Field Trip!

 

Joe and I decided not to enroll Eva in preschool this fall. 

It just came down to logistics and we wisely (I think) decided that we could

preschool ole Eva ourselves. 

 

So here's what "homepreschool" looks like...

 

On Mondays and Tuesdays, Eva and I drink coffee and chocolate milk for an extended period of time.  If no babies are imminent, there is a 50% chance we will remain in our PJs watching cartoons, cleaning the house and reading books until 15 minutes before sisters come home from school. 

 On these days, we will have a snack with sisters, and then we all get down to some homework.

Eva loves to complete page after page in her prek numbers and letters workbooks.

 

On Wednesdays and occasionally throughout the week, Eva comes to work with me. 

My tiny apprentice hangs out at the birthcenter and gets to play with the other midwives' kids. 

 And there's your socialization.

 

On Thursdays, Daddy is in charge of the education. 

They usually make a visit to the library followed by some running of errands.

Daddy is great at finding opportunities for learning in everyday life.

 

Going back to Mondays and Tuesdays... 

If no babies are imminent, there is also a 50%  chance 

we will decide to get dressed and take advantage of the beautiful fall weather.

Today was one of those days.

I decided on a field trip to the pumpkin patch.

 

 

Petting zoo. 

We learned that two pigs really do like mud.

 Four kittens have sharp claws.

And three goats don't smell so good.

 



 

We learned that Eva is 3 1/2 feet tall. 

 

We learned that pumpkins are dirty because they grow on a vine in the dirt.

We attempted to count all the pumpkins in the patch, but gave up after 23.

If you enlarge the picture you can just make out Mt. Hood in the background.

 



Hay maze.

Geography?

Deductive reasoning?

 



3 pumpkins X 15lbs each + 1 Eva(40lbs) = too much for mom to push in wheelbarrow.

We also learned that Eva is the most adorable punkin in this particular patch.

 



 

And we rode the train which could have been labeled as "engineering" but became a discussion on vocations when Eva excitedly explained to the teenage girl "engineer" that PopPop and Uncle Matt drive choochoo trains and she wants to drive them too.

 

 



Just some honest little thoughts.

I'm not a huggy person.  I'm working on accepting that about myself.  It's hard because I'm a midwife and a nurse and empathetic and all that... just sorta into my own personal space I guess.  I don't greet many people with a hug or say goodbye with a hug.  

My daughter Ali is a huggy person.  She has an elaborate bedtime routine that includes multiple hugs, kisses, kissing her stuffed bear, special handshakes and literal tucking in of the covers.  She WILL NOT leave the house in the morning without a firm hug and big kiss on the lips.  She is 10 years old and still insists on holding my hand wherever we go.  She joked once that holding hands with Mom is like "holding a dead fish".  I asked her to explain and she said that when she holds hands with Dad, he holds her hand back.  Tight.  He likes to snuggle on the couch and Mom likes a little space.  I felt bad.  Really bad.  Here I have very little time left with this sweet girl who still likes to hold hands and I'm a dead fish.  So I'm paying attention now.  I'm not a huggy person, but I'm a fierce hand holder these days and Ali will get all the hugs and kisses she needs.  

Eva is affectionate in her own laid back way.  She is the youngest and still elicits that baby response in me.  I pick her up when she cries.  I pet her forehead when she sleeps.  But a quick hug and kiss at bedtime is all she requires.

Mia is not a huggy person.  She is independent and strong-willed and resistant to too much affection.  I have called her "prickly" at times.  I have threatened to put sugar in her socks to sweeten her up, which gets a rare grin out of her.  I worry that because it is not in my nature to be huggy and because it's not in hers, that she will grow up with some kind of deficient oxytocin receptors due to lack of physical parental affection.  (I just made up a new medical condition.)  

Mia has surgery scheduled this Friday.  I have the whole weekend off-call to take care of her.  While I hate to think about her being in pain or being scared, I am really looking forward to getting to be her mom and hold her hand through this.  I've got Monster House on Blu Ray to watch with her.  I've got ice cream and popcicles and chicken noodle soup.  I've washed her favorite blankie.  And I hope she'll feel just uncomfortable enough to want her Mom....  And I suppose while I'm working on accepting these things about my own self, I can work on accepting these things about my little girl.  The apple doesn't fall far, does it?  

Here's Mia demonstrating how she developed her hernia.  

Fall Colors

Joe is out at a Timber's soccer game and the girls and I spent the evening at the park.  I brought my camera along because these NW fall colors are too awesome not to share.

Katie RN, CNM and Volunteer Disaster-Zone Baby Catcher

It's been a very midwifey weekend.  I got to attend a conference yesterday put on by the Oregon Affiliates of ACNM (which is the professional organization most CNMs belong to).  Anyway, it was all about international women's issues and needs in crisis and I was moved to sign up on a registry as a volunteer responder for any natural disasters that may happen in this country.  Cause ladies have babies even during crisis and who's better to help them than a crazy midwife who doesn't need electronic fetal monitors (or even electricity for that matter) to deliver a baby??  It was a good conference except for the part where I very warmly greeted an acquaintance who turned out to NOT be an acquaintance and then instead of admitting my mistake and turning it into a laughable situation, I choked and tried to turn invisible and she excused herself for a cup of tea.  So much for networking.  

And now, at this very moment, I am sitting outside a room listening as a family of three very gently becomes a family of four.  Yes, I want to be inside, however this birth belongs to another midwife and I'm just here to administer some antibiotics.   I love being around this birthcenter though.  The tea is good, the people are great, the moms are beautiful and the babies are fat and healthy.

Speaking of precious babies...  This month I have a "Student of the Month".  Ali isn't particularly in love with her new school, but they like her it seems!  I also have a "Gymnast of the Month" with an inguinal hernia.  Poor Mia was born with this abdominal muscle defect, but the last few months of pretty intense gymnastics have caused the visible symptoms.  She is having laparoscopic surgery this Friday to repair it.  

And my Eva-Moose is enjoying immensely being my tiny apprentice.  She  comes with me to work on my prenatal days and she comes to births in a pinch. Seeing her face between appointments makes my day so shiny!  The birthcenter has a full time nanny on staff and last week she texted me this photo from the zoo!  I know I'm biased, but I wish all businesses would model after us!  We've got something really good going on and all working moms deserve this level of support!   

P.S.  We have some lusty crying.  It's a girl.  :-).