(this moment)

Inspired by SouleMama.

Watch Out, Coco Chanel

I may have written once or twice about Pequita's love of clothing and changing outfits. She still changes several times a day, and has made the major concession of layering underneath her filmy princess dresses and ballet outfits. After all, I have reasoned with her, even Cinderella wore warm clothes in winter. She now regularly disappears upstairs only to reappear in a weather appropriate new outfit, with at least two top layers and two bottom layers under her princess dress or ballet garb. How a three year old gets two pairs of leggings on without any bunching (a cardinal sin) is beyond me.

Here are some of the many faces of Pequita. She came up with all of these on her own; she (usually) exhibits innate good sense about color matching and has quite a flair for pattern mixing.





The Christmas face paints are still in heavy rotation. She asked to be the ocean, and this is what I managed. She was pleased. Our pillowcases are being washed a lot, as we don't always manage to get her washed off before bed. Below, her unicorn costume. Everyone knows they are usually purple with pink faces and horns. She loves her hair this way, and all her dolls also have ponytails that stick straight up in the air. The more hair accoutrements required for a 'do the better.

Wool Longies, Just in Time

I believe that in the winter, one wears layers. When outside, we have thick down coats on, woolens wrapped around all our exposed skin, and warm sturdy boots. Inside, we aim for 3 layers on top and two on the bottom. I keep the thermostat at a frugal 65 degrees day and night. We have friends who keep their houses 80 degrees and their kids play all day in t-shirts and thin pants, which boggles me a bit. It would feel lovely on our skin, but offends my sense of season.

I was recently shopping for woolen long underwear for the kids since the winter is sustaining the cold temperatures and snow that I so love. $70 for a set of long johns - and I'd need at least three sets - quickly set me on to a new path and I decided to sew my own. I bought a bunch of wool and cashmere adult sweaters at the local thrift store and felted them in the washer, folded them and then waited for the trifecta of enough time, energy and inspiration to strike at the same minute. It took about a month.

You can find other folk's tutorials here and here. I just winged it after perusing those posts. My kids are big enough that pants to fit them used both entire sleeves and most of the chest of the sweaters; this gives the pants a slightly "built-in panty" look, like I did a far sight more sewing than I actually did. Pequita's pants were made from a matronly vintage pink boiled wool cardi, Monito's from a women's merino sweater that hadn't been in fashion since I was 11 years old, dancing with a sweaty Kelsey Mason to a young new band called The Police. The sleeves were so long that when he wears his pants, they fold up almost his entire lower leg; these are like having on leg warmers over pants.
Both kids loved them. Cozy, stretchy, and made just for them. (I am really lucky that they get a thrill out of that, enjoying the process of making as I do.)



In the above photo, I asked them to smile at the camera so I could take their picture. Pequita opted to have me record her for all eternity earnestly singing her favorite song, Ariel's aria from the Little Mermaid. Monito? He's my little ham.

We ran errands all morning, ending up at Jillian's Drawers, an amazing cloth diapering/natural toys web business that has a home base in my town. They sell the special pacifier that Monito requires, and the kids love their selection of toys. Pequita was playing with the wooden toy kitchen while I chatted with the lovely owner and then I saw it, the expression of surprise and panic on her face that could mean only one thing: accident. Her play lately has been increasingly focused; she gets very deeply engrossed in her imaginings. It has caused a few accidents as she misses her body's cues that were before huge red flags for her. So there we were, on the store's carpet (of course) with no extra pants or socks, soaked from the waist down. The owner couldn't have been kinder, and whipped out some absorbent cloths for me to remedy the situation. I squeeze-dried the wool pants for a minute and they were fine, dry enough to comfortably wear out into the cold. I LOVE these new pants! I'm delightfully motivated to transform the rest of the stack of sweaters into pants. That might mean a continued diminished blogging level, but I'll do my best to balance all my creative endeavors.

