Grandpa's Flannel

My Dad...words cannot describe how I miss him. Like the flannel shirts he often wore, he was strong and dependable, but soft at the same time. It makes my heart ache to think of how our baby girl will never be held in his big gentle hands, or snuggle on his flannel-shirted chest, smelling faintly of sawdust and Irish Spring soap. This project idea came to me belatedly, after all Dad's shirts had found new homes among family and friends. However, my sister graciously gave me some that she had taken when I told her about my wish to wrap this baby up in a little bit of his essence, so that she might know him in that way. Thoughts of my Dad filled my mind with each stitch I made while creating this snuggle sized blanket. I will never look at it without remembering him and feeling that his spirit is here with us still.

Finding Our Rhythm

Here I am again after a yet another blogging hiatus. This fall brought with it some highs (Noah started school and we will be welcoming another baby in May!), lows (losing my wonderfully inspiring and brave Dad to cancer), and some new challenges (starting a photography business). Somewhere in the midst of all that, I feel like we lost our daily and weekly rhythm.  But something about moving into the second trimester of pregnancy (no more all-day sickness!), this time of year, and new beginnings has me inspired to renew our routines and establish a new rhythm.

The biggest challenge to our daily rhythm has come about due to Noah attending school in the afternoon, necessitating an early lunchtime for him before school, a second lunchtime for Isaac and me, and snack time and a much needed late-afternoon nap for both kids (and occasionally, me). We have slowly adjusted to this new rhythm and it is finally starting to feel comfortable.

Noah's afternoon school has given Isaac and me some time just to ourselves. Today we went for what I hope will become a weekly nature walk, exploring a nearby trail on an unusually warm (52 degrees in WI!) day.

This December, the creek is still green and flowing, the leaves are still crunching underfoot, and sticks are still magical to a two year old boy.

Magical Moments

Lately, it feels as if I spend my entire day mediating the relationship between the boys. Every other sentence out of my mouth is something along the lines of, "We don't push," or "We don't take things each other," or simply, "Share, please!" The boys are in general very loving and sweet towards each other. They just both abide by the Toddler's Rules of Possession:
1. If I like it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I am doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it's mine.
8. If I saw it first, it's mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it's broken, it's yours.

As most parents of young children know, the constant bickering (and my subsequent intervening) can get exhausting! Then, just when I am thinking I need to give myself a timeout, there will be one of those moments. One of the boys will do something silly and the other will erupt into a fit of giggles. Or Isaac will become overcome with the need to smother Noah with wet, slobbery kisses, causing Noah to roll around on the floor in a fit of laughter. One of those moments when I am reminded how special their relationship is and how lucky they are to have each other. It is in those moments that I love to just sit back and watch them interact with each other, thinking that this, right now, is what it is all about. It makes the constant breaking up of little squabbles all worth it.And sometimes, on a really good day, that magical moment will extend for several minutes, or even hours as the boys settle into play together. Yesterday was just such a day, and it was brought on by something as simple as an impromptu blanket fort. The giggles and squeals of delight that began as they crawled in and around the blanket suspended between two stools continued throughout the morning. Noah pushed Isaac back and forth in the cart. They jumped together into a pile of pillows and blankets. They played music together. Noah fixed Isaac 'lunch' in his kitchen and then 'fed' it to him at their table. It was wonderful and magical to see.
So, while I wished these moments happened much more often, I will take them when I can get them, because they are what sustain me through all those other not-so-good times. That, and lots and lots of chocolate.

Six Months

Dear Isaac,

You are six months old today. It seems like such a short time ago that I scooped you up out of the water when, in your hurry to finally meet us, you blessed your Daddy and me with the gift of being the only ones present for your entry into this world. Six short months, and yet already I cannot remember my life without your smiling face. Happy Half-Birthday, Sunshine.
Love,

Mama

My One and Only

With Curtis out of town on business and Noah spending the weekend with his Grandparents, Isaac got to be my one and only boy this weekend. For the first time in his little life he got all my attention to himself for four whole days. I made the most of each and every moment, filling the days with snuggling, gazing and smooching my little sunshine boy. And he drank it all in; laying in the sun listening to me play the piano, and sitting and playing next to me while I enjoyed leisurely meals picnicking in the living room.Now that he can hold a toy, he will finally sit in the stroller so we can go for long walks. Hooray! We went for lots of walks, even though it threatened to rain at any minute and was about 90 degrees outside.He also had his first rides in the Grandpa swing.

