Snow Much Fun!

That groundhog is a big furry liar! But if it's got to be cold, at least Mother Nature gave us snow to play in. The kids have enjoyed it a ton, especially Jack since he can go out and sled and play with his buddies alone. Ben has had the patience of a saint because he had to wait for me to go sledding with him, which required waiting days until the weekend when Daddy was home to hang out with Meve.

But we finally got to go sledding! And we built a snowman too - a very unique one at that!

And I think I finally figured out how to post multiple photos from my phone, so you can see it all...

Toadstools and Pollywogs

 

It's no secret to my local mommy friends that I am absolutely in LOVE with Ben's preschool.    After last year, I managed to talk two of them into sending their boys there too!  The program is called 'Toadstools and Pollywogs' and is one of the only nature-based programs around (certainly locally, but I doubt there are many like it even nationally).   As it's name suggests, it's an earth-friendly and eco-aware program.  Teachers and students practice the reduce-reuse-recyle lifestyle in everything they do, from upcycled crafts to vermicomposted snacks.  But more than that, they get those kids outside in the fresh air to learn from the best teacher on earth - Mother Nature!  Rain or shine, snow or fog, unless there's lightning or it's below 25 degrees, they are outside every single day.  Stomping in puddles, rolling giant snowballs, collecting leaves, counting birds and drawing letters in the mud.

 

This is what I saw when I pulled up to pick Ben up last week.
 They had been outside playing in the snow and were forming the letter of the week, letter 'O', with their bodies on the hill.

 

 And to me, that's the best gift you can give a child.  Not addition and sight word flashcards before they even enter kindergarten, for heaven's sakes!  I want my kids to squish mud between their toes and wonder why the sky is blue and marvel at the sounds of birds chirping all around them.  They have the rest of their educational career to be trapped indoors doing worksheets and drills - my heart says let them PLAY and develop their inner curiosity as deeply as they can, while they have the luxury of the free time to enjoy it.

  

The fact that this program is run by the park district and is the cheapest program in the city might lead people to believe that it isn't as good as some of the more expensive programs - and in Naperville there are plenty of those.  One costs nearly as much per year as my college education did!  Those students will likely graduate preschool academically ahead of their park district peers, but at what cost I wonder?

 

I am thoroughly satisfied that Ben has had the best preschool experience I could ask for, and the fact that it's only $100/month and in a one-room schoolhouse that is so close we can ride our bicycles when the weather is nice?  Well that's the best kind of bonus!

 

If you'd like to see what a typical day at Toadstools and Pollywogs is like, check out their blog!  Yes, they have a blog, and take videos and pictures on the school iPad each week to show parents and friends what the kids are learning.   Just scroll down on the right side and click on Miss Janet and Miss Michelle's 4's class.

The Sweetness...

It's almost unbearable sometimes. 

 As hard as parenting four kids spread over ten years is, the truly unbearable part I'm referring to is the sweeness of having a sleeping baby in your arms in the still of the night. 

And this time moreso than ever.

 

 

I took this picture on my cell phone the night that Maeve and I had spent the whole day struggling with nursing.  Her pediatrician wanted me to supplement her with formula for her jaundice and it was a total disaster.  She was miserable, constipated and refusing to eat anything.  And my milk production had taken a nosedive. 

 

The lactation consultant at the hospital suggested we do a 'nurse-in' and spend 4+ hours in bed doing nothing but skin-to-skin contact and nursing on demand.

 

I didn't think much of it at first, but lying in bed with the lights dimmed, snuggling my baby skin to skin, turned out to be one of the most intimate experiences I've ever had.  It was the closest thing to having her back inside me, but even better I think, since I could see her and feel her and love her in person.

 

That was eight weeks ago, and the memory hasn't faded one bit.  I think it's going to be one of those memories that sticks with me, like the one I have of cosleeping with Molly when she was about 3 months old and I thought I could never possibly love her more than I did at that moment. 

I have memories like that of each of my babies - it must be something about the still of the night - that peacefulness, coupled with the new baby sweetness, that cements the memories so firmly.

 

Tonight, Maeve was having a hard time falling asleep so I picked her up out of her swing and rocked her in the glider for a bit.  Looking down at her I was just so profoundly grateful that she is ours.  And I could see every one of my babies in her face. 

It was as if I was rocking Jack, and Molly and Ben all over again.

 

My heart is so full,

and I am so blessed that I get to do this one last time.

 

Guest Post!

Someone wanted to try her hand at blogging :)

Hi.my name Is Molly. I have the cutest baby Sister in the world!

Guess I Shouldn't Have Ta!ken That Nap

I got a marvelous nap on the couch today while Auntie Treecie took the kids to Airtastic Playland where they could jump around like maniacs on inflatables all afternoon.  Maeve slept for 3 hours in her swing, and I sacked out for two of those hours in blissful peace (there may even have been drool involved I was so tired!).

 

And now I have been up, wide awake, since Maeve's 2:30 feeding.  It is 5:03.  And she is stirring again..in fact, I just heard her poop, so that's a sure sign we're getting up again.

