Elephant Birthday Party

Scarlett has turned 3! Or, as she's still saying, I'm NOT 3, I'm still a little girl!
We had asked our little girl what she wanted for her birthday, and she said a PURPLE ELEPHANT PARTY! So here it is:

We decorated with a paper flag banner, origami stars, balloons and ribbons. All pink and purple of course.
One of the activities for the girls was to decorate a photo frame. Here's Scarlett's.

Pin the tail on the elephant.
Which was fun, but the favorite game appeared to be the peanut game which started out as throwing peanuts into the elephant's basket, but evolved into bouncing like a bunny as you moved one peanut from the bowl to the basket. And repeat.

Elephant sugar cookies. Which we decorated with icing and sprinkles.

Elephant decorations.

And, there was a purple elephant birthday cake, photos to come!

Staying A Little Girl

Our Little Girl is opposed to becoming a Big Girl.

The usual comment to "You're such a big girl now" after seeing how tall she is, how much she weighs, her new skills, politeness, etc, is "NO. I'm NOT a BIG GIRL. I'm a little girl."

It's most apparent in her clothes, as I've been trying to move out of season, and too-small-to-fit clothes into the basement. The trip to the basement lasts all of about 5 minutes.

She has winter boots that are 2 sizes too small that she insists on wearing. But won't put on the beautiful ones that do fit, that she even picked out herself.

She has an old striped sweater that comes halfway up her forearms, that she wears everyday. And about 4 sweaters in the right size, that she has yet to try on.

She has slippers that she has searched the house for in repeated 1/2 hour increments (I think they are buried too deep in the basement) that never fit, but now she wants, when she has a perfectly cute and in the right size bunny slippers that she used to like.

Socks-This morning we had a tantrum because I wouldn't let her wear a pair for the third day in a row. We do have socks in her size, and we have packed the latest "baby pairs" away, but they need to be in the closest where she can see them, and has requested a few specific pairs.

Yes, we wear many clothes over and over again. And yes, it is literally freezing outside and Scarlett is still wearing her favorite sundress. Over and over again. Please don't think she doesn't have a closet full of clothes. I do feed her too.

Her baby spoons are suddenly upstairs and are her favorite toy.

Books-I've tried to put some younger aged books away-and not her favorites but ones she never liked-but suddenly we have to read them to her everyday, over and over again.

Toys are the same. Anything I try to put away becomes her instant favorite.

Panties-she's practically toilet trained but clings to her pull-ups. This from the little girl who used to refuse a diaper and wanted panties.

It is a daily struggle at the moment and I do realize that I should relish her being a little girl for as long as we can, because it will be gone in an instant. But can someone cover her belly when she's playing outside and her clothes don't cover her?

So many decisions-do I change my language with her? give her the responsibility to put things away and make it really exciting to do so? limit her choices? change the definition of being a big girl? bring the "little-girl-clothes-fairy" to visit? keep talking about growing up? cut the praise?

Any more advice?

Of course, she is a wonderful, funny, charming, beautiful, almost 3 year old, LITTLE GIRL, but I have to laugh at how funny she looks when she comes out in PJ's that barely button up, reach her knees, and she's pulling them down every 30 seconds. Our poor little girl.

I Chickened Out!

I had a chance last week to challenge myself in combining parenting with work. A play group for kids combined with a presentation for the moms.

I did a practice run on Tuesday. Scarlett came to the playgroup and had a blast. She played in a bouncy castle, with balls, and blocks, and other kids, and fell in love with a "fishy train" (Ride on train in a Finding Nemo style). She loved the train too much, and we ended the play group by dragging her out shoe-less and crying for the fishy train. And then I heard about the fishy train for the next couple of days, and she dragged her own train to the office, onto the couch, anywhere we would let her.

What did I do while she was playing? I tried to listen to that day's presenter, Lisa Kathleen of Full Circle Parenting. (Wonderful advice! and did I get to hear barely any of it?).

Thursday came and I was scheduled to speak on Chiropractic for Pregnant Moms and Babies. While the kids play group was on. That's when I chickened out and sent Scarlett to work with her dad so I could think at the same time that I was speaking.

I would have loved to have seen if I could have juggled it, but I probably guessed right, that it was a little out of my league.

