Birthday Storytime Picks
On Simon’s Birthday I did a special birthday themed Storytime with him at home. Usually we read a book right before his nap, but since this was a special day, we read a whole stack of pre-nap books. He thought this was pretty fantastic, and it was a win-win situation because I am always happy to read him lots of books, and he is always happy to be read to. We had these birthday stories around for a couple of weeks, but they have finally gone back to the library and have since been replaced by books about bugs (his current burning interest).
Here are my picks for birthday themed books:
Happy Birthday, Little Pookie
The Birthday Box
Happy Birthday, Moon
Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur! 
It’s My Birthday
Do you have any favorite birthday-themed children’s books to recommend?
This post was linked up at:
Sick Days
I haven’t blogged in a couple of days because I have been taking care of a sick toddler, and have therefore been distracted. My poor little guy came down with quite the crazy cold the night after his birthday party. Within mere hours he went from being totally fine, to having a stuffy nose, to total head and chest congestion and a robust cough. We have spent the last four days trying to keep him from overdoing it, and encouraging fluids to loosen up all the icky stuff in his nose and lungs.
Today he finally seemed slightly improved, and his Daddy took him outside for some fresh air for a short time. I am hoping by tomorrow, weather permitting, we can go back out again for a short trip, and that by Friday he will be well enough for his music class. In the meantime, we’ll be taking it as easy as possible.
I hope to be back on track tomorrow with a more organized post.
19/52
Simon: A boy and his balloons.
Simon only asked for two specific things for his birthday: a tiger cake, and balloons. Cake and balloons were all he requested last year too. He has already told Jeramy that he needs to have balloons for his birthday. If we are out somewhere, and they have balloons up, he always points them out excitedly. He loves balloons.
Click below to see more of this week’s 52 project:
Three
My baby turned three yesterday. And if he knew I had just called him my “baby” he would be quick to correct me sternly: “No Mumma, I not a baby. I a big boy!”.
He is my crazy child. He is so imaginative, always making up stories, and inventing reasons for things. Everything has to have a reason why for him, and he always wants to know. He is inquisitive about the way things work, and loves to take things apart and see their inner workings. He loves to play, especially outside, especially in the dirt. He collects rocks. Rarely does he come into the house from outdoors without stopping to pick up another perfect rock that he wants to keep. He likes toys with wheels, especially tractors and construction vehicles. He also loves books. He prefers paint and playdough to crayons, and doesn’t much care for coloring books. His favorite color is still yellow, though occasionally he chooses green instead. He has a wicked sweet tooth, especially for chocolate, and would eat pancakes every day if we let him. He sometimes naps, sometimes doesn’t. He can be quite hot-headed and angry. He always lines his toy animals, blocks, cars, etc. up into long, straight lines. He really hates it when Mumma is not home, especially for his bedtime. He wants hugs, kisses, and cuddles on his own terms, and will get mad if you try to sneak in a kiss. He is taking his time with potty training, but is almost there. He loves to jump on our bed and hates to sit still.
We will be having a little get-together this weekend with a proper birthday cake and more balloons. Not a big, fancy party, just close family and friends to sing “Happy Birthday” and share the cake with us. However, we still wanted him to feel special on his actual birthday. So, Jeramy brought home three balloons for the birthday boy from work, and I hung a big, glittery number three on the wall. I made his favorite food for dinner (pancakes, of course, but this time I made them dairy-free and added vegan chocolate chips), and we lit candles. He was delighted. We also had a few little presents from us for him, and when he opened each one he gasped and said “Thanks!!!!”. After supper we all walked to the playground and had fun playing together. He showed off all of his new skills at climbing and going on the slides by himself. When we returned home there was coconut milk ice cream.
In the blink of an eye my little guy is another year older. I am continually amazed and delighted by him, and the little person he is growing to be.
At The Pond
The Spring weather lately has been just begging us to spend time outside, and on Saturday we found ourselves with free time together as a family. Jeramy and I asked Simon: “What do you want to do today?”, and he answered: “Go to da beach.” My parents generously bought us a year-long pass to a local place that has hiking trails, fields, scenic spots to explore, and a sandy little beach. That is where we ended up.
The water is still very cold this time of year, and there was a strong breeze, but that didn’t stop my little explorer. He wanted to walk right into the water, chasing the little fish, splashing, and gathering buckets of water to bring up onto the beach and dump out on the sand. We had the whole beach to ourselves for a while, and then a few other families came with some older children who were armed with frog-catching nets. They brought over all kinds of creatures for Simon to look at, and Simon wanted to run off with them into the tall reeds. He walked up to a boy who is probably about two years older than he is, and proudly announced: “I have a bucket too. It’s pretty, see?” The boy smiled, and splashed past in the tall grass.
We started to build a sandcastle, but it changed into a volcano, and then Simon filled in the hole, so I suppose it was a mountain in the end. Jeramy and Simon went and walked the perimeter of the pond a bit, while I sat, relaxing on the warm sand and did some people watching.
After a couple of hours it was time to gather up the buckets and shovels, change our mud and water covered toddler into some dry clothes, and head home to make some supper. We all got a good fill of fresh air and sun, and had a great time being outside.
18/52
Simon: Tiny child, big nature.
This is how we spent our afternoon on Saturday. It was sunny and warm, and Simon asked us that morning to go to the beach. So we went to a nearby pond that has a bit of sand and spent time in the outdoors.
