my impending health.

After having been knocked flat on my heiny for about 24 hours.

Although a child in our playgroup was (momentarily) suspected of having the measles, and the girl I drive home after school was diagnosed with bronchitis, I actually think I am recovering from a bout of the dreaded swine flu.

It appears that H1N1 is THE flu of the season and makes its appearance with a fever and sore throat. This is so characteristic of this flu that at Chad’s work, anybody who shows both these symptoms is asked to stay at home.

It started with a headache and some strange other-body-ness that was so unusual (for me) that I didn’t immediately attribute it to sickness. Then the next morning I woke up feeling better and I went out to a La Leche League toddler meeting (but I didn’t hold any babies and mostly stayed away from people in general). By the time I got home I was feeling much worse and by lunch I was alternating shivering and sweating, and I had such bad body ache that my eyeballs hurt. Every once in a while, I got an itch in my throat that made me cough – that hurt too.

By bedtime I could barely turn my head, and nursing the baby to sleep was agony. This plus I developed a razor sharp ache in the right side of my throat. I remember thinking, I can’t do this for another day, before drifting off. Sleep was not much better as my affected sense of equilibrium inflected my dreams, giving them a nightmarish quality.

When I woke up – I could feel the body ache receding.

Hallelujah. I was still sick, for sure, but well enough to appreciate how sick I HAD BEEN.

Now that it’s bedtime, I can really appreciate feeling better, although I’m not 100% by a long shot.

Whew. Hope this one passes you over.

[Update:

It has now been exactly a week since I got my first symptoms of sickness. No more body ache, but I still feel slightly weak and I still have a deep cough, although that only makes itself known very occasionally.

Recovery is slow.

I did notice that my fever ebbed and returned several times over the course of a few days. Also, I had many disjointed symptoms that would disappear and reappear, like the fever, a stiff neck, a sore throat, and even this cough.

Chad felt unwell and stayed home two days from work, but never got it as bad as I did - and never coughed either. His worst symptom was a mind-crushing headache which was accompanied by a slight fever.

Christian and Bella remain healthy and are getting plenty of rest.

I'm staying home today and eating lots of soup.]

We’ve just completed one full cycle of our Waldorf in the Woods playgroup and the second cycle starts this Thursday.

Eeeep!

My intent was to ride the momentum of the first cycle through the start of the second cycle, since I know from experience how easy it would be to just drop the ball in between cycles – but then last night I realized, WAIT! There are new songs and handplays to learn! A new puppet show! And I’m hosting in three days! And I have to teach them to everyone!

I don’t think it’s as bad as that, as I’ve been learning and memorizing the lyrics and melodies as I’ve been finding them and playing them on various keyboards and pianos in south orange county. I do have to make sure that I know the proper order and that I have all the elements of my puppet show created this week.

Just performance jitters.

But a brag moment to take my mind off of that. We made a terrific range of crafts this first cycle. I made even say that the craft-making has been an unexpected pleasure and highlight of our weekly playgroup.

Here are some photos to show you what we made (there were eight in all):

The very first craft: the owl finger puppet to go with the owl poem we recited at circle time.

Corn husk people - from fresh corn husks!

Finger puppets that were claimed by kids literally as the last thread was being cut...

Okay, this is Devana's gnome...ours didn't turn out AS cute, but they were still pretty cute.

The jesters we made (from Feltcraft) were a big hit with the kids. The jingle bell on the tip of his hat is especially sweet.

We needlefelted our own pumpkin pin cushions.

We decorated beeswax candles with (more) beeswax. (Although we didn't use a particular craft kit, they can be purchased at a Child's Dream.)

The walking finger puppet was our most ambitious and last project. General instructions came from the book, Feltcraft.

These chickens were not technically a group craft, but every mom knit her own to tell the story of The Little Red Hen.

Sierra's full cast for The Little Red Hen...

And a here's a preview of one of next cycle's crafts - this pocket baby is SO SWEET!

A little video from JibJab that Chad put together for Halloween featuring me, him, Bella, and the baby – singing and dancing!

Check it out here: The Monster Mash

The combined events of the week: craft night at Devana’s tonight and Bella’s birthday this weekend, shone favorably on the making of spanakopita, which I rarely make these days, due to the idiosyncrasies of phyllo dough.

But here I am. I just broke one my cardinal rules by cooking while Christian is napping, but I refuse to go to crafting night without fresh-baked spinach pastries and Bella just texted me asking if we could swing by the mall on the way home from school today, closing my small afternoon window for cooking before leaving for the evening.

I started out years ago by making Molly Katzen’s version of spanakopita in one of her Moosewood cookbooks, but then I met an older Greek woman at Trader Joe’s. We were both standing in the front of the cheese and I was holding a block of feta in my hand. She looked at me, and said, “What are you going to do with that?”

When I replied, “I’m making spanakopita tonight” her eyebrows just about jumped past her hairline.

“What?! YOU make spanokopita? That is great. Tell me, how do you make this spanokopita?”

I started, now very much on the spot, with, “Um, I saute some onions…”

“What? You don’t need onions in spanakopita!”

and that was the beginning of an entertaining lesson in what goes in spanakopita: Basically ONLY fresh chopped spinach, crumbled feta cheese, and ricotta no other herbs or spices, no egg, no nothing.

