Happy Halloween

I love Halloween. I love that my kids get to play dress up, and they aren't the only ones doing it!

Baby Pirate, Harry Potter, Dorothy and Little Red Riding Hood

I love that they will come home with a large stash of candy and that while Jeremy is gone to Chicago this whole week, I will get to eat their candy and not have to share with him! ;)

I love the fun, the whimsy, the childlike fun that comes with Halloween.  What do you love most about this fun holiday?

Growing Up

My boys are growing up way too fast.

Seth had his first permanant tooth coming in.  Behind his baby teeth on the bottom.  There was no room for these teeth, and the new one wasn't destroying the root of the old one.  So, after an x-ray by the dentist, my boy came out with a big hole in his smile.  He couldn't be happier.

Being in 2nd grade, he is one of the last kids in his class to lose teeth.  I was the same way.  I remember the waiting, watching all my friends losing their teeth and mine were just as tight in my mouth as ever.  I kept assuring him they would come out and...well, they did :)

He is just getting too big too fast now.  He's going to have big adult teeth and next thing I know he'll be a tween worrying about his hair and girls.  SLOW DOWN.

Speaking of needing to slow down...

This boy is going to be 6 months old this week!!!  That can not be!  He is growing up WAY too fast.  What is with these children of mine????

Happens every time, and while it is always hard to watch them do it, I am always so glad they do.

Linking up with Small Style

On Elliott - shirt and pants; Little Me from Kohls
On Seth - toothless grin; all his!

The First Time I Was a Mother

When I first became pregnant, I knew what I wanted.  I knew I wanted a natural birth with no drugs.  I knew I wanted to be in the hospital, just in case. I knew I wanted a midwife who would support me in my desires for a natural birth.

My husband and I took Bradley Method classes for 12 weeks.  I ate right, I exercised as much as I could, I practiced laboring, I visualized my baby being born.

When the teacher went over what to do in case of a c-section, I ignored her. I knew that wouldn't happen to me.  C-Sections only happened to Moms who "gave in" and had an epidural.  They only happened to those Moms who weren't as determined or educated as I was. Or so I thought.

So, when my water broke at 37 weeks and my baby was footling breech, I was taken off guard.

I had known she was footling breech, but I also knew she would turn.  There was no doubt in my mind. I visualized her turning, I did moxibustion – a Chinese herb – by my little toe to help her to turn.  I found a chiropractor who was educated in the Webster Technique to turn babies.  Nothing worked. Not laying inverted on an ironing board with light and music and heat down low and an ice pack on her head.  Not swimming in the community pool and doing head stands.  Talking to her, praying, pleading, begging…nothing worked.

I was devastated. I felt like a failure as a mother before I had even had a chance to start.

When I arrived at the hospital, the nurse checked me in and did a vaginal exam. I was dilated to 3 cm., with a foot presenting.  They called in the doctor on call, and the midwife on call, and I was taken to the Operating Room to meet my baby.

We were short on time, it was late on a Sunday night and no one wanted to be there for long, so I was given a Spinal.  I remember the pressure of them trying to get her out.  Pushing on my stomach that caused me to become queasy and then vomit.

I remember hearing her cry and the nurse telling me how pink she was. They held her up for me to see and just as I went to touch my vernix covered baby, they whisked her away.

I didn’t get to hold her for over an hour after her birth. I didn’t get to smell her fresh out of my womb. She didn’t get to smell me, have skin to skin contact right away, or nurse right away as I had planned.

I got to watch nurses hold her, bathe her, and cuddle her.  I couldn’t get a good look at her because there were too many people in the way.

Finally, I was able to hold my baby girl.  This little person who made me a mom.  I was flat on my back in recovery.  I couldn’t sit up for 12 hours after her birth for fear I would get a spinal headache.  Our first touch was her swaddled up and me flat on my back.

With the help of my husband, I was able to roll over to my side and get her latched on for her first nursing.  This was such an amazing experience, but I still didn’t get to get a good look at her.

The rest of the night was somewhat of a blur. I was stuck in my bed, flat on my back.  My husband changed the baby’s diapers, snuggled her, and brought her to me when she needed to nurse.

Finally, the next morning I lied to the nurses and told them I’d passed gas, as that was the requirement for me to be able to sit up.  I sat up and finally got a good look at my baby.

Her birth was not at all what I had anticipated or expected. It was traumatic for me in many ways. However, it changed me for the better. It prompted me to learn more about birth and to go on to have 4 more children vaginally, at home, with a midwife.

