A Lazy Saturday---And Your Favorite Topic

Should it disturb me that the most google hits I get on this blog are for "plastic panties"?
Maybe.
Does it surprise me?
No.
So all of you plastic panty searchers out there, I just wanted to let you know....last night I was sorting Million's old clothes and I found the plastic panties that we bought for the airplane ride home and used not once at all.  I have three pairs of completely unused plastic panties.  Doesn't that make you all just seethe with envy?

Just trying to keep my stats up by mentioning your favorite topic once again.

In other news, when Michael hasn't been working on-call from home, we've spent the weekend rearranging a whole heap of furniture in our house.  You think it's because we're nesting.  Ha.  It's actually because we're starting a small home-based business and would love to have my old office be an office once again (beautiful tax write off!) instead of a catch-all-the-junk/guest room.   We also spent time organizing boy clothes because apparently we'll be using them again soon, and it would be handy to have them organized.

We do have some fun ambitions of doing a Narnia theme in Million/baby boy's room.  (They will be sharing eventually.)  We've got some grey paint leftover from our kitchen that will gladly lend its service to us, so it's mostly finding matching solid color comforters and some decals and accessories for the room.  I'll try to get pictures of the transformation as it takes place.

Million's Thoughts On the Baby (And Gender Reveal)

For a little over three weeks, we asked Million if he wanted a baby brother or sister.
He chose "brother" 6 times.
He chose "sister" 13 times.
He chose "both"3 times.

He is determined to teach the baby to eat oatmeal, brush his/her teeth, and listen to Daddy read Pinocchio. 

He also thinks the baby wants to sing "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands."
He tells the baby not to cry.
He asks if the baby will like his favorite song.

Oh....And that whole gender thing?

From our ultrasound, it appears that our little boy will be just as precocious and adventuresome as his big brother.

Wordless Wednesday

One Small Thing

Today, if I can do one small thing, I want it to be to show Million that I am not always a "no" mommy.
Because God is not always a "no" God.

A Weekend For Refreshing

We just came back from a rejuvenating weekend with my brother and sister-in-law.  One of the first things that Hillary said when we talked was "I love visiting places because it always seems like when I drive home, I'm filled with new ideas."  And that was so true for us.

Michael and I brainstormed (and re-brainstormed) new ventures on the 4-1/2 hour ride home.  We also came away from the weekend with particular areas of conviction and excitement and some new desires.

We enjoyed playing games, looking at new books, and talking about adoption, travel in Africa, and the interesting plans God has in store for each of us.  And the good food they made for us.  I could talk for at least three paragraphs about the food.

I'm buried in laundry and catch-up work, but I managed to get some pictures uploaded.

About Group Prenatal Appointments and Unfounded Fears

Tonight is my first group midwife appointment.
I signed up for group prenatal care, isn't that funny?
An introvert signing up to share and care with 8 to 10 other pregnant women?
I feel like a junior high girl who has just moved schools going into homeroom for the first time, and immediately being sized up by other girls to see if she is fatter than they are.

Admittedly, we chose this method of appointments mostly for the convenience of not needing childcare.
I'll just have to keep that at the forefront of my mind.

The optimistic side of me tries to tell me "Calm down, Heather, you might even make a friend. Or multiple friends?  Wouldn't that be lovely?"

I won't try to delve into what the pessimistic side of my personality tells me.  It's all worries that are completely unfounded so far, since I've never met any of the women (to my knowledge) in my life.  They are probably precious and sweet innocent ladies who are completely dew-smacked with being pregnant and who talk about "the joys of childbirth" like the pregnancy books do.

Dear me.  I think I should maybe have a cup of tea or a lemonade before I go to the group, so I don't come into it like a sarcastic Humphrey Bogart wannabe.

"Of all the gin joints in all the world, you pregnant ladies had to show up here."

Why the Long Face?

I'm noticing that before I became a mother, I used to write more funny things.  Right now, I'm so busy laughing at the things that my son says (i.e. "My kidneys are not at home." or "That man have stinky legs.") that it takes work to actually think up humorous turns of phrases.  My life does indeed have a lot of laughter, but not much of it has been reflected here.  Apologies for the stoic postings lately.

 I have picked up my knitting needles once again.  My current project is a pair of baby footed pants.  My next projects will be Christmas/winter pajamas for Million and the baby in this pattern.  I haven't yet found a yarn that I want to use for Million's, and I need to wait until next Friday to find out what gender the baby is before I can decide a yarn for him/her.

