Not Me!

The cable guy who showed up an hour early last week did NOT find me barely out of my pajamas still sweeping up broken glass in the kitchen from an earlier mishap with children running around still in their pajamas and the baby with a snotty nose and a saggy diaper.

And if he had seen me in that state, I certainly would NOT have been wearing pink fuzzy slippers!

Nope! Not me! Because I am woman! I am invincible! I am always on the ball and never taken by surprise.

I certainly would never forget about a scheduled out of town trip my husband told me about weeks ago and plan my daughter's birthday party during that time! Especially if we only have friend parties on 5th, 10th, and 15th birthdays, because that would be a big deal, and what kind of parent would plan a big deal party when the dad is out of town?

Not me! That's who!

I also would never make a 4 year old child wear wet shoes to church to drive home a point about not leaving shoes outside overnight during a rainstorm. Why, that would just be downright mean, and do you know who is downright mean?

Not me!

And I would never interrupt myself in a video post on How to Make Homemade Country Gravy THREE TIMES to tell a child she absolutely could not wear that outfit to church.

Nope. Not me! That would be unprofessional and distracting.

What about you? What have you NOT been up to?

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Favorite Toys

Here are a couple of my favorite toys from this year's Christmas extravaganza.

This tracing toy is very helpful to my newly turned 4 year old. When a letter is pressed, the screen lights up with dots for the child to trace to make the letter and a voice prompts the child to begin tracing, repeating what the letter is. The dots then disappear and the child can see the letter she made all by herself. Very nifty!


.

These crayons were a gift to the same child as above, but all the kids are loving them. They mark easily on windows and wipe right off with a damp cloth.

Here are a few of the windows that have been colored around here recently.

Or in the case of an imaginative 2 year old, you can give yourself a facial.


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Date Night With Mom

Li'l Smockity #4 recently had her chance at date night with Mom.

She chose a Chinese buffet.

Notice her dining choices. Vanilla pudding. Chocolate pudding. Vanilla/chocolate pudding swirl. And an ice cream cone. We're all about making healthy choices here in Smockityville.

After dinner, we went to a "paint your own pottery" shop where she picked out a piggy bank to paint.

An artist takes her work very seriously.

 

A few days later, the pottery store called to tell us the piggy bank was ready for pick up.

We had a fabulous time and she loves having her piggy to remind her of our special night.


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Smockity Talks

It's time to answer more questions from my readers. I still have quite a few questions left, so I will continue this series and call it "Smockity Talks" from here on out.

The first two questions today come from my real life friend, Jerri. (Hi, Jerri!)
With all of your children how do you find the opportunity to have some togetherness time with your hubby?

We now have a built in babysitter because our oldest is almost 15, so we can and do occasionally go out for some time together. There was a period of time, though, when we either had to hire a babysitter or make do with family time. Even though I enjoy alone time with my husband I believe it is possible to have a loving, close relationship with him while going months, or even years, at a time without "dates".

When we had only young children and couldn't afford a babysitter, we took our alone time where and when we could get it. We have let the kids watch a dvd while we talked at the kitchen table, or waited until their bedtime (which has always been 8:30) so we could enjoy a movie alone together.  We definitely had to be creative!

Also, How do you complete your knitting projects with kids around?

I keep my knitting, smocking, or other handwork in a bag that stays in the van. Whenever I find myself waiting at a doctor appointment or a homeschool gym day, I pull it out and work on it a little bit at a time.

Next, from Cheryl at Adventures of a Somewhat Crunchy Mama:
What's the biggest change to your body after almost 8 kids? 

I'm not sure if the changes in my body are due to having seven children so much as they are because of being 43, but there is some, shall we say "sagging", which from what I see on magazines headlines in the grocery store checkout line is rather common.  I will say that I am often told I look much younger than 43. I am in good health and always manage to lose my pregnancy weight, although it usually takes a full year to slim back down to my normal size.

How often do you forget/mix up your kids' names?

It depends. I hardly ever call my son by any other name than his. With the six girls? All bets are off. And for a few months after I've had a new baby, whenever someone asks me the baby's name, I may have to pause and  mentally count to seven.

