Summer

Is summer halfway over already? I'm finding it harder to post and more time goes in between when I do but I still want to keep at it because it helps me remember all the wonderful little things that are happening during this time of our lives. It doesn't really get documented anywhere else besides in my mind and it's become pretty clear that the little intricacies of those memories fade away over time. I thought I would remember all the little things about Maggie's baby sleep patterns, the exact month when she started potty training, the length of her curls at certain ages I see in photos, the faces she makes in relation to certain things, all of the funny things she says, and so on in comparison to Max but it really drifts away and morphs into bigger overall memories.

Life is full. Much of the time I don't want to sit down and post just as I don't have any umph to read new knitting patterns or look at my yarn envisioning new projects. I simply get excited these days (and I know I'm repeating myself) to be with my family, especially when I'm away from them. A couple days ago we spent the morning blueberry picking with our mom friends and all the kiddos. I watched them play together and create their little worlds in the moment. I love watching kids free play. I love letting my kids go in the backyard and learn to play with eachother without me interferring. It is full of funny words, sharing, fighting, rolling around laughing, eating plums and tomatoes, swinging, and them running around naked or Max in a diaper exploring the dirt, sticks, or hose. I cherish the time I have with my little ones, it makes my heart very full.

Summer Bucket List

Make ice cream
Make lots of forts indoors {we've started a couple and discovered that the art easel makes a great teepee}
Swing Max around in a big blanket {we did this when Maggie was a baby and she loved it}
Kiddie pool and sprinkler play {the kids got a couple cool sprinkler attachments for their birthdays and this is always a good idea in the 100+ degree heat}
State fair {we've been once with family, we're going to go a second time with friends}
Blueberry picking {check!}
Date nights {last two...Sellands market on couples night out with our mom's group friends last night, the one before that we did sushi + movie}
Watch Mary Poppins (Maggie told me" "I DO NOT want to watch Mary Poppins") {we watched it and didn't make it all the way through but Maggie was fascinated. I think she likes the songs more than the movie}
Read lots of books {visiting library about once a week, one of Maggie's favorite activities}
Make gazpacho
Visit grandparents
Make mock apple crisp with zucchini!
Frame lots of family photos
Visit Oregon {planning for it, especially the long car ride there and back}
One of us take Maggie out to a movie
Have a tea party with Maggie using a special teaset I got from our wedding
Set up obstacle courses in our backyard for the kids

 

Maggie quotes

Me: "I noticed you were making a fort today under the picnic table." We were at Boeger winery after blueberry picking and she was cutely playing with some friends. Maggie: "No, that was our house."

Maggie comes in from the backyard with real tears...me: "What's wrong?" Maggie: "There was a squirrel in the backyard." I think for a minute. Ok wait, she has spent the last couple years doing little screams at squirrels running on the telephone wires or up the trees and around age 2 or 3, she told my mom as she was watching one that they are so talented! Naturally, I was waiting for her to go on but that was simply it. Many animals, big and small right now, are scaring her. She's having wild dreams about them. After talking about it she said: "I wish squirrels weren't in this world." Over the next few weeks we talked about squirrels here and there, encountered them at the park, and sort of faced her fear to where she was again ok with them. Then this week Maggie came in again from the backyard right after she had gone out and shut the door looking outside. I asked her what was up and she said "I saw the squirrels eyes".

Maggie found a yellow jacket nest in her play structure and came in to describe it to me. I knocked the nest out in the morning but they were still swarming so I told her later we would go back out and check it. She reminded me that we needed to go out there in the afternoon. I asked if she had been over there to check it and she said: "No, I wanted to be on the safe side."

Maggie: "Mom, look at my tummy. It's full. I ate all my cereal. I ate all of my fruit cottontail."

Me: "Do you want a hermit crab as a pet?" Maggie: "No, too pinchy."

