Today we went to Victoria Baths for the monthly open day. I'd never been before, it was stunning. I can't believe the City Council would tear the place down given half a chance, scandalous.
Esme had a great time running about and looking around. She was remarkably interested in the architecture and she also got to do some lino cut printmaking which she was very pleased with. I enjoyed that too ;)
Magnus slept on my back whilst we were there, when he woke up I took him for a wee in the loos. I'm always a bit wary about being disturbed but a nice old Asian lady who saw me today said "That's brilliant you are potty training him so soon! I wish my daughter-in-law would do that with my grandson, he's 2 and she won't even sit him on a potty, it's terrible...."
How nice to be suprised by positivity!
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Friday, 1 August 2008
Some thoughts on EC , at last!
'kay, so I really should start blogging about EC ;)
I don't really know what to write! It's just so much part of what we do with Magnus, that I almost forget it is a freakishly un-normal thing to even think of for most people. I've stopped mentioning it and just get on with it most of the time....bring on the stares! The only time I feel inclined to say anything is if someone suggests he has a pooey nappy, in which case I usually mention that he doesn't do that, and start (or leave) a conversation from there. Most people I have spoken to have been really positive, and amazed that we do this.
I am amazed more people haven't realised this is possible. If we can house train dogs and cats, why would our babies be any different?
When you actually tune in to what babies are saying when they start fussing and crying, it's really quite obvious that they are often telling us they need to go. EC is definitely a case of positive reinforcement, if we respond to signals they get stronger. If they're ignored, baby is eventually going to stop saying something as nobody helps them stay clean, no matter how hard they try to make their need known. My friend, a novice ECer with a 5 month baby, told me that her baby was delighted when she took off the nappy and made a grunty cue noise for a poo: her little face spun round and lit up as she relieved herself! Fabulous!
I really feel quite sorry that the majority of babies spend their time in nasty disposable nappies that (don't) rot in landfills or in cold, soggy cloth nappies. I recently visited a day nursery for the first time- Esme had asked to look around there as a few of her friends go and the peer pressure thing is kicking in. I was taken to the baby room where I was told that nappies were "changed at 10am, 12noon and 2pm, more if they were dirty, of course". I couldn't stop myself from almost screaming "He's not coming!". It made me shudder to think of leaving Magnus at all, but UGH to have him sitting in his wee more or less all day ;(
I don't think this is our biologically evolved expectation. It's "convenient" to ignore elimination, and big business would have us think it's impossible to do anything else. I'm really proud that we are proving to our society that there is another way, even if this must seem completely obvious to millions of people around the world.
I don't really know what to write! It's just so much part of what we do with Magnus, that I almost forget it is a freakishly un-normal thing to even think of for most people. I've stopped mentioning it and just get on with it most of the time....bring on the stares! The only time I feel inclined to say anything is if someone suggests he has a pooey nappy, in which case I usually mention that he doesn't do that, and start (or leave) a conversation from there. Most people I have spoken to have been really positive, and amazed that we do this.
I am amazed more people haven't realised this is possible. If we can house train dogs and cats, why would our babies be any different?
When you actually tune in to what babies are saying when they start fussing and crying, it's really quite obvious that they are often telling us they need to go. EC is definitely a case of positive reinforcement, if we respond to signals they get stronger. If they're ignored, baby is eventually going to stop saying something as nobody helps them stay clean, no matter how hard they try to make their need known. My friend, a novice ECer with a 5 month baby, told me that her baby was delighted when she took off the nappy and made a grunty cue noise for a poo: her little face spun round and lit up as she relieved herself! Fabulous!
I really feel quite sorry that the majority of babies spend their time in nasty disposable nappies that (don't) rot in landfills or in cold, soggy cloth nappies. I recently visited a day nursery for the first time- Esme had asked to look around there as a few of her friends go and the peer pressure thing is kicking in. I was taken to the baby room where I was told that nappies were "changed at 10am, 12noon and 2pm, more if they were dirty, of course". I couldn't stop myself from almost screaming "He's not coming!". It made me shudder to think of leaving Magnus at all, but UGH to have him sitting in his wee more or less all day ;(
I don't think this is our biologically evolved expectation. It's "convenient" to ignore elimination, and big business would have us think it's impossible to do anything else. I'm really proud that we are proving to our society that there is another way, even if this must seem completely obvious to millions of people around the world.