When/Why did you start blogging? I tell the entire riveting story in "How It All Began".

From Milehimama at Mama Says:
I have a question from one big family to another: toothbrushes. The bane of my existence.  IF I can actually get 7 different toothbrushes so that they don't get mixed up... someone is always missing one or forgetting or dropping it on the bathroom floor and then it's stepped on...
Seriously, I've resorted to buying a bushel of extras at the dollar store.

How do you keep your toothbrushes in line (not talking about storage - the USAGE is where it falls apart, LOL!)

This is the part where I get all cranky and tell y'all the only thing I hate worse than toothbrushes is SOCKS! I won't go off on socks today, though. I will keep my angst confined to toothbrushes for this post.

I really don't have any good answer for this one because we deal with the exact same things you mentioned in your question!  I tell at least one child per week, "Just go use mine!"

If anyone has a solution for this one, please jump in!

This concludes this edition of Smockity Talks. Please, tune in again for more questions and answers.

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Not Me!

I am a very responsible and conscientious parent.

When it is a frigid 28 degrees on an early January Sunday morning, I make sure all my children have their coats before we load up to head to church. I am so attentive that when we get there I certainly would NOT allow my five year old to leave hers on her seat, exit the car, and make the long walk from the packed parking lot without her coat.

Not me! That would be irresponsible parenting!

I am also so conscientious that I would never allow my children to pack themselves for an out of town trip and when we got to our destination and one of them had forgotten a toothbrush, I certainly would NOT tell them to just use mine!

Not me! That would be unsanitary!

I would also never procrastinate so much that I would be sewing the last of seven sets of Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve.

Not me! That would be adding stress to an already stressful time of year.

What about you? What have you NOT done recently?

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Q & A Continued

See Q & A Part 1.
See Q & A Part 2.

Lisa at Bitsy Bee asked several questions, so I will take them separately.

What games or learning activities do you find are good to do with young children, aged 18 months to 3 years? 

See my post on "Homeschooling With Preschoolers".

Reading aloud is our primary learning activity for toddlers and preschoolers. It allows for all kinds of teaching opportunities like counting, identifying colors, letters, animals, etc.  The children also get to practice waiting, taking turns turning pages, and listening quietly.

We also use books on CD, puzzles, coloring, clay, and tracing activities.

Helping in the kitchen and with other chores is also a valuable learning activity. There is plenty of time for talking, counting, measuring, etc.


Do you have any tips for feeding multiple children of different ages? Does everyone have to eat everything off their plate at dinner or do they just serve themselves what they want out of large dishes? Is there any way to encourage my 14 month old baby to begin to feed hereself? I spend a lot of time sitting with her encouraging her to eat and feeding her from a spoon.

My husband and I serve the plates with very small portions. Anyone can have seconds on anything if all food on the first plate has been eaten. No one HAS to eat anything, but they will not get anything else to eat until the next meal time.

As far as babies go, we haven't used baby food or spoon fed our babies since the fifth one was born, five and a half years ago. When they are 8-10 months old and start to show interest in eating solids, we put them in a high chair with a few soft peas or Cheerios and let them practice picking them up and getting them to the mouth. I still breastfeed, so there is no urgency to make sure the baby gets a certain amount down the hatch. It doesn't take long for baby to get the hang of it, and after a month or so we can put out a variety of soft foods and a fair amount gets eaten.

From that point on, the baby realizes that she can feed herself and does so.


What ways do your older children help to look after or even teach your younger children?


My older children are a HUGE help with the younger ones, especially when we are getting out the door to go somewhere. Each big kid makes sure his or her buddy has on suitable clothing, socks and shoes, and a jacket if needed. They also buckle and unbuckle car seats when needed, which eliminates the need for mom to climb back and forth over three rows of seats.

The older children also read aloud to the littler ones. Every day when I am doing a reading lesson with the five year old, the second grader is reading aloud to the two little ones. This gives her an opportunity to practice her reading while giving the little ones some extra reading time, and I have a period of uninterrupted instruction with an easily distractable Kindergartner.

