christmas in august

ahhh, today, homeschoolers all across chicago will be removing the rubber bands off their shirts and socks and old undies and rinsing them in cold water until it runs clear, and then washing and then drying and then wearing their new tie dyed clothing.

its like christmas in august! I opened all mine this am and they are happily spinning in the washer right now. I’ll post pix later, but it was so much fun to see how they turned out! Our third annual homeschool tie dye party was a big success! we had a lot of colors to choose from, and a lot of folks participated, even the littlies Zibby was bummed that I didnt save her stuff to do at the end, so we ended up dyeing the clothes off her back! I hope everyone is happy with their outcomes.

today we are heading over to the Field musuem with friends. we hit the planetarium and the aquarium last week, as well as a childrens museum. ahh, the cool indoors during august in chicago. while 9 mos pregnant

Today is 37 weeks, full term. I can officially have this baby anytime now, at home Cmon baby! I’ve been having lots of ctx and crampy feelings, which I remember from the week before I had Zibby. Its so exciting and crazy to think that I am going to be the mother of two people very soon. I am also feeling very nesty and anxious and concerned about names for baby and everything else. I guess that just means that I really am 9 mos pregnant.

Pics later of the tie dye!

holiday fun

Today we took the train downtown to the Christkindlmarket with some of our unschooling friends. Zibby was not into wearing her coat, even though it was only around 30 degrees. Mostly I carried her in my sling in my coat. We got hot chocolate and churros, and roasted nuts and I bought some cool ornaments. I got some for the ornament exchange next week at the GS leader-daughter dinner, and some for our tree at home.

Then we went over to Macys to get warm and do a little bit of shopping. Zibby was happy cuz we rode the escalator to the fifth floor! she loves escalators. We saw two Santas today, but Zibby didnt get too close to either of them. She was happy to talk about Santa later, though. I guess she just isnt sure about him upclose.

would you, could you, with a pox?

Zibby has the chicken pox. The first one appeared yesterday afternoon, but it wasnt until around midnight that I realized she had developed a dozen more. Today she has lots more, and by lunchtime was complaining about them hurting. Poor baby girl. Luckily she can still nurse for comfort and we got some oatmeal bath for her to take later.

Yesterday we went to the Museum of Science and Industry to see the Christmas tree display and the baby chicks. What do they do with those chickens, anyway?

fish zoo

We went to the Shedd Aquarium Thursday. Zibby calls it the Fish Zoo.

We were going to go to a dance performance in the evening, but I called to ask about tickets and they said they dont allow people under 5 to attend. Lame.

My mom spent the night because today she had to go to the hosp. for tests. We stayed up late making ATCs. I showed my mom all of mine and Zibby’s and she saw some she wanted, so she had to make some to trade us

Today there was a HS coop field trip to the Field Museum, but we slept in till 11, and decided to stay home and veg. Zibby and I watched Cars a few times. She is really into it.

Tomorrow we go to visit Nana in the hosp, attend a Tupperware party, and Buzz and I are having a dinner date. Since we were out of town on our anniversary this year, we didnt go out that night, which means its been since Sept of 05 that we had a dinner date. What a novelty I might order a drink! Zibby will go over to her friends house to play-we do a swap about 2x a month with another family. Usually its during the day on Saturdays, but it worked out to be an evening this time. I think both Buzz and I would almost rather have her with us-but she will have fun, and I am sure we will too.

I am feeling out of sorts that the house is still a bit of a wreck, since we moved rooms and stuff. We have to go to Ikea and get our counter/buffet and some shelves for our bedroom, and then I am fully prepared to organize and even get rid of some stuff. Oh, the agony.

Cute Zibby story:
Zibby reaches into the silverware drawer for a fork. The stool is usually right there, but she had moved it by the microwave. She says: Mommy, help me! I cant see with my fingers!

No, you cannot see with your fingers, can you?

I told Buzz about it when he got home, and Zibby graciously re-enacted the scene for him, since he missed it the first time around. Then Zibby pretended to buzz her hair off, ala Buzz, which includes pretend shaving her hair into a towel, and then “going downstairs” to take the hair outside. She also is very into pretending to “Doctor”. This means that she lies on her two-seater lawnchair, and you put items on her body and then tell her she is ok. Items include blocks, pieces of paper, a plastic part from a breast pump.

This is pretty much what my chiropractor (applied kinesiologist) does to me, (excluding the breast pump parts) so thats clearly her reference, since I doubt she can remember the last time she was at any other type of Drs.

Imagination is an amazing thing.

midnight circus

Zibby and I went to see The Midnight Circus today.

We met up with 3 other families from the unschool group there. We saw all 3 shows and then spent some time sliding down the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza

Then tonight, I opened up a new box of Lyra Face Painting pencils and we had some fun.

Those are Zebra markings on her arms, just in case you were wondering. She was very fierce.

We also worked on two altered board books. Zibby cut the Origami paper for one and helped glue the pieces on. I like that project better than the one I did myself, but perhaps I will like it better after it sits for a while.

