Our Kids

Phoebe has learned to wave! She is so tickled with herself that she even waves to folks that are passing by in the store that catch her eye. Her wave is very cute but very robotic. She is also starting to scoot around. If she can rock and get herself going like when she is holding the side of the crib, she will just laugh and laugh.

She is finally busting out of her Woombie, she still likes to be in it to go to sleep but then she takes her arms out sometime during the night. You can see her sleeping with her arm above her head and she looks like a little angel.

We had a great Thanksgiving day. Jason and I both were so amazed at how good the girls were at dinner. They led the blessing which was such a treat and then they passed food, cut their food, ate and even had sparkling cider out of real wine glasses all without a hitch. It’s funny how you spend all this time teaching them proper manners etc and you think they are not getting it and then when you really want them to use them and you don’t say a word they show you that they really were listening the whole time. I am thankful for such wonderful children, not just because they are well mannered but because they are who they are.

Well this is it, we are moving to our new house on Sunday. Lots of emotions going over here but we are super excited. We have just a bit more packing to do and then the movers come on Sunday to do all the schlepping. It is going to be a big adjustment for us all but in the end it is the right thing to do for us. We are going to LOVE being so close to the girls school since we are there everyday multiple times. We are also going to be closer to Jason’s work which is a big bonus.

On the down side I think Piper has strep throat. We will be going to the doctor today to confirm or deny my suspicions. I swear I was dreaming all night about it and worrying about her and the rest of the kids. Exhausted is how I am entering in to today but I see coffee on my horizon so it won’t be so bad:) The house at the end of the rainbow is a big motivator!

Funny thing is happening at Desert Marigold, the girls have become “the twins.” Funny because they haven’t been “the twins” in ages. Their preschool, Desert Sun, had scads of twins and we did a lot of things with the twin club and one of my good friends we hang with has twins so they just haven’t been “the twins.”

But at Desert Marigold they are the one and only set of twins. This makes them a novelty to many of the students, the parents and even the teachers. Ms. Susan (our beloved teacher) wanted them because they are twins, and generally adorable:) The 7th year students share a patio with Early Childhood and many of them call me “the mom of the twins” and call the girls “the twins.”

Just this week I had several parents say, “oh you mean the twins” and “oh are you the mom of the twins.” It is kind of strange since we have spent so much time making sure they are separate beings that they are getting lumped together (in a good way). Maybe because they are getting more confident in their independence from each other it isn’t such a bad thing.

I was talking with their teacher on how we would celebrate their birthday and I made two suggestions that did not go over. The first was to celebrate their birthday early since they will be out of school on the 21st, but the answer was “but they won’t be six.” Um, I guess not. The second suggestion was that we celebrate their birthdays on different days and the answer was, “but they did not come out that way.” Um, I guess not. It is different and wonderful at the same time. A lot of emphasis is put on when and how you got here and birthdays are quite revered at school, a very special day where it isn’t about presents but about feeling special that you are here. The parents come in on birth day days and bring things from the child’s birth and early years and show them to all the kids. They light a special candle that is made by the parents from beeswax (I have already made one for each of the girls) and they are treated like prince and princesses for the day by all the children. With so much emphasis on the stages of development and the actual day of birth I can see why celebrating early or separating their birth day would not work.

It is good for me to learn this lesson, I have been a bit ho hum about birthdays but I can get behind celebrating the day of birth.

Well it has been interesting here with the girls really changing how they play. Waldorf education is certainly different and some things take a lot of getting used to. For example all the education is geared toward “changes” that happen in a small persons life, the 6 year old change, the 9th year change etc. It all centers around what is developmentally appropriate based on what the brain and body can do and when.

The 1st period lasts up to age 6 and is the Physical Body, the 2nd starts at age 6 and is Life and Rhythmic Organization. You can find out more about what is in these period online. I only mention them because I think Piper is moving from one phase to another and it is so obvious if you know what you are looking at/for. Since play time generally takes it cues from Piper at home her change is affecting every one else.

