There has been a lot of crafting going on this week, as Ella and I decided to make some dolls. I took a great introductory dollmaking class last year at the Eugene Waldorf School, and used my notes from that class, and the book Making Waldorf Dolls by Maricristin Sealey to guide us. Ella was able to stuff, sew, and embroider the face of her doll (the red one) by herself, and the hair style is all her doing! She also really enjoyed stuffing the body and arms. I helped out with the rest of the body and all over stitching. Can you tell how much she loves these dolls! What kind of crafting have you been up to this week? *Joining the fine crafty folks at Frontier Dreams! … [Read more...]
A Sweet and Simple Birthday Celebration
My sweet little Everett Alder turned two today. It's almost impossible to believe that the mellow baby I birthed two years ago is the same active and talkative little boy! His sweet spirit has remained constant - underneath his loud voice and big energy is a sensitive soul. We love him so. We planned a day of quiet celebration, just our family, and after a big celebration for my (38th!!) birthday just two days ago, it was nice to have a peaceful day. Ev awoke to a new (used) Brio train set, and after breakfast we biked to the train depot to watch trains. What fun for a two year old boy to live in a town with an Amtrak station just a few blocks away! I stitched him up a new wool felt … [Read more...]
Finger knitting with children
Monday was an adventure day, as the kids and I joined a good friend and her children on a trip to the coast. The whole day was so much fun - mamas chatting in the front seat, kids piled into the back of her minivan, picnic lunch on the sand, hunting for treasure, climbing sand dunes, and eating ice cream. It was such a necessary recharge for me; a chance to spend hours connecting with another woman, another mother, who faces many of the same joys and challenges as I do. Her 5 year old daughter, C spent much of the car ride finger knitting. I had been taught a version of finger knitting by one of Ella's Waldorf school teachers, but it was way too complicated for Ella - wrapping around 4 … [Read more...]
Peaceful Parenting Resources
As the mama of two young children, I spend a lot of time reading, talking, and thinking about parenting. I'm always so excited to read a book or a blog that guides me towards new ways of parenting peacefully and unconditionally. I would love to share a short list of some of my favorite parenting resources. Websites and Blogs: Aha! Parenting - Dr. Laura Markham's website is packed with resources and information on how to peacefully parent babies to teens. She also has a twice-weekly coaching email. The Daily Groove - Scott Noelle's parenting e-newsletter. The Parenting Passageway - Homeschooling and peaceful parenting, with a Waldorf-inspired, developmentally appropriate … [Read more...]
First Steps
And he's off! For the past few weeks, Everett's been standing up and taking one or two tentative first steps. But this morning, something within him clicked, and he walked gleefully across the room from person to person, with a proud smile on his face that said, "I did it!" And so begins the next era of our sweet babe's life! … [Read more...]