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Hey, any of you readers have advice about buying a domain name and setting up the blog on it? Is there actually a right way?

Daycare Supplies

As per my New Year's resolution, I am definitely spending less than I used to. We are not in much debt, but I like it when we are totally in the black. One thing I can justify easily is play supplies for the babes. We declined to enroll Pequita in gymnastics class for a few reasons. Mostly, she is too young to really get anything out of a 'class'. The two teenage girls who were leading the class set up an obstacle course of amazingly fun equipment, and then sat and watched while the parents led their children around the course. The cost for this was $11 for 45 minutes (or $0.24 per minute, I figured out). So we'll hold off on spending $90 for 8 weeks for Pequita to frolic once a week at the gymnastics studio like she does at the local indoor playground, which is $4 for 2 hours for the same amount of fun and sometimes I can hang back and knit, if Monito is sleeping.

Since I just saved us $90 (heh heh - see how I just did that?) I could justify buying these two things. The Yukon Express 100-piece train set. Definitely not worth the original $80 price tag (to me) but the sale price of $16 it is a steal. It isn't Brio, but it is all wood pieces, comes nicely organized so we could open all the track pieces and leave in neat little ziplock bags the choking hazards (a.k.a. trees, signs, houses, etc.) We set up a circular track big enough to fit on our coffee table, and Pequita set to work dismantling it, then wanting help putting it all back together. We'll add the other bits and pieces in time - you get all this in the set.
We also bought this lovely tent and tunnel set. I'd have been happier paying $20 instead of the $30 it cost me, but all in all I think it was a good purchase for our house. With the dining room table pushed to the side a bit it fits right next to it, and welcomes in the realization that yes, our house has officially become All About the Kids. Damn. I'll just have to leave my table saw and some volumes of Proust out by the front door so the first impression visitors get is one of intelligence and industry before they are assaulted with the barrage of large primary colored toys. Fairly crappy quality, but it should last for two kids. Might need some duct tape here and there after a bit of hard play, but Pequita was immediately enchanted and lost no time diving in. Below, she is looking at Monito who I plunked down at the other end of the tunnel. She started rolling balls through it and chasing after them. Again, good purchase.Yesterday at the local kid's consignment store, we scored a ball sorter which Pequita loves, and a baby doll that she wouldn't put down the whole time browsing. And check out the little $4 vest on her and Monito's new $3 orange snowflake sweater. Both are way too big for my kids, and should fit next year too, but they don't care about fit and they are too cute to pack away.

Yeah, I know this isn't the most scintillating post, but I've not had time to write, really, what with all the playing we've been doing.

Free paper toys

I love these! Pequita is so very much not ready for these yet, but she will be, someday. And until then, I can play a little myself...

http://www.thetoymaker.com/2Toys.html

Found on http://www.sk-rt.com/, a site I'm still a little annoyed by. Their presentation is way too busy for me, but some of the links are interesting.

Little Readers

I am always looking for new interesting design blogs. I have 189 feeds on my Bloglines account, and I mostly skim to keep up with all of them. I have happened on a new one,
http://www.loveshakbaby.com/ and they are having a giveaway of a little chair for kids. Pequita loves all things miniature; I now understand why people are at least tempted to buy mini-furniture for their kids. She would love the little chair. We are very neglectful and make her sit in her booster seat on the floor - it is her throne, as far as she's concerned. A real upholstered chair would likely blow her little mind. If it made her sit still more while reading instead of continuing her laps around the house while we read to her, it would be worth the money in my mind.

http://masonandmatisse.com/index.html

Kitchen Pictures

A disclaimer - we still have to install window trim, paint the walls robin's egg blue, and install shelving on the walls for glassware and spices and the like. We are also installing French doors to the left of the plant stand that will face west and open onto the deck or stone terrace (still deciding on the budget for that one.) One step at a time.

