My Pinecone is Turning into a Sapling

Hi Everyone (if you're still out there!)! It's been so long, and I can't even post a picture update, as we still don't have our own computer. I've actually loved the extra time my days now have without me spending minutes and hours lost in cyber-space. But I promise pictures once we are up and running again.

Pinecone is now 19 months old, and it is amazing. She is a little kid. Except when she's tired or hurts herself, then she curls up in my arms, nurses away and is my baby again. Well, not my arms, my whole torso, but you get the picture.

Pinecone has an amazing vocabulary. On her 18 month birthday, I counted 84 words that she could say, and since then she learns 1 or more new ones each day. By learn, I don't mean repeat, I mean use independently in context while understanding it's meaning. She constantly amazes me. She has eagle eyes and my grandmother's astute hearing, and nothing gets past her. She loves her dogs and cat, and is slowly learning to abide by "gentle" and "nice", least she gets clawed or removed from the pets. We had to put away the Carl books, because our rottweiler mutts looked too much like Carl, and she kept trying to climb up on them for a ride. She loves to go outside, and will grab her hat and coat, and come up to me and say "hat, coat, outside". Or it might be "sock, boot, outside". Or "backpack, mom, outside". You get the picture. We go outside a lot. Her tiny feet don't fit into any rubber boots, so we cycle through the shoes every day, with at least one pair ready while the other two are drying out in front of the fire. We have some amazing puddles here, the size of small lakes (what do you expect with 76 inches of rain since October?). She loves her friends and asks to see them everyday. So we get out socializing quite a bit. Fortunately, her friends are parented by my friends, so it works out great for all of us. We also spend a lot of time dancing, reading, pushing buttons, and sorting things into containers (ok, she does those 2 on her own).

What's new with me? I am now officially and for as long as I want a Stay At Home Mom. I love it! The relief of not having to worry about my clients and not have my energies distracted and divided is phenomenal. I can go chop wood without taking my cell phone. I can not answer the telephone if I'm not in the mood to. I can reclaim about 1/4 of my living room which had become my home office. It feels very different from when I went on maternity leave. Fairly soon after my leave started, I knew I'd be back to work by 9 months. This time, it is different. Everything is packed away in storage, I am dropping all my insurance contracts, there is no return date. I tell people, "at least a couple of years."

Ah, being home, the life of luxury .... eating bon-bons and watching soaps all day.

Well, actually not. As all you mamas know, a 19-month old (yikes! when did that happen?!?!) is full-time, and her times of independent play are occupied with dishes, cooking, or making another cup of coffee. I am blessed that she is a good sleeper and is more than ready for bed at 7 pm. So, those hours after she goes to sleep, that's my chance to "get things done", right? No, that's my chance to collapse on the couch, enjoy a glass of wine, and talk with my husband. Literally nothing gets done after she goes to bed, despite my best efforts and intentions. Pinecone had been starting her day at 5-6 am, so after 14 hours, we were both exhausted. We are currently working on a later wake up time of 6:30-7 am, and today she slept in to 7 all on her own! The start of an amazing new trend, or just a side-effect of her cold? She continues to be a good napper most days, so that is my chance to go out and get things done.

As the Stay At Home Spouse, I am in charge of making our homesteading dreams come true. As it is still winter, so far that has mostly been research and planning. But in April, my bees will arrive (2 colonies, which is 21,000 worker bees and 2 queens). I am checking viability on old veggie seeds, and planning our veggie garden. The old garden shed is being converted into a chicken coop, and we'll get our chicks also in April. The plan is for Brahmas for laying primarily, and Buff Orpingtons for meat primarily. Both varieties are winter hardy, good layers, good mothers, and good sized. The Buffs grow faster, so are better for meat. We just couldn't do the traditional meat birds, Cornish Cross, which are hybrids that grow so fast and big that they can barely stand up. Both S and I have had plenty of experience with Cornish Cross, and want to try a more sustainable, natural approach. When not raising birds for meat, we will keep the laying crowd small. My plans for milk goats are being put off. Partly because we didn't get a barn built, partly because we have so much to do this year (our 2011 to-do list is 3 pages long!), and partly because I'm not ready to commit to being home at the same time twice a day. I am enjoying my new non-midwife freedom, planning trips to see family, etc. The bees and chickens can live without me for a little while; not so with a goat.

While waiting for breaks in the rain, I've been working on my house -- one small corner at a time. It took me 2 weeks to get the area above the washer organized, but it was worth it! Took me a month to get my bedroom done, but boy, is it lovely! So, I am no longer working, but I do have a full-time job. Oh, yeah, and a toddler, too!

So, until next time, which won't be too long, and will be full of pictures, I promise!