Feeding Friendly Dress

Finally snuck away to the sewing station.

This dress was designed well before summer started and just happy it was finished before we met its end.

Dresses are so great for summer but can be complicated when you are nursing a baby.  I do love wrap dresses but in those I have had bad luck with toddlers disrobing me in public. This dress on the other hand was designed as full performance mom wear, it can be worn at a playground on the hottest day of summer, there is no awkward pulling or tugging down a shirt when I wrap the baby on my back, there is easy access for nursing, huge pockets and of course machine washable.

The fabric is a textured cotton that Marie' was so kind to bring home from Japan for me.

The pattern.... I'm wishing I made one because I really like this dress but it was another stand in front of the mirror and self drape project.  I have finally realized it takes more work to fit a standard pattern to my body than to make something up on my own.  I've got the shoulders and rib cage of a 12 year old but the hips, bumps and lumps of a mother with 7 children, it is hard enough to find good fitting ready to wear let alone sewing patterns.  I did find the clothes in Spain fit me pretty good so if anyone knows of a Spanish pattern company I'd love to try them out.

The secret to this dress is there is elastic in the neckline just before the twist meets.  An under tee keeps me modest but it is cropped just below the bust line.  For this reason I can comfortably pull the neckline down and pull the cropped under shirt up for feeding access.  Here is a close up of the neckline:

The only problem with this dress is one of the children asked me if there was another baby in  my tummy.  It does look puffy but that is what makes it kind of comfy - gotta love Mom Wear!

DIY kids

The two girls got in a little argument today.  Some one's blue painted angel got thrown across the room and lost a wing.  I was nursing the baby when it happened but the conflict was resolved without any adult intervention........all that was left was a sticky little mess.  Kind of cute and so worth the clean up.

Hurting and Healing Words

Upon pulling out of our driveway in Michigan and only a few feet on our way out to Utah I slipped in an old conference CD, this was to set a calm and pleasant tone for the rest of the journey.

The first talk we listened to was Elder Holland's, The Tongue of Angels.  That was a great one to start with and I believe because of it I graciously resisted the urge to back seat drive.  Over the miles our conversation and comments became sort of a game, kind of like Pollyanna's glad game with points both positive and negative depending upon the words that escaped our mouths.   This made all the difference in traveling in a van full of young children.  This made all the difference when just an hour later we discovered the CD player was jammed and all that was left to entertain us (besides our "glad game") was the radio which didn't always get reception through the long mountain passes.

I thought a lot about that talk today.  You see I took Henry back to the allergist for a follow up, I took him in hopes of encouragement and understanding, all to help facilitate his healing.  The Dr. was straight forward in discussing the situation and knowing I had several children tried to offer suggestions on how to fit Henry into our regular eating routines.  We also discussed whether it was a good idea to get the other children tested as well.  I was still probing for answers as he made his way to the door.  His eyes danced around the four little children crammed in the corner of the room with me, Maryanna balancing on one foot on a chair, Clara curled up under the chair playing with her stuffed dog, Henry scribbling on a Magna doodle on one half my lap and George on the other half chewing on his thumb making all sorts of cooing sounds.  At the moment I did have my hands full, perhaps I looked a little frustrated about the allergies but instead of encouragement and before he said "have a great day, we'll check him next year" he left me with ..........."look lady, you did this to yourself".  Did he really just say that!  Why would he say that?  That really hurt - I was already feeling a bit of guilt about Henry's allergies.

I don't share this story out of rage and I'm not seeking any pity, I only share it as a learning experience.

I remained calm as I corralled the kids towards the exit.  Checking out I gently questioned why I was being charged a $50 co-pay when there was no exam but just a short discussion of lab results.  In my heart I told myself never to return to that office again and to be honest I really wanted to cry but decided to hold it until the parking lot.

Before I bustled my way out of the waiting room a very large women got up in front of me and declared "let me get the door for you".   That was kind.  That made me feel a bit better.  I suppose you could say that healed me a bit.  On my way still, I pushed the stroller and pulled my train of toddlers through the parking lot only to be stopped by another very kind woman.  She took a good look over all the sweet little faces in my company and slapping her hand on her cheek let out "look at these four beautiful children.....you are so lucky, you are so blessed".  Usually when someone says this I squeak out a shy "thank you" but this woman just healed my hurt, she deserved more.  I looked her in the eyes and said, "thank you so much for saying that", if only she knew what had been reversed by her simple kind words.

The poor doctor, with all his years of training to heal did just the opposite.  I thought about the way my Dad practiced medicine and wished that all doctors could be as kind and wise to their patients as he was.

These two women who I practically bumped into, perhaps they were in the medical offices seeking healing for themselves, little did they know they of their own capacity to heal.  I suppose many of us are unaware of the power our words can have for good or bad.

