Live Free

Sewing Again

My to do lists for much of the month of January ended up having a significant amount of non crafty type work on it.  Yes, really, I don't know how to make tax preparation fit in the crafty category.  My brain hurts just thinking about it.  But all that is done and over with and my plate is very happily looking a bit emptier for February.  

A couple of weeks ago, as I was sorting through Bea's bigger sized clothing, it became quite apparent that her size 3 stack was growing nicely with a large variety of items, yet her size 2 items (of what she's beginning to need now) included just a few summer dresses. Anybody else slowly collect pieces of clothing for little ones seasons ahead of when they'll need it? We've been fortunate enough thus far, that Bea's wardrobe has consisted of a mixture of hand me downs from cousins, cute scores from thrifting, a few mama made pieces, or deeply marked down new items that I've bought from end of season sales. 

So for the first time ever, Bea needs some clothes!  Not a lot, but a few pieces that she can mix and match, layer, and put on and off herself.  This last reason is the most crucial reason for taking on the task of making her clothes for the spring and summer.  She has hit the sensitive period for wanting to care for and dress herself.  She can easily occupy herself for twenty minutes or so, exploring different ways to put on underwear, mama and daddy's clothes, socks, and shoes.  Very endearing indeed!   I want her to be successful at this and I want her to be comfortable as continues to be a busy, busy little girl. So much of the clothing that is out there being sold for babies and toddlers, looks so uncomfortable, and so cumbersome to put on.  Skinny jeans for a pudgy toddler.... Um, no.  

I've begun to make some little wide leg elastic pants. I'm using the Made By Rae pattern. Fair warning to all: this pattern is quick, easy, gratifying, and therefore, addictive!  I've made Bea two pairs already.  One of the greatest things about this pattern is that they are made to fit over the poofy cloth diaper bottoms! Hooray for the end of diaper overflow! Once she becomes potty trained, I think I'll still be able to use the pattern for her.  I can size down (if necessary) and lengthen the bottoms.  

I'm also going to make her a few jumpers and a few more cross back sleeveless smocks with little bloomers/shorts to mix and match.  Fun! Fun! Since, she's napping right now, I've got to take advantage and get cutting into some fabric. It's suppose to get really cold here this week.  Brrr..maybe a nice pair of corduroy trousers would be nice to wear this week...  

Work and Play

Two posts in one day!  I know, I didn't post much last week. I wasn't feeling wordy, but now I am.   

I had planned to do some water color painting this morning with the little one.  But before we got started, she made it clear that painting was not what she had in mind for her morning work. Ahem. 

Well, then let's move on now shall we? And so, I backed off and continued to do the regular daily chores that needed tending. A little while later, we found ourselves in her room and she just went to town. For about an hour, she worked and played peacefully. I was able to do my own work while she did hers. When prompted, she even obliged and put away one activity before choosing another, which is something we've been working on.  

She's grown lots these days. I've noticed that more and more she likes her work. Oh, she still spends plenty of time in my feet and helping me with my chores. But she is also becoming more and more her own little person, with her own joys!  It's so very sweet to witness.  On her shelves right now, we have lacing shapes, stringing beads, lacing cheese, and Matroyska nesting dolls - all of what she adores! I also keep crayons, color pencils, paper, and playdough on the shelf for her to choose as she likes as well.  

Though she loves her work, she is also a real hoot to observe when she is engaged in imaginative play. Oh my, does she mirror her mama so acutely some days when it comes to taking care of Hazel and Dolly. "Heavy!" she exclaims as she lifts them to her chest! I don't know where she gets that from? Here, she is organizing a game of A Tisket A Tasket for the farm animals.  How cooperative of them to play so nicely in a circle! 

Today unfolded just as it should. She worked. I worked. We played. We listened to music. We read books. We snuggled in bed for a nap time.  When she wakes up, our evening routine will commence with some outdoor time spent visiting (chasing) the chickens, hanging out laundry and then dinner preparation.  

Ah, wow! I suppose we really do have a rhythm!

Note: I'm not sure how it happens, but Bea always seems to snag the room with the best light in the house. My word! No wonder, we've been migrating to her room more and more often. The light in there is fantastic. As you can see from the enormous amounts of photos in this post, for a little bit, my work became my camera. How I do love to chase good light!  

Under the Big Chestnut Tree

Once again, my love for, what seems to be, all things Japanese is reaffirmed.