I don't know if I've typed about this yet, but our family is so very much enjoying listening to Swiss Family Robinson on free MP3 recordings from Librivox.org.  Million is learning new vocabulary, and Michael and I are enjoying a communally experienced literary language.  We'll likely finish it this next weekend.
Do you have a favorite audio-recorded book?

Kids And Food

One thing that I've been really pondering lately is how to intentionally visibly demonstrate and vocalize an enjoyment of healthy food in a balanced way, so that my son gets a good perception of nutrition.  I don't want him to think food is a reward, nor do I want him to be squeamish or picky about what types of foods he eats.  I want him to enjoy food, but I don't want him to have an unhealthy relationship with it.   

It's harder than one might think.  

I've been journaling a lot about it lately, while Million plays uninterrupted outside.  I sit in one of our lawn chairs and contemplate nutritional dilemmas, and as I write about them, I come up with even more questions than answers.

We do many things right.   I think I can put that in print without too much reservation.  At the same time, we fail in so many ways as parents.  There are some days where nutritious just seems so hard.  And we only want easy.  

That's a bad character trait for our son to be witnessing in us so early.  Sigh.  

Intentional parenting is hard parenting.  

If by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son! 

Father's Day For Free

Michael and I don't really "do" holidays. We're just not the "I made you a fancy dinner and bought you a present because the calendar says I'm supposed to" kind of people.  We buy "presents" for each other and do fancy dinners and celebrate life with each other all year round instead.   

But this year since we celebrated Million's birthday, (a birthday celebration---in our house?) I got to thinking about what I could do for Michael for free this Father's Day.  This year, we're cutting our budget back tremendously so we can move on to the stage of life that most adults don't achieve until they're too late to enjoy it.  Debt-free living.  

Here's a puppet that Million "helped" me make for Michael.  Notice the fine detailing on the neck-tie.  All him.  

This year, since Million is actually home, I conducted an interview with him, and he actually answered most of the questions.  I left the ones in that he didn't understand/didn't answer in case anyone else wanted to use them.  I found this idea all over pinterest and multiple blogs, so it does not originate with me.


My Daddy's name is:  _______________________
My Daddy is 2 years old.
His hair is brown and his eyes are brown.
My Daddy's favorite food is yummy-yummy food.
Daddy's favorite color is blue.
My Daddy likes to wear a shirt.
My Daddy's job is riding a bus.
He's smart because he knows _______________.
My Daddy works hard at _______________.
Daddy always tells me "no-no."
I'm happy when Daddy smiles.
I love my Daddy because he's happy.

By Million, age 2.  

Weekends are for Fireworks, 5K's, Festivals, and Farms

By chance, I happened upon a blog of a farm that's "a stone's throw" away from two houses I've lived in.  
She actually mentions neighbors that I know In Real Life.
It's an addicting little read.
Their farm (especially the greenhouse, solar panels, and hydroponics) is fairly close to what Michael and I have in mind to start working on in approximately three to four years.
A farm with a milk cow.
A greenhouse system that produces fresh greens all winter long.
Chickens for eggs and meat.
A clay oven.
10 acres.
Neighbors with sheep. (After the bunny episode on Mother's Day, we decided sheep might not be the wisest thing for me to get attached to, but I still would love their wool for spinning.  Oddly enough, I have no such qualms about killing chickens.)

In any case, through their blog, we found out they had a "grand opening" for this year this weekend and thought would be fun to spy and see what we love in their farm for Million to see some farm animals up close.

Perhaps I should mention that it's also our local community's annual festival dedicated to cheese this weekend, so the Ferris wheel and cheese curd vendors are less than a block from our house.  It's noisy and overcrowded.  We decided to take Million to the fire works last night.  He loved the "boom booms."

Then we watched my mom run in a breast cancer awareness 5K this morning.

And THEN we went to the farm.

The farm was a little let down to Million after "boom booms" and when he was short on sleep.
But Michael and I loved it.

Million would have been allowed to hold a baby turkey, but he wasn't interested.
He did get a lick on the hand from a dairy cow, which he wasn't too pleased with, but he seemed to like it after he saw Daddy get licked and giggle too.
But he liked trying to crow like a rooster, and he enjoyed the dogs and cats.

I think the most enjoyable part was seeing a couple so delighted with farming.  Of course, they do it as a revenue-producing hobby and not as a sole income provider, but to see people who are so in love with their lifestyle and where they are was a true joy.  Days like these could easily sap my contentment, but today it just gave me renewed resolve in our goal to be debt-free within a couple years, so that we can pursue other dreams.

