Saturday, September 13, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Four Things Meme
From Emma:
Four places I go over and over:
Four places I go over and over:
- Library
- Target
- Outside to play
- Mass
Four people who e-mail me (regularly):
Four places I would rather be right now:- Amazon.com's Book Warehouse with an unlimited budget
- Wegmans
- The gym
- Angels Camp, CA
Four TV shows/programs that I watch over and over:
- Friends
- Mad About You
- Masterpiece Theater
- Weather reports
Four things I have for breakfast:
- Eggs
- Yogurt
- Toast with Peanut Butter
- V-8
- Cats
- Lions
- Kangaroos
- Penguins
Four beaches I’ve been to:
- Sylvan Beach, NY (barely counts, ha!)
- Bougainvillea Beach Resort, Barbados
- Somewhere near San Francisco
- Somewhere in Rhode Island (I was about eight)
I live right on Lake Ontario, yet have not gone to a "beach" here yet. Maybe next summer!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day Meme
Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer has posted a Labor Day Meme. If it applies, please participate! Let's all relive the fun...for me, my latest was just over a month ago!
How long were your labors?
1. DS1 was less than 10 hours. Water broke at 7:15 PM and he was born at 4:55 AM.
2. DS2 was 15.25 hours. Water broke at 2:45 PM and he was born at 6:03 AM.
How did you know you were in labor?
My water broke. Out of nowhere with both boys. Just like on TV-- huge gush. Both times I was lying in bed reading.
Contractions started 2.5 hours later the first time (with active labor, transition, and delivery lasting 4.5 hours) and over 10 hours later for DS2 (with active labor and delivery lasting just under five hours).
I had my midwife a little concerned with baby #2. In NYS, if your labor hasn't started 18 hours after your water breaks, you MUST have IV antibiotics for Group B Strep and you MUST deliver within 24 hours or so. (Of course, if you homebirth or just don't contact your care provider what can they do?) Based on my experience this time, I fully intend to NOT get in touch until contractions start, especially if the fluid is clear and there's no sign of distress. This baby was having a grand old time in there, rolling around and kicking merrily away until things got moving after 1 AM.
Where did you deliver?
Typical Labor and Delivery Unit the first time. Okay experience.
Hospital Birthplace second time-- three bed unit (I was the only one there during my stay), LDR all in one room/one bed. Let you leave, come back, eat, where what you want, labor how you like, deliver in any position, early discharge. As close to a homebirth as my husband will let me get. It was phenomenal. Labor was actually pretty fun.
Drugs?
Nope. One word: water. Works wonders, especially for those of us blessed with back labor.
I agree with Emma. Recovery is sooo speedy drug-free. I felt great immediately after birth-- totally like myself again. (Of course now I'm a sleep deprived, milky mess.)
C-section?
No, praise the Lord.
Who delivered?
Me! A doctor attended our first, and my beloved midwife the second.
How long were your labors?
1. DS1 was less than 10 hours. Water broke at 7:15 PM and he was born at 4:55 AM.
2. DS2 was 15.25 hours. Water broke at 2:45 PM and he was born at 6:03 AM.
How did you know you were in labor?
My water broke. Out of nowhere with both boys. Just like on TV-- huge gush. Both times I was lying in bed reading.
Contractions started 2.5 hours later the first time (with active labor, transition, and delivery lasting 4.5 hours) and over 10 hours later for DS2 (with active labor and delivery lasting just under five hours).
I had my midwife a little concerned with baby #2. In NYS, if your labor hasn't started 18 hours after your water breaks, you MUST have IV antibiotics for Group B Strep and you MUST deliver within 24 hours or so. (Of course, if you homebirth or just don't contact your care provider what can they do?) Based on my experience this time, I fully intend to NOT get in touch until contractions start, especially if the fluid is clear and there's no sign of distress. This baby was having a grand old time in there, rolling around and kicking merrily away until things got moving after 1 AM.
Where did you deliver?
Typical Labor and Delivery Unit the first time. Okay experience.
Hospital Birthplace second time-- three bed unit (I was the only one there during my stay), LDR all in one room/one bed. Let you leave, come back, eat, where what you want, labor how you like, deliver in any position, early discharge. As close to a homebirth as my husband will let me get. It was phenomenal. Labor was actually pretty fun.
Drugs?
Nope. One word: water. Works wonders, especially for those of us blessed with back labor.
I agree with Emma. Recovery is sooo speedy drug-free. I felt great immediately after birth-- totally like myself again. (Of course now I'm a sleep deprived, milky mess.)
C-section?
No, praise the Lord.
Who delivered?
Me! A doctor attended our first, and my beloved midwife the second.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Daily Rhythm and Weekly Household Routines
I've been working on a tweaking our daily activities and household management tasks this week. During my pregnancy, most things fell by the wayside and we only stuck to the essentials. Now that the new baby is a month old, it's time to really refocus and get back in the swing of things!
