Waldorf Base Layers for Seattle

My three boys are all very different in how they approach the solution to Seattle's constantly shifting weather patterns - but they all layer! Layering is essential if you want to stay comfortable in a climate that can be warm and sunny, windy and rainy, foggy and misty all in the same day! One of my boys wears a sweater every day - even warm ones. He knows he can always take it off but likes the comfort of being warm in the cooler mornings. One of them wears shorts most of the year but as it gets cooler he adds knee socks and long underwear. The youngest boy seems to think the more colors and patterns he throws together the warmer he will stay. Whatever your approach is to staying warm and comfy all year long in the northwest, a good base layer is a crucial part of any wardrobe.

I have covered my recommendations for a good top layer - the rain gear piece. Now let's discuss the bottom layer - equally important but not as sexy! There is really only one rule - NO COTTON! The material touching your little one's skin should wick moisture away and keep them warm. There are a lot of different makes and models out there but the materials that work best are wool, wool/silk blend, silk and polyester. The Waldorf preference is always going to be a natural fiber and I will discuss those first...but your budget may not fall on that side of the fence so I will also talk about synthetic options that work.

Wool

Wool long underwear has a lot of pros: it is breathable, warm in the winter, cool in the summer, wicks moisture from the skin, insulates even when wet, odor resistant, sustainable and a natural fiber. Its con list is pretty short: it is expensive. Some folks will say it is hard to take care of but in my experience merino long underwear is about the same to maintain as any synthetic I have used. There are several good brands of wool base layer. Here are the ones that I am familiar with.

Icebreaker

Icebreaker is a brand carried at REI, Cabelas, amazon. com and more. It is manufactured from New Zealand merino wool and is machine washable. Ours have been dried accidentally a few times and do not seem worse for the wear. I have found great deals on both REI outlet and Sierra Trading Post. My high-sensory boy loves this stuff and wears it top and bottom almost every day of the year.

Polarn O. Pyret

Polarn O. Pyret is a Swedish company committed to good-looking clothes that let children be children. They offer an immense and impressive selection of merino items for babies and children. Mittens, socks, long underwear, rompers, balaclavas and hats. You name it, they make it out of wool. Their rain gear is awesome, too! Their stuff is pricey, but they have fairly regular sales and everything I have purchased from them is very high quality.

Hocosa

Hocosa is a Swiss brand that offers wool and wool/silk (70/30) blend products.  Their products are widely available on amazon.com and several Waldorf websites. I have not personally used their products, but they come highly recommended. The wool/silk blend products work well for kids complaining of the "itchiness" of 100% wool products.

Silk

Silk is smooth and soft against the skin and as such is a great choice for those with really sensitive skin. That said, silk does not retain warmth as well when wet, is expensive, longer drying and may need to hand-washed. It is not the first choice for the northwest climate due to our frequent rain and almost constantly wet winters. It is certainly better than cotton, though, and if your child cannot bear wool or synthetic materials, this is a good choice. The brand that seems to consistently offer kid's long underwear in 100% silk is Thermasilk and it is available on amazon.com and campmor.com

Synthetic Fabrics

Polypropylene was first polymerized in 1954 and is the second most important plastic (based on revenues). It also keeps you warm and dry. If you cannot fit wool or silk into your budget then polypropylene or other polyesters will be your answer. Your child must have a thin, moisture-wicking, insulating layer, especially during the colder part of the year, and plastic is ready to step up and perform well. Most readily available long underwear sold by REI, LL Bean, Land's End and campmor.com is made of synthetic materials. Patagonia Capilene is an extremely high-quality synthetic line, but if you can afford it then you can afford wool :). The pros of synthetic base layers are: they are moisture wicking, easy to care for and affordable. The cons are: they are a petroleum based product and are prone to retaining odors.

What Items Does My Child Need?

