Cooler Days

Leaves are falling off of our pomegranate trees, our front oak trees are also starting to shed their summer leafy coats. The mornings are actually starting to be cooler than the afternoons and hot nights, this is one of my absolute favorite times of year. Open windows in the morning to let in the fresh air with the sunrise, sipping my kale smoothies and tea. In the quiet house after I drop Joss at school and Jason hasn't quite gotten up to go to work yet. These are my favorite moments, alone but with my dog asleep at my feet, and kicking baby in my tummy.

I almost forgot about yoga on Tuesday night. It was such a nice day out, ALL day it stayed in the 70s and below, windows in our house open all day. I picked Joss up from school and we went to a new park on the way home from school and ran around in the grass, walked the hike and bike trail, climbed a rock wall (she did) and went down a few slides. It feels so good to be outside again without the oppressive heat and humidity weighing me down. Afterward we went to the library by our house, and I got Jocelyn her very own library card. We read a large stack of books she picked out in the kids area, and talked with the sweet children's librarian who told us all about the upcoming Dia de los Muertos event that I'd love to take Joss to. After we were done reading, she picked out 7 books that we checked out at our self-checkout station and she was very proud to help.

We came home to a gift bag of surprises from our sweet neighbor for Jocelyn's (early) birthday present. A book, and some new markers, a kaleidoscope, beaded necklace and some stickers. Jason had to remind me that I had yoga, so I quickly made some dinner, collard greens and black eyed peas with tempeh, and then got ready and headed to class.

When I got there I was pleasantly surprised to see a new familiar face on one of the yoga mats, Ellen from centering October 2013! She's also pregnant again, due a month after me. We were able to chat and catch up a bit after class, and we are both so excited to see each other again. Our babies will be almost the exact same ages. Funny how that works :)

Yesterday after a night filled with weird dreams and restlessness, I took full advantage of being able to nap most of the day while Joss was at school, and after picking her up read all our new library books together and then spent time in our backyard after dinner in the nice cool night air, playing in her club house. There still are some mosquitos out, but not as bad as they have been throughout summer. Its so enjoyable to be outside, which means I'm gearing up to do some more gardening again soon.

Today I'm going to clean the pool, and hopefully get a few more swims in with Joss before it starts to get too cold in the water. And do as much housework as I can to distract me from needing to wait patiently for tomorrow when we all go to the birth center and find out gender!

I've been dreaming a lot about puppies, and getting another dog, which I know is NOT the time to do it, especially with all of Zombie's issues with dog-dog socialization, so I'll just take all of my puppy dog dreams as being reflective of my new little human puppy, and the new life that we will have join our family soon.

19 Weeks

Its finally, FINALLY fall. The mornings are dark when we wake up (when Joss comes up to my bed and tells me, "Get up, its a beautiful day!") and this morning we saw a beautiful and eery overcast pink sunrise where everything outside seemed to glow. Thanks to the storms rolling through, we actually got some cool weather this weekend, today with thunder and lightning bringing our temps down to high/mid 70s. Before the rain started pouring we got out into our backyard for these 19 week pics, and Joss collected some interesting leaves that fell around our yard. There really is nothing quite like a thunder and lightning storm here. The baby has been especially kicky today, maybe all the thunder is shaking them up like it shakes all the bones of our house.

This Friday we find out gender, getting ready to shuffle our deck of name cards a bit more seriously and weigh in on our favorites. In yoga and meditation, I'm still focusing on letting go of fear. Feeling the baby kick more and more helps me feel more connected and relaxed into knowing that my body is working hard to do what it needs to do, without me needing to think about it or do anything but just breathe, and trust that I am enough (you know aside from everything else I'm doing to take care of my body, nutrition, health, wellness...).