More about that adventure tomorrow. Until then, check out more from the 52 project this week by clicking on the image below:
Dreams and Goals
Spring is now in full swing at last. Simon and I have been finding ourselves on-the-go a lot this week, back and forth to the grocery store and the natural foods market in search of the right things for him to eat on his dairy-free diet. (I hate that word… “diet”.) I have been cooking more than I was, which is a positive change for me, regardless of potential food allergies.
I have always been interested in food and nutrition. Especially eating locally and organically. I have always believed in minimizing the dangerous chemicals in our environment and recycling. Our dream of a large vegetable garden and raising chickens remains. However, in the stress of the last year, some of our goals have been on hold. Health issues, and physical location have made us take the easy way sometimes, and I don’t regret that. I have done what I needed to do to get by, as do we all. However, now I am in a place where I have the ability to give a little more effort to my goals for our family and a healthy lifestyle.
Spring seems like a good time to take stock of where we are at. I think it is helpful sometimes, when change seems overwhelming, to make a list of what you have accomplished, and what goals still remain. (Please know that I am not saying this is how you should live, merely how we are trying to live within our family.)
Changes We Have Made:
~We do most of our household cleaning with vinegar and baking soda only. I keep a spray bottle of white vinegar for wiping down surfaces, and cleaning sticky messes. We use baking soda to deodorize stinky drains, scrub the bathtub, and wipe up oily spills. I also sprinkle some into the trash when it is a bit smelly. Sometimes I use a bit of lemon juice for cleaning also.
~We aim to choose many of our food products as naturally as possible. For example: the fruits and veggies of the “dirty dozen**” I will only buy if I can get them pesticide-free. We don’t cook a lot of meat at home, but when we do I look for animals raised on smaller farms, as close to us as possible, with ethical treatment, and fed a natural diet free of hormones and antibiotics. If I cannot find this at the market, I skip the meat and go vegetarian.
~We do not have cable television, and try to minimize screen-time, especially for Simon. We do not let him watch anything with commercials, which means he only watches shows on Netflix and PBS. Sometimes we bring home movies from the library. When he is sick or hurt, we allow a little more television than on an ordinary day. Many days he goes completely without any TV time at all.
~We are trying to keep Simon’s toys as simple as possible. We are battery minimizers, not strictly battery free, but want his playthings to encourage imagination and creativity. He sometimes watches appropriate music videos on our laptops, but he does not have access to tablets or cell phone apps.
~We recycle, and make that a family priority. Simon helps us with the recycling. (A terrific picture book to share with kids about recycling: “We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers
~We try to spend time outdoors, going on family hikes in the woods, or exploring the park.
~I do yoga. For years I hated all of the different types of exercise that I tried, from going to the gym, to walking on my treadmill, to doing crunches and push-ups in my living room. Nothing stuck, and I hated it all. Then I found yoga. When I do yoga I do not feel like I am working out at all. However, it gets my heart rate up, tones and strengthens my muscles, and increases my flexibility. Yoga is amazing for my spine. I have had back and neck issues since I was nineteen, and doing yoga makes me feel good in ways that medication never could. It also improves my mood and mental well-being.
~We try to shop at local markets and small businesses whenever possible. During the holidays, I try to buy gifts at craft fairs. (Last year, most of our family and friends received gifts from here.) When we do go to a large company, we try to research them a bit and know what we are supporting.
Changes We Still Want To Make:
~We want to get rid of a lot of our “Stuff”. We have gathered a lot of knick-knacks, unnecessary clutter, and things we don’t really use over the years, and we have only begun weeding through it all for simpler living. It is a challenge to avoid being a part of the materialistic culture all around us.
~Continuing to make more things from scratch in the kitchen. Eventually, growing our own food in a garden, raising our own eggs, and joining a CSA. Less takeout and processed food, and more homemade.
~When we have a home of our own, living as off-the-grid as possible. Jeramy wants to have a windmill, we would like a wood or pellet stove, and we want to collect rainwater. Solar panels and/or solar water heaters might also be a part of the picture.
~Learning more about natural medicine, and home remedies. Relying on “modern medicine” only when completely necessary.
~Spending even more time outside.
~Composting. Another goal for when we have a yard of our own.
~Switching out our laundry soap, toilet cleaner, and dishwasher soap for better, less-harsh alternatives.
~Being better at unplugging electric items and turning things off when we do not need them. Spending more time “unplugged” in general.
~Being less dependent on paper towels and using rags and washable cloths instead. Also replacing disposable plastic baggies with reusable and washable ones.
As I have said, this is all a process. I do not expect us to transform overnight, and we need to be able to approach these goals with an attitude of self-forgiveness. It is wonderful to have goals and an ideal, but it is no good for our hearts and minds if we push ourselves too hard and do not allow breathing room and time. I struggle with this often. I start feeling like a failure when I think of all the things I still want to do that have not been done. I fall into the trap of comparing myself to others, but every family is different, and everyone has a different set of struggles and obstacles. Sometimes they are hidden, but everyone has them. Before I can accomplish anything else, I have to be kind to myself. Otherwise, none of this will be worth it.
To see my inspiration board for the type of home we dream about, click here.
To read some blogs that I find inspiring, and that exemplify the type of goals we have, check these out:
Soulemama
Barefoot Five
Bear Tracks
If you have other blogs or websites to recommend, I would love to hear about them. 
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**Note: The “dirty dozen” changes from year to year based on farming practices and where in the world you live. I linked to one list, but that one might not be the most up-to-date. I recommend researching.
