Since we arrived here Friday night, Luke was with us our first two mornings, which was wonderful! He would head out to feed the horses while I got Clara up, then come in and feed the dogs while I got breakfast ready for the humans. But Monday morning he had to leave early for work, so Clara and I were on our own. I admit, I was a little nervous and wasn't sure how it would all work. Breakfast for 9 animals and 2 people is a bit of a production.
The five horses each have their own grain bucket in the barn. They get grain and supplements in the morning, and the oldest guy, Dan, gets his grain wet and mushy to make it easier for him to eat. Then, a bale and a half of hay have to be put in the feeders out in the big pasture to supplement the little grass that is left this time of year.
After three days of feeding on our own, Clara and I have a system down. First we head to the barn and make up the grain for the horses. Then Clara goes in the backpack and we put grain in Charlie and Jubil's buckets (they're always the first in the barn, and their stalls are farthest inside). Once we're ready we call the horses in. As they come in, we shut them each in their little areas and give the other three their grain. After everyone is shut in and munching happily, we close up the grain bins, take Clara out of the backpack and head over to the EZ-go. Luke has been loading the hay in the back for us before he leaves, which is wonderful! We drive through the pasture, up to the feeders, and Clara sits in the back with the hay while I prop the feeders open and fill them. Once we're done we drive back down, let the horses out of their stalls (they're done eating by this time) and fill any water buckets that are getting low. Then we head back to the house.
Once inside, Clara goes in her high chair while I get breakfast for the dogs. Jeb gets very excited about food to the exclusion of any awareness of little people, so Clara needs to be up out of the way so she doesn't get knocked over. Both dogs get kibble, several vitamins and other supplements, and a little wet food to top it all off. Jeb wolfs his down as fast as possible. Fanny eats daintily and rarely finishes.
The cats are the easiest - their bowl of dry food just has to be refilled, and if one of them is around begging, they get some wet food. Otherwise, they're on their own.
Whew! Feeding all those animals can sure make a person hungry! Once they're satisfied Clara and I dig into our own breakfasts - usually some combination of oatmeal, yogurt and applesauce. Mmmmm, full bellies all 'round.
October 20, 2010
October 17, 2010
Gould Ranch
Several years ago, I blogged about the fun Luke and I had at "Camp DuBoff" while house sitting for some friends. Now that we have a baby and a dog of our own, I assumed our house sitting days were over. I should just learn not to assume. Some clients of Luke's and good friends of ours asked us back in the summer if we would ever consider house sitting for them, as they've had trouble finding good people to stay here when they visit their son and his family in California. I was a little dubious of the proposition at first, but we decided to give it a shot, so here we are! We arrived Friday evening and, I admit, by Saturday morning I thought we had made a huge mistake. The house is BIG, not babyproof in any way, shape or form, Clara slept horribly (as did I) Friday night and Saturday morning got knocked over by the very friendly, but very large black lab, Jeb. The Cairn Terrier, Fanny, is a watch dog extraordinaire - she sees and hears things even when they aren't there! Her bark woke Clara once in the night and then scared Clara to the point of frantic tears early Saturday afternoon. I was seriously regretting our decision and wondering how we'd survive the next ten days.
But Clara had a great nap Saturday afternoon, and things have been much better ever since. I think we will not only survive, but greatly enjoy our stay here at the Gould's beautiful home. Along with Jeb and Fanny, there are two cats, Crash and Jemmer, who look remarkably alike except for the fact that Crash has long hair and Jemmer's is short. I have been amazed at the cats' patience with Clara, who is fascinated by them and follows them around the house saying, "Mow? Mow?" (pronounced like meow without the "e") Jemmer especially has been extremely tolerant, allowing Clara to "share" her toy balls with him, pet him all over, and put her face right down next to his with intense delight. She has done a good job being gentle, but still I don't know many cats who would simply sleep through her happy squeals directly in their ears.
In addition to the four house pets, there are five horses: Dan, Charlie, Tuffy, Jubil and Mercedes (Mercy). Most of these horses have been with Pat and Roger for most of their lives! The horses are just as much a part of the family as the other animals, and they are one of the main reasons we are here. Being older, they all have their quirks and some have had health issues, so it makes Pat nervous when a "non-horse person," who may not know if something is wrong, stays here to house sit.
Clara, of course, adores the horses and squeals whenever she sights them. Riding on the EZ-go to take their hay up to the pasture every morning is a big highlight of her day. Driving the tractor and manure spreader with Luke yesterday was also a huge hit - there were major tears when the job was all done and it was time to get off.
Friday and Saturday were rainy and blustery, but today was better and the weather is supposed to be nice the rest of the week. Although the house is fascinating in its own right (originally built in the 1880s with a new wing - where our bedrooms are - that almost doubled the size of the house), we are looking forward to spending time outside enjoying the beautiful property.
