SouleMama

circles

Lately, Adelaide has taken to being heavily involved in the direction of our evening meals. Everything from orchestrating who should get which napkin to whether we need forks or spoons; and then announcing "Dinner is ready!" at the top of her lungs (Oh! I need to get that girl a dinner bell).

We all sit down, hold each others hands, and she declares loudly and with confidence, "This is a circle!" We all laugh and move through our blessing and the semi-chaos that is our meal. But my mind and heart always linger at her statement of simple truth, and the awareness that yes, indeed we are a circle in both simple and profound ways. I carry that thought with me always.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

peace

How many times have I done this before? Been in the midst of work or play to find a naked toddler running up to me - messily crumbling and melting into the bits that only come before nap time?

But there's lunch on the stove - needing stirring; books on my lap - needing reading; little ones at my side - needing loving; and toys at my feet - needing serious picking up.

With a one-arm scoop and a kiss, she's in my arms. The lunch gets stirred, the books get read, the little ones get loved, and the toys wait.

My breathing has slowed and changed to a calmer rhythym. Then I look down in my arms to find her asleep - drifted off to the sounds of our everyday. She's our baby - she may not always get a quiet room of solitude and rocking to sleep. But she does get this. This is her special lullaby.

:: :: :: ::

One in three women are victims of violence. They are our neighbors, our friends, our mothers and our sisters, they are us. It doesn't have to be our daughters. This is it, Mamas. We can change it.

UN International Women's Day - information for children
Faces of Survivors: Voices Reclaimed - photo project
Stop Violence Against Women (Safe Schools for Girls) - Amnesty International
Women Thrive Worldwide - ask your (US) senator to support the I-VAWA (International Violence Against Women Act)
Family Violence Prevention Fund - coaching boys into men

In honor of the women I love and International Women's Day.

kick-start!

I think I've told you - I'm not often on very early morning duty. It's usually Papa time. This week, trying to get Papa just a little bit of catch up rest time (which is kind of a joke - I owe this man about 7 years worth of sleep-ins), I found myself in the kitchen earlier than usual. And I went about the morning my way, which is always a bit silly in it's romantic nature, I will admit. The coffee was on and muffins were in the oven. A light segment of NPR's Morning Edition was on. The sun was streaming in through the windows, and I had my favorite vintage apron on. Just as I was pouring orange juice into a pretty little vintage pitcher, Ezra came down the stairs. After putting his granola request in, and rubbing the sleepies from his eyes, he looked up - his face full of puzzlement, "Uh, Mama. What are you listening to?"

"It's the radio, honey, why?"

"Can I change it?" he asked, nose turned up in half bewilderment and half disgust.

And before I could answer, he hopped down off his kitchen stool, went over to the computer, opened iTunes (at which point, I take over the look of half bewilderment and half disgust - where did he learn that?), and promptly opened exactly the song he was going for. Which would be Sure Shot. By the Beastie Boys.

Uh-huh. At 6:15 in the morning. And it was followed by some Led Zepplin, Jon Spencer, Tom Waits, The Clash, and Bob Dylan (electric dylan, I might add). The music was accompanied by running commentary about the entire playlist from my little guy, who has apparently been getting quite a music (and iTunes) education. Heavy on the classic rock. All before 7 am.

I started a little chat about my idea of 'morning music' and made a few suggestions. Gillian Welch? Iron & Wine? Elizabeth Mitchell? How about anything without electric guitar? Something soft? Something 'quiet'? Or, how about, let's skip the early 90's high school flashback music, okay? I was making no sense, and I knew it. I was digging myself a parenting non-answer hole - I was only a step away from, 'just because.'

"But why, Mama, isn't this "morning music?" he asked, not deterred by my arguments.

And of course, I had to admit that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Mornings are not my terrain. Who's to say that a little Beastie Boys with your orange juice isn't the best way to start a day? This little guy thinks so.

 

yes!

Oh, yes. That was a real weekend the likes of which my little family hasn't seen in a long time. It included all the important essentials that can be summed up by: a whole lot of nothing. Oh, NOTHING feels so good.