Elder Holland suggested, "Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity, the three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the world today. With such words, spoken under the influence of the Spirit, tears can be dried, hearts can be healed, lives can be elevated, hope can return, confidence can prevail".  What more does the world need than these?  I am determined to do my part.

          

Celebrating the big 5

Maryanna has been counting the days till her birthday for several months.  In fact, since February she's been throwing around verbal invitations to a big celebration to everyone - including check out clerks, Primary teachers, zoo workers,  librarians, and pretty much any child she comes into contact whether at a store or playground.  On the other hand, my invitation, and I believe a few of the boys' as well, were revoked on more than one occasion but in the end we were always once again "invited to her birthday party".

But as the weeks went by I gently explained how as a family we decided that birthday parties would be thrown every other year and this was actually the "other year".  She confidently declared to my face, "well, I plan it myself!  And I'm not going to copy anyone by having a swim or beach party in the summer, I'm going to have an ice skating party with lots of pink balloons and one blue balloon for Poppy and I know Oma's going to come and help me blow up the balloons".  It is hard to react to that kind of determination so I just assured her that indeed she was going to have a very special day.

We were hit pretty hard with a Summer flu the week before her birthday, it was only days around the corner and she seemed to be reminding me of it's approach on the hour.  This was also within days of Henry's appointment with the allergist and learning our house would now need to be rid of the typical delicious birthday treats.  But what I learned was it doesn't take much to throw a party when there's a handful of energetic kids on your side, even without a pinata, piles of presents, bags of candy, a bouncy house or all the neighborhood kids we had a great time.  Here's what we did:

First Clara and I hit the Ann Arbor PTO thrift store where they have shelves of unused and still packaged party supplies neatly organized.  We picked up streamers, balloons, party hats, napkins, fancy plastic cups, and craft supplies all for under $10.  We also grabbed a U of M cheerleader dress with pom poms, a sparkly fairy book, and small wicker sewing box for an additional $5 - these were wrapped alongside the a new pink porcelain tea set and red cowboy boots I found on ebay.

The night before the boys stayed up late making presents for her.  William made colored coffee filter  clothes pin butterflies and Peter took an old toilet paper roll, glued beads on it for a vase then filled it with colorful tissue paper flowers.  We used more tissue paper and a thrifted silk flower to maker her birthday hat special enough to match her personality.  James was careful and spent several hours whittling down a nice stick that with ribbon and felt I helped turn into a fairy wand.  Paul and I hung the birthday banner, streamers and balloons when all the kids were sleeping (I love that he can easily touch the ceiling).

Breakfast was soaked oatmeal pancakes with whipped cream and fresh picked raspberries and she blew out the candles on the old German birthday train.  We walked to the playground.

The boys were very kind in their tea party participation.

The girls played dress-up and to make it extra special I carefully let her try on my wedding dress.

Then we went to Nanny and Poppy's where she shared cake and ice cream with a few cousins.

On our way home Maryanna declared:  "This was the best birthday ever"!  So it really doesn't take much time, money or planning to make a child feel special and feeling special is what birthdays are all about.

Here is what Paul contributed to the digital photo book I created for her 2nd birthday.  I wanted to share it here because the book is wearing out and I don't want to lose these beautiful words.  It is actually helpful for me to re-read it on the days when my patience runs thin and positive reminder on how blessed I am to be her mother.

August 2007 -Happy Birthday MooMoo! 

Our first baby girl is not such a baby anymore!  Maryanna, you have learned so much in just the last year- how to walk, how to talk, and how to make us all laugh with your sprightly shenanigans and adorable antics.  Your inexhaustible enthusiasm has become infectious - there is never a dull moment in our lives with you around!  How we wish we could bottle up your spark and use it ourselves on those days when we feel a bit sluggish.  We wonder about you.  What will you do in this life?  Who will you become?  How will you use that boundless effervescence and contagious smile to bless the live of others?  We cannot wait to find out, to unlock the mystery along with you, and share so many more wondrous experiences together.  Our little MooMoo- you may outgrow your nickname, but may you never lose that zest.  Instead may you relish it, and develop it to bless mankind.  We love you so very much- you are a gift to us, directly from our Father in Heaven.  Happy Birthday!

  

Paul likes this

Here's something new I've tried that the whole family (including Paul and William) likes.

It is a quinoa salad that I replicated from the Whole Foods salad bar.  I'm always requesting samples of their prepared foods and if it's good I'll purchase a small container then probe the chef behind the counter for all the secrets.  I pick up the needed ingredients and experiment until it tastes like the one I purchased.

I don't know the name of it but here's what's in it:

Cooked quinoa -  I use to use a pressure cooker to prepare this but have since abandoned that practice.  Pressure cookers are quick and convenient but destroy so many of the vital nutrients and does not aid in the digestion of the grain.  I believe in and practice soaking grains and cooking them slowly over a medium-low temperature.  To make it especially flavorful (and nourishing) I chop up some fresh garlic and an onion, saute them a bit in olive oil then add the quinoa (about 1:2 ratio to water) and instead of water will use a rich homemade broth.  Add a bit of sea salt and let it cool before adding the following ingredients.

