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Naomi, this past summer

Well. So can I dust off this old blog? Kind of strange to come across it after all this time. More strange that it's been less than a year since I've written here? Feels a lot longer - almost like a lifetime ago, which I realize is a bit of an overstatement. But wow, how much things can change in just a matter of months. Not anything dramatic or earth-shattering. But somehow the day-to-day rolls up into what is suddenly a big chunk of time. And the kids are all bigger and older and wiser. And where we all were last year looks different than where we are today. And I guess there actually have been some big changes. Trials that bring perspective and such an appreciation for the simple blessings in life. Goals that we have worked toward for such a long time finally, almost incredibly, being accomplished. Looking forward to good, exciting changes ahead. So, yes, though things appear mostly the same, so much changes.

And this little space, well, I'm glad to have had it. Sometimes I look back and cringe, but often I look back and am glad that I captured certain moments. Those moments need to be captured - for me and, someday, for the kids. So I think I need to get back to recording, somewhere - because I need it, and because I hate the thought that these precious days can go by without me grasping and holding on to at least some small piece. So maybe not here, but I'm hoping to settle in somewhere soon.

Kid Updates

Finished Millie's scarf! I worked on it all the way to Texas and back, and then finished it up a few days after the new year. She and Tom both kept saying, is it too long? But I really wanted to knit enough to get back to the pink color. And really, I think it's a perfect length and she'll be able to wear it for lots of winters to come.

Here is Silas with his most favorite thing to get in the mail. A funny Silas story: yesterday Tom told Silas that a friend had invited him to go to Chuck E. Cheese for a birthday party. Our kids have never been there, so Tom asked, "do you know what that is?" And Silas replied, "Oh yes, I've heard of that. They're a proud sponsor of PBS kids!" So, while they may be pizza deprived, apparently our children are not TV deprived.

And here is my sweet Isaac who recently at the store was absolutely convinced that we needed to get this ((loud!)) horn for his bike. I said "we'll see." My favorite thing Isaac has said recently, while wiping his face after I gave him a kiss: "Mommy, I love you. I don't like your kisses, but I still love you."

And I can't leave out this girl, who is growing, talking, climbing, running, eating, playing, and generally keeping me pretty busy. The kids and I made a long list of all the things she says, which I'm not including here, except to mention our absolute favorite thing is that she calls Isaac "Ya ya." Sometimes she is screaming "YA YA!" if he makes her mad, but thankfully that's not too often. :)

Knitting on the Road

Merry Christmas

Hope your Christmas is magical!

Naomi Love

Make Me Smile

A few recent, random photos that make me smile:

Hope you are enjoying a holiday filled with the smiles of your loved ones too!

A New Venture

Hello, hello! Just a quick post here to share Millie's latest project. She and a friend have opened their own Etsy shop to sell their handmade jewelry. You can visit them here, or you can click on the pictures in my right sidebar to get there too! This has been a couple of years coming...not that we've worked on it all this time, but Millie first expressed an interest in starting her own "beading business" more than two years ago, and we've finally helped her make it happen. So, take a look and see if there's anything that might make a nice Christmas gift! :)

(Oh, and the picture above is from more than a year ago when Millie and her "business partner" Simone did their very first jewelry sale on the sidewalk in front of our house. I'd say they're moving up in the world!)

All Dressed Up

Here's my crew all ready for Halloween and some serious trick-or-treating.

Naomi wore the same duck costume that both Silas and Isaac wore when they were toddlers.

Here's Silas as Buzz Lightyear. Not sure what that pose is supposed to be? But he was rather pleased with himself for thinking to hang his plastic pumpkin on one of the wings.

Princess Millie...

And Isaac as Spider Man, though he was definitely more interested in candy than in taking any pictures.

We did quite the trick-or-treating marathon this year. We did a quick jaunt around our block before Millie had to be at her theater class. The boys ate supper, then went out for another round with daddy. Then once Millie was done with her class, we met up with friends to tromp around their neighborhood and collect lots more candy. It was quite the night, and Isaac fell asleep while we were still out trick-or-treating.

