Solids..what a gross word...

Well, little Saige is almost 11 months.  She has been exclusively breastfed and tips the scales at 26 pounds.  She was a big newborn (10 pounds, 10 ounces) and just seems to be growing and growing.  I am starting to introduce little bits of foods to her every now and then.

I really don't know why these little bits of food are introduced as "solids".  What a gross word to use when referring to something you eat.  What do you do...go to the store to buy "solids" for your baby?  That just sounds nasty.

Breastfeeding exclusively for more than 6 months is not bad for the baby at all. It can actually be beneficial in reducing food allergies and stomach troubles. Every baby is different and I like to follow my own baby's cues.  Saige is not totally into food and I only offer it to her if she seems interested.  9 times out of ten she only craves the sensory experience of playing with the food.

When introducing food to my baby I start with raw foods like banana, avocado, peaches, pears, etc. What I mean by "raw" is food I cut up, mush or prepare (without cooking) myself.  I do not buy baby food in jars because I want my baby to only be introduced to the food, not the food and something that is cooked.  I offer cooked foods in the second stage of introduction.  As for cooked foods, when introduced, I prepare them myself out of wholesome organic ingredients.

So, I now am embarking on a new stage for Saige...hey, I made a rhyme...LOL  My hope for her is that she enjoys all of the new tastes and textures that will be offered to her.  I also hope that she is allergy and celiac -free.  Time will tell on that though.

Cheers!
Samantha

Just Two More Hours

Wouldn't it be wonderful if each day were to have 26 hours? Those extra two hours would be such a blessing and could make the hard weeks a little more manageable.
This week was ugly. It brought illness, autism meltdowns, difficult homeschool lessons, and a big hole in the wall. Honestly, it has been a week I just don't want to repeat. The hole in the wall was repaired but the autism behaviours are still running on high.
I obviously won't be getting the extra two hours a day so I need to tap into my coping strategies. I will start with trying to get a good nights sleep. I will tackle tomorrow as a new day and do something fun with the kids. I need a break from the usual and not worry about getting all of the housework done or all the dishes put away. Tomorrow I am playing hooky from my usual jobs. This is my way of coping with everything that was thrown my way this week.
Have a wonderful weekend my friends.

Non-Toxic Cleaning

My post about chores made me think about our choices around cleaning products.  For the health of our family and the health of our world I try really hard to use home-made cleaning products.  My goal is to totally eliminate toxins from my home.  They are not good for the children and so many cleaning products are linked to asthma attacks, skin problems and may even be linked to cancer.  It scares me because I enjoy a nice clean home and the smell of a freshly cleaned home.
  I started using vinegar for cleaning years ago.  It was great for cleaning glass, getting rid of cat box smells and kitchen counter sanitizing.  It's great stuff but my nose doesn't love it as much.  The smell, even when diluted in water, reminds me of cat pee. Maybe it's just me, but when the house has been cleaned with something that smells so strong it just doesn't feel clean.
  When I turned 36 my mother asked me what I would like for my birthday.  She was a bit surprised when I asked for one of those handy steamers.  You know, the hand-held steamers that you fill with water, plug in and steam everything into Planet Sterilization. She really didn't understand my request but kindly bought me one anyway.  I have to say, it's one of the best and most useful birthday gifts I have ever had.

Having this handy little machine has allowed me to do away with so many household cleaners.  I am simply streaming away the germs instead of using chemicals.  It works great on toilets.  It gets every area of the toilet clean and it does it quickly.  It can be used to spray mould or mildew on walls (if you have any) and kills it so it doesn't come back.  It does a great job in the fridge, blasting away any spills or dirt that has accumulated. I use mine to clean the daycare toys so that illnesses are less likely to be spread amongst the children.  I would say it's an essential tool for a chemical-free home.  It uses just plain water and a little electricity.  It makes a super-hero sound when spraying and it makes you feel in charge of the grime.  Best little birthday gift ever.  

  Here is a little list of ways I clean my home...

1) toilets-  a little earth friendly shampoo to scrub the bowl part then I use my steamer to steam all over and around the toilet. Then I wipe with a soft cloth that I then wash in the laundry.

2) Floors- water and vinegar solution and an old fashion mop. (nothing fancy)

3) Fridge- plain water in my little yellow steamer

4) Microwave- little yellow steamer

5) Oven- self-cleaning but it doesn't get very dirty because we are vegetarian and we don't cook meats.

6) Bathtub- baking soda

7) Front of Kitchen Cupboards- steamer

8) Air Freshener- Oil of Lavender diluted in water and put in a little plant mister.

9) Kitty Litter box- baking soda, vinegar, then steam the germs away

10) Windows- vinegar and water with newspaper to wipe down

I would like to replace our laundry detergent and dish washer detergent as soon as possible.  I have used a solution of Borax and Baking soda in my dishwasher with really good results.  I really need to try hard to eliminate toxins from my home because 3 of my children have asthma and chemicals tend to trigger their symptoms.

Having a clean, chemical-free home is the "real clean".  Having a clean home with chemicals makes the air we breath unsafe.  I'm going for the real clean over here.  I recommend it to everyone.  Oh, and get a handy little steamer... you'll love the sound it makes and the way the grime goes without chemicals.

That's all for now.

Sam xo

Chores...Finding My Rhythm

Why is it that when it's Earth Day my kids will willingly grab the garbage bags and work together to clean up the woods, but when it comes to chores they get all mumbly and cranky?  I have put a lot of thought into this and I still struggle with trying to get them to understand "teamwork" and "many hands make light work".  They willingly pick up other peoples' junk in the woods but picking up in their own rooms turns them into little grumpy monsters.

