Intrepid Murmurings

I have not been posting much, partly because our days are so busy with daily swimming lessons!  I love it and just signed Emma up for another session (two more weeks, so four weeks total) but it does put a damper on our schedule.  She is having so much fun, and its usually a nice outing for Elsie and Delia, too (though I feel bad they can't do it and they so want to! Can't wait until next year when they are old enough!).  I really really really need to find a pool around here with a good family swim time so we can take them swimming as well.  They are total water nuts and would love it, I am sure!  

Emma has really taken to her swim lessons, and is all smiles during her class, woo hoo!  Yesterday when we were coming out of the changing room, just before it was her turn to hop in, she said "Mama, I LOVE this!".   She makes similar comments often (generally once we are there, though not at home in the morning before we have to go, ha ha).  Last year she had more worries, at least at first, though nothing too bad, even then. We were lucky that she was able to go and watch the kids with her daycare take lessons there for a couple weeks before she had a turn, so she got to know what it was like ahead of time.  Emma has always been one to warm up slowly and stand back and watch new things at first, so this was great for her.  

The classes here are fairly small, and run just 30 minutes.  I think the teachers are mostly upper high school or slightly older, perhaps on (or used to be on) swim team at this private pool.  They are really sweet, enthusiastic and seem pretty good (though I am not a swimming expert!).  At this pool you have to be three years old to take lessons, and its not the kind of class parents can hop in and participate with to ease them in (which is fine with me -- I can't do that since I have two other kids to watch!).   Last year Emma was nervous about putting her face in the water, going under (being dunked) and jumping from the edge into a teachers arms.  This year the first two sessions she was worried about those things, but we had a talk about closing her eyes and holding her breath, and after that she has been totally fine with it. Yahoo!  She is doing great now about jumping in, doing the backfloat, pushing off to reach for her teacher in the water, and so much more.  

I have a love/hate relationship with the daily class schedule.  On one hand, its great to have it so frequently -- less time to get nervous or forget how fun it is, and probably best for retaining the skills she's learned.  On the other hand, whew, it makes doing anything else in the morning tough -- which is a bummer since there are so many awesome things to do in Seattle in the summer!!!  Her class is midday, so I have to get us lunched, packed and ready to go EVERY day (or a picnic lunch packed, which is the best way to keep Elsie and Delia busy while we are there, I've found).  

Two mornings a week Emma has school  (year round preschool, which I also mostly love!), so on those days we have to drive straight from school to the pool.  On the other days we walk, which is pretty great -- just takes 10 minutes.  Though walking home with three tired kids is less fun (or rather I am anticipating it will be, once Grandma Elena leaves to go home -- she has been so much help with this!).  We don't get home until 1:30, too, which makes for late naps -- though the girls seem to be rolling with that, whew!  

All in all, swim lessons = fun!  And also busy, and tiring for mama.  I am looking forward to another session, though also to a few free lazy summer weeks at the end of August...

 Emma and Leo, who were in the same PEPs group back when they were 3 months old!   

Its a gorgeous SUNNY Friday morning, the first in awhile, and I'm loving it!  This is the kind of weather we live for in Seattle -- come on sunshine & warmth, stick with us this time!  We've had a busy week with so many things going on, and I've felt like the crazy mom chauffeur at times.  But there is nothing on the docket today except swimming lessons (with a picnic lunch and an ice cream treat afterwards), which we are going to walk to.  Wish me luck keeping the little ones entertained and out of the pool during Emma's lesson -- usually I have the stroller for containment but can't when we walk due to steps!  

Also, please go check out my guest post, Nursing In Public with Twins, My Story & Thoughts, which is running today over on the new Nursing Freedom blog! I originally intended it to be part of the Carnival of Nursing In Public from a few weeks ago, but I was a late entry and offered a spot here, instead!  Thank you Dionna and Paige for publishing my post and for all you do to help normalize breastfeeding!  

