by Laura Fleetwood | May 31, 2008 | Uncategorized
Woke up to one of the hottest, most humid days thus far. The girls and I went out around 8am to water the gardens. Audrey did a great job watering the front and sides herself then quit in favor of playing. For the first time, Anna walked from the patio all the way to the far garden by herself. This is a huge accomplishment and will hopefully save my back much strain!
E and R came today for the first time. It went surprisingly well. A curious thing about Audrey is her tendency to have intense emotional reactions. Whether she’s happy, sad or angry, she wears her emotions on her sleeve and they are intense. Unfortunately, jealousy seems to be at the top of the list these days. She’s excruciatingly possessive about her things and her people. Especially her room. So, it was not surprise that she had 3 time-outs within an hour of E & R coming. Thankfully, she and E eventually started playing nicely. Audrey introduced E to the world of The Wizard of Oz and I was relegated to the role of the evil witch for the next 2 hours. Of course, Anna and R did their own thing as most second borns tend to do. They are each only 1 year old, but require so much less energy from me, as long as I keep them safe – it’s amazing to me. I think it will all work out fine and the interaction will be great for all the kids.
The girls took good naps and I managed to keep the house clean. It makes such a difference to my mood when I have a clean, organized home. Audrey woke up in a good mood and we watched a little bit of Curly Top before Anna woke up and we had a quick dinner of shells and cheese and chicken nuggets (Justin was at a happy hour). Ventured outside for a fun time in the sandbox (trying to get Anna over her sensitivity to being barefoot in the grass and sand) and then took a walk through the nature club to the common ground. Anna walked all the way down the path holding my hand…another first. The wind was really blowing and we could literally hear the trees talking to us. Wish I could have had more time to listen. Watched the ants, saw a rabbit run from our flower garden, and rolled down the hills. Anna picked her first wildflower (no prompting from me) and was very proud of it. Came in for baths, books and bed. Justin got home just in time for Audrey’s bedtime. I read her a great story about a Friday-brownie from my latest “olden days” book. Makes me want to throw out all of our “modern” ones. She requested “Raindrops on Roses” and “Doe a Deer” for her songs.
I’m sitting here typing in the midst of an amazing thunderstorm. It’s 10pm and the sky is lighting up like daylight. We’ve had more than our share of violent storms this spring.
by Laura Fleetwood | May 30, 2008 | Uncategorized
Had nothing planned for today – nice! The girls and I went for a walk in the AM. Said hello to Mr. Willow tree and he told us to come visit him more frequently. Audrey remembered us “sleeping” under a Bradford Pear tree at the corner and wanted to do it, again. Anna fell down and skinned her knees, but recovered quickly. After naps I cleaned the floors and organized our craft supplies in preparation for watching R and E for the first time tomorrow. I hope it will go well. I will be watching them one day a week. We had leftovers out on the patio for dinner then I went to choir practice until about 8:30. I’m looking forward to singing for the 20th anniversary this weekend. Great songs and a great occasion. I signed up to be part of the summer praise team – should be fun. I’ve always wanted to sing in our church’s praise team, but while I was working at the church I was always back at the media booth and then the girls were so young, but now I feel like I have time. It’s good to be finding a new niche up there.
by Laura Fleetwood | May 30, 2008 | Uncategorized
Went to a “dog show” at the library, but had to leave early to make it to a doctor appointment. The girls enjoyed the stories, short Clifford movie and the tricks performed by the sheltie named Burt. Audrey was upset that we had to leave early, but didn’t fuss too much. Had a pelvic ultrasound to determine if there was some reason for periodic bleeding that I have. Thankfully, nothing showed up.
It was a beautiful spring day – in the 70’s. I took several photos (below) of our budding gardens. I want to name each of our gardens – we have 7. I have to think about that for awhile. Caitlyn came over around 5:30 so I could go to the baseball game with Justin. His department had the luxury box. I sat by his teammate, Lynn, and had a nice discussion with her about her pregnancy (it’s her first) and her upcoming job change. The girls did great with Caitlyn. A fun night.
by Laura Fleetwood | May 30, 2008 | Uncategorized
I’ve come to realize that I haven’t been blogging because I always feel like I have to have something significant to say in order to warrant a post. Unfortunately, that takes time, energy and creativeness that I don’t seem to have much of lately. I do regret that this results in me neglecting to note all of the small things that truly fill our life right now.
I just started reading C.S. Lewis’ diary when he was in his early twenties. It is a diary in that it simply records many of the mundane chores, errands, conversations that he has every day. It is also fascinating. I’m realizing that this is what I need to be doing instead of feeling like I have to have a REASON to post something. So, from now on I am going to simply try to make this a daily record of my life. I know it may not be as interesting to many, but let’s face it…this blog is really for me and (someday) my girls. So, there you have it. I’m going to give it a try.
by Laura Fleetwood | Apr 25, 2008 | Uncategorized
http://albums.phanfare.com/video.js?v=4&u=3437001&a_id=1712296&id=20081038&hash=872f7d937e4a83ce920fa847293cd5ae&width=300&height=240&wmodetransparent=1
by Laura Fleetwood | Apr 3, 2008 | Uncategorized
Halfway down the stairs
Is a stair
Where I sit.
