Canaan, 29 weeks

I moved him to his crib for nighttime sleeping. The first night he slept until 4:30 before joining Alif & I in bed; the second night he woke around 1:30.

Has now eaten: banana, avocado, brown rice puree, applesauce (by far his favorite), plums and peas. Today I made him a baby smoothie: banana, plum, primadophilus (I'm having a little yeast issue), and brown rice puree.

Can sit really well but we have to be close by because he will still topple to the side randomly.

Doctor, Doctor give me the news

There has been a lot of drama for me in the last few months regarding our pediatrician. We've been with her since our first baby and she has been so wonderful to us. She was very, very unhappy that I had Canaan at home and it has completely changed our relationship. So I made the hard decision to take Canaan to our family doctor for his 6-month check. I called the office and told the receptionist that I needed to know the doctor's stance on homebirth (so I can know if it will be an issue should I have any more babies) and on delayed/selective vaccinating. My doctor called me back personally and discussed both issues with me fully, which I found refreshing and nice. Though I got the impression that he feels like homebirth isn't the safest option and that he finds immunizations amazingly wonderful things, he made it clear that our decisions are up to us and his job is solely to be sure that we are aware of the pros and cons. Eh, that sounded *just ok* to me. I mean, I really figured the visit could go well or poorly based on that, kwim?

Before the visit I typed up the shot schedule we are following for Canaan so that I could take it in with me and be really sure that we're on the same page and I won't get a bunch of lectures when I go in. I scheduled the appointment with the PA in the office since my doctor didn't have an opening for a few weeks. I really like the PA anyway. When she found out I was nursing Caris, who was almost 3 at the time, she smiled and said that was so great. I told her I didn't often hear that from medical personnel and she said with a wistful look in her eyes, "I nursed my kids so long my whole family was scandalized." So you know, I figured that she would be the most receptive to my unconventional parenting practices anyway.

I was nervous the day of the appointment. I had no plans to argue or get defensive. I knew that if this doctor's office couldn't accept the way I do things, there are others who will. I just figured that if we're going to leave our ped, we may as well all go to the same doctor. Well, things seriously could NOT have gone any better. The PA came in and Caris jumped on her right away: "We have another brother and he's at camp this week." LOL PA loved Canaan's chunky-liciousness, praised our nursing and not having started solids yet ("yay!" she said), said not to worry about his breathing issues because he's so obviously healthy, it's probably something he'll outgrow as his lungs grow.

Then I broached the subject of homebirth, and that I'd talked with Dr. to make sure it wouldn't be an issue should we have more babies. She looked confused and said, "an issue for us?" I told her that our ped had had a hard time with it and she just said that medicine changes so much, what was right 10 years ago isn't necessarily right now . . . she said, "we're kind of just . . . ehhh" (shrugged shoulders, like - whatever you want to do, Mom!). I showed her our shot schedule and she said, "Ok, so he's had these?" (pointing to the first couple) and I told her he had, and she said, "Ok, so it looks like you are wanting these three done . . . is it ok to do them all today, or do you want to spread them out?" I told her I wanted to spread them out and so she just did the two I wanted done then. IT WAS ALL JUST NO BIG DEAL! OMGosh it made me so doggone happy. She even asked if I do scheduled feedings and was so relieved when I said no. We just had really a nice visit, and though I'm still sad at losing our relationship with our ped, I'm THRILLED that life will be so easy with our new/old doctor.

Oh yeah - Canaan's 23 lbs and 28.5".

Canaan, 28 weeks

Learned to rub his eyes


Can say "Daddy" in Aramaic. ROFL "abba! abba!"

Became miserable again with either a cold or teething or both, not sure which yet. Tuesday was the worst and then he got better over the next couple days.

Tattling

My kids are in tattling mode today and it is driving me bonkers.

Malachi: "Caris is smiling at me."
Me: "How dare she."

Caris: "Graham said I'm white."
Me: :::blank stare:::

Bah!

Avocado

I gave Canaan avocado yesterday for the first time, and he was not a fan. LOL Today I mixed in double the amount of breastmilk and he loved it.

Go Red Sox!

First of all, my February 2007 Moms message board is so cool. We are so like-minded! Almost all of us use cloth diapers, and pretty much everyone there is AP to one degree or another. We have now had two cloth diaper exchanges, both very successful. Check out this awesome Boston Red Sox cover my swap partner had made for Canaan by www.redearthoriginals.com! I LOVE IT!!

Canaan, 27 weeks

Rolls easily both ways, and does it a lot!

Scoots all over the place.

Gets up on hands & knees.

Started waking up in the night because he'd rolled onto his back. I hope that ends soon!

I Miss Malachi

Malachi boarding the bus under the watchful hand of Ms. Marta.
Malachi and his best church buddy, Christian. They're in the same cabin, yay!