Here is the shelf I brought home from a lab at my work. A motley piece of furniture, I admit. But it is a stable metal frame on wheels with plywood top and shelf. Imagine it once I've sanded the frame, painted it a matte black and installed oiled butcher block top and shelf. It will be quite gorgeous, and very functional. It has done a fine job of housing the big appliances for a while, and keeping my plants happy by the window. Below is the standard height cabinet that is too high for the window behind it. When we gutted the house, we installed new windows in the same locations as the old ones to maintain the historical architectural integrity of the structure; in 1851* they didn't care about 36" high work spaces, apparently. I'll be buying a very expensive specialty baking cabinet for this spot. It will make me very happy. We haven't exactly decided on what to use for counters in the kitchen. I prefer soapstone or making oiled wood counters from the wood that we salvaged from the interior of our house. It is almost 2 inches thick and from 18 - 24" wide. I have to see how it sands down before deciding. Homestead Mama likes the idea of granite with Adirondacks garnet in it. It is mined from very close to where she grew up. Since neither of us really want a hard cold counter like granite, as a compromise, we'll likely put the garnet granite on the baking center and something else for the rest of the surfaces.

So lots to keep me busy. I suppose starting by buying sound-muffling earphones for the babes would be a good idea, since none of this can be done without my power tools.

* It sometimes boggles my mind that our house was built when slavery was still happening. Other reference points: the U.S. was busy beating the Brits at their own game; steel begins to be mass-produced; the Origin of the Species is almost published. Remembering all that makes me happier with our uneven floors, original framing and somewhat drafty foundation.

Food

Yogurt is best enjoyed with the hands. Clearly, one cannot get the proper appreciation for blend and consistency if a spoon is used. Oh, the screaming that follows the suggestion of a utensil. Hands it is.

Young Monito has truly embraced eating. He is in love with organic apple/apricot sauce. He loves to actually chew on a peeled apple, too. But his first love is the messiest option, the teething biscuit. Gluey brown flecks affix themselves everywhere and when dried, resist the washcloth. But they are wonderful for this:
Can you see them? Two little white nubbins poking up through his lower gums? I can FEEL THEM as he figures out how to nurse around the sore skin in his mouth. Ouch. I bellow when he nails me and it scares him and he cries. Every time. Better, says I, than letting him think it is OK to mash those buggers down on my nipple. An investment in long-term nursing.

I'm Very Talented

Clever, clever girl. I put together another cabinet, and when Homestead Mama got home, asked her to help me move all of its 150 lbs into the kitchen. Guess which one of us dropped the weight of the whole thing on her foot? Ahem. That would be me, the talented agile one. Dropped it on my good foot, by the way, the one that basically allows me to do everything reliably. After some extended deep breathing, and shockingly no swearing, I soaked it in cold water in the tub until I couldn't feel it anymore, and then did the logical next step. Before the swelling and pain really hit, I made H-Mama help me finish moving it into place. We couldn't leave it in the middle of the kitchen floor! Then I elevated, iced, dosed NSAIDs, and moaned. X-ray the next day showed no break, but the bruising is going to be better than a sunset in San Francisco.

I don't do pedicures, so that is the natural state of my very wide duck-like feet. I suppose I could have moisturized for the picture. And those red things peeking out from my jeans? I felted a sweater to use the wool for projects, and these are the sleeves that I just lopped off. Lovely, felted red wool cable knit leg warmers. It has been cold here, and in my defense, no one can see them when I'm upright.

Sadly, once we got the cabinet in place, our fears were confirmed. It is too deep for the location. All standard US base cabinetry is 24" deep; we need 18" deep for this location. Wall cabinets at 12" deep don't offer enough storage. So we will do what we always do (have you wondered why it is taking us years to renovate?) we will modify the cabinet to suit our needs. We will rip the depth down by 6 inches and then install it. It will house our trash can, recycle bin, and some appliances like the rice maker and blender, and still leave a nice wide aisle through which to walk.