If you'd like to check out the playgroups and see who is speaking, just ask at Leela Eco Spa and Studio & Enjoy!

Take Your Baby to Yoga Class

Yoga in Bowness (www.yogainbowness.com) is currently offering yoga in the park. I finally made it to my first class this week, with Scarlett, of course.






It may not have been my most zen class, but I still had a good workout for the 3/4 of class that I completed.
Plus there was a little bit of "animal" yoga, ring around the rosy, fighting for my mat, dis-assembling of my wallet, games on the iPhone, and a 2 year old on my back when I was in plank position. Snacks and water.
I had asked prior if it was ok if she came, and I think the other yogis were very tolerant. Doesn't it up the level of concentration by having more distractions?
I will be back to class, with or without Scarlett, I haven't decided. I like her being outside and exposed to the practice, but her patience is that of a 2 year old (or 2 and 3/4 year old).
Maybe we should all practice yoga like a 2 year old-Scarlett had the most fun and the most smiles out of everyone there.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Morning Routine

I'm creating this post for the sole purpose of finding this Waldorf post again (as bookmarks and I lose each other).

Plus it would be a dream of mine to have such a peaceful morning.

http://themagiconions.blogspot.com/2011/08/discovering-waldorf-morning-rhythm.html

My morning today...

Scarlett clinging to me as I got out of bed (yes, she's taken to crawling in with us in the middle of the night). In fact, only letting me get out of my bed with her attached to me.

Showering with Scarlett poking at me through the shower curtain. Not too sure why. She usually doesn't need to be in the room with me.

Scarlett and Scott on the couch watching cartoons and playing with the iPad.

Breakfast? I think she drank some smoothie before I left the house.

Clothes? Still in yesterday's ice cream dress, which was also covered with raspberries. We're going through some opposition to pajamas and some opposition in general. "Not today" is her newest phrase for when she doesn't want to do something.

That's all-I went to work. When I saw her again she was sweetly dressed in a clean purple dress and looked scrubbed and brushed, and was fed. What more could I want?

July in Pictures

I affectionately think of this post as, "A repost of my Facebook photos." But it sums up what we've been up to this month-Canada Day celebrations in Salmon Arm, Stampede Breakfasts complete with face painting, plays in the backyard and at the parks. I needed to play with my phone and the camera settings anyways.

Introvert Meets Strangers

Scott and I were talking about this today. I am a true introvert- on personality testing and just day to day observance. I like my own space, recharge at home, have a lot of internal dialogue, ask questions to keep the focus off of me, you get the idea.

I also randomly talk to strangers. I'm not sure when it started, or why, but I do. I'm also not sure of proper etiquette when I do so.

Is it best to introduce myself first or just start talking?

I tend to just ask questions or make comments, but Scott thinks I should introduce myself first.

Is it better to say, "Hi, I'm Josephene, where did you get that beautiful princess dress for your daughter?"

Or... (after my daughter has been playing with another little girl for half an hour at the beach). "The girls are having fun, but what's your daughter's name?-she doesn't want to tell me".

Sometimes it's just all around awkward, but people are usually friendly when I do this. I have even made a couple of friends, as bizarre as it may seem.

I'm trying to figure out why I talk to strangers, but maybe it is from watching my dad do the same for years. And everyone talks to him in every and all situations. For now, I'll just baffle my introverted self with this habit.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone on the highway from Salmon Arm to Calgary

Spending Fast

We had a very exciting Father's Day. Ate lots, called the Grandpa's, and....cleaned the basement. What every Dad wants to do on Father's Day.

What happened in the basement? We dredged up a million memories and a million items of clutter. We both seem to be hobby people, and collectors of things.

I have my cases of scrapbook supplies, and miscellaneous crafting items-for making jewellery, supplies to make stuffed animals, quilting items, meters and meters of material for sewing clothes and quilts (I used to sew a lot of clothes), boxes of photographs, a mannequin form for sewing, boxes of candles, ink and stamps, and I'm not sure what else. And a saxophone and all of the "usual" storage-off-season clothes, etc. And books.

Scarlett's is saving everything she's ever worn or played with or slept or ridden in a car in, for if she ever gets a little brother or little sister. It could be the best dressed-in-pink little boy ever!

