tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48721846459463048892024-03-08T06:33:47.074-05:00The Feminist Housewifebirthing. renovating. reading. creating.Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.comBlogger509125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-64988742560286957692014-03-03T17:35:00.000-05:002014-03-03T17:35:47.807-05:00Where is this going?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><i>me- taken by David.</i></div>
<br />I have missed this blog a lot. I have loved every minute of writing and chronicling our lives here over the last six years. My writing has ebbed and flowed as life has sped up, slowed down, shifted and turned. I've had times when writing has been therapeutic, and times when I've wanted to keep things to myself.<br /><br />My three little ones and my photography business have stolen my heart and my time, for now. I've found that my blog is currently usurping mental energy away from these things, while not actually manifesting any writing. This has led me to write this little post to say that if you'd like to follow along with what I'm up to on a regular basis, follow my photo blog here:<br /><br />http://carolinesingletaryphotography.com/blog/<br /><br />and like my photography Facebook page:<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/CarolineSingletaryPhotography<br /><br />I will occasionally post house projects, and homeschool updates here, but day to day life will mainly be in visual form. I would love for you to keep up with me. I really love and miss my blog friends. Until next time...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-30936886149854989212014-01-10T19:41:00.003-05:002014-01-10T20:58:29.471-05:00Introducing my Photography SiteI am incredibly excited to finally make public what I have been working on (A LOT) lately...<br />
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<a href="http://carolinesingletaryphotography.com/">My photography website!</a><br />
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That's CarolineSingletaryphotography.com<br />
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It's been in the works for quite some time. Really, a very, very long time. Years. But, I feel the timing is finally right to take this passion for my camera and the photos it takes to the next level.<br />
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I'd love feedback.<br />
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It's a pretty exciting way to start of the 2014. And if you are in Athens or the surrounding areas, I would LOVE to photograph you.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-39857872097076030062014-01-03T15:00:00.000-05:002014-01-03T15:02:54.278-05:00A New Year. Resolutions. Looking back and forward.<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2013 will be a year that I will never forget.<br /><br />While many people are choosing words to describe their year, I must say that this year was an Ecclesiastes 3 year for our family.<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br />We celebrated new life.<br />We mourned a life that was taken too soon.<br />We have been blessed.<br />And taken away from.<br />There have been a lot of laughter, and many, many tears.<br />A lot of the year, I have felt very lost.<br />Many, many times I have held tightly to the words, "It is well, with my soul."</span><br />I am fearful of letting go of all that this year has been, but anxious for new beginnings. The most painful times push us to grow the most, and that has been 2013 for me.<br /><br />Today, I feel more confident in who I am and what I want that I have ever been before. I know that I am enough. Here's to 2014. Please be easier than last year.<br /><br />It would not be a New Year's post without some lists! (My favorite.)<br /><br />Looking back at last year, I set the following goals for 2013:<br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;">1. Read more! </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" />My goal was 13 books - I think I read 5. An improvement that could still be improved upon.<br /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;">2. Finish an unfinished project.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" />Yes. I finished a project of two, I am sure.<br /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;">3. Knit a hat</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;">I knit several hats! And I am no longer intimidated by knitting in the round. Accomplishment!<br /><br />4. Practice photography</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;">I have had over 12 photoshoots this year with people other than my family AND I have built a portfolio and website. I'm so excited to launch it.<br /><br />5. Decide on/invent a "homeschool" preschool plan for the year. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" />I decided to use Sonlight and I<a href="http://davidandcarolineparker.blogspot.com/2013/10/homeschool-curriculum.html"> talk about that here. </a> I am getting ready to revamp for the New Year and will be getting ready to start Kindergarten with Dmitri this year! Wow.<br /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.796875px;">Of course, I had a baby (hooray for Eleanor). David started his Ph.D, which is like a fourth child in itself.</span></span><br />
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In 2014, I hope to:<br />
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1. Sleep more.<br />
2. Build my photography business.<br />
3. Choose contentment.<br />
4. Love myself and others more.<br />5. Write.<br />
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<i>What are your goals for the new year?</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-91973603262746870462013-12-31T12:54:00.002-05:002013-12-31T12:54:10.630-05:00Happy Holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Well, it's been a while! I have sat down to write many times, and either have run out of time or decided to keep some of my thoughts to myself. David's first semester of graduate school was rough on all of us, and I am dreading him starting back next week. We've enjoyed the much-needed holiday break, and I am trying to be hopeful for the new year. Most of all, I am incredibly excited to be launching my photography website (hopefully this week)! And I look forward to sharing that with you.<br /><br />For now, HAPPY NEW YEAR!<br /><br />My hope is for love, peace, contentment, and more writing in 2014.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-35696881132800945242013-10-02T22:10:00.000-04:002013-10-03T09:13:47.236-04:00Homeschool Curriculum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many of you have asked about what homeschool curriculum we are using. Two months in, and I really love what we are doing right now. It took me a little while to find my way amongst the all of the vastly different homeschool curriculums and education philosophies. I can't say it's right for everyone, but it's really working for us for now. I'm sure we will evolve as life continues to change.<br />
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My educational philosophy is a buffet that offers a little of everything - un-schooling, literature-based, classical, Waldorf, Montessori, and probably others too. I had a love-hate relationship with school, and I really want to pass on the good parts of my educational experience and withhold the negatives for my own children, while morphing my curriculum to meet each child's individual interests and learning styles at their level. I'd like to skip the boredom, repetition, compartmentalization, in-applicability, and lack of self-direction that can be present in compulsory education. And I want my children to love to learn. I want to foster creativity, independence, self-motivation, exploration and a passion for life and learning. I want them to feel challenged and for them to feel like there is always room for growth and expansion.<br />
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And I want my children to be happy, care-free, and enjoy life, while still being prepared for whatever dreams they want to pursue.<br />
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As an over-thinking, introspective, perfectionist, I have spent a great deal of time thinking and searching for how to practically turn my vision into every-day life. After obsessing about homeschooling a little too much, I finally found peace when I started following my children's lead: looking at what they love to do and what they get excited about.<br />
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And as far as being prepared for life beyond childhood, I realized that if you can read, write, and reason well, then you can be successful at anything. So, I think that sums up a lot of the theoretical that I have been thinking about. Here are the specifics...<br />
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<u>The Specifics<br /></u><br />
<a href="http://www.sonlight.com/">Sonlight</a><br /><br />
Sonlight makes up the core of our curriculum. It is a literature based curriculum that focuses on reading classic literature. By reading books, we are covering history, reading, and science. Right now, we are finishing up P 3/4 and are starting P 4/5 While I love that Sonlight does all the planning and scheduling for me, and I can fall back on it if I need to, we are currently moving at our own pace and I am letting the boys direct what and how much we read. (Hence, why we are finishing up our year of curriculum after only two months...they really love reading)<br />
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We ARE editing some of the curriculum. I'm not using a few books, and I'm adding to it in areas that are lacking. For instance, Dmitri is very interested in the earth, dirt, bugs, worms, etc. So I have added 6-8 books on those specific topics. (Like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Beetle-Book-Steve-Jenkins/dp/0547680848/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380375928&sr=8-1&keywords=the+beetle+book">this cool Beetle Book</a>!)<br />
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<u>Math</u><br />We use math every day. When they help me bake, when we count, when we look at the clock or read the page numbers of our books. They like to play with money. Right now, I feel that is more than enough.<br />
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When Dmitri has learned to write his numbers, we plan to start <a href="http://www.lifeoffredmath.com/">Life of Fred</a>. I wish I had this when I was in school! (Maybe I wouldn't have hated math.) It makes math applicable and humorous, and avoids laborious homework assignments. Seriously, I am in love with this math curriculum.<br />
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<u>Handwriting</u><br />Dmitri has a <a href="http://www.hwtears.com/hwt">Handwriting Without Tears</a> workbook that he works in when he wants to. He enjoys using it, as if it were a coloring book.<br />
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<u>Projects</u><br />Sonlight is not very hands-on/project oriented, and this is something that my boys and I really enjoy. So we add in fun activities that we come up with together. Last week, we traced and cut out the boys bodies, and then taped on all of the body parts (which I had printed) that we had learned about in the human body book that we had just read.<br />
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<u>Field Trips</u><br />I try to find field trips that are related to something we are learning about. A few weeks ago, we drove to Atlanta for a Peter Rabbit Puppet show (we just finished reading "The Complete Tales of Peter Rabbit"). They loved it, and so did I!<br />
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<u>Extra-curriculars</u><br />The boys go to an open gymnastics once a week, which they absolutely love. Once they outgrow this weekly event, I think they will want to take gymnastics classes. It's such a great way for them to get out some energy and test their physical limits.<br />
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In the Spring, we plan to do a wilderness program once a week (where they hike in the woods for 3 hours). I adore the idea of a forest kindergarten, and I think this will be a great addition to our week.<br />
