Not quite a year since his last post, my sweet, clever husband has written a little something. I wish he would do it more.
Go comment.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Disguise Your Snacks and Other Desirables
When consuming food in front of cognisant children it is always a good idea to know what their likes and dislikes are so you can prepare your food accordingly.
Accordingly opposite.
My children like cream cheese. So when I want to eat a bagel in their presence I prepare mine sans cream cheese and only butter. I like cream cheese, too. But I also like bagels with only butter. I also enjoy eating my entire meal and not having to supplement it throughout the day to make up for the large portions that my children have mooched off of me.
Yes, I could say, "No, this is mine." And, yes, I frequently do. But in the words of a friend of mine, sometimes it's easier to just let them have a sniggle.
You try being consistent all day, every day. You may start out with the best intentions but little kids have the gift of equal and unrelenting consistency in terms of: nagging, crying, begging, and being hungry whenever you are eating. Choose your battles.
Other substitutions that seem to work (for now):
serving yourself a much-deserved middle-of-the-day bowl of ice cream in a coffee mug
having some pasta smothered in red sauce
eating carrots without hummus (because for some reason that stuff is a big hit with the littles)
cutting up your apple before you eat it (mine prefer them whole)
This is the advantage of not being a picky eater. You can choose your snack and enjoy it in whatever way it must be prepared.
One of many tactics employed throughout my day to outsmart The Others.
Accordingly opposite.
My children like cream cheese. So when I want to eat a bagel in their presence I prepare mine sans cream cheese and only butter. I like cream cheese, too. But I also like bagels with only butter. I also enjoy eating my entire meal and not having to supplement it throughout the day to make up for the large portions that my children have mooched off of me.
Yes, I could say, "No, this is mine." And, yes, I frequently do. But in the words of a friend of mine, sometimes it's easier to just let them have a sniggle.
You try being consistent all day, every day. You may start out with the best intentions but little kids have the gift of equal and unrelenting consistency in terms of: nagging, crying, begging, and being hungry whenever you are eating. Choose your battles.
Other substitutions that seem to work (for now):
serving yourself a much-deserved middle-of-the-day bowl of ice cream in a coffee mug
having some pasta smothered in red sauce
eating carrots without hummus (because for some reason that stuff is a big hit with the littles)
cutting up your apple before you eat it (mine prefer them whole)
This is the advantage of not being a picky eater. You can choose your snack and enjoy it in whatever way it must be prepared.
One of many tactics employed throughout my day to outsmart The Others.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Ah, Blogging Consternation
I am frequently at odds with myself over "blogging." I started for me, for my girls (at the time one girl) so that I could keep track of stuff since I'm not a baby book keeper-upper. In fact, I have one for Stella and none for any child thereafter. Instead, I have a blog.
But then when you blog and people find out about it you have an "audience." Even though my audience is friends and family and the like I start to feel this blogging pressure. Which is good, in a way. As it makes me more accountable to update, which will benefit myself and my original intendees as a result. But then, oh, but then. But then I'm like, "Oh, can I write THAT on my blog? Should I mention THIS? Should SUCH AND SUCH be public knowledge?" None of THAT, THIS or SUCH AND SUCH is very interesting, but just stuff that I think about.
Of course, I do think about lots of things political or religious in nature which effect my everyday parenting style and decisions, so perhaps they are interesting? But I don't want to stir a pot on my family record-keeping blog.
All that is to say that life with three children is aptly hectic and enjoyable. It keeps me honest. It makes me focused. It requires stamina and endurance, spousal communication. It contributes to my sanctification (one of those things I think about). It makes me think about why people don't want children, what the opposite of children is and why that is appealing to some. (Which then seems to become unappealing as those child-free by choice reach a certain age...) What would my life be like sans children? What would I do with my free time? Admittedly, it would free up a lot of resources, but what would be the long-term benefit?
Before Jamie and I got married we did marriage prep courses through the Catholic church. We learned about finances, communication, NFP (gasp!), and other things that play out in the daily life of a couple joined together in the sacrament of marriage. One couple shared their relief that they chose life and children as opposed to material prosperity and ease. They had five children and lost one daughter when she was only fifteen years old. The words of the wife resound with me when my life gets overwhelming, "I'm glad we chose to have our children. I'm glad that we are able to look back at photos of her and recall happy memories with her. There's a photo of her sitting on the ugly couch that we had for so many years because we couldn't afford a new, clean, pretty couch. I'm glad we chose to have her and all her siblings and keep that ugly couch instead of limiting the amount of children so that we could have material gain. Our lives are better because of all our children and I never think about that couch unless I see it in old photos."