Pictures will be coming once we get home to take them off the camera. For now, it's time for bed!
But Clara had a great nap Saturday afternoon, and things have been much better ever since. I think we will not only survive, but greatly enjoy our stay here at the Gould's beautiful home. Along with Jeb and Fanny, there are two cats, Crash and Jemmer, who look remarkably alike except for the fact that Crash has long hair and Jemmer's is short. I have been amazed at the cats' patience with Clara, who is fascinated by them and follows them around the house saying, "Mow? Mow?" (pronounced like meow without the "e") Jemmer especially has been extremely tolerant, allowing Clara to "share" her toy balls with him, pet him all over, and put her face right down next to his with intense delight. She has done a good job being gentle, but still I don't know many cats who would simply sleep through her happy squeals directly in their ears.
In addition to the four house pets, there are five horses: Dan, Charlie, Tuffy, Jubil and Mercedes (Mercy). Most of these horses have been with Pat and Roger for most of their lives! The horses are just as much a part of the family as the other animals, and they are one of the main reasons we are here. Being older, they all have their quirks and some have had health issues, so it makes Pat nervous when a "non-horse person," who may not know if something is wrong, stays here to house sit.
Clara, of course, adores the horses and squeals whenever she sights them. Riding on the EZ-go to take their hay up to the pasture every morning is a big highlight of her day. Driving the tractor and manure spreader with Luke yesterday was also a huge hit - there were major tears when the job was all done and it was time to get off.
Friday and Saturday were rainy and blustery, but today was better and the weather is supposed to be nice the rest of the week. Although the house is fascinating in its own right (originally built in the 1880s with a new wing - where our bedrooms are - that almost doubled the size of the house), we are looking forward to spending time outside enjoying the beautiful property.
Pictures will be coming once we get home to take them off the camera. For now, it's time for bed!
October 15, 2010
Remembering....
Though you probably don't know it, today is the official day for pregnancy and infant loss awareness. This is a topic it seems no one knows how to address and so many parents end up grieving in silence and isolation. Please take a moment today to pray for all the parents who have lost a little one through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death within the first year. Chances are, this group includes at least one person you know, though you may not be aware of their loss (approximately one out of every five women has suffered at least one miscarriage).
In December of 2007 Luke and I lost our first baby to what is known as a "missed miscarriage." I carried our little one for three weeks after the ultrasound revealing there was no heartbeat until I finally miscarried the baby on January 8, 2008. Our precious babe would have been 2 1/2 this Christmastime.
In the midst of our grief, God brought me this song by Michael Card, from his CD of lullabies, "Sleep Sound in Jesus." It is meant to be sung at a baby dedication, but to me it spoke of a peace I yearned for, and have mostly found, knowing my child is held safely in the love and Promise of Christ.
The holy sleep which falls so deep
A blessing from above
Will now embrace our little one
In simple trusting love
We offer you this child
Who's only ours for just awhile
How could we keep it back from you
When you gave your only child?
In December of 2007 Luke and I lost our first baby to what is known as a "missed miscarriage." I carried our little one for three weeks after the ultrasound revealing there was no heartbeat until I finally miscarried the baby on January 8, 2008. Our precious babe would have been 2 1/2 this Christmastime.
In the midst of our grief, God brought me this song by Michael Card, from his CD of lullabies, "Sleep Sound in Jesus." It is meant to be sung at a baby dedication, but to me it spoke of a peace I yearned for, and have mostly found, knowing my child is held safely in the love and Promise of Christ.
Wordless Ones
In your loving arms we lay
This wordless one so new
The incarnation of our love
We dedicate to you
Hopeless, yet so full of hope
This wordless one so new
The incarnation of our love
We dedicate to you
Hopeless, yet so full of hope
We make a solemn vow
Not knowing when the time will come
Not even knowing how
And though it seems we try to make
A promise that is true
We really only claim for them
The Promise that is you
Not knowing when the time will come
Not even knowing how
And though it seems we try to make
A promise that is true
We really only claim for them
The Promise that is you
In your loving arms we lay
This wordless one so new
The incarnation of our love
We dedicate to you
This wordless one so new
The incarnation of our love
We dedicate to you
The holy sleep which falls so deep
A blessing from above
Will now embrace our little one
In simple trusting love
We offer you this child
Who's only ours for just awhile
How could we keep it back from you
When you gave your only child?
In your loving arms we lay
This wordless one so new
The incarnation of our love
We dedicate to you
This wordless one so new
The incarnation of our love
We dedicate to you
Though I am thankful for the peace God has given us both, I will always miss you sweet babe. I can't wait to meet you in Heaven someday!