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All of that say, homeschooling is really just laid back and fun as I follow my littles' natural interests and pace, and we are learning so much. And there is just enough structure that this planner doesn't go crazy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-88818236619410211962013-09-17T17:52:00.000-04:002013-09-17T17:52:46.516-04:00Finally, 4 Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Eleanor turned 4 months old this past week. And finally, I feel adjusted to this new life with three. After all of those moments of saying, "This too shall pass." It has. I think I'm finally on the other side. For now. The ever-changing tides of parenthood seem to recede just when you are sure that you cannot take anymore.<br />
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One beautiful and random day last week, Eleanor decided that the Ergo is quite a cozy mode of transportation. It's completely changed my daily life. This is how I imagined life with three would be- a high-energy adventure with my two boys, just with a baby in the pouch. And four months in, that's what it's become. I'm really starting to love it.<br />
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I've enjoyed every minute of holding and snuggling this extra sweet baby girl. But now, my bathroom is swept, the dishes are washed, and the laundry is folded. And that makes life a lot easier to enjoy. Not perfect, but much better.<br />
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Homeschooling is going well. We read, we draw, we paint, we listen to music, we pretend. We play a lot - with friends, at the park, on the floor. And last week, after reading "The Complete Works of Peter Rabbit," we attended a "Peter Rabbit" puppet show at The Center for Puppetry Arts. I'm not sure who is having more fun - me or them.<br />
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Not only is life a bit easier now that Eleanor enjoys the Ergo, but she is fascinated by her constantly whirling brothers. This entertainment keeps her content long enough for me to run to the bathroom, take a bath, or grab something to eat. It's marvelous. And they think so too. They absolutely adore her. Experiencing the precious interactions between all three of them melts what's left of my horcrux-ed heart. We have our moments, but the happiness always outweighs the challenges.<br />
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And now, when all three little ones are fast asleep, I am whole-heartedly pursuing photography. Reading, learning, practicing, editing, website building, scheduling...I'm making it happen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h9_tN2eAERJFN5T7_zHy9BW3mVtMtCgHgWSa9dZo6Yx-rzb8FHBxU0kskC3S-zQ2-Ks5ZqvZUNADbY0ihsOk7AxrjU7N5SypgbqAa76r2H9tvFDYxJPxzjW5xBVosF8qKgUeoOlS97ZT/s1600/DSC_7066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h9_tN2eAERJFN5T7_zHy9BW3mVtMtCgHgWSa9dZo6Yx-rzb8FHBxU0kskC3S-zQ2-Ks5ZqvZUNADbY0ihsOk7AxrjU7N5SypgbqAa76r2H9tvFDYxJPxzjW5xBVosF8qKgUeoOlS97ZT/s640/DSC_7066.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
More to come soon.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-80198418735504952472013-09-03T22:07:00.000-04:002013-09-03T22:12:39.532-04:00My Journey to Homeschooling<i>We have spent the last month, still floating along in newborn land. Eleanor keeps growing. She has stolen my heart. We have all been sick on and off. The littles and I attended my grandfather's surprise 80th birthday party in Memphis. David started his Ph.D. We are handling some major house repairs. And now we are "starting homeschooling". And here is the story of how that came to be...</i><br />
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As Dmitri could officially start Pre-K, I've been soul-searching, researching, and grappling with all of our educational options as the time for school draws nearer. My thoughts have chased each other into circles and down rabbit trails as I've tried to figure out the best option for all of us. <br />
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We aren't in a "good" public school district (actually quite terrible, really), but some people have had good experiences with it. And yet, the more public school teachers I meet and talk to that won't put their children in the public schools here, the more uncomfortable I feel putting my own child in. I worry about what he might learn, especially socially and emotionally. And educationally, I worry about taking away my child's "childhood" - the pressure that comes from testing and homework, the waking up at 6:30 AM to get to school on time, the 8 hours away from home. I just didn't feel at peace about it.<br />
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I have hoped that we could send him to Montessori school. I like the Montessori educational philosophy, and I think Dmitri would thrive in that environment. I would not have to worry quite as much about the negative socialization (not that it is non-existent), and there would be smaller class sizes and lower student/teacher ratios. Considering how reserved Dmitri is, I think these things are important. The day starts at 9 AM instead of 7:30 AM, which seems to just make more sense for young children. But, financially, a graduate student income was not intended for a family of five, and <i>especially </i>does not allow for Montessori school tuition. While I think it's worth every single penny, it does not change the fact that we do not have those pennies.<br />
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And so I've felt disappointed and frustrated by my lack of options.<br />
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There is always homeschooling.<br />
<br />
I was homeschooled from kindergarten to graduation. It's not a foreign concept to me. I've been to curriculum fairs. I've worked at curriculum fairs. I've read Charlotte Mason. I've read John Holt. I've known hundreds of homeschoolers. I've seen unschooling, relaxed schooling, textbook homeschooling, classical homeschooling, literature-based homeschooling, Waldorf homeschooling, homeschool co-ops, homeschool "schools," etc. I know what HSLDA stands for.<br />
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But the older my children have gotten, the less I've been interested in homeschooling. I think I ultimately have felt that I cannot be the mom that I want to be - a patient, calm, loving, playful, interactive mom, if I am with my children all day long, every single day. Especially since Eleanor's arrival has thrown me for a loop and my house is in varying states of chaos, and for the first time in my adult life I have not bathed daily (sorry, friends). I dream of having a half-clean house, dinner waiting in the crock-pot, having clean clothes folded and put away, and being able to ENJOY my children when I am with them without stressing about mundane things that don't really matter in the long-term (but I just can't help it that they bother me!)<br />
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I felt like homeschooling would poop on my dream, and then stomp it into dust. And laugh. And say, "Poo, poo!" in a Madeline-voice.<br />
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I've felt inadequate. And I am terribly afraid of becoming "one of those homeschool moms". I can name at least 15 homeschool moms that seem literally crazy. Were they always that way or did their children make them that way? Nobody knows...I could go on about my fears of homeschooling and homeschoolers and homeschool moms. But what they really are are just fears about myself.<br />
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And that very realization led me to think, "Maybe I should give homeschooling a try." Because I believe in pushing the boundaries of oneself, growing, and being scared to death of it all. (Or maybe I'm just as crazy as I fear).<br />
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So, I started doing a little more research - delving into the world of homeschooling philosophies and curriculum. Re-familiarizing myself with all that is out there. And I became just a little bit excited. And when I found the perfect curriculum, I became just a bit more excited. And when I started planning projects and field trips and ordering books, I became pee-my-pants excited.<br />
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It's taken time. Over the course of severals months, I've been metamorphosing. Acknowledging who I am, embracing that "I am enough" (which I have had hanging on my fridge), re-centering myself with what's important, and letting go.<br />
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But a conversation with Dmitri took away any smidgen of doubt that may have remained.<br />
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I had borrowed some books from my aunt that were a part of our school curriculum. As I was tucking Dmitri into bed, I said, "Aren't you excited about the books that we got from Aunt Stacy for school?" Since Dmitri loves to read, I expected an enthusiastic response. But instead, in a belligerent tone, he nearly yelled back, "NO! I don't want to do school." Taken aback, I cautiously said, "Oh, well I thought that you would be excited about reading the books." He again yelled, more flustered, "NO! I'm not doing it." I questioned him, trying to figure out what triggered this outburst. And what he meant became clear when he threw his arms around my neck and said, "I'm not going to school! You can't leave me, because I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH."<br />
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And that little misunderstanding brought tears to my eyes, and solidified my decision. Because I love him too much too.<br />
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And here we are. Today, we attended a homeschoolers beginning-of-the-school-year bash. Dmitri was trying to understand which of his friends would be there and which would not. I explained to him that "...homeschoolers will be there." And he exclaimed, "HEY! I'M A HOMESCHOOLER!"<br />
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Yes, Dmitri, yes you are.<br />
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I don't really know where we are going, what this journey will hold, or how long this will last, but right now, we are homeschooling. I'm scared, but I am enough.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-90106047819412366212013-08-02T11:44:00.001-04:002013-08-02T11:45:07.136-04:00Friday Links, Thoughts, and Reads.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVViMKTsbieXAvxQa_H7zB1eOcCZoJlxyPsgM63s74UHohY0pE7iGyPtoZC2AUEePg6KnbG0Z3NCCZ8PwOgY2Camh4TvYXPKtLUBit09CMf6O9b6VoCCbeAC2vc8PHMxx-4_ScEelTw2e/s1600/DSC_5639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVViMKTsbieXAvxQa_H7zB1eOcCZoJlxyPsgM63s74UHohY0pE7iGyPtoZC2AUEePg6KnbG0Z3NCCZ8PwOgY2Camh4TvYXPKtLUBit09CMf6O9b6VoCCbeAC2vc8PHMxx-4_ScEelTw2e/s640/DSC_5639.jpg" width="417" /></a></div>
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<i>A shot from my friend's beautiful home that I got to photograph.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtu8FnoV4VmaJifwg73cb8I-RUvCBtbZdMA6vE9ZuVunx9FerSu4RclEOPLAaCExm4kfSLU7U0cKrYD3neO58oNAB63mVdgQzzI35dL7L9tAG06ohKOWzTXu9dXyYMS3RdDGLZxeO4Nk1l/s1600/DSC_5352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtu8FnoV4VmaJifwg73cb8I-RUvCBtbZdMA6vE9ZuVunx9FerSu4RclEOPLAaCExm4kfSLU7U0cKrYD3neO58oNAB63mVdgQzzI35dL7L9tAG06ohKOWzTXu9dXyYMS3RdDGLZxeO4Nk1l/s640/DSC_5352.jpg" width="420" /></a></div>
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<i>Eleanor and I a few weeks ago.<br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaixJPzb4aH9cUc_NlWxPYKzfNQE5ufDdxSMUf8XD9HtspSR8Qh7gcparspVIjKoQsoReRVY_RhwoY0ZXvtYqBvewAJhwW5ARvs3xStBVimzuGQ0jVH3L5SysIh8lFSQoDGNHpnhQgK7K7/s1600/248227_10100773817640273_643660939_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaixJPzb4aH9cUc_NlWxPYKzfNQE5ufDdxSMUf8XD9HtspSR8Qh7gcparspVIjKoQsoReRVY_RhwoY0ZXvtYqBvewAJhwW5ARvs3xStBVimzuGQ0jVH3L5SysIh8lFSQoDGNHpnhQgK7K7/s400/248227_10100773817640273_643660939_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>folding laundry this past week - it makes me cry too.</i></div>
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<i>Happy Friday! </i><br />
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We have spent the last week and a half in the house, fighting off a little army of illnesses. We are left with lingering colds, but are mostly feeling much better. <br />
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Recent links, thoughts, and reads:<br />
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-<a href="http://hopeave.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/how-to-talk-to-your-daughter-about-her-body/">How to Talk to Your Daughter About Her Body</a> Really, everyone should read this.<br />
