I am feeling a desire to write, yet am not certain about a topic. I could write about a recent birth, broadcast (and excessively commented on) live on the internet. Or write about the way our family is choosing to protect ourselves this flu season (simplified version: garlic and hand sanitizer). But I don't feel like being opinionated today, the mood I feel is too laid back for drama. I took North and Sky to Cafe Mokka today for hot chocolate. North took one sip of his chocolate and then was done with his drink. The drink was VERY rich, so I understood why it was too much for his taste buds. Afterwards, we walked around the frog pond in the rainy drizzle. It was very nice.

The boys and I have been doing a lot of hanging out around the house lately. North had a friend over yesterday to play. As I watched and interacted at the appropriate moments, I realized that North needs help sharing. What two-year old doesn't? But the way in which North says "Mine!" is rather annoying, so the next time a friend comes over to play, I will have that family bring over a couple of toys of their own so we can work on negotiating skills and using appropriate language together.

I am working on a rewards chart to use with North. He really enjoys stickers and so I will use stickers help him visualize a system of rewards. My thinking is this: Reed and I are using discipline and harsher voice tones more often with North as his expressive language and mental capacities are creating more instances of defiance and impulsive behavior. I use "the red chair" (stern voice over) as a time out/ change the energy discipline object. For us the discipline is not the act of sitting in the chair, but instead the talking over the problem afterward. Some days, depending on my levels of patience (and willingness to predict a behavior before a problem occurs!) North visits that red chair more often then I feel is helpful for the both of us.

Therefore, I want to also reward him for the good behavior within our day. He needs to understand that I value his role within this family; all behaviors included. The rewards for good behavior will not be linked to a punishment(i.e. coercion or bribery), but hopefully will build North's character at the same time as he is developing the emotional maturity to understand the logic of his decisions.

I am think I will start off by writing/drawing a picture of three chores: setting the table, sweeping the floor, and picking up toys. All three North does well, but are not yet a mandatory part of the day. Therefore, North can choose whether or not he wants to earn a sticker on his chart for completing the task. Once 4 stickers are on the chart he gets his reward.

I am stuck on the reward part though. I don't want to use sugar food as I don't feel it is a life lesson I want to reinforce with my kids, yet I don't want to use dollar store junk either. I need something immediate and gratifying. North would be happy with just his stickers, but I like the idea of him learning how to work towards a goal. So I am stuck until a brainstorm revels an answer.

Sky continues to do well. The teeth are still giving him some discomfort, but just being close to the breast and having chewies available seem to be helping. North has begun singing songs, so I will often ask him to sing to his brother as Sky loves anything that North does. I am thinking of getting a Bumpo seat to use in the bathtub. I have put Sky in the tub with North a few times and they both enjoy the experience. Sky loves to float on his back, but after a while my back hurts! I think he will enjoy sitting in the tub with his brother. I am thinking that if I keep the water level low and hover VERY CLOSE, IF NOT ACTUALLY BEING IN THE TUB MYSELF, the idea with the chair might actually work.

and then I woke up this morning...

to find another tooth in Sky's mouth!

Pictures

We all went for a hike along the trail at College Cove earlier last week.

In the last few mornings, I have been putting out flour on a tray for North to explore.

Lesson for Mama: corn flour - not so good for cleaning up, bleached flour - even worse. I need to buy corn meal!

Reed went running and snapped a ligament in his ankle. He is on crutches for a few weeks. Bummer for him, but good news for me. Because I had someone around confined to the chair (reading books to North and Sky), I cleaned out the chicken coop, sorted the boys closet, and deep cleaned the fish tank!

Skyer has been drooly practically from the day he was born, but in the last few days he has really wanted to have something in his mouth to chew on.

And so I finally caught up with the game...and look!