Finally, do you have any tips for curling hair? My hair is straight with a slight kink if I don't blow dry it but I would like loose curls that stay in all day. Any ideas?

I have been doing the Curly Girl routine for about three years now to encourage my curls.  See a photo of my Curly Girl hair.

Thanks for your questions, Lisa!

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Joy Berry Books

I have posted a review and promotion for Joy Berry Books at my review blog. Head on over there to find out about the special prices that will only last through January.


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More Questions Answered

When I asked for reader questions a while back, you guys really came through! I will be posting the answers in a series of posts.

Make sure to read Part 1 if you missed it the first time.

Lynley at Save the Phillips asks: "What is your daily schedule like? I want to know how you fit in home schooling, blogging, and life in one day."

I have posted what our schedule looks like in this "Scheduling Chores" post. You'll find a video there showing our schedule and a couple of links to more posts on scheduling.  We are very flexible with the schedule and constantly revising it so that it suits our changing needs. It is rare that I get everything done in a day that needs doing. "A woman's work is never done," is a very true statement! I just try my best to work toward the goal.

I do a lot of blogging in the evenings when the children are in bed and my husband is watching television. No specific schedule, though.

Jaynee at The Lockwoods asks: "Since my children all already have passports, can I come visit you? Can we have a big slumber party? Can we have lots of candy on hand too?"

Oh my word! I would LOVE a visit from you and your big ol' family, Jaynee! We have no problem with lots of guests and wall to wall children. And I am pro candy, so bring it on!  Wouldn't that be great fun?

Rachel asks: "When you have your evening out with one of your children, do you set limits on how far you will drive to the restaurant or stores? How much they get to spend? Do they spend their own money if they want something or do you buy them something?"

We don't have any specific limits, but we have had to deny requests. One daughter wanted to go to The American Girl Store, which was A) far away, and B) expensive, so we said no.  For the activity, like bowling or the dinner out, we pay, but it the child wants to buy something special, they must bring their own money. When I went window shopping with one girl, she hadn't brought her money, so she didn't get to buy any trinkets.

This concludes Part 2 of the Smockity Q & A. Thank you for your questions, and be sure to check back for future installments.


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Giveaways and More

I would love to know if anyone has advice for Nicki's speech therapy at home question in my Blog Frog forum. We have the exact same issue, same age and everything!

Also, be sure to read Amy's detailed and helpful guest post about The Bible in 90 Days.

While you're over at Smockity Reviews and Giveaways, be sure to sign up to win a free copy of The Bible in 90 Days Bible plus participant's guide.

And check back tomorrow to win a free football shaped serving platter and 2 cans of green chiles from Old El Paso.


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Library Book Management for Large Families

Library book management can often be a challenge for large families.  Multiple children times multiple library books equals many and numerous opportunities for losing said books.

Although we don't have a perfect system for keeping up with everyone's books all the time, we have come up with a system that allows us to always know how many books each child should have and our system encourages the child to be responsible for his own books.

Each child checks out the number of books that corresponds with his or her age. The 14 year old checks out 14 books, the 5 year old checks out 5 books, and so on. This not only allows the older children to check out more books, but allows Mommy to know how many books each child should be turning in.

If a child is missing some books on library day, the number missing is deducted from the total allowed to be checked out. For instance, let's say the 8 year old can not find 2 of her 8 books because she has looked everywhere, Mommy, everywhere, and I really mean it this time, and they have vanished into thin air, as library books are wont to do. She may only check out 6 new books, yet she is still responsible for 8 and she must recheck the other 2.

Each time we go to the library, I know how many books each child should be bringing back.  The child also knows and is aware that he or she will not be able to check out the agreed upon number until all books are turned in.

We still occasionally have fines for overdue books, but our system makes library book management a little simpler for this large family.

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Smockity Q & A

It's time your pressing questions were answered dear readers. I put out the call for questions and you responded. Today's installment centers around parenting babies and toddlers.

