playing possum

I read in a book recently about the whole "no girls allowed" phase and I thought naively to myself, 'boy, Ivar is so good at playing with his sisters. I wonder if he missed that phase.' I think it was the very next day I found this sign outside of his little fort. He told me it was a picture of Elsie and Harriet and that they were not allowed in his Possum House. And I couldn't decide if I was more amused by his awesome drawing or the fact that he was playing possum.

Then Elsie assured me, "it's okay because I am playing blossom over here!"

Harriet Joy: 9 months

I remember laughing hard, hard belly laughs throughout my pregnancy with Hattie. I don't know if it was the hormones or just an added measure of happiness, but I laughed deeper and fuller and was so aware of it. There was a bliss and a joy during those nine months, a sincere giddy expectancy, already over the moon for the baby inside of me. We named her Harriet Joy, sharing that middle name with her Grandma Marlene, and also because of those joyful months of hard laughs that filled my body. 

And now that she's here I know that those laughs must have affected her very being, because she is the embodiment of all of that joy. To know Hattie is to know a happy, contented, freely-smiling little baby. (...except for the recent babysitter...she might not say that! Hattie seems to be attached to her mom and dad at the moment...) But if you are her mama or daddy or big brother or big sister, you are certain to find a very charming, happy and ready-to-smile little sister ready to share her joy.

catching up on summer

Well I hardly know what to say. I haven't taken this natural of a break from my blog in a long, long time. But I suppose it has something to do with the fact that it is summer and this is the season that is packed full of farm projects. We have done a few house projects (big windows! natural light!), built a kitchen garden off to the side of our house, are finishing the upstairs of the barn and growing into the rhythm of farm chores every morning and every night.

Plus Hattie (9 months today!!!) is crawling all over and sticking stuff in her mouth all day long. She is in a much more hands-on season and this is likely why the camera is never handy to document the moment and why I am too spent to write much at the end of the day. I know from Ivar and Elsie that 8 months-18 months tend to be pretty demanding in terms of mobile babies that need supervision every moment of every day. And of course it doesn't end at 18 months, but just let me have my moment.

The whole concussion thing took it out of me for a few weeks there, so we've been making up for lost time! Rory and I are suddenly really into state parks. We have visited a few, checking out cabins and yurts to stay in, deciding what time of year would be best to stay, scoping out the beaches and bike paths. It has been a really fun summer project, sort of a "get to know your state" and has me so excited for adventures ahead.

a storm kit

A few Friday's ago I took the kids to the local pool. It was a muggy day, the week school got out and the local pool was the place to be. We met a friend and even Harriet and I got into the water to try to stay cool. But the clouds were building and the sky was growing dark and thankfully we were already beginning to load up because by the time we got in the car, it started raining cats and dogs. We got home and Rory said we should have a storm emergency drill, so the kids could practice going down the basement.

The thing is, our basement is not just another playroom. Our basement is literally from the 1890's, limestone walls, dirt and broken concrete floors, pipes, vents and storage. And the stairs to get down there require that everyone signs a waiver not to sue if they should collapse. Even Elsie has to sign the waiver. To have Ivar and Elsie "practice" being in the basement was actually a great idea, even though the storm didn't seem too severe. While down there I made a running list of things that would make the basement more accommodating for us. Like chairs. Or blankets.

Then a few nights later we watched a Daniel Tiger for family movie night that just happened to be about thunder storms. This episode showed a big storm coming to Daniel's town and his parent's had a storm kit with supplies to keep them safe.

Well you can imagine how excited my kids were to put together such a kit! We drew pictures of the things we'd need and then I took the three kids to the Dollar Tree where we got all sorts of exciting things to put in our storm kit: their own flash lights, batteries, special snacks and water bottles. Then we came home and gathered blankets, pillows, card games to play and books to read. I made a fancy sign and we put the Kit by the door to the basement for Dad to carry down.

And to their great joy, the very next afternoon, while Papa was here and I was living through day one of my concussion, the weather got so severe that they got to go down the basement! The kids were thrilled! They even went down the basement long before they had to. It was all very wonderful. Meanwhile, I stayed in bed and Rory told me he'd holler if I needed to take cover with them. I was so miserable that death by tornado didn't sound half bad.

Thankfully the kids survived and so did I. But I wanted to pass along this idea of a Storm Kit in case you have kids that are nervous of severe weather. Because this little kit has turned my kids into storm enthusiasts. Every time it rains they ask hopefully if we can go down the basement. Mostly they are hoping to eat a granola bar, but whatever. They aren't scared of severe weather and that was the goal!

Elsie's magic trick

Elsie: Mom, did you know that I am magical?

Me: I didn't know that. What's your trick?

Elsie: (seals her lips tight)

Me: Is that your trick?

Elsie: Yes, but did you know that I just said something? I did! But you couldn't hear it! I could hear it. I said, "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" but you didn't hear. So that's magical.

Me: Oh, yes. I get that. You are thinking things in your head, but not using your mouth to say the words. That is pretty magical!

Elsie: Also, (she runs from one couch to the other) when I run fast, my hair spreads out very lovely.

***

Another magical thing: My mom came and took the kids strawberry picking so that I got to play and make a pie and strawberry popsicles without doing any of the work of getting the berries. Magic.