Still hard to believe that this second baby is REAL, especially after our previous miscarriage was such a hard loss to get over. But baby is strong, and we are healthy, again letting go of fear is something I keep reminding myself this time around. All of the movement also makes this baby more real, and I've been trying to imagine more and more my day to day moments with another little person here with us, while we drink our morning tea and coffees, painting, going out to eat, dancing with or without music, watching cartoons, listening to the rain outside, cleaning house and cooking dinner, bath time, bedtime, all our routines adding in another family member. Trying to picture it more and more, and know that everything again will change again after baby's here. And trust that everything is working as it should, and will fall into place when the time is right.

Also hard to believe this pregnancy is already almost to the halfway mark of 20 weeks, remembering to breathe and slow down as much as I can.

Heart and Soul

On Mother's Lap, and I'm a Big Sister are Jocelyn's two new favorite books. We read them when we get home after I pick her up from school, and she has Papa read them to her before bed by request. She says the words along with us, and quotes the Big Sister book throughout her day. "I can help! I'm a big sister now!" I love watching her become a sister.

Yoga last night I requested some deep squats, and lizard poses and we got them! Another mom also requested some deep squats, so I wasn't alone. It felt good to get those deep stretches, and do some rounds of sun salutations too, work us a bit harder. As expected, lizard pose can bring up and release more emotion. Last night and this morning I felt extra sensitive, more so than usual. More lovey and close with my family, Joss reading on my lap before school this morning, and kissing Jason goodbye before he left for work. At drop off I felt more sensitive to other people too, I held a door open for a teacher with her arms full, and she thanked the lady behind her, not me, didn't say or look at me though I was the one holding the door in front of her. I was crushed. Am I invisible? I let my feelings come quietly, and I let them go. Feeling more sensitive than usual, letting myself feel it all, and let it go.

Yesterday Joss and I went swimming in our pool. Even though tomorrow is officially Autumn, its still 90-95+ degrees with ambient temps in the 100s. Swim while we can! I love the feeling of swimming with my big belly like I did the summer before Joss was born, I wasn't sure how much swim time I would get this time, since I will be biggest in winter. I'll swim again today, after I do some yard work, mow front and back yards... get ready for planting fall/winter garden and freeze the MASSIVE amount of basil that I need to harvest. We found a natural company that handles pest control, since we found some ant hills in our backyard and were interested to get rid of our mosquitos safely. Barefoot Mosquito uses mostly essential oils, and are coming out next Monday to treat around our pool and yards. Safe for me and baby, our family, and pets and as humane as possible without a bunch of gross chemical toxins. Sorry fire ants, you are NOT welcome here.

I'm enjoying reading more Peaceful Parents, Happy Siblings, and also REALLY enjoying our new anti-TV rule in our house. I think we are all sleeping much much better, and its a lot more fun to work on art together, paint, craft, read, puzzle, sing, dance, brush Zombie and our cats, swim, and soon we can enjoy being outside when its not SUPER super hot out... Joss is doing great with putting herself to sleep in her own big girl bed in her room. We have a solid routine down, and I'm very proud of her.

Brainstorming ideas for baby planning, if baby comes early, before my mom flies out to watch Joss, maybe our next door neighbor Rima can come over and stay here. Joss loves her and its the most convenient and easiest for last minute labor if it happens before we expect it. I need to ask her about that. Also, I really like the idea to make Jocelyn her own book and started it for her already, I think that I'll present that to her at my baby shower, birthday party, blessingway in January. I'm also looking forward to all our new (old) XMAS ornaments that my mom sent home with us that i grew up with on her trees, to hang at our house this year. Feeling wonderfully nostalgic, as i usually do this time of year, but mixed with my extra pregnancy emotions and hormones, feeling extra sentimental. Jocelyn's birthday (my first birth anniversary), carving pumpkins, costumes and trick or treating, vegan thanksgiving feast and day of mourning and peace with family, christmas cookies, and presents, and lights and trees, new years kisses and bubbly drinks, another year around the sun for me with added love of also celebrating new baby, and then before we know it, the newest member of our family will make their appearance. Loving all of these cozy moments unfolding before us.