Piper is so full of adventure, discovery, exploration, and defiance (but not in an unruly sort of way just a “where are my boundaries” sort of way). She is the ring leader outside on their adventures to explore every nook and cranny of the backyard that has been her home for nearly 3 years but she is seeing it in a whole new way. It is fascinating to watch. They could play for hours out there together (all 3 of them) and Phoebe is content to watch them. I am so enjoying having them so active outside and I am so happy we stuck with our decision to 86 television. That is not to say they don’t watch the occasional movie on TV on the weekends and of course there might be a football game on now and then but gone are all the TV shows. I think the absence of TV has really helped her imagination take over in a way I had not anticipated.

Even as we were making our holiday lists this year only one commercial toy made it on the list (Rainbow Dash). The list consisted of musical instruments, sewing kits, felting kits, knitting kits, tea sets and jump ropes. I did not even suggest any of those things. I know they are being influenced by school but I am happy to get in to those things with them, what fun! The girls are still retaining their individuality though, Lela wants to learn to use a sewing machine while Piper (who is much most dexterous and coordinated wants to sew by hand). Interesting:) Lela wants to finger knit and Piper wants knitting needles, interesting that if you just let them be they ask for things that suits their natural ability.

Tonight is the Lantern Walk at the girls school. They are so super excited. They have been making their lanterns at school and the 7th grade (I think) has made lanterns to light a path in and around the whole school. The ritual of the lantern walk is quite nice and peaceful. Landis and I picked up some lanterns for ourselves since we have not had time to make them and we are looking forward to it as well.

Here is the general idea of the event:
Martinmas/Lantern Walk

St. Martin of Tours was born in 316 and died on November 11, 397. He is known as a
deeply religious man who shared his cloak with a beggar and represents the attitude of
brotherliness. According to old customs at this time, as the days become shorter and the
stars appear earlier, children would walk with lanterns through the streets singing. As the
world grows darker, the inner light of man wants to shine forth.

I can’t say how much I love the girls music class, Let’s Play Music. We have been going for two years now and we still love it. The only challenge is the stay day. Last year it was okay because Landis just stayed right beside me and we went through the class with her silently participating. This year I have Landis and Phoebe. Our instructor has hired a sitter and we all pitch in to pay her which is nice. The only thing is that Landis is afraid of the instructors little boy because he is active and can be loud. So as soon as she walks in she starts furiously twirling her hair (her soothing mechanism) and I know she can’t wait to get out of there. Also I am generally wearing/holding Phoebe and the room with the keyboards gets a little tight. I have a mild to medium case of claustrophobia so the constant shuffling around and moving from room to room with the class gets me a bit stressed. I really want to keep going with this but after yesterday’s class I was a nervous wreck almost to the state of a panic attack. The instructors son was screaming in the other room and I knew Landis was terrified so I finally went and got her and then put Phoebe in the moby and powered through. I needed some serious alone time after that, luckily we had walked so I had a bit of fresh air to soothe my jangled spirirt. Sigh, I have got to come up with a better solution if we are going to keep at this. Once we move it will be a 25 minute drive each way which will just add another layer of stress. Sigh!

I find it interesting what Landis picks up from the girls. At some point she has seen them pick up a rock and call it a sharks tooth, generally the ones Piper finds actually looks like a shark tooth. Now Landis is collecting rocks, more rocks and more rocks and calling each and every one a sharks tooth. One day we spent about 15 minutes in a parking lot collecting sharks teeth. It is so cute and she is so super excited when she find them. I love seeing her pick up things from her sisters and then be so proud of herself. Some days she seems an awful lot like Piper and then other days she has quirks and traits that are definitely Lela. Piper is the shark tooth collector but Lela is the treasure saver, Landis has both those things, she finds the “teeth” and also saves them.

Now what in the heck do I do with all these teeth??