And your kindness in words too - my goodness, thank you. The feeling is mutual, you know. Thanks for cheering me on - I'm still having enormous amounts of fun in this space.

Hello, March! I am SO glad you're here.

holding on

It seems as though we're nearing the end of the nap era here. If I were completely honest with myself I'd tell you - and she - that naps are all over. Because the after fall of her napping at this point often makes for a difficult nighttime - a wakeful night with lots of nursing, some tears, and endless laps around the house in the sling with Papa.  But. She's in between. And I'm still holding on. There's something so wonderful about a little rest in the middle of the day. Besides the chance to rest body and mind, it's also one extra opportunity in the day for that special falling-asleep snuggling, as well as the refreshing opportunity for 'beginning again' upon waking. And then there's the peace it invokes nearby as we all repeat to each other, 'shhh....she's sleeping!" The sound of her sleepy breathing feels like the heartbeat of the house in those hours, as we all settle in to our quiet projects. Until that waking moment when we're all greeted with a sweet and cheery, "Good mornin'!" (each waking is like a new day). It's precious...and it's beautiful...and it's fleeting.

I'm finding myself holding on - not to the nap that seems to be ending, because clearly that's changing, and of course I'm excited to see what will come on the other side of this transition. But I'm holding on to the preciousness of it - the beauty of it - the gentleness of it all. The fingers curled up and covered in marker from the morning's play, the chosen doll or animal of the day snuggled up next to her, the sun streaming in through the windows and catching those little tendrils of hair at the back of her neck. I'm capturing a bit of it in my mind, and sometimes in my photographs. And holding it close to my heart, forever committing it to my Mama memory.

a written request

In the interest of keeping it mellow amidst all the other holiday crafting-for-little ones happening around here right now and not overdoing the matchy-matchy, I had every intention of skipping the Mama - babe matching holiday wear this year. Last year's version here and two years ago here (look at those baby cheeks!).

But then ... last week I was working in my studio on a book-related project when Adelaide snuck past the Papa defense line and burst in with a "whatchamakin, Mama?" I told her, and she rephrased her question, "You makin' me a dress, Mama?". No, honey, I replied, as I explained once again what I was making. Then I asked if she wanted to go back downstairs with Papa or work with Mama for a bit. She opted for some studio work -which for her is either moving pins from one cushion to another (endless fun), or drawing. She got right to work with a pen and some paper on the floor with a mission.

And in a minute, she handed me this drawing which was accompanied by, "My draw you makin' me a dress Mama."  Pause. And a little bit louder, "You makin' me a dress?"

Be still, my heart. Of course she's getting the dress.

Our Winter Reading Favorites

A note about Amazon: Since the start of this little blog, I've always used and linked to Amazon as a matter of ease and familiarity - Amazon as a website is one of the tools I use to organize my own book lists, seek out new books, and generally gather information. With that 'information' - I then head to either our library (when my fines aren't too high!), one of our favorite local independent bookstores, Powell's, or yes, sometimes Amazon, too. I want to let you know that I have recently begun participating in the Amazon Associates program, whereby I earn a small percentage of all sales made via links through this site. So, for example, if you follow any of these links below, or the Amazon links in my sidebar, I would earn based on anything you purchase in that shopping trip. I made this decision with the confidence that one - nothing in my content has changed or ever will change; two - my own personal buying habits will continue to remain as they always have; and three - that the earnings will - in a small but helpful way - contribute to my family. If you have questions about any of this, I'll do my best to answer them in the comments. I am not, however, up for debate. I trust that you will make the best decisions for your family, and  ask that you respect the ones I make for mine. Thank you!

And now let's talk about books...

There are a lot of books in this house - thrifted books, vintage books, purchased books, hand-me-down books, library books. They're on shelves, in baskets, under tables and chairs and in drawers. Really. While sometimes that feels absolutely magical and limitless when choosing a book, sometimes I know it can feel overwhelming too. So, for us - a system that's turned out to be really helpful is to pull them into 'themed' baskets - some that stay the same and some that change frequently. (As a side note - the kids love labeling the book baskets, with little tags they make for them, "library books, winter books, etc".)

