*el parque

last week:

***

*dando pecho

I thought I'd share a little about my new job! After nearly a month of training, in the last few weeks I've finally been able to start working as a lactation counselor. I can't tell you how much I have learned - it is really amazing! You might remember me complaining about how badly nursing went with Edie [you might not have caught how truly horrendous it was - I'm not kidding and I am surprised myself that I stuck with it!]. Well as I go through my reading, training seminars and conversations, I can make a long long list of all the things I Wish I Had Known. That's really why I'm so excited to have this job - to help moms to succeed in feeding their babies the best*, to educate them beforehand and to be there when things aren't going well. When I was having problems with Edie, a few of you friends gave me advice and I can't tell you how invaluable that was.

It's amazing the misconceptions that are out there, as well as the lack of "baby-friendly" practices in the hospitals. I read, for instance, that over 50% of "breastfed" (not babies who are going to be formula-fed) babies are given formula supplements in the hospital! I can tell you from experience (with Vera) that that is setting you up for some serious difficulties with breastfeeding and immediately increases your chance of weaning early. Another misconception is that so many mothers think they don't produce enough, or that their milk started "drying up" - when in fact it's really rare. Not that they are lying - they really perceive it that way and it's sad because there are many ways to help them either produce more or see that they are producing enough. It is the #1 reason babies are weaned early.

ARG. I had written a whole lot more, edited and saved it last night to find it mostly erased just now. I'm just going to leave the above as it is now. Anyway, I'm really excited about the job - especially that I get to speak a lot of Spanish! I've had several moms give me a sincere thank you and that is such a big reward.

*I don't want to sound preachy or know-it-all or anything with all this - I just want to share what I've learned! Breastfeeding vs. formula has become so polemic lately and that's really sad. Formula isn't evil - my one brother who was formula-fed is the most smart, healthy, successful, affectionate one of us. But research does show that breastfeeding is so incredibly beneficial and superior in so many ways: I just wouldn't want someone to resort to formula because there wasn't anyone there to help/educate them otherwise. I work at a low income clinic and these are the moms who really need the benefits of breastfeeding both for their babies and themselves!

**In case you're wondering - I'm only working 8-10 hours a week. The job is super flexible and most of my hours are during preschool and nap times when Ben isn't too inconvenienced by watching the girls. I feel really blessed to be able to do this!

*matchy

*besos

You can't not give her kisses:

this last spot is the best : she giggles every time

*en la cocina

Vera still loves making pretend food - both in her kitchen and her sandbox. She now asserts that it's not pretend and was really trying to get me to let her use real chocolate in this soup. It's hard because once you do, it's almost impossible to go back. She also wanted to put it in the real oven - she even used a metal bowl this time, because the other day I told her we couldn't because her bowl was plastic! I compromised and put it in the toaster oven for her for a few minutes, which was pretty exciting. She then took it down to Ben in his office and he *got* to try it :) Water, salt, pepper, parsley and one gummy vitamin, mmm.



This is one of my all-time favorite videos. I love how she communicated - how she was so intentional with her "words." Also she did something here that she never did again - when she "talks" about how funny daddy is. It was SO CUTE. Another that -as a mom- I can watch over and over and over:

*una madre muy agradecida

I'm feeling really thankful today for the immense blessing of my family and the privilege of being Vera and Eden's mom. It's hard work and often tedious, boring, "unfulfilling" in the worldly sense to stay home and dedicate myself to taking care of two little human beings. I mean I just spent the first part of Edie's nap folding diapers - I thought about how much time I spend just focused on keeping her peeing and pooping sanitary. Or the time I spend picking up toys, or the ENDLESS dishes and endless laundry [the dishes really get to me. why can't it just stop for a minute?!]. All for kids who will sometimes tell you outright that "Daddy is my favorite" or who will yell and cry and fuss all afternoon for no [discernible] reason. This is totally cliché, but really it is amazing that despite all the hard parts about it, you wouldn't trade it for anything.

These are the moments that will stay with me: seeing Edie smile at Vera's silliness, peacefully nursing her at 4am, when she buries her head in my chest or grabs me with two hands and tries to eat my face, getting her up from a nap and taking her over to Ben to play peek-a-boo for a minute, her adorable little naked body, seeing glimpses of pride on her face when she can wiggle her way over to a toy 2 feet away and her little excited noises that still have no consonants: all ooohhh and uuuhhh. I love listening to Vera read to herself during quiet time, watching her love for painting lately and the dozens of family portraits she's made, seeing her practice and practice something until she's satisfied she knows it well - currently "sounding things out" and counting to diez in Spanish, watching her have so much fun with her friends who she really loves dearly, the way she awkwardly uses her hands for expression when she talks, her amazing hearty laugh when she watches old Donald Duck youtubes with Ben... and the list goes on :)

This morning all I wanted was to sleep in and to have a croissant from Tulie. Ben also surprised me with a framed copy of this picture of me and my girls. Yesterday we went to Red Butte Gardens - it was so beautiful!! A really wonderful weekend.