Scott's gathering his own things-such as his CD collection that we haven't listened to since we moved into this house over 6 years ago. And PEZ dispensers, broken cameras and a box of coats.
Probably nothing of large monetary value, but it all adds up.

Cleaning our the basement essentially meant moving things from one end of the basement to the other, and getting rid of a box or two. (Really, I'm not ruthless). And I did get upset by the amount of money I have spent on things that I have never used. Not to mention the amount of energy and time is sucks up. It's one thing to buy an item and use it and love it, but such a different story when I stick it on a shelf to come back to later. (or move it from one shelf to another)

And then what did I chance upon today?!?! This lovely blog about a woman who has challenged herself to a "Spending Fast." I love it!

http://www.andthenshesaved.com/spendingfastguidelines/

I'm going to keep her in mind and follow her blog for a little while. And think a bit about how I spend my money, and how I can start to REUSE all of that stuff in the basement. That may mean I might have to sew Scarlett some clothes in some pretty pastel pink with blue flowers before I buy her something new! Now, I just need to carve out some time for that.

The blog is a great refresher at looking how we spend our money on things we WANT versus things we NEED. I am all for reducing our things to a minimum so that we can keep living in our (less than) 1000 sf bungalow-well, 1000 sf per floor. Plus I think it will be a great way to help Scarlett to value money and our accumulations.

I haven't committed to the Spending Fast yet, but it may be coming.

Triad of Change

An excerpt from our most recent newsletter (and a photo of our June garden by Scott-Stickoutyourfacephotography):

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=7d3ccafbfb3d8fda5e6872dd8&id=38a4943602

Have you heard of The Triad of Change?

I've been talking about this in the office a lot as it really changed my view on how to make CHANGES in our life. Dr. Donald Epstein discovered that there is a TRIAD to how we make changes in ourselves, and the three sides of the triangle consist of STRUCTURE, PERCEPTION, and BEHAVIOUR. Knowing that this is a time of the year when we seem to start new activities or projects, it can help to look at ourselves from this perspective. Dr. Epstein found that our success comes from focussing on our 2 stronger sides of the triangle, with our third (not so strong) following or entraining to the other two.

For instance, if I were to start a new activity such as learning to run, there are different ways to approach it. I could sign up for classes, schedule a time to run, book myself with a running buddy, learn how to eat maximally (all structure based) OR I could focus on my motivation to run, why I want to be healthy, what positive benefits it will bring to my family or myself, use positive affirmations (all perception based) OR I could just literally go running and do it and act like I am a runner and an athlete (behavior based). We will all have one side of the triad that is natural to us, and one that is a source of energy for us. But the third, if we try make changes leading with that, will probably lead to failure. If you are taking up a new hobby or activity this summer, try considering the Triad of Change to approach things in a new way.

Good Luck!

Essential Skills

I thought I would need to help Scarlett learn essential skills such as how to fall asleep, how to use the potty, or how to put on her clothes. However, she's skipped learning these silly 2 year old skills, and has gone right to the heart of the matter. She's training for my job, and I didn't even know it.

Last night at 10:30 pm as we gave up on getting her to sleep (no, we don't have that skill down), Scarlett was playing in our bed. She had Scott and I lined up JUST SO-with many specific corrections to our head position, lying on our backs, and just sculpting us into position.

Then she started to massage our bellies, arms, legs, ... And said "I massage".

Then she held her hands on my chest and kept saying something very emphatically, which I couldn't decipher right away. When I figured out what it was, I burst out laughing. She's saying, over and over again, "Deep Breath". And what do I say all day, every day, over and over again to the practice members on my table? You got it-Deep Breath Here.

She made some little contacts on us which was probably comparable to me contacting gateways. (I assume?)

Then she stuck Scott's hand up in the air, and started pushing on it. First we were confused, then I started to laugh so hard that I started crying. She was muscle testing Scott. And what does he do all day? Muscle test people for the allergy elimination treatments.

Scott asked her, "Are you going to be a Massage Therapist or a Chiropractor?"

Her answer, "I'm a DOCTOR!".

That was our evening. She did eventually fall asleep, but apparently she's picking up much more than I am aware of.

Advice from a 2 Year Old

Have I already said that I think my daughter is intuitive?

Really, I think ALL kids are intuitive. If you spend time at our office, you'd be surprised by how many kids that don't come to see us as practice members, come running into our office. Repeatedly. Followed by a parent saying, "I don't know why she keeps heading for your office...". We know why, and your kid knows why.

