School Success!

Eva loved it. Absolutely loved it. She was supposed to be there for an hour but she wanted to stay so they let her stay for snack and recess- three hours in total!

A couple of little girls really took a shine to her and they were all running around together at recess. One of them asked for our phone number so she could invite Eva over to play. In general we have found that kids are fascinated with the fact that Eva speaks english. One of her guides told me that her classmates were coming up to her and saying, "I speak english too," but in spanish. So cute.

The class made a Canadian flag to welcome Eva. She did some painting and drawing. She participated in the snack cleanup activities.

Micah and I hung out on the play structure for a long time and had a little snack of our own on a bench. We were then invited in to join the snack in the classroom. It was so interesting to watch life at the school. The sixth grade kids are finished their final tests and so were doing some social services like groundskeeping and helping the younger kids. The students have so much freedom and seem to do so well with it! They are also very disciplined. A few of the children were in charge of putting out placemats and serving the snack. Every child was in charge of washing his or her own dishes after they had finished eating. I put a mat on the ground to sit with Micah and do one of the activities I found on a shelf, and one of the girls informed me that we were doing a "table activity". Whoops. The discipline they have instilled already in these children at the age of three is impressive.

We're a go for school in the fall!

NatGeo Little Kids

Eva's first Nat Geo Little Kids magazine that we ordered in March arrived yesterday!! So far it looks like it was an excellent purchase! She loved pouring over it yesterday at bedtime. She slept with it beside her bed. And today she is going to bring it along with her to school.

The Joy of Breastfeeding

I have always been glad that I chose to breastfeed my children. When exclusively breastfed Eva was about five weeks old it really hit me that she was alive and growing because of what my body was producing for her. I was awestruck.

Eva was a year old when I went back to work part time. She drank formula when she wasn't with me but still breastfed when she was. I chose formula rather than cow's milk because I was worried about the hormones and other substances in commercial, non-organic cow's milk (I had trouble finding organic milk). In retrospect I think I would choose natural over artificial despite those risks.

Over the next five months Eva weaned gently and gradually via the "don't offer, don't refuse" method. Her requests declined until at seventeen months she stopped asking. She still drank lots of milk for the next year and a half, but transferred her need from me to the sippy cup. There was a stretch of about a year when I had to always have at least two servings of milk on hand when we were away from the house because it was a matter of urgency for her- when she needed milk, she needed milk!!

We moved to Mexico while I was pregnant with Micah so the situation is quite different. I don't work outside the home and I don't have a lot of need or opportunity to go out in the evenings. It has been a blessing for our breastfeeding relationship. There has been no need to give him any other milk but breastmilk. He is still breastfed on demand. At 19 months this means morning, naptime and bedtime. He occasionally asks in between but usually gets distracted before he really settles in to nurse.

The other night I realized that I really LOVE nursing Micah. When we settle in together, he lights up and giggles with giddy anticipation. It is a source of incredible joy for him. It is also a source of comfort and closeness. It's special quiet snuggling time together, just the two of us.

I will nurse him as long as he wants.

The benefits aren't limited to joy and comfort. Kelly Bonyata, BS, IBCLC at Kellymom.com says that "...breastfeeding continues to be a valuable source of nutrition and disease protection for as long as breastfeeding continues". She summarizes as follows: Nursing toddlers benefit nutritionally, are sick less often, have fewer allergies, are smart, are well adjusted socially, nursing a toddler is normal, and
mothers also benefit from nursing past infancy

I read somewhere that you won't hear a woman say she regrets breastfeeding her child as long as she did, but you may hear a woman say she regrets stopping when she did.

A Great Meeting with the School!

A photo of the grounds. Incidentally, my American friend whose son attended this school for 6th grade worked with the school to install the peace obeslisk you see in the foreground

We went to the school today and met with the early years director. She is so great. Incredibly gracious and kind. She listened to my concerns without judgement, and spoke to them. She feels that this is the ideal age for Eva to enter into school, and that she will benefit from and be open to being with other children and learning from exposure to a new environment. Especially one as enriching as a Montessori classroom.

She was sympathetic to my concerns about conflicts with other children. She said she couldn't guarantee there would never be a conflict with a classmate. However she could assure me that the guides are trained and experienced in recognizing unhealthy situations and working together with the children to resolve them. Also she pointed out that the children are free to leave the classroom at anytime to go outside onto the patio, to the play structure, or to visit the chickens they have there. I like this a lot because it can be so helpful to have a change of scenery (especially to the outdoors) when one feels frustrated or overwhelmed.

