by being out all morning. Which has been physically exhausting, since I'm still not sleeping well, and mentally exhausting for the introvert in me. Nevertheless, every morning from 8:30am - noon we have been out walking, playing, at the library, the Early Years Centre, or with friends. The hardest part is the -10C weather and the three feet of icy snow everywhere. Will Spring ever come? She still asks constantly to nurse, but I've stuck to my guns - only at naptime, and between midnight and 6am if she wakes.
Second up is feeding this girl. She eats almost nothing. Breakfast might be half a scrambled egg. Lunch is two or three grapes, or maybe a couple bites of applesauce. Half a slice of ham, if she's feeling like it. Dinner is two or three bites again. For a long time the nursing would have been filling her up, but with her activity and growth there's no way that can be enough now. So for the next while. I will fill her up with her favourite foods - oat pancakes, bacon, eggs, mango, broccoli, and chicken hot dogs. Not the ideal diet, but foods that she is guaranteed to eat.
The final step will be total weaning, which I honestly don't have a plan for. When I go away to france, perhaps I'll come home and she will have forgotten it. My other reason for weaning is that while nursing I must adhere to the same strict diet she is on: no wheat, rice, corn, soy, dairy or beans. Instead of slowly adapting over the last six months, my body has instead rebelled and I "cheat" here and there during the week, doing more harm to the weaning schedule. My body needs more food than it can have right now.
I never thought I would have to face weaning like this. I had every intention of nursing until Juliette decided she didn't want to nurse any longer. I found that, in theory, I have no issue with extended nursing, no age limit that should mean cutting her off. It saddens me that the path I thought I would take is not the one I must walk. But since neither of us is benefitting from breast feeding, then it is only a selfish desire within me that stubbornly endures.
First up, weaning during the day. I'm on day 6. The only way Juliette and I have made this work is by being out all morning. Which has been physically exhausting, since I'm still not sleeping well, and mentally exhausting for the introvert in me. Nevertheless, every morning from 8:30am - noon we have been out walking, playing, at the library, the Early Years Centre, or with friends. The hardest part is the -10C weather and the three feet of icy snow everywhere. Will Spring ever come? She still asks constantly to nurse, but I've stuck to my guns - only at naptime, and between midnight and 6am if she wakes.
Second up is feeding this girl. She eats almost nothing. Breakfast might be half a scrambled egg. Lunch is two or three grapes, or maybe a couple bites of applesauce. Half a slice of ham, if she's feeling like it. Dinner is two or three bites again. For a long time the nursing would have been filling her up, but with her activity and growth there's no way that can be enough now. So for the next while. I will fill her up with her favourite foods - oat pancakes, bacon, eggs, mango, broccoli, and chicken hot dogs. Not the ideal diet, but foods that she is guaranteed to eat.
The final step will be total weaning, which I honestly don't have a plan for. When I go away to france, perhaps I'll come home and she will have forgotten it. My other reason for weaning is that while nursing I must adhere to the same strict diet she is on: no wheat, rice, corn, soy, dairy or beans. Instead of slowly adapting over the last six months, my body has instead rebelled and I "cheat" here and there during the week, doing more harm to the weaning schedule. My body needs more food than it can have right now.
I never thought I would have to face weaning like this. I had every intention of nursing until Juliette decided she didn't want to nurse any longer. I found that, in theory, I have no issue with extended nursing, no age limit that should mean cutting her off. It saddens me that the path I thought I would take is not the one I must walk. But since neither of us is benefitting from breast feeding, then it is only a selfish desire within me that stubbornly endures.
Monday, 24 March 2014
Another Monday
I love Mondays. After the wild weekends of everyone home and most of my energy involved in managing four young children, it's a nice breather to find some order. Monday mornings I tidy and clean and get work done. I am more productive on a Monday than any other day of the week.
I realized yesterday that a good part of that probably has to do with Sunday. While Sundays are always packed with our church responsibilities (James is the clerk for our church and I run the Primary, a program for children 18 months - 12 years) somehow we still come away recharged. It's a testament to me that we have more than just physical and mental needs - Sundays fills a spiritual aspect of me that buoys me up when I don't get time to refill physically (sleep!) and mentally (withdrawing for a time).
I realized yesterday that a good part of that probably has to do with Sunday. While Sundays are always packed with our church responsibilities (James is the clerk for our church and I run the Primary, a program for children 18 months - 12 years) somehow we still come away recharged. It's a testament to me that we have more than just physical and mental needs - Sundays fills a spiritual aspect of me that buoys me up when I don't get time to refill physically (sleep!) and mentally (withdrawing for a time).
Friday, 14 March 2014
"The manger is clean"
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox."
- Proverbs 14:4
I came across this little gem today, and I was amazed that such a short phrase packed such a powerful punch.
You see, I never seem to win the battle of a tidy home. I have two sources of aggravation in my life: when too many people are trying to talk to me at once (hello, introvert) and when people use things and then just drop them when they are finished with it. Our house is not that big - you can get anywhere in it in less than 10 seconds.
Lately my frustration has come down to pillows. This long, hard, cold winter has led to a relaxation on indoor sports here. The boys have discovered a small plush ball and some couch cushions can be turned into a pretty awesome game of handball hockey. But that means that at least a half a dozen times a day I'm picking up the cushions from the floor and setting them back on the couch.
The playroom pile grows even when no one is in there.
The laundry multiplies on its own.
The shoes walk around the house.
The dishes climb out of the dishwasher.
The socks, socks, socks, socks(!) fall where they will.