The following contains my best effort to answer those questions. Please, keep in mind that I am not a professional counselor, psychologist, or doctor.  I am a mom of seven who has a few experiences under my belt and have figured out a thing or two, mostly through trial and error.

Got that? Okay, here we go:

• From Harmony:  Pearl Will. Not. Sleep. unless I'm holding her (she wakes up and starts crying just as soon as I lay her down)...And when she's awake and not nursing, she is either crying or rolling around the house and getting into everything in sight...How do you get housework done with a baby attached to you all day? Is this typical baby behavior? Will my next baby be like this? And if so, how will I survive it?? And the most pressing question of all: can I get my house clean by the time my MIL arrives for Christmas? ;-)

I have had all kinds of babies. There are those that are perfectly happy entertaining themselves for a half hour at a time playing with a cup and a spoon and a single Cheerio in the bouncy seat. There are those, like Pearl, who insist on your full attention at all times, and there all all varieties in between.

With those babies like Pearl, I had to develop the philosophy, "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do".  By that I don't mean taking long leisurely bubble baths whilst the baby screams his head off, but I have had to peel potatoes or load a dishwasher to the sound of a screeching infant on more than one occasion. If the baby is well fed and cared for and I have provided a comfortable place with a toy for entertainment, I go about my business as quickly as possible while singing cheerily to assure the baby that I am still available to meet his needs as soon as I finish my chore.

Doing this same routine each day for short periods of time will be a sort of training to a baby. They will come to expect that there are daily periods when they should expect to wait for Mommy to get through with a chore. Some babies are more offended by this than others and will choose to continue to protest loudly during the entire process. Some babies will figure out that they can use that time exploring what their fingers can do while watching Mommy.  Nevertheless, the chores must be done.  My husband calls this, "Short term pain for long term gain".  Enduring the short bouts of crying will allow you to accomplish what needs to be done and hopefully train Pearl to entertain herself.

• From Mirage: Is it normal for things to be nuts when I'm home alone with two tiny tornadoes all day? Today I have a terrible cold. I let the kids out of my sight for less than 2 whole minutes to get some vitamins and I found my 3 year old running around naked waving her pants like a flag and my 1 year old surrounded by a whole package of pads in the bathroom, holding one over the toilet about to drop it in. Heeeellllp! :p
  

Ahhh... I remember those days well! I have always maintained that my most difficult mothering years were when I had only two children. Anytime The Mommy is the only one who can pour milk, or wipe bottoms, or tie shoes, or buckle car seats, or use discernment in the use of personal hygiene products for entertainment, there are some difficult days in store.

I remember thinking, "I can not even take a shower without fearing what I will find when I get out!" Once, when I had two toddlers, my 1 year old managed to dump out an entire bag of sugar so he could "ice skate" while older sister looked on in amusement.

Take heart! Time passes and children get older and more capable of contributing to the organization of the family instead of just the messes. The days are long, but the years are fleeting.

Just remember, don't get mad - get the camera. You'll laugh about those messes someday.

To be continued. Be sure to check back soon for more questions and answers.

Also, be on the lookout for some nifty reviews and giveaways I have up my sleeve just in time for Christmas!


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Winter Beach Vacations: Pros and Cons

We just returned from a winter beach vacation and I thought a list of pros and cons would be beneficial to any Smockity readers considering a similar trip.

PROS

• Up to half price off beach rentals during the "off season".
• No crowds. We practically had the entire beach to ourselves, only seeing a handful of people the whole week we were there.
• No danger of drowning, shark attacks, jelly fish stings, etc. since it was only warm enough for wading.
• No need for sunscreen.
• No heat strokes.
  

CONS

• Weather can be unpredictable. The locals said they had two seasons: summer and February. Apparently, no one told the second week in December about this arrangement, because we had rain, fog, wind, and SNOW. Yes, snow on a south Texas beach.
• Cold + water = Super cold
• Packing jackets and rubber boots take up lots of space.
• Lots of time indoors because of rain is bad for Mommy's nerves.
  

