anticipation

There is a lot happening here over the next two weeks.  Moving to our new house and possibly...just possibly... getting another four legged friend this weekend - one that barks and wags a tail to be clear!  I have been trying to not get my hopes up because we still have to meet her...but both Aaron and I are pretty sure she is the one!  Anyways I suppose I will share more about the lovely pooch once we have her - as I am still reluctant to get too attached to a dog that isn't officially ours yet.  Anyways all that excitement is dampened by the packing and lists upon lists of things that need to get done in a short time.  Like those chickens we had to have...they need a coop...like yesterday...(well maybe I'm exaggerating a bit...but they do need one soon)...Yes we love chaos around here!

carrot prep

Anyways with today being a transition day (the kids and I in RI and Aaron was in ME this weekend) I did my best to not think about all that needed to be done...and instead made some turkey soup for miss Isabelle who has a big case of the sniffles.  Tomorrow we will pack...right?!

:::

Oh and today we visited the doctor for Mr. Owen...his 4 month stats are:

weight: 12 lbs 6 oz (up about 2 lbs)

length: 24 in (not sure what the increase was)

head circ: 16.25 in (up about 1 in)

Oh and then the pediatrician told me that if I wasn't introducing solids I should do iron supplements (has anyone done this?) and that if I do use rice cereal (which is recommended) to avoid it coming from southern US because it likely has traces of arsenic....wow...NOW I feel even more comfortable with introducing my child to cereal...way to go US.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  Inspired by Soulemama.

stillness

It started out with the good intention of going to a puppet show - how overwhelming can a puppet show be really?  Well the answer...if you haven't already guessed...is really overwhelming.  The combination of April vacation (=way more kids than normal at the library), unseasonably warm weather and that it took place in a very small -unventilated basement room- of our local library proved to be a very over stimulating.  Owen could not keep still and we were packed in like sardines...and well you can imagine Isabelle trying her hardest to sit on top of me in order to avoid touching any of the several people surrounding us.

It went pretty well...I was surprised at how well Isabelle was coping with the situation...a short time ago I thought she would have made a be line for the door as soon as she saw all the kids.  But then...oh...but then...the last puppet really wanted to give everyone in the audience a kiss.  Oh no.  I thought...we are close to the back...she surely won't make it all the way back here.  But she did.  And upon the dragon swooping in to kiss Isabelles head we all witnessed shear uninhibited fear - she screamed.  And not the cute squeal scream.... it was the puppet is going to rip my head off type of scream.

After we nearly escaped...with all our heads in tact...we walked to the park to breath for a few minutes. Followed by some hugs and big heavy sighs.  I think she knew she over reacted but there was just nothing she could do about it.  It was okay, I know my girl and I apologized for the situation escalating to what it had.  We loaded up into the car and headed home...and then we all napped (which never ever happens).  After Isabelle woke up and ate her lunch she said she really wanted to go for a walk to her special place (in the woods across the street) and I was more than happy to oblige.  She told me on the walk over that she really loved the puppet show but thinks she feels more safe when we play in the woods - yup she is definitely my girl.

we built a stick home for the wood fairies

and stood quietly to watch the mice scurrying through the leaves and wood

My girl may not be all that comfortable in a room filled with unfamiliar faces...or big stuffed (cute) puppets giving her a kiss.  But she is comfortable in the woods...with her fairy friends, mischievous wood gnomes, and her new favorite...water striders (those little bugs that seem to dance on top of the water).  I witnessed something special about Isabelle in the picture above...I noticed and felt so proud that my girl could sit quietly and patiently until the mice went back to work.  That she understood what patience was and she was rewarded with glimpses of tales and little furry bodies scurrying beneath the leaves.   And in this moment I forget all my worries of how Isabelle or when Isabelle will adjust to big crowds or overstimulation...because truly...down deep I'm not sure I ever have myself.  And I think I too feel safer in the stillness of the forest, under a canopy of trees and being whispered to by the wind and a babbling brook.  Yup, my girl and I are quite content in the forest.