Ok, it didn't really show up in the picture, but it is a tooth! He is handling the pain really well. I have two chewies that he really likes and have a circulating supply of frozen washcloths in the freezer for him to use. Unfortunately, like North, Sky has begun growing teeth before he is able to consistently grasp well. It is often me who holds the chewies up to his mouth. Thus, more time in the Ergo! (it is easier to hold a chewie and continue on with our day)

Today as I was paying bills, North said, "I drawed a diamond!" And by golly, he had.

I opened our curtains yesterday morning to see this on the window frame. Yuck. It was so freaky looking that I couldn't even get up the nerve to get close enough to squish it. I sent Reed limping over to to the dirty work. Does anyone know what kind of spider it was?

Halloween 2009

Saturday night, North dressed up as Clifford, the Big Red Dog and hit the town for some evening fun.

First, we stopped by Daddy's work to see him.

Then, we went to a Halloween carnival. North saw an old (young?) friend.

At the carnival there were games to play and decorative balloons to punch.

Sky even stayed awake for the party!

Did I mention that North makes a cute Clifford?

Changing

North and I have been talking about the autumn a lot recently. Well, I have been talking anyway.

When we go for a walk, I show him the leaves on the street and the changing colors of the trees. I tell him that the trees are getting ready to go to sleep, soon it will be winter. When we find dead bugs, I tell him that the bugs are dying because the air is getting colder. We are reading Halloween books, apple books and pumpkin books. It is fun guiding North into an understanding of the cycling seasons.

In the past two weeks, we have been eating a lot of cabbage. Our veggies from Eddy have included green cabbage, red cabbage, and savory cabbage. Mostly I have added the cabbage into a mixture of sauteed vegetables, but I also made a 24-hour refrigerated cabbage relish as well as steaming the leaves with pepper and salt. This week we got a few squash, I roasted winter squash and made soup as well as cubing and eating it warm.

I feel as though my body is storing up nutrients in preparation for the coming cold months. Since the spring, I have been consuming a much wider variety of produce as well a larger quantity. My meat and processed food intake is much lower.

I wouldn't call myself Sunny Sunshine yet, but I am working on it. Having a better nourished body is making my ability to stay positive much easier. It is so easy to get caught up in eating sugar, surrounding oneself with people who thrive on drama, not drinking enough water, getting exercise; all negative things that will affect mood and energy.

I can't promise I will feel warm and fuzzy everyday in January, but the intent is to try. Who wants to be around a grumpy person? (My inventory includes for blogs too. I realized I was spending too much time reading about other people's never-changing, ending problems. "Grow up already! Change and move forward!" In the meantime, I am over it.) Toss out the dust, move on to things that are meaningful.

Like my family.

Actually? Did you just say "actually?"

North and I were putting on shoes before going out for a walk around the neighborhood. North asked, "my shoes?"

I said, "These are North's shoes"

To which he replied, "Actually, these are Eli's shoes. (the shoes were hand-me-downs)


Later after waking up from a nap he informed me, "I need a rag to wipe my nose."

Sky has a grumpy day...Maybe he doesn't like the pumpkin patch?

Sunday afternoon, Reed and I napped the kids early so we could go to the pumpkin patch before the next rain storm. Although most of the pictures show Sky scowling and North being carried by Reed, we really did have a great time. We lucked out with the weather in addition to finding two great pumpkins. This year we are waiting to carve our pumpkins until the week of Halloween. Last year, the faces caved in from an abundance of mold. (Don't laugh, Leslie!)

I promise you that Sky was rested during this picture. Maybe he doesn't like the color orange?

North was fascinated by the rotting pumpkins. After about 19 pumpkin probes, I finally convinced him to use his boot to poke the decaying flesh.

Then His Royal Highness decided he needed a ride back to the tractor. Daddy got to prove how strong he really is.

After the pumpkin selection and tractor ride, North got his face painted, ate a corn dog and apple cider (shh, don't tell his Mama), and played in the hay maze.

Let's check on Skyler. Yup, still grumpy.