My Symphony

My Symphony

To live content with small means.
To seek elegance rather than luxury,
    and refinement rather than fashion.
To be worthy not respectable,
    and wealthy not rich.
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently,
    act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes,
    and sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully,
    do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual,
    unbidden and unconscious,
    grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.

William Ellery Channing

Your Turn To Chime In: Questions for You

Hello there, readers from far and wide.

I thought I'd turn some questions your way today, instead of turning to google.

1. What is a good price for grass-fed beef or free-range chicken?  What are the health benefits in a nutshell (I know what WON'T be going into my body and I know the ethical considerations of treatment of animals and the supporting of local farmers, but I'm looking for health benefits.)

2. For those who have adopted children of African or African-American origin, if you've tried cornrows, do you have a special product that you use to keep them tidy?  Million's fall apart really quickly (2 days max on them.)  Do you have a favorite youtube channel for hairstyling?  (I'm aware of a lot of the blogs, but I'm looking for videos specifically.)  Also, what kind of comb are you using for parts? (I'm using whatever is available.)

3. If you're vegetarian or a whole foods cook, what are your best suggestions for increasing iron?  Any summer-friendly (very minor cooking in a non-air-conditioned house) recipes?

4.  If you've potty trained your children, what was your most successful method?

5.  What is one favorite special activity you remember doing as a child?

6.  What are some things we could do with Million before/after the baby comes to remind him that he's special?

7. If you have two or more kids, what was one of the hardest things about the transition from one to two children?

8. What's a book you've read recently, either children's or adult's, that you've really enjoyed or was really thought provoking?  What is one book you always tell other people they HAVE to read?

Growth (Garden and Baby)

One of our container blends of lettuce, ready to be thinned, yet again.

Fruits of our garden.  I actually managed to get some berries before the birds ate them for breakfast.  Sadly, they're tiny.  I kick myself for skipping long-term thinking/planting the first year we lived in our house.  Had we planted our strawberries five years ago instead of a paltry two years ago, our baskets would be heavy laden with luscious berries.  At least, in my imagination they would be.

We have a midwife appointment for the baby today.  One thing that Michael and I are continually saying is how quickly this pregnancy is flying by.  I suppose it shouldn't be surprising after a 43-month adoption process.

All in all, the baby is doing fine. I am feeling fine. Million, Michael, and BonAmi are all strong and healthy and fine men. Our garden is doing fine.  We're just fine. You can expect an update in three weeks or so to find out if the baby is a Little Jack Horner or a Little Miss Muffet.  Other than that, we'll be back to our regular scheduled program of gardening, Million's moments, occasional contemplative thoughts, and food.  

What Million Wants To Do

This morning, a talkative boy awoke.

He proceeded to tell me a list of the things he wanted to do today.
"Million go to park and pick up daddy."
"Million scare daddy."
"Million hug daddy."
"Daddy put pajamas on Million."
"Daddy and Million cozy under covers."

Then he proceeded to tell me EXACTLY what he wanted to do on a mini-vacation we're taking in a little under three weeks.
"Million see Auntie Hillary library."
"Library have chicken." (Her library houses a large modern art sculpture of a chicken.)
"Uncle Mark pick up chicken."
"Chicken tasty."

It was at that point that I started laughing so hard I nearly fell off the bed.

Weeks Are For Living

I can't help leaving this blog in the dust lately.
We've been busy living life.
(And I may be reading a few too many addictive books.)

I tried making some homemade turtles recently. 

We visited the greenhouse that was one of my first part-time jobs 14ish years ago.  Of course, we couldn't visit a greenhouse without bringing some green home with us. 

I've scaled down my herb garden to three pots from the nearly 30 that I'd been maintaining for the last two years.

I wish you could smell this.  It's one of my most favorite smells, Rosemary.  

And I couldn't exactly make the pesto my husband loves without a few basil plants.

And then my little cilantro friend.

It is also the season for these little delights, to my great joy.

We've been making a lot of rye bread lately.  It's addictive.

We've also planted our entire garden (and outdoor container garden.)

Michael has been reworking his rain water barrel system and building me a new clothesline, since we chopped down the tree the old one was attached to.  This time I get a 4-wire clothesline instead of a 2-wire clothesline.  (You're supposed to "ooh" and "ahhh" at that.)

We've reworked our budget so that we'll be rid of college debt in a little over 2 years, if we can stick to some restrictions, which really aren't altogether too constraining.  (Out of debt would mean a larger "bit of earth" and house for our growing family would be well within our grasp.)

And lastly, but certainly not least, it's the dawning of the age of... homemade ice cream.