It is certain that this "manger" is never clean. But, as the proverb goes, the manger is only clean when there are no oxen. In other words, only an empty manger is clean. Instead, my home is filled with loved ones. And so just as the straw will fall to the floor from an overflowing manger, so the dishes and laundry and toys and shoes and socks and mess will fall from the bodies in my home. But I have an abundant crop of love here, there is no doubt. My home shows signs of loved ones living.
"Sorry for the mess...we live here."
- Proverbs 14:4
I came across this little gem today, and I was amazed that such a short phrase packed such a powerful punch.
You see, I never seem to win the battle of a tidy home. I have two sources of aggravation in my life: when too many people are trying to talk to me at once (hello, introvert) and when people use things and then just drop them when they are finished with it. Our house is not that big - you can get anywhere in it in less than 10 seconds.
Lately my frustration has come down to pillows. This long, hard, cold winter has led to a relaxation on indoor sports here. The boys have discovered a small plush ball and some couch cushions can be turned into a pretty awesome game of handball hockey. But that means that at least a half a dozen times a day I'm picking up the cushions from the floor and setting them back on the couch.
The playroom pile grows even when no one is in there.
The laundry multiplies on its own.
The shoes walk around the house.
The dishes climb out of the dishwasher.
The socks, socks, socks, socks(!) fall where they will.
It is certain that this "manger" is never clean. But, as the proverb goes, the manger is only clean when there are no oxen. In other words, only an empty manger is clean. Instead, my home is filled with loved ones. And so just as the straw will fall to the floor from an overflowing manger, so the dishes and laundry and toys and shoes and socks and mess will fall from the bodies in my home. But I have an abundant crop of love here, there is no doubt. My home shows signs of loved ones living.
"Sorry for the mess...we live here."
Thursday, 13 March 2014
Simplify this Spring
It's that time again. As March is in full swing, that yearning to clean and purge rises again. Even when there is still three feet of snow on the ground and Spring is nowhere in sight.
I've got a good list of projects to try and get to this year. I'm calling it "Simplify This Spring." Some are big projects, some are little, but all are things I've had on my mind to do. I like using pictures as a starting place because it helps me focus my mind on what I'm after.
(in no particular order)
1. Bottom kitchen cupboards - under the sink and the pots/pans. Both need some new shelving built so that I'm not stacking and restacking every time I go in there.
2. Batteries. From the big basket into a nicely organized container.
3. Garage. By far the biggest. It needs entirely new built-in shelving, the built-in workbench needs to be relocated, and all of our bikes need organizing.
4. Wrapping paper. It's tossed in a very inconvenient spot in the basement.
4. The boy's bedroom closet. I don't know how I want it to look yet, but no matter how often we clean it, we can't keep up. Translation: it's not working. The clothes need to be lower, more shelving and maybe some buckets, a place for lego creations...it's a work in progress.
5. The hall closet. It's a terrible colour of orange. And the broom and mop are always falling out on us. Seriously, a coat of paint and a couple of nail, plus some way to organize the bags in the bottom.
6. The master bedroom closet. There is already a great organizer in there, it just needs to be purged once again. Or maybe the bars need to be shifted around a little. I would love less clothes space and instead have somewhere to put shoes and purses. (Not that I have tons, but I like how this closet looks.)
7. A place for belts and scarves. This is cute and easy.
I've got a good list of projects to try and get to this year. I'm calling it "Simplify This Spring." Some are big projects, some are little, but all are things I've had on my mind to do. I like using pictures as a starting place because it helps me focus my mind on what I'm after.
(in no particular order)
1. Bottom kitchen cupboards - under the sink and the pots/pans. Both need some new shelving built so that I'm not stacking and restacking every time I go in there.
2. Batteries. From the big basket into a nicely organized container.
3. Garage. By far the biggest. It needs entirely new built-in shelving, the built-in workbench needs to be relocated, and all of our bikes need organizing.
4. Wrapping paper. It's tossed in a very inconvenient spot in the basement.
4. The boy's bedroom closet. I don't know how I want it to look yet, but no matter how often we clean it, we can't keep up. Translation: it's not working. The clothes need to be lower, more shelving and maybe some buckets, a place for lego creations...it's a work in progress.
5. The hall closet. It's a terrible colour of orange. And the broom and mop are always falling out on us. Seriously, a coat of paint and a couple of nail, plus some way to organize the bags in the bottom.
6. The master bedroom closet. There is already a great organizer in there, it just needs to be purged once again. Or maybe the bars need to be shifted around a little. I would love less clothes space and instead have somewhere to put shoes and purses. (Not that I have tons, but I like how this closet looks.)
7. A place for belts and scarves. This is cute and easy.
Minimalist mind shift
The other day, surrounded by yet another collection of scattered things around the house, I mumbled to myself:
"Argh! I'm done with this! We have too much stuff. We need to get rid of some."
That, my friends, is what I call a "minimalist mind shift." Because traditionally, in our day and age, when we have too many people and too much stuff we are supposed to want a bigger home to house it all. And yes, I might feel some days like we could use an extra room or two, somewhere to separate children when things get too close. But I never feel now like we need to get a bigger house for all our stuff. I have won the battle against "stuff."
"Argh! I'm done with this! We have too much stuff. We need to get rid of some."
That, my friends, is what I call a "minimalist mind shift." Because traditionally, in our day and age, when we have too many people and too much stuff we are supposed to want a bigger home to house it all. And yes, I might feel some days like we could use an extra room or two, somewhere to separate children when things get too close. But I never feel now like we need to get a bigger house for all our stuff. I have won the battle against "stuff."
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