Creating opportunities

A while back someone in one of the homeschooling e-mail groups I belong to suggested that if you didn't see an activity you (or your children) were interested in you should be proactive and put something together yourself. So I've done just that.

You see, I used to get together at least once a week with my two best friends so that we could chat and kids could play together. Well, one friend moved back home to TX and the other has become a full-time teacher and so no longer has much time to get together between work and keeping a 6-person household running. I had thought about joining a quilting group but their meeting time falls during our dinner time. I decided a week or so ago that I was tired of having only kids or dh to talk to besides the occasional though long calls to my friend or mom. DH is great, it's just not the same as talking with other women.

I decided to take my que from our foremothers and set up a sewing/quilting/needlecraft group. Women used to get together every once in a while to work on handwork but also socialize and share their talents with others. However, because of people's schedules, I've now set up two groups. One is going to be just me and two other moms and their kids that will meet once a month (for now) during the day time. The other includes women from my masjid (almost all teachers at the school) that will meet once a month on a Sunday morning. I've decided to keep both groups very informal, bring what you want to work on, ask others for help as need, kids join in if they want to but don't have to. I'm doing it at my house so that we can keep it informal, give space for us to work, chat, snack and give the kids a safe place to play either inside or out.

You see, last year were got involved in a sewing class that met at a masjid, but the kids basically had to spend 2 hours in one room with little to do if they didn't want to knit or quilt. With 10-12 kids and 3 moms in a modest-size boardroom that got to be a bit much some days. This way the kids can quilt/knit/crochet/embroider, play board games, color, play with playdough, play in the yard or even watch a movie. It's their choice.

The first meeting with all of the kids will be next week, so I'll let you know how it goes.

The picture is a "Pay It Forward" potholder/kitchen quilt that I made for Patty at Morning Ramble.

My 1 month old

The first image is a sight rarely seen in my house these days-a sleeping baby. I'm not sure how this happened but I somehow have managed to have kids that just don't sleep. M. was the only one to consistantly take naps-that is until S. arrived. Since then none of the kids have consistantly taken naps and H. is proving to be no exception to that rule. (The little mark on his nose and redness on his forehead are because he was snoozing in his favorite spot, on my right shoulder resting his head against the blanket I had there in case he spit up.)

The second picture comes alot closer to representing good sized chunks of my days, especially now that the little guy has developed colic. He's not a thumb sucker or a pacifier baby so we spend a good bit of time each day going through a cycle of him nursing to feel soothed, over eating, spitting up, crying, me walking him for 20 min. or more, only upright on my right shoulder will do, then start the cycle over again. The funny thing is that he switches the times that we do this. If he's grouchy during the day, he'll have a good night then he switch the next day. Of course, since I've identified this pattern, in true baby fashion, I'm sure he change everything tomorrow. :P S. was a colicky baby too and I spent the better part of her first three months going through my days with her in a front pack carrier. Now she's the least touchy feely kid in the bunch. She's a very reluctant hugger and is perfectly happy maintaining a bit of personal space. Go figure. Compare that with Z. who doesn't really get the idea of maintaining personal space especially where her baby brothers are concerned.

I can definately see that I'm a different mom than I was with the first two. I've learned a lot about myself over the years, gained a whole lot more patience and insight during that time and fortunately, I've learned a great deal from my mistakes and amassed a wealth of experience. Having 5 babies in 9 years will do that for you. :)

It's time to get some ironing done while the little guy is snoozing.