-I am wrapping up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0399160280">this book</a>, it might be my favorite parenting book yet. Truly life-changing.<br />
-An ever-changing book list for the boys and I this fall: <a href="http://pre-school%20reading%20list/">Pre-School Reading List</a>. We are starting with the theme, "the earth" -dirt, rocks, insects, compost, earthworms... I am letting Dmitri's interests guide our informal pre-school: little hands-on projects and lots of books. Two things we both love.<br />
-A couple of weeks ago, I shot the interior of a friend's home- the first time I've photographed someone else's house. They are getting ready to move to the UK and wanted to remember their first home. It was so much fun.<br />
-I wish I had had Kelly William Brown's book (<i>Adulting</i>) 7 years ago, when I moved out of the house. I might still buy it for my husband (passive-aggressive, and I know it). I'm eating up <a href="http://adultingblog.com/">her blog</a>. Practical and funny. What's not to love.<br />
-Massive de-cluttering is happening now. In theory, I am a minimalist. My house says otherwise.<br />
-It's officially August, which means David and I re-evaluated our budget. We are instating the envelope-system. We also did a time budget...if only we could stick minutes in envelopes.<br />
-August also means David starts his Ph. D in a week. I still have one more week to talk him out of it....but not really. Good luck, dear and cheers to the next 5 years!<br />
-Those three little humans and I are off to play.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-80055946392956846152013-07-22T09:24:00.000-04:002013-09-03T22:11:44.038-04:00The Third Child that Broke the Mama's BackI've missed writing on the blog regularly. I haven't figured out how to make the time to write, or make dinner for that matter.<br />
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Before Eleanor, I had frequently heard moms talk about how drastically having a baby had changed their lives - how they can't make dinner or get the housework done or take a shower. How they don't seem to have time for anything or for themselves. How they don't leave the house for weeks.<br />
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I would nod my head out of politeness, while wondering what they were talking about. Perhaps they exaggerated, or were pessimists. Maybe they didn't want to do these things. Or they had very challenging babies. I wondered, because that has not been my experience of motherhood. Of course I wouldn't imagine <i>saying</i> that I have never missed a shower in 4 years. Or that I've made a homemade dinner almost every single night since my babies were a week old. Or that rarely a day goes by that we don't go somewhere. Baby goes in the swing/Moby/Ergo/playmat, and they would generally be happy while I did what needed to be done. I've learned many single-handed maneuvers and I can breast-feed while walking around and cooking in the kitchen. Somehow, I have always gotten it done - whatever it is that I feel I want done. And I have not been able to relate to some of the common complaints of parenthood.<br />
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Until now. Now, I have this precious, beautiful, baby girl that I absolutely adore. This tiny little creature that I wanted so badly, and who is every bit as wonderful as I had hoped. And sweet little Ellie is so happy and content and smiley, except when things aren't exactly to her liking. And the growing list of dis-likings according to Eleanor include:<br />
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-That blasted swing that the cat thinks is it's bed- well, the cat can have it.<br />
-Mama using the bathroom. Or bathing. Or ever leaving me for more than approximately 30 seconds. Which obviously might as well be forever. All alone. In a foreign land. And tigers might eat me. Wail!<br />
-Sleeping, unless held by or in immediate proximity to mama. That's dangerous. Also, what if I get hungry?<br />
-Baby carriers of any kind. Especially the Ergo (unless I'm asleep, and then she sneaks me in thinking I don't know. Oh, but I know, and will remind her of my displeasure as soon as I awake). Why does she keep trying to put me in those straight jackets?<br />
-Mama sitting still while holding me. That's why she has two gliders and legs for that matter! That silly mama.<br />
-That man that mama keeps handing me to...he smiles and seems quite nice. But I'd rather look at him while being held by mama.<br />
-Head rubs. Squirm.<br />
-The crib, which is really unnecessary when I have a mama.<br />
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Now I know. I know what all of these women are talking about. This crazy newborn phase where it seems like I can't do anything. Except sit (not still), holding Eleanor. And drinking coffee. And eating snacks (lots and lots of snacks.) And just being. We do leave the house quite a bit, because it's easier (and generally more fun) than staying home all day. But when we are home...<br />
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I do the very bare minimum as far as anything that isn't completely necessary. My withering garden causes tears to well up with disappointment when I pay it a rare visit. And my kitchen smells pretty funky most days. Sometimes I just want to pee alone. Or blog. The other night, after an especially exhausting day of keeping up with Dmitri and Damon with Eleanor in tow, I sat in my chair with slumped, aching, shoulders and cried to David. "I need more time alone. I need more time with friends. I need more time to clean the house. I need more time with you. I need more time to cook food. I need more one-on-one time with the boys. And I need more sleep....It's not just one area that's lacking, it's everything."<br />
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I do feel overwhelmed sometimes. Especially after a long day on little sleep. (And I do need to make sure taking care of myself is a priority.)<br />
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There is nothing wrong with feeling those feelings. I acknowledge them. I cry, or laugh, or meditate. And then, I let them go. I let go of my unrealistic ideals about having a perfect house with perfect meals and me dressed in perfectly coordinating outfits while completing a massive home renovation and then blogging about it all. And I feel such relief. <br />
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And then, once I let all of that go, I can do the maximum living and loving. I sit in my rocking chair, watching the boys play at my feet (sometimes I sit on the rug with them). Reading books together on the sofa. Singing songs with them. Being present. Intently listening. Having Eleanor has really changed how I live life. It hasn't been a new revelation. But it's been what's pushed me to take my hopes of connecting more with my children, living each day slowly, and it's allowed me to just be. Be with my children, and fully experience life while letting go of all of the distractions outside of meeting our basic needs. <br />
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I am doing what I want to be doing right now, even if it means eating a lot of pizza and Mexican. Because there will be time for big home-cooked meals, a perfectly clean and organized house, new house projects, beautiful gardens, and daily blog posts. But my three little ones? They will never be this little again. This day will go by, and it will never come back. How will they remember it, and how will I?<br />
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Today, I am going to sit in my rocking chair, smiling back at this... and feeling so thankful for this tiny little girl that's made me slow down and love more. Especially when it's overwhelming.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPx3_6Rp5yXGgoklzLqz4ehNXi0Z2NkzCdQJA6xO9ag-seJDFNsPjawo_8gqm1MHcM3GzeBHH2mHbtA5wuiloJPyrltodDUqIQa8Rp0s4ZdPOudw1j_qYVrZ-3lW-dKHTlmOqZYGSghwD/s1600/DSC_5435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPx3_6Rp5yXGgoklzLqz4ehNXi0Z2NkzCdQJA6xO9ag-seJDFNsPjawo_8gqm1MHcM3GzeBHH2mHbtA5wuiloJPyrltodDUqIQa8Rp0s4ZdPOudw1j_qYVrZ-3lW-dKHTlmOqZYGSghwD/s640/DSC_5435.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-34094046787007723932013-06-14T10:09:00.002-04:002013-06-14T10:09:34.512-04:00Happy Father's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1VeOzLFMbFA0oAge0mcJ-X_lEstkhkkf0uZFeLQSODupZ77qiUkE-Q_Zc_rNiMyjHocJic_l6yDOD28jTg6-Y2wgFKSB3XiACCIqNJWnJaMMqbVvipnZQFdGlnVniDk751FDMzOMHpfY/s1600/DSC_4741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1VeOzLFMbFA0oAge0mcJ-X_lEstkhkkf0uZFeLQSODupZ77qiUkE-Q_Zc_rNiMyjHocJic_l6yDOD28jTg6-Y2wgFKSB3XiACCIqNJWnJaMMqbVvipnZQFdGlnVniDk751FDMzOMHpfY/s640/DSC_4741.jpg" width="423" /></a></div>
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<i>Wishing this guy a happy Father's Day this weekend.<br />Spoiler: he's getting a framed copy of the above photo for his new desk.<br /><br />Hope my blog friends have a lovely weekend! Got plans?</i></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-2370572334396629752013-06-10T07:30:00.000-04:002013-06-10T07:30:00.044-04:00Life with Three Little Humans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRUgU-lClXgmS1iR8fezhzkzCTomzx1wVE5ZkZB5y9FBQeUn-0ydPDH4z7j0VwLZYr1_fBCkWed1oR4iojKcu_18ywkAM6NkkNwzY0Rkfk334zrwlBdkh7xy1vjKaRGlihwMLGDgNfWU-/s1600/DSC_4651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRUgU-lClXgmS1iR8fezhzkzCTomzx1wVE5ZkZB5y9FBQeUn-0ydPDH4z7j0VwLZYr1_fBCkWed1oR4iojKcu_18ywkAM6NkkNwzY0Rkfk334zrwlBdkh7xy1vjKaRGlihwMLGDgNfWU-/s640/DSC_4651.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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On Friday, I went grocery shopping with the three little humans all by myself for the first time. From the moment I unloaded them out of the van, weaved through the parking lot like a "red rover chain", piled all of the groceries on top of my children in the cart, unburied them at the check-out, and returned back to the van victorious with groceries, people were staring, gawking, and trying to peel their eyes away. I overheard them whispering to each other.<br />
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I have entered a new territory - life with three (three and under, might I add). And evidently, I look as crazy as I'm feeling right now. We are beyond outnumbered, and have surpassed the average 2.3 children. And now people stare at us like we are the Duggars. Or maybe they were just staring at my childrens' heads, peeking out from the food that they were buried under, since the carts just aren't big enough.<br />
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I'm having to re-learn motherhood and life and everything, it seems. And it's been a challenge so far. I underestimated how "new" this would feel- like being an overwhelmed first-time mom all over again. I know that we are in an adjustment period, and I know things will get better (<i>they have to, right?!) </i>but right now, it's hard.<br /><br />Three little people with three different sleep schedules makes for one tired mama. An almost-four-year-old with night terrors, a two-year-old who can't sleep without mama for more than 45 minutes at a time, both of whom still have the occasional night-time potty accident, and fight bedtime like there is no tomorrow, plus a newborn baby who needs diaper changes and feedings during the middle of the night...it leads to:<br /><br />Three cups of coffee a day. Minimum. And by a cup, at least one of those is a venti. And headaches. Lots of headaches.<br /><br />Three hungry bellies, one of which is always demanding food or water or milk. And I forget to eat amongst the shuffle, and then I wonder why I'm shaking and sweaty at noon and I force myself to sit down and eat.<br /><br />Having a newborn baby is just like having a newborn baby. Eleanor is generally content as long as she is fed and diapered, and held when she is awake. Luckily, she sleeps quite a lot. Sometimes she sleeps at night. Sometimes she doesn't. And sure, I'm tired, as I mentioned above. What mom to a newborn isn't. But add taking care of a newborn baby while trying to keep up with my<strike> tasmanian devil</strike> children, and I'm pretty sure this must be some kind of extreme sport. Breaking up brawling toddlers while trying to breastfeed an infant takes some pretty crazy moves.<br /><br />When we were trying to get pregnant, I remember running into a friend of mine at the Farmer's Market who had recently had her third child. I excitedly asked her what it was like having three, to which she cautiously whispered, "Stick with two!!!" Now, I am on the other side of that question. Several innocent and well-intentioned friends have asked me, "So, what's life like with three?" Depending on how much coffee I've had, I have either stared blankly at them or respond, "Ask me again in a couple months."<br /><br />Although I speak of the challenges, transitions, and craziness of life with three these first few weeks, the little victories that I achieve each day are incredibly rewarding and empowering. Our first trip to the grocery store, our first trip to the park, our first trip to Target, actually finding time to sweep the floors, while exhausting and challenging also remind me that I CAN do this. The love that is showered on Eleanor by her proud big brothers absolutely melts my heart every day- it reminds me that our love is multiplied, not divided. And I love having a cuddly newborn so much. I am even more intent with this fleeting newborn phase on cherishing every moment. Could I put her in the crib when she sleeps? Sure, but why would I want to?! It just goes so fast. (I find a little comfort in that too when I'm having an especially challenging moment.)<br /><br />And so it goes- we are surviving the ups and downs. And I'm trying to enjoy the wild ride. And the love x 3.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCwtaqpb-liXi5jnkiZark686iRRBL-LXnLUAyh6p6xU4Iaa_mtetJ0ph3nJStHbHhVhKsPucG7C2Ue9r3I0uxHChrX_ixCvLAg3rjAPcjrQTZnttnLnr8oQrug3uYLbuJQtfsFjsDzsH/s1600/DSC_4528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCwtaqpb-liXi5jnkiZark686iRRBL-LXnLUAyh6p6xU4Iaa_mtetJ0ph3nJStHbHhVhKsPucG7C2Ue9r3I0uxHChrX_ixCvLAg3rjAPcjrQTZnttnLnr8oQrug3uYLbuJQtfsFjsDzsH/s640/DSC_4528.JPG" width="640" /><br /><br />