Well the weather here is just wonderful...  dry...no humidity and warm...really warm!  I really got use to the dry heat in Idaho...and am not super excited about humidity this summer (even though I suppose I should be use to it growing up in RI).  Anyways we are taking full advantage of this beautiful weather...Isabelle even frolicked in her bathing suit all day (of course the water is much too cold for a quick dip...but nice to cool off our toes).  Owen is on shade patrol...Sunday I think he got a little too much sun (which was hardly any) and he seemed a bit out of it so I am trying to juggle a shade baby and a sun fairy princess!  And yes... a mama even got in some crafts (remember I managed to salvage one not so small box of craft items from the pack list)!  

I am in charge of the activity for our home school group for the first week of May and I am working on our May day celebration...which I am super excited for!  Isabelle and I had some fun with koolaide and dyed some old sheets I ripped up for the May pole ribbons.  They turned out a little lighter than I had hoped for... but I am really trying to do everything for under 5 bucks...so doubling up on koolaide would have put me over budget...plus I already felt ridiculous purchasing 18 packs of koolaide...I mumbled something like..."we don't drink this stuff I swear!".  I am using old fabric scraps and felt to make "flowers" for May day crowns....Isabelle is having a blast putting them together while I sew them up.  Anyways I am excited to see all of it come together!  I have always wanted to dance around the maypole!  

And speaking of our home school group... I plan to elaborate more on the whole pre school/school dilemma at some point...but for now I'd rather not think too much about it and enjoy this sunny day.

packing...again...

In just about two weeks from now we will be loading up yet another moving truck....so lets do the math...yes this is just about three moves in a little over two years.  Rhode Island to Idaho...Idaho to New Hampshire...New Hampshire to Vermont.  And while the ladder is most definitely not a "bad move", we still have to pack up...and unpack...all our things.  Bleh.  So since we will be out of town next weekend we really started.  The photos are packed,  the walls are bare, and even most of my craft stuff is boxed up in the garage (don't worry I still have one little box of tricks...).  This, for me, is the worst part of moving...living in a space that just doesn't seem like home...and having that nagging feeling of just pack it...and then a day later saying...shoot I really needed that casserole dish!

so...yup...here we go again

On a brighter note the weather here has been gorgeous...plenty of reasons to just put down the packing tape and go for a hike...which is just what we plan to do today!

4 Months

Yes, its true - 4 months!  Wow!  Not too much has changed.  His doctors appointment isn't for another week...so I should have some "stats" coming soon.  Owen is continuing to gain more control of his head and arms.  He prefers laying on his belly - accomplished by one quick roll...and usually followed by one quick spit up. Yes...still spitting up.  Somedays are better than others, but still spitting up after most feedings.  I have read a bit online that says between 4 and 6 months is when it usually slows down and stops...and my goodness I hope so (at least before we start offering real foods).  Owen is still 100% on mama's milk and hasn't yet had a bottle, although I am sure he would be ok with a bottle.....just haven't needed to use one yet.  This is something I am cherishing - with Isabelle we were using a bottle (and even formula) way earlier than I really wanted (the whole new baby and grad school didn't really work out as well as planned...).  He is starting to show signs of interest in food but I'm not convinced he is any where near ready...he just sort of drools a bit and is beginning to follow food with his eyes.  Maybe in another month or two we will start something...but like I said...there is no pressure.

mama & owen

 photo courtesy Isabelle (she is really getting the hang of the camera...mama is so impressed)

look at that little turtle neck...I just envision a bug flying by and him snapping it up...

you will notice the herd of horses around him (and in the picture above)... Isabelle is practicing playing with brother...which often means herds of wild animals trampling over Mt. Owen

The biggest and most exciting change is giggles...only a few so far...and daddy of course got the first one...but a few cute little giggles.  His first being on Easter Sunday.  He has also started to show a little stranger fear - a quick pout or big crocodile tears to anyone other than mama or daddy picking him up.  We are still co-sleeping and not sure when or how that will change...and I am content with that.  Isabelle has picked up on the co-sleeping fever too and has been sleep walking into our bed at about 3 or 4 every morning....which is quite alright... waking up to cute faces usually puts a temporary spell of amnesia over the kicking and spit up that you went through a few hours earlier.  Other than that Mr. Owen is a pretty happy little 4 month old bug.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  Inspired by Soulemama.