Today I'm over on Simple Homeschool with a post for everyone (homeschoolers, schoolers, parents or kid-less).
How would your life be different in 2013 if gratitude was your mantra? I'm sharing five creative, simple projects to do just that.
My post, Skimming the Cream: Five Family Projects to Cultivate Gratitude is here. I think you're going to love this.
Love,
Rachel
Welcome, new friend. We love you like crazy.
Ah yes. The stomach flu.
Good times.
On account of what we've got going around over here today I think I'll take the day off. (From the blog at least.)
Wishing wellness to you (and us) all.
xo
Rachel
Hello sweet friends.
I think it is time. For a few days of quiet, out in the forest.
The kids are dreaming of "stump shooting", leaf collages, and apple picking. I'm dreaming of knitting, drawing, and just being in the silence. Okay, and the apple picking.
We'll bring along our math and writing work, but mostly we'll just rest and be. That feels like a good way to embrace this changing season, doesn't it?
I have a few favorite re-posts to share with you over the coming days that I pulled from the archives. I think you'll enjoy each one. One post is culinary, one wild medicinal, one halloween costume-y, and one creative inspiration.
Enjoy each one, be it old or new to you.
I'll be back before you miss me.
Love,
Rachel
Each season brings its lessons.
Some are easy to learn, others are so difficult.
This summer has been a summer of early goodbyes. I've held off on talking about it here because I'm still sorting through the many "whys" and the shame, the guilt, the feelings of failure, the sadness.
Within two short weeks of each other we said unexpected goodbyes to Moonstone our angora rabbit, Smudge our barn kitty, and Mortimer our mouse.
And death – especially death that feels untimely – is hard to explain to children. It's even hard to explain to ourselves.
My view of death is not one of an ending, but rather a transition to another form. So when we grieve I suppose we're mostly grieving for ourselves – not the one we've said goodbye to.
All the same, I wish things were different. I wish we still had these friends with us, shining their light on our days.
And I am reminded to be grateful each day for Jasper and Olive, for Spike, for our chickens, for family.
We did our best with what we knew, and still we lost these friends. Sometimes it happens that way. As we look ahead to farming now I realize that we'll need to be ready for untimely goodbyes now and again.
Becasue that's nature. Life leads to death. And not always when you expect it.
We love you Moonstone, Smudge, and Mortimer. And we miss you so.
Nine days in the city. Nine full, busy, wonderful days.
We went back to Milwaukee last week to visit my family and help my mom with cooking, cleaning, and laundry while she recuperated from knee surgery. To break up the time (and keep from driving my mom crazy with too much togetherness) we planned one special adventure each day.
A festival with my sister. A day in downtown Milwaukee. The library. The museum. Swimming. Dinner with dear friends.
And filling the week with lots of free time and one activity each day was a just-right balance. No overstim, no cabin fever. Perfection.
Our non-outing time was spent in the suburbs enjoying my parents quiet yard and quiet house. (Well, quiet until we arrived anyway.)
Last night there was a message from my mom on our answering machine. "My house is too quiet and too tidy. And I'm lonely." I guess the week was good for her too.
And as always, coming home the very best part of going away. We returned with our pockets full of pebbles, our car trunk full of treasures and our hearts full of stories. And we were met at the door with Papa hugs, puppy kisses, and fresh chicken eggs. What could be better than that?
Oh my. It's so good to be home.
Love,
Rachel
P.S. The burgundy shoes I'm wearing in the three photos above are my lovely Aurora shoes. Handmade in the US and amazingly comfortable. Sustainable, family-owned, foot-healthy, re-soleable, and sweat-shop free. What's not to love?
I have no less than five friends expecting a baby or snuggling up with a fresh sweet newborn at this very moment. Five beautiful mamas (and supportive papas) spreading baby fever far and wide.
In the past four years I have written some relevant posts for new parents that are a bit buried in the archives.
I thought it would be helpful to round them up and put them all in one place so that you can use them yourself or share them with friends.
Helpful Clean links for new parents:
New Baby Checklist A no-frills list of what you really need for baby.
Honoring Motherhood: The Blessingway A meaningful alternative to the ubiquitous baby shower.
What is a Meal Wheel? Get your best friend on the task of organizing a meal wheel for your family, or organize one in your own community. Meal wheels are transformational.
What I Did Not Know: Reflections on Motherhood This is the closest thing I ever had to a viral post. It clearly hit close to home for many parents.
Your Words: Thoughts for New Parents Your thoughts and advice to new parents. Thank you for what you shared.
Peaceful Parenting A series of posts to inspire more connection-based, non-violent parenting.
Child-Led Weaning One approach to weaning your child.
Safe Co-Sleeping My thoughts (and a few great links) to help you bed-share safely with your little ones.
Co-Sleeping, Night-Waking, and Growing-Up And this post – a bit of perspective when you haven't slept in days…
There is No Label for What You Do On rejecting labels and ebracing authenticity in parenting.
