My (Latest) Big Mommy Mistake

As I was feeding Owen yesterday, the Lord opened my eyes to an important realization.

Ready for it?

Here goes....some honesty from this mama....

Owen was never going to learn to feed himself because I never give him the opportunity.

Wow!


Talk about a reality check.  I had made another big Mommy mistake!  And after apologizing to Owen, I've been working on fixing my mistake.

Before we jump into my future plans, let me take a step backwards.  Owen used to be really good at finger feeding.  He was even working on using a spoon.  His OT was a great help in this area!

And then, the battle with seizures began. When we started the keto diet, we were told by the dietician not to do much work on self-feeding because every bite was essential.  Owen was not a particularly neat eater.  So when his meal is being weighed in grams (and not very many of them), he had to eat everything.  We went back to feeding him.

2012 was a really hard year for Owen.  We thought we were losing him.  And it's hard to encourage self-feeding when you think you are experiencing your last days together.  There were just so many other urgent items to attend to.

But now, the Lord saw us through 2013 without any major health problems for Owen.  No hospital stays, or even ER visits!  We are out of the woods so to speak.  But I've been holding Owen back.  I've been babying him.  And he is 7 years old. 

The Lord reminded me of that fact yesterday.  And I realized that it's time to start encouraging independence again and begin preparing for Owen's future.  A future where he might outlive his parents and need to have as many skills as possible.  

It's time to start dreaming for Owen and having high expectations again.  We've been down in the valley for too long.  It's time to climb some mountains!

So there you have it.  My big mommy mistake.

Here's my plan.  If you have other ideas, I'd love to hear them.  I know that Owen is capable of SO much more than I currently expect.

1.  Lunch will be self-feed practice only.
     *I will use large pieces (not choking size--but 7 year old size instead of little baby) of flavorful, enjoyable food.
    * I will provide a variety of textures and tastes to encourage eating.
    * I will make utensils available, but I will not fight him about using them.
     * I will not stress about the mess.  I don't stress about the mess when babies are learning to feed themselves.  I don't not give them the opportunity because they may be messy.  Owen deserves the same.

Owen's lunch for today.  We went to the library and were late for lunch, so we just had sandwiches.  Instead of making Owen a sandwich, I cut up the components and gave him a fun plate.  Sydney and Ellie decided they wanted this style too.

2.  Breakfast and Dinner will be a combination of self-feed and being fed.  Overtime, we'll transition to more self-feed and wean out me feeding him.  Until then, this will ensure that he's actually getting calories in his mouth.

3.  For now...I will feed Owen the little bit of food I use with his morning and evening meds.  I call it medicine instead of food anyways (we usually use applesauce or yogurt with the meds on top).  I don't let my other kids get their meds themselves, so this will be okay.

Owen exploring his banana yesterday for afternoon snack.  More of it got to his mouth than I thought would.  Yes.  It was a mess.  But without the mess, he won't master self-feeding.

4.  I will offer more calorie intensive drinks for Owen.  He is completely independent with a Tummy Tickler (highly recommend those!) and will be able to drink as needed.  Eggnog is something he used to love.  Chocolate milk is another favorite.  His weight has been decreasing a bit lately, so this will hopefully help.  Walking burns some calories!!!

5.  I will raise my expectations for Owen in other areas.   I will expect him to participate in our family life instead of just being a spectator.  I have come up with two concrete examples, and have other thoughts bubbling in my mind. 
     *He will help wipe the table for table chore time.
     *He will sit at the table or on the couch with us during Bible time instead of playing.

6.  I will continue working with Owen on potty training.  I began when he was 14 months old.  He was pretty good at holding it until I remembered to take him (remember he can't talk...).  Then I kind of missed the boat on this one with all the medical issues.

He's been holding it more and more.  My big cue that he is ready to stop being in diapers.  I think it'll go quick.  I'll probably still use the diapers at night (at least for a while) until he is consistently staying dry.

I think he'll be in underwear during the day within a month.  He's motivated right now.  We're going to pick out some big boy underwear next Friday when we go to town.  I have no idea what sort of design he'll pick.  Will definitely be a new experience!

*I know that accidents will happen.  When they happen with the other kids, I don't put them back in diapers.  I clean it up and we talk about using the potty and we move on.  Again--Owen deserves the same.  He actually deserves more since he can't tell me he has to go potty and we have the bathroom gated off so he can't just go himself.  He depends on me to take him in there...

My boy is growing up.  He'll be 8 in a few months.  He's not a baby anymore.  And it's time for this mom to allow him some freedom and to encourage independence. 

Spread your wings Owen.  Show me what you can do!

Linked up to: Raising Arrows

A 15 Step Farm Workout

I woke up the other morning wondering why in the world my arms were hurting so much.  Then I realized that in addition to beginning the Couch 2 5 K program with my sister, I was also completing a 15 step farm workout.  Snow and ice has made everything more of a challenge!

I'll walk you through the workout.  It's guaranteed to find arm muscles you had forgotten about, increase your flexibility and  provide an abundance of beautiful milk for the family.