We dropped in on the classroom and met Ana, who will be one of Eva's guides. She speaks excellent english and actually does summer camps in San Antonio, Texas. While I want Eva to 'do school' in spanish, it's also important that she is able to express herself and be understood when she really needs it. Eva was very shy, clinging to my leg and pretty much silent. But she was also extremely excited. (Micah just barged right into the classroom. In fact, we peeked into the english class on the way there, Micah marched in and took a seat in their circle. No shyness issues there.) A number of children stopped their work to come over and see who was in their class. They were curious, open, friendly but not at all aggressive about it. I just loved the look and feel of that classroom and the children in it. So orderly and peaceful, but you can also feel the energy and concentration.

The director offered that Eva could come on Friday for an hour (or as long as she'd like) as a guest to the classroom. She can come one other time for a longer period before the end of this school year. And in the fall if she needs it, Eva can make a gradual entry to going to school full time.

When I told Eva she could come back on Friday for an hour she said she wanted to come for five hours, and she wanted to do it now! Her enthusiasm hasn't diminished.

We'll take the director up on these offers, but even without them I'm pretty much convinced that this will be a good thing for Eva, and that the risks to her wellbeing are very minimal. I'm so looking forward to seeing how she learns and grows through this!!

Thank Goodness for Non Toxic Markers and Crayons

I hope that when Crayola says "non toxic" they really mean completely free of dangerous substances. Not only does my son munch on (and throw) crayons and markers, he also removes the felt tip entirely. With his teeth, naturally. And ends up with a big puddle of marker ink on his tongue.

Augh, this is SOO frustrating and makes me feel so sad! I worry that so much ink might hurt him. I'm sad for the crayons and markers that have been destroyed. Eva is really beginning to enjoy colouring and drawing, and Micah actually does enjoy colouring too.... until he goes and puts an end to the experience for everyone. It could be such a nice, fun activity to all do together, or for the kids to do while I cook or do dishes. But no. And he is lightening fast- you can't stop him even if you're sitting right beside him. So Eva is restricted to this activity during Micah's naptime right now and it stinks!

The Question of School

I've been thinking a lot about school.

Eva and I found a wonderful Montessori school that we are both very excited about. She still asks me periodically when it will be time to start school. We visited twice and were very impressed with the facilities, the method, the philosphy, the materials, the director. Eva especially liked that everything in the room was "just the right size" for her. The director was so warm and welcoming and so open. She likes to work with the entire family, not just the student. They stress respect and building a self-confident child who loves to learn. She was so kind and gave us all the time we needed to look around, ask questions, and observe in the classroom.

All the children were quietly working while we were there. They were interested in Eva but obviously engrossed in their work. Students would periodically approach the "guides" (2 per multi-age classroom of 20-25 students) for, well, guidance. Each child would put away whatever he or she was working on before taking out a new activity. There was a feeling of peace and concentration in the room.

I know Eva will thrive in many ways in this environment. I do have a couple of concerns though. She will be going to school every day for five hours each day at barely four years old. That feels so long! And I want to protect her from potentially damaging forces and situations- grow her confidence and maturity under my wing before exposing her to things she would handle better if she were a little older.

The number one factor in the "Pro" column of this decision list is the language. If she goes to this school, she will be fluent in spanish before very long.

I think sometimes about homeschooling. There are some excellent curriculums out there and I think children can benefit enormously from being homeschooled. But it isn't for every family. Anyway these are things that I think about. I'm going to meet with the director at the Montessori school this week and talk to her a little more about my concerns.

Yesterday I asked Eva if she was still excited about going to school. She immediately replied YES! I reminded her that she would be there from just after when Daddy goes to work until after Rest Time. She said, "I'll be fine there without Mommy and Daddy!"

A couple of visuals

We bought Eva a helmet-and-pads set on the weekend- turns out the helmet fits Micah better!

Hide & Seek- the kids were so aware of the camera I couldn't get a good count-to-found video, but I just love the way this one ends so I thought I'd post it.

Eva's drawing with her improvements

Before

After

Eva and her Dad did the above illustration of her Saturday activities together on the computer. After Andrew printed it out, Eva realized that it was lacking in some important details. She spent a good deal of excited energy getting it just right. It was such a pleasure to see her thoroughly engaged and confident, and enjoying herself so much.