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<i>One of the challenges of 3 little ones - family photos. Hopefully we will get one one of these days. In the mean time, I'm just having to laugh at our attempts.</i></div>
Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-88028395149137972982013-05-31T14:27:00.000-04:002013-05-31T14:27:11.283-04:00Eleanor's Newborn Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Eleanor Blythe</i></span></div>
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<br /><br />My first newborn photo shoot with my own sweet Eleanor. Such fun!<br /><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-72654900718711896522013-05-29T22:38:00.001-04:002013-05-29T22:41:50.472-04:00Eleanor Blythe: The Birth Story<i>A little note about my due date. My official due date was May 8th, however, I told most people that it was Mother's Day (May 12th). I hoped that that way the baby would arrive before people started freaking out, obsessively calling and texting me, asking me if I were in labor, and staring at me like I'm a ticking bomb. I also hoped that giving a specific date as opposed to a time frame (with Damon I said I was due the end of March) would prevent certain people from asking me what my due date was every, single, time I saw them for 9 months. I was completely wrong.</i><br />
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On Friday, May 10th, I woke up around 6:00 AM having painful contractions about 8 minutes apart. Thinking that this labor, being a third baby, could go quite quickly, I rushed to jump up and wake David, call my midwife, call our friends who watched our boys, and pack the boys a snack. I noticed that when I was in the kitchen, my contractions felt stronger. But as soon as I went into the rest of the house, they seemed much weaker. David was a little slow to do my rather long list of to-do's and I started getting pretty flustered with him, all the while he became flustered with Dmitri and Damon who were also moving at their own pace. Finally, around 8:00 AM, David left to take the boys to our friends', and I heaved a sigh of relief. Now, I could focus on my labor, and the work before me of bringing our newest addition into the world. Unfortunately, my uterus heaved a sigh of relief too, and decided that today would be much to stressful of a day to add anything to our family. David was on his way home, childless, and my contractions pitter-pattered to a stop. I texted my midwife, and I decided to take a hike to try to encourage labor to get stronger. More accurately, I decided to waddle down the concrete sidewalk. I think I had one contraction during my entire 40 minute walk, and I returned home exhausted and very bummed. I called my midwife, trying not to cry, and she suggested I take a nap. Maybe with a little rest, my body would re-start it's unfinished business of evicting this past-due baby. A nap did make me feel much better. But I awoke with no signs of labor at all. I felt sad, frustrated, and slightly embarrassed. David picked up the boys, and I tried to rest and relax (although it felt more like I sat and watched my uterus, waiting for it erupt.)<br />
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Over the course of the weekend, I felt rather awful. I was nauseous, dry heaving, dizzy, insanely crampy and generally just hormonal and miserable. Did I mention that I was tired? Because we did not have plans (our plans were to have a baby by then!), and I did not feel up to actually doing anything, we stayed around the house, waiting and waiting. Mother's Day came and went with very little ado.<br />
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And on Monday, May 13th, I was still pregnant and 5 days past my due date. Theoretically, I believe that babies come when they are ready, and that due dates are quite silly really. Babies don't know dates. But that doesn't change the frustration I felt by having to wait a little longer than I anticipated. And despite my strong philosophical beliefs about not intervening with birth and trusting in the wisdom of my own body, spending Mother's Day without celebration and without our newest little one in arms was incredibly disappointing.<br />
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I met up with some friends to let the littles play on Monday afternoon, and we talked a lot about birth and processing our emotions about our different experiences. When we were talking about how we might have wanted our previous births to go differently, what really stuck with me was how labor and birth is unpredictable, uncontrollable, unbridled, and seemingly arbitrary. Oftentimes, I think this leaves us wishing it had gone differently, or hoping for a different experience next time. That is the nature of birth, and something none of us can change, although many try. But it is something that we can learn to embrace, accept, and respect. As I write Eleanor's birth story, there is one word that I have used frequently to describe it: unexpected. And as I put her story into words, I am appreciating the element of surprise that nature and Eleanor have brought to my life, and recognizing that the best things in life are worth waiting for.<br />
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On Monday night, David and I went to bed around 11:00 PM and I took some Benadryl to help me sleep well (When you are 5 days past due every good night of sleep seems like it could be your last for a while...). Despite it's usual narcoleptic powers, I laid awake for several hours. It seemed strange, because I was incredibly exhausted. I finally drifted to sleep around 2:00 AM, but then I had to get up and use the bathroom six or seven times before waking up at 6:30 AM.<br />
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And I knew I was in labor.<br />
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I woke David up and said, "I'm 95% positive that I'm in labor, do you think you could get up and get the kids ready?" He took the boys out and shut the door, while I laid in bed, waiting for the "without a doubt" certainty that would end up eluding me. I had another contraction and it was more intense, so I got up around 6:45 AM only to find David asleep on the couch and Dmitri and Damon running around naked and unfed. I asked David what he was doing, and he looked at me baffled and confused. I quickly cleared things up by saying "I'm in labor!" Evidently, he missed that part the first time. He wisely jumped up and started getting the kids ready.<br />
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My contractions were very sporadic, but they lasted over a minute and increased in intensity. They felt really sharp and isolated. I called my midwife, Debi, to let her know, and we decided to check-in within the hour. We started getting the big brothers ready to go to our friends' house, ate breakfast and did our usual morning ritual (except thinking, "Am I really in labor?" the entire time.) The contractions kept up, and were long, but they were still spaced really far apart. I checked in with my midwife twice, before she decided to head my way. David dropped off Dmitri and Damon, who were excited to play with their friends. Around 9:00 AM, I started timing contractions using the Stage 1 app on my iPhone, and they were between 12-14 minutes apart. I decided to take a bath and get dressed. David came into the bathroom and talked to me for a little while, and honestly, at this point I felt confused. Why were my contractions so spaced out? (In my previous labors, contractions started at 10 minutes apart and 7 minutes apart, respectively, and quickly got closer together). And why hadn't they changed much? Is labor just going to stop? (This made me really anxious after Friday's labor fail. I think I would be mortified if David did not go to work and our friends had to watch our boys AGAIN without the arrival of our baby).<br />
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Jessica (Debi's apprentice) arrived and she and David started finishing up some of the final preparations- getting the birth pool set up, making the bed, etc. I got dressed, and talked to them. Jessica listened to the baby's heart beat, which sounded good. Debi arrived a little while after that and asked her routine questions.<br />
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And then, we hung out. And hung out. And hung out. And we talked about all kinds of random things, like tattoos and Star Trek. My contractions kept up and were lasting anywhere from 60-90 seconds and they were moderately intense. But they stayed 12-14 minutes apart. For what felt like, <i>forever. </i>It was actually just 9 hours, but 9 hours and forever are incredibly similar to a laboring woman.<i> </i>At 3:00 PM, they were STILL the same. We were sitting in the living room talking, and I'd have a contraction, and then we'd just keep on talking. It seemed incredibly surreal, like I was visiting with friends, except for the contraction 4-5 times an hour. I got in the birth pool a time or two throughout the morning/early afternoon, but I got kind of bored, the water got cold, and it seemed kind of pointless.<br />
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At this point, I became really frustrated. This was taking way too long. I had expected to have a baby hours ago. David and I were trying to figure out what we needed to do about childcare for our boys overnight (at this point, we were wondering if this could go on for another 12 hours or so since nothing had changed in 9!) We were unsure what to do and I felt really anxious and out of control. And I cried. (If I actually paid attention to my emotions during labor rather than what my contractions were doing, I would probably have a much more accurate gauge of where I was, instead of feeling so lost and confused wandering around labor land. But, I can only say that in retrospect. )<br />
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Debi and Jessica encouraged me to eat some sugar since the uterus is fueled by sugar- I drank a glass of juice and indulged in a large slice or two (ok, two plus stealing half of David's while he left his unattended for about 30 seconds) of tiramisu that was intended to be an after-birth dessert. That made me feel much happier. (I fully admit to being an emotional eater.) Someone suggested bouncing on the ball, so I sat in the living room bouncing and talking.<br />