Every child is different. And you know your child better than anyone. A good basic base layer stock includes 2-3 long-sleeved tops, 1-2 tank or sleeveless tops and 2-3 bottoms. If you know your child cannot tolerate sleeves, buy more tanks. If they are always cold, skip tanks altogether and buy an extra long-sleeved top. Buy everything a size up to get a little longer use and remember that you will also use these items when skiing, sailing, camping and hiking. Your child may also want to wear them for pajamas. These items will go on sale in the summer and that is a great time to stock up!

Here is a great link to REI's base layer comparison.

I hope this will help you find some clothing to help keep your child(ren) warm in all weather! Next topic will be Accessories (Hats, Gloves, Mittens and Socks)...

Happy Layering!

Waldorf Rain Gear for Seattle

The rains have come for the year and the boys are coming home with lots of wet and muddy rain gear and dirty, wet boots. Luckily, they are staying warm and dry (so far!) underneath it all. Here are my favorite brands, tips for saving money and what you can do to make sure your active little one stays dry!

Rain Boots

When it comes to keeping little toes warm and dry, there is really only one name in the game - BOGS! These boots have taken the industry by storm. They have rubber bottoms and neoprene uppers. They keep you dry and warm to -30 degrees F. They also have handy handles that make it easy for kids to put them on by themselves. So, what's the catch, right? Well, they run about $80 not including tax.

Moneysaving Tips

• Nordstrom usually has one or two styles of BOGS available at a reduced price for their Anniversary Sale in Late July.
• Check craigslist.com frequently for the next size or two your child will need.
• Check the local thrift and consignment shops.
• Check Sierra Trading Post and other discount/overstock websites.
• Google BOGS and looks for better deals.
• If forced to pay full price, buy from somewhere with a good return policy (Nordstrom, REI, amazon.com) and make sure you buy a color that any younger siblings can use as these will last 2-3 seasons minimum. You can also resell used boots you no longer need on craigslist for $20-30.

Other Boots

If for whatever reason you cannot deign to buy BOGS, here are some other boots that have worked well for me in the past.

 

LL Bean makes a great all-purpose rain boot. It will not keep your little one's toes warm...but they will be dry, they are durable, they have nice pull-on handles and have a reflective triangle on the heel. They also come in a large range of fun colors and sizes from toddler 5 up to big kid 3.






 Land's End makes my favorite snow boot. The large Velcro opening makes it easy for kids to get them on and off by themselves. They are warm, high quality and will last for several seasons.

Rain Gear

If your child is spending hours a day outside in all kinds of weather it is imperative to provide the right rain gear. The light-weight gear sold by LL Bean, Land's End, REI and Columbia are fine for a walk in the mist, but none of them will keep your little one dry in a downpour, especially if sliding down a muddy hill is involved. Here are some brands that are proven performers in all weather.

Abeko

Puddlegear by Abeko is a great option for rain gear.  Their gear is almost exclusively made in Europe, extremely durable, PVC and Phthalate free. Some of their pants come with large patches on the bum and on the knees that greatly increase the life of the pants. They also make great fleece-lined waterproof mittens that are favorites of kids.

Grundens

Grundens is a fishing company and their gear is made to work and last. It is spendy but worth the extra money spent. They sell rain pants and jackets in bold, bright colors. Like the Abeko, the pants have shoulder straps and elastic straps at the bottom of the legs to fit over boots. The jackets have hoods, but they are not removable. They do not offer mittens or hats for kids.

Polarn O. Pyret

Polarn O. Pyret is a Swedish company that offers great rain gear, other outerwear, a ton of merino items and also cute clothes. Their color options are limited (especially if you have a pink-loving girl) but they do have frequent sales and their gear is very high quality.  They have awesome waterproof hats and their waterproof mittens are the longest I have seen with great elastic snaps that keep them secure.

I think that about covers rain gear. Next topic will be base layer! I can hardly wait!