More Saturday Pics

Eva doing a little snorkling in her pool- reinacting a scene from Finding Nemo

Micah enjoying his ice cream

A drawing Eva and Daddy made on the computer, depicting our Saturday afternoon activities. She later tweaked it to add details including Daddy's scratchy beard, pants for Mommy, more toys in the pool, and hair for Micah. If I can find it, I will scan it and post it.

Saturday Fun

Here are some photos Andrew took today:

Eva wants so badly to "be a mom". Behold her Mommy Face!

Swimming in our little pool this afternoon

Hide and seek is a daily activity in our house. Here is Eva hiding behind the futon in the play room.

Parenting Tools, Tips and Tricks?

A while ago, I did a post called Parenting Picks and Pans, Part I.

Now I'd love to hear from you. What are your indispensible products, tools, ideas, or rules that help keep peace and sanity in your home? Even if you have older or grown up kids, I want to hear from you!

Science Experiments

Today the kids and I had some fun outside. I filled some containers (got some use out of my discarded plastics!) with water and a few drops of food colouring and supplied the kids with eye droppers. They transferred the red, yellow and blue water into their own containers to make their own pretty coloured water. Ok, Eva did. Micah mostly just pretended to have a tea party.

When that part of the activity was winding down I brought out some flour (got some use out of my refined flour!) mixed with salt. We mixed it into the coloured water and made a sort of homemade play-doh. Ok, I did. Eva made a nice olive green sludge. Micah ate some and finally met his match. He enjoys eating crayons, markers and even sand. But the salty play-doh got the best of him.

Yummy Pancake Recipe

I've tried this pancake recipe a couple of times and I can confirm that they are indeed fluffy and yummy! Gets my thumbs up and I want to share. Follow the link to check out the original recipe, which the writer called "quite possibly the best pancakes I have ever tasted". Below is the recipe with my modifications (some because I wanted to and some because I didn't have ingredients on hand):

Lemon Lovers' Ricotta Pancakes
.
1 Cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp honey or piloncillo (click here if you don't know what this is and want to find out)
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1 large Egg
2 large Egg Whites
1/2 Cup fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
the zest of one Lemon (our lemon output has been very poor lately so unfortunately I haven't been able to experience this recipe with lemon zest yet)
1 Tbsp butter + butter for the pan
.
Preheat a skillet or electric griddle to medium heat or about 325*f. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar (piloncillo) if you choose to use it. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey (if not using granulated sugar/piloncillo), ricotta, eggs, lemon juice, zest and canola oil. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. The batter will be super thick. Using a lunch lady scoop (the ones with an ejector handle) or a spoon. Gently spread the batter out-it will be thick. Let it cook until golden on the bottom, then flip them. You wont see bubbles coming through to the top like you would making regular pancakes. Cook on the second side until golden brown. They will be super fluffy and light.

Happy cooking!

Sermon!

Andrew and I just did the teaching for our church! I never would have imagined I would do that. It was fun and it went well.

The missionary couple that normally leads church wasn't here so we hosted and taught. This was a really meaningful and exciting thing for me.

Mr. Dirty Pants!

Wouldn't you know it, but the very day after my big EC post Micah starting having accidents and misses like crazy! Yesterday he pooped in the closet and on the bed. Today he pooped in his training pants. All I can do is laugh and shake my head. And clean up.

In Micah's defense, something is a little "off" with his waste management system. Hopefully once that is back on track we can get back on track with moving out of diapers!

More Hail!

If you look closely, you can see a smattering of white stuff on the trampoline

Who would have imagined that we'd have another hailstorm so soon after the last one? Is it just me or is the frequent and widespread severe and weird weather stuff unprecedented?

Today's storm was not as bad or as long as the last one but it had eerie similarities.

Infant Potty Training / Elimination Communication

When Eva was first born, I remember thinking that she would be easy to toilet train because she so hated to be in wet diapers. But within a matter of weeks she became "diaper trained" and no longer complained about being wet or dirty. And in fact, it was a six month struggle to finally untrain her from using her diapers for elimination. I didn't want to go through that with Micah if I could help it.

