The Farm Report

  • Sleeping like…a baby.

    Sleeping like…a baby.

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    Ellery’s party girl ways are beginning to wear on us. We get Neko and Shep to bed and she boings awake. Or she’s awake until they go to bed, and then only sleeps if she’s being held, otherwise she’s screaming. Or sometimes she just spends hours on end screaming even if she’s being held. However it shakes out, it’s usually at least 11 or 12 until she conks out for good.

    Anyway, it’s getting old.

    So I’ve been reading up on sleep theories, and last night we tried some new techniques. And, lo and behold, she fell asleep. At 8:30pm. For good.

    Half of me is beyond excited because maybe this could be the beginning of something good. The other half of me thinks it was just a one-time fluke. And the third half (I was always bad at math) is a little bit sad, because if this does really work, then my evenings of snuggling with a teeney, tiny baby on my chest are mostly over.

  • Gift basket

    Gift basket

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    We gave Rob and Brooke some tickets we couldn’t use, so they sent us this really nice gift basket full of tasty treats. And although Shep has been enjoying the dried apricots, the absolute best part of the whole package was the pieces of packing foam, which were promptly put to use as sleds.

  • Sunshine

    Sunshine

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    Another good day at Highfield.

  • Toad update

    The toad is a girl. And only eats live food. Like crickets. Which must eat something in order to keep them alive. Something we don’t keep on hand, I’m sure.

    We will be having a discussion about how the girl toad’s family really misses her and that she needs to go home. In fact, I think I hear her mother calling her now…

  • Toad

    Toad

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    On the way into the house Tom took the kids to see if we anything growing in the garden (sadly, nothing to report), and I took the stuff inside. On the way in, I saw a hopping out of the corner of my eye. It was a little toad, so without thinking too much, I scooped it up and popped it in the bug cage, thinking the kids would like to see it.

    They did not like it. They LOVED it. Neko can not stop talking about it. She and Tom went to the store to get a cheapie aquarium, and came back with this lovely flourescent toad hut. In the evening, we walked down to the pond and got stones and pond water so the toad would feel at home.

    I would also like to point out that in a true act of Motherhood, I stopped Shep from juggling the toad home, which would have resulted in its inevitable demise. Lordy, that thing is ugly.

  • Breakfast Club

    Breakfast Club

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    We moved Dinner Club to brunch today. Everyone loves breakfast and no one had to get a babysitter. We were originally scheduled to be at Ben and Kate’s, but poor Ezra has been sick, so Libby and Kevin graciously stepped in to host. This worked out well for Neko. Since she didn’t have Irene to play with, Alice the Pug graciously stepped in. And if you ask Neko about the event, she would probably remember nothing but Alice. And maybe John’s chocolate waffles.

    It’s always so good to gather together with friends and catch up. We live far away and most everyone has spouses or kids or demanding jobs to keep them busy, so we don’t see near as much of anyone as we’d like to. I love this informal setting for Dinner Club, since we get to wander from place to place, and get to chat with everyone at least a little bit.

    I’ve always thought that you don’t necessarily need to go to church on Sunday to express your gratitude for all the good things that surround you. I think gathering with good friends and food may be celebration enough. When I’m surrounded by friends, my children are laughing, and the sun is shining I try to remember to take some time to be thankful that I get stand in these shoes every day.

  • Mom stuff

    Mom stuff

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    The first photo is a chalk drawing of me and all of our family surrounding me. Maybe Neko sees us getting a few more pets someday, but this can’t possibly be representative of children.

    The last is the three chickas in Neko’s bed. It might be an absurdly blurry photo, but it’s one of those moments I’d like to remember.

  • Sneak preview

    Sneak preview

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    The facility where Neko takes gymnastics had a special one-day camp today. From 10am-2pm she’d be in camp, and I was free to go. Without her.

    As I left with just Shep and Ellery in tow, I felt a little empty. Whenever I’m not with Neko, she’s usually with Tom or my family. Or the occasional babysitter. But today she was off on her own, which is a big adjustment for her. And me. And Shep.

    When we got in the car, Shep looked around, and asked, “Neko?” He’s never really known life without her. She’s always there, the everpresent leader in each day. When we got to the zoo, Shep clung to my leg. He’s doing this lately, being a little bit shy of new people. But I think this time he was a little shy of being on his own, with no Neko to follow as she charges off to the manatee house or the gorillas. He had to make his own decisions.

    It took him a while to warm up. He didn’t want to wander far without me. But within the hour, he was off and running, pretending to be a bird, with his arms outstretched and flapping. “Flying!” he’d shout as he ran. It was kind of like he was at the zoo for the first time. Instead of keeping Neko’s 4-year-old pace, he took his time. When he caught sight of an animal, he’d point his finger and yell, “Oo! Oo! Ooooo!” He was too excited to find the words. By the time we got on the train, he was positively beaming.

    When I dropped Neko off, she had been reluctant to let me go. I had to take a moment where her attention was turned to a box of crayons to make a clean getaway. But when I picked her up, she was bouncing with excitement. “Would you like to go again sometime?” and she didn’t hesitate to give me an enthusiastic “Yes!”

    The rest of the day was, dare I say, blissfully peaceful. Neko and Shep got along, having clearly missed one another earlier in the day. After naps we all dogpiled on the couch, and where an absurd number of kisses and hugs and snuggles were had by all.

    I think we’re ready. I have no regrets about keeping Neko out of preschool this year, but she’s clearly ready to take that step now. She needs to test her wings and gain a little independence. And Shep needs to see what life is like not always being in her shadow. And I need to be eased into letting her go.

    And I think I’m okay with that. As long as everyone promises to come back and dogpile on the couch when the day is done.

  • Momergency

    Momergency

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    The Momergency Kit is finally up on the site. It feels so good to have something DONE. We got some nice press from Babygadget, which is always exciting, and it forced me to finish the details when the first order came in.

    Now I need to get back to the kid schedule project…

  • Dreaming of mermaids

    Dreaming of mermaids

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    Tonight when Tom checked in on Shep he found him sound asleep with Ariel tucked squarely between his knees.