Pregnancy

Pequita spends a great deal of her time being pregnant, in labor and nursing her new babies. Then they get a taste of real world living and spend hours in time outs for rule infractions.

Yesterday we found a lovely hard plastic unicorn whose hooves and horn light up and make a magic sound when you push a button. I actually bought it to try to help her fend off the wicked witches, monsters and other scary beings that are constantly following her around trying to get in her house/room/car.

Today, the unicorn was in utero for a long time, which can't have been comfortable as it is quite pokey with the hooves and horn and all.



Then, there was an extended labor due to the aforementioned pokey issues.



And the happy Mommy immediately after birth, nursing her new child.


She's a loving kid.

Supervision

The brief interlude of unsupervised children roaming the house is over.

In the beginning, they were potatoes and unable to do anything but poop and cry, and oh! how they worked to perfect their few skills.



Then came the crawling/walking time and gates were closed, rooms were shut off, stairs were guarded, and all small objects were put away.

Recently, we've had a little plateau of development during which we could mostly trust that the established patterns would be followed, there was a lot of ritualization in their daily play and I could do things like stay upstairs for a few minutes while the kids roamed the house because I knew that Monito would be downstairs making a mess with the glass gems and Pequita would be studiously working on her three favorite puzzles.

That is all over. The recent sleep disruptions, shifts in nursing, and massive growth have heralded another new stage and I now cannot trust them at all. They are developing a true ability for subterfuge and sneaky behavior. They like to be read stories about naughty kids, dolls spend most of the day in time outs, and I find the kids hunkered down in cozy secret spots they've carved out in the bottom of a cupboard, created out of a pile of previously clean, folded laundry or covered a corner up with a blanket and made into a fort. I peek in expecting the usual excitement at my presence and get a hand waving in my face and a kid yelling, "No, Mom. Pivacy! Pivacy!" as they try to hide the real or perceived contraband from discovery.

The cookie jar has been breached enough times that it is on an upper shelf in the pantry.

Baby gates are back in regular use so we at least know what part of the house they are in. This morning I came downstairs to this sight.



Monito wanted to watch the Teletubbie DVD, and had found it and was reaching for the DVD player. He had already tried to use the dollhouse as a stool, and the sound of it tumbling over was what brought me downstairs. This is one reason we invested in a massive TV cabinet; I don't like to have a big black TV eye watching us all the time, but also to block it from young kids.

Moment later, I heard him running back and forth repeatedly from living room to kitchen. This always bodes poorly. I peeked in on him and found every single cloth rag in a pile on a mess he made. I cracked up, because he had spilled a tablespoon of milk.


I can invoke the drill sergeant, and I am teaching them to march behind me in line because it amuses me and they think it is fun. Next we'll start sounding off, but that will be another day.

Pippi

Pequita and Monito are both in love with "Old Pippi", which means the original Swedish TV series instead of the new Hollywood abomination. We tell Pippi stories and I've learned all 12 verses of the theme song, which I belt out in the car on a regular basis.

I wanted to sew a quilt with patches of Pippi on it for them and can't find any of the fabric in this country, even though I can see things made from it. Then I found the Swedish licensed products - a veritable wealth of all things Pippi. No importing info to America. How annoying that I have a hard time NOT buying my children things with [shudder] Spongebob on them but can't find Pippi who is immeasurably less annoying.

Gewels

Pequita's 'gewels'. The 'J' sound is elusive for both kids. We drink a lot of guice, too.

Pippi

She was asking for Pippi Longstocking hair. I had pipe cleaners. No brainer. She is most impressed with the ability to bend them straight for Pequita hair OR Pippify herself with a simple bend.

Stick

She didn't cry at all during her blood draw to retest her lead levels. All the practicing, playing doctor and witnessing me get blood drawn a few times a week at the REs office has really paid off.

She is so grown up in some ways.

Naked Noodle

Guess who fell, fully dressed, into the shallows of the icy lake at the park today by accident? She had a super time once we stripped the soaking clothes from her body.