While I'm at it, here are a few of our favorite books for pregnancy, birth, and babyhood.
Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth Ina Mae is an inspiration. This book is a must-read for expectant parents.
Birthing from Within Preparing you emotionally and spiritually for birth.
Your Best Birth This I have not read but I have bought it for friends hoping for VBAC births. Looks wonderful.
A Child is Born This book rocked our science-geek minds when we were expecting Sage. A photographic week-by-week view of developing baby. Amazing.
The Baby Book By Dr. Sears. I'm so grateful that I had this book when Sage was small.
The No-Cry Sleep Solution Another worthwhile read as you navigate night-time parenting.
Sign With Your Baby Simple baby signs reduce frustration and increases communication between you and your little one.
Diaper Free! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene We did it. We loved it. I can't imagine doing it any other way. Truly. It was life-changing.
How about you? What would you add to these lists? Links to other blogs, books, or websites are welcome!
Love,
Rachel
Yes. We really did.
I know. We just got a puppy. And an angora rabbit (named Moonstone for the record. I don't think I ever told you his name.)
But a kitten really rounds out the domestic animal herd, doesn't it? One old dog and one puppy, one old cat and one kitten, and a bonus rabbit. (I'm not counting the fish, tadpoles, and occasional snakes.)
Over the past couple of months my kids have slowly tamed a wild kitten at a farm where Sage takes a class. This is one kitten of many from two litters born to semi-wild cats that live in the barn.
Every Tuesday the kids come home with stories of the sweet little black kitten who let them hold him. Sometimes Pete (the practical no-more-pets guy) even talks up how unbelievably cute this little one is.
And because Pete normally takes the kids to class I hadn't met the kitten yet.
But this week. This week I took the kids to class.
(That was our fatal error.)
I called Pete half-way through class. There was a small and sweet kitten asleep in my lap. I believe my exact question was, "Would it ruin your day if I brought that kitten home?"
And his response was an immediate, "Is it the black one? Isn't he adorable?!"
And so we did. We brought him home.
He's a barn cat, we rationalized. We just need the barn.
And oh, my. He's so darn cute. Last night he slept in my bed in the crook of my arm, just like my kids did when they were babies.
Eeek! A kitten!
Lupine is asleep as I write this post. She was oh-so-frisky at bedtime and didn't fall asleep until hours later than I would have liked. Hours. I was a we bit frustrated with her last night.
But now she's like a little cherub in there, fast asleep.
And these pictures are my undoing. Man, I love this kid. So much. Sometimes I think I could just burst for all the love I feel for my children. Do you know what I mean? Like there is so much love that I'm not sure what space could possibly hold it as it expands out into forever.
And Lupine. She had a big weekend. You see…
She lost her first tooth!
Lupine. A tooth. This is huge for us.
Yes, all kids lose teeth. And I think it's always a big deal. The first tooth out represents a passage from little into the first phases of bigness. Of moving into adulthood one lost tiny tooth at a time. In the Waldorf tradition loosing your first baby teeth means you are ready to move towards learning to read, a huge passage into growing up.
But this is bigger than that, too. So much bigger.
As some of you know, Lupine had major tooth decay when she was small. Eight caps before her second birthday, and abundant worries of more to come. Her teeth have been the source of almost all of the fretting we have done over Lupine since she was 1 1/2 and they started to crumble.
And anyone who's dealt with early childhood tooth decay will attest that it's heavy.
Early childhood caries are nothing short of terrifying. Decay undermines your belief that you know what you're doing as a parent. It shakes your foundation and makes you feel raw and vulnerable and afraid. You start wondering if you can protect your child from what may come.
And to compound the sick feeling in your belly, as nursing (night nursing specifically) mothers it is implied that it is our fault and that we should parent differently to save our child's teeth. Double-whammy.
When Lupine's tooth fell out this weekend it was a complete surprise. It wasn't loose. At all. (Well, until she conked it with that fork.) And since Sage didn't loose his first until he was nearly eight, it didn't occur to me that it was time. (But it was.)
At first both Pete and I went to the internal panic dialogue of "Did it break? Is it rotten? What is wrong?!" But as we pieced together the normalcy of it all we calmed down. Her body was working. We were getting a second chance at her teeth now.
Adult teeth. Healthy teeth. A fresh start.
We've learned so much since her decay began four years ago. We've changed how we eat. How we brush. What we supplement with. We've overhauled our health in such a massive way that I'm not worried about her adult teeth. (Okay, I'm still a little worried but I have a habit of that.)
And soon Lupine will loose her eight caps and just be beautiful Lupine, instead of beautiful Lupine-with-the-silver-teeth. And we're all looking forward to that.
If you want more information about how we treated her ECCs I'd be happy to share. I started with this thread on Mothering.com which spoke to my soul. Do let me know if you want me to lay out the protocol we followed to heal our baby's teeth.
Love,
Rachel
Edited to add: I have posted my healthy tooth protocol here.