Welcome, Gus

Funny. I was about to change the subtitle of my blog from 'life among the ever expanding pack' to something less expansive, since we are pretty much done having babies. BUT. Welcome to Gus, the pooch we committed to adopting this afternoon. He's a Labradoodle who has had a rough first year in a Mennonite breeding kennel. He hasn't shaped up like they needed him to, either he doesn't meet the required standards for Labradoodles or, being a submissive fellow, couldn't, um, properly sow his oats with the females. Regardless, we'll have to help him learn how to play. He is already good with dogs and cats, and seems to have all the right instincts towards kids. Homestead Mama is getting over her preference for the Aussie with the wild hair up his 7 month old butt who would have been a very smart, very challenging dog. Frankly, we don't have two hours a day to spend training a challenging dog. We are both happy to be betting on Gus to be an easy and grateful addition to the household. We'll get him home in the next few days.

Whoops - Saturday Already?

Time flies. We are mostly better. Homestead Mama and I are eating regular food, and aside from some lingering fatigue and weakness, are well on the mend. She went to work on Friday, but not before grumping and sniping at me repeatedly until we were actually fighting. She did the only correct option to set the day straight, calling me from her car about 20 minutes later to apologize; we are both still irritable and out of sorts from being sick and cooped up for a whole week in a messy house with puking babies. I went to work as well, in a fashion. I took advantage of the babes being ill, quiet and very logey by playing our entire Tivo'd collection of Teletubbies (bloody brilliant show) for them. They played quietly, drifting between the dual peripheries of mummy and the TV while I swept & scrubbed the kitchen floor, cleaned the appliances, made things shine more than they have in a while. I washed the rugs, tidied, tossed a bunch of stuff, did 4 loads of laundry and got it put away (!). I was about to make a new fabric skirt for a rolling cart I have in the kitchen that houses my Kitchenaid mixer (true love) and our dusty breadmaker when I realized that I actually bought the cabinet for that spot in November. Sheesh. I planned a baking center when I designed the kitchen, a cabinet for all my equipment and supplies with a granite top for rolling out dough and making delicacies. Our less expensive line of cabinetry didn't offer a shorter specialty cabinet for baking, and I figured a regular cabinet would do fine even if I have to knead dough every day. So, with Monito watching from his seat and Pequita holding my tools I put together the cabinet & got it standing up in the right spot. And decided that I'm going to have to spring for a real, shorter baking cabinet which will stand a few inches lower and not interfere with our old fashioned low farmhouse windows. Duh. With no remorse, I'll put this nice maple 30" wide cabinet up in my craft area to start making it nice. I'm happy with the decision.

This morning we're off to meet a 7 month old Australian Shepherd who is up for adoption and will likely be too much dog for us with the babes. Tomorrow we go to meet a Labradoodle who is sounds perfect. In between, we hope to get Pequita's blood drawn again for her follow-up lead test. I'm terrified it will still be high and we'll have to get a hazmat team in here to decontaminate our house. H-Mama is just focusing on the cafeteria lunch we'll get at the hospital. She's a woman with odd tastes, assuredly.

I'll try to get a list together of words Pequita actually speaks now. She recognizes many, but has quite the repertoire. Her favorite is still MORE! MORE! MORE!

Monito's first meal

Monito has just cut his first two teeth (lower jaw.) As with Pequita, this happened around 7 months, and so as with his sister, Monito is now cleared to eat solid food. He had his first non-breast milk food a couple days ago. Since it was mere hours until he started getting the stomach flu, I'm glad it was organic chicken and matzoh ball soup that he ate. He was READY!

Another One Bites The Dust

Pequita  let out a cry as we laid down in bed last night, exhausted and achy, and threw up.  So much for being the one who may not get it.  It is awful to see how frightened the kids get when their bodies take over in that way.  I remember the first time I knocked the wind out of myself - thought I was dying.