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
It's a mad world
I've been asking myself how people can seem to care so little about things these days.
Lots of little things are really bothering me. Litter, our neighbour's overflowing household dustbins (left in the street for days after the binmen have been), more litter, broken glass, dog poo, people scowling at each other instead of smiling. I saw a bloke cycling along and just hop off his bike, suddenly dropping it (hard) to the floor to go into a shop. Just left it there right in the middle of the pavement for everyone to walk around. Didn't care about his bike or the folks tripping over it one jot....if anyone had said something to him he would probably have seen his arse.
And here I am, religiously picking up the dog turd, being polite to everyone, taking home other people's litter as well as our own. Slavishly rinsing out our plastic bottles and tetrapaks, creating a smelly stinking mess in our alley so I can duly recycle this stuff. Taking my cardboard to the tip, encouraging the fruit flies to well and truly colonise our house by having a compost heap within cat-swinging distance of the back door. Why?
I just couldn't not do/be all these things, as thankless as putting in the extra effort is. It's hard to keep "being the change" I want to see in the world (Thanks Ghandi for giving us this one to cling to).
As I spend more and more time with other, fabulous, like-minded people, I'm becoming more and more staunch about these things I've always had strong feelings about. Vegetarianism..heck I'm seriously considering going vegan. Breastfeeding: always knew it was the best way but I seem to be becoming some sort of evangelist. The environment: don't get me started. This is good, I think. But creating some difficult conflicts in my life and how I manage to live in such an imperfect world. Perhaps those of us who can actually see the sh*t all just have to grit our teeth keep on being that change....?
Lots of little things are really bothering me. Litter, our neighbour's overflowing household dustbins (left in the street for days after the binmen have been), more litter, broken glass, dog poo, people scowling at each other instead of smiling. I saw a bloke cycling along and just hop off his bike, suddenly dropping it (hard) to the floor to go into a shop. Just left it there right in the middle of the pavement for everyone to walk around. Didn't care about his bike or the folks tripping over it one jot....if anyone had said something to him he would probably have seen his arse.
And here I am, religiously picking up the dog turd, being polite to everyone, taking home other people's litter as well as our own. Slavishly rinsing out our plastic bottles and tetrapaks, creating a smelly stinking mess in our alley so I can duly recycle this stuff. Taking my cardboard to the tip, encouraging the fruit flies to well and truly colonise our house by having a compost heap within cat-swinging distance of the back door. Why?
I just couldn't not do/be all these things, as thankless as putting in the extra effort is. It's hard to keep "being the change" I want to see in the world (Thanks Ghandi for giving us this one to cling to).
As I spend more and more time with other, fabulous, like-minded people, I'm becoming more and more staunch about these things I've always had strong feelings about. Vegetarianism..heck I'm seriously considering going vegan. Breastfeeding: always knew it was the best way but I seem to be becoming some sort of evangelist. The environment: don't get me started. This is good, I think. But creating some difficult conflicts in my life and how I manage to live in such an imperfect world. Perhaps those of us who can actually see the sh*t all just have to grit our teeth keep on being that change....?
Saturday, 26 July 2008
Garden of Delights
Ahhhhhhhhh summer! At last...
I have just spent more or less all day gardening and it was lovely. I planted out most of my my plants in anticipation of judging for a competition I've entered...eek! The garden is looking really nice and it was such a buzz getting my hands dirty, digging and sweating in the blazing sun.
My two lovelies have been angels all day. Esme painted and played, helped me to garden, picked up worms and snails and did some swinging. Magnus had a lovely long sleep and has been chilled out looking at the sky and trees in between feeds and sitting on his potty "bucket"! He rolled onto his tummy for the first time tonight. Bless, he had a face and two tiny fists full of grass. Such a sweet pair.
My little garden, and my heart, has been so full of delight today.
I have just spent more or less all day gardening and it was lovely. I planted out most of my my plants in anticipation of judging for a competition I've entered...eek! The garden is looking really nice and it was such a buzz getting my hands dirty, digging and sweating in the blazing sun.
My two lovelies have been angels all day. Esme painted and played, helped me to garden, picked up worms and snails and did some swinging. Magnus had a lovely long sleep and has been chilled out looking at the sky and trees in between feeds and sitting on his potty "bucket"! He rolled onto his tummy for the first time tonight. Bless, he had a face and two tiny fists full of grass. Such a sweet pair.
