randomness around home. i think my kids are awesome;
kids on the roof - totem city;
cartwheeled out;
this morning little A said to me after hearing little M’s explosion, “i bet the little munchkin is proud of himself”. yes i hear myself in that statement;
i have knitting time! another pair of picky pants in 4 colorways to use up the leftovers. love them;
random hits but more frequent misses at this point. still learning the cues;
6 going on 12;
to Munroe love Arlo (sharpie on fabric);
knitting nancy (the tool not him);
“it’s my room. i can do what i want.” We’re reading Charlotte’s Web at bed times so i assumed he was weaving a web but no, it’s for a circus tight rope show.
i just hope he can untie them as well as they’re knotted;
water painting - a happy sun and a happy little balloon - this is looking a little like Bob Ross;
M’s new favorite spot. i can’t believe he digs the maya wrap of all slings. so far so good but he’s only 14lbs and sure to grow heavier on my 1 shoulder;
we’re spending more time at home than i think i’m comfortable with during summer but they are both so happy at home until about 2/3pm when we finally get out to do something.
It’s been an emotional few days with much drama and next to no eating or drinking to the wobbly point of no energy for play - he refused, claiming it hurt too much. aiii. instead he wanted to be in bed cuddling where he fell asleep, exhausted. Finally, day 3, and after much imploring, he let papa take the tooth out which was really just sitting there in his mouth. Whew. We were all relieved and much happier but he was still not interested in eating or drinking much. He said he wanted more than just money from the tooth fairy. This is our tooth gnome from Ketti.
Recently my mom came across an old note that my sister wrote which read, “mom, the fairy is not coming. Could you please take these 5 teeth and leave some money (or not leave money). ” I had such a good laugh about this but it also made me think that soon my little one’s teeth might be falling out one after the other and so I’ve been making a rainbow of tooth fairy bags to have on hand. They’re perfect to hold both tooth and treasure as well as a small scroll note. For those of you with little ones yet to lose their milk teeth, i love this little poem. Please share other sweet poems if you’ve got any.
Well done my sweet! It was a really hard tooth to lose.
We’re on to the next milestone already as we’re supporting some chills and fever. He always comes out of it just a little bit stronger and wiser.
6 weeks today!
at 4 weeks; already awake, engaging and stinkin’ cute;
at 5.5 weeks - we love him completely;
it’s true what other mamas told me, that i just can’t imagine life without him. i was nervous, really really nervous for the transition and now i am so very relieved. not only is he just an awesome and easy baby who sleeps through the night but little A is smitten too. sure he says things like “just leave him in his poopy diaper so we can go” but he also never misses a diaper change where he lays at his side, watching him, sometimes holding something for him to see. i know he’s delighted by his little brother and though he won’t say it, he’s a proud big brother. the 2 of them together…. gush!
are you guys tired of seeing my belly yet? i made a vow to document this 2nd child as well as little A’s days…so far so good. these photos are from about 2 weeks ago (photo credit and copyright Leanne Pedersen Photographers).
every day i’m finding more things to do over again, thinking this will be the last quinoa salad i make, the last load of laundry, the last big grocery shop, the last sweep under the bed, the last pair of knit soakers, the last time i clean the toilets and the tub…it could be; i’m full term (i guesstimated within a week and the last day of that week passed), baby has finally dropped right on to my cervix, i’ve had a couple nights this past week of that wavy crampiness, boobies are full of colostrum and i’m in the zone with acute hearing and sense of smell. i’m finally enjoying the fullness now that birthing is near. i’m often quiet here, sharing the good stuff, but the past months have been a challenging time for me, both physically and emotionally. i’ve got some blessings going into this birth that are real treasures and for that i am grateful, hopeful and a little more centered.
i continue to nest, preparing for diaper duties;
picky pants on ravelry;
reading;
while i’m planning to co-sleep i’m also hoping to get more use of this cradle. it was a hand me down from little A’s aunt & uncle and his slightly older cousin spent some time rocking in it too. i finally finished quilting the sunday project - yay! i also found a BC made mattress that is 100% certified organic hemp/cotton twill & pure eco grown wool batting complete with puddle pad. it turns out that Tracey is also good friends with Fabs who made us little Nukey in the cradle corner who may be the babe’s first little love. gotta love how small the world is.
so until i figure out how to update wordpress and make this blog private or until i can’t stand being away from here… thanks for visiting. i’m on my way to motherland of a newbie & near 6 year old. eeeek.