Our kids are super good sports and endured the wind and cold to have plenty of fun digging in the sand, collecting scads of seashells, and building sand castles. We had two days of mild temperatures, too, so they enjoyed wading and splashing about.

All told, I'm not sure we will plan another winter beach vacation, but we would definitely like to return to the beach! I think October would still be considered "off season", so the discounts would be available, but the weather would hopefully be nicer.

*Stay tuned for Smockity Answers Reader Questions, coming soon!

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Preparing For Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth: Part 3

Read Preparing For Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth: Part 1 and
Preparing For Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth: Part 2

I knew that I needed to have something I could focus on during contractions that would help me relax and let my body work with the contractions, not try to block them out.

I had tried, during my other labors to focus on a picture on the wall, but that didn't seem to help me for more than about the first 2.7 seconds of each contraction, because I was trying to ignore the pain, by focusing on the picture.  And if you've ever been through labor you know there's no ignoring that feeling!

That's when I remembered the family vacation we take every year. 

Peaceful? Check. Relaxing? Check.






I remembered the hour long horseback rides we would take and how I loved to listen to the sound of the horses' hooves on the gravel, and then through the grass and small streams, and crossing wooden bridges.

I decided that for each 60 second contraction, I could envision myself on horseback.  I would imagine the sound of hooves going over gravel. Clip, clop, clip, clop, for 15 seconds, 15 steps. Then 15 seconds, 15 steps through tall grass. Swish, swoosh, swish, swoosh.  Next would come water. Splish, splash, splish, splash, 15 seconds, 15 steps.  Lastly, I would imagine going over a wooden bridge, clip, clop, clip, clop and after 15 steps, seeing my family on the front porch of our cabin waiting for me and cheering me on.




These things were very easy for me to imagine because I had done them many times.  During my pregnancy, I practiced going through the 15 steps, 4 times each every night as I lay in my bed waiting for sleep to come.  I wanted to make sure I had the timing just right, so the whole "journey" would last for the entire minute long contraction.

When I went into labor with my 7th baby, I was ready to use the technique I had been practicing for months.  I need it to be very quiet so I could concentrate on the steps in my journey, so my husband had to "shush" some nurses a time or two, but it really did work for me!

I had told my husband ahead of time that I was determined NOT to say, "I CAN NOT DO THIS!" like I had done the other times because I knew I could do it, that my body was designed to do it.

Finally, I was able to go through my entire labor and delivery staying calm and relaxed the whole time! What an exhilarating feeling! I had done it!

(Read the birth story here.)


Here are a few other techniques I put into practice, along with the visualization I described above.

• Keep hands open and relaxed. Don't clench fists.
• Keep jaw and mouth loose and relaxed. No clenching!
• Request a quiet environment. Sick your husband on the nurses if necessary.
• Closing your eyes may help with the visualization.

Below are some books I highly recommend in preparing for natural, unmedicated childbirth.







What books have you found helpful?

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Preparing For Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth

See Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth: How I Prepare for Part 1 of this series.

In the time between my 6th and 7th pregnancies, I read A Midwife's Story which I found to be a fascinating and informative book detailing how modern day Amish women give birth at home with little to no complications. I found it so interesting to read about how they took childbirth to be another normal part of life, a regular bodily function.

Around that time, something happened that was a lightbulb moment for me concerning childbirth.  Our entire family came down with a severe stomach virus, with vomiting every 15-20 minutes. (I still to refer to this as The Dark Days of Aught Seven, but that's another story.) It was awful for all of us, but I took special notice of the way two of my children handled their illnesses differently.

The more dramatic sister would cry and thrash and scream out every 15 minutes, "Mommy! Help me! Make it stop! NO! NO! I don't want to throw up! It's going to HURRRRT!!!"

The other sister would lay very still and quiet, curled up like a cat in the corner of the couch. Every 15 minutes she would lift one finger and signal to me that she needed the bucket. She would do what must be done and silently lay her head back down. When I would wipe her forehead with a cool cloth, if it bothered her, she would gently brush my hand away and I understood she needed to be left alone.