My little garden, and my heart, has been so full of delight today.
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Looking forward to using pedal power
Well I've still not written much about EC...but I would much rather get excited about our new bike trailer tonight! We got it brand new on ebay for £58! Just waiting for a special seat from Germany so that Magnus can ride in it safely, I still haven't test ridden with it yet. It's just sitting in our living room asking to be taken out. We overlooked the fact that we have nowhere to store it, and we're going to have to take off the wheels to even get it out of the house! But never mind, what's a bit more clutter eh? I am itching to get pedalling with the kids, and to shed a few pounds just by getting from A to B!
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Suffolk
We've just returned from a lovely short break with GG (Great Granny- on his side) in Suffolk. What an amazing lady, nearly 90 and more with it than most! We managed to get to the seaside and built a great sandcastle on Southwold beach thanks to the presence of the folding army trench-digging spade. I mocked Joel for taking it, but I ate my hat when I saw his performance digging the moat and a channel to the sea. No plastic tat could have made such light work! Joel swam in the North Sea between showers. The kids had a nice time but Esme was definitely affected by being away- she's a creature of habit- so as nice as the break was we were all looking forward to our own beds.
The drive back was notable for the constant heavy rain and the distinct lack of calm in our wee car. After a while of hoping our two exhausted screaming children would calm themselves down, we pulled over into a tiny layby somewhere in the middle of the Lincolnshire Fens (surely the most depressing landscape in the UK?). Esme had a poo on the roadside in the torrential rain. Magnus pee-ed from the car door onto the verge but was still a lot less than happy despite a lengthy feed to try and calm him and get him off to sleep. The vacuum from the passing lorries shook us around in our steamed up tin box every 30 seconds or so. A seating rearrangement seemed necessary before we could continue as Esme was still moaning and crying about being in the car. Joel was less than happy to relocate to the back seat with Magnus. I would gladly have given up my driving seat but as the sole driver was forced to continue at the wheel on this hellish mission home. Needless to say we were not a very merry band of travellers and a few harsh words were spoken.
When we eventually managed to leave the layby we had to chuckle at ourselves a bit: it turned out we we'd stopped at a place called........ Bicker! I wouldn't recommend a visit!
Anyway, all's well that ends well and after a few nights back things are settling down again. We made an old lady very happy and the hassle was well worth it.
The drive back was notable for the constant heavy rain and the distinct lack of calm in our wee car. After a while of hoping our two exhausted screaming children would calm themselves down, we pulled over into a tiny layby somewhere in the middle of the Lincolnshire Fens (surely the most depressing landscape in the UK?). Esme had a poo on the roadside in the torrential rain. Magnus pee-ed from the car door onto the verge but was still a lot less than happy despite a lengthy feed to try and calm him and get him off to sleep. The vacuum from the passing lorries shook us around in our steamed up tin box every 30 seconds or so. A seating rearrangement seemed necessary before we could continue as Esme was still moaning and crying about being in the car. Joel was less than happy to relocate to the back seat with Magnus. I would gladly have given up my driving seat but as the sole driver was forced to continue at the wheel on this hellish mission home. Needless to say we were not a very merry band of travellers and a few harsh words were spoken.
When we eventually managed to leave the layby we had to chuckle at ourselves a bit: it turned out we we'd stopped at a place called........ Bicker! I wouldn't recommend a visit!
Anyway, all's well that ends well and after a few nights back things are settling down again. We made an old lady very happy and the hassle was well worth it.
Friday, 4 July 2008
Happy 3rd Birthday Esme!
Wow, what a lovely day we had today.
3 whole years since Esme came earthside. I can't quite believe it. And this time last year Magnus was a tiny bean inside me. How life changes...
On the spur of the moment, I took Esme to Gymnastics for the first time this morning. She had a brilliant time jumping and climbing and balancing, and cried when it was time to go. I got to go on the trampoline and fulfil a lifelong ambition to jump in a pit full of foam. It was really cool.
Yesterday we decided, last minute, to throw a small party for Esme's birthday. It didn't seem right to do nothing. So, we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day and her little mates came round for tea and cake in our little garden this afternoon. We played pin the trunk on the elephant and pass the parcel. A jolly good time was had by all, thank you so much for coming and celebrating the three years of joy our little angel has brought us... Merci bien.
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