  Sienna gets the prize for grumpiest chore avoider.  I can ask her nicely to pick up her toys and she will have some excuse as to why she can't do it.  Her favourite is "I can't walk. I feel dizzy", or perhaps "I feel a seizure coming. " (she has a real seizure disorder so this really isn't a good thing to say)  She is fully capable but it's never fun getting her to do her chores. Fighting about her mess brings me back to Earth Day and the 15 bags of trash my kids pulled out of the woods.  The proud looks on their faces when they saw the difference they made.  

  So many families struggle with chores and getting them done.  I have decided that perhaps they just don't like cleaning up their messes.  Perhaps we should set up a system where families trade kids for a day and they can clean their friend's room.  LOL  My bet is that the grumpy kid would be less grumpy with their friend's mom or dad in charge.  We could match the kids up according to their messiness just to make it fair.  Wouldn't that be fun?! We could still teach "teamwork" and have fun doing it. They like picking up litter in the woods...the gross stuff too...like the beer bottle of pee my teen found.  It made everyone laugh, they got grossed out, and believe it or not...we created some wonderful memories that day.

  I want to create positive memories around chores.  I don't want to be responsible for everything.  I am still looking for a good system but have learned a few things over the years...

1) kids are really messy, really messy

2) they think I left the mess

3) they start talking like we had them to fill our lives with cute little SLAVES

4) they prefer to pick up beer bottles of pee rather than the toys in their rooms

5)I have a lot to learn

6) my to-do list is really long and I need to learn how to delegate more.

I am collecting your "tried and true" ideas regarding chores.  I will be collecting these and making a top ten "Chore Tips" post very soon.  Do you have it all figured out?  Does something work well for you? Please email me with your wonderful ideas.  I will put together a list and perhaps the neat ideas my readers come up with will help others.

Email your tips to shanka@cogeco.ca

See you soon,
Samantha

The Essentials

As a very busy mom there are some essential products that I can't live without.  When thinking about this I thought that perhaps sharing these essentials would be helpful for other parents.  It would give other families some insight on my favourite tried and true essentials.  You know, "tools" that make everything more manageable.
  Right away I knew what  I wanted to post but I knew it wasn't appropriate to post what I was thinking.  You see, the best time-saver, baby soother, helpful thing....or I should say..things..are... boobies! Breastfeeding!  So, by now you can imagine my little dilemma.  I want to share my "tools of the trade" but I really shouldn't.  I save money and time by using them..so they are a great "tools".  Seriously,  I don't buy formula or baby bottles or soothers. I don't have to heat them up, put them in the diaper bag, and I never forget them at home. "They" save me money, they save me time, etc..etc... but, I really shouldn't scare my readers away..so...my SECOND favourite "tool" for making life easier with a baby in a large family is.....
  The Boba 3G!!  It's a really awesome baby carrier that is wonderfully comfortable for both the baby and the parent.  It's a front carrier, back carrier, and a side carrier.  I have always worn my babies because it allows me to have my hands free and my baby can snooze when needed.  When awake my little sweetie gets a nice eye view of everything and I love that it stops weird people from touching my baby.  (seriously, if you have ever had a baby in a stroller or a baby bucket seat you have probably encountered a few of those "personal body space hogs".  They touch the face of your baby, they goo and gaaa over how cute she/he is and they breath all over the innocent little one.)  The Boba really helps with that problem.

  When working with kids all day I carry Saige (9 months) in my Boba when she needs me.  This allows me two free hands to help with the other children's' needs.  I can carry my baby and still change a daycare baby's diaper.  I can get lunch ready (not to be used when cooking for obvious reasons), chop veggies, wipe noses, help older kids with home work.  Without my Boba, or one of my other baby carriers (Ergo, sling) I'd never e able to cope.  So, the Boba wins my stamp of approval for best second best essential baby item for a big family.
(oh, and I lovingly lifted the picture from the boba site Boba It's not a picture of me)

Managing a Large Family

I started this blog because I often am asked how I manage my big family.  "Are they all yours?" I am often asked,  "Are you one of those religious people who just keeps having more babies", or my favourite, "Are you done yet?"  These are all questions I hear frequently.  I only have 6 kids, that's not crazy.  They are spaced out in ages really well.  Ages 17, 14, 11, 9, 6, and 9 months.  To me it's not a lot because when I am working I often have up to 5 more children in my care.  Yes, I own and operate a home daycare.  "No, I am not super mom". I really enjoy kids and they keep me on my toes, they keep me reading, they keep me cooking.  All of them keep me motivated.  What more could a mama want? 

  I know what I want... a little organization, good foods, and happy and healthy children.  Running a big family can have some serious challenges at times, especially when trying to stay organized. 

  Oh, you are probably thinking that I am "one of those" people who homeschools as well.  YEP!  I am "one of those".  No, it's not for religious reasons or because I hate the school system.  It's just a choice that we made that works for our family.  That's it.  Nothing frilly or exciting..just a choice.  So, how do I do it? How do I manage it all?  Well, my friend Suzette (hi Suzette!!) has encouraged to share my system with others.  She seems to think I have "something" to  offer other families who need a little guidance.  She's so excited about this I decided to start this blog and share the daily life in a big family.  (hold on Suzette, no need to order t-shirts yet.. LOL)  So, here I am..mom to many beautiful blessing..sharing my daily up's and downs as a mom in a large family.

Please follow along, but don't get too excited because if you do Suzette will start ordering t-shirts. :)

Samantha