Happy Fall and get out there and splash in some puddles with your kids!

why i am leaving facebook (or killing my smart phone)

so it has been awhile since i posted. things have been a little crazy, then they were a little less crazy...but either way i didn't seem to ever have time to write. traber and i have been contemplating the future. the next few years...the next ten years. asking the big questions. usually after a couple drinks ;)

what is important? what could we live without? what are our family values?

we have very little free time, it seems, and much of it is spent tending to various "necessities" in front of a screen. for example, bills have to be paid...and it looks like i have a few messages on facebook. or let's unwind and watch an episode of parenthood...3 episodes later, hey wha' happened? checking email and getting sucked into upworthy. i know you know what i am talking about.

we are thinking about selling the tv. i have decided to trade in my smart phone for the simple virgin mobile phone simone was using. (sadly, i now know the east side well enough that i no long require the help of google maps...a sad, sad day). and when i really thought about my desire to get rid of my droid the top reason was facebook. yes, it is nice to be able to stay in touch with all of you in one convenient package. yes, it is tempting to stalk various semi-strangers without anyone knowing about it. yes, it is something to do while waiting at red lights, sitting in the waiting rooms, waiting for food to show up. but i can think of better ways to stay in touch. and when i am waiting - waiting for anything - there are usually human beings around that i could be interacting with...sometimes even the humans i love the most in the world.

you never know how many days you have left on this planet. you never know how many more minutes you have left with any one person. i do not want to look back at any more times that involve telling my 3-year-old to "wait just a minute" while i catch up on a facebook friend's workout check-in. that is not the mom i want to be. so, i will be disabling my facebook account. most of you know how to get a hold of me outside the evil empire...but if you do not, feel free to reach out to a mutual friend for my phone number (been the same for almost 15 years) or my email address. i would love to talk to you!

life skills

i have been doing a lot of preschool research the last couple of months. last year, when it was preschool decision time, i had a lot going on and sleep was not on that list. as such, i chose a school that was close, clean and affordable. the boys like their school and it meets their needs. but i decided to really do my research this year and see what i could find.

for anyone who has not been through the experience of shopping for preschools...it is INSANE! there is a great documentary on the process called "nursery university" that covers several families in manhattan. and seattle is not in the same league...but still the process is daunting. open houses, tours, applications, interviews. and this is once you have narrowed the list down to a reasonable number. and the tuition at some of these places! suffice to say, they offer financial aid.

not surprisingly, i have gravitated towards the hippy end of the spectrum - schools that treat kids as kids. places where the body and spirit are nourished as well as the mind. classes that involve getting dirty and rolling down hills.

my husband is a bit more pragmatic and requested some data on adults who attended these institutions and other like them (for grade school and high school). where are they now? are they happy? are they successful? i forwarded one of the documents provided on to him. his main concern after reading through the  information was that a majority of the students went on to soft sciences, art, teaching and the like. and this concern really got me thinking.

what is success? what is happiness? and is that really what we want for our children?

i think, for a lot of us, success equals money. ok, money and/or power. so, if i go with that definition of success, then yes, becoming a teacher is unlikely to lead to "success." certainly, going to engineering school or striving for an MBA would be a more direct route to "success." but i know that money ("success") doesn't equal happiness. at least, that is what i have been told over and over again, ad nauseam. now, i will allow that money is a sort of life lubricant. that is, it makes a lot of things easier and smoother. but since when was obtaining ANYTHING worth having EASY? and conversely, how much can you value something that was easy to come by? and in my limited, humble experience, the more stuff you have, the more stress you have.

nonetheless, it is very easy to fall into wanting my kids to be successful. well-known in their field, rich, happy and of course, extremely grateful to their parents for all they have done. but i find that as soon as i start thinking down this vein, i start thinking of all the steps along the way that need to be fulfilled for this to happen. and i start looking at my kids in a rather predatory fashion. is he smart enough? how is his hand-eye coordination? does he have what it takes? and so i think what a lot of us want for our kids is not for them to be successful and happy by their own standards, but rather that they end up successful and happy by ours.

i don't mean to imply that thinking about a child's education and future is a wholly selfish venture. i think part of the reason that i am in this quandary to begin with is that i love my kids so much and i want to give them the best start possible to what is hopefully a full and satisfying life. it is just that i am starting to focus on their soft skills a lot more than their ability to start sounding out sentences. empathy. respect...for themselves, for others, for our earth. self-control. passion for learning. and these are areas where i feel i fall short. i can teach them numbers and letters...but humility? patience? being a good listener? ha!