But, I'm convinced that Scarlett has a sixth sense. Possibly because I'm also pretty convinced that she has seen ghosts or spirits. Possibly because sometimes she looks very wise before she does answer a question.

We are trying to use her intuition-in a harmless manner. Soon we'll buy lottery tickets and tell her to point at the winning ticket.

So far, her intuition has helped her to give me feedback on a person's character that I wasn't sure of. (Read, I don't trust my intuition as much as I trust hers).

She has swayed a few business decisions.

Her behaviour has influenced where I shop. And occasionally, what I buy.

If I was house hunting I would use her, because I have seen her act differently in an space that I know is a "good" space compared to a questionable one.

When our dog went missing for a few days, we did ask her a few times if she could tell where Raven was. Her answer, "Someone's back yard" with such certainty that I kept saying, "Point if you think we're near Raven." And then when we found Raven and met the person who found her, it turned into "Steve's backyard" with as much conviction.

She has sometimes provided answers to questions that we had not yet asked.

Needless to say, I take advice from my 2 year old. Not advice like, M&M's or cherries? But advice to questions where there are multiple good answers, just to see where her opinion may lead us. I would love to have such a strong sense of intuition and I believe mine will grow over time. For now, we sometimes receive clear information from our 2 year old who is also just starting to form sentences and her sense of self. The trick will be to help her keep this gift.

Hippie Mom

Happy Mother's Day!

I had to steal the photo but here's where it is from: http://networkedblogs.com/hBJqH. I hope that's appropriate & please read her post because it too is great. Are you a hippie mom? Or do you look down on those (us?) hippie/ crunchy/granola moms? Or should the parenting debates be thrown out the window?
To start, I recently had to ask someone what crunchy meant, but I get it now. I also won't try to categorize myself. But I certainly don't look like a hippie. I dress professionally, or at least casual-professional. I do my hair, makeup, drive a Honda-and yes, once owned a VW Van with my ex-husband and even remember pushing it down the street to jump start it. I own a house and a stable business. Which all add up to not hippie, as I understand the term.

But as her post points out, there's a lot of things that I do that put me in the other category. Which I think I've posted about enough times, but my quick list: Home Birth, Breast fed my baby past 2 1/2 (that means she still nurses), No vaccines, Co-slept, baby wearing, partial cloth diapering, grow my own veggies, season permitting, and try to eat healthy. And virtually no drugs to date for Scarlett except for one dose of gravol to knock Scarlett out during our travels to Italy. (Which was fun to watch her dancing in the airport prior to boarding and avoided the hysterics of the previous unmedicated flights). And there are more supplements, homeopathics and herbals in our house than any form of medication.

I also have a couple of patients that refer to myself and Scott as "hippie dippy granola types from BC". Yes, something about the province defines us. Also probably something to do with the type of work that we are in.

And yes, I also eat granola almost everyday. But I do recall one game of "What If" that I thought if I was most like a breakfast food I would be like granola, but everyone else choose me to be most like coffee and a croissant. Which I found flattering. But in my head, coffee and croissant parenting comes with a posh stroller, hands off parenting, and every modern baby occupying device known to families. Look how biased I am!

When did we start all of these parenting and lifestyle categories? I like the choices that I have made that fit a natural lifestyle, am guilt ridden about how I could do better and know that I can't claim any model. Maybe if I could drive a beautiful VW van like the one above, I wouldn't worry about all these little things!

Happy parenting and mothering!

Adult Life

What is this adult life people talk about?

I think it might have something to do with furniture that matches, that you actually bought, a dining room table and a house that holds one (our house does not), getting up in the morning with the sun-or earlier? or at least before your kid? Possibly moving into a bigger house that holds all of your stuff. It probably includes some form of RV, or as all of our peers are doing right now-tent trailers! A vacation property? Cabin?

I'm trying to understand what adult life means, except for all of the things that it comes with.

I am 36 years old, and Scott and I refer to other people and say they lead "adult lives". So, I wonder what ours is.