A few weeks back, I broke down and took Emma to the salon for a haircut.  Holy moly, that hair was getting LONG!  This was not her first cut, but it was the first time we did something other than trim the bangs, and only the second time ever going to the salon.  Part of me definitely was torn about cutting that long, curly-whispy hair -- it was especially impressive in pigtails! --  but it was getting really hard to brush out.  And boy, do I hate trimming bangs.  I do it, because I am cheap, but I don't always do it well.   So nice to sit back and let a professional have at it!  

Here's a before pic out on the sidewalk in front of the salon: 

This salon is nice, too, as its close to us and VERY kid themed, with funny chairs (Emma's chose the horsey one) and a TV that was showing something on PBS.  Emma opted to watch and was soooooo still for the cut.  She was all smiles, loved it the whole thing and wasn't nervous at all (unlike her first visit, about a year ago).   

Another HUUUUGE pro of this place for me was the oodles of toys for Elsie and Delia to play with during Emma's cut.  They barely brushed the surface of all the toys there with what they played with, and had a lot of fun. They did want to sit in one of the big chairs too.... 

At the end, Emma got a blow dry and the option of something fancy (braids, ponytails, etc) and "fairy dust".  She went for just the glitter (can't see it much in this pic, but its there). 

Conclusion:  Sooooo worth it!  In 20 minutes (and for twenty smackers) she got an awesome cut, Elsie and Delia were totally entertained, and I was actually able to relax.  We were the only folks in the salon, too!  Its too expensive to make a regular habit (especially if E & D eventually need haircuts, yeeps!) but for an occasional treat, this was awesome.  Hooray!  

One thing about having more than one child, is that it gives you a perspective on how truly different kids can be.  When you just have one, its really really hard sometimes to truely understand that all kids do not act and respond to things the way that yours does.  At least I had trouble with that at times!  Even though intellectually (and experientially as a teacher!) I knew it was true.  

Take my girls.  Emma (the oldest) has always been super cautious.  She was a mama's girl for a loooong time, hesitant about strangers and new situations. Very slow to warm up.  A very picky (cautious) eater.  And physically, always always careful, nervous, and slow to take on a challenge. A lot of times, this worked great for me, especially her being a fairly careful toddler when I had two newborns to lug around as well.  Thank goodness!  

Elsie and Delia, not so much!  They are so different than Emma (though similar to each other), especially with regards to the physical stuff.  Even though they took longer to actually crawl and walk than Emma did, from the start they have been climbers, leapers, adventurers, and daredevils -- both of them!  Delia perhaps a bit moreso (hence the two chipped teeth on one occasion, and fat lip and stiches on another...) but really both of them are pretty equal with this.  Last spring, a few months before they turned one (and many before they started walking!),  Delia --and later Elsie-- started walking up our little slide.  I can't believe that video is only from a year ago!  Since then they've mastered all sorts of way bigger slides, and are now working on climbing much larger things, ladders, hanging on bars, swinging, dangling and jumping...

The thing is, even though they are very physical and adventurous, I don't worry (too much) about them falling or getting hurt, at least in places and with equipment they know well (like our backyard).  I feel like they've figured out what gravity does, and are careful enough to not do something stupid.  Perhaps naive of me, but its worth it to me to give them space and not follow them around.  So lately, we've been letting all three girls out to play in the backyard by themselves.   Revolutionary!

A few days ago they were out there in a brief sunny moment, in between all the rain we've been having.  When I first looked out they were playing around on the swings (pushing each other sometimes, oh so cute!).  In a few minutes I looked out again and saw BOTH Elsie and Delia almost to the top of the high climbing wall, one right behind the other.  The one that Emma only mastered in the last few months!  By the time I was out there they were both up, so here's a few shots of Elsie trying it again by herself... 

Yep, thats Delia again, going up the big slide this time!  What a difference (or maybe not) a year makes!  

I realize this is very similar to what I posted last year.  But its good enough for a repeat, no?  