And while I'm on the subject of our dear third-born, here are a few Isaac stories worth remembering:

**Isaac still sleeps next to me at night, and recently in the middle of the night, I noticed him getting out of bed, but didn't do anything about it because I was half asleep and figured he'd be back soon. When he got back in bed I heard a crinkly noise - sort of like the sound of the plastic covering on a library book, so I figured he'd brought a book to bed. But, I realized in the morning, he had actually gone to the fridge and got a whole loaf of Ezekiel bread, which he brought back to bed and slept curled up with for the remainder of the night. I guess he was hungry.

**One night at supper, Isaac asked me in all serious sweetness, "Mommy, does God have a jet pack?"

**Turns out Isaac is the nick-namer in our family.  He frequently calls Tom "Mr. Daddy Man". And for some reason, about half the time he calls Naomi either bibs or bibbers or bibber baby. And he'll say it just as casually as you might say hi to a friend: "hey bibs."

**And finally, a few weeks ago I came into the bathroom to find wads of wet toilet paper covering one of the walls. When I questioned Isaac about it, he assured me it wasn't him, but rather that "Sticky Isaac" had made the mess (there he goes with the nicknames again). And it seems that "Sticky Isaac" made another visit today. And even as I write that, I just have to laugh. I love that kid.

Naomi on a Saturday Morning

I don't think I could ask for a more gorgeous October weekend than the one we're currently enjoying. This warm spell just begs us to get outside and take in the golden colors. We were just home today since Tom needed the van for a couple of work things. But the kids find plenty to do just playing out front, dragging out everything with wheels and zooming up and down the sidewalk, or sometimes requesting a walk around the block. And Naomi is getting so independent outside - finally sturdy enough that I don't feel like I have to follow her around every second to keep her from crashing onto the concrete.

I was inspired to pull out the camera because Naomi was wearing this little outfit that Millie wore in China. Not just any little set of clothes, but one that I specifically went and bought with a Chinese friend because I wanted split pants for Millie for potty-training. (I sewed the "split" back together once Millie was potty trained) And of course this had me all nostalgic for Millie at that age and all the adventures and our sweet Chinese friends. I went back through our pictures to try to find one of Millie wearing this same thing, and I couldn't find one of just Millie. Only pictures of her with our Chinese students, and this one of our little family when we were visiting Hong Kong, posing here with the owner of a restaurant we would frequent during our year there.

And then (sorry, I'm really off on a tangent here), I came across this picture of Millie on what was probably her first ever playdate. With her little friend Albert. All bundled up in their coats even though they were, in fact, playing inside.

Fun memories.

Digging Out

This is one of those tasks that feels a bit pointless to me. Not the actual shoveling and spreading of the compost. That has become a high priority now that we are ready to shift our gardening into high gear. But the fact that I am the one attempting to do it. Me, with my meager upper body strength. Me, with more than twenty pounds* of baby strapped on my back, making every movement slower and more tiresome. Me, with the inevitable interruptions every three and a half minutes. It begins to feel a bit like I'm shoveling with a teaspoon, making little headway. I wheel some of the compost over to a garden box, dump it on, spread it out, and I've hardly made any impact. Millie clamors for a turn. It's hard work, I warn her. The shovel is heavy, I say. She'll give up in two minutes, I think. But she doesn't. She happily works away, her pace probably as good as my own, and I leave her to it.

I am back the next day, digging again. Eager to get this black gold onto the beds. And even though Tom could do this faster, probably four times faster considering he is stronger and would have no interruptions and no baby tied on, here I am. I'm tempted to just let him do it**. It would make more sense. But I'm digging. Not just shoveling compost, but doing something because I need to do something. I'm digging out from disappointment. Trying to work through the why and what next. Knowing that God's hand holds mine, that I am poor in spirit, and it is this poverty that leads me back to God's grace.

And my thoughts turn to this miracle. This dirt under my feet; made up of the discarded, unwanted, unneeded. No use for these scraps - throw them out. And now they are transformed. The stuff that will bring life, growth, sustenance. Fruit of value and beauty. Right in my backyard, and I am grateful.

*I'm not actually sure how much Naomi weighs. But I'm sure she's at least 20 pounds. She is a chunky, heavy baby.
**In the end, Tom finished spreading the compost. In no time, I might add.