This night it is a special night
As fairies dance upon the roof.
All the fairies must alight,
For Little A just lost a tooth!
The Fairy Queen gives her commands-
Twelve bright fairies must join hands
Then together in a circle stands
To guard Little A while he sleeps.
The Tooth Fairy into the circle leaps
The hidden tooth she borrows
Ah, but has far to go
Before returning tomorrow.
Three times around the world she flies
Over valleys deep and mountains high;
Skirts the storm clouds thick with thunder,
Wings over waves all wild with wonder.
Deep within their earthly homes
Finally she finds the gnomes,
Who upon the tooth must work
Never once their magic shirk.
Some are hammering, hammering, hammering,
Some the bellows blow
Others sweat at the sweltering forge
And then cry out, “Heigh Ho!”
The tooth’s been turned to a shining stone,
A glimmering, glowing gem
The tooth Fairy takes the gnomes’ good gift,
And bows to all of them.
Before the sun’s first rays are shown,
She returns to Little A’s bed,
And then - - - away she’s flown!
(my apologies. i can’t remember where i’ve copied this poem from and i’ve modified it some too. if anyone knows please share.)
i love this shot that Little A took yesterday. it was entirely his idea. He’s going to have a point and shoot to document his own version and experience of our birth when that time comes;
i love this shot of his too, taken early on at 18weeks - i must be cutting my nails or something but i love his perspective;
A number of people have commented or asked me about the bigger age gap that will be between my children and while both were unplanned, happy accidents (well after some mild shock this time round) i really can’t fathom it having happened any sooner. Little A and i have had a good long and connected time together. It seems that space is naturally occurring in time for another to come along. Aside from some rather lethargic afternoons on my part and some impatient crabby hormonal moods along with some just plain “off” days, i’d say we’re doing mostly well at fulfilling each one’s needs and keeping rhythms going. i really wouldn’t have had the energy for this a year or more ago. i am relieved as the little monkey gets into some good play and projects. Now if i can just focus my nesting/cleaning around my own messes and leave his alone we’ll be dandy.
i love this miniature pop up made from post it notes and scotch tape;
this one both bugs me (because it’s over his bed and i keep catching it with the blankets) and cracks me up. it says, “ask Arlo and he will let you out of the trap”;
this 1 child percussion band set up is pretty funny too. He put on his ear muffs and played along to the rhythm of my vacuuming.
there’s some kind of a show being set upstairs at the moment. i can hear a lot of things being moved here and there. i’m just going to dart past and enjoy myself a nice long bath.
There have been so many playful days lately. i love seeing the imagination and games unfold. So often the little one comes to me saying “i don’t know what to do” and if i just give him time to be in those moments of unknowing or boredom he ends up coming up with these brilliantly creative ideas and he’s off playing for hours. i love it. it makes me feel even more sure about our lifestyle and decisions to limit or eliminate television from our days ( i admit that during my 3 o’clock crash time i have given into the tv about once a week). i’m inspired by Kim John Payne. i was lucky to attend his lecture a couple weeks ago on Simplicity Parenting. i thought the lecture would save me having to read his book but now i want to devour it more than ever.
At the beach and in proper attire (especially those mitts!) he could play for hours. Grandma P collected stones (even found a crystal) and i knit (i’m so addicted);
The teepee is getting some great use these past weeks. i hear him chatting away in there with his stuffed friends and there’s almost always some mess to tidy away at the end of the day.
The request for play dates is near daily and you have no idea how this thrills me. Seriously, i waited years for this time to come. He does well one on one or in small groups. We had such a fantastic afternoon with these guys the other day. i couldn’t help giggling along. i was so curious to watch them play together;
School can be challenging. There are rhythms that flow and then there are not. Little A told me, ” School could be really good if there were only 5 kids”. i get it. 14 kids during some of the transitions can be loud, overwhelming and sometimes disturbing. Outside is quite a different experience. There is a new water pump at the Waldorf school this year which gets used by most of the kids every single day. Between that and the “cupcake shop” (sand box) it’s becoming increasingly difficult to end the day with his school buds.
We’re establishing a fine balance of active outdoor element play with the more quiet and thoughtful indoor play. While Willie was meant to be a special puppet brought to life by me only, the little one is smitten and so very curious to have a turn and so i let him sometimes. Grandma P is an attentive audience;
i’m trying to love this little guy up in our last few months before newbie arrives. i’m also happy to see him grow a little more independent leaving me with my own time and space. Things are pretty great right now.