Step 1:

Get up early.  It'll still be dark outside. Getting going is the hardest part of any workout plan...Get bundled up in extra layers. Baby, it's cold out there!

Step 2:

Make your way cautiously to the barn.  Avoid stepping on the cat's tail.  Don't trip over the sled that the kids left out.  Oops--remember that it's a solid sheet of ice under that beautiful new snow.  Step lightly.  When you start to slip, use windmill arms to keep upright. 

Step 3:

Haul 10 gallons of water to the cows from the hydrant in the yard. I'd recommend not using windmill arms when falling in this instance. Unless you want to get soaked.  Ask me how I know! :)

Step 4:

Pick up 2X4 and beat through ice that has managed to form on top of calf water holder.  A thick layer of ice needs lots of beating.  Keep going until you see water.  This is what made my arms sore...I found some new muscles!

Step 5:

Open gate and get first cow into milk parlor.  Milk by hand.  A real forearm workout!

Step 6:

Put first cow away and use lead rope to convince the other cow that she really wants to go into the milk parlor and get milked.  Wrestle with her a little bit.  Be thankful there are no horns!

Step 7:

Milk second cow who has reluctantly joined you in the milk parlor.  After wrapping the rope around your leg and almost taking you out....

Step 8:

Make sure all gates are shut and cows are put back. 

Step 9:

Haul hay to the cows and calves.  Feed calves bottles.  Drop a bottle in the pen and climb in.  Avoid getting head butted by the cow who thinks you still have milk for it.  Work on agility now let's go, let's go!  Climbing back out is the hardest part. 

Step 10:

Clean milk parlor.  Hoses are frozen!  Fill the 5 gallon buckets again and dump water.  Scrub with a barn broom.

Step 11:

Maneuver way back to house through ice and snow and sleds and cats with pail full of milk.  Don't spill!

Step 12:

Strain milk and get it in fridge.

Step 13:

Go back out and let chickens out.  You have to cut a new path through the fresh snow to get there. High knees anyone?

Step 14:

Grab an armfull of firewood and go inside.  Debundle.  Drink some water or some fresh milk.  Warm up.

Step 15:

Repeat in 12 hours.  Except for the milking thing.  And letting the chickens out.  This time you have to chase them back in. And gather eggs.  That's a fun part! Oh--don't forget to haul hay to the sheep and check that everyone has enough straw for bedding. 

Care to join me in the morning?

Though on a serious note...I'm learning the importance of moving throughout the day.  This type of natural exercise is on that is more likely to be stuck with.  I can easily get up one morning and say that I don't feel like running.  I really can't get up and declare that I don't feel like milking.  This daily movement has been great in helping me take off some of my baby weight!  I'm looking forward to shedding more of it. 

I'd encourage you to look for ways to increase your movements naturally.  Perhaps you can scrub a floor, shovel some snow, or just run around with the kids more.  All movement helps.  Even if it makes you sore the next day!

Buttermilk Bliss: Buttermilk Biscuits

Can I just repeat myself for a second?  I LOVE buttermilk! It's super easy to make and really adds a nice dimension of flavor to everything I've been trying it in.

Buttermilk biscuits are my newest discovery.  I've never really been able to make good biscuits.  After many recipe fails, I finally stuck with cream biscuits.  Because they were easy to make.  But, they just didn't scream BISCUIT to me like I thought they should.

So I kept searching.  And I found this.  A recipe for buttermilk biscuits.   

I tweaked it a bit.  Subbed half white whole-wheat flour.  Decreased the salt to 1/4 tsp. and used salted butter.

They were delicious!  And fluffy.  I like fluffy biscuits.

To make the whole mixing butter step in easier, I grated the cold butter.  I just set the large hole grater on top of my bowl and grate away.  The little uniform chunks fall neatly into the bowl and a quick mix with the spoon keeps me from having to break out the pastry blender. I don't like that thing!

Since I'm still trying to get used to this blogging thing, I forgot to take a picture.  Silly me.  So sorry. Will fix that next time I bake them.  Until then...just imagine a beautiful fluffy biscuit with butter on top.  And raspberry jam!  Yum!

Owen's Therapy Swing

I mentioned in Saturday's post that Bryan was putting an eye screw in our ceiling.  He successfully completed this task, and we now have an eye screw and a swivel clip hanging down in the living room.  When it's time to play, we push the coffee table and piano bench out of the way, climb on a chair to attach the swing, and then the fun begins.

The swing is red and purple, and looks absolutely inviting when it's hanging down in the middle of the living room.  It's made of Lycra and feels so snug.  Owen's OT from the Elks arranged for the Elks to purchase this for us, which was a huge blessing. 

I love that most of the kids can climb in it independently.  Owen can't yet.  We are working on it.  I'm trying to make sure I'm consistently putting him in the same way, so he can learn some muscle memory and help more.  The therapist suggested having him lean through the swing onto a chair or do a sit transfer.  I may give those methods a try in the next couple of days.

For now, even though it is a challenge to lift him in, the benefits are amazing!  He absolutely loves the movement and the tightness of the fabric.  He stayed in it for almost an hour yesterday in one sitting.  When he finally came out, he was definitely more relaxed and his body was way more quiet than normal.