And that’s how I make my spanokopita to this day – with just those three ingredients.

I went to the dentist yesterday to check on the status of the deep pocket behind my furthermost upper molar and the news was not good. Although all my other teeth registered smaller numbers (and hence less recession of my gums), that back pocket came up an mind-numbing NINE millimeters deep. Last time it had been seven – but now the hygienist thinks that the last time it was measured that the tool was blocked up against a piece of tartar.

Bummer. I was referred to a peridontist who will most likely recommend that my gum be cut open in a flap so that the entire tooth length can be cleaned.

I am just not convinced that cutting will make it better.

On the upside, I got to watch an hour of the cooking channel while my teeth were being cleaned.

I don’t know who Racheal Ray is, but she cooks a mean meal in under 30 minutes. As I have several times in the past now, I came home and immediately made the dish she had prepared on the cooking show.

Tonight that was Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken (basically pan-fried thighs with a balsamic vinaigrette and marmalade added at the end – I also added a chopped bunch of kale) served over what she likes to call a “puddle” of Lemon Risotto (a cup of risotto, chopped onions and garlic, with lemon zest and juice, all cooked slowly with chicken stock).

What can I say. The meal rocked.

And we got in a fight over the risotto leftovers. No joke – an argument that left each the three grown-up-ish people in three different parts of the house after dinner.

SHEESH. I CAN MAKE MORE TOMORROW!

I love the idea behind this project – of injecting fun into ordinary mundane moments of our life. Curiosity and laughter are necessary for mental and emotional health!

Dear Baby,

I swore that after you turned a year, I wasn’t going to count your age in months, because it has always seemed like a silly over-specific practice to me, but here I am – You just change so much month to month that it would be unfair to give you a less precise age.

Communication is exploding for you. Not only are you eager to repeat any word you hear us say (today, you said “LAME” after you heard your dad say it – we are having to be every more vigilant about the words we use), but last week you heard me mumbling numbers under my breath. I was trying to figure out the time in Bangkok and I was quietly counting, “seven, eight, nine…” I paused to refigure my calculations.

You leaned forward, put your face in my face and said very clearly, “Ten?”

And ironically, you are even more into the sign language that we taught you so that you communicate before you could talk. For instance, when I read you sign language book to you, you mimic every single sign I show you – and sometimes you babble in sign language too – making silly gestures with your hands to pretend “talk.”

The boyness in you is starting to assert itself more strongly. I don’t remember Bella ever being so cut up and bruised, but you seem to have a nonstop violent relationship with the floor and corners of things. Nowadays when I ask Chad what he wants to do on the weekend, he says, “Whatever it takes to exhaust the little guy.” This usually means small adventures to the beach, or to the local Santa Ana Zoo (I’m sticking to the San Diego one from now on though), or up in a hot air balloon at the Great Park.

I am delighted to have an excuse to plan more outdoor events though. I have somehow managed to plan at least one camping trip every month for the last several months, through to the end of the year. You ADORE camping. And the six other people who slept in the tent with us in Joshua Tree know its true. You woke up each morning with a huge grin on your face and hugs and kisses for all your friends.

I love you Baby!

Love,

Mama

My friend Darlene wrote this puppet show twenty years ago and it’s a hit every single year when she performs it for all the children at her annual Martinmas celebration.

[a selection of related highly recommended Darlene links: Apple Days, a Tea Party, the playroom at Darlene's house,  a description of a summertime puppet show, some video footage of aforementioned events.]

Since St. Martin is the patron saint of the poor, Darlene celebrates by hosting a potluck of soup and bread only. Later in the evening there is the puppet show, and then children and adults alike sing Martinmas songs and swing lanterns in a long procession up a dirt road by their house.

This year I will hosting my own first Martinmas with my attachment parenting group. I’ll tell the same puppet show that I’ve heard Darlene perform for so many years!

MARTINMAS PUPPET SHOW

(Two characters, a child and the sun)

Boy: “Oh I just love the summertime! I love to smell the flowers, and play with the butterflies, and sing with the birds! But, I’m sad because summer is over and all my summertime friends are going away. The flowers are going away, the butterflies are going away, and even the birds are going away! What am I going to do? It’s going to be so lonely without my summertime friends! And the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, and it’s getting cold! Brrr”
(the sun comes out from behind a cloud)
“Oh Hello Mr Sun! Mr. Sun, I don’t know what to do because my summertime friends are all going away and the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer and it’s getting cold outside! It’s so lonely without my summertime friends.”
Sun: “Yes, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer and it’s getting colder because Autumn has come and I am not around as much, and soon it will be cold, dark Winter. But, if you will make a little house for it, I will give you one of my sparks to keep you company until I start coming back again at the end of December.”
Boy: “Oh thank you Mr Sun! But, how shall I…. Oh, he’s gone behind a cloud again. I guess I will have to figure it out for myself. I’ll go home and see what I can do.”
Narrator: “So the little boy went home, wondering what to do. What could he make a house out of?”
Boy (in front of a table): ” Well, I found this piece of paper. I wonder if I could make a house out of this.”
Narrator: “So the boy went to work fashioning a house out of paper. He worked on it all afternoon.”
Boy (showing paper lantern with tissue paper windows) : “Well, here it is! I like it. I wonder if Mr Sun will like it. I think I’ll go find out right now.”
(he moves outdoors) Mr. Sun, Mr Sun! (sun comes out from behind a cloud) Oh, there you are, Mr. Sun. I made a little house for one of your sparks. Do you like it?”
Sun: “Oh, that is a beautiful little house! I like it very much!”
Boy: “Then may I have one of your sparks please?”
Sun: “Yes you may!”
(an assistant lights birthday candle in lantern)
Boy: “Oh look how the spark dances in its new house! It must be very happy! Oh thank you Mr. Sun! Thank you!!!”
(Boy sings) “The sunlight now is dwindling, my little lamp needs kindling. It’s beam shines far in  darkest night. Dear lantern guide me with your light!”