 

Seeing clearly

I'm happy that 2013 is here. I'm feeling refreshed and I like the number 3. I turned 33 a few months ago and with our two kids in tow, we're on a roll. This year I won't be pregnant or living in the trenches of one of our baby's first year. I don't make new year's resolutions because those just seem silly but I do hope to get in some more exercise and reverse some of these wrinkles I'm seeing. I also am going to develop more quality time with hubby and just have more fun, some of that was in short supply last year.

This year I am going to take a trip (or maybe four). I'd love to go back to Hawaii, but I also want to take the kids to Monterey and I know we'll be visiting Aptos, and hopefully Oregon and Cayucos.

I also want to read more which means I need to stay up after the kids go to bed. Hmm...

Our holiday vacation was full of long days but then it was over in an instant. I got a lot of things cleaned out ("spring" cleaning), and I rarely went outside. Too cold. We spent lots of family time together. I cooked new recipes and a really yummy, moist turkey on New Year's Eve. Maggie fell asleep on my chest that night shortly after I told her she could stay up. I think she was holiday'd out and it was just really sweet to have my baby girl peacefully sleeping on my chest. We went on a NYE daytime date to see this movie. Billy Crystal had us cracking up. We saw the snow but didn't make it past the parking lot (our plan was to snowshoe with the kids and friends). It was a challenging 24 hours but I'm still glad we went. Trying times (or ones that don't live up to your expectations) seem to make the best laughable stories and memories!

{More good recipes to share}

Really awesome chocolate chip cookies - the dry ingredients were gifted to us at Christmas. I let the batter chill for 36 hours.

Comfort food one-pot pasta meal with bacon and butternut squash - I used what I had on hand, so instead of shallots I used leeks and white onion and instead of provolone I used cheddar. I didn't use rosemary because I was too lazy to go outside and clip it and I didn't think I'd miss it.

Leftover turkey pot pie - I have been making this for a long time, I think I clipped the recipe in college (the one linked is similar). This time, I used turkey of course, frozen peas and white corn, fresh carrots and onion, herbs de provence, leftover turkey gravy mixed with country gravy to give it creaminess and water to get the right consistency.

Holiday ramble

A lot has come and gone and I keep thinking "I need to write that down". Maggie's comments have been great lately, I want to bottle it all up. Oh wait, here's one:

I am fond of the old Rudolph animated movie and bought it last year to show to Maggie (she was 2). When the scene with the abominable snowman came on, it was too scary for her so we turned it off. This year, we tried it again. I built it up and she was back and forth about it. During a moment where she was for it, we turned it on. During the elf/misfit scene, I walk out of the room for a second and I hear wierd crying so I run back to see what was up and she was really crying, saying she'd seen a "claw!". I guess that was enough for her. She told me this week that we can watch it on Christmas day. Why? Because she'll be big enough then. LOL.

I discovered 4 new teeth popping through on Max Thanksgiving day. That makes 8 teeth on an 8 month old boy (as of tomorrow). He is now crawling, not just scooting everywhere and he likes to stand up holding onto things. Have I said how much he likes paper? He's like a goat. Present opening with him should be fun.

I am very much in the Christmas spirit. I've made my list of fun holiday things to do and I'm crossing them off one by one. Last weekend, when I started writing this post, we had crazy winter weather, we decorated our Charlie Brown tree (truly intentional this time), went to a Christmas party and birthday party, and I made some pumpkin bread and butternut squash soup with Christmas music playing in the background. Maggie watched the Caillou holiday movie and immediately asked for hot chocolate. I searched the cabinet and instead made her atole de pinole (like hot chocolate kind of but made with corn flour). It was "yummy mommy" until it tipped and spilled everywhere. This is our life. Something like that happens most days around here, I'm not sure we can escape it with 2 little ones running around.

I am in need of planning our next family getaway. The snow is calling me...but so is the wintery beach and family.