Daily Rhythm
Morning:
Wake-up Routine
Prepare Breakfast/Eat/Clean-up
Circle Time
Daily Chore/Laundry
Outside Play/Gardening and/or Nature Walk
Snack & Bible Story/Saint of the Day/Other Religious Instruction
AM Activity (Little Acorn, Seasons of Joy, Catholic Mosaic or Other)
Afternoon:
Prepare Lunch/Eat/Clean-up
Art
Read/Play/Quiet time
Playroom Cleanup
Snack
PM Activity (Mommy Teach Me, Little Acorn, Seasons of Joy, Catholic Mosaic or Other) and/or Outside Playtime
Tidy Playroom/Misc. Household Tasks
Evening:
Make Supper/Eat/Clean-up
Evening Prayer
Play/Read/Misc. Household
Bedtime Routine (Bath, Snack, Story, Bed)
Daily Household Routines
Wash Diapers
Make Beds, Straighten Bedrooms
Wipe-down Bathrooms
Sweep/Vacuum Kitchen
Dishes/Dishwasher
Counters and Table, Clean Sink (as needed)
General Pick-up
Garbage/Recycling
Cats
Weekly Cleaning Routines
Monday: Clean Bathrooms, Wash Towels and Cleaning Cloths
Tuesday: Vacuum Upstairs, Clean/Declutter Bedrooms, Change & Wash Bedding
Wednesday: Baking Day, Laundry Catch-up (if needed)
Thursday: Clean/Declutter Playroom and Music Room, Boys’ Laundry
Friday: Clean Kitchen and Pantry/Laundry Room, Meal Planning and Grocery List, Parents’ Laundry
Saturday: Homeschool Planning, Prep for Sunday (including meals), Seasonal Outdoor Tasks, Laundry Catch-up (if needed)
Morning:
Wake-up Routine
Prepare Breakfast/Eat/Clean-up
Circle Time
Daily Chore/Laundry
Outside Play/Gardening and/or Nature Walk
Snack & Bible Story/Saint of the Day/Other Religious Instruction
AM Activity (Little Acorn, Seasons of Joy, Catholic Mosaic or Other)
Afternoon:
Prepare Lunch/Eat/Clean-up
Art
Read/Play/Quiet time
Playroom Cleanup
Snack
PM Activity (Mommy Teach Me, Little Acorn, Seasons of Joy, Catholic Mosaic or Other) and/or Outside Playtime
Tidy Playroom/Misc. Household Tasks
Evening:
Make Supper/Eat/Clean-up
Evening Prayer
Play/Read/Misc. Household
Bedtime Routine (Bath, Snack, Story, Bed)
Daily Household Routines
Wash Diapers
Make Beds, Straighten Bedrooms
Wipe-down Bathrooms
Sweep/Vacuum Kitchen
Dishes/Dishwasher
Counters and Table, Clean Sink (as needed)
General Pick-up
Garbage/Recycling
Cats
Weekly Cleaning Routines
Monday: Clean Bathrooms, Wash Towels and Cleaning Cloths
Tuesday: Vacuum Upstairs, Clean/Declutter Bedrooms, Change & Wash Bedding
Wednesday: Baking Day, Laundry Catch-up (if needed)
Thursday: Clean/Declutter Playroom and Music Room, Boys’ Laundry
Friday: Clean Kitchen and Pantry/Laundry Room, Meal Planning and Grocery List, Parents’ Laundry
Saturday: Homeschool Planning, Prep for Sunday (including meals), Seasonal Outdoor Tasks, Laundry Catch-up (if needed)
I'm planning a post to go into more detail about our homeschool "preschool" program.
Also, my household tasks outline doesn't include monthly, seasonal or yearly tasks, but I roughly follow this chart. I recommend it for everybody. It makes things so simple!
Also, my household tasks outline doesn't include monthly, seasonal or yearly tasks, but I roughly follow this chart. I recommend it for everybody. It makes things so simple!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Before and After: The Playroom
This isn't a true before and after post as I didn't get the full "before" shot. It's more "during" and after. For my birthday last week, my DH decided to surprise me by taking up the carpet in the playroom and replacing it with hard flooring! As long-time blog readers know, I despise carpeting. I wasn't expecting this project to begin for several more years, so I'm thrilled to see our playroom/schoolroom come together the way I've wanted!
In the first shot, the playroom proper. It's mostly finished here except for replacing the baseboards. We decided not to strip the wallpaper and paint (neither of us feel up to that monstrous task), so the last remnant of "formal dining room" from the previous owners remains.
Looking from the playroom into the playroom extension (foyer) and through to the library/music room. Most of DS's toys are piled in there for the time being.
I anticipate that the entire project will be done this weekend, and I'll be back with more pictures our reconstructed and reconfigured room!
Oh, and we finished the fence two months ago...I'll post pictures (or a video!) of that too. Promise.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Candle Decorating
On Thursday we decorated a candle for use during our morning circle/prayer time. I started with this kit from Three Sisters Toys (one of my favorite places for toys!). The kit is a tad pricey perhaps, but worth it for someone attempting to work with decorating beeswax for the first time. I didn't try to duplicate the design that was "recommended," but instead focused on shapes and images that are familiar to my oldest.
I'm not a crafty person and none of the shapes are quite perfect, but we had a lot of fun and I was pleased with the result. We have lots of wax leftover, so I'll be trying again soon. I'd like to attempt a more complicated design.
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