Finally I was sitting up.  I held my baby and looked into her eyes. As I did, I felt something I’d never felt before. I felt whole. I felt home. I felt at peace. I felt as if I were looking into the future and past all at once. I was complete.

Crafty Crafterton

I've been up to a little crafting business. A few weeks ago, I went to a craft night at Lindsay's house. It was so fun to meet some new friends, and get my craft on. And, while I admit mine wasn't the cutest pumpkin at the end of the night, I was inspired to make a few other things.

First up, freezer paper pillow covers.  This was SO easy.  I traced a stencil on a piece of freezer paper.  Then, I cut out the inside of the stencil and ironed the freezer paper (shiny side down) to the fabric.  After it was ironed, I just used black fabric paint and filled in the cut out space.  After it dried, I peeled off the paper and finished making my pillow covers.  I love how they turned out and think I am going to do more of these for all seasons!

My small Halloween decorations have even gotten my kids in the mood for decorating...

I also made some great "rule boards" for my kids rooms.

And of course Jeremy's family is coming here for Thanksgiving, so we will definitely be having a girls crafting day. I think some fun necklaces are on the must do list.  Any other great suggestions you all have?
How about you? What crafting are you doing for the holidays?

Fall in Austin

After the intense heat of Summer, Fall has really arrived in Austin.  Our mornings are cool, and our afternoons are pleasant.  We can go outside and play and not turn beet red, or need to consume copious amounts of water. And we can finally eat outside again.  We really enjoyed doing this in Utah in the Summer.  So this year it was hard for me not to.  I am learning that my outdoor season is really from October to May.  I can handle that.

Also, I learned a very important lesson.  Do not give your 7 year old the camera and let him take a picture of you while he is sitting and you are standing.  I really don't have this many chins.

EEK!

Oh, that's better.

And...well, what would a random post be without pictures of me and my girls being super silly?

Oh yes, I can handle this weather for the next 7 months.  Welcome Fall.  I love you.

For-ev-er

I have been thinking of this post for weeks now.  Thinking of how to best describe the man I married.  He is quiet, contemplative, methodical and smart.  He is caring, compassionate and gentle.  He is slow to anger, and loves to laugh and have fun.  He is an amazing Father and wonderful Husband.    

These are just words though.  I am so blessed and grateful to get to know him.

Ten years. I couldn't ask for a better partner for this life and for eternity.
 

It's not every day that you find someone who believes in you more than you believe in yourself.  Someone who stands by you regardless of what you do.  It is magic when you find that person who makes you want to be better, who laughs at the same stupid things you laugh at, that loves the same silly things you love and who pushes you to achieve your dreams.  That is what I found in my husband, my best friend.
 

In the last 10 years I have watched this man go from a 22 year old boy (we were SO young), to a new Father, to a grieving Parent, to a loving Daddy again.  I have watched him struggle with his own demons and always come out on top.  He teaches me what it means to persevere, and truly makes me want to be better.  He is my best friend.  The one I want to tell everything to right away (hence the reason I call or text 15 million times a day). The one I love and would follow to the ends of the Earth. Happy Anniversary babe. I love you more than you will ever know.  I am yours and you are mine...for-ev-er.

Halloween; Prairie Mama Style

Once upon a time there was a boy and girl.  They met and fell in love.  They got hitched and 6 months later found themselves expecting a wee babe. The girl was always very fond of Halloween, so when it came that year and she was ohso pregnant and really loved wearing her MuMu any chance she got, she decided they should go as Ma and Pa.

Pa was so skinny that Ma had to stuff her overalls with pillows to keep them on Pa. It worked, they had fun. The next year they had grand plans for Dr. Evil and Mini-Me with Daddy and the wee babe.

But that wasn't meant to be, so they decorated and celebrated Halloween like this

The next year brought a miracle, and they went as Kanga, Roo and their Tree House.

As the years have passed, so have the costumes. There was the year of the horse

Then the year of Pooh Corner

Then the years and the dress ups start to get muddled together because their children  LOVED to dress up and would wear costumes any time they could.