A week from Friday we find out gender. I've had a few gender dreams, but so far nothing conclusive, so I'm still unsure if we are having a boy or a girl, just a little over a week and we'll find out! Already thinking of names. And to end, yesterday, Jocelyn started to draw her first hearts. "Mama, come here! Look! I drew a heart!" So much love for my family, this baby sure is loved and we can't wait to meet him or her!

Children's Books for a Growing Familiy

Baby is now the size of a sweet potato! A week from Friday we find out gender and start the name brainstorming. We have a few ideas left from last time, but will also need to start thinking of secret Blackfoot names too. So exciting!

Since I moved our baby shower to January, for my birthday party/baby shower, I removed the books that we added for Joss to prepare for new baby. We bought them now to read them to her and get her used to the idea of having a new baby more and more, and sharing more of the experience with her. I like how the first two below go more into the details of what's going on with Mommy's body, and the third one is more about memories and emotionally comforting. Joss has enjoyed all three of them.

What's In There? All About Before You Were Born

Baby On The Way

You Were The First

We also ordered two more that should be arriving today:

On Mother's Lap

I'm A Big Sister

More and more I'm feeling baby kicking, and according to my pregnancy apps, baby can now hear our voices and sounds. Jocelyn enjoys singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to my belly and giving the baby hugs and kisses. 

Last night I had some very adventurous dreams, where I had the power to fly, and went on a large community traveling adventure with friends from every stage of my life so far. It was full of fun, freedom, empowerment, and letting go of fear. My purpose at the start of my yoga practice, each time has more of less been to let go of fear. My dreams last night were a wonderful celebration of that, and welcoming in the next adventure ahead. 

I also received an email from the AABC family fun fair from a photographer that I signed up to get on the mailing list, with a $50 gift certificate attached, and entered into a raffle to win a $200 credit towards a portrait session. With Jocelyn we didn't take any portraits, outside of using our own nice camera, but after baby is born I like the idea of having a portrait of the baby with Jocelyn. Also this photographer includes belly casting with her packages, which I didn't do the first time either, and I'm also interested in having that done as well, considering this may very well be my last pregnancy. 

Unlike last time, I will also be pregnant for Halloween! I know I wanted to paint my stomach like a big pumpkin before, so maybe this year I will. We also hired our face painter to be at Jocelyn's party for 2 hours, so if there aren't any kids who are wanting more face or body paint at any point, maybe I'll have her paint my belly haha. It is going to be a wild animal halloween-birthday theme, maybe have her paint a big Lion's face/head on my belly haha. 

Thinking about hippy witchy baby/belly traditions like belly painting and belly casting, I want to do another labor necklace this time, and maybe I should add that my birthday party/ baby shower is also a blessing way. Guests are invited to bring a bead or object of significance that I can string together into a necklace that I wear and hang at my labor to bring in blessings for the new baby and my birth experience. A BBB! (Birthday, Blessing way, Baby shower!) I can already imagine my husband rolling his eyes, but not to worry there will definitely also be Booze for everyone not with child. HAHA. Happy monday y'all!

Birth Center Fun Fair

Yesterday we went to the Williamson County AABC location's Grand Opening party and family fun fair. We had so much fun! Starting with 10 am prenatal yoga (papa and joss went to get coffees and had a pay it forward moment where the man in line ahead of them paid for their order! feeling the love). It felt so good to stretch and breathe, connect with my baby, and center my body and mind - especially after missing class Thursday night. When class was done, Joss had made it to the front of the face painting line, and was getting Twilight Sparkle on her cheek (a my little pony unicorn with wings). There was a bouncy house that Joss had a BLAST bouncing in, it was the first time she was brave enough to get in there and jump around and she loved it and was laughing up a storm the whole time. Such joy!