I came to love Japanese children's songs during my three years of teaching at Casa Montessori. Charlene, the founder of Casa and a wonderful, wonderful, mentor and Montessorian, lived in Japan for several years before coming home to Texas. She's one of those gifted teachers that children remember for their entire lives.  Music time with Mrs. Trochta is something children of all ages never want to miss out on! She really opened my world up to sharing music with children. While teaching there, I learned several little Japanese folk songs through music with Mrs. Trochta! And I loved them all - seriously. True to Japanese culture, even the children's songs are composed with such delicacy and care, while all the while, being utterly simple. Perfection.

It's fascinating to witness children learn lyrics from different languages with as much ease as they learn the English ones. I, on the other hand, have a boring, adult brain that has lost its ability to absorb languages with ease. So it's always a real effort to learn new lyrics in a foreign language. But nothing is as motivating as a sweet little song about playing under a chestnut tree.  

Then three years post Casa (can it really be that long?) along comes Elizabeth Mitchell's new album and I fall in love with Japanese children's songs all over again... 

 

Isn't this video the sweetest...

What are you listening to? 

Our Home

 

Lately, Bea likes to yoddle, "Our home!" as we turn onto our street and edge closer to our driveway. I can relate to her! I think I've expressed my love a couple of times before. Indeed, in my world, no other place feels as good to me as home. Despite the lack of acreage, and extra rooms, I am so grateful for this little house we call home. Because of it, Bea probably has fewer than you would believe toddler friends, playdates, and excursions to playgrounds and classes. And her mother fares no better when considering extra curricula activities which lasso us from our space. We are homebodies and we (I) love being one.   

I'm going to try with real effort to offer little glimpses into these walls that contain my little family.  My home isn't really spectacular in anyway. We live in a 1940's cottage rental of about 900 square feet.  This place and her nooks have changed many times in the seven months we've lived here. I've hesitated blogging about them, because for me, the areas never seem complete. There's the incomplete hand-made goodies, the framed pictures not hung, and what not. Yes, what I'm showing you still has room for improvement. Such is life. But I also know that we're getting there and doing our best! 

We have no long term goal to stay here of course.  Yet, we still haven't found our forever home. Like I mentioned last week, we dream of one day having a farmhouse and a couple of acres in close proximity to wooded mountains. And while we hope our ideal existence is out there in our future, we do our best to enjoy the here and now as best as we can. This is where we are now.  I like to hope that these walls radiate just a bit of who we are, the love we share, and the story of our days with one another. To me, no other place feels quite as right. 

Oddly enough, I actually love having a "cozy" house with a young child. Bea's room is situated right next door to the kitchen. In fact, she has a bedroom door that opens to the kitchen. So even though our kitchen is small, it's quite easy for our activity to spill over to her room or the dining room.  

As a very general rule, we try to keep an overall tidy and uncluttered home. We're not perfect or obsessive, so yes, little piles of this and that no doubt accumulate every single day.  All of her things are placed on low shelves which she can easily reach. Though more and more these days, she loves a good challenge of getting to what she can't reach. "hmmm...let me see, if I push this stool to this chair, I can climb up here and get there and reach this..." Ingenuity...oftentimes the fun is in the challenge.  

I confess, my favorite corners are the ones we've carved out for our little babe. As she has grown and has become more and more an active participant to our days, these corners have become all the more vibrant and alive, soaking up her spirit and radiance, and reflecting them back upon us.  

Childhood in Our Home

To talk about what is now, I have to say a word about where we came from. When Bea first came home to us, like any parent, I was overwhelmed with hopes and dreams for this sweet, little soul. And like most of you out there reading, I wanted to provide her with the most nourishing, wholesome, and supportive start as possible. I entered parenthood with a strong knowledge base in the Montessori philosophy. Yet, I continued to search, to read, to untangle my intuition, training, and experience.  I truly wanted to provide Beatrix a real childhood in every way without the burden of choosing loyalty over one philosophy over another. My loyalty was now to her. My new goal was to provide an environment - one in which she responded to. I followed her lead. 