so we are looking at schools that cater to this need. is it cheating to pay someone else to help my children learn skills that i value but do not possess? maybe. is it worth it? i'm banking on it!

a new normal

the last couple of months have been a little rough around the edges. i quit drinking. i then proceeded to insert copious amounts of refined sugar into the slot previously allotted to alcohol. the boys are all going through a difficult phase (although, this seems to be a recurrent theme). and yet, things are getting easier. that is, i find that the husband and i seem to have a smidge of leisure time here and there. we managed to get current on glee. the wood from the two trees we cut down 7 months ago has been split and stacked. so...if things are getting easier and time is a bit freer...why have the past weeks been so difficult?

i was thinking about it and i realized that i feel like i am grieving. i have been angry, sad, resigned and a tad bitter. the hubs has mirrored these feelings. it occurs to me that we are grieving our past lives. i don't mean that in a reincarnation-i-was-a-rock-in-my-past-life kind of way. i mean our glorious-the-grass-is-always-greener-child-free lives. i know what you're thinking...your kids are over three years old...that is some strong denial. not really. anyone who has had a baby knows about the survival phase -- that lack-of-sleep induced fog that settles over you. drudgery spiked with occasional joy-filled moments. well, we had twins and then threw another one in the mix about a month after the boys started finally sleeping. so our fog was a bit extended.

and now that the mist has parted, the reality of the next 16.5 or so years look a bit daunting. and the bundles of joy have not gotten any cheaper. and the money tree we planted is STILL not producing. so there have been a lot of discussions about our priorities. and i discovered something really interesting. we can't do everything we want to do. and the things that we can do...well, sometimes we have to compromise a bit here and there. and it isn't just money holding us back. there also appears to be a precisely limited supply of time.

maybe you are now thinking that money and time were limited before you had your three kiddos, sweetheart. yes, that is true. but before the kids all the time and money was for us. remember that smidge of leisure time i alluded to earlier? how should i spend it? some well-deserved alone time? couple time to focus on our marriage and finding out if we still like each other? trying to give one of the kids some (much-needed) one-on-one time? with the whole family? since it is usually about 15 minutes, i can't very well split it 4 ways. and there is always the never-ending to-do list that beckons.

one of the things that has become really clear through all these discussions is that i need to simplify. i mean REALLY simplify. where did all this stuff come from? how much of if do i need? how much of it do i actually use? and where is all the money going? i see 2012 being a year of enormous change. i am planning a large garden and for some chickens. i am hopeful that the investment in time and materials will pay off in many ways -- lower food bills, better quality food, a shortened food chain and a lot of digging for the kids. i want to go through the house and have a major garage sale next spring. and i mean really thin the herd. i have too much stuff. i want to start knitting again. i am thinking that whenever i want sugar, i will knit instead. i am not sure anyone needs that many scarves, but...

what is really important? at the end of the day, the things that matter are our health and our happiness. do we have a roof over our heads? do we have warm clothes? do we have enough to eat? do we love each other? i know it sounds cliche. but there you have it. i came out of the fog and i am going to find those bluebirds and sunshine, goddammit!

book reviews

parenting books are a dime a dozen. and most of them just make me feel awful. in fact, one sleep book, which shall remain nameless, literally made me crazy when the twins were about 3 months old. here and there, though, i have stumbled across a gem. so to save you some time, here are some short synapses of my faves. i never agree with everything these books say...but there are things i find helpful in all of them. just like life, take what is useful and leave the rest.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

disclaimer: i am a hippy. this is an AWESOME book to read while pregnant. not scary. not inflammatory. just a different view of birth. orgasmic births...need i say more. seriously, though, this woman is THE midwife and she has some pretty cool things to share with any pregnant woman.