Yes, we have 2 vehicles, a mortgage on a house I like (yes, I'm attached to our little place), the only furniture we've bought together comes from IKEA, and we have oodles of hand-me-downs from friends and our past, still! Most surfaces of the house are covered with toys, and the out-of reach areas are just, not toys. The basement is full of stuff, some we use, some we don't And yes, I have an office with a lot more furniture and stuff, and patients and responsibility.

This is my adult life. I'm waiting for the day that I want to go out and buy new furniture. Or possibly renovate something in our house (it could ALL be renovated!) I keep thinking I will one day have a defining moment that I will now LOOK as though I'm an adult. What would it look like? Will that be my mid-life crisis?

And yes, I'm very responsible in all areas of my life-work and home and family. We look after our daughter well and feed and clothe and love her. I thought having a daughter would be a defining moment into adult life, which it was!, but I am finding that each stage melds into the next, which melds into the next. Perhaps it was the eternal phase of my schooling, where student and adult life were one, or the long time I spent in my career before I became a mom. (and I'm loving these debates of "old" mom versus "young" mom-I may have to engage soon!)

My adult life feels like it may want to purge the clutter and things that we have in our life, simplify our life, and not amass more things. I probably will not end up being the mom who has the matchy living room set and dining room set (and what did I grow up with?) and I'm finding that my adult life may mean lunch at 2 pm and despite what I would like, kids bedtime at midnight. No sunrise for me.

Welcome to my adult life, however it may look! Suggestions for my adult life are much appreciated.

The Best Thing About Today

Summer Dresses!

(Scarlett in her sundress with her head-less mom. She just woke up and this was as close to posing as she'd do).

Only in Calgary will you appreciate this. It's April 30th, and we're still in winter clothes. The puffy winter coat was also worn this week, and winter boots, during the freak snowstorm. It is still cold, although it is is trying so hard to be spring.

I finally unpacked Scarlett's summer clothes and it made me instantly happier. She won't be able to wear them without extra layers, but they are so pretty and dressy and colorful, that they make me smile. She likes them better too, as she tore off her long sleeved t-shirt (in black) to put on a green and yellow sundress. Which she is now sleeping in. The plan was to wash them up and hang them in the closet but I think we'll be seeing them everyday from now on.

I'm not sure where my restraint was when I was shopping for Scarlett, but we have enough clothes for 2 little girls. I suppose my dirt loving girl will need all of those extra outfits.

What could be better? Running on the lawn in barefeet perhaps? We'll wait a little bit longer for that one.

Network Care for Kids

I chanced upon this video about Kids and Network Care. This is the technique that we use in the office for everyone under care, and I love that it is so effective for kids. Watch it! http://www.youtube.com/user/smorra2010#p/a/u/2/MoGghgPkae0

Better Than Toys

We were "Networking" last week. Elan Family Wellness Centre set up a table with the Goddess Mommies Group, in celebration of their 3 1/3 anniversary. We were all at Stir Crazy Fun Centre, so the kiddies got to run around in their huge facility. It was fun all around, and lots of new faces to meet. Then we came home and Scarlett took a liking to the goodie bags with all of the brochures, business cards, give-aways, etc. She unpacked the bag, packed it, carried it around, just like a toy. I have now corrupted her-instead of toys, my daughter plays with business cards. Instead of playing dress up, she comes to the office and plays at "adjusting". I'm waiting to see what's next!

Life Online

Do you ever google yourself? Or your business?

It's something we do often and it always surprises me what I find. There is an article from 2000 in the Kelowna daily paper that announced my start in business. I can never get over that one & that the column was even archived online. Of course, I can always find my current website, old locations where I practiced, Profile photos, facebook, blog, linked in...

My office has a life of it's own. Some days it is attached to the physical location where it exists, some days it is randomly located elsewhere in Calgary. Some days the phone number belongs to us, some days not. Today I saw that my office even has it's own blog, but not one that I started or plan to participate in. Some days I see positive reviews that I didn't even know were posted about me, which is very nice.

We try to keep all of the content current and correct, but I'm starting to think it is an impossible feat.

Some days I think about the overwhelming amount of information that is out there. How do we sift through it all? How do we know what is correct and true? What reminders will we be getting in the future of our past self? Especially now with an on-line blog- this information really is out there forever. I do still stand by what I say, or at least for the information that I put out there (but how do you know if it's mine or someone else's?)