We’re going into winter halfway through our second cycle of our Waldorf in the Woods playgroup – so I’m trying to make the transition with apple “stars.” (Winter will have more star songs…)

Some of the songs are repeated (and will always be repeated) from cycle 1. I will add video clips as I create them. Note: I don’t have a piano or keyboard at home so some of the videos are random views at Target or Costco while I plunk out the melody.

Follow, follow me

To the ring of the fairies

Follow, follow  me,

Where the fairies dance and sing.

Gather with now

All the magic you can carry,

As we circle ‘round the dancing fairy ring.

Now look around

We’ve made a ring

By holding hands you see.

Yes, here I am,

And there you are,

Together we are we.

Lanterne, Lanterne, Sonne, Monde und Sterne,

Brenne auf mein Licht

Brenne auf mein Licht

Aber nur meine liebe Lanterne nicht.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the winter, the snowflakes fall on me.

They glisten. They glisten.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the spring, the blossoms bloom on me.

They bloom. They bloom.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the summer, the breezes blow through me.

I bend. I bend.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the autumn, the apples drop from me.

They drop. They drop.

Down with darkness, up with light

Up with sunshine down with night

Each of us is one small light

But together we shine bright

Go away darkest, blackest night

Go away, give way to light!

The leaves are floating gently down, (Wave silks up and down)

They make a soft bed on the ground

Then WHOOOO!

The wind comes whistling by, (Waves arms wildly)

And sends them dancing back to the sky (Flutter silks up)

On my head my hands I place,

On my shoulders, on my face.

On my lips and by my side,

Quickly behind me they will hide.

I can hold them way up high

And let my fingers gently fly

I can hold my hands in front of me

And clap 1-2-3.

The leaves are green

The apples are red

They hang so high above your head

Leave them alone ‘til frosty weather

Then they will all fall down together

Apple Secrets

Who would think an apple

Red, gold, or green and round

Would have a secret deep inside

When cut it can be found!

I thought this secret only shone

In deep and darkest night

But when I cut my apple

It shines with five points bright!

And now you know the secret

Where shining stars are found

In every crunchy apple

Red, gold, or green and round

(Cut open apple perpendicular to stem to find the “star,” then quarter and give pieces to the children to enjoy.)

Dot, dot, dot

And a big question mark.

Little spiders crawl up your back

Little spiders crawl down your back

Little spiders crawl up your arms

Little spiders crawl down your arms

Cool breeze, tight squeeze.

Egg on the head and the yolk drips down.

Creepy crawlies, creepy crawlies…

Gotcha.

The Story Song

Anything can happen

In a fairy tale or rhyme

When you say the magic words

Once a upon a time

OR I like this one from raw mom’s blog:

BE QUIET YOUR FACES, BE STILL EVERYONE

FIX DEEPLY ON ME YOUR EYES

AND OUT OF MY MIND A STORY WILL COME

THAT IS OLD, AND LOVELY AND WISE

Handwashing Song (sung in the mood of the 5th)

Time to wash our hands,

Time to wash our hands

Welcome, welcome

Welcome to our table

Welcome, welcome

We all join hands together. (We sing this until every one is sitting)

Snack Time Blessing

Earth who gives to us this food.

Sun who makes it ripe and good.

Sun above and earth below,

Our loving thanks to you we show.

Blessings on our meal.

Hands together hands apart

Hands together, we’re ready to start

Clean-up Song

I met a little dusty gnome

Who says it’s time to clean our home

Clean our home

Clean our home

Goodbye Circle

Who will come to my wee ring?

My wee ring

My wee ring

Who will come to my wee ring?

And make it a little bit bigger?

The earth stands firm beneath my feet. The sun shines high above. Here I stand, so straight and strong – all things to know and love

I can turn myself and turn myself and stop me when I will. I can reach high on my tippy toes and hold myself quite still.

Goodbye now, goodbye now.

We leave you now

And off we go

Goodbye now

Goodbye to all of you.

Thank you for coming.

Rainbow Bridge Song

Goodbye, goodbye

Blessing on your way.

May the sun shine bright

In your hearts today.

**See clips of Devana singing some of these songs and others, here**