Bliss Beyond Naptime

SS Wednesday - Onesie as Far As the Eye Cansie

This is embarassing to report but I’m turning into a slack jaw movie watcher. It’s true we are without tv but Craig and I on occasion like to shimmy up to couch together when the munchkins finally fall asleep (on that note, oh my goodness, have you heard of this book? I had the pleasure of hearing Samual Jackson read from it on the radio one day. Too funny.), turn on Net Flix and feel our brains melt into putty just inches from each other. Very romantic. Unfortunately, this is also my designated knitting time.

 You know how they tell you to relax your jaw muscles when you’re in labour because it assists in relaxing other areas of your anatomy that may in turn result in a smoother going birthing process? Same same but different with knitting. My jaw slacks, then my fingers relax to the point of paralysis. Let me just hop on over to  my ravelry page for a second here to see exactly how long... oh my gawd! This teeny weeny baby sweater has taken me three months to complete! I hope it still fits the sweet angel it was intended for. Luckily her parents are little people (though not midgets) so hopefully she’ll have a couple of months still to play in this. It is amazing how stretchy hand knits can be. Especially when the Mama is a knitter herself!

Which brings us what this knitter Mama was donning this week. First, the background story: When Edie was about three months old I went into one of my favourite pre-Edie haunts; a clothing store in downtown Calgary where the owner was familiar with my tendency to try many things on, but buy very little (remember, my mom’s a seamstress). So Ms Patience of a Saint Owner was curious why she hasn’t seen me in so long. I explained I had a baby and I was wondering if she had any really long tops that snap at the crouch to keep my kidneys warm over the winter. I promised her I’d buy this time.

 She re-framed my question; “You want a giant onesie?” Oh my god, I do! What kind of Mommy monster have I become? So I guess this mildly Freudian type desire has never truly subsided because I caught myself purchasing this Hot Pattern on sale and made this body suit in my now trademark banana yellow.

I’m also sporting Kale's scarf that I knit but he can no longer wear due to his apparent wool allergy (I'm not ready to talk about this yet) and a vintage jacket I picked up at a church fundraiser in town last weekend.  It’s awfully soft and fluffy and smells like mothballs. I don’t want to get into the fabric choice but dang it's warm, really, really old and way cuter than my minus forty temperature down parka I’m usually sporting this time of year. And, of course, the jeans I made so long ago. If you zoom on in to the pelvic area you will see I even popped my button recently but haven't had the time to sew a new one on. Thus, it takes just a simple tug on the release cord to drop my pants to prove to you that, yes indeed, this is a onsie. It was pretty cute how Craig, who was acting as my tripod for the shoot, was embarrassed for me. He thought it was so inappropriate. I assured him we’re all ladies here, right?

So speaking of embarrassing myself; I have an idea to celebrate the launch of my new website name: Bliss Beyond Naptime. Many reasons for the change but primarily it was becoming a hassle spelling out my email address over the phone (Wild Tangerine Dreams? No. White Tangerine Dreams? No. What Tangerine Dreams? Never mind!).  So for Monday I will don lots of lead free organic makeup, set up the tripod (the non-Craig one) and answer reader questions about me, Daisy, my Simplicity Parenting training, guilty pleasures, anything! So if you’d like, email a question to Kathy at Bliss Beyond Naptime dot com or leave one below in the comments. Simple as onesie, twosie, threesie.

Elderberry and Hair Follicles

After visiting an old dear friend of mine one spring morning we were chatting by her front door saying goodbye and I smelled the smell I detest most in the world. It smelled like cat marking going on. I asked her if she got a cat and she said it was her elderberry tree that was situated right next to her front door. I never heard of such a thing. So just in case, do not plant an elderberry tree by your front door. These trees grow in abundance in our area, all along the roadsides even, and we have about five of them growing wild on our property. But I never noticed them smelling like anything less than heavenly; especially when the pretty miniature flower blossom clusters open in the summer. Perhaps there’s an angry cat in my friend's midst she’s not aware of.

 So in the summer we carefully collect these blossoms that smell like the tops of the heads of newborns and cook up a syrup to use as a concentrate in ice filled glass of water. This is Craig's favourite. I think it talks to the Kool-Aid kid in him.  And then at this time of year we pick off whack loads of the berries to make jelly, syrup and tincture. The jelly is probably one of my favourites of the jam and jelly persuassion of treats but the bonus is it is full of antioxidants and immune enhancing properties that even my naturopath suggests the whole family taking a hit of everyday to keep illness at bay.

For the jelly I followed this basic recipe and it was made in time for when Edie caught that double whammy of nasty soul fever/stomach bug. A little bit of the jelly on fresh baked bread brought comfort to both ailments.  On that same link there are directions to make syrup you can administer to whomever in the family needs a sweet boost either administered straight up or drizzled on yogurt or pancakes.

And the tincture is a cinch; pick enough of the well washed berries off of their stemmy  clusters and fill a quart sized mason jar to the brim with them.  Fill up the jar with enough vodka to cover and then seal tight. Keep the jar on a sunny window sill while remembering to give them a gentle shake every day. In about three weeks, strain out the berries, place the purple vodka into a sleek flask you can tuck into your coat pocket rockstar style (wipe that Smirnoff your face – I was just joking. Any kind of glass bottle will suffice) and give yourself and your adult partner a teaspoon a day and your kids half that dose.  Other health care providers suggested I dilute the kids’ dosage into a glass of boiling water first to evaporate the alcohol content but nothing gets the kids aligned with early bedtimes then mommy’s special ‘movie time with daddy’ medicine. (Again, kidding.)