I thought back to a conversation I had with another mom a number of years ago. She told me that she had been practicing "elimination communication" with her son since he was born. I listened skeptically, thinking to myself that it sounded like too much work. I've changed my mind since then. Isn't it work to change and buy diapers? And to toilet train a toddler? Not to mention the impact diaper use (both disposable and cloth) has on the environment. I also considered the fact that my diapered child spends much of the day sitting on his or her own urine or feces. Not a lot of dignity in that. There are plenty of cultures out there that don't have access to diapers. They must have figured out a solution that works. What is it?

They pay attention to their babies' cues and give them opportunity to eliminate in an appropriate place. According to one article, parents in over 75 countries practice "elimination communication".

6 month old Micah

When Micah was about 4 months old I held him over the toilet. He peed! I became convinced that this concept had merit. It wasn't just a fluke- he would gladly go three of four times that I offered him the opportunity. I would either hold him in a supported squat position over the toilet or put him on a great little potty I got at the local supermarket. (Many EC'ers swear by the Little Bjorn Potty.)

According to EC'ers, newborn babies are adverse to being near their eliminations, and will actually wiggle away after they go, if undiapered. Babies give signals that they need to eliminate, and with close observation a parent or other caregiver can recognize these signals and offer a potty opportunity accordingly. Among these signals are fussiness, squirming, becoming still, and grunting. Some parents choose to go diaper free right from birth. Others start after a few weeks or months. Some do it full time, others part time, and still others occasionally.

Our approach has been halfway between diaper-free and conventional diapering. Until recently, Micah wore disposable diapers day and night. However I would put him on the potty a number of times a day. Most babies need to go after eating and sleeping, so I would often offer him a potty opportunity after he woke up or after he ate. This approach has already saved us lots of diapers. Especially poopy diapers. He is quite regular and happy to use the potty for his daily duty (unfortunately for us this event generally takes place at 6am or earlier). The majority of the last year's poops have gone into the potty or toilet, not into a diaper.

About a week ago I stopped diapering him. He either goes nude or wears his Bummis training pants around the house during the day. He uses pull-ups for sleeping and outings. He's doing fairly well but he has a ways to go yet. He does better when he's nudie than when he's wearing underpants. When he’s wearing a diaper or something diaper-like I guess he slips into the old habit of just peeing in it when he gets the urge. He does wake up dry from his nap now. This after I double-bagged him with some cotton training undies plus the Bummis and he soaked them. Guess he didn’t want to repeat that soggy uncomfortable experience. The other night when he woke up at 2am he asked to go potty, and his pullup was dry. So we are making progress! My goal is to be completely diaper free by the time he is two (next October). I would be thrilled if it were sooner!

A very interesting and awesome side effect to "EC" is that it strengthens our connection with our son. We are much more observant of him than we might have been- we watch for his elimination signs but it spills into all areas. There is a satisfaction and depth of relationship that results from us successfully reading our baby’s cues and from Micah feeling understood.

If you are interested in EC, check out www.diaperfreebaby.org for more information, or Google "elimination communication", "natural infant hygiene" or "infant potty training".

My Cousin Shaun

Shaun with Ben and Becky

Tuesday night my 33-year-old cousin Shaun passed away suddenly. What unexpected news. I was flabbergasted. I am still processing.

Growing up, we had fairly frequent family gatherings to celebrate birthdays and holidays, and I was close with his sister so I saw him quite often. In adulthood though we saw each other less, we connected well, as we had a number of common interests and beliefs.

Red Rock Lake, summer 1980

I enjoyed and appreciated his adventurous spirit. He wasn't afraid to follow his passions and interests to wherever they took him. He was always very active in his community and made a difference in the lives of people around him. I admired that he owned his own business. Shaun was such a devoted father to 6 year old Ben. It was a delight to see them together. He was obviously so in love and happy with his partner Becky. I grieve for their loss.

I miss him.

Becky created a blog for his memory http://shaunchristophermurphy.blogspot.com/, and a trust fund has been set up for Ben.

Height and Weight Update

I weighed and measured the kids today.

Eva (3 years, 6 months)
34lbs
39"

Micah (18.5 months)
26.5lbs
33.5" He now is as tall as Eva was at 26 months

Eva's Allowance Purchase

Today Eva made her first purchase from her allowance.

Last week we decorated three makeshift piggy banks. One is for God, and she'll take that with her to church every week for offering. One is for saving to spend on future trips. And one (the one we drew from today) is for spending on whatever she wants.