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This magical combination of sugar and bouncing on a birth ball seemed to instantaneously kick my contractions to 5 minutes apart. And after every contraction, I had to pee. I had a nice little rhythm going for a while... bounce, contraction, pee, repeat. (<i>This was around 3:30 PM). </i>The contractions increased in intensity and soon I wanted to get in the pool. We added more hot water, and I stayed in there through several <i>massive </i>contractions. David stood beside me and held my hand. While they were incredibly powerful and long and I cried through them, the contractions were still 5 minutes apart. I felt a small pop while I was in the water during a contraction, and I said, "I think my water may have just broken."Because it wasn't really strong or loud, I was unsure whether it had actually broken. But if it had, it was clear. I overheard David ask Debi to the side, "do you think her water actually broke?" And Debi responded, "Well, if she thinks it did, then we act like it did." I thought that was funny for some reason.<br />
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After crying through a few strong contractions, I told David who told Debi that I wanted to be checked. She came into the room and asked if I were sure. I said, "Do you think I shouldn't? Will it just make me feel worse?" She responded, "Well, how about you give it another good contraction or two." I started feeling a little dizzy and nauseous, and a little bit of pressure, and I wanted to get out of the pool. We put peppermint oil on a washcloth, and I held it to my nose whenever I felt a wave of nausea. Feeling nauseous and dizzy is my absolute least favorite part of labor and was what I dreaded the most. I felt like the peppermint oil helped significantly- it didn't take it away completely, but it made it much more manageable.<br />
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I tried kneeling on the bed on the birth ball, but it hurt my knees. So I tried laying on my side, hoping it would help me feel less dizzy. But I ended up on the squat stool, which I love. David was in front of me and Debi was right beside him. I kept feeling like I was going to fall of of the stool and that I couldn't hold myself up any longer, because of how dizzy I was. I laid my entire body on David for a minute, and for that minute I felt calm and at peace. Everything seemed very surreal; Debi, Jessica, and David were acting like I was about to have a baby any second, and my body seemed like it was going to have a baby any second, but that seemed fantastical and unreal after the confusion, frustration, waiting, and unpredictable contractions.<br />
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Debi checked me and said I was 9 centimeters, which surprised me because I felt like pushing. After another contraction (which I was pushing during) she said, let me help you and helped to move back the lip and then I felt the baby move down incredibly quickly. Debi said, "David get your hands here!" Since I pushed for 20 minutes with Dmitri (although, it was definitely "purple" pushing and not directed by my own body), and then 40 minutes with Damon, I fully expected to feel that intense, uncomfortable, pressure of the baby descending to stay.<br />
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But that intense pressure was fleeting, and unexpectedly gone, and there below me was a head half-way out of my body, cradled by David's hands. After two more pushes, the rest of the head and body were born. I pushed for a total of one minute. As David handed me our baby, I saw something that I did not recognize as a penis. I held the baby to my stomach, and I looked at David for affirmation and said, "What is it?!" He looked at me and responded, "Unless I'm mistaken...."And he didn't have to finish his sentence. I turned to Debi and looked questioningly at her. She said, "I am NOT going to tell you what it is! But, you know what little boys look like! Does it look like that?" And I exclaimed with the biggest tearful smile I think I have ever had, "It's a girl!!!!!"<br />
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After 9 months of wondering, plus an extra week full of glimpses and false hopes, an unpredictable and sporadic labor that lasted hours longer than I ever anticipated, and one minute of pushing, I held Eleanor Blythe in my arms and knew that she was more than I ever could have expected. And she was worth the wait.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><i>Once I moved to the bed, with Eleanor on my stomach I looked at David and said, "That was crazy." </i></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Telling Dmitri that the baby is a girl.</i> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Me hold it!"</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FnpkMY_vZyRk6tatgfZjBeOvG_6KPrMZvtEwPstYl5DtkcaNP3jMn2kSiLX2SwSGuY2svgcolOjQb-YvQ-4IoBXalgoVgngJ3j_r6vxhgd-DTLR0XjcF8NI1tBgU84sIrQYSvAJUFSyx/s1600/DSC_3869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FnpkMY_vZyRk6tatgfZjBeOvG_6KPrMZvtEwPstYl5DtkcaNP3jMn2kSiLX2SwSGuY2svgcolOjQb-YvQ-4IoBXalgoVgngJ3j_r6vxhgd-DTLR0XjcF8NI1tBgU84sIrQYSvAJUFSyx/s640/DSC_3869.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Proud big brother.</i> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>7 lbs. 4 oz.</i> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Me hold it baby more!"</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Happy Papa</i> </div>
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<i>First diaper change<br /></i></div>
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<img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilL1Haos7x2zv222BqiArTQ3chZHNp73TlQafP1i7rTr_t-U3FMDjYFrop_Yhf0_KcQQ1ArZiDPoKP5l_9Efx_R7E__vhq62FpXkt5P7odtzkhSKbCrU-B7JHL6LdZsAkrWnuJGKP1HA-t/s640/DSC_3871.JPG" width="640" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>in love.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfNhlV24AYl6rLHeNHV6J5v1d-TG0rBqnTdcy1xjUyLDGXjMB0RDwFRt7UpW7tvO47TPGLLkANd4oyPsPRRbfObksUt0-R0ROF1VJTLKx7pxVkwuCNJw48E151VmUOTpCRd8uTfJrDbIW/s1600/DSC_3908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfNhlV24AYl6rLHeNHV6J5v1d-TG0rBqnTdcy1xjUyLDGXjMB0RDwFRt7UpW7tvO47TPGLLkANd4oyPsPRRbfObksUt0-R0ROF1VJTLKx7pxVkwuCNJw48E151VmUOTpCRd8uTfJrDbIW/s640/DSC_3908.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Dmitri took his job of dressing her very seriously.</i> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Lots of kisses.</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Welcome Eleanor Blythe! You are so full of surprises. We are in love.</i></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-56529452433559973522013-05-21T11:17:00.001-04:002013-05-21T11:23:44.684-04:00The First Week with Three (Three and Under)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
-Eleanor sleeps, eats, and poops. A lot.<br />
-She is so quiet and sweet. David is worried that her "crier" is broken.<br />
-When she is awake, she is ridiculously strong and active. Dmitri says, "Look! The baby is learning to swim!"<br />
-Dmitri and Damon are smitten. And surprisingly gentle.<br />
-They have given me a few scares- trying to carry her, accidentally jumping on her, "sharing" tomatoes with her. Well-intentioned, but I feel like she isn't safe unless I'm holding her.<br />
-Where am I supposed to lay her down?!<br />
-My boys cannot handle being out of routine. That part has been really rough.<br />
-David went back to work yesterday. I wasn't ready, but he sure was. It will be nice to try to navigate and figure out our "new normal" life though. I just wish I had another week to rest first.<br />
-We had our first public outing to Treehouse Kid and Craft (one of my favorite Athen's stores) a couple days ago.<br />
-I took all three little ones out by myself for the first time yesterday to playgroup. It went pretty well, but wore me out. I could have gone to sleep at 6 PM.<br />
-It's so strange having three carseats. I love our van so much though; it's so easy to get all three littles in and out.<br />-I have been singing, "Five in the bed and the little one said, roll-over, roll-over." It's our new family theme song.<br />
-Cloth diapering from minute one and going great; I feel like we finally have it down!<br />
-I'm going to need a much bigger diaper bag.<br />
-I feel like a first time mom all over again.<br />
-I had forgotten some of the joys of breastfeeding...like engorgement and leaking milk.<br />
-Her birth story is in progress.<br />
-I am loving taking photos of our new littlest one. Hopefully I will get to take her "official" newborn ones in the next day or two.<br />
-I'm so thankful for our community right now; friends have set up a meal train which is such a blessing. I have felt so loved and supported during this pregnancy, birth, and post-partum period.<br />
-We are going to survive. I think. = )<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-74311135634402026202013-05-17T13:16:00.002-04:002013-05-17T13:16:49.792-04:00SHE is (finally) here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZlaC_gx-p_1B_De31k72JJQqyQuuxJTXmt87MyBR0vnBk62opy_qURfwajI9VCI_Cl0BVL-lMY4I7H0SG3y9_1hYGOVfDKncbb0VJVm_uqkllVFWTh1tSzFfjd43t6IpoPe-JNCe-pLv/s1600/DSC_3931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZlaC_gx-p_1B_De31k72JJQqyQuuxJTXmt87MyBR0vnBk62opy_qURfwajI9VCI_Cl0BVL-lMY4I7H0SG3y9_1hYGOVfDKncbb0VJVm_uqkllVFWTh1tSzFfjd43t6IpoPe-JNCe-pLv/s640/DSC_3931.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /></div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZA2wmshzP0gmspBbu2vwdjs7BcG00U0u8SrXXZA0IlVbwXsDxg-1sUu40Yts3hUmsFfZYc5MACf0M7fxB-qjr_Gha5Ozq2V_hDytS94SsF6xWtowU66T2CzoHtf7N1mpp8HYruU1X2I9q/s640/DSC_3948.jpg" width="456" /></div>
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<i>Eleanor Blythe<br />Arrived May 14th, 2013 at 5:07 PM<br />7 lbs. 4 oz. and 20 inches<br /><br />In love.<br /></i></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-90169640825287658472013-05-09T09:01:00.001-04:002013-05-09T09:01:11.635-04:00Right Now:: Still Pregnant. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTjfc0w7YcZC7MCDSyMVV5csw3zAiVaGXo1DyDHRZQ4qYV7GnfLvHQZ3F4toYSY7brWdu9IrMGcUL90QXK_CJ-pod__EBHC2CZsF22plGbz1PFy8y7fnrMOvsBt6gSQ3VqXobn9iDN7pR/s1600/DSC_3757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTjfc0w7YcZC7MCDSyMVV5csw3zAiVaGXo1DyDHRZQ4qYV7GnfLvHQZ3F4toYSY7brWdu9IrMGcUL90QXK_CJ-pod__EBHC2CZsF22plGbz1PFy8y7fnrMOvsBt6gSQ3VqXobn9iDN7pR/s640/DSC_3757.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
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<br />
Right now, I am::<br />
<br />
:: still pregnant.<br />
:: (and was not expecting to be.)<br />
:: happy that I feel very ready and prepared for our newest little one.<br />:: a little annoyed that I have swept the house 6 out of 7 days this week.<br />:: realizing that my house actually needs to be swept daily.<br />:: looking forward to <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/11/broccoli-cheese-soup/">this delicious</a> broccoli and cheese soup for lunch. I made a huge pot yesterday.<br />:: hoping I don't have to go grocery shopping, again, before this littlest one arrives.<br />:: thrilled that we set up our swimming pool for the summer. <br />:: as bummed as a 9+ months pregnant woman can be that it's not actually warm enough to use it. <br />:: wondering is it actually May?<br />:: bored.<br />:: thankful for friends.<br />:: almost done tiling the boys' play kitchen. (I was not expecting to be anywhere close to done with it before the baby...but I might actually get it done if this little one waits much longer).<br />:: tired and exhausted.<br />:: waiting.<br />:: incredibly curious and increasingly impatiently wondering whether it's a boy or a girl!<br /><br /><a href="http://davidandcarolineparker.blogspot.com/2013/04/37-weeks-and-countingtime-to-make-your.html"><i>And you still have time to guess!</i></a><br /><br />Hopefully my next blog post will be an announcement. Surely....<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-36707205873451518962013-05-03T10:55:00.001-04:002013-05-03T21:35:07.999-04:00The Playroom: After Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Welcome to our <span style="color: #990000;">P</span><span style="color: #b45f06;">L</span><span style="color: #bf9000;">A</span><span style="color: #93c47d;">Y</span><span style="color: #45818e;">R</span><span style="color: #a2c4c9;">O</span><span style="color: #674ea7;">O</span><span style="color: #c27ba0;">M</span>:</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAk1McBWxmAOaIAaQKmyqC2yHZGiRgflZnuN2ikCCHshz0C6hqwg_r2AF1a1-Cb83QgBbtgqfpM4eY8l2sPpUN_L6cxUM7BihMvnR336Y_z9gM3Ur9kbMs9vhVpwHsYYIXslkPkZPn7xX/s1600/DSC_3588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAk1McBWxmAOaIAaQKmyqC2yHZGiRgflZnuN2ikCCHshz0C6hqwg_r2AF1a1-Cb83QgBbtgqfpM4eY8l2sPpUN_L6cxUM7BihMvnR336Y_z9gM3Ur9kbMs9vhVpwHsYYIXslkPkZPn7xX/s640/DSC_3588.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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I will let the photos do most of the talking. Of course, there are always a few finishing touches that I would like to add to the room.<br />