For Tom

Every night as we eat supper together as a family, we go around the table and each person tells one of the highlights from their day. Just the simple things, usually. And invariably, every day, Isaac says that the highlight of his day is, "Daddy coming home today."

Now, I won't worry too much about what this says about the kids being stuck home with mommy all day. But it's true that Tom brings the fun and joy, the laughter and playfulness, to our family.

Tom is surely one of my highlights every day. He is my support and encouragement, truly my best friend. He enthusiastically goes along with all my crazy ideas - everything from homebirth to co-sleeping to cloth diapering to extended nursing. He embraces fatherhood and loves to nurture and encourage our children. I'm especially thankful that Tom recognizes and embraces this current chapter of our lives, with all its sacrifices and challenges, and that we can laugh together at the end of each day.

Happy birthday Tom! I'm glad to be sharing this crazy, fun, exhausting, wonderful adventure with you!

Inspired by Finn Review

I am loving Naomi's teething necklace that I mentioned back in this post. The brand is Inspired by Finn, and I wanted to provide a more in-depth review here.

How does it work?
The beads are made of Baltic Amber, which contains succinic acid. As the necklace is worn against the skin and warmed by body heat, the beads release trace amounts of succinic acid. Succinic acid helps boost the immune system and provides pain relief, among other health benefits. (This means the necklace needs to be worn against the skin, and not on top of clothing.)

Does it really work?
I, personally, find that it's hard to give a definitive answer. Every baby is different, and some seem to tolerate teething without much discomfort, while others are just plain miserable through the process. So I would imagine that Baltic Amber could be more effective for some individuals than for others. I can, however, tell you that we have had a positive experience. Naomi has been wearing her necklace all day every day for nearly a month, and during that time her first two teeth have erupted and she hasn't shown any discomfort. No excess drooling, no fever, no excess fussiness.

I love the natural look, and the length (12 inches) is just right for my 8-month-old. I think it's an excellent, safe way to alleviate teething pain, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a natural alternative to teething gels.

I purchased Naomi's necklace on the Mama Bargains site, so I paid 50% off the regular retail price. I also just saw that Inspired by Finn ran a sale through their Facebook page. So keep an eye out and you could probably get one of the necklaces at a discount.

Disclosure: I was given a discount by Inspired by Finn in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

In the Stroller

It was such a gorgeous weekend here. Finally some warm weather, so we spent most of Saturday and Sunday outside. And this Naomi is getting downright heavy. I carry her in the Ergo a LOT, but after a while I get a little tired, and I think she does too. So yesterday she got to try out a ride in the stroller for the first time. Millie pushed her around our block, and both girls loved it. I loved getting a picture of all four kids. Seems like it happens so rarely that we get all four of them happily looking at the camera.

Six Word Fridays: Again

(this is Isaac's favorite book - today)

We read his favorite book again,

And again and again and again...

More Six Word Fridays fun at Making Things Up

End of March Reflections

It was my birthday month, but the little people in my house are the ones who have done some significant growing up during the past few weeks. I'm still marveling at the changes, some of which happened practically overnight. It's all good - some of it has me downright giddy. But as with any changes - even the good ones - there are new challenges too. A squirmy, busy baby doesn't want to hold still for diaper changes. A newly reading preschooler can be so eager that he wants to monopolize mommy's day by doing reading lessons all. day. long. A 2-year-old who may just be past his obstinate screaming phase ... oh wait, there are surely no downsides to that. Just a saner mama who is basking in a more peaceful home.
And the thing about all of it, is that it has so little to do with me, or my abilities as a mother, or my teaching or my discipline. These children simply are who they are, transforming, emerging. There are rough patches which they do come through, and mostly my job is to be there to love them and walk with them each step of the way. There's plenty of faith required in the process. And patience in not trying to force the results we want to see. I think that type of patience is easiest when they are littlest - of course they will learn to walk and talk. But as they grow it can be harder and harder to simply be with our children - and let them be who they are. Let them experience all the emotions and challenges of life and only gently guide. To lead by example, recognizing that it's not a magic parenting formula but a relationship.  I'm still learning all this, growing along with my children. Maybe I did some growing up this month too.

