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Cali's Hat

I made Cali a hat last night. I'm not quite done with it....gonna put some ties on it with jingle bells in the pom-poms. I'm making her some matching mittens too. After the freeze we had last night, she's gonna need 'em! Thankfully it'll be back up in the high 70's by tomorrow.

Two-a-Days

Calm Kids: The Power of Story

"Each time we read a book, we go on a journey. And as with all journeys, book change us and bring us back to our deeper selves." ~ Patricia MacLachlan, author of 'Sarah, Plain and Tall'

When I think back to my own childhood, the bulk of my memories revolve around books. When most kids were having sleepovers and going roller skating on Friday nights, I was curled up on the sofa, eating an apple, listening to the Carpenters and reading stacks of books. I became lost in the Chronicles of Narnia and in the 4th Grade, I actually believed that me and my best friend, Beth Peters, had found Terabithia in the woods behind her house. I didn't just read a book. I became the book. I believed in the book. Books were always the one true constant in my life and they were able to give me an escape from a tortured mind.

On the day I brought Cali home from the hospital, I read to her. I had actually begun reading to her while she was still in the belly. Now, she has developed her own love of books. When she's sick or can't sleep, she gets into her books. Some days she doesn't even play with her toys....she just "reads" her books all day. We check out stacks of books from the library every week.

"Stories can inspire feelings of honor and nobility, expanding our horizons from the particular to the universal. Like nature, stories are a springboard to compassion because they stimulate feeling and open the heart. Although stories are not a direct experience, they can evoke real emotions." (Calm and Compassionate Children, by Susan Usha Dermond).

So it brings a real sense of peace to my heart when I see my own daughter and her ever-growing appreciation and love for all types of literature.

Some great read-aloud titles for the whole family:

* Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, by Bruce Coville

* Babe, the Gallant Pig, by Dick King-Smith

* The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo

* Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Christmas Progress

Here are three of the little bags (sans handles) that I'm making for my neices. You can't see in this pic, but they're lined with pink gingham fabric. They're so girly it makes me wanna puke! I was going to make ragdolls to go into each bag, but I don't think I'm gonna have the time to make those along with everything else. I need a clone to get everything done!

Calm Kids: Nature Awakens Feelings

"Few are altogether blind and deaf to the sweet looks and voices of nature. There is a love of wild Nature in everybody." ~John Muir

The most beautiful time I've spent with Cali to date was the time her and I spent at Calloway Gardens....with just the two of us. Cali was born an Earth Baby....she'd live outside in the woods for the rest of her life if allowed. I, on the other hand, have to practically force myself to go outside. It's like I'm almost agoraphobic but not quite. But when I do manage to immerse myself in nature, I find a peace and calm that can't be found anywhere else.

So I've learned to put my own issues on the back burner in order to help Cali have experiences of peace and discovery outdoors. "A particular study conducted by the Human Environment Research Lab found that "spending time in ordinary, 'green' settings, such as parks, farms or grassy backyards, reduces the symptoms of ADHD when compared to time spent at indoor playgrounds and man-made recreation areas of concrete and asphalt." The study shows this to be true "regardless of the child's age, gender, family income, geographic region or severity of diagnosis." So whether or not a child has ADHAD...his ability to focus is greatly improved by being in nature." (Calm and Compassionate Children by Susuan Usha Dermond).

So maybe I can stand to learn a few things from my daughter. That, after all, we are ONE with nature...and it's only natural that we experience calmness and peace when wrapped up in it.

Never Too Sick To Pretend

You know....Cali is NEVER too sick to pretend and let her imagination rule her day. I hope this never changes.

Two-a-Days

My Sick Baby

I kept Cali home from school yesterday. She's got the nasty cold that's making it's rounds around here. Bless her heart. Her nose is absolutely raw because of us constantly wiping it. Her doctor called in a new med yesterday and it can only be taken before bed because it knocks her out flat. Last night Matt and I were trying to bulb her nose out with a syringe and we were standing in front of open windows. She was screaming so loud and thrashing so wildly we were just waiting for Child Services to show up. So...we told her if she blows her nose like a big girl...no more syringe. Don't you know that kid is blowing things out of her head that are bigger than she is?! She really must hate that syringe. I can't say I blame her. I just wish I could do something to make her feel better. I get so anxious when she doesn't feel good. Thankfully she's a healthy child or I'd be a nervous wreck!

Calm Kids: Celebrations, Routines & Rituals

"Rituals are the lenses through which we see our emotional connections to each other, to a culture, and to a higher power. They are symbolic expressions of our most sacred values."