Around the transition of each season, I pull - from all the various spots - our favorite 'seasonal' books, and these stay in a basket close at hand for the duration of the season. So the books are always around - they're just pulled a little closer to view when they're something we're focusing on, or the appropriate time of year. (The exception to this would be the straight-up traditional "Holiday" books that do get packed away with holiday decorations, because I just cannot bring myself to read The Night Before Christmas in July. I just can't do it.)

I tried very hard to keep it to our Top Ten, but you can see I failed miserably at that. I couldn't imagine leaving any of these out - they're all quite treasured by my family. So without further adieu, I bring you the favorites of our Winter books.

Christmas Treasury - Jan Brett
I can't imagine winter reading without Jan Brett's stories and tales full of scandinavian traditions. The Mitten, The Hat, and Christmas Trolls are our favorites, but I just found this treasury with a few more pulled together as one holiday collection. (As a side note - if you don't know about Jan Brett's website, and you have little ones, you must pay it a visit. It will keep you busy all winter long.)

Snow - Uri Shulevitz
This classic is simple and sweet and beautiful. When the snow starts to fall around here, we find ourselves quoting this one to each other a lot. "'It's snowing' said boy with dog. 'It's nothing' said Man with hat." It's one that contains enough repetitive phrases and such that it's a perfect read for the very-beginning readers among us.

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice - Wendy Pfeffer
A wonderful non-fiction picture book which explains the significance of Solstice, as well as some of the traditions and ways that cultures throughout history have celebrated it. There are activities and experiments as well, making this one a really wonderful homeschool or classroom resource.

The Little Fir Tree - Margaret Wise Brown
I found a vintage copy of this one illustrated by Barbara Cooney that we adore, which includes music for the carols. I haven't seen the illustrations in the new one I've just linked to, but the story is a lovely one of a living pine tree and it's presence in a family's holiday. Brown's rhymes are so sweet and the story is soothing.

The Return of the Light: Twelves Tales from Around The World for Winter Solstice - Carolyn McVickar Edwards
This collection contains traditional tales that tell how different cultures celebrate the magic of solstice. While the faiths and different cultures vary greatly, the connecting themes of 'renewal' and 'change' and 'light' connect us all, and this collection is a wonderful demonstration of that through story.

Ollie's Ski Trip and Peter and Lotta's Christmas - Elsa Beskow
Two wonderful stories by one of our favorite author/illustrators. Calvin claims Ollie's Ski Trip to be his very 'favorite book of all' - (and we have a little bit of Jack Frost  in our dress up rack). It's one of mine too - full of magic and wonder at the winter season. Peter and Lotta's Christmas is equally as beautiful as Beskow's other stories, and includes a few sweet Swedish Christmas traditions in the tale.

Owl Moon - Jane Yolen
Owl Moon is essential winter reading! Jane Yolen so perfectly captures the simplest of activities and the magic and wonder and beauty within it. A walk in the woods to look for owls turns out to be a beautiful tale of all the magic of parent & child, nature & animals. This book has inspired many a nighttime walk around here. They're definitely magical.

The Big Snow - Berta and Elmer Hader
A wonderful tale of the animals of the wood preparing for winter, with a little help from some human friends. The children love to identify the 'signs' of winter that the animals sense. "They just know winter is coming, Mama!"

Nutcracker and Swan Lake - Lizbeth Zwerger
I fell in love with Lizbeth Zwerger's illustrations after recieving The Wizard of Oz from Amy a couple of years ago. Since then, our books illustrated by her continues to grow, and theyr'e always some of our favorites. These two tales are no exception - her illustrations bring these classic tales to life in a new way. In putting this post together, I discovered her illustrated version of The Night Before Christmas. I had no idea this one was out there, but it will most definitely be on the top of our wish list this year.

Winter - Gerda Muller
Gerda Muller's four seasons board books are one of my favorite newborn gifts to give. Without words, the pictures tell the tales of the seasons - in nature, animals, and people. I always think my children will have 'outgrown' this book, but they continue to love it. (It seems to not be available on Amazon, but it is available here at Nova Natural, where you can find a lot of the books I have in this list).