 Every year brings something different.  This Mama never knows what the children will want to be until they have finally walked out the door on Halloween Night.  Right now there is a pile of fabric waiting to be made into costumes for this year.  If they end up not wearing them on Halloween, that is okay, because she knows they will wear them another time.  Because, much like the girl who is now their Mama, these children love to play make believe and know that everyday is a great day for playing dress up. Do you love Halloween? What are you and your children being this year? This post is sponsored by Hallmark’s Life is a Special Occasion Campaign.  I am one of the luckiest girls I know getting to write about the Special Occasions that happen daily in my life the rest of this year. The month of October I get to write about Halloween and celebrate the fun of imagination! Be sure to sign up for their newsletters. Who knows, I might even pop up in one of the newsletters!  Also, at the bottom of the page, you can see all the Hallmark Bloggers and read what everyone has to say.  It is truly inspiring reading! While I am compensated to write this post, as always the words are all mine and can not be bought. Linking up with Miss Elaine-ous Monday!

The Evolution of a Babywearing Prairie Mama

I have been babywearing now for almost 9 years. My journey actually starts 11 years ago when my Sister had her 6th baby. She is the research queen and found this thing called a Maya Wrap.  She told me all about how Women in other countries wear their babies to get their work done.  I thought it was brilliant.

When Emma was born, my dear Sister gifted me her Maya Wrap.  After a bit of work, I was able to get her in it comfortably and we were off.  I wore Emma around the house, to the park, on walks, to the store, walking through New Orleans and everywhere in between.  It was about this time that I heard about the Ergo baby carrier and bought one for Emma.  It came 2 weeks before she died and I wore her in it once, to the mailbox and back.

Shortly after I learned I was pregnant with Seth, my Sister found out she was pregnant with baby number 7.  Knowing I had a hard time parting with anything I used with Emma, she let me keep the Maya Wrap and bought herself a new one.

Over the next few years I would buy another Maya Wrap, learn how to tie 6 yards of fabric around my body as a wrap, sell my old Ergo and upgrade to a new one, use a pouch sling and learn how to make my own slings.

I wear my babies everywhere we go for the first year of their lives, at least until they can walk.  Then I use it as comfort when they are needing Mama, to keep them close when they are trying to run away, and as a spot where they can always run to.

And, can you believe I only have ONE of me wearing Elliott?  AND, it was taken by my sister-in-law AND I was being a stinker.  Oh well, we have lots of times to capture the babywearing memories that are yet to come.

What is your evolution of babywearing? How do you wear your baby?

Heat

I sit in the cool room, enjoying relief from the oppressive heat.  I know soon enough I will have to go back out into it, but for now I am just enjoying this sweet respite.  We play games, read books, watch movies, and itch to go back outside. To play in nature once again, to ride bikes without sweat pouring out of helmets, to climb in trees and to once again play in the great outdoors. We walk out into the heat and it hits us like the opening of an oven.  Our bodies bristle at the intense change in temperature, but we forge ahead knowing there is no other option. ***** I leave the children, all of them, with Jeremy for an evening. The baby is asleep in his bed, the older three are getting ready for bed.  I get dressed and actually do my hair.  It is not very often that anyone sees me without spit-up stained shirt and baby slobber in my hair.  I am going out by myself and I can't wait. It is a girls' night out with girls I have never met before.  I don't care that I won't know anyone, it is a chance to get away and not have to take care of anyone other than myself for a blissful two hours. I go and have fun. We talk about our children, what works, what doesn't. We talk about our lives. Our pre-motherhood selves, the ones that sometimes feel lost.  We sit, we laugh, we listen.  It is a respite for my heat-ravaged soul. The hour is drawing near and I know I will have to go back soon.  I sit enjoying my time, say my goodbyes and head into the car.  He texts me, "You coming home soon?".  I text back that I am on my way.  I am wondering how the baby did. My heart is missing it's other pieces and longing for them again.  My breasts are full and ready to nurse.  I am feeling ready. I start the car and and enjoy the last 30 minutes of silence.  I pull into the driveway and sit for a minute.  I sit in the silence and prepare my body and soul for going back into the heat.

 

Sewing Inspiration

I really love sewing, being creative, and designing new items of clothing for my kids.  A couple weeks ago the elementary school had College week.  The kids were told to wear the t-shirt from their favorite college.  We have a KU shirt for Seth, but not Amelia.  Not sure how that one happened!

So, I got one of Jeremy's eleventybillion old KU shirts, and made my sweet girl a dress.  And as handsome as my husband is, I TOTALLY think it looks cuter on Amelia than it ever did on him. I used elastic in the neck, bias tape as an edging on the bottom and my favorite fold over elastic on the sleeves.  So fun and she LOVES it!

