The Farm Report – Page 92 – Archiving the early years

Field Trip: 8/5

August 5, 2008

I love our trips to the Farm Down South. Today it was pouring down rain, but they assured us there was less rain down there than up north, so many of us persevered and went anyway. And, um, it still rained the whole time we were there. Actually, that's not true. Just as we began loading into the car to go home, the sun peeked out of the clouds.

Anyway, fabulous as always. Baby goats to feed and momma goats to milk. Horses to brush and eggs to gather. The highlight of the day, however, came when everyone in the group got to hold a baby chick at the same time. The kids are still talking about it. And no, Shep did not hurt his chick. Her missing neck feathers are apparently some sort of genetic mutation.

I forgot the good camera again, which is just as well considering the ridiculous amount of rain.

Even though we had a great time, but I did have two complaints. The group was a bit large. Originally having 21 people, I was under the impression we would be the only people there. But they packed them in, and it made for some crowded conditions. This farmer was also not my top choice of tour guide. He charged right into explaining that we eat cows and pigs, and by the worried look on many parent faces, you could tell this subject had not yet been broached in their homes. Also, he was a bit too concerned about making sure everyone got a picture of their kid doing each thing. And this is coming from a person who takes a camera everywhere.

But all in all, excellent, and I imagine we'll go again. Hopefully, with a little less rain.
Summer continues

August 3, 2008

(Photo by Tom.)
Animal planet

August 2, 2008

It's kind of one big Backyard Bug Adventure around here. Every day it's kind of a mystery about what will be in the bug cage by the end of the day.

Today we hit the jackpot…a caterpillar. A fuzzy, adorable caterpillar. (Who poops green, if you'd like to know.) Neko is determined to see it through to a butterfly, so with some help from What's That Bug, we determined that we have a Wooly Bear caterpillar on our hands. It eats milkweed and will turn into a Tiger Moth if we can keep it alive. So we've decked out to bug cage in sticks and dirt and delicious leaves.

Cross your fingers.
Making music

August 1, 2008

I wandered over to School today and caught the 3rd through 6th grade music camp making instruments. The first picture is handmade guitars and the second is of drums.
Ellery

July 31, 2008

I constructed a plan for this summer at the end of last school year. Neko’s preschool has week-long camps during the summer. I signed Neko up for three weeks, sprinkled throughout the summer. And then I signed Neko and Shep both up for the last week. I thought it would be a great transition. As Neko leaves the school, she can show him the ropes. Shep can get his feet wet with a little hand-holding.

The plan has worked out great. Shep went charging in the first day without looking back. He barely had time to say goodbye. I have a feeling he may have a bit more hesitation on his actual first day of preschool, but this has been a great introduction.

The flip side of this? Every morning this week, its just Ellery and I. Monday we did a runaround to cancel a rained-out preschool playgroup and then ran a few errands. Tuesday we went to get the car serviced. Yesterday we made a run to Old Navy to pick up some pre-vacation items. But today I took a chance to breathe and do something just for Ellery.

We parked on campus and went for a walk, with no particular destination in mind. She hopped out of my arms and began to toddle down the walk, but then looked back, and grabbed my hand. And we walked, hand in hand for what seemed like ages. My other kids never did that. They were squirmy and wiggly. Neko ran and ran until her legs gave out, always 20 feet ahead of me. Shep stopped and started and poked around in the leaves. But Ellery seems content to walk and just be with someone. When we reached one of my favorite spots, we stopped and I sat on a bench. She ran and played. She found a bike rack (pictured above) and climbed in and out and under for over 20 minutes. THIS is the child those other moms had, the moms that sat and chatted at the park while I completed a full aerobic workout just keeping up with Neko.

When it was time to go pick up Shep and Neko, I gathered Ellery in the stroller with a snack, and she happily kicked her feet and chattered as we made our way back to the car.

While I’m sad to see Neko head off to kindergarten and Shep to preschool, I find myself excited to spend some time with my youngest. She hasn’t had as much of me as the other two, and it’s time for her to get her share. And maybe in return she can teach me how to be so content and happy simply being in the moment.
I am not above outright bribery

July 30, 2008

I don’t think any of us like taking our kids to the doctor, particularly when it involves vaccinations. But when they were little, they had no idea what was coming. One minute they’re showing the doctor they know how to say “bababa” and then the next someone is sticking a sharp needle in their thigh.