On my list for this month is taking Maggie to her first Nutcracker ballet! We both can't wait. She plans to wear her flower girl dress that she wore last month to a wedding. It's cleaned and ready for it's 2nd appearance :-)

{Christmas Holiday Fun Short List}

Nutcracker with the girls
Caroling
Have fun with Maggie's daily advent calendar
Listen to lots of Christmas music until we can't stand it anymore
Drink hot chocolate/warm drinks
Make a gingerbread house with Maggie
Watch the Dr. Seuss's Grinch cartoon
Make or get Maggie a scarf
Make cinnamon rolls
Have Maggie write her wish list to Santa
Pictures with Santa
Go ornament shopping
Get a couple new stockings
Go ice skating
Make holiday crafts

Two nights ago, I put Max to bed early and Maggie and I bundled up in her princess tent and read books, drank egg nog, and ate truffles with flashlights and candles until we fell asleep. She liked it so much she did it again last night. Creating good memories (especially for hubby when he sees me scrunched up in the tent) :-)

Flashback! Max's Birth

I'm flashing back 4 months. I started this blog after Maggie was born and I was excited to share Maggie's story then. Now it's Max's turn.

After this post, it was Easter Sunday and my contractions decided to stay steady, about 3-5 minutes apart, but all day they were mild. I didn't have to breathe through them but I wanted to be home taking time to relax and focus. Hubby took Maggie to his parents for brunch and I stayed home and ate, knit, and watched this movie. It was perfect. I had forgotten that the main character was named Max. I took it as a sign.

Maximillian is the full name I wanted early on in my pregnancy (and prior when Maggie was a he/she in utero) but hubby thought it was too strong or something. He'd joke that in order to have a son with that name we'd need to be living in a castle as a royal family. It wasn't until after Max was born that we decided on his full name. We knew it was going to be Max, but Maximillian or Maxson? We went with Maxson. If not Maximillian, this was a good substitute. Unique and we could agree.

**Side note: I hear Maximillian slip? out of people's mouths though when they are with Max so maybe that name will always be around? Hmm...

My mild contractions stayed steady through the night and woke me up a couple times but I was able to fall back asleep each time. When I woke up Monday morning, I knew it was "the day". My sister, who had been waiting fervently for this day to come, was in touch and came over to help with whatever I needed. As the morning progressed, my contractions got stronger but I was still able to function, eat, take a shower and dress, and hug my little girl in the sunshine.

By the time Maggie had to go to gym class, it was clear I shouldn't leave the house but I was still talking like I could do errands and was telling hubby not to come home from work yet. I became focused on having the perfect candle for the birth and then panicked because the one I wanted was all used up and I wanted a replacement, pronto! I was thinking I could run out and get it but nope, that didn't happen. My mom stopped at the salon on her way over to bring me this beloved candle, but they were closed. Funny what I focus on in those final hours.

My sister took Maggie to gym and brought home thai food for a late lunch. By the time she got home around 2 pm, my midwives had come and gone after blowing up the new tub (see below - in my opinion, so much better than the horse trough!) and doing some other prepping for the birth. Hubby had just gotten home too. He knew it was time more than I was willing to admit. We talked on the phone as he was driving home and I had to stop and breathe through a strong contraction. He made fun of me later for this because I was still saying on the phone that he shouldn't come home yet because my contractions weren't strong enough.

Maggie fell asleep for a nap after lunch and my sister, Michael, and I hung out together in my living room having some good laughs as my contractions ramped up in strength. She and I had a glass of white wine (midwife recommended :-) and then I took an epsom salt bath to relax with hubby by my side. These were the hours leading up to my active labor. Around 4 pm, my sister called my mom to have her leave work at my dad's furniture store and come over. By the time my mom arrived, somewhere between 5 and 6 pm, I was in my bikini top and yoga pants walking through the house breathing through my contractions and really focusing, relying heavily on my sister and Michael for support. The midwives arrived and filled up the tub. By 6, I was in the tub and in full labor.

