Thursday, April 18, 2013

This 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:

Dmitri and Damon 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).

Friends. 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.

Springtime 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.

With the fading of winter, I am ready to be done with all of the illness 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!

And springtime means planting. 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.

Aside from gardening, we are still busy pre-baby project-ing. 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.

Speaking of photos. 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 (?))

For now, iPhone photo dump:

 35 weeks on Easter


Honeypops - our Saturday morning farmer's market ritual 


A little sneak of one of our building projects. This laundry basket organizer is seriously changing my life.


7 comments:

Leah said...

You are sooo close! Exciting! Isn't spring in Athens, though short-lived, the very best?

Mama Gone Green said...

You sure have been busy! You look adorable!
We have been sick all winter too. I have also been changing our diets (I am taking a break from gluten and the kids are getting much less of it, and we are only eating natural sugars, like fruit and honey). I honestly think it is just how this winter has been though, as most every other family has been sick a ton as well. Bring on spring and healthier days! (and as I type this I have major allergies and am completely stuffed up! ;) )

Mandi said...

You look so great! You planting a garden when you are about to have a baby makes me feel so lazy lol!!

Porter Singer said...

Please do elaborate on how the laundry basket organizer. Sounds interesting... =)

Carrie's Catchall Cachepot said...

You look fabulous!!
I love that laundry basket organizer! I want to make one too :)

kelly said...

you look great! it's almost time... exciting!

Gang Of Girls! said...

What an adorable Belly! I love your laundry organzier as well. In the last 4 years my family has really bloomed. I had 4 babies in 4 years not including my older two so now im trying to figure out how to handle the laundry monster and that looks like such a great idea!