We're going to try some iPad work and some school activities in the swing.  I think it'll help his attention and focus.  We'll see.

Bonus?  It's great free time play for everyone.  All of the kids are under the weight limit, so they take turns pushing and swinging.  For indoor winter play, I'm learning that the swing can't be beat! 

New Laptop!

Exciting news! And a huge, unexpected blessing.  This is my first blog post on my new laptop!

With some extra money we received for Christmas, Bryan and I were able to purchase a new laptop and a new tower for our desktop. We knew we needed to upgrade computers soon, but didn't expect to be able to until late spring.  But, God is so good! We were able to make the purchases this weekend.    

Our old computers were purchased around 2006, so they have lasted a long time.  The laptop that Jayme and I used was missing a letter on the keyboard (k).  It also was running really slowly.  And getting bogged down if I tried to do photo editing in Photoshop. 

But...it works great for what Jayme needs.  She'll continue to use it as long as possible.  When she starts high school in two years (wow...time goes so quickly--that seems so soon) we'll purchase a laptop of her very own.

The Pick

After analyzing my needs, we decided to go with a low-end laptop.  I don't need tons and tons of features and amazing specs.  I need a computer for planning lesson plans.  For searching online.  For blogging.  And reading blogs!

I'm not a gamer. I want to run Photoshop, but I won't be spending a ton of time in that program. So...after reading reviews and checking out laptops at several stores on Saturday, we picked one.

An HP 2000-2d22dx.  I like it.  It came with a mouse and a carrying sleeve.  I don't like using touch pads.  That means the mouse is important!

Windows 8 is installed.  I'm not used to it yet.  I'll leave it at that for now.  I think I preferred 7.  But...time will tell.  Change can be hard.

Now to get files transferred and programs installed.  Thankfully we have a home network setup.  That makes the transferring piece much easier! 

Just wanted to share my good news! I'm so excited about this blessing!  Have a lovely Monday!

Week 1 Pic Round Up 2014

In an earlier post, I mentioned one of my goals for this new year was to take at least one good picture a day.  I'm trying to get better at capturing memories. 

Each Saturday, I'm planning on sharing the pictures from the week.  Here we go with the first round up.

Wednesday January 1, 2014

Bryan, Jayme and I played Clue.  I'd recently read an article on taking decent macro shots with the iPhone 4s, so decided to give it a try.  Mrs. Peacock in the Ballroom with the Candlestick. 

 Thursday, January 2, 2014

A sad day.  Grandma Pease died yesterday evening, and today I went in with my Dad to clean out her room in the nursing home.  She had been there just shy of 9 years, and had many things to go through.  She also left a ton in the basement of the house where we are living, so I need to go through that eventually too.

Simon went with us so he could nurse, and the other kids stayed with Bryan.  I'm so thankful he had the time off!

On a photography note, I'm learning about catch lights in the eyes and how to get them.  Simon was a cute model to practice on. 

 Friday, January 3, 2014

We were blessed with a wooden nightstand and dresser from Grandma.  After evaluating space, we decided to use them to reorganize all of our school supplies.  Bonus:  yardsticks can go down the handles on the dresser and hold it shut.  Owen and Sydney can't open it when they are in the room!  A bit more work is needed, but I like the new arrangement. 

 Saturday, January 4, 2014

Bryan is installing a ceiling hook in the living room to hold Owen's therapy swing.  He brought the ladder in. Sydney loves ladders, so she had to give it a try.  Such a cute helper for Daddy!

Watch for a post next week on the swing.

Four days.  Four pictures.  Off to a good start!  More next Saturday. 

Have a great rest of your weekend!

My Focus Verse for 2014

After much prayer and thought, I have selected my focus verse for 2014.

Proverbs 31:27

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."  

Ways this verse will help me focus my efforts in 2014

By looking well to the ways of my household, I can begin focusing anew on learning those homemaking skills that were routinely passed on just a few generations ago, but that are not any more.  Specifically, I want to work on: 

Home Decorating
Sewing

Some kind of needle work--knitting, crocheting, needle point...

Organizing Clothes and preparing better for season changes (for instance...the shorts that are filling up Owen's drawer for pants should be neatly folded and tubbed and stored in the basement....it's winter!  But they are not...they're taking up precious room in his small drawers and making putting away laundry difficult...)

I want to be a better homemaker.  I need to learn.  I need to make it a priority.

The second part of the verse, I have three goals out of: 

Not being idle--ie: finding productive ways to fill extra time when possible.  Not as much "vegging." I take this to also mean exercising my body, so I'll be moving more

Not eating when bored or for other emotional reasons.  

Ensuring that I eat "spiritual" bread and spend time with the Lord daily

That's the big picture of some goals I have for this year.  I've never before chosen a focus verse, so I'm looking forward to this.  I also need to memorize the verse.

What a blessing that we are able to go to the Bible to hear from God changes we can make in our lives.  And that He is faithful to help us make those changes.  I'm so thankful for this truth! 

Do you have any plans for change this year?

Linked up to: Raising Arrows