For years I've been excited for when Malachi would be old enough to go to church camp. I went every year when I was younger, from 4th grade through my early college years. It's such an exciting time! Independence, adventure and an intense time of growing in the Lord . . . what more could a child ask for?

Well, this is the year. Malachi will be a fourth-grader in the fall (umm, what's that, 2 weeks away?) and so he's old enough to be at camp. They left on Sunday. I assumed I would be a teary, emotional mess but instead I was just excited and happy for him. I prayed for his safety as I drove away, I have to admit.

That first night was really strange. He's never been away from home alone and I was so curious how he was doing, WHAT he was doing! I reminded myself that Marta had called out from the bus, "No news is good news!" Easy for her to say! She's WITH our precious children! HA HA!

We have all written him letters. We've wondered aloud what he's doing, what he's eating, how he's sleeping. We've counted down the days until he comes home. But it hasn't, as I feared, consumed our week. We miss him and life is definitely weird without him, but things are plugging along.

It helps to know that he's in the absolute best care. His counselor is an amazing father of four himself who's perfectly suited for this role. He's tender and firm and I know that he's caring for our boy and keeping him in line, too. Ms. Marta has known our boy since he was born and I couldn't ask for a more wonderful children's director.

So yeah, he's in pretty much the perfect first time away from home scenario, and things are going fine at home, but I miss my boy. I really, really miss him all of a sudden. I can't wait for him to come home, and it's still two days away. This morning two days seemed so soon, but this afternoon it feels like a week. It's quiet around here, and three kids feels like SO much less than four kids. I thought I'd go crazy without his physical help around here, especially with the baby, but it's his company I miss the most.

I'm still glad he's at camp, but I want him to come home and tell me all about it.

Canaan's First Solids

Here I am taking pics of the kids at swim lessons

Canaan can bust a move

Quirky Caris

Every time Caris eats yogurt, she eats it with a measuring spoon.

When she drinks tea, she uses a straw, a spoon and a medicine cup. She makes a big mess.

Each time she eats a banana, she sits down at the table with it, peels just the top and then cuts off little pieces with a butter knife, eating them as she goes.

Almost every time she walks past me she scratches my back, gives me a hug or a kiss or just cozies up for a second.

When she's hungry she says, "Can I have something to AAANCH!" ROFL

If we are gone from home for a long time she will say, "I miss my blue pillow."

One day I handed her toilet paper - about 4 squares bunched up - and she said, "When Daddy gives me toilet paper, he gives me a lot and he folds it up."

Every time Alif gets home she says, "Can I go help Dada!?"

She can memorize a Scripture after hearing it once or twice.

Homeschool Open House 2007

I just found out today about Homeschool Open House 2007 and just in time, too: it starts tomorrow! Check here for the details: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Tiany/Homeschool%2BOpen%2BHouse%2B2007/

Who we are:
For those of you who haven't visited my blog before, I'm Emily and my husband Alif & I have four children. Malachi is 9, Graham 7, Caris 4 and Canaan almost 6 months. We decided when Malachi was around 2 years old that we would like to homeschool and have been at it ever since!

Our day:
I'm not very scheduled. I am trying to hear God's voice on this right now. I want to have more structure to our day so that I am sure we are doing everything we should be (not just academically but all around) but I don't want to be so scheduled that I burn out and let everything go. Any ideas on that?

The schedule I've decided on before but haven't stuck to very well goes something like this:
rising - 9:00: get ready for the day, eat breakfast, do morning chores
9-12: schoolwork
12-1: lunch, cleanup
1-3: quiet time (Mom's free time to sew, go online, etc.)
3-6: household work, dinner prep, eat dinner
6-8: dinner cleanup, get kids ready for bed
8:30: kids to bed
10:00 Mom to bed

That doesn't seem so daunting, does it?

Curriculum:
We follow The Well-Trained Mind. Here's our breakdown for this year:
Malachi and Graham:
Reading: read-alouds, Phonics Pathways
Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting
Spelling: Spelling Workout
Math: Math-U-See
History: Story of the World IV
Science: Physics Experiments for Children
Foreign Language: Prima Latina
Art: Drawing with Children
Music: Usborne Basic Piano Course, Color the Classics: Godly Composers
Caris:
Five in a Row

Where:
We do most of our book work at the table, though you're also likely to find us on the living room carpet or couches, on someone's bed, or outside on a blanket. Or we might skip book work altogether.

Baby Pictures

Look at my two teeth! They are really sharp so I can't bite people's fingers any more. Boo! But they look so cute when I smile and even when I cry.

See right here on my tummy? I have a red rash all over it. It's on my back too. It's from Roseola and it's not contagious so go ahead and cuddle me anyway.

I learned how to get my foot and it tastes great. One day I bit it and cried.