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-A rug<br />
-Finish the play kitchen<br />
-Art above the newest little dressers<br />
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But, for now, it's done. And a very fun place for all of us to enjoy.<br />
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<u>Sources</u><br />
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Storage shelving: Expedits from Ikea<br />
Baskets:<br />
::: yellow polka dots: <a href="http://www.landofnod.com/kids-storage-10-25/kids-storage-and-shelving/dotted-cube-bin/f12106">Land of Nod</a><br />
::: yellow gingham: <a href="http://www.landofnod.com/yellow-gingham-cube-bin/s428942">Land of Nod</a><br />
::: black rugby stripe: <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10029538&N=&Ntt=rugby+stripe">The Container Store</a><br />
Navy Glider: Thrifted<br />
Crocheted Blanket: Thrifted<br />
Blue Photo Frame: gift<br />
Royal Aero Hot Air Balloon: eBay<br />
Train Table: DIY<br />
Play Tent: DIY (Fabric from Tonic Living)<br />
Chalk Board on Fireplace: DIY<br />
Rainbow hooks:<a href="http://www.landofnod.com/kids-storage-10-25/kids-storage-and-shelving/multiplayer-8-prong-wall-hook/s140280"> Land of Nod</a><br />
Penant Bunting: DIY - wool felt from <a href="http://www.treehousekidandcraft.com/">Treehouse Kid and Craft</a><br />
White Wooden Table: Handed Down<br />
Stumps: DIY (We had someone cut them for us and finished them ourselves).<br />
Hot Air Balloon Light fixture: antique/gift<br />
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And there you have it. I'm so happy to have this space organized and put together before # 3 arrives. I anticipate many hours of play and nursing a newborn in the glider this summer.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I linked up to <a href="http://tatertotsandjello.com/2013/05/weekend-wrap-up-party-and-signs-com-100-custom-vinyl-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20blogspot/OivM%20(Tatertots%20and%20Jello)">The Weekend Wrap Up!</a></i></span>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-32923227440812085562013-05-02T16:29:00.002-04:002013-05-02T16:29:31.242-04:00Birth Thoughts<br />Well, we are at the final stretch. The last week (or day or two?!) waiting for our newest one. I kind of feel like I am in the pre-labor twilight zone. I have had a terribly long pre-baby project list, and now, it's nearly complete. And I'm trying to rest, and wait. Which I am not very good at. If there is one thing I learned from having my first baby be a week "late," it's this: keep making plans and living life beyond your due date. Worse come to worse, you just have to cancel your plans (and most people are pretty understanding that having a baby is a good reason to cancel plans). It makes the waiting seem less like waiting.<br /><br />But despite my plans and intentions, I still feel like I'm waiting...<br /><br />Names are chosen.<br />
Pantry is stocked.<br />The floors are swept & mopped.<br />Baby clothes and diapers are washed and waiting.<br />The birth pool is here.<br />My kitchen sink is empty and all the clean dishes are put away.<br />The playroom is organized so that the big brothers will have a fun place to play on these hot summer days.<br />My hair is washed.<br />And even my toe nails are painted!<br /><br />Hopefully it won't be too much longer or it will all have to be done over again.<br /><br />As far as physically, I do feel really pregnant. And I know that I am looking forward to not being pregnant anymore and being able to be more active. But really, for being at the end, I feel pretty positively about the pregnancy and while I have my aches and pains, it's not <i>unbearable. </i>But maybe that's just because I know it won't be much longer. I know I really won't be pregnant forever. I know that it goes oh, so fast, and I just might miss all of this.<br /><br />Preparing for the birth:<br /><br />I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Birthing-Within-Extra-Ordinary-Childbirth-Preparation/dp/0965987302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367523954&sr=1-1&keywords=birthing+from+within">this book.</a><br />I watched<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Story-Gaskin-Farm-Midwives/dp/B00CBSLO6I/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1367523984&sr=1-1&keywords=birth+story+ina+may+gaskin+and+the+farm+midwives"> this film.</a><br />I read t<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Love-Jenni-Overend/dp/0916291960/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367524260&sr=1-1&keywords=welcome+with+love+by+jenni+overend">his lovely storybook</a> to the big brothers. Many times.<br /><br />I highly recommend all three. I can't believe that I waited until my third pregnancy to finally read "Birthing from Within". It might be my favorite book on natural childbirth.<br /><br /><i>A funny conversation with the biggest brother:</i><br />Dmitri is very convinced that the baby is a girl. Or, as he likes to say, "a gril". In the book "Welcome with Love," the big brother expresses that he wonders whether the baby will be a boy or girl, and that he is hoping for a brother. Dmitri says, "I'm hoping it's a sister." I respond, "But, it could be a boy and that would be okay too, right?" Dmitri says, "Well, that would be alright. Because if it's a boy, then there must actually be two babies and the other one is a girl."<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh0LEYZjdBu8dyA8dfTxoym6WrMhADo3iojqJQFKcRTClqHsB4wIwTfC5WnanSkSgLk_xSpNGLQ-y8fSxQsP03SXsYhN02JkZGxODrvqLKLUPnSDAL4vh_SALvWIVLHh4xO1qoyb3Ormk/s1600/DSC_3457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh0LEYZjdBu8dyA8dfTxoym6WrMhADo3iojqJQFKcRTClqHsB4wIwTfC5WnanSkSgLk_xSpNGLQ-y8fSxQsP03SXsYhN02JkZGxODrvqLKLUPnSDAL4vh_SALvWIVLHh4xO1qoyb3Ormk/s640/DSC_3457.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><i>He helped me make a bow for the baby's hat, just in case he is right. (And if he's not, we'll just take it off the safety pin).</i></div>
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<br />I've mentioned preparing the homebirth supplies; well, I piled all of mine into the baby's crib (which is in the "birthing room" aka guest room). And this is what that looks like (except for the pool):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8O6tjGl3onozmukCR0ZKSySujHtBm8jijV4W_9ZENsZg1ryoY9ff5HKM8X9x4F_qFM7b5OekjOumGhwoRPgw7KGUOWNeMX5fkhQyolHSl9yZmd2XJhiflZbEWXl7a316tEv3NEbtUP5Tz/s1600/DSC_3658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8O6tjGl3onozmukCR0ZKSySujHtBm8jijV4W_9ZENsZg1ryoY9ff5HKM8X9x4F_qFM7b5OekjOumGhwoRPgw7KGUOWNeMX5fkhQyolHSl9yZmd2XJhiflZbEWXl7a316tEv3NEbtUP5Tz/s640/DSC_3658.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Sanitized towels and sheets. A hose for filling up the pool. My clothes for during labor and after. Baby clothes, diapers, hats. Receiving blankets. Trash bags. Lysol wipes. A flashlight. Drop cloths. Bowls. Various absorbant pads. Paper towels. Etc.<br /><br />We are ready.<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-83382087471787217932013-04-30T10:48:00.000-04:002013-04-30T10:48:44.644-04:00Laundry x 3 - An Ikea Rast Makeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I gave you an <a href="http://davidandcarolineparker.blogspot.com/2013/04/this-season.html">iPhone in-progress photo</a> of the laundry basket dresser that is seriously changing my day-to-day life. It's actually allowed me to stay up on washing, drying, folding, and dare, I say it, putting away the clean clothes. This is a first. I have wondered for several years now how people keep up with laundry (I think I could write my own rendition of Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, and it would go..."Every time I get ahead, it's taking off another dirty shirt...."). <br /><br />Well, now I know the secret. You have to find an organization system that works for you and your laundry needs, and then have a little bit of diligence. This revelation came just in time, too, since we will have a third little one's clothes to add to the mix any day! Now that I have all of these neatly folded clean clothes, we needed a place to put them.<br /><br />So we picked up<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/75305709/"> 3 Rast dressers from Ikea</a>, which look like this:<br /><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/rast--drawer-chest__25877_PE057109_S4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/rast--drawer-chest__25877_PE057109_S4.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />And I gave them a little makeover. Now they are housing THREE little ones' clothes.<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0OwPA6maZyvr37zAGFDwMbghVDMsX2wfYdLpgzxmv10wBv2VyO081sBqnQRO7YrhCslFBsbu5rGgsx7y6SkZyWTm6v3dp_dL5aeHWjCZEpJWp4qq9TKvZOPVLBUWH8QZiHAIyPJWYFax/s1600/DSC_3328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0OwPA6maZyvr37zAGFDwMbghVDMsX2wfYdLpgzxmv10wBv2VyO081sBqnQRO7YrhCslFBsbu5rGgsx7y6SkZyWTm6v3dp_dL5aeHWjCZEpJWp4qq9TKvZOPVLBUWH8QZiHAIyPJWYFax/s640/DSC_3328.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVB3OYmAVTW3YVyd8aiRMeYQJN93vmvlZQJOOJ0B4FG8en08_-8uKAvgzdPuCKT-h08y_Ty3gIAkkFAoj9qef3e5T-7hki-cHntXiZ3WOt6pZsdERgjRUHYs68hqp_b7W8e5fIrYN1ntV/s1600/DSC_3329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVB3OYmAVTW3YVyd8aiRMeYQJN93vmvlZQJOOJ0B4FG8en08_-8uKAvgzdPuCKT-h08y_Ty3gIAkkFAoj9qef3e5T-7hki-cHntXiZ3WOt6pZsdERgjRUHYs68hqp_b7W8e5fIrYN1ntV/s640/DSC_3329.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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I really like how accessible they are to little ones; Dmitri and Damon put away all of their own clothes when we fold laundry together. Dmitri has been dressing himself for a while now, and this little dresser makes it super easy for him to get his clothes.<br /><br />They were reasonably priced and they are solid wood. However, they are pretty small, so as the children grow, we will probably have to find something a bit bigger. But for now, they are perfect.<br /><br /><u>Sources</u><br />Dressers x 3 - Ikea Rast dresser - $34.99 each<br />Knobs - Hobby Lobby (18 knobs cost me $30 with tax)<br />Stain - Minwax Dark Walnut (leftover)<br /><br />I also put a beeswax polish on top. I originally planned to paint the light wood part bright yellow, but now I am second guessing myself - I really like the wood on wood tone. I will give it a little bit more time and decide. (Opinions?)<br /><br />The wall above these dressers is the last uncharted territory in the playroom. More playroom photos will be coming soon; I'm ridiculously excited about how it's turning out.<br /><br /><i><a href="http://davidandcarolineparker.blogspot.com/2013/04/37-weeks-and-countingtime-to-make-your.html">And there is still time to guess whether dresser # 3 will be housing little boy or little girl clothes!</a><br /></i><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-16935882872398683432013-04-24T13:10:00.002-04:002013-04-24T13:12:14.276-04:00Make It and Hoard It...There is something about nesting that leads me to stockpile household and personal items. As if, when I have a baby I suddenly need to have two years supply of deodorant, toothbrushes, and toilet paper. Maybe I fear not leaving the house for months. (As if I won't be looking for any excuse to get out of the house within the first few days). I suppose I don't want to feel like I HAVE to leave the house because I am out of something essential when it's inconvenient to me.<br />
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Whatever it is, I have been filling my shelves with some of my favorite DIY products. So I thought it would be a good time to share some of the things that I like to make myself. Pinterest and the blogosphere are full of homemade product recipes, and over the last few years I've experimented with numerous recipes for everything from toothpaste to dishwashing detergent.<br />
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My love of doing-it-myself merged with using natural ingredients only takes me so far, though. So I have some criteria for things that I make myself.<br />
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1. It has to work as well as or better than store bought products. If it doesn't work well, then I think it's a waste of my time and I could just buy some from the store instead of going to the trouble of making it. Who wants to use deodorant that only works when you are in air conditioning? Not me. And I'm not saving any money if I have to wash the dishes twice.<br />
