Apple Cake!

Kate doesn't have preschool this week, so we've pretty much stayed around Caronport. However, the combination of stay-at-home motherhood, Caronport, and the Saskatchewan winter can make me a bit stir crazy! Fortunately, a couple days ago, our friend Judy Guenter invited us over for a visit. I got to relax with a cup of tea and chat with Judy, while Will explored a new environment, and Kate helped Judy make apple cake! She had so much fun cutting the apples into pieces, stirring the batter, and then eating the result! Here are a couple photos!

The Introvert Advantage

Here are two books I've read recently by Marti Olsen Laney that shed light on introversion. The first is called The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World. We live in an extroverted culture, and introverts are often misunderstood, which can lead to low self-esteem. This book explains how the introverted brain is actually wired differently. Extroverts may feel like introverts are being withdrawn and avoidant when they go off on their own, but really, introverts are just trying to reenergize.

The second is called The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child: Helping your Child Thrive in an Extroverted World. Parents may misunderstand their introverted children and push them to be something they aren't. One woman talked about trying to recharge in her room as a child, but her mother kept pulling her out so she could be with the family. No wonder she was always so tired!

You may want to browse around her website as well. I see she even has a new book about how couples can thrive when one is an introvert and one is an extrovert.

A review of the Ergo Baby Carrier

We've been using the Ergo Baby Carrier with Will since he was about 6 months old. This is a very versatile carrier, as a baby or toddler can be worn either in front or back. There's even an insert for infants, so theoretically, this could be the only carrier you buy, although I don't think you can beat a sling for younger babies. If you're doing lots of hiking, a framed backpack carrier is likely the way to go. But for daily life, I would recommend something like the Ergo instead. As opposed to a framed backpack carrier, the Ergo is all cloth, which makes it very easy to bring along with you. I often bring it in the car, or throw it in the stroller basket, and it would be easy to bring on an airplane or pack in a suitcase. It's good for the baby's spine because the baby is in a seated position rather than a dangling one. It comes in several different colors and has a zippered pocket which could hold a few items.

Eric and I both find the Ergo fits best when we're wearing Will on our backs. Sometimes when he's in front, it can feel like the shoulder straps are not tight enough. My friend So-young has also recommended the Sutemi Pack Baby Carrier, which is similar to the Ergo but with straps that criss-cross. I have often wished that the Ergo had criss-cross straps. Another carrier I've heard positive things about is the Beco Baby Carrier.

Dr. Sears on how stay-at-home parenting has changed over the years

"To understand better this dilemma, review what has happened historically to the changing roles of women. In past generations, even in biblical times, women were employed in the home. Proverbs 31:10-31 is a beautiful description of the mother working from her home. However--and this is an important consideration--the father also usually worked at or near home. The family business operated out of the home or farm. Parenting and working were integrated, and homes often contained more than just the nuclear family; grandparents, other relatives, or adult children were in the same house or lived close by and shared the work. With the coming of industrialization and urbanization, men began leaving the home to work, and women became increasingly isolated at home."

-Dr. William and Martha Sears in The Complete Book of Christian Parenting and Child Care

I've often thought how unnatural it is to be a stay-at-home mother in this modern day. In the past, mothers didn't have the dilemma of whether to return to work or not after the birth of a child. And they were far less isolated than many stay-at-home parents today. Then again, they had to make their own soap and churn their own butter, so I don't know that I'd want to trade places!

Mythbusting Canadian Health Care, Part Two: Debunking the Free Marketeers

I'd be interested to know what you think of Sara Robinson's follow-up blog post.

Will gets his MMR today (Shhhh! Don't tell him!)

We go to Public Health today so Will can have his MMR vaccination. These are never given in the doctor's office--we have to make a special trip to Public Health. I remember researching immunizations before Kate had her first set. I worried about her having a reaction, and convinced Eric that after she had them, we should take turns staying awake to make sure she was OK through the night. I think we both fell asleep sometime around 3 AM though! While this was probably over the top, I do understand why some parents decide not to vaccinate. It is possible that a vaccine can have an adverse effect, which is why the US has a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

In the end, we decided that the benefits outweighed the risks, and this seemed to be confirmed by the fact that most medical societies around the world recommend them. Our kids haven't had Hep B, as that's only given to babies at high risk in the UK and Canada. And we're delaying the chicken pox vaccine. As for the MMR, another recent study from the UK concluded that the MMR does not cause autism. Of course, there are still people who question that.

What do you think about vaccinations?

Will is 13 months!

Will is thriving these days! He loves to explore and get into everything, as you can see! He has two little teeth coming in on the bottom, finally! He is more challenging to feed than Kate was--with the exception of banana, he doesn't want anything to do with little pieces of fruit. But if I whip him up a mango-kiwi smoothie, he drinks it with gusto! It's a similar story with vegetables. If it's PART of something like a yummy soup or casserole, he's all for it. But if it's a lone piece of broccoli or a green bean, it gets thrown to the floor. So it's doable, but more work for Mommy!

Will and I get lots of one-on-one time during the afternoons when Kate is at preschool. For now, we usually spend this time at the store, the library, or a coffee shop. When it warms up, we will spend more time in Moose Jaw's parks, garden centres, or just strolling through the cute downtown.

He and Kate are starting to play a little bit together, although at this point, it's more like Will trying to play with Kate's toys while Kate complains about it. Will loves spending time with Eric--whenever I even mention "Daddy", his whole face lights up and he turns his head toward the door. It's hard to imagine that come summer, our little boy will be toddling around the yard!

A Saturday afternoon in Moose Jaw

Kate and I had a wonderful time together in Moose Jaw on Saturday. We listened to Sufjan Stevens on the ride there. I have just discovered his music--we actually went to the same college, and were in the same Vineyard college small group. Kate told me I should write him and tell him she likes his music!