 

It's gonna be a looooong day tomorrow!

 

Luckily, it'll be a day spent looking at this face...

 

 

Pretty Flowers (33 Days Until Spring!)

Marc bought us girls some of the most beautiful roses for Valentine's Day.

 

 

It absolutely melts my heart that he brings them to Molly too.

 

 

But it also makes me itch for spring to hurry up and get here!

 

 

 

 

I want to hear birds chirping and take my baby for a walk in her carriage!

("buggy" if you're from Illinois)

 

 

I sure do hope that groundhog was right!

 

 

How To Make a Heart Garland

This is a craft so easy, a five and seven year old could do it!

 

STEP 1.

Assemble your supplies

Heart Punch - Cardstock or Paint Chips - Needle and Thread

 

 

 

STEP 2. 

Punch hearts out of cardstock or paint chips

 

 

STEP 3.

Gather the punched hearts

 

 

 

STEP 4.

 

With the needle and thread, sew the hearts together in a string.

(for small children, pierce the heart with the needle first)

 

 

 

 

STEP 5.

Admire your handiwork!

 

 

 

The best part about this craft is that it is 100% customizeable and scaleable.

You could do any size or shape punch for any theme.

You could do any color or texture of cardstock.

You could thread through anything from ribbon to twine.

(if you used twine and a plastic embroidery needle even a 2 year old could do this!)

and you can make it 6 inches long or 10 feet long,

it's all up to you! 

 

I had visions of making these as gifts with the recipient's last name spelled out on the hearts (using my nifty new Silhouette) and some spiffy embellishments glued on....never happened.

But there's always Saint Patrick's Day!

 

 

In the end, my favorite by-product of crafting with my kids (or setting them up to craft while I  nurse the baby) is the love I get afterward.

 

 

Someone asked me to be their Valentine.

 

 

You betcha buddy. 

I will ALWAYS be your Valentine!

(no matter what your future girlfriends say!)

 

Valentine's Day 2013

Maeve's first Valentine's Day was a bit of a doozy.  She's been fussy on and off since her six week growth spurt, but yesterday she outdid herself and screamed bloody murder for the whole afternoon and long into the evening.  She tuckered herself out so much that she slept for 7 hours!  I don't know that the tradeoff was worth it though - I think I'd be willing to get up more in the middle of the night in exchange for a scream-free day.

 

We did have some of fun getting ready for Valentine's Day this year, though it was nothing like years past.  I was feeling kind of guilty for phoning it in, and peeked at my post from Valentine's Day 2011.  YEESH!  I think I intimidated myself!  Pinterest didn't even exist then, but we crafted our faces off - maybe we were due for a lull to even things out.

 

This year I dressed the kids up in some fabulous clothes and accessories that my friend Sandy gave them, and took their pictures with Nannie and Grey while they were visiting.  Maeve was having a good day so she slept through the photo shoot thank goodness.

 

 

She even gave me half a smile!!

 

 

While Nannie was getting ready, I got daddy to snap one of me with the kids.

 

 

And then I took a few of the kids together.

 

 

 

The matching hair bows make my heart go pitty pat!

 

 

 

Jack does such a nice job holding Maeve. 

He's dying to walk around with her in his arms, but she's not quite sturdy enough yet.

 

 

Mr. G.Q.

 

 

Once Nannie was ready, everyone cooperated - not a small feat in this house!

 

 

 

Here's Nannie with her oldest and youngest grandchild...

 

 

And one of just the girls...

 

 

We even convinced Grey to jump in!

 

 

I love taking pictures from above - it's such a great vantage point

(and as I told Deb, it's always flattering!)

 

 

 

Be Mine?

Did you even have to ask?

You had me at hello my sweet girl.

 

 

As for decorations, wait for it...

 

 

Whew!

I'm exhausted just looking at it all!

(No really, that's all of it.  One garland, and done!)

 

 

The garland idea was taken from a similar one a crafty friend sent me a wihle back.

Hers had tiny hearts punched from paint chips,

hand sewn in a string with white thread.

 

It was so beautiful in it's simple perfection - so I let the kids have at it one weekend day

with cardstock and a punch (this was all I could manage to score in between feedings one day when I escaped from the house). 

Molly handled the sewing after I pre-stabbed holes in the hearts.

This little garland was 100% her work.

 

 

Luckily, I have family and friends who filled in the blanks!

 

Auntie Treecie brought us Valentine's placemats and other goodies.

Nannie and Nana and Nana Nancy spoiled us with presents and cards.

And Auntie Ulia did what she does best....there are no words for this so pictures must suffice!

 

 

This box weighed about five pounds.

I can't even imagine how much butter and sugar that counts for.

And I don't care.

Because they taste even better than they look!

 

 

He hearts his mustache.

Molly too!

 

 

Even Maeve wanted in on the action!

 

 

I did manage to sneak away for an hour or so that afternoon

to grab a few little gifts for my crew.

 

Titleist Golf balls for Daddy

(the male equivalent of long-stemmed red roses)

a new underarmor set for Jack to wear to volleyball practice

A Winx microphone for Molly

and a set of Marvel Minimates for Ben.