And so 19 months into parenthood, and everyday, I get to know Beatrix a little more intimately. Everyday, she reveals the person she is to become just a bit more to her proud and awe inspired mama. And I hope I'm doing her just an inkling of justice that she very much deserves. I've embraced so much of both Montessori and Waldorf philosophies. Both, I believe, have a tremendous amount of love and thoughtfulness to offer childhood and families. I love Waldorf's strong emphasis on seasonal, weekly, and daily rhythms and it's reverence for the natural world. I love Waldorf's beautiful aesthetic and it's dedication to preserving childhood. And I love, love the idea that less is more when it comes to toys and activities for children. I am ever so mindful of these Waldorf principles when thinking about Bea's spaces. I strive to provide her with a livelihood that is simple, lovely, and just enough...

Likewise, the Montessori philosophy really can be adapted to suit every child and can be applied in any environment. In fact, it's been reaffirming to observe her response to our environment and our way of life, since I'd never done the whole Montessori thing from the beginning! One doesn't need to have a large budget or home to provide a few simple means to allow the child freedom, independence, and participation.  Observe and trust your little one and you will discover that children find ways to serve their inherent drive to master their bodies and their environment. Each and every day, I witness Bea "contructing herself" - finding ways to serve her needs, whether or not I've provided the means to her end or not. Adamently, I stand with confidence when I say that a child's greatest asset is an observant and aware parent or caregiver.

There are many tenets of the Montessori philosophy which I truly do admire. I love it's emphasis on order (a place for everything and everything in its place), respect and careful handling of objects in the environment, incorporating the child into family activities, and creating an environment which honors and welcomes the child to live fully in it. Good common sense, right?  Notions that my mother and grandmother "knew" about raising children - despite their lack of formal education.

And so I'll stop chatting...take a look! 

Beatrix's Nooks

Bea has slept on this thin mattress since she was about 6 months old. She uses it for both naps and bedtime. And although we tried co-sleeping, Bea will not settle down in our bed. Our bed is for parties, didn't you know? We took this rebellious behavior as a cue that she likes her own space when sleeping. Very soon, she will be transitioning to a bigger, youth size trundle bed. Can't wait to see it in her room!

On the side of her bed is a basket of a few books. We also keep the larger books (which do not fit into the basket) on the playstands pictured below.  

We found these playstands on Craigslist last winter. She has a few simple art supplies and a handwashing set on one shelf. 

On the other shelf we keep a basket with a table cloth and place mats, another basket of doll clothes, and a few manipulatives that get rotated every couple of weeks or so.  

I just recently inherited this piece of furniture. I've admired it for as long as I can remember. It was my mom's table and chair set when she was Bea's age. It's in nearly immaculate shape, even after 60 years. And now, Bea will enjoy it and learn how to take good care of it too.  

And there's my mom (the little curly hair girl on the right) when she was about Bea's age. She's sitting with my great aunt Margie at this very same table. Mom's teddy (who is also still with us) is sitting guard...

And here is Bea, supervising the photo shoot, and taking notes at Granny's table. Behind her, are peg hooks at her height which hold silk scarves and her jacket.

I made this little bird mobile the winter before we adopted Bea. When she was a wee babe, we hung it right above her bed. Now it hangs higher and further away from her bed, but we still enjoy gazing at our little birdies when reading and singing lullabies at bedtime. 

This sweet wall hanging comes from a dear friend. She made it and gave it to Bea on her first birthday. Her daughter explained that Bea is the little girl in the middle. She is the little one on the right with the golden braids, and her sister (who is also Bea's age) is the little girl to the left. Indeed...Just maybe, one day these three girls will piece their own real quilt together.  

The busiest area of the home is our dining/kitchen area. Here, Bea helps us to sweep, cook, wash dishes, scrub the floor, dust, set the table, and make her own little kitchen creations. Her space is really quite simple. And well loved...

Bea's little kitchen is in the dining room, but tucked as close to the kitchen as possible. Much activity goes on here. We keep Bea's dishes here.  She has four wooden bowls, two enamel mugs, two drinking glasses, a wooden spoon, a tea kettle for her water, napkins, and clean up cloths. Her kitchen also holds her pots and pans. Her dirty napkins and cloths go into the basket. The bucket is one of her most valuable objects, I'm certain. I like to give her about an inch or two of water with a tiny bit of soap and she goes to town, scrubbing all sorts of surfaces around the house. All of the water usually ends up on the floor at some point, but I don't mind so much as we have no carpet and there's just a little bit of water in the bucket anyway.  I just consider it a mini-mop up which our house always needs anyway.  