While I labored in my bedroom in a calm atmosphere, Maggie had woken up and would come in occasionally, whispering and being so cute, but she also spent time with my mom and sister in the other parts of the house proceeding on like normal - eating dinner, watching her shows, and having things explained to her about what was going on. She was a trooper and so excited to meet her brother.
My labor progressed fast, much faster than my labor with Maggie. I knew that as I was in it, but it just suprised me overall. I was more aware during Max's birth because it didn't take as much out of me, but I was still tired in between contractions and remember falling asleep a time or two. The first time I was checked after getting in the tub, I was a 6 and that was encouraging. By 8:30 I was ready to push and my midwives said from the time I was ready to the time he arrived, it took me 20 minutes. I remember thinking that I didn't want this to go into the night (like past midnight because it went waaaay past that with Maggie) but was mentally preparing for something longer since that was all I knew. But just like that, my midwife would say something or do something like put on gloves and change positions and the next thing I knew I was in transition and Max was born! It was 9 pm on the dot. Born April 9. Weight? 9# exactly!

A friend asked me after Max's birth if it was anything like Maggie's. It was in that they were both born at home in the water with the same midwives and people surrounding me, but in many ways Max's birth was easier and more enjoyable simply because I'd done it once before. I knew what to expect with labor and delivery, it was much shorter, I knew how to handle the contractions better, I loved the new tub (so comfortable), hubby was more relaxed, Maggie made the experience sweeter just by being there, and I just felt better prepared all around.  

Max came out wailing and the midwives commented that he had a strong set of lungs. He started nursing right away and he was really aware, opening up his hands as you can see in this picture (not clenching them), which the midwives said was also a good sign that he was comfortable/not scared in his big new surroundings. Foretelling signs of his strong personality? He was born a few days before my mom's birthday. He's an Aries like my mom and mother-in-law.

Read this birth story for more fun. It's wonderful and so similar to mine. Very thankful for homebirths and great birth stories.

Time

Maternity leave is a wonderful thing. Who doesn't like being paid to be home catching up on things, relaxing, knitting, and being with your family? This week I found a lilac for our front yard, which completes an area we planted last year, I got a snowcone on a warm afternoon with vanilla ice cream inside, hubby got me two more containers of rice pudding before they went off sale :-), I took my first epsom salt bath after a long day on my feet which gave me such soft skin and not so sore feet anymore, and I FINALLY ordered prints for our walls that was long overdue (including the bath photo idea Pat-you rock!).

Something about Maggie turning 3 last week and seeing a flyer for the Lorax at the library got me thinking that Maggie was probably ready to see a movie in the theater like a big girl. The result was a certified girl's night out with my sister and cousin Eden. Maggie went complete with new purse and lip gloss. We ate good thai food and enjoyed $5 movie night. The movie was a bit ridiculous and a little odd the way it was made (I'm not the biggest fan of new animation) but the message to not cut down all the trees in the land and be nice to animals seemed to cancel out the couple "scary" parts that were a little much for both girls. I had to hold down Maggie's seat the entire show so that it didn't fold her up like a taco.

I'm feeling creative and peaceful right now. Almost done knitting this hat for the baby and Maggie has requested this pig.

4 Months and More

Oregon 2011

No more bad morning sickness, I'm feeling mostly normal again. I've been quite relaxed about this pregnancy, it's definitely a different experience this time even though there are similarities.

Just returned from a lovely trip to the cattle country/mountains of southern Oregon. We experienced a piece of heaven and I'm so thankful it was right as I was feeling better.

Maggie is growing up so fast. She is in love with the 1972 Charlotte's Web and we love that she loves it, it's a good old-fashioned kid's movie that I remember watching when I was little. For the past few weeks, she has a little pig that she has carried around with her and calls "Baby Wilbur". She is starting to draw within the lines and make circles around things. She has a great memory for people. I'm constantly amazed at what she remembers and the cute things she says and repeats after hearing us talk. She is always finding things that match (colors, animals, pieces of clothing) and she has quite the opinion on what she prefers to wear.