Maybe don't try to call our office today based on google maps advice. It may send you to a place where I have never been. Hopefully one day in the not too distant future, we may be better able to manage our on-line lives.

Pregnancy Puzzle

Happy First Day of Spring!

We missed the super full moon last night, but did have a fleeting moment of spring today as we burned off some clippings from last year in our fire pit. Scott said the snow was a good way to extinguish the fire. I have a feeling that some spring cleaning may be coming soon, but I know one toy that won't be going any where.

I found this crazy pregnancy puzzle that Scarlett loves. It was on clearance at Chapters, and so far has held her attention much longer than any other puzzle. I think it may have something to do with the naked-ness of it. In honor of spring, the theme of re-birth, and for babies everywhere who love other babies, here it is:

It is a fun little puzzle to show how babies grow. Truthfully I was shocked that she is shown so naked, but I'm all for that being in our house. I may have to go and buy some dolls sans clothes next.

Ghost Sighting

I'm a little excited because I think my daughter saw a ghost. In my house!

I had always heard that kids can still "see" and sense things that us adults ignore, so this has me intrigued.

On Sunday she got upset about 3 times in a row at the same place in the house-right where our hallway enters either the kitchen or the living room. I went through all the usual culprits-"Does something hurt? Did you bump your toe? Fall? Did Raven scratch you?... " No obvious reason for the upset.

When it happened again in the late morning, I went through my questions again, and then finally asked, "Was it a ghost?"... "Yes!"

We've never talked about ghosts before, but this was suddenly the answer. It was a male ghost and she wanted him to leave, so we asked him to leave, opened the door for him, and said good-bye.

Until later in the evening it happened again, so then Scott lit a candle and brought out an angel to put in the spot where she kept getting freaked out. So far so good.

It was an interesting experience. I'm not convinced it was a bad spirited ghost, but if it is who I think it is, yes he would look scary. A couple of days before, I had a dream of my grandfather who had passed away years ago. He was tall and skinny, big beard, and was a trapper and a bit of a hermit. We were always a bit scared of him growing up, but if it was him, Hi Grandpa-it looks like Scarlett has met you!

It's all Work

I didn't realize how much I was liking the blogging thing, until I seem to have stopped for a bit. Lately, it's been all work-new email system, new newsletters, meeting and interviewing new contractors, and one really exciting "new"event-Elan's Natural Birth and Pregnancy Info Night! Really, it's not a new idea, as I did have these prior to Scarlett's arrival, but where did the 2+ years go?

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=168012793246556

So now my head is buzzing with pregnant bellies, talk of placentas, belly casts, doulas and all things mom and baby related.

If you chance upon this and want to share an evening with us, please come! It's my chance to have some fun in a work related manner!

L-O-V-E

Kids and Chiropractic

I haven't been here lately, but I've actually been working, and Scarlett hasn't napped in a week, so I've been busy. A little tired too.

Something that has come up a dozen times or more at work in the past week or two, is the subject of kids and chiropractic. I would like to share one link to all of the articles on the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association's website. You can check it out if you're wondering if chiropractic can help... asthma, constipation, attention disorders, torticollis, etc.

http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/

As it says on the website, "It is important to realize that chiropractic is not the treatment of any condition. The purpose of chiropractic is to find and reduce stress and interference to the nerve system, allowing the person to experience greater function and an overall improved quality of life."

If you have time to watch this, here's a video of a baby's first Network entrainment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08-8tnoogyg&feature=related

You can see how a baby is adjusted with NSA (Network), and helps them to learn how to release and self-regulate the tension in their bodies. Our daughter was also adjusted the day after her birth (and I felt so bad I didn't adjust her minutes after being born!), but all she did was open her eyes and spit up.

Not So Spa Day

We have a fun little event at the office called Not So Spa Day. A day for you, but instead of relaxing (at the spa), we make you work!

We have chiropractic adjustments, massage, yoga, breath work sessions, and lunch.

Here's a shot of our fun day:

I think our office makes a nice yoga studio, too. The next Not So Spa day is in May!

Birth and Pregnancy Resources

Wow! Dr Jeanne Ohm of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association has just put together one of the most comprehensive sites for pregnancy and birth resources:

http://www.makinmiracles.com/resources.html

I'm sure you'll find a few sites of interest.