October 12, 2010
What Has Surprised Me
When Clara was little (as in, only a few weeks or months old) people asked me all the time, "What has surprised you about being a parent?"
Honestly, I was stumped for an answer. I don't mean this in a stuck-up way, because I certainly don't have all the answers and there were definitely times I had plenty of questions, but not much surprised me when I became a parent.
I think there are some stock answers to the question, such as: "I never knew I could love something this much," or, "I never knew I could be this tired and still function," or, "I never knew babies ate so much/went through so many diapers/etc....." But really and truly, none of that surprised me. When I told people that, I got lots of incredulous looks. I've been told motherhood looks "natural" on me, and I suppose that's true.
This past month, though, I have had my first BIG surprise as a parent. At first it was just a vague feeling in the back of my mind. But it slowly got stronger. The first time the thought actually crystallized in my head, I was shocked. You could have knocked me over with a feather. It was so contrary to everything I have ever pictured about my family and myself as a parent. When I expressed this wild thought to Luke, I couldn't believe I was actually saying it, that these words were actually coming out of my mouth.
What was this unthinkable thought that blew me out of the water?
I could be happy with just one. This one would be enough.
Perhaps this does not seem so revolutionary to some of you, but for as long as I can remember I have wanted a big family. Lots of kids. I slowly worked on Luke while we were dating and engaged until his "ideal family size" went from 2 kids to 2-3 to 3-4 to "about 4." I have always felt sorry for only children, having no siblings to play with, and assumed that since I love kids I'd have lots of them. For a long time I thought only children were spoiled and that it was better for kids to have siblings. Lately I have been rethinking many of these assumptions.
Clara is such a joy. She is the cutest, sweetest, smartest, funniest little girl I know. She has been a "good baby" right from the beginning. Sure, we've had rough patches, but even while we were going through them there have always been shining moments of joy and laughter to keep us going. She puts a smile on our faces at the end of a long day. Her huge smile is what motivates me to get up in the morning after a long night (I don't sleep well). She can brighten up any moment of the day in a million ways. Her hugs and kisses melt our hearts. She is truly the light of our lives.
I could be completely happy just being her mom. Seriously, who wouldn't be happy with just this little girl?!
In fact, it is hard to imagine adding another child to the mix. It makes me sad to think that another child would necessarily mean less one on one time with my sweet girl. Less focused attention from her Daddy, who already wishes he had more time with her than he does. Fewer opportunities to just sit and watch her play, learn and discover the world around her.
Furthermore, Clara is such a blessing, could we really be so lucky twice? Three times? What if we had another baby and it just wasn't that fun? Or it was really crabby? Or - here's the kicker - what if it was just as cute and wonderful as Clara? What in the world would we do then? As Luke said to Clara at dinner the other night, "We'd just burst!!!" A person can only stand so much incredible cuteness at once, I have to think.
I hear a certain someone waking up from her nap, singing away in her room, so I need to end. I should say, though, that I don't feel our family is complete. Luke and I both believe there are more children in our future. Whether they will be biological, foster, adoptive or some other kind of kid, we don't know, but we do know they're out there somewhere ahead of us. But for now, we are very happy with our sweet girl. And I will always have a better understanding of parents who decide to only have one child.
And now I'm off to get some baby hugs. :)
Honestly, I was stumped for an answer. I don't mean this in a stuck-up way, because I certainly don't have all the answers and there were definitely times I had plenty of questions, but not much surprised me when I became a parent.
I think there are some stock answers to the question, such as: "I never knew I could love something this much," or, "I never knew I could be this tired and still function," or, "I never knew babies ate so much/went through so many diapers/etc....." But really and truly, none of that surprised me. When I told people that, I got lots of incredulous looks. I've been told motherhood looks "natural" on me, and I suppose that's true.
This past month, though, I have had my first BIG surprise as a parent. At first it was just a vague feeling in the back of my mind. But it slowly got stronger. The first time the thought actually crystallized in my head, I was shocked. You could have knocked me over with a feather. It was so contrary to everything I have ever pictured about my family and myself as a parent. When I expressed this wild thought to Luke, I couldn't believe I was actually saying it, that these words were actually coming out of my mouth.
What was this unthinkable thought that blew me out of the water?
I could be happy with just one. This one would be enough.
Perhaps this does not seem so revolutionary to some of you, but for as long as I can remember I have wanted a big family. Lots of kids. I slowly worked on Luke while we were dating and engaged until his "ideal family size" went from 2 kids to 2-3 to 3-4 to "about 4." I have always felt sorry for only children, having no siblings to play with, and assumed that since I love kids I'd have lots of them. For a long time I thought only children were spoiled and that it was better for kids to have siblings. Lately I have been rethinking many of these assumptions.