Our first stop was the Moose Jaw Public Library. Kate loves books, and this library has an amazing children's section. We check out a variety of books, but Kate seems to love anything about Strawberry Shortcake, Dora the Explorer, or Disney princesses! She also likes books about Arthur, Caillou, and the Berenstain Bears. We usually check out at least one video from the library's extensive collection, including some children's videos in French. I think we both could spend all day in this library!


Next we drove to the Yvette Moore Art Gallery. We had lunch at the Copper Cafe there, and then walked around looking at the paintings, pottery, and jewelry. We have a book by Yvette Moore called A Prairie Alphabet, which is a children's book featuring several of her paintings of life on the Canadian prairies. Kate was excited whenever she recognized a painting featured in the book.


We picked up some groceries at The Real Canadian Superstore, and some pizzas at Pizza Hut before heading home to Caronport. It was a great afternoon! I feel like a different mom when I'm alone with Kate. When I have both of them, Will's needs usually take priority. When I'm just with her, she gets a lot more attention, empathy, and patience. And an afternoon together feels more like a joy to be savored and less like a task to complete. I'm hopeful that as he gets older, and especially as they play together more, I won't feel like there's such a difference between being with one child or two.

BookHead--Then and Now

Mythbusting Canadian Health Care

Here's an interesting article addressing some common myths about the Canadian healthcare system. The writer lives in British Columbia. Saskatchewan is different in that there is no premium paid for healthcare here. And our extra private health insurance through Briercrest only costs us $12 a month. Our dental insurance is about $14 a month.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I went to a brunch with my Moms and Tots group this morning, and one of the mentoring moms read 1 Corinthians 13. I think it makes a great meditation for Valentine's Day for everyone, young or old, married or single. It's easy to be loving on special occasions such as today--I need God to help me be more loving on a daily basis!

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

MotherStyles

I recently read the book, MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths, and I loved it! Janet Penley uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to explain 16 different mothering approaches. I think any mother would find this book liberating and affirming. Here's a quote from the book:

"There is no one right way to be a good mother just as there is no one right way to be a good human being. As mothers, we each bring different strengths, interests, and values to the job of mothering. Strengths we do as easily and naturally as breathing. Strengths we don't have to read books or go to classes to learn. Strengths that make our children lucky to have us as their mothers."

Penley explains the Myers-Briggs in order to help readers discover their own type. She then describes the 16 types, the unique strengths and struggles of each, and tips to help each mother thrive. She delves into family dynamics, and how type can explain some of the interactions between family members. A mother's experience will also vary depending on what her husband's and children's types are. Here are some things I found especially interesting:

*55% of adult North American women are either ISFJ, ESFJ, ESFP or ISFP.
*In contrast, six rare types for women are INTJ, ENTJ, INFJ, INTP, ISTP, and ENTP--each are roughly 1-4% of the female population.
*Knowledge of type can help us better understand our own mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters, and friends.
*It can be challenging for a child or parent whose type is very different from the other members of the family. It's possible that person could end up feeling out of sync, alienated, lonely, or even be a lightning rod for family tension.
*Extroverts and introverts are equally represented in the population, but as a society, we tend to overvalue the gifts and lifestyle of the extrovert, and undervalue those of the introvert.
*Thinking-Judging moms are least likely to feel guilty, while Feeling-Perceiving moms are most likely to feel guilty.
*But overall, Penley found that Extroverted-Perceiving mothers find mothering the easiest, and Introverted-Judging mothers struggle the most.

Let me know if you read this book! Penley also has a website at MotherStyles.

My appearance on Canadian TV

A reporter from the CBC in Saskatoon recently found my blog. He called me to see if I would be willing to be filmed for a news clip about Super Tuesday. So they sent out a camera person from Regina, who came to our house so she could film me while the reporter asked me questions over the phone from Saskatoon.

It's a fairly brief appearance but if you're interested, it's on the CBC Saskatchewan website for 24 hours. Just click on the right hand column under "Watch News at 6" and then "Latest Newscast." It's about the 3rd or 4th story if I recall correctly.

Parental leave around the world

Found this interesting chart which details various policies for parental leave after the birth of a baby. Note how the US and Australia seem so out of step with the rest of the world. Moms Rising is one organization trying to change this.

Family Paella

With the exception of Eric's curry, sometimes it can be hard to find a recipe that everyone in our family likes. But here's one!

FAMILY PAELLA (from Immunity Foods for Healthy Kids by Lucy Burney)

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 packet of diced pancetta (I couldn't find this--just used some ham instead)
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
A pinch of turmeric
375 g (13 oz) brown rice or paella rice
850 ml or (1 1/2 pints) or (3 cups) vegetable stock (use a stock cube or make your own--see below)
1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 cup frozen shrimp (defrosted)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tin of sweetcorn
A handful of chopped parsley

In a paella pan or whatever pan you have, gently cook the onion and garlic in oil. Add the pancetta pieces, chicken, and turmeric, and cook until the meat has browned. Add the rice and coat with the oil. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 25-30 minutes, adding the peppers, shrimp, peas, and corn after 15 minutes cooking time. You may have to add more stock while you wait for the rice to cook. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.


HOMEMADE VEGETABLE STOCK (I make lots of this and freeze in ice cube trays for later use--it's quite flexible too, so you can use whatever vegetables and herbs you want)

5 shallots, peeled and chopped (or onions)
1 garlic clove
2 T olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stick celery, peeled and chopped
1 thin slice root ginger
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 1/2 pints (3 cups) filtered water

Gently cook the shallots and garlic in the olive oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with the water. Bring to the boil, cover and gently simmer for about an hour (or less). Remove the bay leaf, ginger and thyme before liquidizing the stock.