What's Going on in There?

disclaimer: my husband loved this...i got the cliff note's version. written by a neuroscientist and mother of three, this book is packed with the latest research regarding brain development from conception to 5 years. what i love about this book is the complete lack of advice on things to do to make your kid smart. she just gives you the facts and she clearly knows what she is talking about. another good one to read when pregnant as she has a lot to say about prenatal care and choices.

Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide

written by a mother of four who also happens to be a midwife and herbalist, this book is a great place to start if you have any reservations or concerns about vaccinating your child. obviously, the author has an opinion, but she does a fairly good job of keeping it out of her book. this book was extremely interesting to read...not at all dry as i had feared. one at a time, she covers the history of the diseases, the history of the vaccines, the risks of the diseases and the risks of the vaccines. vaccinating is a hot topic...and i truly believe that there is no right answer, only a choice that works for you and your family.

Louise Bates Ames books

Louise Bates Ames has a book for each year of a child's life from birth to nine years old. they were written in the late 70's/early 80's...but they are chock full of wonderful tidbits. and the retro baby pictures are pretty entertaining :). ok, so some of the info is dated, but her real focus is what the child is doing developmentally and behaviourally and that just hasn't changed in the last thirty years. quick reads and well worth the time!

NurtureShock

it is not really fair to call this a parenting book. it is more like a book about parenting. a lot of random research about a lot of random topics with no transitions in between. i am pretty ADD, so i guess that appeals to me. and seriously, this book is an eye-opener. everything from race to television to praise to the gifted programs is touched on with a candor that is refreshing and it is all backed up with the latest studies. be prepared to reassess some things.

Siblings Without Rivalry

not too much to add to the title. great basic book. like many of the good parenting books i have read, it explained a lot about my childhood and my parents. i always feel contrite after reading a book like this. not necessarily full of advice...but a lot of good information.

Kids Are Worth It

the author of this one started out thinking she would become a nun and ended up as the mother of three. this was a random thrift store find and it really hit home for me. a lot of the stuff will apply more as the kids age, but there are things i am already applying now. this book is compassionate, practical and firm. just like a good parent.

Beyond Time-out

having read several books on the topic of discipline, i found this my favorite. a lot of good tips and they apply starting at about 2-3 years. some of her stuff is a little intense, but kids can get a little intense, too! again, a compassionate and practical approach, helpful and easy to incorporate into my life.

Brain Rules for Baby

normally, i am not a fan of the "what can i do to raise a smarter child" take on a book. but the author used to direct the talaris institute; he really knows what he is talking about. that and he kind of starts off the book reprimanding "those" parents. there is a lot of overlap with nurtureshock. but it comes from a different angle. again, this may be a perspective changer.

Cooking for the Whole Family

written by a local seattle author, this is a great cookbook for the busy mom. i love it and have yet to try a recipe i don't love. every recipe has a suggestion on how to feed it to your infant or toddler. a good general whole foods approach to eating. it is not gluten-free or dairy-free, but i have been able to make simple changes (always easier when you are starting with whole foods!) to make most of the recipes work for us.


those are the my favorites so far...i would love to hear about the books that work for you and your family!

retrospective

sometimes i don't feel like myself. in many ways, since i became a mom, i don't recognize the person i have become. some of this is good -- i have infinitely more patience with my kids than i ever thought possible. some of it is not so good -- the ease with which i can rationalize that second glass of wine (i really earned it today...). and while becoming a parent is bound to change a person, and enrich life and teach tons of meaningful lessons...it can be disheartening to see my identity slipping away.

i am not an impulsive person. that is to say, i like to have a plan. and lists. i love lists. with kids, though, things rarely go according to plan. if it isn't the weather making it impossible to follow through on the trip to the zoo, then one of the kids is sick or a huge blowout causes everything to be delayed by the time it takes to hose said child off in the tub. and meals can be planned a week in advance, but there is no plan that i know of that guarantees that any of those meals will be eaten by all three kids. so i have become more flexible. sometimes i even decide on a whim that we should go to the park. and stop at taco time on the way home for mexi-fries. ooooooh, living on the edge.

