And here I sit going on about the strange, uncomfortable feelings instead of the joyous ones. Perhaps even after a really good day I am still a little run down. No matter, the smiles make up for the tired evenings. Today we went into town, really early to avoid the crowds of children at story time. Even though we're feeling better, Rowan is still coughing a little and I don't want to take the chance that we're passing germs around. I also have to feel normal again!
I re-read some of Pam Leo's Connection Parenting last night and got a good strong reminder that when I want to hurry them along it isn't them being naughty "dawdling" or "running off" it's them needing to explore conflicting with my priority of needing to Get Places. So we took pleasure in the journey a bit more.
A favorite method of getting places TOGETHER without losing someone or getting fraught is the "stop and go game". Oh how I am loving this for stress-free town trips! Pity it doesn't work with avoiding the pulling of things from shelves... ;)Right, enough with the rambling. We got home and did crafty stuff. Salt dough. Finger knitting. Star weaving. I have some pictures!
Bounty from yesterday's walk is turned to jam, blackberries and MOUNTAINS of lovely little crab apples. Hope the jam turns out OK...
There is always time for yoga!
Tea: carrot and lentil soup (Jenna's favorite) with veggie sausages as an added treat - and home made potato and rosemary bread. Mmmm...
And why does this baby refuse the breast only to suck her little thumb? It is slightly heartbreaking, but also so tiny and sweet... Irresistable. Makes me want to wake her up with kisses and offer milk again - which she refuses with confused sleepy frowns and gets the thumb back in on fourth or fifth try...
Last but not least, the charity shop haul of the week, more books! My THIRD copy of What Mothers Do included.
Love all the pictures--so sweet the thumb sucking ones. I like the star weaving you did, too. I love simple crafts like that.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures of Rowan! What a sweetie, but I understand what you mean about it being slightly heartbreaking, but then isn't everything about motherhood?
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're feeling more positive - and a couple of questions - how do you do those lovely star weaving things? Mine would love that i think. And, is a yoga DVD that your children do their yoga to, or a book, or what? Mine are interested in yoga but we've never found the ideal 'thing' to inspire them to do it regularly. And I really think it would help here, as things do get rather, erm not sure what the word is, maybe chaotic.
ReplyDeleteI get that feeling taking Sophie out the sling sometimes, it's like "oh, there you are!" She just seems so much a part of me! Glad you are all feeling better, and you've got some lovely books there.
ReplyDeleteWe use the Pretzel cards some days, and Yoga Planet cards on others - we had the My Daddy is a Pretzel book and they loved it, so we invested in the activity cards. Most days now though we just work through a few of our favorite stretches and poses. :) I have sequences I like, that flow nicely.
ReplyDeleteThe star weaving is on lolly sticks. Hold the star in your left hand and the wool in your right, anchor them together by going between them a few times, then keep taking the wool behind one stick, over the front and behind to the next one, rotating it anti-clockwise as you go. I'll try to put up instructions later maybe. :)
Grace does the thumb sucking thing too sometimes - she doesn't seem to be able to nurse without getting milk, and sometimes for her it's all about the sucking! :)
ReplyDeleteBroken Man's Wife
And how come you find such fab books in charity shops! Never get anything of that standard round our way!
ReplyDeleteBroken Man's Wife
We have a couple of really GREAT charity shops around here - Oxfam is fab for books, I guess there are plenty of other hippy parents around here because I see so many good gentle/alternative parenting and pregnancy books! We also have a newly refurbished Save The Children shop, which sells only children's things and lots of new wooden toys. Very lucky I know!
ReplyDeletePS - Looked up the Culpeper's Herbal on Amazon and didn't see it at less than £30 for this edition! :O I paid £2!