So cute if I do say so myself :)  If you know of someone who would love something like this, please send them my way.  I have just listed them in my shop.

I take my Parenting Advice from Jack Donaghy

I am sick of yelling.  I am sick of pleading, begging, bargaining, screaming, yelling, and crying.  In a house of 4 small children, I find myself acting like one more often than I like.  A lot  more often than I like. A couple weeks ago I decided that I was sick of Meagan Francis getting to have the title of The Happiest Mom.  Sure, she is happy and she is a Mom, but is it fair that she gets that title? I think not. I told my kids that my friend Meagan thinks she is the happiest Mom.  I told them that I was going to give her a run for her money.  I informed these small people that I am done yelling.  I don't like to yell.  I don't like how it makes me feel.  I don't like how it makes our home feel.  My Mom yelled at me and I hated it.  I don't want to do it anymore to my children. Seth looked at me and said, "I don't think you can do it Mom.  I mean, you yell a lot".  Amelia agreed with him and Libby told me she likes crackers.  So, I took that on as a challenge. That night at dinner we were talking about this, and Jeremy reminded me of the brilliance of everyone's favorite Boss, Jack Donaghy.  Dear Jack lives by the rule of "ASQ" - Always Speak Quieter.  He who speaks the quietest in a situation where emotions run high, wins. He teaches this technique to deal with Overbearing Mothers.  And if it works with Overbearing Mothers, it most definitely should work with my children! Yes...YES! This is my new parenting plan.  I mean come on, who would you take your parenting advice from?  Jack or Meagan?  Jack or Meagan.  Tough choice I know.

She is a gentle, happy Mama to 5.

He is a ruthless business Tycoon.

But, I tried Jacks way.  When I am about to lose it, I speak quietly.  I have been known in the last few weeks to "whisper yell".  I have yelled a couple times, but I am trying really hard.  I am trying to be the winner and guess what?  I am becoming happier.  Meagan is probably still the Happiest Mom, but I am getting there. So you better watch your back Mrs. Francis...because my whisper technique just might knock you off your throne! P.S. I adore Meagan and she can be the Happiest Mom..you know, she wrote a book and everything and she rocks the party.  I just want to be like her when I grow up.

Bloom

My Mom has often told me that I am a "bloom where you're planted" kind of girl.  I tend to make the best of any situation and make wherever I am my home.  This is something I have had a lot of practice with.

When I was 10 we moved to another State, and really another world.  From a big town to a small town.  From Nebraska to southern Kansas.  From corn fields to..well...nothing really.  I grew to love that town and the friends I made there.  I knew I didn't want to live there forever, but really enjoyed my time there. When I was just months shy of 16, we moved again.  This time to Utah. I fought the move. I cried, I begged, I pleaded. I didn't want to leave my friends, those people who had become my family.  As we crossed the plains and headed into the hills then mountains, I felt so small and insignificant.  I had never been around something as majestic as mountains. My first day of school left me in tears and feeling even smaller than I had ever thought possible.  I went from a high school of 700 students in 4 grades to one with 2000+ students in 3 grades.  How could I survive this change?  There were so many people. How could I get to know anyone at all? Pulling up my bootstraps, I did just what I had to. I made friends, I joined Musical Theater, I was active in school and made the best of it.  I made friends, had crushes on boys, went to dances, and made memories that I will never forget. Those experiences have served me well in my life. Since graduating from High School (16 years ago!!!) I have moved about 15 times.  Each time there was the period of awkwardness in my new surroundings.  There were the times when I didn't know anyone, didn't feel like I fit, felt too hot or too cold, just uncomfortable. But every time, I was able to make where I was living my home.  I was able to bloom where I was planted. I may not be able to bloom as a Lilac here in the Texas Desert, but I hear Cactus Flowers are really quite beautiful.

Psst - you can also find me here today talking about my "big" family!