2. Ingredients must be inexpensive, easy to come by, or something I have on hand.<br />
3. Simple to make. It should make my life easier and better. Not more complicated.<br />
4. Saves me money. I'm not going to make it myself and then it end up being more expensive than store-bought.<br />
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With that being said, here are a few recipes that I mix up myself that I think are totally worth the effort:<br />
Deodorant:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwop9XXCYg3tIbJXNmYcTsenqJOdRgZmzNqNsHJOJvSaxDTUCh0WkoaxGBpSsQGX15akdsnyH6qM6AWkpZDzA40FWPRvLE9Qph_NIxHgtlbPgy45zB3nnkObU82ezwJCacEjlE_N8O8lIs/s1600/DSC_3284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwop9XXCYg3tIbJXNmYcTsenqJOdRgZmzNqNsHJOJvSaxDTUCh0WkoaxGBpSsQGX15akdsnyH6qM6AWkpZDzA40FWPRvLE9Qph_NIxHgtlbPgy45zB3nnkObU82ezwJCacEjlE_N8O8lIs/s640/DSC_3284.jpg" width="348" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wellnessmama.com/1523/how-to-make-natural-deodorant-beating-the-b-o-with-natural-deo/">Recipe</a>. </div>
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I use baking soda, tea tree oil & coconut oil (and I'll throw in some shea butter if I happen to have some.) I use whatever essential oils I have on hand- my favorite are lemon and lavender. I add more baking soda to make it thick, and I stick it in an old deodorant tube.</div>
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Cloth Wipe Solution:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmodV_bdQydegjHsew3E-c8P4_s_2Fgaz_QFejGFx7mm3RDV7JACT321mfScawPnemDKTtSVx9icVGE4K-yckVpeecb_50jPqnnOYHXk-q9DpGPd2Hmlk29rMx4cPMpbQ8rxofbnK-uXTu/s1600/DSC_3287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmodV_bdQydegjHsew3E-c8P4_s_2Fgaz_QFejGFx7mm3RDV7JACT321mfScawPnemDKTtSVx9icVGE4K-yckVpeecb_50jPqnnOYHXk-q9DpGPd2Hmlk29rMx4cPMpbQ8rxofbnK-uXTu/s640/DSC_3287.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://mamagonegreen.blogspot.com/2011/06/cloth-wipes.html">Recipe.</a></div>
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I used the ingredients above because it's what I have on hand. It smells AMAZING. I cut up an old stained flannel receiving blanket to make extra cloth wipes. Not only is it much cheaper than buying wipes, they smell better, work better, and have less harmful ingredients. The "Gentle Baby" essential oil blend is from Young Living - it's a bit expensive, however, it works wonders on diaper rashes. I store it in peri-bottles. Easy to squirt and portable.</div>
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Vanilla Extract:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3u4adRHJHqBM6mDcI58DyeqTrBMu4VSDw2tRK_tgH3WqcD7ooF3PIKnqnmdUXy_2ZeDS3CzWLPCndqCB0TEUH3UWW2QpmxxeTuCyqOyw0F-77k7jL-I5fgSnMEeVYy73Q8aB39K2G03T/s1600/DSC_3294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3u4adRHJHqBM6mDcI58DyeqTrBMu4VSDw2tRK_tgH3WqcD7ooF3PIKnqnmdUXy_2ZeDS3CzWLPCndqCB0TEUH3UWW2QpmxxeTuCyqOyw0F-77k7jL-I5fgSnMEeVYy73Q8aB39K2G03T/s640/DSC_3294.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Two ingredients: vanilla beans and vodka. Steep for 3-4 months. Bam. Amazing, homemade vanilla extract at fractions of the cost. Also makes a great gift... ; )</div>
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Bathroom Spray:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JqjlV_amm1vk_baAaVCAcuCAHnRuxYDVAOFMRSr2BkApHat_gmwGTlZ4CdlxbxuIBS1TkuGoWUiV42Z5-74wr6RHMAjxXsYcToAxrFvn28CxxCfc-gyIXd1WABoRWWQ7ekU7HWXlf_jw/s1600/DSC_3278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JqjlV_amm1vk_baAaVCAcuCAHnRuxYDVAOFMRSr2BkApHat_gmwGTlZ4CdlxbxuIBS1TkuGoWUiV42Z5-74wr6RHMAjxXsYcToAxrFvn28CxxCfc-gyIXd1WABoRWWQ7ekU7HWXlf_jw/s640/DSC_3278.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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Witch hazel + essential oils in a spray bottle. Took two minutes, smells fantastic, and is all-natural.</div>
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So there you have it. A few things I like to make; I have tried making other products, but none that I'm crazy about like these. Have you found any DIY products that you love?<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-55710604320783863972013-04-23T16:42:00.001-04:002013-04-23T16:42:19.034-04:0037 weeks and counting...Time to make your final guesses!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXUsKKJIE3fEBqEyLd0N_66VZcfq8mAVt3GdcfygzRBnbaJVKXu7ZuwoYPpxXHfY7qLWNosnTbsabNfHLE-oMGtsWXA7jb9tg1iCgHnjSRS14yD7nx0PsXTxgDWL2mztqF4BEWBLRaaV3/s1600/DSC_3312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXUsKKJIE3fEBqEyLd0N_66VZcfq8mAVt3GdcfygzRBnbaJVKXu7ZuwoYPpxXHfY7qLWNosnTbsabNfHLE-oMGtsWXA7jb9tg1iCgHnjSRS14yD7nx0PsXTxgDWL2mztqF4BEWBLRaaV3/s640/DSC_3312.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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37 + weeks and counting...<br /><br />Time to make your guesses!<br /><br />Boy or girl?<br />Birthday:<br />Weight:<br />Name:<br /><br />Thoughts to go on:<br />-My due date is May 12th.<br />-Dmitri and Damon weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and 8 lbs. respectively.<br />-Dmitri and Damon were born at 41 weeks and 39 weeks and 6 days respectively.<br />-Both of the boys' initials are D.A.<br /><br /><i>Today I was supposed to have my home visit. But we had to re-schedule for Thursday. I'm excited about officially having everything ready for our newest arrival. I'm planning to rest, and wait, and enjoy the next few weeks as leisurely as my two boys will allow.</i><br /></div>
<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-21467786842768124602013-04-18T18:07:00.002-04:002013-04-18T18:11:02.721-04:00This Season.My infrequent blog posts are becoming more of a normal thing than I would like. On the one hand, I miss blogging more. But on the other, the reason I've been more quiet is because of how full my life is right now. Mostly in a good way. Little thoughts that could be longer posts, but a look into life right now:<br />
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<i>Dmitri and Damon </i>have become even more rambunctious and demanding of my time and intervention. I think that I was quite lucky that they played so well together from the time Damon was 6 months until nearly 2 years old. Over the last couple months they have become increasingly more challenging. I am not sure if it's just their own developmental stages or less structure in our lives over the last couple months, but some days it just seems like the day is one constant fight. Navigating this has required us to make some lifestyle and schedule changes- honestly, just keeping ourselves more involved, busy, and playing with friends. They both love to "go." The last thing that Dmitri says before we say goodnight is "Let's talk about what we are going to do tomorrow." In the morning, Damon wakes up saying "Ready?!!!!! GO!!!!" I am eternally thankful that we had children when we did, even if it was younger than we originally planned. I am not sure that I would have the energy to keep up (and at full-term with baby # 3, I feel like my head is bobbing under the water rather frequently these days).<br />
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<i>Friends. </i>We have some wonderful old friends, and are continuing to make new ones. I feel so lucky to live in a place where there are kindred spirits to be found. I've really felt recently how important it is to invest in relationships and build community. I don't think it comes naturally, and I choose to make this a big priority for me and the little ones too.<br />
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<i>Springtime </i>is here, and is probably the busiest season for us. I think it's my favorite (although, I think I say this every time a new season comes!) There are so many fun things to do in Athens this time of year. Farmer's market, festivals, enjoying the outdoors before it's too buggy, muggy, and wretchedly hot.<br />
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With the fading of winter, I am ready to be done with all of the <i>illness</i> that we have been dealing with since last August. One (or all) of us has been sick every two weeks since August. I have been researching and reading, seeking any and all knowledge on the immune system. I have always been fairly health conscious, and we eat a whole foods diet, so it's not new to me. But something really needs to change for us. It's greatly effecting our quality of life. The first steps we are taking is extremely limiting all added sugar (pretty much no sugar with the exception of what occurs in fruit and a small amount of dark chocolate), making sure that we are getting a minimum of 30 minutes of direct sunlight every day, going to bed earlier, and eating less dairy (and switching to raw dairy) and less, but only, whole grains. All in all, we are just trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. We will see where this leads us and what we need to do next. Here's to hoping for well children this summer, and a well new baby!<br />
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And springtime means <i>planting. </i>My "planting day" yesterday is clearly becoming a planting week. As long as my garden is in before the baby arrives, I will be content. Hopefully sooner though. My belly gets in the way, my back aches, and the heat is already bothering me (It is in the upper 80's in the afternoon!) I've spent a couple hours each morning weeding, composting, and digging, and I have one bed fully planted. Just three more to go...my seedlings are looking happy and the only plants that I bought this year are a couple of tomato plants. I'm excited about re-arranging my garden layout and I'm going to give some pretty crazy trellising a try to maximize my garden space. I am also planting a bigger herb garden this year, which I am excited about. We will be growing 7 varieties of tomatoes, cucumber, yellow squash, okra, kale, brocolli, eggplant, melon, and watermelon (plus herbs). Not a huge variety, but they are all things that we eat a lot of! I would love to try to do some potatoes if I get around to it.<br />
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Aside from gardening, we are still busy pre-baby <i>project-ing. </i>Several building projects are close to finished, and we are installing a farm fence around our property this weekend. I am excited to have a contained space for the little ones to play. I'm hoping that it will put less stress on me, as I re-learn taking care of a newborn while chasing 2 other growing ones around. And hopefully I really will have some photos soon.<br />
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Speaking of <i>photos</i>. I have an SD card thief on the loose. I am suspecting that Damon has been taking my SD card out of my computer after I upload photos. I've lost two in the past two weeks this way....and so my photo taking has been limited. I need to find them so that I can 1. Post photos to the blog 2. Take a bunch of photos of my two boys while I only have two boys and 3. Be ready to take a gazillion photos of baby # 3 (I'm getting the photo props ready! Pom pom hats, hair bows (?))<br />
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For now, iPhone photo dump:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx6WJRGe0GpUS52vLsc7Gq73Hc83up8emOxxaHgVFU2rGH5zw_rYMNWpI3HpBaHJEkjv5Pvz8aN7OXyPiBGut76MRvRs79JqzwgKNJUXVu2jgGxcgRMEmti3WpnZeiFPadT9UmELg0DIi/s1600/IMG_0068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx6WJRGe0GpUS52vLsc7Gq73Hc83up8emOxxaHgVFU2rGH5zw_rYMNWpI3HpBaHJEkjv5Pvz8aN7OXyPiBGut76MRvRs79JqzwgKNJUXVu2jgGxcgRMEmti3WpnZeiFPadT9UmELg0DIi/s400/IMG_0068.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>35 weeks on Easter</i></div>
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<i>Honeypops - our Saturday morning farmer's market ritual</i> </div>
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<i>A little sneak of one of our building projects. This laundry basket organizer is seriously changing my life.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-77499984962430523462013-04-10T21:19:00.002-04:002013-04-10T21:19:55.827-04:00Mixed Emotions at 36 Weeks Pregnant.David said to me last week, "Are you ready to not be pregnant anymore?"<br />
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I stopped and sighed. Yes, I am. In some ways, very ready. And yet, I'm not. And that simple question, which I think my husband thought would be so easy to answer and he probably meant as rhetorical, has led me down a long and winding self-analyzation this past week as I enter my 36th week of pregnancy.<br />
