Simplicity Parenting

engrossed in the moment

Beatrice and her new bunny, Butterbean. Finally the farm has a bunny again. While it would great for Butters to live at the farm so all the children could visit and play, we are trying to keep her up at the house - mostly so I am not continuously asked to go to the farm to see her. So for any readers who don't know, we do not live at our farm, but a half mile up the road. Not a terrible distance to walk or bike you might say - but for about 10 months out of the year there is a wetland that floods the road between our house and farm, creating a 6 mile commute. The complexities that arise out of this circumstance are a topic for another time. But here I am getting to my point. Simplicity. I feel like I am ever striving to simplify, simplify, simplify. While living at the farm would be more simple, it just isn't an option so one of the things I'm trying to keep in mind is trying to limit the number of times I get in the car during the day to go down to the farm. Since it is spring and Bea is in school this is fairly easy to do. But I'm already thinking about summer when we'll be there more and more, yet needing to come back for nap, lunch, oh I forgot sunscreen again and I have to make that phone call etc. While this is one example let me step back into the more general picture.

Lately I've been reading Kim John Payne's book Simplicity Parenting which extols the virtues of downsizing our stuff and our schedules in order to give our children the time and space they need to be kids. He writes, "Imagine... appreciating the pleasure of the ordinary." This profoundly struck me, as I watch the children doing exactly that in every moment, the little buddhas that they are. As adults we strive for such awareness instead of multitasking and always thinking ahead to the next project to prepare for or chore that has to be done. And herein lies the magic of rhythm. I think I am setting a good example for the children when I adhere to our family's daily rhythm, but I'm also making my life a lot less complicated by taking out a whole host of variables and choices. It is so freeing! And so I'll keep striving ....

Hello Baby... book, not peanut

No our little peanut hasn't arrived early, rather Hello Baby is the title of a wonderful book depicting a wintery homebirth. There couldn't be a more perfect way to introduce Bea to what actually could happen on the day peanut comes out into the world.  The mom takes a walk in the woods, the midwife arrives with her gear, the soon to be big brother helps his dad bring in fire wood for the cold wintery night.... even one of the big sisters is named Bea.  The illustrations are beautiful and convey so much love.  The mom walks around the house during labor with the dad holding her during contractions. The three older children get to see their little brother being born and even get to check out the placenta.  In the evening the whole family camps out in front of the fire.  I first read the book to Bea soon after it arrived in the mail. She was engrossed and I couldn't hold back my tears.  Later that evening Bea was showing Dan the book at the dinner table, he started reading and started crying.  He really hadn't expected to be so touched.  I think this was an "aha" moment for him when he was reminded of the emotions of  birth  and the reality that we are all going to be back at that special place soon. It was so funny. We were both crying, laughing and trying to explain to Bea the strange phenomenon of crying when you are happy.  On Bea's request we are now reading Hello Baby at least once a day.  

Bea is very excited to be a big sister and is becoming very interested about the birth.  "How is the baby going to come out of your vagina?"  If every thing goes according to plan, she will get to find out!  

Labor Day Pot Luck

My goodness, summer certainly is flying by. I've been estranged from my computer. And now I'm not quite sure where to start. So I'll throw out an invite to come to our farm for a "Labor" Day Pot Luck. Yes as a homebirth mom, I mean Labor in the birthing sense. I guess you could call this the first official event of the Motherhouse Homebirth Network. This is a gathering for moms
(current & expecting) & families in our area to meet each other, share birth stories, share resources, support, hang out and eat some good food while the kids run around the farm. While my hope is to raise awareness about homebirth, I could also easily say midwifery, natural birth, water birth, alternative birthing etc. My intention is not to exclusively promote homebirth, but to get together with other women who see birth as a inherently normal process.

As an off shoot, let me know if you are interested in a mom's group along the same ideas - including nursing, cloth diapering, attachment parenting, etc....

I suppose the time as come to mention that yes, I am pregnant again. Approaching the half way mark! I've been a little reluctant to make such a public announcement as here on the blog. This pregnancy seems more private somehow, but in light of the above events and considering that word is certainly getting around, it seems appropriate to write about it here. I'm sure I'll have much more to say on the subject as time goes on.

I could go on and on, but Dan has taken Bea to the farm so I will take advantage of a little solo time!

3.8.08

Ah, wallpaper.... Dan and Bea went up to New Hampshire to visit Ucnle Chris and Aunt Jen. A little escape before the greenhouse gets started up. I've been holding down the fort, feeding all the animals. It is also great timing for me to finally get around to the painting and wallpapering of Bea's room. We did a lead test a while ago and it didn't look so good. Thankfully, the paint wasn't peeling. I figured best to just cover it up, hence the wallpaper. My first time! My dad, CJ and I spent the day plugging away on it and were still talking at the end so I take that as a success. We didn't get to finish. Hopefully it won't take to long to wrap it up so Bea can have her room back. Better than ever. No, we never did do the whole painting the nursery thing before she was born.... Today the thought did cross my mind, why didn't we do this three years ago? (Probably because we co-slept and never really needed to have a special place for Bea to go to at night. And for those wondering, at 2 and a half yes she does love her big girl bed and room. Although we still love snuggling with her, too.)

Can't wait to get my hands into more spring projects... cleaning up the yard and ofcourse starting seeds. When Dan gets back we have 60 flats of onions to start as well as celery, celeriac & tomatoes!