There isn’t any
Other stair
Quite like
It.
I’m not at the bottom,
I’m not at the top;
So this is the stair
Where
I always
Stop.
by Laura Fleetwood | Dec 31, 2007 | Uncategorized
by Laura Fleetwood | Nov 20, 2007 | Uncategorized
Today was the big day – Anna’s 12 month check-up. We’ve been anxiously awaiting it because of our concerns about her gross motor development. Anna’s legs tend to be very stiff and she points her toes most of the time. She did start crawling about three weeks ago on November 7th, but she still doesn’t really get around. She’ll go a few feet and then just stop and lay on her stomach.
For the longest time, I just convinced myself that she was taking her own sweet time. Plus, she was 4 weeks early, so I factored that into things. Then last week we had our Parents As Teachers session and our parent educator snapped me back into reality. Anna completely failed the gross motor section of her assessment and Melanie seemed concerned about the rigidity in legs.
Of course, I immediately got online and started doing my own research. It wasn’t comforting when the words cerebral palsy kept coming up in my search results. In any event, I finally was realizing that Anna needs some specialized help to assist her in developing as she should. The doctor agreed.
Our pediatrician recommended that I contact our local “First Steps” program to see if Anna would qualify for physical therapy through them. I did and she doesn’t. This is both good and bad news. The good news is that children have to be 50% behind in order to qualify and Anna’s wonderful verbal and fine motor skills don’t place her in the category. The bad news is that “First Steps” is free. So, now I’ll get her scheduled for an assessment by a private physical therapist.
The doctor didn’t seem too worried, but did agree that Anna needs some professional help to get her over this hump. She said that certain leg muscles seemed a bit underdeveloped and we need to keep shoes on her at all times to keep her toes from pointing. The docs recommendation was to try physical therapy and if that does not help, then we’ll dig further into the possibility of it being a mild case of cerebral palsy.
So, all in all, I’m feeling much better. One of a parent’s biggest fears is that their child would be at any disadvantage whether physical, emotional, intellectual or otherwise. What I do know is that we’ll do whatever it takes to give her what she needs. As always, her cheery smile and happy attitude keeps us going even on the rough days. Thank you for your prayers!
by Laura Fleetwood | Nov 19, 2007 | Uncategorized
I’ve officially been a “Work-At-Home” mom for 3 months now. The achiever in me wishes I could say that I have figured it all out. The reality is that every day is as much an enigma as the day before.
I try to understand the unique qualities of my girls and grasp the challenges and quirks of their ages/phases. However, most days I just think it would be easier to not think so much and take things as they come. Add to that the balance of maintaining the household, being a supportive spouse and also spending time trying to fill my own needs, and it quickly becomes overwhelming.
I have, however, made some great discoveries over the past few months that are really helping us to make the best of this special time in our lives. This is the first in a series of posts about the things I’ve learned. Many of these realizations came from my study of the Waldorf approach to education and parenting, initially developed by Rudolph Steiner in the early 1900’s.
The more I read about the Waldorf approach to education and family life, the more I’m intrigued and convinced of the validity of many of it’s principals. Warning: It is extremely esoteric. I often have to chuckle and momentarily suspend my disbelief at some of the assertions, i.e. I didn’t put a hat on my child’s head (even in the summer) and that has forever hindered an aspect of his/her emotional or physical development. However, if one can disregard some of the more bizarre theories, it is extremely thought-provoking and I believe, relevant to raising a child today.
Here is the first of what have become important components of our parenting/education philosophies. I reiterate…these are not new ideas. Just my own interpretation and implementation of things I’ve learned.
The value of work
Never before have I realized how important it is for young children to have a consistent model of work for them to emulate. I’m not talking about work outside the home. Yes, that can be important and worthy of acclaim, but it’s likely not something a young child would understand the intricacies of, or be able to participate in. This post is about domestic work – cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, woodworking. The things that once were the center of a family, that have become, at best, an afterthought or perceived hindrance in our lives.
In our society, where instant gratification, convenience and more “free-time” is the desire, it’s very easy for a child to never see an authority figure make something with their hands, plant/tend to a flower, or even make a meal from scratch. Ask a 4-year-old where milk comes from and the answer will likely be, “the store.”
We live in an age where our possessions can be acquired literally in seconds, while sitting in our living room, typing on our wireless laptop. Not that I’m saying the Internet or computers are unequivocally negative. I LOVE the Internet. Buying things online, in the store or even paying someone else to do a task can be both a great convenience and cost-saving method. However, when we do not balance these conveniences with showing our children how to do things for themselves, I think we are doing them a great disservice.