Eva has a running list of things she wants. At present, they include a real live SpongeBob, a real live kitty cat, and a real live baby. For today's purchase, she decided she wanted to buy a dinosaur. I explained that she couldn't afford a real live dinosaur, so we went on a toy dinosaur hunt. No luck at the mall. The only one we could find roared and walked and was way out of her price range. But Eva was still very keen on making a purchase. She ended up choosing "Octopus", pictured above. I showed her which coins and bills she needed and she took care of the whole transaction by herself with great confidence. So fun!

International Midwives Day

Today is International Midwives Day. Join me in celebrating these important women!

I had midwifery care for the births of both my children. I am so grateful for the excellent, compassionate, continuous, family-centred care we received. I loved the long, unrushed visits we had throughout my pregnancy. I felt free to discuss any and all of my concerns. My midwife answered all my questions thoroughly and thoughtfully. I was able to make informed choices about everything to do with my pregnancy and birth, including all tests and procedures. My midwife was in the room with us throughout active labour and of course during delivery. She stayed with us afterward for a time. She provided breastfeeding support. She visited us at home the next day, and every couple of days for the first weeks. And she let my daughter use her stethoscope.



It is my firm belief that midwives should be the primary caregivers for all uncomplicated pregnancies. It makes such sense for the woman and her family to take advantage of the continuous and complete care offered in the midwifery model. This model also makes economic sense. Additionally, study after study has shown that outcomes for mom and baby are better. Obstetricians have an important role to play when mom and/or baby is threatened by medical condition or trauma, and their considerable skills and expertise are absolutely needed for these cases. But the midwifery model provides the best care for a straightforward, normal pregnancy and birth.

Midwives Model of Care™

The Midwives Model of Care™ is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events. The Midwives Model of Care includes:

- monitoring the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle
- providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
- minimizing technological interventions and;
- identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention

The application of this model has been proven to reduce to incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.

The Midwives Model of Care definition above is Copyright © 1996-2001, Midwifery Task Force, All Rights Reserved.

I'm so proud and excited for good friend Jen who is well on her way to becoming a midwife. Go girl go!

Another Skater in the Family!

We took Eva skating today. She skated for the entire hour. She did NOT want any help from me. It irritated her that I was skating so close behind her. She wanted to figure it ALL out by herself. Lucky for her she's a natural!

Hydrogenation

I received my new cookbook, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, and I can't put it down. I'm fascinated by the information, and it rings true to me. I'd like to share some exerpts from time to time. Today's exerpt is about hydrogenation. If you haven't already switched back to butter, it might make you think twice about margarine:

Hydrogenation

This is the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature- margarine and shortening. To produce them, manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils- soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process- and mix them with tiny metal particles- usually nickel oxide. The oili with its nickel catalyst is then subjected to hydrogen gas in a high-pressure, high-temperature reactor. Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam-cleaned. This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine's natural color, an unappetizing grey, is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health food.

She goes on to talk about the trans fats component and its dangers. I'm sure this is nothing new to you since trans fats have been in the news a lot lately. The section ends with the following:

Altered partially hydrogenated fats made from vegetable oils actually block utilization of essential fatty acids, causing many deleterious effects including sexual dysfunction, increased blood cholesterol and paralysis of the immune system. Consumption of hydrogenated fats is associated with a host of other serious diseases, not only cancer but also atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, immune system dysfunction, low-birth-weight babies, birth defects, decreased visual acuity, sterility, difficulty in lactation and problems with bones and tendons. Yet hydrogenated fats continue to be promoted as health foods. The popularity of margarine and shortening over butter represents a triumph of advertising duplicity over common sense. Your best defense is to avoid them like the plague.

Blanket Time Visual

Thanks to Alice for the blanket which has come to very good use!

Micah is wearing his new training pants. We're having a go at diaper independence. So far it's going pretty well. We have the timer set to go off every 30 minutes and he is obliging each time it beeps with a sit on the potty. The tic tac that comes along with his effort doesn't hurt ;) As we get closer to naptime he has more misses than hits but I'm not surprised. I'm so curious to see whether he will get totally on the program!

His training pants are supposed to be baggy like that- easier to get on and off. He can usually get them off himself and soon enough I suppose he'll be able to get them on by himself. I'm really happy with the quality of these Bummi's training pants! They are nice and soft and totally waterproof. Micah says they're comfortable too.