During naps, I got in some sewing and knitting time, making good progress on some projects that I will share later this week.

Tonight my other boys return, so today will be filled with more snuggling, giggles, and a million trillion kisses. Because, for a few days, he was my one and only boy.

~Jen

The Sweetest Smell

I have loved lilacs for as long as I can remember. I love the range of colors from white to deep purple and every shade in between. And of course the wonderful smell, that I have often considered to be my favorite smell. When I was a little girl, my Mom and I would go for walks after dinner and we would stop to smell the lilacs that bloomed next to the street in the neighbor's yards each spring. Sometimes, we would even take along a pair of scissors and sneak a few small clumps of the sweet blooms to take home with us. Yes, we were the Late Night Lilac Thieves. Even though the lilacs wilted quickly in a vase of water, it was worth it to bring them inside for just a day to smell the wonderful fragrance that could only be experienced for a few short weeks of the year.

A few years ago, when Curtis and I bought our house and began to landscape, I knew that I wanted a lilac bush of my own. We chose a variety called Sensation that has pretty white and purple bi-colored petals. Unfortunately, it did not bloom last year because I had gotten a little prune-happy the previous fall. Over the last few weeks, I have been watching and waiting anxiously as the little purple buds grew. A few days ago, they were finally open; a beautiful sight. That evening, I walked over and plunged my face into the bush, inhaling deeply. Something was different though. They smelled good, as far as flowers go. But not as great as I remembered, and definately not good enough to be called my favorite smell in the world.

I then realized what was different. The most fragrant smelling lilac could never compare to the smell of my sweet baby's head. It is such an indescribably sweet smell that I spend hours every day with my nose pressed to the top of his head, breathing in his scent, and trying to decribe to myself just what it is that he smells like. But an answer never comes to me, so I just sit there and breathe it in. I never get tired of that sweet smell and even avoid washing his hair with soap because I don't like how I have to wait a few hours for the scent of the the soap to disappear and his own natural baby smell to come through once more.

So, I am sorry Beautiful Lilac Bush, I have found a new favorite smell. Happily, it lasts longer than a few weeks. And I can breathe it in all day long and never get tired of it.

~Jen

Our 100th Post

We started this on-line chronicle of our personal family life just over a year ago and we've now come to post 100 entries. We hope that you've all enjoyed the belly laughs, the handmade projects, and the corners of our home as much as we did while we discovered them along the way. With Noah beginning to explore the many wonders of the world, Jen becoming more lovely as ever, and another little miracle on the way, it's exciting to see what the future has in store for our family.

Thanks to all who have visited our blog and supported us this past year. We hope you'll continue to check-in from time to time; we'll do our best to share whatever exciting news we can. Just know that you're always welcome to visit Our Quiet Place.


-Curtis

Simplicity

Sometimes we need to take a step back and think what life would be like if it were more simple. Noah often challenges us with this very idea daily. As he continues to try to learn and understand the English language, he decides to take a simpler approach when speaking. Why have multiple words to describe the same basic concept? If you say a single word often enough, people will begin to understand all of the many different connotations behind it. Maybe it's his way of procrastinating at such an early age.

For instance, here are a few words in which Noah decided to generalize:

• Cold: An extreme temperature change; either hot or cold.


• Car: Anything that has wheels OR makes a loud grumbling noise, such as a vacuum, lawn mower, or a bike.


• Bees: A non-smooth, often abrasive, texture OR maker of pain; Also, any insect, spider or creepy, crawling object.


• Down: Any movement in a vertical direction.


• Moo (Cow): Any object that has light color with dark spots, such as a cran-raisin muffin or a wedding picture of a couple on a beach with black lava rocks.


• Sauce: Any mushy substance, such as oatmeal or yogurt. As in "Goodnight comb, And goodnight brush, Goodnight nobody, goodnight sauce."