Spring Sunday

On Friday, we woke up to ice in the kids toys in the yard. Saturday and Sunday it was over eighty degrees. I love my town.

Softball practice has started for Homestead Mama, and the kids really enjoy the sideline activities of racing around, playing with Auntie Kiko, drinking from the water fountain, and tormenting Mommy by running into the parking lot.

We spend time snacking in the shade whenever it gets hot. Monito bringing me back his hat; he sports his skort and floral top like a real champ, eh? He picked it out himself.

There is a new fun thing to do this year. Both kids are fully able to scale chain link fence. Oh boy! I had to make a rule that they may not climb higher than they bar at about 5' off the ground. Boggling that we still haven't made a trip to the ER, isn't it? There was no crying after Monito's dismount. He just picked himself up and started climbing again.

Mastery

Playground activities that eluded the kids last year are now commonplace. The extra growth over the winter is so well showcased when they play now.

Pequita is really strong in her core, and muscles around the whole playground with ease. She clambered up the fake boulders that are made for older kids and crossed the chasm without batting an eyelash. Monito believes himself to be quite the big boy and regularly refuses our outstretched hands; he's bloodying his nose with some regularity despite my best efforts to keep him from actually injuring himself. While I am proud he is game to try anything his older sister does, I actively praise any evidence of caution.

Everything Old is New Again

Some new used toys are making two very happy kids.

If you have a kid around 2, run - do not walk - and get a Viewmaster. Pequita carries hers with her everywhere now, even on the changing table. I'm expecting to get some mileage out of these on the long car trips this summer, too.

We also found the Rodie bouncing horse, which they adore and like to sit on while playing, watching a DVD, or eating. Both have bounced vigorously enough to fly off and hit their heads on the coffee table, and now the rule is that Rodie has to be ridden next to the soft couch only.

I remember spending hours playing with Connect 4. Clearly, my kids aren't playing by the rules, but totally love the plink plink of dropping the chips into the slots and then letting them crash to the table. Pequita plays longer than Monito, and once he has stepped away she starts sorting the colors and making patterns with them in the rack.

We also found a chainsaw with batteries that makes a wonderful scary buzzing sound. Monito runs through the house waving it over his head and giggling maniacally like an extra from a slasher film. I was a little surprised that Pequita found a way to enjoy it as well. Her doll Lia was purchased to renew the spark of interest in potty training. Lia has her own batteries, bottle, and potty and she cries to be fed and then to be put on the potty. Pequita LOVES her, and amusingly, frequently doesn't turn her on since it is stressful to have the demands of a baby. No headway on the potty training, though. Lately she's been peeing through her diapers a few times a day, so we're changing her more often than ever and hoping it is a phase of sorts.

Party Like Its...um...2009

Party, party. Homestead Mama and I celebrated the end of 2008 sitting on the couch with wonky stomachs, a sick kid upstairs and DVR on the TV. Rock on! 1999 was indeed a very different kind of party. I remember quite a bit more champagne was involved.

Monito woke me up at around 5:30 am to nurse, and I couldn't fall back asleep due to stress. It was most sad, as I had been dreaming that I was a member of an erotic yoga troupe. No kidding - I haven't had that much night time excitement in quite a while. I usually spend an hour or two each night awake and reading because of anxiety, but oy. It is so annoying when the kids actually sleep in a bit and I'm awake, exhausted, and reading a book trying to distract myself long enough to fall asleep again. My brain has always manifested night stress badly and in an excitingly different way than daytime stress. I can be dozing peacefully, almost asleep, and suddenly I'll sense my mind searching for the stress hook. Once I remember whatever is the most stressful thing going on at the moment, my mind replays the worst case scenario over and over and over, just like when your Shawn Cassidy record has ended and you hear the same circular scritch-scritch-scritch as the needle hits the paper label until you turn off the record player. [I've just lost half the readers, who have never played an actual vinyl record and can't relate. And hey, Shawn was cool there for a while.] This thought process is always irrational, and morning brings calm and perspective, but who really cares when I'm clocking less than 6 hours of sleep a night? I have developed a couple replacement thoughts that override the process if I can insert them before my brain locks onto the anxiety. One is of floating down a river that is warm and pebbled with beautiful stones, another good one is harvesting gorgeous home grown veggies from a huge garden in the hot sun, with bees buzzing, birds chirping, etc. Anyway, these failed me last night and I was awake; the only escape is to read. Perhaps I'll try anti-anxiety meds after I'm done breastfeeding but for now I'm stuck with my own unquiet mind.