I'm so flirty. Who can resist me?

Auntie Megan is so cool. She sent me these big-boy shoes and I look awesome in them. My shirt says, "Splish Splash I was born in the bath".

Canaan, 26 weeks

Yikes, he bit me while nursing two times. I took it away and he looked at me like "what in the world are you doing?"

He hasn't seemed sick but has needed breathing treatments several times. I hope and pray he doesn't have asthma.

He can roll more easily now but doesn't very often.

When he's lying on his back he can lift his head up and often does to see what's going on around him.

Started solid food - banana! He especially likes it with breastmilk mixed in.

PTL, I'm actually doing it.

I have been unmotivated to exercise for . . . umm, a long time. Probably 12 years. I mean, I walk here & there and very occasionally do an exercise video but I haven't been committed to an exercise program in a long, long time. I don't know why, but a little segment on Access Hollywood was God's way of motivating me once again. (You can see it here: http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah5131.shtml)

I can't tell you how great it feels to be moving my body again. To know that I'm whittling away at the fat and building underneath it some toned muscles. To know that I'm getting stronger each time I work out. I don't know how God flipped the switch but I'm so glad he did! If you're interested in following my journey you can friend request here: http://myspace.com/spiritledbody

Canaan, 25 weeks

Oh my gosh, we're almost halfway through his first year. Panic attack impending!

When I walk holding Canaan on my hip, he holds his outside arm straight out, like he's not totally sure I have good balance.

More teeth coming, maybe? Grouchy, feverish and waking at night. Update: I was wrong! It was Roseola!

Oops, poor Canaan

So Canaan hasn't had *any* solids yet. AT ALL. Tonight at dinner I smooshed a pea and gave him a small amount. I mean really small - like, I don't know, the size of one of his teeth. LOL He made a face and spit it out with bubbles all over it, so I pushed it back in. He started to gag and threw up! He threw up big too, like he'd totally emptied his little belly. OMGosh! Stupid Mommy! Then Malachi goes, "I guess that's why he isn't supposed to have any solids until he's 6 months." :-P

HP: Thoughts from others

I read this question from Anitha on the Above Rubies yahoogroup and related (except my children know that HP is wrong):

Please tellme the pros and cons of this much discussed series ofbooks. Most of my friends and children are addictedand except that I know in my spirit that the booksarent good...I dont have any concrete explantions tooffer them

Here are some replies that I thought were good:

It's all about witchcraft.. . we are not to have anything to with it. Bible is very against it. That is one book (and the movies), that I would never allow in my home. Alisa

we rented the first movie, and it met our standards :) so i let him read the book - but i flipped through the sequels, and like the author admits, they get "darker" and in my case, i found an unpleasant passage about Harry Potter's friend's treatment of his girlfriend, speaking disrespectfully about her, and being ashamed after "snogging" with her - it just made me feel like i sure would hate it if my son thought that was the way to behave. Also, i didn't like the "dementors" - Stephanie

1) J.K. Rowling's research for the books involved gathering information from real life books of witchcraft and sorcery. 2) Some of the spells and terminology in the book are factual. 3) A person who actually practices Wiccan found it hard to believe that J.K. Rowling did not practice Wiccan herself because of the books seemingly authenticity. Yvonne

If witchcraft is wrong, then it is wrong. Period. It is wrong to read about. It is wrong to watch. It is wrong to participate in. It is wrong. And to say that it is "fantasy" or "make believe" doesn't negate the fact that it is wrong. Would you let your children read a pornographic comic book (they do exist) and say "well it is fantasy and they are strong in their faith and know it's make believe, so what's the problem?" "Fantasy" and "make believe" do not change the fact that it is wrong. That our God says it (porn and witchcraft) is wrong. We are supposed to avoid even the appearance of evil. So make believe or not, we should have nothing to do with Harry Potter and the like. The power for witchcraft is real. Witchcraft is real. And that power comes from Satan. Just because Harry Potter is a novel and not a biography doesn't mean it is okay. The witchcraft spoken of in the HP books is very real. Satan is very real, and we should not wink at those kinds of things and say "it's just make believe". Kathy

And to address those who would say, "but your children read Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia!":

Yes there is a witch in LOTR. She is not Wiccan. NOR IS SHE THE HERO OF THE BOOK!!!! In Harry Potter the Witch is the Hero! If you want to be like the hero(s) of LOTR you will want to be simple, loving of the land, loyal, brave and stand up for truth and right in the face of insurmountable odds. (ie Sam and Froddo). In LOTR the "Evil" is evil. Angela

That was enough to bolster me - how about you?

Canaan, 23 weeks

Got bronchitis again and started breathing treatments. Sometimes he laid still for them and sometimes he cried the whole time. :-(

Started to give wet, slobbery, sucky-face kisses