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Pregnancy and I - we have a love/hate relationship.<br />
<br /><br />I hate...<br /><br />
...puking for weeks 5-18.<br />
... the exhaustion, at first from the hormones, and later from hauling around the two of us.<br />
...when my body fails to allow me to follow through with my to-do list.<br />...wanting to fall asleep at 11 AM after a full night's sleep.<br />
... the constant weight fluctuations, changing sizes, and awkward in-between clothing moments.<br />
...having three or four different sized wardrobes.<br />...being so exhausted, yet unable to sleep.<br />...the anxiety.<br />...being overly emotional.<br />...swollen feet.<br />...heart burn.<br />...dizziness.<br />...hot flashes.<br />...round ligament pain. (So severe that at times I physically can't walk).<br />...back aches.<br />...Braxton-Hicks.<br />...peeing. All. the. time. (And 4+ times a night).<br />...post-pregnancy body.<br />
<br />...and love...<br /><br /><br />
...the excitement of looking forward to a new life, that grows mysteriously and wonderfully.<br />
...the first butterfly flutters of a moving and growing baby.<br />...hearing the heart beat for the first time. And then every time.<br />...the motivation; getting things done makes me happy and an impending arrival is incredibly motivating for a goal-oriented person like me.<br />...that my body is able to create a human. That's crazy.<br />...that by my third pregnancy, I actually have maternity clothes that I like.<br />...the anticipation of labor starting.<br />...nesting.<br />...picking a name (or two.).<br />...the new appreciation I will have for my non-pregnant state. The littlest things will amaze me (like not having to pee every 5 minutes).<br />...(and this time) guessing whether it's a boy...or a girl....or a boy?<br />...the opportunity to write a new and different birth story that's my own.<br /><br />But most of all, I absolutely love having a newborn- those first moments, days, weeks. The cuddles. Every single move and eye-lash twitch seeming somehow magical. Falling in love. And that's why I do all of this. All the loving and hating. The mixed emotions that leave me a mess (and probably annoy everyone around me. Although, I'm lucky enough to have a husband who knows better than to say anything-- except after the baby arrives I'm sure he will exclaim over and over how happy he is that I am not pregnant.)<br /><br />
I'm not quite ready yet. I'm still savoring more of the loves than the hates.<br />
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But, I will be soon.<br /><br />I'm focused on finishing my to-do list - I think everything that was an "absolute necessity" has been accomplished. Now just tying up some other projects that would be put on the back burner post-baby(organizing the playroom, building, fencing).<br /><br />A bunch of teeny tiny diapers arrived today, and I couldn't help but feel giddy to think of the little one who will be wearing them so soon.<br /><br />I'm reading <i>Birthing from Within. </i>I'm finally making room to prepare mentally and emotionally for the birth - which after having done twice, is still overwhelming and intense.<br /><br /><i>W</i>e are organizing and decorating what will be "<i>the birthing room". </i>Building a new bed, re-arranging, building an awesome laundry basket organizer. Photos to come, I am sure.<br /><br />I am so excited about my Blessingway this Friday.<br /><br />And other things are growing, aside from my belly. Like my spring garden sprouts that I need to transplant this week. (But weeding, I'm not sure that the growing belly is going to allow for that. We will see. And at least try).<br /><br />A belly photo soon.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-10408803190555754402013-03-29T20:15:00.003-04:002013-03-29T20:15:46.496-04:00Happy Easter<br />
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Wishing you a very happy Easter weekend!<br />Here are some shots from our Easter photo shoot a couple weeks ago.</div>
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All photos taken by me with my Nikon D7000 & f/1.8 35mm & 50mm lenses.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWyCqBkOPU1vADtJbYAjihGDDcMQm5-RR3iduUG01IMJbV8nmRx3WHv2Ii-K5XDw3r7dDZAo9XhwiDmxrDJPabxtgL1WEZKrAAmDXQIylXRqLhNm3a8fwSo_Wa6UXaEwkzVgCl8GNCqoP/s1600/DSC_2399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWyCqBkOPU1vADtJbYAjihGDDcMQm5-RR3iduUG01IMJbV8nmRx3WHv2Ii-K5XDw3r7dDZAo9XhwiDmxrDJPabxtgL1WEZKrAAmDXQIylXRqLhNm3a8fwSo_Wa6UXaEwkzVgCl8GNCqoP/s640/DSC_2399.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQO2e4XngldMKXMhxjOtygOhm6cdFHXbI8HC0KTirF55lrOCBV1m_ZHmJ7UgU4ZCvDBLm2kMR_zakKEoRBVPJickBXFjuco_KIPWGncv4Bohvv33UFGkSZ8gPTleDdmODmv1191vAxGo5n/s1600/DSC_2386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQO2e4XngldMKXMhxjOtygOhm6cdFHXbI8HC0KTirF55lrOCBV1m_ZHmJ7UgU4ZCvDBLm2kMR_zakKEoRBVPJickBXFjuco_KIPWGncv4Bohvv33UFGkSZ8gPTleDdmODmv1191vAxGo5n/s640/DSC_2386.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eiAGGYBxhG1Hbx2DLADSGW_YoCOeoT99hhizwqARFoUNz727BEXYpXI_gwfz3RGUBW-bWvL63AOIj6WkXkZaJonlBSvZXLsI81qqoLlSHa0E8BxWpcEZw7dFpp6s-GHGy0o6PNrpVStX/s1600/DSC_2558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eiAGGYBxhG1Hbx2DLADSGW_YoCOeoT99hhizwqARFoUNz727BEXYpXI_gwfz3RGUBW-bWvL63AOIj6WkXkZaJonlBSvZXLsI81qqoLlSHa0E8BxWpcEZw7dFpp6s-GHGy0o6PNrpVStX/s640/DSC_2558.jpg" width="422" /></a><br /><br /></div>
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Our Easter bunny will leave a jelly bean trail to Easter baskets filled with books, art supplies, and pez dispensers (an Easter tradition when I was a child!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Marshmallow-Clare-Turlay-Newberry/dp/0060724862/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1364602228&sr=1-1-fkmr1">Marshmallow</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Caldecott-Theodor-Geisel-Awards/dp/1596432721/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364602277&sr=1-1&keywords=First+the+Egg">First the Egg</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stockmar-Natural-Modeling-Beeswax-Colors/dp/B002VARMBW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364602306&sr=8-2&keywords=modeling+beeswax">Modeling Beeswax</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-94337097-Precision-Softgrip-Left-Handed/dp/B0020MLI4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364602357&sr=8-1&keywords=left+handed+scissors">Left-Handed Scissors</a> (for my TWO left-handed children), Glue sticks, & Hello Kitty Pez dispensers (by request).<br /><br />Happy Spring!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872184645946304889.post-52157597698493171912013-03-28T12:24:00.003-04:002013-03-28T12:26:30.100-04:00Nesting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzMsLqXblMGfuVigqpcgrDBrY3AW8zXyQgLc9OR1OlUcR1Mc5_cWPbyMrSJzFbwviTHNlk1LsehTwkuj-APvJLtBc6BlHbvZw_c84W5NzgVunhqfhRp8Ue2TR6O8Z-BYZqNDMDSGAX6_j/s1600/DSC_2594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzMsLqXblMGfuVigqpcgrDBrY3AW8zXyQgLc9OR1OlUcR1Mc5_cWPbyMrSJzFbwviTHNlk1LsehTwkuj-APvJLtBc6BlHbvZw_c84W5NzgVunhqfhRp8Ue2TR6O8Z-BYZqNDMDSGAX6_j/s640/DSC_2594.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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9 months is quickly approaching, and I have been satisfying my nesting urges with the little things that really make a difference in making my home feel a little bit more together. No stunning before and afters, just subtle changes that make me smile- when I hang up my towel or turn on the fan (even on these cool Spring days). And feeling just a little bit more together and organized is exactly what I crave when I'm carrying around an extra 40 lbs. and can barely bend over to pick up all of the toys scattered on the floor, and I'm slightly overwhelmed by throwing a third little one that is completely dependent on me for it's survival into the whirling dervish that is our daily life.</div>
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Snapshots of the small things:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2nWa-e6aPIt3kKObNYdeEYt4cyuQyoqs8eskEIHbRG0hFLu1YWoCxb_wM2xv-F-hG6-6lqF3g6Zxd0yzBZt_UJvLrcbyTnLfdnqv2gVIehpgVkADyeiyF-AMJ4WMJIGCu_iF6owzicwt/s1600/DSC_2826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2nWa-e6aPIt3kKObNYdeEYt4cyuQyoqs8eskEIHbRG0hFLu1YWoCxb_wM2xv-F-hG6-6lqF3g6Zxd0yzBZt_UJvLrcbyTnLfdnqv2gVIehpgVkADyeiyF-AMJ4WMJIGCu_iF6owzicwt/s640/DSC_2826.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<i>New hooks in the bathroom</i> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZGFmhYXfNlWKU1PdFvN_S0xzuZUgoFAUpIyDGeLPkqAqxzbQo4SXd_O_ea5WEblJs2GQEsGAMC75hprqJN9itASb8T_EVgcZyGzEUBFArRPIyCb0nbUAwPwJBia9l1PQN3bRieodIVu9/s1600/DSC_2819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZGFmhYXfNlWKU1PdFvN_S0xzuZUgoFAUpIyDGeLPkqAqxzbQo4SXd_O_ea5WEblJs2GQEsGAMC75hprqJN9itASb8T_EVgcZyGzEUBFArRPIyCb0nbUAwPwJBia9l1PQN3bRieodIVu9/s640/DSC_2819.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
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<i>A hanging fruit basket to free up counter space.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUqINhh9C-F_AuguSKiKoxj7_EJmC6n5Cnn2UvehgeKqRFpWAp82kdkpvjUrGmEDPQO8ST45D5-JLO3VDM7p13RbyzU3MftPOUkaFac2wMYYc0BrhrNYOna6MFG1xKIDGXDy2__VZEeEc/s1600/DSC_2833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUqINhh9C-F_AuguSKiKoxj7_EJmC6n5Cnn2UvehgeKqRFpWAp82kdkpvjUrGmEDPQO8ST45D5-JLO3VDM7p13RbyzU3MftPOUkaFac2wMYYc0BrhrNYOna6MFG1xKIDGXDy2__VZEeEc/s640/DSC_2833.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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<i>I frosted our bathroom windows for privacy.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYeD7BVauaLTFUi3NTVq07t-N2364-gtSYSJMlPQQmBmU61I61z2wNLAxJqYbYFQlaetPY0HYrEu_VsUnSflHuGJ6bs9SFw22Xpf89QBhPFcHMeNrOOXfwO-Jx4EADByNrAkE7OLoI_2u/s1600/DSC_2838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYeD7BVauaLTFUi3NTVq07t-N2364-gtSYSJMlPQQmBmU61I61z2wNLAxJqYbYFQlaetPY0HYrEu_VsUnSflHuGJ6bs9SFw22Xpf89QBhPFcHMeNrOOXfwO-Jx4EADByNrAkE7OLoI_2u/s640/DSC_2838.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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<i>Musical light fixtures. We moved this fan from the playroom.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaFiHskAbn3oCmvliNt7Cc9-TxpeD0fDu7Cf2l4zQr8di37jV0mhMAwcJ380Zy5q2MRCecagihzfJidxUchRd8Kiww5lFlM9WMo1v2yWM9YbCUVSDUId9gojV20qsWNX_1bv1nBBzDKSY/s1600/DSC_2841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaFiHskAbn3oCmvliNt7Cc9-TxpeD0fDu7Cf2l4zQr8di37jV0mhMAwcJ380Zy5q2MRCecagihzfJidxUchRd8Kiww5lFlM9WMo1v2yWM9YbCUVSDUId9gojV20qsWNX_1bv1nBBzDKSY/s640/DSC_2841.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>The fan that was previously in the sunroom.</i> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnS3ROgg_X39CeEM76gyrdcUFUfaoCdjfv50HUNHDCIMX2wdI84QZxlryj-I7HFDCt_74HbJOMAeT7ryfS6sgwdKdwd-vWYjmtvH45p_DZF4bsysVIgG3ETw6_BW5FBnQLb7BYsT-03eaG/s1600/DSC_2842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnS3ROgg_X39CeEM76gyrdcUFUfaoCdjfv50HUNHDCIMX2wdI84QZxlryj-I7HFDCt_74HbJOMAeT7ryfS6sgwdKdwd-vWYjmtvH45p_DZF4bsysVIgG3ETw6_BW5FBnQLb7BYsT-03eaG/s640/DSC_2842.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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<i>But really, all of the switching was so this beauty can hang in our playroom.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRY_iPsh7lkham0VyZ-l0eGmBIeXXNhwF9o43iSLYQjpUUKcb9gHCLIRWWH8w27MOhzE63Azh4QIxgsFs7ve3o076wOz2dBTBJ_DXrMqxrHKFob1Jn0ZJMukQwQqsEQQAQ2IMy1lKlgC0/s1600/DSC_2844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRY_iPsh7lkham0VyZ-l0eGmBIeXXNhwF9o43iSLYQjpUUKcb9gHCLIRWWH8w27MOhzE63Azh4QIxgsFs7ve3o076wOz2dBTBJ_DXrMqxrHKFob1Jn0ZJMukQwQqsEQQAQ2IMy1lKlgC0/s640/DSC_2844.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Birthing supplies arrived today! </i></div>
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It's getting closer!<br />
We are still going to try to work in another big project or two (like fencing our yard!!) I am hoping to have a full playroom reveal soon. And I'm working on setting up my own photography website too. It's nice to have new things to get excited about and look forward to...I need that right now.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/74/362B30FB6080F93F16A4F82809E720E1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Caroline @ The Feminist Housewifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042647064869326025noreply@blogger.com4