Children, especially young children ages 2-6, are driven by two primary impulses. The first being movement (just watch a toddler TRY to sit still – it’s hilarious) and the second being imitation. They WILL imitate the older people in their lives. The question is, what do we want them to imitate? I’ve taken the Waldorf approach that being part of “work” should be a consistent part of a young child’s day. Note that this is NOT assigning a child a chore. While that may become part of an older child’s daily responsibility, a young child is much better served by observing a parent or caretaker cheerfully going about their daily work and being invited to participate as desired.
I’ve discovered that “doing our work” first thing in the morning after breakfast is a great way for Audrey to start the day feeling productive and allows me to get all of the chores out of the way first thing. So…each day we have our work to do. One day it might be to clean the floors, another day to clean the bathrooms, etc. I try to keep it to a job that takes no more than 1 hour. I’ve started using natural cleaning products that safely allow me to let Audrey participate as she wants and we always do it with a song. I know it all sounds very Mary Poppinsish, but let me tell you, it works! I get a clean house and Audrey feels very involved in the running of the household. Not to mention, she’s learning the value of taking care of the things we have and gaining a good work ethic. Then, throughout the day I try to add at least one handmade craft, baking, or outdoor project. Anna, while too young to actively participate, gets to be entertained by our movements and will soon be able to help out in small ways, as well.
Not that it was easy for me to start doing things this way. You see, I’m a perfectionist. So, prior to me making a conscious effort to involve Audrey, I would turn on a TV show or set her up to play a game while I would try to get a household job done. And I wondered why that was a recipe for disaster? She wanted to help me, be by me, not be sequestered off in her own little area.
Sure, it takes longer to have a 3 year old help you sweep the floor, but I’ve learned that it can also be much more fun. Especially if we take the time to chase the dust bunnies or have a broom race in the middle of it. A spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down! Same thing goes for cooking, sewing, whatever it takes to keep things running around your home.
I’m learning to crochet and knit because I’ve realized the importance of my children seeing me create things with my hands. It is an accomplishment to spend hours knitting a scarf (not that I’ve done one yet) and such a source of pride and joy to present it to a loved one. It’s much more fun and meaningful to paint or glue pictures on a birthday card than buy one at the store. Eating a loaf of bread made from scratch is always so much more satisfying than one purchased at the store. Sure it all takes more time, but isn’t that how memories are made?
What are some things that you could start doing with your children to help them see the value of domestic/artistic work? I bet there are more ways than you can count. Give it a try and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I know they will.
Stay tuned for the next Lesson Learned!
by Laura Fleetwood | Nov 18, 2007 | Uncategorized
by Laura Fleetwood | Nov 18, 2007 | Uncategorized
There was once a little angel who flew from star to star collecting warmth and light as she went about. She loved to leap high and fall into the big, puffy clouds. The little angel went forth happily exploring her heavenly home. Most of all, she was passionate about gathering up as much love and light as she could. Then one day, she heard her big angel calling and she knew it was time to go and share the love she had gathered.
Her guardian angel took her first to the house of the sun. It was there
that she received the gift of courage. Next, they visited the house of the star, and she was given the gift of the twinkle in her eyes so that she might always see the humor in life. Last, they went to the house of the moon and she received the gift of wisdom. It was from the moon that the little angel saw the most beautiful sight-the earth-a place of trees and oceans.
The little angel saw the beautiful land, and when she looked closer, she saw a strong, tall man named Justin living there. “He should be my father,” said the little angel. Then she listed closely and heard woman singing sweet songs and dancing; she was a loving woman, named Laura, who looked up toward her and seemed to be calling her. “She should be my mother.”
And so the guardian angel said it was time to go. “You shall use your
gifts to take a long journey over the rainbow bridge to the earth.” It was a crisp autumn day there on the earth. The mother and father were waiting at the hospital for the angel to arrive, a bit surprised because they hadn’t expected her to arrive so quickly. Her big sister Audrey was waiting, too, to see her baby sister. Then, just as the little angel crossed over the rainbow bridge, a baby girl was born and brought into the strong arms of her mother and father on Friday, November 17, 2006 at 6:39pm.
The mother and father chose to call her Anna Marie because that was the most perfect name for her. Anna means grace and favour. And so the little angel received her first gift on the earth, the gift of her name. Little Anna was very small, with dark hair and the cutest button nose. Her Daddy was bursting with joy in those first moments. Mommy felt the love that the angel had sent forth as Anna drew in her first breath.