We also saw many familiar faces from the birth center, including midwives that attended Jocelyn's birth, who to me sort of feel like celebrities. I saw Ros, who was there with Cat when she caught Joss, and said like a starstuck fan, "Hi Ros! It's me, Tyler, you were there when my Cat caught my daughter in the birth tub, she's almost three now." [Polite nodding, and pretending she remembers every mom that she's attended to - I don't know maybe she does!] "Now we're onto baby number two! At the Duval center, anyway so great to see you, hope to see you there soon!" [Everything outside of asking for her autograph] Haha, honestly though, our midwives are such rockstars, I am so completely grateful for all the work that they do for us moms, and babies, and dads and families. THANK YOU!!

They also had a kid's train, that we rode around the neighboring parking lots and had a lot of fun with that too. I checked out all the booths, and there were some vegan pies there even, with amazingly delicious samples (not only vegan, but gluten, soy, corn, and just about all allergy-free). I had the pumpkin pie and apple pie samples, and also one of their fan favorites, a pie-crust cookie with chocolate on top. What a treat! I usually don't eat many sweets, but they said they are taking orders for Thanksgiving, so I might need to order one. They were really, really, good. I kind of want to learn how to bake more, and do more baking of my own, I've just never really been that interested in it before, aside from fresh baked cookies.

I've been reading more of Peaceful Parents, Happy Siblings, and found a lot of helpful suggestions to start bonding the older sibling and the baby, many of which we have already been doing, but some creative ideas that also are really helpful - to make a personalized transition book. Here's the suggested template to use and personalize, "Nate Gets a Baby Brother", or make your own entirely. I'm through the pregnancy chapter and onto the suggestions for brining home baby and am starting to think about great ways to mindfully give our oldest all the attention she needs, and involve her in care giving and the growth of our family. What stuck in my mind, and I want to continue to be mindful of, is to never say, "Don't touch the baby," "Leave the baby alone," "walk away from the baby," to our older sibling, but to rather include the experience with them.

I'm already almost halfway through pregnancy, I keep saying this, but it really goes by so much quicker the next time around.  I'll try and get Jason to take some new belly pics to post.

Another Vegan Baby On The Way!

It still amazes me how eating super nutrient rich foods with a whole food vegan diet has so much stigma still attached to it, more so than moms that feed their children fast food ("Where do you get your protein?" "Children need to drink milk!" "How are you vegetarian in Texas?" "Just eat a burger," "You'll all be anemic!") ... So, after being vegan for 15+ years, with an almost 3 year old vegan child, I'd like to recap that eating a balanced, cruelty-free diet is totally possible (and easier than most people assume), PLUS! your baby and children can absolutely thrive. We eat burgers too in moderation (veggie burgers), have had all of our blood work consistently come back with excellent iron counts (have never been anemic), and get tons of protein from all of these foods:

My first daughter I breastfed until she was 2 3/4 years (baby led weaning), no formula, all vegan breastmilk along with a healthy fully vegan balanced diet. Here are my 1st daughter's stats through her infancy (if there is a percentile, those stats were from her doctor visits/wellness exams):

At Birth: 9lbs 9oz, 23 inches long (3 lbs placenta!)

WEIGHT: far above average before she became mobile, and continuing above average as she became more active!
2 weeks: 10 lbs (midwives checkup)
2 months: 13lbs 9 oz (98 percentile),
3 months: 15lbs
4 months: 17lbs 11oz (99 percentile)
5 months: 18lbs 15oz
6 months: 19lbs 14 1/2oz (98 percentile)
7 months: 20 1/2 lbs
8 months: 21 lbs
9 months: 21lbs 11oz (89 percentile)
10 months: 22lbs
11 months: 22lbs
12 months/1 year: 22lbs 8.5oz (74 percentile)
15 months: 23lbs 13oz (66 percentile)
18 months: 25lbs (58 percentile)
24 months/2 year: 28lbs (68 percentile)
36 months/3 year: __________________(apt next month)