Monito fell back asleep after nursing. Pequita sat up alert at 7ish, and I took her downstairs so H-Mama and Monito could sleep in. The first thing she saw was the new picture cube I made for them - another thrift store find. I bought it to put letters in it, so they could spin them and spell 3-letter words, but they just aren't ready. So pictures of all the grandparents and some cousins are there to spin around and admire. She loved it. She helped me make a pot of coffee - they both love to measure the grounds out and pour the water in the machine - and then began the complicated ritual of setting up her horse farm. Many Playmobile horses and riders, some Schleich draft horses, and some food and water. All was well until her brother made his first peep upstairs. Then the horrifying prospect of having to share her horses caused a complete pack up. By the time I had zipped upstairs to fetch the boy and brought him back downstairs so H-Mama could continue sleeping in, this was all that was left. I can't say that the sharing process has gone perfectly, but they do fairly well except for their favorite toys. For Pequita, that is her horses.

Monito's affections lie in different areas. His deep and abiding love for Noo Noos of all shapes and sizes continues to be totally annoying and quite sweet. We scored a huge coup yesterday at the thrift store when we went to drop off the first of several batches of items purged from our crowded house; it would seem others have had a similar idea, as there, on a shelf, was a dust buster Noo Noo for only $2.99. Could no one else see the value? Apparently not, as we had no competition for it. It charges up beautifully and he can vacuum with it for about 25 minutes before it has to be plugged in again. He isn't allowed to use it when anyone is sleeping, so this morning my 18-month old sat patiently, lovingly, next to the new Noo Noo we call Buster for a full 15 minutes waiting for H-Mama to wake up. He melts me sometimes.

Christmas

Monito got his work bench. I resesearched all I could online, and am so extremely happy with the product. Solid wood, sturdy, lots of wooden bolts, nuts, and tools. While Pequita spent hours playing with her Playmobile horses and riders that I selected for her, my 18 month old son spent the day banging on his tools. Talk about gender specific behavior! We can be as neutral as we want, but nature seems to will out.

A quick glimpse of our tree, in its secure home atop a corner coffee table. A particular hit is the goldfish puppet in lieu of a star. Monito points at it and says 'blub blub'.

The stockings were sewn up, although some needle-felting embellishment will occur before next year. They were a huge hit with Pequita, who kept filling, emptying and refilling her stocking as she played with her toys and CHOCOLATE all through the day.

My photos are about to get better, because Homestead Mama did a very bad thing. Instead of the Buddha statue I asked for, she had this under the tree for me.

Nikon D 40.

I no longer want to get married to her. I am going to marry my new camera. I adore it. It is perfect.

$9.73

The BEST GIFT EVER.

Hammock chair: $8 used
Eye hooks for ceiling: $1.73
Swing & rings from swingset: free

Swing in dining room? Priceless.

Montessori skills

There are a couple of blogs I read that document early Montessori-style education. I really like the activities that these moms give their kids; I find it inspiring and usually really inexpensive to keep them entertained for a significant amount of time [22 minutes or so, but that's a long time in the life of a 2 year old.]