• Call: Any object that resembles a phone, can fit in the palm of your hand OR has multiple buttons, such as a remote control, calculator, or fingernail clipper.


• Bobbo: Any object that resembles a rabbit, such as kitten, squirrel or mouse.

Although we often smile and hold back from laughing when he looks so seriously into our eyes and mentions one of these words with dramatic hand gestures, he has a point. Sometimes we try too hard to get our point across. It's true. A single word can have multiple meanings and it's often more effective spoken alone.

• Love: Noah, Jen, Baby, Chocolate, Family, Life

- Curtis

Father-Son Time

It's quite an awesome feeling to be a Dad these days. It's like the older Noah gets, the time we spend together is that much more special. Every other weekend, Noah and I get a chance to hang out with each other while Mom is away at work. Today, we visited my work as it was hosting a company picnic. When we got there, there were a number of fun activities such as face painting, hat/mask decorating, inflatable slides, etc. We headed directly towards the petting zoo that was setup. There, we saw a baby calf, some ducks, a lhama, a pig, a couple bunnies, a donkey or two, some goats, a draft horse, a miniature horse, and some sheep.

Noah enjoyed watching the other people as they pet the animals, rather than pet the animals himself. I think he turns on the charm when he's around the ladies.

I really enjoy spending my time with him. Lately, he's been feeling a little under the weather. Last night, he was so tired and feeling so miserable that he feel asleep on my chest; similar to what he did when he was an infant. It's an amazing feeling that I have difficulty describing--knowing that he feels safe and cozy while sleeping on me. We spent the rest of the afternoon taking it easy, enjoying the cool fall-like weather on a rather overcast summer day.

I truly feel blessed to be his father. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

-Curtis

Playing Music

The other day as I was watching Noah play the piano, I started thinking about all the time he has spent on that piano bench in his little life. As music is a big part of our lives, we even incorporated our piano into Noah's newborn photo shoot. Before he was born, he spent countless hours in utero listening to me play the three B's (Bach, Beethoven, and the Beatles, of course!) and Annie Get Your Gun (the musical I played piano in while I was pregnant). After he was born, he would sometimes doze in the sling while I played. Here he is just days before his first Christmas, listening to carols.

By the time he was two months old, I was able to prop him on my lap and play. He loved to watch my hands move around the keys, and even tried a few notes himself.

When he could pull up to stand, he could often be found at the piano bench, plink, plink, plinking away.

Now he is a big boy, getting up on the bench all by himself. There he will sit for long periods, alternately gazing out the window and then playing a few notes and singing along while his body sways back and forth and his little legs swing along.

Rarely does he pound on the keys or just try to make noise. Instead, he chooses his notes carefully and deliberately. To some, it may sound like just a bunch of random notes, but to him it is music. It struck me that as adults we lose our ability to just 'make music.' As in many other parts of our lives, we get caught up with all the rules. Rules that make music what we think it is supposed to sound like. Rules that impose on our creative energy. We are critical of the sounds we make just by playing with music, while a child can swing and sway to a song created out of one or two notes, just by playing and experimenting with the rhythm in which they are played.

To listen to a child making music, or to make music with a child opens up a whole world of creativity that is lost to us. Maybe I will stop reading the music once in a while and just play the piano like Noah.
-Jen

This and That

I have been feeling a bit guilty for not writing lately, but it seems to be a slow time of year in much of blog-land. There is not a whole lot going on around here except normal day to day stuff, which is pretty nice in its own special way.

I have been busy reading everything I can about starting seeds indoors and planning gardens. I planted the first seeds this past week and am seeing a few little seedlings poking their way up. I have mixed feelings about sharing my seed starting ambitions with the whole world, because I have never done this before and really hope it is not all a big flop. I will share some pictures of my setup soon. Hopefully it will be pictures of happy little seedlings and not just a bunch of scrawny little sprouts. Or worse yet, peat pots with lovely brown dirt and nothing else. We shall see. Planting time still seems a long way off when the temperatures are still in the single digits.

