switching rooms

We switched rooms with Ivar this week.  I was so excited to move into the bigger room. So happy at the thought of having a closet in my room, a reading chair, creating a little haven where I might find some quiet. 

Well, it was a nice thought. But it didn't work...at all. Ivar's new room is the only access to Elsie's room. So when Elsie woke up each morning, she woke her brother too. Who happens to be very crabby if he doesn't wake up on his own. And naps were terrible too. Ivar goes down before Elsie for the afternoon nap. So I had trouble sneaking Elsie into her crib without waking Ivar. 

After five nights of miserable sleep, Rory announced that we would be switching rooms again. It was the right thing to do. Our kids are good sleepers, and this just wasn't worth it. So we took our queen bed apart again, moved the mattresses back through the doorways, lifted the crib through both doors, switched the dressers, brought all the toys back to the big room and switched all the wall art again. 

I have a feeling we won't be switching rooms for a long, long time.

*And yes, that is Ivar's crib. The boy hasn't tried getting out yet, and based on stories from other parents of kids not staying in their beds, we decided to keep Ivar in his crib until he's 17. 

...Or until he actually attempts to get out.

so much maple syrup

Well this has been quite the year to try our hand at making maple syrup. The conditions have been perfect, the sap is plentiful and we'd consider our first year a success. Rory has collected over 90 gallons (!!!) of sap and we can hardly keep up with the evaporating. We found food-grade 5 gallon buckets to keep the sap until we can get it boiled down. On Saturday night I came home around 10:30 after meeting my sister for dinner. I turned into our lane and found Rory next to his fire, waiting for the sap to boil down. It was quite the site.

We're mostly excited because this much syrup is going to mean lots of gifts for family and Rory is hoping to bottle enough to sell. We have learned a lot about Minnesota Grown at our farm class and are really excited about the thought of recouping some of our costs this first year.

body image and baby bangs

We came home from the library with this book in the stack. Ivar loves it and constantly asks if we can go there. He likes the idea of going swimming.

I love the book because each page is like body therapy for me.  Each mom pictured seems to say to me, "it's okay. we've got little kids. life is hairy. you're doing your best. we're all okay. besides, you are most beautiful when you are taking good care of your kiddos"

The words are few in this book, but very accurate. And the facials on the mom are awesome. She looks tuckered after this adventure.

Having babies take a toll on the body. And being chronically tired often results in lots of high sugar "quick energy" grabs. And having kids can lead a mom to many thoughts about her identity and all that it means to be "Mama" but also all that it means to still be "Becca." And as if all of that were not enough, she's given a mohawk of whispy hairs, right in the front of her forehead, called Baby Bangs.

I never got baby bangs with Ivar. But I'm making up for that now. I saw a friend post a picture of her baby bangs on instagram and it made me laugh out loud. Thought I'd post my magnificent front poof in an attempt to laugh at the mess I have to deal with each morning.

feathers and chicken feet

The girls are growing. They change every single day. Mostly they're loosing their fluff and growing feathers. But I cannot believe how quickly this happens. Feathers literally grow overnight.

We got our chickens from a woman named Theri who sells fresh eggs as well as baby chicks. I feel so fortunate that we found her. I wrote to her about how the chickens seems sort of restless in their box and she emailed right away explaining that they would go through a stage of being kind of spazzy. That they're teenagers now and will be a bit flighty no matter how we've spoiled them. And that they get restless too because they do a lot of itching when their feathers come in. It was helpful to know. We've exchanged many more emails and I'm learning so much.

If you're considering ever getting chickens, I highly recommend Theri. Her email is: prairiechickpoultry@gmail.com 

Here's Butterscotch Cookies. Look at how she's growing! 

And now, for a chicken confession:
I have this funny thing with the chicken feet. I can handle the flapping, the pecking and the pooping. But I guess I sort of have a fear of chicken feet. Talons, if you will. I can't look at them when I'm holding the chick. I can obviously have them touching me. They're soft and sort of tickle but if I look at them while holding the chickens, I freak out a bit. As in, Ivar comes running asking, "Mama, are you okay?" And Rory asked if there was a crow in with the chickens because apparently that's the kind of sound I make when I look at the chicken feet on my hand.  They're sort of wormy to me. Reptile like. And I have a real fear of reptiles and... worms.

Anyway, it's silly. In my head I can recognize how ridiculous this is.  But in the moment I pit out a bit and have to look at something other than those little feet resting on my hand.

So now you know. I am phobic of talons. And the reality I am trying to wrap my head around is this: they are only going to get bigger.

the chicken coop

Rory is a doer. I've said that many times before, but it always amazes me to watch him in action. We knew we were going to build our own coop, but then Rory decided he would draw up his own plans. This is the final sketch and it will be awesome. At the moment he is out in the garage, finished with the base and legs and now beginning to build the walls. I'll have much to report on Monday.

Speaking of chickens, I entered Legos into a chicken competition. No fighting in this one, just good looks. If you would, stop by the Backyard Farmer to vote for Legos (it's a great blog...I just started reading). In all honesty, the chicken Legos is up against is really cute too (her name is Ugly Stepsister. So funny.) so it will be a tough win. But with your help, little Legos might stand a chance. Go and vote now.

On Monday I'll be back with pictures of our chickens at three weeks old. I am taking pictures of them once a week...I can't get over how quickly they change.

And speaking of change, Elsie is also growing before my very eyes. She is army crawling with great speed and now says, "Mama." It's my favorite sound in the world. She screams with delight at the chicks and if close enough, tries to grab them. It's pretty adorable all the way around: chicks cheeping and babies squealing.