And, I forgot until Buzz reminded me, today is the anniversary of our first date, and our first smooch We went to Sheffields for the Pumpkin Carving. Buzz picked me up from work on his motorcycle and introduced me to half the people in the bar, who all had 3 names each (real name, nickname, mock nickname) and I drank a couple of Seabreezes and I wore a brown short sleeve tshirt and jeans. I cant remember what jacket I wore, though. And now its 9 years later and I never would have guessed back then how happy I could be, how good my life was going to be. Thanks Buzz. I love you.

emergency

Zibby and I went to a dance performance on Friday night
There were 6 performances, in 3 different rooms, and each was about 15 minutes long, which was perfect for Zibby’s attention span. She especially liked the ballet, and has been re-enacting part of that scene. After we had gotten home, we were sitting on the couch and I told her that I was happy that she had gone with me, and that I appreciated how quiet she was during the dances. She looked at me very sweetly, and said, “yer welcome” Awww, Zibby, she melts my heart.

Zibby has also been re-enacting another event. Cinder caught a mouse! Zibby and I were up late, reading a book, when Zibby spied Cinder toying with her prey. At first I didnt even register what Zibby was saying “MOUSE, MOUSE” but as soon as I figured it out, we called Papa out of bed. “EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!” Papa came running, all discombobulated, into the living room. He bravely trapped the mouse in a bag, then took it outside for release.

I have seen Zibby tell the story to her dollies a couple of times since then. Its very funny to hear Zibby say Emergency.

Another very funny thing is Zibby’s pretend phone conversations. Alot of the time they are about breastfeeding. I talk to a lot of moms on the phone about breastfeeding in my capacity as volunteer for LLL, so clearly she is picking that up. She also takes notes during her calls, like I do. She asks how old their babies are! She also talks to my friends alot- Mama Juli and Mama Rachel are favorites. And, Nana is very popular, too. Then she passes the phone to me or Buzz, “say hi,” she commands us.

Today I have to go grocery shopping and menu planning, not in that order. Tomorrow I think Cate is coming over to watch the last four Project Runways- and see our new room arrangements. I still have to do a bit of organizing and cleaning to make it look finished. And go to Ikea for our Shelves and cabinet….I am really happy with how everything looks so far, and our new bed is awesome.

Off to do domestic duties,

Our Week

We were on our way home from a trip out to the burbs and were passing thru downtown, so I suggested we stop at Buckingham Fountain so Zibby could see it. She thought it was great! They had a light show and music, so it was an all-senses experience. Zibby really loves water, and she really loves water fountains. It was a good visit.

Wednesday Zibby and I went to the craft store and got fixins to make dolls for an upcoming trade on Imagination Tribe. I also got some poster frames and painting supplies. I saw some looms, but decided to wait to get those later.

Thursday we had Music Together and spent our day with Mama Jackie, Nathan, Madeline and Alice. And Patrick after he got home from school.

Friday we went to Brookfield Zoo with Tina, Myra, Franny, and Barrie, Ruben, Sita. It was fun, but slightly exhausting.
Why does Zibby’s favorite animal have to be the smelly goat?

Saturday we went to a dinner party where Zibby and the host’s two year old spent the evening chasing each other and giggling, and we ate a lot of delicous food.

Sunday I had a tea party, Zibby and Buzz went to the park, and the Uncle Eff came over for dinner and watched the Bears win!

Now its October! Amazing!

my little precious baby drama queen

Buzz agreed to go on a field trip today. He claims that I tricked him, however, because I said we were going to the Chicago Botanic Garden, which implied that it was in Chicago, and not Glencoe or wherever the heck it is. Ha ha. But we went to Fuddruckers for dinner afterwards, so I think we are all square.

While we were there, we took the tram tour. If you can do this, please if at all possible get Dorothea (Dorothy?) to be your guide. She was a real character. Not to be missed. Ladies and gentlemen. Not to be missed. I am not sure why Zibby laid down in the pathway of the rose garden. A fit of pique, I guess. She is rather prone to fits of pique, in my estimation.

And, since there was water, Zibby was in it.

Field Trip to Angelic Organics

Tuesday Zibby and I went on a field trip! We went to Angelic Organics Farm sponsored by the Chicago Park District, Kilbourn Park

It was a big long interesting day. Zibby and I ate fresh from the dirt cilantro and carrots and lettuce. We had a tour of the farm, ate lunch prepared from produce from the farm, milked a goat, watched cheese be made, fed chickens, and Zibby got bit on the finger by a chicken, and I got stung by a wasp. OUCH. That hurt, my friends. A lot. Here are some photos…

The goats in that picture are male goats and they were extra stinky because they were “in the mood”. Pee Ewww. Literally. Our tour guide said that the male goats urinate on themselves to attract females. (I am not writing the joke that comes to mind here)

Anyway, it was cool. Angelic Organic Farm is a CSA and has 1300 subscribers this year. They have 94 acres of land. And a nice lady used a venom extractor thingy to suck out the wasp venom where I got stung. 2 other people in our group got stung while we were there. Youch.

Zibby slept the whole way home, but I got to talk to my friend W, who is going to be my co-leader in Girl Scouts this year. I went to bed at 9pm and slept for 12 hours straight. Zibby went to bed at 10 and slept for 12 hours, too. Nice.