I immediately took note of the difference and thought, "Drama Girl is making what is unpleasant ten times worse by her reaction to it.  Kitty Cat Girl is doing what must be done and preserving her energy to cope with the pain in a way that minimizes it."

I thought of the birth experience I had when I acted like Drama Girl and how frightening and painful it was. I remembered in the books I had read about childbirth, how the mothers talked about remaining calm and focusing on something during the contractions that helped them work with the pain, instead of trying to block out the pain.

I filed that away and when I became pregnant with number seven, I knew I wanted to employ that technique.

I had read about women thinking of a flower opening, or waves crashing, or bicycling up an incline to help them relax and focus and work through the contractions. I also knew that the most powerful contractions lasted up to a full 60 seconds, so I wanted to come up with something I could focus on for a full minute that would keep me calm and working with my contractions throughout their duration.

That's when I thought of the perfect idea!

To be continued.
See Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth Part 3

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Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth: How I Prepare

Since I'm expecting our 8th and this has been on my mind recently, I would like to share with you how I prepare myself for natural, unmedicated childbirth.

I had an epidural with my first two births, but the third came so quickly there was no time for drugs.

During that third pregnancy, I had read about The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth and noticed that "pressure" was used in place of the word "pain".

That may have been why I was completely taken by surprise when the "pressure" turned out to be excruciating, gut wrenching, old fashioned PAIN. I remember trying to climb over the top of my bed, as if I might escape from it.

After it was all over, which amounted to about 15 minutes, I couldn't get the term "blunt force trauma" out of my head. I felt like I had been walking along, minding my own business, when I was suddenly hit by a Mack truck.

Once I had time to reflect on the whole thing, though, I realized the worst part was really not that long if I took into account the periods of rest between contractions.

With my next delivery, my fourth, I was much better prepared as far as what to expect from labor and delivery, and I was ready to give the natural, unmedicated birth another try.

It went much better than the time before because I eliminated the whole "panic and try to run away from the pain" response.

I still had moments of panic and telling screaming to my husband that "I CAN NOT DO THIS!"  He calmly assured me that I really could and that it was almost over. That part probably lasted for less than five minutes, a significantly more manageable amount than the last time.

I could see that with each delivery I was more in control of how I responded to the pain, and that meant that I actually felt less discomfort from it.

When it came time to prepare for delivering my fifth, I had read The Birth Book by Dr. Sears and Mrs. Sears and was more determined than ever to control my mind and not let the pain get the best of me.

This would be my third natural, unmedicated delivery, and I was excited to employ what I had learned through the book and my own experiences.

That delivery was the best so far, but I still felt like there were those few minutes when I wasn't in control. Once again, I announced, "I CAN NOT DO THIS!" and my husband encouraged me to carry on.

My sixth labor and delivery were very similar to the fifth. Very manageable with only maybe 3-4 minutes I wish I could have remained calm.

During my seventh pregancy I read a new book, and had an epiphany about pain management that changed my thinking and my experience with labor and delivery.

To be continued.

For part 2, see my next post in this series, Preparing For Natural, Unmedicated Childbirth.

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Updog?

This is a repost. Have you voted for Smockity in the Homeschool Blog Awards?

My husband played this joke on me a while back, and it still cracks me up to think about it.

One evening after the kids were in bed, I was telling him some very detailed account of something that had happened that day (which I am SURE he was completely mesmerized by). The conversation went something like this:

Me: Blah blah blah. Blah didah dah. So what do you think
I should do about it?

Him: (thoughtfully) Hmmmm..... sounds like a case of updog to me.

Me: Huh???????

Him: Yep, I'm sure of it. Sounds like updog.

Me: What's "updog"?

Him: Not much. What's up with you, DAWG!!!!

OK, I know I'm in my forties, and I should be way more mature than this, but I laughed my head off. Then, we did it to our kids the next day. Great fun!

The trick is waiting for the perfect opportunity to get the other person to ask, "What's updog?"

Want more funny?  Try these.

• How Not to Dress For a Wedding Three Weeks Postpartum 
• A Snapshot of My Life
• When Silly Putty Attacks
  

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