Reading Together

I really like this picture, even with the blurriness (and I promise Millie isn't actually picking her nose). I feel like we sometimes miss capturing the mundane, everyday stuff. But as mundane and everyday as this is, I love these moments. Everyone piled up, listening to a story. I'm sure I love it partly because no one is fighting (much) and I'm getting a little rest. But it really is one of my favorite things to have my kiddos cuddled up next to me.

When it Clicks

We had two reading breakthroughs here today and I mostly want to write about it for my own benefit.

I think today was the first day Millie (age 7 1/2) ever sat and read a chapter book silently to herself. She's been feeling under the weather with a cold, and has mostly been laying on the couch blowing her nose. I think the inactivity was just what she needed to slow her down enough to make silent reading appealing. Learning to read has been no easy task for her. It has been a long, uphill climb. But it is finally all coming together and she's becoming a fluent reader. Her book of choice today was a recent selection from the library (Lily in Full Bloom, which is in the Disney Fairies series). I think she is still skipping over some words that are too hard for her, but she's been telling me about the story, so it seems she's getting the meaning, if not all of the details!

The other breakthrough was Silas, who is just a month away from turning 5. I've worked with Silas some on letters and phonics, and I had a hunch that learning to read would come easily for him. And tonight for Silas it totally clicked. It was actually quite humorous to see him clip along page after page in the beginning reader (Book 1 in the I Can Read It! series), then the wide eyes and big smile when he realized what he was doing. A definite "aha" moment, which was very exciting for both of us. Tom was in the room too, holding Naomi, and I was glad he was there to share such a fun moment.

Toofer

Looks like I got this Inspired by Finn amber teething necklace just in time. Naomi finally popped her first tooth, just a few days after turning 8 months old. Is it helping with teething pain? Well, who knows, really. But either way, it's awfully cute.

Me at 33

Today I turn 33...

I've been married for nearly 10 years. Tom still makes me laugh, I still think he's funny, smart, talented and just downright wonderful. And he is my biggest encourager and my best friend.

I'm the mother of four amazing children. I've given birth four times. I've been either pregnant or nursing for 8 consecutive years.

I'm currently in what has probably been my hardest year as a mother. It's been physically and emotionally challenging. But it's making me a stronger, wiser woman.

My hair has gone from curly to wavy, thanks to the aforementioned pregnancies. I miss the curls. I'm 15 pounds lighter than I ever remember being, thanks to the aforementioned nursing. I don't miss those pounds.

I've discovered that I love to garden. I'm hoping that in the future I'll have more space and time for growing food. It's incredible to be a part of that process.

I wish I had the time/energy for more creative pursuits - especially sewing. But I just don't right now.

I spend most of my days taking care of the kids, cooking and cleaning. I actually do like to cook, but these days it feels more like a chore. I actually don't like to clean. At all. So sometimes my house is kind of gross.

I'm homeschooling my children, and still trying to figure out exactly what that should look like. But I'm thankful to spend my days with them.

For my birthday, I hope I get some new yoga pants because my two pairs both have holes in them. I bet I also get a vegetable peeler. And I'm planning to buy a nursing necklace so that Naomi won't get into the habit of pulling my hair.

I'm humbled by God's grace extended to me. I see it in the eyes of my children, in the plants that emerge from my garden each spring, in the kindness of friends, in the blessing of family.

Speaking of family, my sister and her crew stayed with us this weekend, so my birthday breakfast this morning was really a party. When there are 8 kids in the house, it's always a party. Blessed indeed.

Silas' Turn

I just realized the last three posts have featured the other three kids. So tonight is Silas' turn. He can be so incredibly sweet. If you don't know him very well, you will probably only see his mild-mannered, pleasant, quiet side. (Though the reality is that he can also be very rowdy and wild.)

I will probably never forget something Silas said after we had company over for a brief visit. Millie talked a mile a minute nearly the whole time, while Silas just smiled his shy smile. After our company left, Silas came over completely unprompted by me, and said softly, "Mommy, I just couldn't think of anything to say." I don't know that I've ever loved him so much, because oh do I know exactly what he means.

Also notable about Silas: at bedtime he can curl up, close his eyes, hold still, and fall asleep in less than 10 minutes. This is still amazing to me since the other children in our house seem to find that flopping and wiggling for about 30 minutes is the best way to go to sleep. This Silas is one talented boy.