HEIGHT/LENGTH: super tall strong girl!
2 months: 25 inches (100 percentile)
4 months: 27 inches (100 percentile)
5 months: 28 inches
6 months: 28.5 inches (100 percentile)
9 months: 30 1/4 inches (99 percentile)
12 months/1 year: 31 1/2 inches (98 percentile)
15 months: 32 3/4 inches (98 percentile)
18 months: 34 1/4 inches (97 percentile)
24 months/2years: 38 inches (100 percentile)
36 months/3 years: __________________(apt next month)

HEAD SIZE: eating lots of healthy brain foods to thrive body and mind!
2 months: 41cm (94 percentile)
4 months: 43 1/4cm (95 percentile)
5 months: 45cm
6 months: 46cm (99 percentile)
9 months: 46 1/2cm (97 percentile)
12 months/1 year: 47 3/4cm (98 percentile)
15 months: 48 1/4cm (97 percentile)
18 months: 49 1/2cm (99 percentile)
24 months/2 years: 50 1/2cm (99 percentile)
36 months/3 years: __________________(apt next month)

Looking forward to making another big healthy vegan baby, and helping my family thrive with all their beans and veggies.

Kale Yes!

Night at School, Reading Recs, Parties.

Last night I had to miss yoga so we could attend Jocelyn's Parents/Teachers meeting for the Cardinals room. She hasn't moved up yet, but will in the next month or so, and it was great to hear from the teachers on the daily routine, and have more information and helpful suggestions to bridge the Montessori lifestyle from classroom to home. Everything about Montessori is so totally right on with just about all of our parenting philosophies, and how we raise and aspire to raise our children. From encouraging them to do as much for themselves as possible, from putting on their own clothes/shoes, carrying their own things/lunchbox to class every day, respecting their concentration on their work, and overall being their "scaffolding" where we observe, and are there to help guide but they are the ones figuring things out on their own.

The one area that we know we need to work on more is our screen time, I know we're not alone and theres so much guilt that comes with it (one of the teachers brought this up), but we definitely need to work on more screen-free activities, which I have been doing since I've gone back to being stay at home. More art projects, more crafts, more reading, more puzzles, and lately we've been doing iSpy books and Joss loves it. Finding the hidden objects in the pictures. Still, we do settle into being lazy and watching Netflix after a long day, which starts with our behaviors as adults - to model and pass down our own habits... so that we are definitely taking home to work on.

Moving her forward through time, seeing into the next class up I learned that they don't teach the alphabet letter names (A, B, Cs) but they teach the letter sounds. All in lower case. I think this is interesting and makes sense to help foster early reading skills. I also really appreciate the strong respect displayed by the teachers for the children's work periods, and encouragement, - also using consequences rather than discipline, and no time outs but rather 'time ins' where we talk together which is our approach at home too.

There was some reading recommendations that fell right in line with the EXACT books I just bought this past week, both of Dr. Laura Markham's books (which were mentioned several times), and of course Janet Lansbury's RIE blog (I love her! She's helped me so much how to learn to be a parent and raise my daughter). There also was an interesting reading suggestion for what to read to our children... rather than fantasy, read real life stories - which usually is seen to be for only adults but is totally in line with Montessori principals. I never really occurred to me (instead of reading a story about a talking cat, read a story about a cat that is narrated by a child, etc), there is a reading list they said they would email us parents, so I'm looking forward to checking it out. Also another reading recommendation was to read our children poetry, another example of reading that tends to be seen mostly for adults. But poetry is real, real life experiences that fosters imagination and wonderful to share with our young ones.

So I missed yoga, but as usual it was wonderful to go to Jocelyn's school and listen to her teachers speak. I'm looking forward to the next events coming up too. Today I'll do some yoga at home to keep my lower back feeling good, and overall wellness. I also decided to change our baby shower from being a pre-holiday November event (which is also right after Jocelyn's birthday), but to make it a birthday party baby shower for MY birthday in January! Its only one month before my due date, so I'll big pretty big, but I think that will be easier after all of the holidays, plus I'll also get a little birthday party with it so yay! I won't think about it now for a while until after Jocelyn's birthday, and Halloween. I still have time.