i used to pride myself on being able to go from asleep in bed to driving to work in under 15 minutes (including a shower). now i allocate 25 minutes for just going from playing in the living room to everyone buckled into their car seats. and that assumes no poopy diapers. one diaper to change from cloth to paper. one pull up to check (do you need to go potty?), one child to sit on the toilet. three snacks to pack. three waters to grab, three pairs of shoes to find and assist with donning (mom, i want to wear flip flops), three jackets to pick out and assist with (mom, i want to wear a vest...no the green vest) and everyone out the door, past the toys in the garage...i miss my alarm clock. and feeling self-sufficient. i used to travel so light.

i loved to cook. i loved planning a meal, shopping for all the best quality ingredients, spending hours in the kitchen preparing, sauteing, roasting, cleaning up. and i really loved sitting down and savoring a meal made with love. i can safely say i manage to sit down for meals as long as i am not the one cooking them...but savoring hasn't happened outside of date night in three years. i still search for high quality ingredients, and i still spend hours in the kitchen each day. but it has lost it shine. it is hard to feel pride over a microwaved amy's gluten-free burrito. but, hey, i washed and cut the grapes myself! i hope that as the boys get a little bit older, i will be freed up to spend a little more time planning and creating meals i can be proud of once again. in the meantime, i really think i deserve another glass of wine.

one thing about my personality has not changed. i have always had a hard time living in the present. the ability to appreciate what is happening in the now has always evaded me. a frequent conversation between my husband and me starts with: " it gets easier, right?" while i have made some improvement when the boys are all playing and enjoying themselves -- it is hard not get caught up with their enthusiasm, most of the time i really am thinking about that mythical, mystical light at the end of the tunnel. our new mantra is "next year." as in next year camping will be so much fun. next year the flight to georgia won't be such a struggle. next year they will all be potty trained. and on and on. but, i think it is a prime example of be careful what you wish for. before we know it, they will be off doing their own things. they won't need us. and how sad will that be? well, i will just try to play more and think about that time less. easier said than done...

before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. after enlightenment - chop wood, carry water.

big milestone today. HUGE. one of my three year olds, while at the park, told me he had to poop. and he held it until i rounded all three of them up, schlepped to the bathroom and got him on the potty! i was feeling pretty much like i had made it to the next level when the other one pooped in his undies. that is one pair of thomas the tank engine undies that will not be coming home with us...

why is parenting always two steps forward, three steps back? sometimes i feel like the world's largest hamster. running, running, running and getting nowhere fast!

the only absolute i have found to be true in parenting is that anything you said you would never do...you will eventually do. i swore i would not bribe my children to use the toilet. not with m&m's, not with stickers. i have, of course, eaten those words and the boys are now rewarded with an ice pop (100% juice) for each successful poop. i just got tired of dealing with all of their shit. literally. and i think parenting can be summed up in one sentence. you do what you have to do.

take the bathroom. once i had children, it became my sanctuary. that may sound strange...but it is true. i usually close the door and have 2-3 minutes of alone time whenever i visit the little girls' room. and sometimes i actually have to go.

this makes me appreciate the bathroom on a different level. i have realized that there are very,very few situations in life when escaping to the powder room is a huge faux pas. you probably wouldn't want to do it while in the middle of your vows or during an important interview...but otherwise, you can pretty much always count on the excuse of nature's call to get a few moments to yourself. take some deep breaths (granted, this is not always desirable, especially in a public restroom...but sometime necessary). regroup. find center. it is life's built in meditation time. and quite possibly parenting three small children has forced me to take multi-tasking to an extreme. nonetheless, those small breaks interspersed in my day are sometimes what make it bearable and keep my children alive. and as a bonus, i find i drink more water.

crossed wires

this past weekend, we headed out for our camping warm up of the season. the farm we support for our local farm box was holding its annual camp out. this is our third year receiving delicious produce from this farm and each year they have held this event and each year i have wanted to attend. finally, this year, the stars aligned and the weekend worked with the rest of our busy summer agenda. it was a friday/saturday gig...but since the boys' third birthday was friday, we opted for just a one day stay.