Bowness Icebreaker

What to do on a Sunday morning? The 3rd Annual Bowness Icebreaker!

Balloon animals and face painting!Music-this is local teen band Here on the Sun.

Food! Including Scarlett's fudgsicle that she wouldn't share.

I'm a New Fan!

I had not heard of Miranda Kerr until today, but I'm a fan. Anyone who is famous, has a baby the old fashioned way, wants to share it, and is breastfeeding, gets my vote.

http://www.popsugar.com.au/Miranda-Kerr-Orlando-Bloom-Name-Son-Flynn-Bloom-Photo-Miranda-Kerr-Breastfeeding-13331118

And can I please look that beautiful with our next newborn baby?

Paradox of Days

Our daughter is experiencing our extremes of parenting this week. After being so committed to not using a dayhome/nanny/alternate caregiver, we're probably doing it. AND we're still taking her to work. Especially this week, our child has been subjected to 2 full shifts (it only means 2-3 hours) and one day of only one hour at the office. With possibly another visit coming up later in the week.

She's had the chance to practice some running around the open adjusting area, play chase with daddy and visiting kids, be with mom during an interview with a massage therapist (it's a great way to test the interviewee), greet clients, play on the computer and whatever else she could get up to (usually ignoring the toys). She seems to love my "new" office space, as do I. She also gets adjusted more often when she just hangs around the office, so it is a win-win.

Then one day this week we interviewed a day home, so she got to play with 2 new kids, and 2 new pets. I justify that it would probably be a good break from being dragged around with mommy and daddy all of the time.

We have some decisions to make, but once I got past my hurdle of thinking that I never wanted to use another caregiver, things seem a lot easier.

I have hesitated on the caregiver route because everything I had read about a full-time caregiver, seemed to be everything that I didn't want when raising my child. Unfortunately, I haven't seen as much information on children in part time childcare. My feeling is that at her age, 2 partial days a week is appropriate for her and her development. And her independence. Our only real test will be when we actually do this.

So my take your baby to work little girl, will soon get some vacation from work.

Blessed

Do you have a word that defines you or your life?

I was complimenting a patient on her beautiful silver bracelet-when she showed me that it had words and phrases of blessings and gratitude's. It was given to her from a friend, to remind her of her blessings in life, and her word in life. Blessed.

Isn't that simple? One little word and it can completely change your attitude. Or at least it changes mine.

We all have so many things to be grateful for, when we look for them.

Of course, now I also want to pick a word for me. I like serene and sparkling, but they don't have the same impact as blessed. I will have to keep thinking of words that reflect everything that I am, do and have.

Which brings me to the thought that once in grade 7, we had to describe our classmates with a word, and for some reason, I think we had to compare to a fabric (Why, oh why?). A boy in my class said I was like velvet. I won't get into any reasons of why he thought this because it was utterly embarrassing at the time, but today, I do like the idea of being like velvet.

So I will be serene, sparkling, and like velvet. Does that describe me?

Dell 2

We went back to the Dell Cafe last night for Friday night burgers and chinese food. Our lucky little girl was given this special plate of fish and moose cut out from carrot slices. So cute! (For some background on the Dell, read my Dell'icious post from last year.)

That's all for now. Naps around this house have been rare.

Today is Hard

I saw the title on Mothering.com, and had to agree.

It's the first real day back to work after the holidays. The two days I worked between Christmas and New Years didn't count because they were so casual. Our clients were relaxed and with no worries about the commute to our office.

Today, other people's kids were back in school. Other people have probably started back at the gym. Me? I haven't been at the gym in years, and my only serious consideration to return was to use the child care so I could have a real shower.

I haven't made any new year's resolutions, so I haven't needed to make that first step. Isn't that the hardest part-just getting the motivation to start and get out the door?

Today is hard getting back into the routine of things. It was an early start; Scarlett was cranky about getting up & kept staying "I stay" when Scott tried to get her out of the house, first to gymnastics, then to the office; the second nature of what to do at work isn't there right now.

Once I finally get back to the office, and back to the routine, it almost feels like a relief. And isn't it a lovely new start once the calendar turns to January? We get a bonus new start at Elan this year, as we have two newly changed over, and now painted, rooms at the office. New practitioners, new energy, and a new year. All at once. Just in time for the new moon tonight. So tomorrow shouldn't be as hard.