But Neko is five now. She has caught on to this routine and is not impressed. We haven’t had shots in a while, so she’s been warming up to the doctor’s office a little bit, you know, so it’s not a tantrum the ENTIRE time we’re there.

Today she had to go to the doctor. Not just for a cold or cough, but for the dreaded 5-year-old appointment which involves FOUR shots. Yes, I said four. My friend Akiko just took her son to this same appointment, so I knew exactly what I was in for. I debated the sneak attack, feigning ignorance with a “Shots? I had no idea you were going to have to get shots!” But I think we’re past that. It was time for honesty.

So we hatched a plan.

In the picture above you see our good friend MO from the WALL-E movie. When I made the original WALL-E purchase, I scooped up this MO and stashed him. This morning Tom wrapped him up and tied it with a bow.

Shortly before the appointment, I broke it to Neko we were going. Requisite screaming and protesting ensued. And then? I revealed…THE PRESENT. I declared it could be opened after we had signed in at the doctor’s office. Suddenly tears turned to smiles, her shoes were on, and she was happily buckling the present into Ellery’s car seat.

On the way there we discussed what would happen—weighing, measuring, heart check, ears, eyes. And then I broke it to her about the shots. But then? Secret weapon number two! WALL-E band aids! There was still fear in her eyes, but it was mixed with gleeful anticipation, and suddenly she said, “Okay. I understand.”

I’m not going to lie to you, when we finally got to the shots and the first needle went in, I had to hold her down for the other three. But up until then? Perfect. Cooperative. Downright charming.

Vaccinations with MO? Mo’ better.
Summer nights

July 29, 2008

I have great memories of summer nights when I was little. Okay, most of the memories are of lying in my bed thinking, “It is totally light outside and I’m supposed to fall asleep? This makes no sense.” Which I’m sure my children think often.

But the other memories are of being able to stay up way past my bedtime and run around the yard in the warm summer night, catching fireflies and feeling like I was a part of some secret, magical place.

We’ve been letting Neko stay up a bit later lately, later than the other kids. She helps us around the yard or spends time exploring. Tonight she and I sat on the back porch and watched the bats fly out of the woods and swoop around, looking for lunch. She ran around with her bug cage, and tried to catch as many fireflies as she could before we reeled her back inside.

I know this can’t happen every night. The inevitable grouchies set in the next day, since she still boings out of bed at an ungodly hour. But every now and then? Those are memories she’ll have forever.
My name is Meteor

July 28, 2008

Before I was a parent, I probably never would have thought that one day a show called “Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks” would be playing on my television. But here we are, and my children are enraptured by tales of characters named things like Big Wheelie and Junkboy.

It’s really not a bad show. Kind of like Thomas and Cars, cute little monster trucks run around and learn to share and treat each other nicely. Which is really rather ironic if you think about monster trucks as a genre in our culture, but, whatever.

So Neko and Shep get out their big plastic trucks from Target and zoom around the house at rather dangerous speeds and pretend they are the characters. During quiet time, Neko drew this picture and asked that I replace the “N my name is Neko” portion of her door sign with this drawing of Meteor. Which is, I imagine, probably not the aesthetic the original artist was going for. You know, daisies and queens and rainbows and VROOOM MASSIVE MONSTER TRUCKS.
Regaining our sanity…oh, crap, there it went crashing to the floor again.

July 27, 2008

Life has just been silly around here. Busy. Far too eventful. It’s been a rare moment that all five of us have been in the same room together.

Today? I demanded some family time.

We love the zoo on a Sunday. They open at 9am, but that seems to be a bit of a secret from the rest of the world. Since our children wake up crazy early, we can stop for coffee and still make it by the time the gates open. Just as the crowds start rolling in, we can have an early lunch and make it home by nap time.

Just as we thought we might be returning to normal, we got a call from a good friend, reporting that their home had been burglarized while they were away for the weekend. And then some other stuff went down and Tom and I looked at each other and decided that August could not come soon enough.
Press!

July 26, 2008

No, it’s not an ad for the second installment of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Look to the left of the jeans. It’s press! For us! A Green issue of the local Big City magazine pimps out our 50 Ways shirt.