Peace

This last weekend, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered in meetinghouses and homes to listen and watch our General Conference. General Conference is a semi-annual event that happens in our church.  It is a time to gather together and hear from various leaders of our Church.  For members and non-members alike, it can be a time of learning and spiritual renewal. I so look forward to it every 6 months. I love the Spirit of peace and calm it brings into my home.  I love that there is no where we need to rush to, but we can all just sit together and enjoy the speakers. With 4 small children, it is not nearly as calm and peaceful as I have described, but we do what we can to keep them engaged, if only for a bit.  They play Conference Bingo (where they get to fill in a space when they hear someone talking about something specific) or they get to color in pictures when they see a specific person speaking. Just little things to keep them engaged for a bit. This year I had several friends, not of my faith, who watched the Conference.  I wasn't online during the meetings, but after, I saw these tweets from my friend Nish.  A little about Nish - she is an amazing woman.  She loves God and is very firmly rooted in her faith in Him.  She and her family are relocating to Salt Lake City in a few weeks, and she wanted to get to know a little more about her new neighbors. I am very sensitive to how my Church comes off to others.  I strive for unification myself.  I believe we are all children of God and despite what your religious beliefs, I am sure we can find something we agree on.  I strive to find those things in common and build off of that.  I want to learn about other religions and want to share mine with others.  I firmly believe if we will all just stop talking and start listening, things will be so much more peaceful. I have been thinking about this a lot.  Why do we tear down others with beliefs that are not our own?  Is it that we are afraid of learning something new?  Are we so afraid of finding similarities because it could mean what we believe may not be all there is to the story? I was born and raised a Mormon.  However, my folks were not.  They joined the LDS church in 1973.  They lived in Mississippi and were drawn to the LDS church because of the lay ministry and focus on the family.  They had such a hard time with their Methodist Minister driving around in a Cadillac when there were members of their congregation who were starving. It was not an easy road for my parents.  Their families did not understand it.  I don't know my Dad's side of the family very well because they were not happy with he and my Mom joining the Church.  My Mom's parents finally accepted it when they realized that if they didn't they would not see their only grand children. Before she died, my Grandma said to me "Kimmie, I didn't agree with your folks when they joined your church. But, I do know this, it changed them for the better.  Anything that will change you for the better is good in my book". Isn't that what we want?  Don't we want to be changed for the better?  What does it matter how it comes?  Building up, building unity, realizing what we have in common instead of focusing on all we don't agree on is what will change the world. What do we have in common? Here is what I know - tell me if you agree.  God loves me.  I am His daughter.  Jesus is my Savior and He died for me.  The Bible is the word of God.  So is the Book of Mormon.  Scriptures are tools for us to learn and gain happiness through the word of God. The Heavens are not closed and God continues to send revelation to His people here on Earth. That is a portion of what I believe.  You may not agree with all of it or any of it.  But the point is this.  We can listen to each other, we can grow, and we can show one another respect for what we believe. When we can learn to do this, hatred will be gone from the world.  When we can learn to be united by what we believe, there will be peace.

Moving Day

Hey friends!  I've gone the way of many other bloggers and can now be found in my new home at Wordpress.

www.prairiemama.com

Please update your subscriptions so you are subscribed to  http://prairiemama.com/feed/ so you don't miss a single antic from my life!

MWAH!

Elusive Autumn

I have always loved Fall.  The way it quietly slips in after the long, blazing days of Summer.  It is like that cool guy in school that never talks much, but the girls all love him (ahem, Tim Riggins).

Fall with it's rich colors, earthy scent and cooler days, you take my breath away.

I love your cool mornings, your warm afternoons and cool nights. I love collecting the last harvest from the garden, raking leaves into piles for my children to jump in, and noses red from the crisp autumn air.

Fall, I miss you.  You were gone too fast from Utah last year, and from what I gather, you don't visit Texas at all.  There will be no leaves changing colors, no crisp days, no cool nights...at least not until January.

I miss going outside and smelling the smoke from fireplaces, having chilly noses and needing a jacket.  I miss drinking hot cocoa or cider, needing to bundle up under costumes, and digging out my jeans and sweaters.

Since I miss these things so much, I am making it Fall in my house.  I have pumpkins, scented candles, and Autumn decorations to go up.  Just because it is 100 degrees outside doesn't mean I can't pretend that it's 60.

This post is sponsored by Hallmark's Life is a Special Occasion Campaign.  I am one of the luckiest girls I know getting to write about the Special Occasions that happen daily in my life the rest of this year.
The month of October I get to write about Fall and all the goodness that comes with this glorious season!
Be sure to head over to Hallmark's site and sign up for their newsletters. Who knows, I might even pop up in one of the newsletters!  Also, at the bottom of the page, you can see all the Hallmark Bloggers and read what everyone has to say.  It is truly inspiring reading!
While I am compensated to write this post, as always the words are all mine and can not be bought.