That sums up a lot of how I feel about my ugly couch and my lovely children.
And that leads me to one of THOSE THINGS that I think about quite frequently: our particular society's place in the world and in time and our preoccupation with materialism. It can be a hot button topic. Not that I tend to avoid such things in real life, of course if you know me you know that already. My spouse likes to remind me: The perfect can be the enemy of the good. This is true in ambition, home decor, body image and family planning, etc. What stops us from embracing life? What stops you?
“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.”
John Paul II
Edited to add:
“The great danger for family life, in the midst of any society whose idols are pleasure, comfort and independence, lies in the fact that people close their hearts and become selfish.”
Also John Paul II
But then when you blog and people find out about it you have an "audience." Even though my audience is friends and family and the like I start to feel this blogging pressure. Which is good, in a way. As it makes me more accountable to update, which will benefit myself and my original intendees as a result. But then, oh, but then. But then I'm like, "Oh, can I write THAT on my blog? Should I mention THIS? Should SUCH AND SUCH be public knowledge?" None of THAT, THIS or SUCH AND SUCH is very interesting, but just stuff that I think about.
Of course, I do think about lots of things political or religious in nature which effect my everyday parenting style and decisions, so perhaps they are interesting? But I don't want to stir a pot on my family record-keeping blog.
All that is to say that life with three children is aptly hectic and enjoyable. It keeps me honest. It makes me focused. It requires stamina and endurance, spousal communication. It contributes to my sanctification (one of those things I think about). It makes me think about why people don't want children, what the opposite of children is and why that is appealing to some. (Which then seems to become unappealing as those child-free by choice reach a certain age...) What would my life be like sans children? What would I do with my free time? Admittedly, it would free up a lot of resources, but what would be the long-term benefit?
Before Jamie and I got married we did marriage prep courses through the Catholic church. We learned about finances, communication, NFP (gasp!), and other things that play out in the daily life of a couple joined together in the sacrament of marriage. One couple shared their relief that they chose life and children as opposed to material prosperity and ease. They had five children and lost one daughter when she was only fifteen years old. The words of the wife resound with me when my life gets overwhelming, "I'm glad we chose to have our children. I'm glad that we are able to look back at photos of her and recall happy memories with her. There's a photo of her sitting on the ugly couch that we had for so many years because we couldn't afford a new, clean, pretty couch. I'm glad we chose to have her and all her siblings and keep that ugly couch instead of limiting the amount of children so that we could have material gain. Our lives are better because of all our children and I never think about that couch unless I see it in old photos."
That sums up a lot of how I feel about my ugly couch and my lovely children.
And that leads me to one of THOSE THINGS that I think about quite frequently: our particular society's place in the world and in time and our preoccupation with materialism. It can be a hot button topic. Not that I tend to avoid such things in real life, of course if you know me you know that already. My spouse likes to remind me: The perfect can be the enemy of the good. This is true in ambition, home decor, body image and family planning, etc. What stops us from embracing life? What stops you?
“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.”
John Paul II
Edited to add:
“The great danger for family life, in the midst of any society whose idols are pleasure, comfort and independence, lies in the fact that people close their hearts and become selfish.”
Also John Paul II
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Rowena's First Week
We're all very excited about the arrival of the latest Hanson. Stella says she looks like a bug when she sleeps.
We all show our excitement in different ways. Some of us are givers:
Some of us are squeezers:
But we're always wanting to know what she's up to. You know her as Rowena, around here she's "the new baby."
We all show our excitement in different ways. Some of us are givers:
Some of us are squeezers:
But we're always wanting to know what she's up to. You know her as Rowena, around here she's "the new baby."
Thursday, May 07, 2009
The Baby is Born
Disclaimer: The author of this post is Jamie, Alishia's husband, not Alishia herself.
Yesterday Rowena Willamina Marie Hanson was born at 12:15ish weighing 9 lbs. 11 ozs. Both mother and baby are fine. They are recuperating in the hospital. Visitors are probably welcome.
Rowena's name, despite what some may think, is no joke. Mouthful though it is, it is hers and lovely. Call her "Noni," "Willa," "Willa-Noni," "Weena," or use the whole damn thing. A rose by another name would smell as sweet...
Here are some photos:
Yesterday Rowena Willamina Marie Hanson was born at 12:15ish weighing 9 lbs. 11 ozs. Both mother and baby are fine. They are recuperating in the hospital. Visitors are probably welcome.
Rowena's name, despite what some may think, is no joke. Mouthful though it is, it is hers and lovely. Call her "Noni," "Willa," "Willa-Noni," "Weena," or use the whole damn thing. A rose by another name would smell as sweet...
Here are some photos:
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