And totally not related to elderberry fixings but just about the cutest thing I’ve seen all weekend (other than Daisy and Meatballs joyfully jumping through a massive pile of leaves Craig built for them in the middle of their pasture yesterday. Over and over again. I  almost died from the cuteness of it all)! Miss Fab from Fig and Me  shared with me yet another creation of hers that she utilized one of my art yarns, Moe,  in one of the most delightful ways; as hair for her amazing Waldorf-style dolls.

That Fabs is one talented lady. See the before? I never in my wildest dreams thought that this would end up as hair. But it works! Just like the elderberry tincture. See how I smoothly linked these two topics together?

This Moment - Bear Fruit

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

 

Pumpkin Fever

 

This is Edie.

 

This is Edie with soul fever. Luckily it doesn’t appear to be too contagious. Kale’s still in that happy go lucky baby phase immune to the emotional eruptions that seem to occur out of the blue around him at times but as you can read in his eyes the touch of concern; “What’s up with Edie?” And;  “We’re still getting a pumpkin, right?”

Soul fevers are topic at hand in my Simplicity Parenting Leader training this week. When Cheech and I did our intimate book club of two over the phone so long ago I  remember sharing that this chapter has been especially helpful to me because when I would be completely exasperated with my firey little Scorpio girl – What could possibly be the problem? Look around, we’re surrounded by glorious pumpkins! Think Cinderella. What’s there to be pouty about? – the concept of holding her close, just as if an actual  physical fever were present, has lent me a tool of compassion toward my big baby girl when soul fever erupts; which tend to occur during times of transition as was pointed out by our training leader.

 

Transition. Hmmm… she has been losing her teeth, we’re introducing new numbers or letters almost everyday and we’re definitely feeling a chill in the air, and dang, it’s dark when we wake up!

The suggestion for these times of less than savoury moments is to, of course, simplify. Such as with an illness, halt any outside activities, bring on the clean, simple foods, keep the kid close to home, cut down on screen time and maybe, just for kicks, stay in pajamas for the day.

 

Another tool that was introduced in the training that I found pretty profound was the Compassionate Resonse meditation. (From here on in I’m going to use a female reference to children everywhere because during this transitional period I can’t seem to get my female offspring out of my head as the ultimate example).  During the meditation you hold a dual image of your child; one with her experiencing a ‘golden moment’: with that deliciously silly, blissed out with childhood look on her face that would be snatched up by talent agents looking for little hams to star in TV commercials ( if they still had such things), and an image of your child in her more, what’s a delicate word here…, challenging moments. Holding these two opposing versions of your dear offspring, which in fact make up the whole gamut of who she is, begin to draw in the not so cute version closer to your heart as you release the “don’t you just want to eat her?” image away.  Yes, it seems backwards doesn’t it? But I typed this out correctly. Savoury out. Not so savoury in; closer to your heart. Closer to your centre it will be easier to carry her weight. Kind of like baby slinging again, no?

 

This practice I have to say was pretty powerful with many opportunities recently to put it to test. To be fair, the morning after these pictures were taken she fell sick. But with this image of holding pouty Edie closer, deep toward my heart, I feel like I have the leverage to attend to both the bug that’s been invading her tummy and the bug that has been challenging her spirits; reminding her that growing up can be at times hard but no matter what your mama will always be there to hold you close through it all.

 Kale's like; "You two just have your moment. Cuddle away. Take your sweet time. No rush. Halloween's just in a few days. Still need a pumpkin. No biggie."

And on that note:

Amber from Crappy Pictures wrote an article about being a rockstar mommy blogger. She's stinking hilarious! Thanks to Erin for introducing me to her :)

 

Witch Way to Costa Rica?

Who's this scary cute little duo? We participated in the Waldorf school walk again this year. See how they're holding hand and paw up there? Pretty much the whole time we went on that magical journey that was happening, warming my minus 40 degree designed down jacket-covered cockles. The school wouldn't allow for pictures there so you will have to trust when I say it was so stinking cute how Edie was being his little Mama allowing Craig and I the option to linger in the shadows of each station and make out when no one was looking (kidding).

My favourite moment happens in mid-September when I ask the kids what they want to be for Halloween. Edie wanted to be the scariest witch on the block. I traced the source of that inspiration to a photo in the baby album my mom brought out with her of me, seven years old, dressed up as a witch. Kale claimed he wanted to be a bear cub. Perhaps due to the extensive 'bear aware' lunch and learns we've been having all summer long? Or maybe it was the bear spat lableing sessions  on our morning walks; mama bear or baby bear poop?

The bear costume pattern called for filling in the belly area and I decided that his tummy's squishy enough and mommy time's a ticking. But then I squished the belly of the penguin costume my friend made for her little guy. The regret!

So I let out my squishy belly envy out on the  abdomen of the bear on his Halloween bag. I got the idea for these treat bags from this Etsy blog article. I figured this would be a great way to commemorate the year's costumes of choice and all the lovely memories they trigger.  I used scraps from their costumes and appliqued super simple shapes on quick to whip up muslin bags with long enough handles that could slip over one shoulder plus the many, many layers piled on for the outdoor journey. You guys definately did not land anywhere near Costa Rica after the long slide down the rainbow bridge! But if it brings you any comfort I don't even think it's celebrated down there.