Clara is such a joy. She is the cutest, sweetest, smartest, funniest little girl I know. She has been a "good baby" right from the beginning. Sure, we've had rough patches, but even while we were going through them there have always been shining moments of joy and laughter to keep us going. She puts a smile on our faces at the end of a long day. Her huge smile is what motivates me to get up in the morning after a long night (I don't sleep well). She can brighten up any moment of the day in a million ways. Her hugs and kisses melt our hearts. She is truly the light of our lives.
I could be completely happy just being her mom. Seriously, who wouldn't be happy with just this little girl?!
In fact, it is hard to imagine adding another child to the mix. It makes me sad to think that another child would necessarily mean less one on one time with my sweet girl. Less focused attention from her Daddy, who already wishes he had more time with her than he does. Fewer opportunities to just sit and watch her play, learn and discover the world around her.
Furthermore, Clara is such a blessing, could we really be so lucky twice? Three times? What if we had another baby and it just wasn't that fun? Or it was really crabby? Or - here's the kicker - what if it was just as cute and wonderful as Clara? What in the world would we do then? As Luke said to Clara at dinner the other night, "We'd just burst!!!" A person can only stand so much incredible cuteness at once, I have to think.
I hear a certain someone waking up from her nap, singing away in her room, so I need to end. I should say, though, that I don't feel our family is complete. Luke and I both believe there are more children in our future. Whether they will be biological, foster, adoptive or some other kind of kid, we don't know, but we do know they're out there somewhere ahead of us. But for now, we are very happy with our sweet girl. And I will always have a better understanding of parents who decide to only have one child.
And now I'm off to get some baby hugs. :)
 |
| Tonight's reaction to the instructions, "Smile for the camera!" |
Words This Week
"Apple"
"Up" (while climbing the stairs at our friends' house)
"Down" (on same stairs)
And valiant attempts at "Karoline" and "Becca."
"Up" (while climbing the stairs at our friends' house)
"Down" (on same stairs)
And valiant attempts at "Karoline" and "Becca."
October 07, 2010
October 04, 2010
Clara's Words
I've always heard people ask what a baby's first word was, or when he or she started talking. I never thought much about that. But now, I realize how silly it is to ask what the first word was. Clara has been communicating well since she was a baby. At 10 months she started signing consistently and our communication improved. Now, at 13 months, she still signs and has begun to use some words consistently and others off and on. I realized that I'm not sure when exactly she started talking. It wasn't a sudden thing. It has been a gradual process, with lots of starts and stops along the way. That said, here is a list of Clara's "words" - some that she uses often, others that she has only said a couple of times:
Mama (mostly combined with the sign for "please" when she wants something, but used other times as well)
Dada (used like "mama" but when talking to Luke)
uh oh (her favorite word at the moment)
shoe
applesauce (she said this one for the first time this morning, clear as day!)
Yeehaw! (guess who taught her that one!)
Animal noises (many of these have been around longer than most of the words):
woof woof (sounds more life "fff, fff" - she loves the "f" sound!)
bah bah (for chicken)
rr rr (rooster)
nnnnn (in pitch for horse/pony)
mmmmmoo (cow)
lulululu (peacock)
ha ha (goose)
baaa (sheep)
ooww (kitty cat)
(these last 3 are not as regular, they're more in progress)
Words she has said once or twice:
Papa
Gramma (gah...MA!)
Amen (sounds more like mama at the moment)
Ni ni (night night)
Buh buh (bye bye)
hat
ears
eye
Besides these words, she talks in her own language constantly. Our house is filled with chatter! She has lots to say and it is so fun to hear some of it becoming distinguishable from the babble!
Mama (mostly combined with the sign for "please" when she wants something, but used other times as well)
Dada (used like "mama" but when talking to Luke)
uh oh (her favorite word at the moment)
shoe
applesauce (she said this one for the first time this morning, clear as day!)
Yeehaw! (guess who taught her that one!)
Animal noises (many of these have been around longer than most of the words):
woof woof (sounds more life "fff, fff" - she loves the "f" sound!)
bah bah (for chicken)
rr rr (rooster)
nnnnn (in pitch for horse/pony)
mmmmmoo (cow)
lulululu (peacock)
ha ha (goose)
baaa (sheep)
ooww (kitty cat)
(these last 3 are not as regular, they're more in progress)
Words she has said once or twice:
Papa
Gramma (gah...MA!)
Amen (sounds more like mama at the moment)
Ni ni (night night)
Buh buh (bye bye)
hat
ears
eye
Besides these words, she talks in her own language constantly. Our house is filled with chatter! She has lots to say and it is so fun to hear some of it becoming distinguishable from the babble!
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