The Story of the Snow Children - Sibylle Von Olfers
Is there anything more magical than the thought of staring out the window at the snowflakes and having them turn into little snow children that carry you away on a magical winter adventure? Oh my. So much delight and goodness. The illustrations in this are simply stunning. (Not available through Amazon, but I did find it here at Three Sisters Toys.)

Nutcracker - E.T.A. Hoffman, Pictures by Maurice Sendak
Yup, two versions of the Nutcracker. Who can resist Maurice Sendak? Not I. The boys and I actually really love finding different illustrated versions of the same book - it's so fascinating to them to see how differently artists can interpret the same words. And well, this Maurice Sendak Nutcracker is a lovely one, and it's with the original text so it's a hefty and wonderful read.

Christmas in Noisy Village - Astrid Lindgren
This tale of Christmas contains all that I hope my children will remember from their own childhood holiday seasons - handmade gifts, baking, singing, celebrations with friends and family, and much joy.

I know there are other wonderful Holiday/Seasonal Book Lists going on out there in BlogLand, so if you've made one on your own blog, be sure to leave a link in the comments so we can see it! Additionally, if you have a favorite that hasn't been mentioned, let us know that too!

Happy cozy winter reading to you and the little ones in your life!

fall :: coming inside

from them to me :: pockets-full of inspiration and beauty in the form of nature bits - eagerly brought home from an afternoon walk in the woods.

from me to them :: bowls of comfort and sustenance in the form of homemade applesauce - warm and ready for arriving home from an afternoon walk in the woods.

Autumn...outside and in.

a perfect weekend

Thank you!!! You all totally rocked it with the Portsmouth recommendations, and I've decided that I will never go anywhere again without asking you first. Seriously. I printed off the comments and that was our guide! I could totally have a little love affair with Portsmouth. And I don't think Portland would mind - they're sisters, I'm convinced. Portsmouth was so beautiful, full of history and vibrancy, and just the right size for me.

For those who want the Portsmouth details - we had the treat of seeing Jen's work at Nahcotta Gallery and Abby's work at Three Graces Gallery. Both quite stunning. There was yummy food and drink at The Portsmouth Brewery. A picnic at Prescott Park and Strawberry Banke. And a stop for yarn at The Yarn Basket. A heavenly hour spent leisurely at River Run Books. The Friendly Toast - top on our list, sadly had such a wait that we just couldn't do it (we opted for sleeping in. sleep is good). And the Odd Showroom was closed all weekend - though, man, I stared at their fabulous window display of vintage and handmade goodness long enough willing them to open, but that didn't work.

At the viewing of Seven Sunny Days (the whole impetus of our trip - to visit friends involved in the tour), I had the distinct pleasure/horror of feeling like a complete and total MOM while viewing this segment on wingsuits. You gotta check that video out. Calvin has already informed us that he'll "totally do that when I'm a raft guide". Ezra says he'll do it "when I'm a teenager". Great.

In the end, my favorite little moments are those we didn't plan or expect. Of course. They're the same kind of moments we get on date night, or early mornings at home before anyone else has risen. Or any other time we steal away a few minutes of time together - the little quiet moments of leisure and peace that keep the whole thing going. Sometimes they're hard to make happen in the busyness of family life, but oh - they are so worth it for the whole family. And for that, it was a perfect weekend.

lessons learned. again and again.

There's this guy in my life who seems to be an expert on this thing called breathing. I think it has something to do with having spent so much of his life upside down in a boat under water. Or a plethora of other life details that have resulted in a pretty mellow guy.

I also just happen to have three little people around me all day, every day who - by nature of their beings - are also experts on said idea of 'breathing'.

And then there's my beloved ocean. Breath itself.

So when a crazy day - full of far more commitments than we're used to, and far too many expectations of what can be done in a day with three little ones - takes a wrong turn, and things start to fall apart? Despite my own inclination sometimes to: A - forge ahead against the grain and against all sense; or B - head home to fester the day away, I really need look no further than directly in front of me to find the answer when I've forgotten it. Stop. Breathe.

And with that - twitchy and bug-eyed, all commitments and plans are abandoned, and we drive straight to the beach. Without proper beach 'gear' or plan, we sit and play for hours until we find ourselves breathing again. Another lesson.