Now that Maggie has potty trained, getting her to stay in her own bed at night has been interesting. Sometimes it goes fine, other times she wakes up a couple times a night to go to the bathroom but she is usually crying to let us know and I'm not sure if she is waking up all the way during those times. Sometimes she seems stuck in a dream-like state and is frustrated/scared. I hope this is a stage that will pass. Tonight is a good night, except I can't sleep. I'm up in the wee hours blogging and making a list. This is pregnancy brain for you.

More Oregon...



The biggest bonfire I've ever seen!






The cutest little cowboy we've ever seen!





Date lunch and rainy day drive on the open road



C'est la vie

My mind goes to the negative these days with feeling cruddy and that is why there is a lack of blogging. It's a hard period for me to get through. I will document a few things that have stood out to me though about how weird my 2nd pregnancy has been so far:

1. For a meal, I am likely to sit and watch my family eat while a little bit nauseous, then slowly make my way to the kitchen to stare into the refrigerator and force myself to eat something. The other night it was watermelon for dinner. Because of the afternoon nap I took with Maggie that day, I stayed up way past my bedtime and watched cable TV and ate too many sour patch kids. This is when I do a little re-evaluation of my life and think "what have things come to?"

2. Usually, every year, even though I like where I live and grew up in the area so I have a particular fondness for it and have my family surrounding me, when I'm feeling down and driving around town, especially during the hottest month of the year, I see the dry grass and hide from the almost 100 degree temps and think I've got to move or go travel somewhere...FAST.

3. Just when I think I can eat a little more in my diet without my stomach making a fuss, I happily down a bag of popcorn at the theater on a far-and-few-between date with hubby and realize as it's almost gone that I haven't really offered him any. Oops! Or, the opposite - I get confident that I can eat spaghetti and a small salad and it quickly has me running to the bathroom. TMI?

I'm going for a new haircut today, that always cheers me up. Can I dye my hair too? Already got the pedicure.

Maggie is potty trained and wearing panties like a big girl. This presents a problem though but hopefully it's one that will resolve itself soon. She's still a crib girl/never trying to hop out like I hear with some kids. The fact that she uses the toilet now and wakes up at night to go has us running in to deal with it. So, changing her room around. Moving out baby furniture, mattress going on floor until we get the big girl bed, etc. I hoping for a smooth transition.

Family pics to come soon, taken over the 4th of July weekend. We got some goodies.

Foodie reviews

Besides actually cooking, I love reading and watching TV/movies about food and wanted to share a couple personal reviews.

Garlic and Sapphires

This book is written by Ruth Reichl, who in the book is a famous food critic. I came across this author when I picked up one of her early books Comfort me with Apples. I love anything having to do with good food and her writing seemed right down my alley. I read her first book a year or two ago and liked it. It wasn't until I heard her interviewed on NPR that I decided to read some of her newer books. This is a great one because it is the story of how she became the New York Times food critic and how she took on many disguises to do her job. But it's also about a period of her life and the changes that occur. I just find her life very interesting and she is extremely honest and so I love the realness of her writing. Ruth is a very fascinating person with a varied background and she is bold in her writing and in her review of restaurants. It think it would be fun to have a meal or cook with her and cant wait to read more new stuff.

Julie & Julia

This was a fun movie to watch. I am not a fan of Amy Adams but I am of Meryl Streep, who is a wonderful actress and a fellow homebirther in real life to boot. I held off on seeing this movie because Amy Adams was in it and waited for it to come out through Netflix.

My favorite part of the movie that got a good laugh out of me was when Amy Adam's character was boiling lobsters in her kitchen and the lid on the pot flew off which scared her to pieces! Meryl Streep played a very convivcing Julia Child and I'm saying that without much knowledge of Julia Child previously. This movie has definitely made me want to read a Julia Child cookbook or two or maybe try a French recipe. I was intriuged by the real life blog and book that inspired this movie. What I found in the reviews was that the blog was good for what it was but the book was a flop. Lots of foul language, too many strong opinions on world events, and not enough talk about food and recipes. So I guess I'm willing to check out the book still but am not expecting much. I think Nora Ephron, the writer/director, did a good job in taking the good and making a hit on the big screen.