Edie in the new Ergo. It's nice, but I do wish she could face out like in the Bjorn..

Going down the pole for the first time:

*

It's not as easy as it once was to give Vera an answer and have her just accept it. Tonight, for example:

Vera: Can I watch something?

Me: No, we don't watch anything before bed.

Vera: Why not?

Me: They say you shouldn't watch TV before bed.

Vera: Who says that? God?

Me: Um... no, [thinking "researchers" or something..] the doctors.

I need to be quicker to think! Same thing this last week at the library when Vera found a silly and shockingly "grown-up" Barbie book [ - about going on a date with Ken. She looked a little too Orange County for my tastes and I'd really like to protect Vera from Barbie as long as I can] She wanted to check it out and I, unable to think quickly, said they don't let us check that one out :) Why not, she asks? Um, I don't know, they just don't. And it's for older girls. I did feel badly outright lying about it and am really going to make an effort to think things through before I speak.

*angelita

The girls and I were locked out of the house for a while one afternoon last week. Though I was, of course, *a little* frustrated and upset, we tried to make the best of it weeding the garden and playing in the sandbox. It was one of those times I was thankful that Edie is breastfed, otherwise it would have been a little more desperate! After I fed her in a camp chair in the garage, she fell asleep in my arms. I just stared and stared at this beautiful little face and enjoyed her sleepy little form. ♥

*

This is a fairly uneventful video... I feel like Edie is relatively unrepresented in our youtube "library" and I'm trying to remedy that. I like this one because she does her favorite little noise (which I have no idea how to describe). Plus, this is just 'daily life' and that's what this blog is supposed to be about! It doesn't really matter either how boring a video is, because I watch them all over and over and over anyway :)



Yikes my house is a mess. I'm trying to keep up, I really am.

*tulipanes

ahhh I love this time of year when there are tulips everywhere!! My little collection has grown enough to let me bring some inside too :)

*my little 6th grader

Last week at the co-op Vera was playing in this big box [telling her there will be big boxes to play in and pink bagels to eat is the only way to get her to go willingly] and decorated it with all our names. I don't know if she saw this kind of lettering somewhere or if she thought of it herself. Maybe it's inborn in all little girls? I can totally see her writing notes to her friends in Middle School...

Of course we brought the box home. This is what we should have given our friends for their birthdays!

*Easter bunnies

I bought this fabric a year ago when I found out I was having another girl - with specific plans to make matching Easter dresses. I don't know if I loved it at the time, but now I love seeing pictures of Liz and I in our matching smocked dresses. I can't believe how ridiculous I am - I cannot finish anything unless there is a serious deadline. I stayed up until midnight Saturday working on the dress and then finished it around 10am and made Edie's matching bow [glad I

realized ahead of time that was all I could handle] about 30 minutes before we left for church. It was worth it, they looked so sweet! The pattern for Vera's is called "Miss Mary" - it's pretty easy [though I still managed to mess it up several times] - from The Handmade Dress. Her dress two years ago was from there also. I'll have to get a better picture of the dress itself, but here's the matching sister pictures:

ok, Edie, no more pictures!

first tulips!

Vera please let me take a picture of your dress:

I can't get enough of this little bunny!!!!!! I can't choose just one picture:

*huevitos

I love coloring Easter eggs! I'm always inspired by Martha Stewart's and save clippings every year for the next year... and then I end up forgetting about them [or not wanting to spend any $] and just do what I know: food coloring and crayons. This year we sprinkled some salt on a few of them which was fun because it makes them all speckly. I had fun spending time with just Vera while Edie slept :)

*joyful joyful!

I always love Easter Sunday so much and really looked forward to going to church today. This hymn particularly resonated with me this year. Read it to yourself humming Ode to Joy :) ::

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;

Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,

Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.

Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,

Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,

Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!

Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;

Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;

Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.

Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,

Joyful music leads us sun-ward in the triumph song of life.

*

*primera vez

I had to be at a training all day yesterday and Ben sent me this picture of Edie on the swing for the first time. Obviously, it made my day:

*la niña

Just some random things to remember about Vera. We LOVE this little girl so much!!!

Quote from today: "Food and water help you grow and stay alive. That's very nice of them! They help you grow and grow and grow until you're big enough to have gumballs! I can have gumballs when I'm 16."

She's been in a rather nice ultra-polite stage lately, a lot of it I think trying to mimic being a grownup. "Thank you, Mom, for being so patient." - "Sam, I know you want to hold the snacks right now, but you can't, sometimes you just can't" - "Excuse me, Mom, after you do something on the computer, may I do something?" - "I have an idea! How about I watch something after my quiet time?" It's funny at times, but a lot better than the alternative :)

Today she sounded out a word for the first time. When she gets it in her head to figure out how to do something, she practices and practices over and over - I have a feeling this will be her new endeavor. We were making a card for Auntie Carol and I was about to spell it for her and she said she could do it: AT KL. Not bad!