We keep her broom and dustpan in the kitchen on a hook.  I really would like to move it next to Bea's play kitchen as all other important household things are there, but the husband says, "No more drilling holes in wall that aren't ours."  Grumph. It's a good thing Bea is resilient. She's adapted just fine to having the broom and dustpan away from the play kitchen and in the real kitchen. Mama, on the other hand, well that's another story...

And so, this is a big chunk of our small house. I might do another post showing you the living room and more of the dining room. It's a short house tour! 

 

 

Home Manager To Be

Okay, bare with me.  Bea' s my first child. So I can't compare her to my others. And yes, I'm a preschool teacher so I know a thing or two about little ones. But my expertise doesn't really begin until age 2.5. This is a series of photos I took of Bea this afternoon while I was making dinner. 

 


 
 

I'm beginning to feel a tad bit intimidated by her.  Look at her.  She's rolling out the pizza dough. We started the scene with mama doing the work and Bea watching from my back. Then she howled, "DOWN, DOWN!" I knew what was coming. She came down and we carried the yellow stool to the cabinet. And up she went. She took over. Don't you think she's good for 18 months?  Is this typical? Or am I nurturing some sort of homemaker prodigy? 

You should see her clean the walls, shovel dirt, bring folded laundry to appropriate bedrooms, etc. I've not forced a bit of this homemaking business onto her. Yet, she is intensely interested in imitating me day in and day out. She hasn't played with a toy in I can't remember how long. She's extremely sweet and dear to watch, but really, are all children this interested in homemaking?  

I'm thinking that in a year from now, she'll be able to take over my job of cleaning, cooking, gardening, sewing, and be better at it than I am.  She'll take charge and forge ahead with real assertiveness.  Not like her mama, who likes to dilly dally into the waters ever so slowly and carefully. 

Byron and I joke that next year, she'll be telling us what to do. Which is okay I guess, as long as she minds her manners. Manners are very important. 

I bet all of your kiddos are doing this or did this when they were Bea's age. I'm sure I just need to hang out with more mamas to know that Bea is totally normal.  

Simplicity in the Home

I've had the great pleasure of spending my last three Saturdays participating in a parent course, The First Four Years, held at the Austin Waldorf School. I enjoyed it immensely.  The presenter had a gentle, yet wise demeanor and I left each class refreshed and inspired to continue to improve upon this journey of parenting...

Since I'm an AMI Montessori guide, you may be wondering why Waldorf? Well, the more the years go by, the more time I spend with children, and the more I seek out what brings true peace and fulfillment to my own life, the more I wonder about the  necessity of an all-out Montessori environment. I mean really, if education for peace is really our goal, can that come about without baric tablets, or the addition snake game? My minimallist mindset is easily overwhelmed by the mounds of stuff that surrounds us (both figuratively and literally) all day,every day. Do we really need it? Can we use what we already have? What do children truly need to thrive? What does the human spirit need to develop compassion, curiosity, self confidence, joy? My intuition and my growing experience with children tell me not a whole lot...

I know Bea's needs will evolve has she grows, but right now, when I observe her at her most engaged, most peaceful moments, she is outdoors and/or with her mama who is present, calm, and content with her task at hand. She thrives when I thrive. It's astounding how easily she can mirror my mindset and quickly demonstrate back to me what I really look like. 

In our family, with this child, I've found that when I'm engaged in the practical life work, so is she. If my hands and body are idle, so is her mind. As a result, our days are full gardening, cleaning, sewing, and cooking. These tasks take longer with her around, but not doing them with her leaves us with a void of where to go from here? In her mind, what else is there to do? 

As such is the state of our home life, I've found myself done (for now) thinking about what sorts of toys or activities I should be purchasing for her. She doesn't play with toys. The most useful items to her are my most useful objects. The same objects that when mentioned to grandmothers and great grandmothers, have them nodding knowingly. Some of Bea's most prized household possessions of the moment include her little galvanized steel bucket, a sponge, a kitchen cloth, her child-size broom, her brush and dustpan, wooden spoons, measuring cups, her stroller, her dolly, a grocery bag, the sandbox, the galvanized steel foot tub, music, her basket of books, and (if she can get her hands on it) mama's sewing notions. 