We have a basket with several lidded jars, mostly glass, and the kids have to match the jar with the lid. They love to do this, and I usually end up emptying many different items from the jars at the end of the night, all the way from shredded paper to - ick - chewed cereal. Below, they are playing with their own lentil trays. A cookie sheet for containment, a few vessels and a few utensils in interesting shapes and we have a very popular activity. They transfer lentils from one bowl to another, use the funnel to fit them into the little jars, and try really hard to keep them all on their trays. Pequita is, understandably, totally ready for this kind of activity. She revels in it, and will pick lentils over candy most of the time. Monito isn't quite as adept, but he's only 18 months and keeping up admirably.



I am also trying to let them have more 'real life experience' = HUGE MESSES. Pequita and I separated 6 eggs tonight using the antique metal egg separator I found at the thrift store. Very fun. When I turned around next, she was cradling an egg yolk in each palm and then squished them with great joy. She did the whole bowl full, then we combined the yolks and whites and made scrambled eggs. These events are successful if I can quell my need to keep things neat.

Lead, revisited.

Pequita had her two year old blood test for lead, and scored a 10.4. Any score over 10 buys you a one way referral to the health department consult. We had her retested a week later, and did Monito at that time too, since if she was spiking the odds were good that he might be too. She had gone down to 8.2, and Monito is at a lovely 1.3.

The health department nurse came with her lead-testing dudes in tow and told me a crapload of stuff I already knew. I hate suffering through someone's spiel when they are unable to edit or adapt it for a new situation. The testing dudes checked a couple pieces of furniture and surprised me when one that I thought was safe tested hot for lead. I have an appointment for them to return with a crew of consultants a week from Tuesday; Pequita scoring over 10 won us the lead lottery, and means we get a free house/yard test with the $12,000 machine which I'm totally excited to get. I want the issue resolved once and for all.

Sunday Morning Rituals

Monito always wakes up early; I come downstairs with the loud boy and change his diaper. He has started asking for nay-nay time, which means he wants to feel the cool autumn air against his naked butt. Since it is now cold, I dress him in a hat, a warm shirt and slippers and leave the rest to the breeze. I have bitten the bullet and let the kids start playing with water IN THE HOUSE. No nice water table outside in the yard, no tidy hose to spray on the grass. It is in the house where tides of water splashing on the floor and cabinets have equated mess in the past; now, Mommy sucks it up and lets the kids experiment and figure out about gravity and bubbles.

I put on the coffee; he helps me measure out the grounds and fill the reservoir and push the ON button. Monito then sidles his cute, long-limbed half-naked self up to the extra-deep farm house kitchen sink, which I bought with baby baths and water play in mind. I push his tower up to the counter and he climbs up. I fill two pans with hot water and offer him many kitchen implements to play with. There is much squealing and splashing while I sit and sip coffee brewed with nutmeg and he plays. Once Pequita starts chirping upstairs - that girl wakes up happy! - I fetch her and she joins her brother at the sink. His favorite activity at this point is filling the cut up pieces of sponge with water and then squeazing them dry onto the floor while I recite my mantra - it is just water it is just water it is just water. Pequita prefers a more methodical approach, and uses the mesh ladle to scoop sponges out of one pan and transfer them to the other bowl. After everyone is thoroughly soaked and done playing, we have a hot shower and get dressed.

Today promises to be a gorgeous sunny and cool day, and we are going back to the orchard to pick apples to make into more applesauce. The end of the season means it is only ten dollars per bushel, and with the depression coming I feel like really filling the pantry now.

Lead Again

While I was having my gall bladder out, Pequita had her two year old lead check and H-Mama had her 43 year old blood panel. H-Mama's cholesterol is slightly elevated, which was a sad surprise. The doc prescribed increased fiber and a glass of red wine each night. H-Mama is diligently trying to keep up with this.

Pequita has a blood lead level of 1O.2. Can I just say goddamn it? God only knows where it is coming from now. I bought a big box of lead swabs today to start testing, but suspect I will just pay the health department to come to our house to do a thorough testing of all surfaces interior and exterior. She goes back for a retest next weekend, and I'm taking Monito in for one too. I am really surprised and irritated, and of course worried. This is such bad news.