I ate the piece of buche de noel.
today zibby woke up around 9ish and handed me the remote and asked me to turn on a show for her (we were all still in bed) which I did, and henry and I kept sleeping for a while more. eventually henry wanted out of bed, so I got up with him and we went in the other room and played puzzles and watched wow wow wubbzy and hung out.
I debated making a green smoothie for myself but ended up snacking on triple chocolate cookies I made the other night and are super delicious. Zibby doesnt usually want to eat right when she wakes up. Around twelvish I was hungry so I started making myself a ham sandwich. I asked zibby if she wanted a turkey sandwich. She came over to the fridge and got out last nights noodles and soup. She asked for a turkey sandwich, noodles, and also a piece of buche noel. I bought a gorgeous buche noel cake at Whole Foods on super sale. She wanted a piece with lots of decor. I put everything on separate plates (her request). After all the cake talk I suspected that she might eat that first and be full, but she sat and had 3 bowls of noodles, then ate half her sandwich, and left the cake on the table, untouched. well, she touched the decor actually and played with some of the frosting leaves. but she didnt eat it.
She also took about a dozen of the cookies into her bedroom and played kitchen with them, but didnt eat more than one or two.
My point is, zibby is give access to all of the food in our house, and I prepare and offer her a variety of things, and she eats a wide variety of them, when she is hungry and when she is hungry for them. I didnt make any kind of deal or comment on her requests for her meal (now, eat all your sandwich before you touch that cake!)
Later in the afternoon she ate freeze dried strawberries, fresh strawberries, that I know of, which she got on her own, and for dinner she had 3 small flour tortillas rolled up with taco meat (no cheese or other toppings) she drank water all day.
Henry had several bites of several cookies (ha!) a couple handful of pretzels when we sat down for lunch, a bite of strawberry, a bite of toast, and nursed whenever he wanted all day long.
the reason I thought Id write this down is lots of people around me are fretting about what their kids eat and when and how and withholding “desserts” or treats and I have found that letting go of all that has really allowed my daughter to follow her own body;s cues. She eats fruits, veggies, chocolate, meat, grains…without me doing anything besides making it available and attractive.
Im watching an advance cd of interviews of the unschooling documentary lee stranahan is making.
and watching sandra talk about food made me think about today and I wanted to share. up till now a lot of my parenting ideas have been theoretical and or Ive read about other people’s results and experiences. I believed what unschooling was doing for their lives, and now I am seeing what its doing in ours. Its cool.
Filed under daily life | Comments (3)happy christmas
I confess that I am still in a funk. I am not enjoying xmas as much as I usually do. But, I’m trying.
I took the kids to Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier. Zibby had a blast with her friends and she even ice skated without me! She went on lots of rides and slides. I had to get Henry to sleep as it was his naptime and he was very cranky. It was a little bit bittersweet because that was the last day we saw our friends, Jill, Tico and Owl, because they moved to New York the next day. We miss them alot.
On my birthday we went to brunch and in the evening, a holiday party at a friend’s house. I took a long nap in the afternoon with Henry so that was a good day. On Christmas Eve, we went to Buzz’ sister’s house. There were 13 adults and 11 children, and 2 dogs. We opened gifts and then had our traditional dinner of spagetti and meatballs. It was very good, as always. When we got home, we gave the children baths and then tried to get them to sleep. Eventually I was the only one awake, and I had work to do!
Christmas morning, Zibby and John got up and found the scooter that Santa left for Zibby. When Henry and I got up we opened up the rest of our gifts and stockings and called my dad to say Merry Christmas. Last year’s brunch at the Bagel was so yummy we decided to go again. This time, Buzz’ brother Tim met us there with his girlfriend. I had the brisket french dip and was not disappointed! We got home just in time to meet my sister and her two kids at my house. They drove in from Muncie.
On Saturday, my brother and his girlfriend came by for cards and then dinner. I made ham, roast beef, mashed potatoes, maple glazed brussel’s sprouts, sauteed beets, canned corn and canned peas, and crescent rolls. Everyone ate alot and then we went into food comas.
Zibby got barbies, littlest pet shop daycare center, ballet costumes and shoes, makeup case with makeup, a headset for singing and a scooter. Henry got trucks, books and a farm with animals to play with. They both got flashlights and games. We got Buzz a skin for his ipod and I got a camera and cookbooks, a Tom Tom gps and some gift cards to spend on my hobbies 
I made a lot of gifts for people, which I enjoyed and I hope they enjoyed, too.
My sister’s kids and mine
Grandma and Bub
sad news
My mother passed away last week.
She had been admitted to the hospital, having got suddenly rather sick, and after a week of not really knowing what was wrong, she just went and died.
We are all in shock.
My brother and sister and my dad, too, went to Kentucky for her funeral.
Its been very difficult, and I have felt more aware of my own mortality and I desperately hope that I don’t die until before my children have grown into adults.
I keep walking around thinking, “I’m so depressed” but then I realize that Im not, Im sad, and there is a difference, and it will get better.
Its December, and I hope that all the busyness and holidayness will help keep me occupied. Plus, its my birthday, soon. I will be 36 years old.
happier post to come, I promise.
Filed under daily life | Comments (4)