Noah has been a hoot lately. At home, he is always on the move, picking up new gestures and words almost daily. A few weeks ago he started saying "whazat?" or "whozat?" whenever he sees or hears something new. Very cute! Yesterday as we were out running errands, I sat in the back seat with him and we had quite the conversation. I discovered that he knows several words and signs that I did not know about, as he is too busy when we are at home to just 'chat.' I was almost sad when we got back home because our conversation had to end. I will have to spend more time riding in the back seat with him in the future.

Of all the words Noah is picking up, mama has not been one of them. He says daddy, baby, chez (cheese), bobo (the rabbit...don't know why), but not mama. My theory is that since we spend so much time together, he thinks of me as an extension of himself, and therefore does not need a name for me. Maybe its a bunch of hooey, but it makes me feel just a little bit better when even the rabbit has a name.

Those are just a few of the little things going on around here. Just normal, everyday stuff. All lovely in their quiet little way.
-Jen

Filled With Sorrow (and Hunger)

Oh, Tasty Leftovers! Why have you left me?

It was you that bestowed upon me that delicious taste in my mouth and rekindled memories of yesterday's meals, such as homemade tacos, spaghetti, or midnight cravings where only the perfect snack would hit the spot - Hawaiian pizza. You granted me the joy of quieting my stomach and calming my body and mind, so that I could be the best that I could be. Without you, I am but a starving Dada, with a toddler who is eating everything in sight and yet too hungry to leave anything behind or acknowledge the gift you have given to so many taste buds.

Tasty Leftovers, why have you left me?
-Curtis

Why Waldorf?

If you know us, or have been reading our blog recently, you probably already know that we have chosen to provide Noah with natural toys and strive to create a calm environment in our home without the mass quantities of battery-operated toys that is fairly common in most homes with babies and toddlers. You may have seen the term Waldorf used to describe our style of living and parenting. You can click here to read about the origins of Waldorf education and about the attributes of Waldorf playthings. While we are not strictly Waldorf, there are many aspects of Waldorf education and philosophy that seem to fit well with our family. Below are some of the reasons we have chosen a Waldorf-inspired lifestyle and playthings.

Rhythm. Having a regular rhythm/routine to the day, week and year helps children to know what to expect next in the course of the day and the week. For example, on Tuesday we sweep the floors and vacuum, on Wednesday we do laundry, etc. Also, having yearly rituals for birthdays and seasonal celebrations builds a sense of family and stability.

Reverence for nature. Outdoor free-play (even in the rain or snow) in naturalistic surroundings provides opportunities for the child to explore. The child should have dirt to dig, places to climb, a source of water for play, trees, flowers that smell good, bugs, birds, a garden with edibles. Ideally, play should involve all of the senses. Seasonal changes are celebrated with a nature table containing objects found during nature walks. Each morning the earth is greeted with a song or verse.

Limited media influence. Waldorf encourages limited, if any, television viewing for young children, no character clothes or products, and no computer use for young children. This allows the child's imagination to developed freely, without the constraints of commercialism.

A slowed pace. As much as possible, the home should be protected from the frantic, busy, noisy, and rushed pace that is often the norm today.

Parent involved in purposeful work. Young children learn through imitation, so adults should model behavior that is worthy of imitation. Even if the task is washing the dishes, or doing laundry, the parents should take pleasure in this simple activity as children pick up on mood and attitude. The child should be involved in simple and routine chores of some kind, such as helping clear the table or putting away laundry.

Storytelling. Early education in Waldorf schools is based heavily on traditional fairytales and storytelling. Often the stories are told from memory and are acted out with figures or puppets to make the stories come alive.

Natural playthings. Children are given time for uninterrupted free play. Toys are made of natural materials such as wood, silk, and wool that appeal to all the senses. Toys are unstructured so children can turn one toy into many different things. Adults do not interfere with the play, but often supervise in a subtle way by doing some sort of work nearby suck as knitting, or folding clothes. Respect for the child in his/her development. Waldorf education acknowledges and respects the development of the child as a physical, mental and spiritual being, and allows development on all three levels to occur in their natural time.

This is but a glimse of Waldorf and why we feel it fits well with our family. It makes us happy to provide Noah with a home and environment that nurtures his growth in such a natural way!