the latest on the simplified living experiment… (this is part 6)

We are finally into some kind of groove down here. Writing about it seems almost forced in that i already can’t imagine NOT living here. The kiddos are so happy down here. There are all the normal bumps (and bruises) of dealing with a 1 and a 6 yr old but nothing that i can imagine would be better/helped/more healthy in a big ole’ house. MY own “stuff” has however been severely rearranged. At one point if i didn’t put down a meal with all the colors and mostly organic and/or fresh i though myself less of a parent. If I turned on a movie for them for more than 45 minutes i thought i was frying their brains. If i got a babysitter I thought i was taking my time with such young ones for granted.

Things are changing-mostly with me. The kids eat a completely white meal from time to time. I buckled and put on cartoons this morning for Beatrice after a 6am wake up that i just wasn’t equipped to deal with.  I kept unfinished loads of laundry on the floor for 2 weeks until this past weekend.  My being relaxed about these things has had a clear affect on them and their level of comfort. I’m not saying my new thing is to “phone-in” my parenting but actually the opposite in that i was getting crazy, impatient, short, explosive etc from the lack of space as well as lack of another adult partnering in this mad-house! I think taking responsibility for that Mommy-Dearest behavior is the best way for me to parent. To end the madness: Cut  a few corners, skip a bedtime book or two, choose myself once in awhile.  Every day still ends with a huge amount of kissing an hugging and snuggling.

This is a matter of Survival. It has been over 85 degrees most of the summer and we have no air circulation (or A/C) down here and I’m still keeping up at least 4 days at the shop despite being a single parent.  This is why things had to shift! Clearly right?

DIY Denim Owl Toy from Old Jeans

DIY Denim Owl Toy from Old Jeans.

 

I loved this quick and easy idea from fellow-blogger Zhenya. I think i’ll make this on Saturday at the shop! Stop by with your fabric if you want to give it a try on our sewing machine!!

xoxo

anne

A tweak here and there makes a difference…(Simplified living experiment part 5.)

While Baby Business was at her Dad’s on Sunday Arthur and I got SO much great stuff done! Our two favorite little projects to improve the apartment were the handles on the inside of the infamous cabinet, “The Housssse”, and the new gate on the steps to the bunkbed. Arthur was so excited to work on these very important tasks that he drew up some plans and a shopping list the night before including our “schedule” for working on the projects: 7am-12noon.

Plans for the big day.

So damn funny. He was so elated when the gentleman at Home Depot checked Arthur’s list and directed him to the correct aisle for hardware…I haven’t seen Arthur so proud and happy in awhile!

The climber who thinks we’ll leave it open…yeah, right!

The end result of our efforts is that now Beatrice can close herself into the cabinet (her preference) but can NOT get up the steps to Arthurs top bunk!

handles help

Life gets easier in some way or another everyday down in the basement!

He said it…(simplified living experiment part 4)

This morning Arthur said what i’ve pretended i’m not really dreading:

“Can’t I just be ALOOOONE?!”

I answered, “No, you can’t.”

How do you tell your good boy who asks for one thing (OK, maybe three at most) for Christmas, who tells people, “I’m sorry your Dad died”, who takes his job at Mommy’s shop really seriously that no, he can NOT be alone?

Damn, it’s only been 2 weeks or so and he wondered what to do with his anger, energy, annoyance, and need to be alone. Don’t get me wrong; Arthur is one of the most touchy-feely-clingly 6 yr old I’ve ever met. BUT there are moments, clearly, that he wants to not be seen, heard, or touched. Few moments.  I questioned myself and my decision to put him living in one room with his baby sister and me around the clock…but just for a moment. I know this is right. Every time I come home and see the surmountable clutter or the safeness of our bunkbeds I know this is right. I love those children and although they drive me nuts with the constant chatter and perpetual face-raking (Arthur and Beatrice respectively) I know I want to be near them and them me.

So we continue. Tomorrow is a new day. I guess some more clear boundaries need to be ironed out. Maybe a “safe” word for Arthur.  Maybe he in the front area where the bed is while i take Bea in the yard or for one of her cherished showers…

I’m working on it.

We’re getting there! (Simplified Living Experiment part 3)

Our room dividers: A work in progress! (you’ll see me working on these at the shop on Saturdays!)

It’s been 12 days since we’ve been sleeping in the new apartment. The relief of being in such a manageable, small space has set in.  The children seem so at ease with it all. Mommy is always right nearby. (Arthur seems to benefit from that even more than little Beatrice!)

My independent girl!

Already we’ve settled into a routine. Bea wakes up at 5:30ish (GRRR) and peers her tiny face over the side of her baby-cage and greets me with the cherished little “Mama?”.  Arthur just snoozes and rolls over. I get up with Baby Business and sit quietly having milk. She likes to wander out to the yard early in the morning by herself but i recently had to put a stop to it because as she was yelling her nonsense words up to the sky i realized it was only 6:30 and perhaps the rest of the neighborhood would prefer to be sleeping!

Arthur playing “school” with his animals. NOTE: strategic positioning up at the counter to keep Bea from wrecking the groups of pupils.

As always Arthur is thrilled to get up as soon as he realizes the party has started without him! Typically they start the day with a little chase ending with a bit of stowaway time in the cabinet in the chimney. This adorable little storage spot (above) has been dubbed the “housssse” by Business. She fearlessly sits in there and closes the (un-latchable) doors so she can sit in blackness.  She’s been dubbed my “creepy” child by her Auntie Yomaira.  Clearly i won’t be using it for storage any time soon…

Where we terrorize the baby…

The “family-shower” time has become a favorite of Arthur’s and mine but not so much of Beatrice. She just hasn’t gotten the hang of it yet. We’ve coaxed her a number of times but she’s not having any real part of it. I even went so far as to go in myself the other evening and let her wander to the edge fully clothed until i scooped her into my arms to participate. She did better that night but it will be harder getting her clean if she showers in pants and shirt!  I’m sure she’ll adjust with time.

Sink? I’m not a big fan.

The only thing really getting on my nerves so far is the sink. It’s about 14″ x 17″ if that. It’s basically a bar-sink (without the handiness of actually being part of a BAR!). It took so much effort and counter-flooding to wash the 3 baking pans we used that i considered having “family-shower” time with the pans and getting it over with.

So, all in all: so far so very very very good.

The front construction site…YUCK.

Now if only the contractors would finish the work out front on the steps and sidewalk so our “bedroom” right inside the front door wouldn’t have cement and brick dust all over the floor…

Quiet for now

Babies “reading”.

This is why you do anything you do…DELISH!!

What, i need to pack? ( The Simplified Living Experiment: Part 2)

I’ve been preparing by making lots of gorgeous, pear-green wall shelves (you know i need my pear-green…) for the nooks in the kitchen. I’ve begun packing up our things in boxes. With only 4 days until we move, it dawned on me that i needed to be even more organized than i realized because Beatrice is curious about everything and anything and will potentially climb, move, eat, or destroy anything left on the floor or at her level. Simply plopping all our things down on the floor in a studio is going to create chaos. So the packing begins. (Packing…just to move downstairs…really?)