Another first I thought was exciting was on our way home from California last month. Did I already tell this? Anyway I said there was going to be 2 girls and 2 boys at the place we were staying that night. She put 2 fingers on one hand, 2 on the other and said, "that's 4!" Her first math problem :)

This was the "palace" that she made today with a block puzzle and a pillow - very extravagant right? She was so excited about it, she ran to get her Cinderella dress and exclaimed, "I'm the luckiest girl I've ever seen!"

*bebitos

More little babies around here....

baby spinach...

...baby arugula

We also have some itty bitty pea plants and planted cilantro, carrots and beets today. Oh and those are baby garlic plants in front of Vera here! and I think I spilled a packet of thyme seeds or something last year, there are a bunch of baby somethings all over one area that smell real nice...

It was seriously a wonderful, sunny, full day and I feel really happy and contented tonight. I rode my bike to work for a couple hours, walked to the park with the girls, worked in the garden a little, went to my favorite fabric store, anthropologie [took back those shoes... got myself a cute washcloth instead] and Ben took Vera in the bike trailer to ice cream and to pick up Thai food [in that order]. We fit a lot into one day and it felt great to be outside for most of it. Spring is so amazing.

*

This big stuffed puppy is perfect for holding a wobbly sitter in place. Yesterday she took a little digger face first into our friend's wood floor [my fault: sorry, baby :( ] - she must have learned something from it though because today she was even steadier and only tipped over a couple times. It's so much fun all over again to go through these little developmental milestones!

*feliz

and HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY today to some of our favorite friends!! 4 - wow it is really unbelievable that these little guys I've watched grow up together with Vera are 4 years old!

Henry, Vera and Jack at Jacks' pool party Saturday.

Sam and Amelia over for lunch last week.

*1/2

Like I will say her whole life "I can't believe she's already..." 6 months! I have to say I have really really enjoyed Edie in the last couple weeks. She's connecting with us a lot more, engaging and really just waking up to the world around her in new ways. She's finally not randomly fussy all day and has settled into a kind-of nap schedule. My favorite things are still nuzzling my nose into her super-soft little tummy, listening to her giggle, how she sputters/spits/blows raspberries when she's getting tired or mad, how she loves to be naked [you should have seen her when I put a onesie on after these pictures], how she goes, 'ooohhhh' and kicks her legs when she's excited - like when she wants to touch the thermostat, watching her wiggle and squirm trying to reach a toy, and throwing her up in to the air and getting her to laugh :)

As far as sleeping goes [since I want to document, go ahead and skip...], she is taking longer naps!! We started trying to let her cry back to sleep if it had been 30 minutes or less - it didn't work well at first, she would cry for 20 minutes and sleep another 10 :( I hate doing it, but I also don't like having a baby who is grumpy and needing to be more rested!! So we would just give it another try every few days or so - Ben being a lot better at it than me. She then started sometimes sleeping straight for an hour, sometimes crying for about 5 minutes and sleeping another hour or more. It was so worth it to teach her to fall back asleep!! Nighttime has actually gotten worse in the last couple days and I'm not sure why, maybe just her stuffy nose. Also, she's woken Vera up a couple times which hasn't been a huge deal, but I don't want it to get worse. Not really sure what to do...

*verde

I've always wanted to make Thai curry but never remember to figure out how to do it [any non-American, non-Italian food intimidates me]. Tonight I finally used my brain and remembered we had frozen chicken, green beans [frozen from our garden!] and coconut milk on hand. I searched green curry on chowhound and found this recipe. We have a really great, authentic Asian supermarket up the street and so I went there for a few things. There's always so many options -like a half a row for just soy sauce- I chose this one which wasn't the cheapest or the most expensive. It doesn't have any preservatives or fake ingredients and I bet at Whole Foods it would be 4x as much! Anyway, I didn't find kafir limes, leaves or basil and substituted green beans and sweet potato for the eggplant and peas. It was so good and I was really proud of myself :) Hopefully I can remember to add it to the list of regulars....

I also made Strawberry Shortcake last night and it was pretty delicious. I know I've made "perfect" biscuits at least once, but I can never remember where I found the recipe... these were from Joy of Cooking and were just decent. That didn't stop me from having thirds. Seriously, you have no idea how much I loved whipped cream. Thankfully I'm on the breastfeeding diet!!

*unos libros

Vera had a very productive quiet time yesterday! She made each of us our own book, even Bunny. She was so pleased and proud of herself - "Mom should I put your book in your room?"

"Once upon a time, there was a Bunny and a Square. And a Callapillar that wanted to eat them. And so they ran and ran and ran and ran. The end."