~ Becky Baily, I Love You Rituals

I love rituals. I love traditions. But not your run of the mill stuff. Oh no. When Cali was born, the Birthday Hat ritual was born. This past year, Matt looked like the Pope with his 3 foot tall, homemade head gear. Cali's first Easter....there became The Easter Cake. An exceptionally lavish cake, adorned with fresh flowers and surrounded with elaborately decorated eggs. Before eating the cake, each member of the family takes an egg. We then knock our eggs against each other's until they crack, say a prayer...then it's on with the cake.

"Routines are a bit different. They can be especially calming for a young child. Unlike rituals, kids who are younger than about 6 years old are able to remember a routine because they happen on a daily basis, not once a year." (Calm and Compassionate Children by Susan Usha Dermond) When I started re-structuring my life to accommodate my Bipolar, I found that routine was the backbone of my success. So having a set and solid routine in our home is not only helpful to Cali...but I benefit greatly from it as well. It's been a running joke in our family about Cali's bedtime. Up until 4 or 5 months ago, she was in bed between 5 or 6pm every night and would sleep until 7am. She now goes down a little later....around 7pm and sleeps until 6am. Still not a bad deal. She has a bath every single night at approximately the same time...and this is the Big Cue that bedtime is around the corner. The greatest part of all of this is that we aren't slaves to a schedule. We've fallen into our routine and we aren't constantly monitoring clocks and checking time tables.

Cali and I have also devised the 'Potty Song'. It roughly goes like this: "When you use the potty, then you get a stiiiiicker. When you uuuuse the poooootty...then you get a stiiiiicker." Kind of like a chant. So far no stickers have been awarded. But hey...the song is there.

In short, "daily rituals and routine bedtimes give children memories for a lifetime and the child remains calmer and more in control of his emotions and energy." (Calm and Compassionate Children by Susan Usha Dermond).

Calm & Compassionate Children

I'm currently reading "Calm and Compassionate Children" by Susan Usha Dermond. The book has really had an impact on me, so I wanted to share parts of it here. When Matt & I realized we were pregnant with Cali, we rolled our sleeves up and formulated a plan to create an environment conducive for a child who may be predisposed to Bipolar or any other type of Mood Disorder. We didn't really follow any set of guidelines...we basically used our knowledge of the disease and its triggers to guide us. This resulted in a home with a serene and calm environment. We established routines with her at birth and she's still practically on the same schedule, give or take a few things. We only allow her to view positive TV programming and the majority of her toys are not mainstream toys. We've surrounded her with educational toys, toys that promote imagination, music and constant access to art supplies.

We've been extraordinarily pleased at the results. Another tool we've used that has helped Cali immensely has been giving her words for the way she feels. I've always thought that a toddler's frustration had alot to do with not understanding what they were feeling. So...when Cali starts trying to break the cat's leg out of anger, we calmly tell her (while trying not to laugh), "You're trying to break Tess' legs because you're angry that Mommy took your crayons away after you colored on the walls."

So when I found this book and began reading it, I was thrilled to find that we already implement alot of the suggestions made for raising a calm and compassionate child. The book offers suggestions for developing children’s concentration, self-discipline, honesty, enthusiasm, and respect. From nature activities to conscious quiet time, this practical guide provides case studies and techniques to help parents model behaviour, with the goal of transforming hyper, out-of-control kids into balanced, creative, and joyful children.

While Cali is in no way, shape or form a hyper, out-of-control child....we know that in the wrong environment, she very well COULD be. So....why not be preventative?

My plan is to feature different portions of the book each day for the next week or so. I'm looking forward to it!

Words Escape Me

So this evening, I noticed that my daughter had fallen asleep with her light on. When I opened the door to shut off the light...well....I found THIS. I laughed so hard, part of my chocolate doughnut came out my nose.

Two-a-Days

Metaphorically Speaking

These are ACTUAL metaphors taken from High School essays. I could've used some of these when I was in High School!

1) Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.

2) She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.

3) She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.

4) The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelitly came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.

5) From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 instead of 7:30.

6) Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 PM traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 PM at a speed of 35 mph.

7) The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.

8) She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.

9) It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.

10) The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.

My Baby got no legs.

My daughter and husband both have the same affliction. Neither one of them have any legs. So what fits them in the belly does NOT fit them in length; therefore, every pair of pants that come into this house have to be hemmed.

Today, I had a brainstorm. I cut off the bottom of the pants to my desired length. I then reattached the original hem and Voila!! A five inch alteration and you can't even tell....other than the poodle's legs being whacked off. I pounded out five pairs of pants in about 10 minutes this afternoon. Time is money and I've got neither!