Anyway, we are all on short ropes here.  The boy is so heavy and so sick all he wants is to be carried and jostled.  My back is going out - or I'm achy enough to feel like it is - and it is almost intolerable to have to care for other beings at this point.  NOW is when all those lovey ditties I made up about the babies in nicer times are coming in handy and as I sing them reminding me how much I'll love them again once I am feeling better.  Right now - well, right now I'd like to hand them over to someone trustworthy and have a day in bed.  No one fits the bill on a work day in this town.  My sister doesn't know how lucky she is to have my parents in the same neck of the woods as she is.  Sigh. I want my mommy.

Now that I've whined a bit, I'll say that the kids are doing amazingly for as sick as they are.  They are playing well, sweet to each other, and being very chipper in between bouts of discomfort.  So much better than most adults!  Homestead Mama and I are no longer sporting our usual full reservoirs of milk; we are relying on the 'fresh spring' effect of trickling in milk that the LLL woman explained.  Despite rather deflated bosoms because of our own sickness and dehydration, we are keeping all babes hydrated.  Thank goodness we have four boobs to share amongst them - neither of us could do it alone.

I'm off to do another load of laundry.  I feel like the best planner in the world finally.  I bought many waterproof mattress pads in the weeks before Pequita's birth, and have spare sets of changing table covers.  After feeling as though I'd overstocked foolishly, I now know that I have just the right amount.  We made it through ONE night of flu with ONE little 18" waterproof butt pad to spare.   Phew!

Timber

Homestead Mama succumbed at midnight and moved to the guest room. I've been mostly awake since then between the two kids, nursing and comforting. Monito just returned to me, in projectile form, all the milk he borrowed in the last several hours. Then he rumbled a bit and - and - I didn't know babies could dry heave. Lesson learned.

If only Pequita can stagger her onset for a few hours from now, I'll be able to manage.

Smote

I have the stomach flu that is going around. I had leftover Thai food for dinner last night and thought the spiciness was hitting me wrong until I realized OH NO this is no reaction to spice. Roundabout 3 am I realized that I needed to get myself away from the otherwise still healthy family and went to (not) sleep in the guest room. Poor Homestead Mama had to handle both babies waking up - not easy, since they both want to be snuggly and nurse themselves awake, which is impossible to do unless you remain in a push-up position above them both for way too long. (I've tried.) I had to not make any noise so the babes didn't know I was around - it is easier that way - while I went in the bathroom for various reasons every 20 minutes.

H-Mama just tossed a bag of ginger ale onto the front porch - a drive-by kind gesture - on her way to taking the kids down town for amusement. I can only suggest that you run screaming from anyone who even looks peaked. This is a doozy. I now have to pump for the first time in months because I am afraid to feed the baby.

Oh, and one tip? If you are going to be experiencing your last meal over and over again, pick something more appetizing than Panang curry.

Evidence of Shoddy Parenting

Uh huh. Do I really have to comment on this? (Except to assure you that we wash out our recycle very very well.)

Why I Love Her

Homestead Mama knew that Monito was getting me up every 90 minutes or so last week. So on Sunday she let me sleep in, and when I forced myself awake and headed downstairs this is what I found. Pequita packed in the Ergo back carrier, Monito in full Loll in the arms of his Mama, and Otis Redding on the (crappy) stereo. We had a discussion recently about all the music our parents played over and over and that we grew to love and consider our base music. For H-Mama, Sinatra, Belafonte, show tunes, and top 40 hits from the 50's. For me, the Doors, Crosby Stills & Nash, Peter Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger and all folk from the beginning of time. If our kids are to develop a base musical sense, we figured we'd better start playing this stuff. And so, behold:


I remember my younger brother and I dancing like wild kids to "Build me a Woman Maker Her 10 Feet Tall" by the Doors at a very young age. We thought that was a riot, especially that Jim Morrison wanted to play ball all day with her. Of course, we also had to let the little bulbs warm up on the hi-fi stereo before the records could play.