 

And Daddy brought home some gifts too!

Roses for Auntie Treecie, Molly and I,

and tickets to a Pentatonix concert in a few weeks!

He even wrangled a babysitter for the night.

(thank you Auntie Ulia!)

 

Now I just need to get my fussy girl to take a bottle.

Easier said than done, but we're going to try!

Thinking about Parenting

It's that time again. 

 

The time after you have a baby, when the kids start to show the wear and tear of having Mommy not as available to them as they are used to. 

The time when the constant stream of gifts and visitors starts to spoil them a little too much. 

The time when the attitudes and behaviors need more than just a gentle correction.

 

So I've been doing some thinking and some reading,

and I came across this quote that struck a chord with me.

 

"I think parenting has to be made and re-made over and over and over again. It seems like just when we figure out the perfect solution to a particular situation through endless tweaking and prayer and pushing, another child will throw you for a loop and will need parenting from an entirely different ball field. Each child is so darn unique."

 

- Shawni Pothier

 

There's gonna need to be some changes 'round here,

and this couldn't be more true!

Got Milk?

Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed babies, but it sure isn't easy! Before Maeve was even born, I'd spent more than three years of my life breastfeeding babies, so I kind of know what I'm doing. And still, we have had to weather so many bumps in the road these last seven weeks that its no wonder most American mothers don't last past a few months when it comes to feeding their babies the way nature intended.

So far we've dealt with a disastrous attempt at formula supplementation for jaundice that trashed my supply and Maeve's poor tummy, two plugged ducts (one of which was a close call with mastitis and made me feel awful), and most recently, a case of oversupply and fast letdown which choked the baby so badly she altered her latch. The poor latch gave her so much gas that she was completely inconsolable for days.

The intervention needed to correct this last problem was substantial - I had to nurse every two hours, upside down on the side that was the major overproducer (it's called the Australian hold), wear cabbage leaves in my bra (to try and dry up supply on that one side), delatch and relatch Maeve multiple times during a feeding session so I wouldn't choke her with milk, and cautiously pump just enough milk off to not die of agony but not worsen the oversupply issue.

I think we've finally turned the corner, but it's been a rough week! Thank goodness my mother in law was here because Marc had to travel for work and I'm not sure the children would have been fed or the laundry done if it wasn't for her!

Why do I stick with nursing when it's so challenging?

First, because its a superior form of nutrition. Formula isn't poison of course, and Maeve will likely have some eventually, but its a backup choice for when breastmilk isn't possible. So I will, and have, gone to extreme measures to make sure that my babies get breastmilk for their first year of life.

Second, I love nursing - it's a bonding thing as much for me as it is for baby. When you're the only one that can feed your baby, it forces you to put your baby first and let go of your own self-centeredness in a way that bottle feeding does not. of course, no mommy is ever indispensable to her babies, no matter how they are fed (because mommies are special and their babies know it!). But moms who formula feed have the option of leaving their babies for extended periods, where exclusively breastfeeding mommies do not.

Third, I breastfeed because its just plain easier day to day than bottle feeding! There's nothing to clean or sterilize, there's nothing to buy or to store, or pack or unpack or shake or heat or measure. When you're a nursing, baby's food is only one unsnapped bra strap away. Always ready, always the right temperature, always fresh.

Lastly I breastfeed because the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. Both formula feeding and breastfeeding have their own benefits and drawbacks, I just happen to know this method cold, and have no desire to learn the other side my fourth time around the block!

A New Day Is Dawning

I filled out this form today. A change of the guard is on its way...my sidekick for the last three years is moving on to a new adventure! I'm thrilled and devastated all at the same time.

Waiting for Baby Mallett, a Photo Journal

In 2013, I am determined to get a handle on the thousands of pictures backlogged in my file folders (and real folders from the time before digital!) this year.  Instead of starting at the beginning, which makes it seem like an impossible task, I decided to flip the paradigm and start from NOW and work backward.

 

Maeve is six weeks old, and I already have my pregnancy photo journal complete! 

I'm hoping the trend holds and that by this time next year I'll have a stack of albums to cherish instead of a big fat monkey on my back.

 

Shutterfly offered me a $10 off coupon to share it on my blog and it took me all of two seconds to say, heck yeah!  So enjoy, and wish me luck as I declutter my photo files. 

 

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a variety of layouts and cover options to choose from.

Some times your kids knock your socks off..with AWESOMENESS!!

Let it be known that on

the 28th day of January

in the year 2013

Jack Henry Mallett

surprised his mother by

starting the laundry, 

picking up the disastrously messy play room,

emptying the dishwasher

AND loading it with the dirty breakfast dishes,

sweeping the kitchen floor,

and washing the counters and the table.

 

FURTHERMORE

that he encouraged and was kind

to everyone around him

even in situations that would

usually drive him mad.

 

FINALLY,

let it be known that his mother

kissed his face

in incredulity

and nearly cried from sheer amazement

at the magic that happened

while she was in the shower.

 

Miracles do happen!