All the grandparents, aunts and uncles came to the hospital, and couldn’t wait to see baby Anna. Even big sister Audrey got to come and hold her. They all loved her from the first moment. The whole family was filled with joy. Audrey waited at home with Nana for baby Anna and Mommy to come home from the hospital. When they arrived home, the entire family experienced great happiness that their family had grown to include this new baby that they loved so much.
Baby Anna began to grow and was constantly amazing her mother, father, and sister. She was so calm and peaceful – rarely crying or fussy about anything. Just content to be surrounded by the people who loved her so much. Her big sister, Audrey, took very good care of her and Anna loved to watch everything that Audrey did.
Anna got to do a lot of things during her first year. She flew on an airplane to visit Aunt Amy in Pheonix, she went to Camp Arcadia to play in the sand and listen to the waves of Lake Michigan, and she was so excited when her mommy was able to start staying home all day long instead of going to work.
She also began learning a lot. She could clap her hands and play peek-a-boo. She could say words like “wow” when she saw something she liked and “up” and “mama” and “dada!” When she got excited, she would shake her little arms and move her whole body back and forth. Anna loved doing things with her hands like turning light switches on and off and opening cabinet doors and she also loved giving kisses to her family and her baby cousin, Will. Anna didn’t move around a lot, but she did learn to crawl just before she turned one year old.
And now autumn is here again. It has been one year since the little angel crossed the rainbow bridge. And so we are here today to celebrate the birth of Anna, who was given to us by our Heavenly Father. We are so blessed by this little girl who loves to share her light with heavenly smiles, a crinkled nose and kisses that brighten up our days. Today we will light one candle for Anna because today she is one year old.
by Laura Fleetwood | Oct 18, 2007 | Uncategorized
In keeping with my thrifty post, I thought I’d share one of the more comical things I’ve done lately.
I’m a doer – always thinking about my next project and I seldom worry or care about how difficult it’s going to be – even if it’s something I’ve never done before, which is often. Recently, I’ve been focusing on our back yard. We have a huge yard in comparison to most in this area. The problem is that it doesn’t have much landscaping and no shade. It’s almost too big to even know where to start. I’ve put in small flower beds here and there, but nothing really substantial.
In the past, I’ve batted my eyelashes and sweetly asked Justin to dig up the sod for these beds. Depending on the size, that has taken anywhere from 20 minutes to 8 hours for him to do. Plus, with all my recent focus on being frugal and making use of every possible resource we have, I didn’t feel like throwing away all that grass that would make such excellent fertilizer for the new beds I was planning.
So…in comes lasagna gardening. Justin’s cousin first told me about this technique a few years ago, but I never thought much more about it until now. After doing some research, I decided this would be the perfect solution for adding some more visual interest to our yard. Plus, I found free dirt via Craigslist because I REFUSE to pay for dirt.
Now, up to this point, the story all sounds very logical. To understand how comical it is, you have to understand how I operate. When I want to do something, I just do it. I don’t care if conditions are favorable, whether I have all the necessary materials, or even whether I have the time – all of that is inconsequential to fact that I have something I want to do and I want to do it, now.
So, back to the paper mâchèd yard. The principal of this gardening technique is that your existing grass doesn’t get removed, it just becomes one of the layers in your new bed. You put newspapers or brown paper bags or essentially anything that will decompose over the grass and you drench it with water. Then you put dirt and other organic material such as grass clippings, compost and mulch over top of that. The grass dies underneath the paper and just becomes part of the rich soil you’ve created. Sounds so simple, right? And, it’s free!
This brings us back to Sunday when I went to Shop and Save and grabbed as many paper bags as I could without being too obvious. I already had the free dirt lined up, all Justin had to do was borrow a friend’s truck and go get it. And all I had to do was get the bags laid down before he got home with the dirt. Doesn’t sound too difficult, right? Well, maybe not if it wasn’t the windiest day of the year. I had just put the girls down for naps, so I knew I had 60-90 minutes tops to get this done.
I confidently walked back to the area I was going to transform and was mortified to find that what had seemed like a small area initially, is, upon closer inspection, much larger than I thought. My stack of sneakily-gotten grocery bags wasn’t even going to make a dent to cover this area and Justin was going to be there with all of this dirt that was going to have to go somewhere.
I didn’t let this momentary set-back deter me. With my usual tenacity, I proceeded to hose down the bags and see just how far I could get. It was then that I realized I had nothing to anchor these bags with and the wind was making it impossible to keep them in place. Imagine 30 wet paper bags blowing around and a premenstrual woman chasing them down cursing under her breath. Yeah, it was fun. I managed to use rocks, sticks and any other thing I could find to help me anchor the bags and just finished laying down the last bag when Justin arrived.
Luckily, he wasn’t able to get as much dirt as he originally thought and we had just enough to cover the area that I had covered with paper bags. I didn’t get to create the entire area I was hoping for, but at least this would give me something to work with next spring. I couldn’t have planned it better if I had known what I was doing.