Happy birthday eve, my dear Delia and Elsie...

I can't believe its been four years!  Its amazing how fast it goes, and also how much has been packed into these few short years. Our lives before her is so fuzzy in my memories already -- its impossible sometimes to remember how things were before then.  

More birthday pics coming soon, but here's a few pictures from the archives:

Today, in the midst of authoring her own book about monsters, Emma looked up and said "Elmo isn't real, is he? He's a story?" I had to agree, and we had a bit of a conversation about what puppets are.  We had watched the "Elmo's Potty Time" DVD earlier in the day (which all three girls adore), so she wondered aloud about Elmo's dad and Prairie Dawn, who are also in that show.  She seemed nonchalant about it, though maybe a bit disappointed, I'm not sure.  

I totally had to keep in the tears.  My baby is growing up!!!  

Sesame Street in general and Elmo in particular has been big deals around here, with lots of love heaped on them over the past few years. On more than one occasion Emma has asked -- almost insisted -- that we take an airplane to go visit Sesame Street.  At age 4 (going on 14), I knew this was coming, but tried to hold on to the magic for as long as we could...

Mostly because I love it so, myself.  Jim Henson was a serious dreamer, and the worlds he created were pretty freaking awesome.  

I adored Sesame Street and all things Muppet for way longer than was cool (and then into high school and college, when it was kind of cool again, ha ha).   When racing on my high school ski team, I would wear the Bert and Ernie (Fisher Price) little people around my neck every weekend for good luck (the very ones my kids all play with today, in fact).   In college, I kept a Kermit doll in my dorm room (also now much loved by the girls).  

So, yeah.  This is more about me than her, but it just made me teary to see such an obvious sign of her growing up and figuring things out.  She is in a stage of really trying to sort out "real" from "story" or "pretend", which is absolutely age appropriate, of course.  I am sure she and I can still share a love of muppety, puppety things, but its not the same now, is it, really?  Not quite?  

I just hope I can manage to walk the line of answering her questions about this kind of thing -- being (mostly) truthful, but also keeping the world a magical place for her still, as she gets older and more aware, more curious, more worldly.

Emma, 18-19 months 

This post is part of the Mom's 30 Minute Blog Challenge on Steady Mom.

Up until recently, my girls haven't been too into dress-up.  Well, Emma hasn't -- Elsie and Delia have always enjoyed hats and scarves and putting on all sorts of shoes...

But now, they are getting into it!  These fancy dresses from my mom's old preschool are definitely popular.  Up until now the dress-up stuff has been in Emma's bedroom, but I think I am going to bring it out somewhere more communal so that all three can see and use it more often.  And add to it with a bit more stuff -- boas? sparkly shoes? I'm so not a dress-up gal myself!  Anybody have good recommendations of what to get (and where)?

They were pretty cute today!  

Emma's been at it again! These were from last weekend -- an awesome, sunny day spent outside. They are from underneath our play structure.  

I am generally not a big Valentines Day person, and while I like doing something, I am not very organized (Lonnie's present this year is coming in a few weeks, still, ha).  On Sun I remembered just at the right moment (whinytime) that I had a few extra things tucked away from Christmas shopping time. They went over well.  Hooray!

Delia in green, Elsie in pink!   

Also, give me a click on the button below, and maybe I can break page 2 (top 50)!   

Lest we forget who is the boss around here...