friday, during nap, the hubby and i are packing up the car, attaching the roof box, planning meals, etc and i decide to pop inside to see what the drive to the farm looks like. see, this whole time i was under the impression that it was about an hour away...and, well, no. actually, it is two hours away. hmmmm. okay, well that is a lot of driving for one night, but we really want to see where all that yummy food is coming from and support the farm. i am trying to figure out what the weekend costs when i discover that this camp out is actually sponsored by a local record label and some of their bands will be performing. that sounds cool...the boys love music.

we elect to pack light -- no super yard, no firewood, no canopies -- since it will just be one night away. we get underway as soon as we are done with breakfast and we have packed the final items. we are on the road right on schedule and discussing what the camping situation will look like on a 30-acre farm. we decide that no matter what we have pictured in our heads, it will no doubt be completely wrong. oh, how right we were.

fast forward two hours. the boys have been troopers, but they are starting to get antsy. the weather is clear and sunny and heating up. we arrive at the farm at the peak of the heat, right around 2pm. we turn into the "parking lot" aka field and notice right away that the cars are parked there and the tents are anywhere from 50-500 yards from the cars. oh my. we didn't pack that light. also, it is about 85 degrees (the warmest day so far this year) and other than the orchard, there is very little shade in sight. our tent is only slightly smaller than our house and there is no way it would fit in between the rows of any orchard. we spot some shade, but it is about a 200 yard hike from the car...

by the time everything is shuttled from the car to the shady spot, the boys are hot and cranky, the husband is hot and cranky and i am just glad i didn't get up for the 5:30am boot camp because i have just gotten quite a work out. we get the tent set up and about this time we take a few minutes to check out our neighbors. they seem pretty hippy-ish...but that is normal for campers and farm lovers, right? we decide to wander over to the area where the farm is cooking up some of their produce for sale. it is about now that it clicks for us. we are not at a farm-open-house-family-camp-out camp out. this is about the music. and drugs. and drinking. this is a music festival that happens to be at a farm. oh, shit. the porta potties have no toilet paper. there are people passed out anywhere there is shade. there are very few children. and the music is getting louder. but it is folksy bluesy rock and actually pretty good. ok. let's assess. we have a shady spot pretty far from the "stage." the boys have their own potty. there is a campsite tear down and a two-hour drive between us and home. and they have tamales and beans and rice for sale. we are sure it will be fine. we will just avoid the orchard where the attendants are attempting to fumigate the crops with pot smoke.

we have dinner and make our way back to our tent. the boys seem to be enjoying themselves and the hubby and i pour ourselves a drink. none of the kids took a nap and are getting tired...but it is still broad daylight. we spend the next hour and a half getting the kids to sleep. this involves a major nosebleed from one of them, a couple of poopy diapers, some internal damage to the tent, a music genre change to death metal punk and the neighbors roasting a bowl of their own. charming.

finally, the bleeding stops, some folk comes on, the chilldren are all asleep. we pour another round and seek out our (most likely stoned) neighbors, who appear to be part of one of the bands. how late does the music go? innocent question. 2am. are you fucking serious? yes and the last act is loud and crazy. fan-fucking-tastic. well, what can be done? we pour another drink, take our own toilet paper to the porta potties and head off to bed. where we both lie awake until 2am. but, the kids all sleep through the night. no shit!

not much else to tell...we get up, we pack, we get the hell out of dodge. but while my husband is ferrying supplies to the car and i am cleaning up from breakfast, a woman approaches carrying a baby, a bottle and a pan. she wants to know if i can heat up her homemade raw goat's milk formula for her 8-month-old son, salamander. and that was as close to family-camp out that this camping trip was going to come. time to head back to the real world. next weekend we are camping with our local multiples group, and i am fairly confident that the experience will be the other end of the spectrum. it will be a very welcome change!

a day in the life...