Toddler Traveling Kit

The little one, Byron and I are taking our first airplane ride since her arrival fifteen months ago.  Ah, we can't wait to get to our destination. If only we could click our heels three times and find ourselves surrounded by tall trees, mountains, and cool New England air. I've tried many times and it doesn't work in real life. That said, we're going to have to board a plane. I'm crossing my fingers and toes and hoping for the best. I've got a very mobile, energetic, and independent toddler to take on board. The airplane ride will certainly require the best of my redirecting skills. Did I mention that she's not a fan of car rides? Yes, she can scream and holler like nobody's business when she's strapped down. I've tried all the tricks (except popping in a DVD or sedatives) and I've come to find out that she has a mind of her own.  

So I've created a little flying kit for her. I made her a little backpack which she can use on the trip and when she returns home. I'll keep a variety of little objects that I hope will capture her attention and help her to forget that she is unable to move around.  She really enjoys the challenge of learning how to open and close right now. So I have a variety of containers which open and close in different ways. Also, I've thrown in some crayons and an art pad for her doodling pleasures. My mom sent her an old cell phone and an empty make-up compact. She's obsessed with cell phones so I'm hoping that this will be a hit. The makeup compact has a mirror and a powder pad.  I've also included a tiny photo album, two books, and a pocket doll. 

Wish us luck!  

 
 

Our Home Away From Home

Every weekday for the past nine months or so, Beatrix and I have spent a large portion of our days at The Natural Child Learning Community.  Our little room, rented from a neighborhood church, has played as great a role in Beatrix's life as her real home has.  It was here that so many firsts took place. Her first stand. Her first dance. Her first words. Her first experiences with other children.  How lovely to witness the older boys and girls take her under their wings. They've learned to treat her with such sweetness - even through her difficult moments!  

Although, I decided early on in the school year to keep my blog about our "real" home life, today I could not help but say a word about another part of my life that is so near and dear to my heart.  Indeed, The Natural Child has become quite a labour of love to both L and I.  We've had a wonderful year guiding, crafting, singing, working, and living with the children.  Everyone, including myself, has grown from our experiences together.  And I am so happy and proud to be a part of this little school that we've created for children. Although being a Montessori guide took on a whole new meaning to me with a baby/toddler on my back/at my side, it's an experience I'd never trade. Just today, my little girl, who nine months ago could not sit up unassisted, took out a work mat, carried her number rods to the mat, did her best to place them nicely, and then carried them back to the shelf.  She's learned more than I ever imagined she could about purposeful work, freedom, discipline, and love of this great big world.  I'm already itching with new ideas for the upcoming year.  But first we have a summer to laze about in! 

 

Sunshine

I saw this documentary on PBS last week. It's about single parenthood and adoption. It left me pondering my role as a mother - an adoptive mother - for days. 

Intellectually, I know Bea will be curious of her birth family, especially her birth mother. Birthing and mothering are such primal roles among mammals. It's what we do - we give birth and then we nurture our young. Yet, in the weird twist of adoption, that doesn't happen. Mother and baby do not continue their symbiotic relationship, but are separated for whatever reason, and both must learn to live a new severed life. 

How can she not want to know? I'd want to know. 

Yet, she's my daughter - wholly, always, and in every imaginable way. So, I think to myself at times with a pain in my heart, "Really? You'll leave me one day curious? I won't be enough?" And I'll have to be okay with that. But right now - at this moment, when I think of the way she pulled my face to hers this morning and planted a perfect kiss on my lips - I'm not always okay with that. 

It's hard to think of letting go of the biggest love of my life. And sharing her. I'm sure, if I know Bea, I'll be sharing her with many. She's an alluring little creature. 

Anyway, you know what is ironic though? As I was reading up on the director who is also the main subject of Sunshine, I read an interview of her as she discusses her relationship with her biological mother. Guess what she was described as? A Montessori teacher who loves to garden. That sent me to tears.  

Where's Baby Bea?

Oh my, oh my, where's my baby Bea gone?  It seems like since her first birthday and her new found walking skills have bloomed, my little baby has gone from just that, a baby, to a toddler.  She's delving into every facet of our environment these days.  All I can do, is stand back and smile in disbelief!  And then grab the camera when I think about it and snap away. 

She is quite the worker bea, isn't she? 

And more often than not, she's filthy, sopping wet, or both. Wearing her discoveries on her diapes, her knees, her hair, and her mouth!

But at the end of a long day of work, she comes back home, to be scooped up to her safe spot, and to be my little monkey on my back once again. 

My girl - here she comes great, big, world. I hope you are ready!