Black beans - again I use to use the pressure cooker for these but now am soaking them for at least 12 hours then cooking slowly on a low temp.  When cooking the beans I always add scraps from garlic, onions, and herbs (especially cilantro).  Don't salt your beans until they are done cooking.  And here is the secret I got out of the Whole Foods chef - for this salad you need to soak the cooked beans in red wine vinegar so they will provide little bursts of flavor.

Mix this with the following:

fresh parsley
fresh basil
olive oil
fresh garlic
red onion
corn
red or yellow pepper
cherry tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes
salt, pepper
and a few more splashes of red wine vinegar

I have also added crumbled goat cheese and leftover cooked zucchini and squash.  It doesn't look like much but when done right it is a sure crowd pleaser - it is actually one of Paul's favorite lunches.  

"It's so Bizarre"!

With all the new limitations on Henry's diet we've been experimenting with foods he can have and it's been fun.  The kids loved watching Andrew Zimmern every evening at Oma and Opa's house so eating new foods has become an adventure in which they can show off their bravery.  And it is always followed by a pile of adjectives, sometimes made up but always entertaining.

Here's Peter with a chicken foot

I have been studying the Nourishing Traditions cookbook for several months now but it is only very recently that I've had the "guts" to experiment outside my comfort zone.  The chicken feet were my first experiment.  I wasn't going to actually feed them to the kids, they were only purchased for a rich broth.  But when the kids saw me straining them they all begged for a nibble.  Why not?  my Dad grew up eating chicken feet and I even ate a few in China.  They had them right along side their breakfast of soaked millet porridge.  Henry couldn't get enough and begged for "more chicken feet" each time I opened the fridge.  I did not participate in the nibbling but the broth was amazing.  I was about to take a bite until Clara, age 3 in her cute little voice squeaked out, "they look like cute little hands".

Maryanna dug right in without blinking

So the rest of the chicken was to be roasted but after the preparing the feet I didn't think the liver, heart, stomach and neck would be so bad.  I consulted with my Dad then simply boiled them, salted them and presented them on a plate for my brave lunch time eaters.  There was barely enough to go around and the heart and stomach were the favorite.  The liver got very poor reviews when Henry who was the first to try it spit it right out and declared "yucky dog poop".

You may notice William is unrepresented here.  He squirms and leaves the table before we are through but at least foods like broccoli and avocados don't seem as scary to him anymore.  He can show off his bravery just by eating veggies.

Next experiment:  a whole fish.  This is a Lane Snapper. I forgot to get a before picture but here is the after.... you may notice the eyes are missing.

I told them in China the eyes were the special prize so they went for them

The bones and head have already been simmered into a yummy stock.

Now you may also wonder how Paul plays a part in this..... he's not been feeling well so I've been saving lots of broth for him.  I did however see several Jimmy Johns wrappers in his car today.  Still waiting for him to catch the vision of "traditional foods".

Family Photo Flip Books

Peter helped me make these photo flip books at Kinkos late into the evening the night before we left on our Utah trip.  They were to be my secret weapon to keep the younger ones happy since we don't have a DVD player to fall back on, and although music and talking books work our CD player only works when it is jabbed just right with a steak knife. We made five books.

I pulled them out on multiple occasions and found they even entertained the older kids.  They discovered they could play "I Spy" with them.  For example.....I spy lots of dirty dishes in the sink, I spy a band aid on someone's arm or I spy a lego piece under the couch.  It bought us some quiet miles.

The only problem I had was Henry figured out how to open the ring that held the book together so that became more fun than actually looking at the photos.......at least he was entertained and the mess was easy enough to pick up.

Other ideas that helped entertain the kids on this past adventure in the car:  Tuskies, the large elephant puppet or Brentwood the stuffed bear (Paul was a lot better at bringing these characters to life and was able to do it one handed over his shoulder from the front - it even got me laughing), sturdy Waldorf sketch pads, finding shapes in the clouds (yes we got desperate at times), a Hymn book and Children's Song book, and guess the year of the coin I just pulled out of the spare change pile.

We've been on enough road trips to learn that it doesn't take bags of treats, piles of movies or fancy toys to entertain kids, in fact in most cases those have all backfired on us.  Instead it is just the joy of being together that gets us through the long journeys and in some cases it is actually the journey itself that makes the trip most memorable.  So when the sun is in our eyes and more than half the van is screaming with impatience Paul and I just look at each other and chuckle out the following assurances: "we're suppose to be having fun, right"? and "this is what vacation is suppose to feel like" because laughter is what helps more than anything when you are on a long road trip with children as I suppose it is with raising a family in general.