Its been that kind of week, food wise, and I am writing this post both to vent and maybe to prove to myself that its not actually as bad as it seems. Ha!  Here's our list, in no particular order:

Fruits: apples, strawberries**, grapes, dried mango, raisins, frozen blueberries (not fresh)

Vegetables: peas, corn, edamame, raw carrots, beets, artichoke (fresh & with mayo only), potato in some forms (mostly fried, occasionally mashed) 

Dairy: cow milk, soy milk, cheddar cheese, string cheese, cream cheese, butter, cottage cheese*, ice cream

Meats/nuts: hot dogs, ham, turkey/chicken deli slices, plain roasted cashews

Grains: crackers, sliced bread, english muffins, bagels, chips & pretzels, Cheerios,  Rice Krispies, Kix*, granola*, popcorn*, plain pasta*, white rice*, pancakes or waffles*

Prepared or mixed/multi ingredient foods or recipes: box mac 'n cheese, ramen*, quesadillas*, granola bars, cereal bars*.  I honestly can't think of anything else that she will eat that fits this category

Treats: plain chocolate and M&Ms, some types of cookies, ice cream, cake* 

Foods of note she Will Not Touch:  most fruit & veggies, beans or any type meat (beef, pork, fish, chicken, even nuggets!), yogurt, applesauce, dried fruit, pudding, hamburgers, pizza,  most pasta, homemade mac and cheese, spaghetti, peanut butter, smoothies, muffins or pastries, any sauce, any soups, stews or casseroles.  Also most candy or kid vitamins.  

 *these foods she'll eat occasionally, but not often/always  **she's mildly allergic, so we can't really offer them much 

So obviously she's not starving, and it could be a lot worse.  There is enough in each food group that we manage.  But GAH! I am so tired of her pickiness!  The problem lately is that while we no longer pressure her to eat anything (even a one bite try -- she won't do it so we don't even ask most of the time), we also don't cater to her, and if she doesn't like her options (usually 4 or so different foods per meal) she starts begging for other stuff or throwing tantrums.  We really never give in, so I think its more frustration than anything?  There is literally nothing she will eat in most restaurants (luckily we don't eat out much, but still!) and it definitely causes her stress when we eat anywhere but home.  

I am fine with her not eating if she is not hungry, but thats not the problem!  She is hungry but won't eat most of the foods we as a family eat and serve (and that a year or two ago, she loved) and then freaks out about it.  What's up with that? Please tell me this phase will pass!  Up until the past few years I assumed really picky eaters were made, not born (as in the parents somehow caused it) but I absolutely don't believe that anymore.  Geesh!  Anyone have tips for me, or at least an anecdote for me to cling to?  

What do your kids eat for breakfast?  I am feeling bored with our routine.  I've borrowed an awesome breakfast cookbook, which I really like, but I find 1) I am tired, lazy and uninspired in the morning and 2) a lot of the foods in there are a kind of a hard sell --  my kids are very stuck in a breakfast rut (at least the preschooler is)!

Usually they have cold cereal or toast/english muffin/bagels with cream cheese and some kind of fruit (pears, bananas, apple slices, canned peaches, applesauce).  Sometimes I add in yogurt or eggs (Emma rarely will touch either, the babies LOVE the yogurt and sometimes the eggs).  Waffles and pancakes go over well fresh, but are not as popular frozen and reheated (RATS!).  Oatmeal used to be a favorite of the little ones, but no longer...   

I've found my kids start out with a light breakfast (babies nurse before that) and then have one or two substantial snacks in the AM.  I'd much rather they eat a big breakfast and skip one of those snacks!  

Here are my breakfasters today.  Delia (in red) was in an awesome mood and was just so goofy and happy and  grown up I just had to get the camera...

While many folks I know avoid regular sized Christmas trees with toddlers, we decide to brave it.  So far, so good!  The girls LOVED the novelty of a TREE in the HOUSE, and had a lot of fun looking at and "helping" with the decorations.  Every day, I do have at least 10 ornaments to rehang, but that seems pretty manageable! 

Emma and Delia inspecting the new tree 

Bunny Bun Bun holding the star 

Emma putting up the star (failed attempt, but worth a shot!) 

All 3 admiring the lights 

Emma loves it! 

Emma hanging decorations 

Elsie enjoying a doll ornament: "baby!" "baby!" 

Giving the "baby" a hug 

Elsie admiring a tree ornament.  

(I promise Delia was there too -- just didn't get any close ups of her this time!)