days like today remind me to focus on my mantra -- this too shall pass -- early and often. it's just that in this business the climate can change at the drop of a hat. with no notice. it is a fickle, precarious vocation. just yesterday, i was feeling content, capable, caring and even a touch carefree. by nap today, i had apologized to the kids for various parenting faux pas (yelling, crankiness, etc.) at least three times.

it all started with an early start this morning. even so, breakfast goes well and i decide to take the boys on a walk and try to find some ripe blackberries. i pile them all in the wagon, grab a berry receptacle and head out. now basil, our kitty, likes to take walks with us. this may sound endearing. however, i assure you, when i am already trying to keep three charges safe from harm, a fourth is not really what i need. nonetheless, he decides to join us today for our berry-picking adventure. i do indeed find a good patch of berries and the boys are content to hang in the wagon, munching berries while i pick enough for a small crisp (note to self, next time bring TWO receptacles). i see the cat wander into the yard across the street right around the same time that the sit-still-on-the-side-of-the-road limit is reached with the wee ones. i head towards home, plying the boys with more berries (watching my crisp get smaller by the minute) to keep them still. i call to basil to no avail and since we are on a pretty busy road i am a little concerned to leave him, but the natives are restless so i continue homeward. i tell the boys we are going to have to rescue basil as soon as we get home.

i get home, buckle everyone into the car and head back to retrieve my cat. all told it takes several drive-bys, a trip back to the house to get some cat food and bowl, more drive-bys and finally me looking like an idiot on the side of the road dropping cat food into a bowl all the while calling quite loudly to locate the little rat. mission accomplished...

we head home...now to accurately set the stage for the next phase of my day you should know that i am in the throes of potty training. this is something i have been alternately dreading and anxiously awaiting for, oh, about three years. i have no formal training, no manuals and it feels roughly as though i have been thrust into the cockpit of a 747 and told that i should take her down nice and easy. riiiiiiiiiight. and according to freud if i don't handle this right there will be long-standing psychological ramifications. great. in fact, the only thing i have on my side is that i have been cloth diapering since day one and i am no stranger to dealing with poop on a regular basis. i wouldn't exactly call that an advantage, if you know what i mean.

i started down this path in the same manner i start down most of my major-life-decision paths -- impulsively, naively and only minimally prepared. for example, when i decided the boys would be wearing undies except when sleeping, i owned exactly 6 pairs of size 2/3 boys briefs. for two almost 3-year-olds for whom the potty was a new acquaintance. yeah...doing laundry 3 times a day is totally practical. and i decided to let them pee at random outside...which resulted in the unfortunate attempt to POOP off the deck. so anyway, that gives you an idea of where i am since this all started less than two weeks ago.

so back to today. we are all safely home. no one has had an accident...which is good considering we were just in the car (oops). i am pretty hopped up on adrenaline from my gutsy rescue mission. and the boys want me to make the crisp. or rather they want to "help" me make the crisp. awesome. okay, let's do it. does anyone have to use the potty. no. no one has to use the potty. crisp in the oven. time to start lunch. does anyone need to sit on the potty? no, no, no. two minutes pass. two boys pee in their undies. i attempt, unsuccessfully, to not say "i just asked you two minutes ago if you needed to go in the potty!" continue on with lunch. a poop in the undies. just a tiny little turd. do you still need to go poop? no! are you sure you don't want to just sit on the potty and see? no, there is not more poop in my bum! two minutes pass. mom, i pooped in my undies... shocking. finish lunch sit everyone down for lunch. everyone wants crisp for lunch. no, no crisp for lunch. after lunch my other son won't get up. did you poop in your undies? yes. friggin spectacular. and finally, after i have gotten him cleaned up and i am in the middle of everyone's favorite task of swishing poopy undies around in poopy water in the toilet i am informed that the other one went poop and i seriously say to myself, in the bathroom, that i cannot take another minute of this when i realize that this time the poop is in the potty and this is the first time he has pulled down his own pants and pooped in the potty on his own and my heart soars. i am ecstatic. i am holding dripping poopy undies. and i need to get out more.