Poppy - 12 Months

Weight - 22 pounds 10 ounces

Length - 30 inches

Head Circumference - 18 3/4 inches  

Dear Poppy,

Happy Birthday my little love! I still remember holding you in my arms for the very first time like it was yesterday. The anticipation that morning of finally seeing your face and getting to know you, not just the bump that was my belly. The sadness that your Nana and Granddad hadn't quite arrived yet (they were headed to the airport in California!). The support from your Dad who believed in us both. The relief at the end of labor because, come on, it was labor. Your beautiful scrunched up, goo covered face as you were placed in my arms and how much I just wanted you to make noises for me. Talk to me. And now, today, on your first birthday you are doing just that. Babbling about whatever it is that you want to share, grunting and reaching for the things you can't quite reach on your own and doodle-doodle-ing as you explore the world around you.

This last month of your baby year has been full of new milestones. Your first tooth, bottom right center, started to show at the end of November. You picked up your first sign language word - "more" - coincidentally the same first word your mother spoke. Quickly followed by the signs for "please" and "thank you". You appropriately wave hello and blow kisses goodbye, instead of the long delayed wave to absolutely no one. It's also been really fun to watch your mobility develop. You started the month pulling to your knees on the fireplace and the coffee table and now at the end of the month you pull all the way to standing. You are also a pro racer on your push and ride scooter - moving forward, backwards and even turning around corners.

This month you also had your first ear infection. At first we thought the pulling on your ears was just a new tooth, but after a couple rough nights of sleep the doctor confirmed it was in fact your ears. Although it was hard to be up every hour it was also a unique opportunity for the two of us. As I sat up in the middle of the night nursing you I realized that this might be one of the last times we would have these moments. And then I paused, took a deep breath, and took it all in. The glow of the moonlight through the window highlighting your long eyelashes as they rested on the soft roundness of your cheeks and our open land outside. The clear night sky full of bright sparkling stars to watch. The warmth and weight of your body draped across mine and the rhythmic sound of your breathing as you slowly returned to sleep. The irregular creaks and groans of the house set to the rhythmic tick tock of the clock. The familiar movement of the rocking chair as we reached our milestone of one year of nursing. There were nights where I struggled getting out of bed again, my body too tired to motivate my legs to carry me to you. But once we settled in I loved every second of these quiet moments together - just you, me and the middle of the night.

We really can't wait to see what your first toddler year brings with it. But most of all we are excited that you continue to be a happy, curious and opinionated little one in this family of ours.

Love,

Your Mom, Dad and big sister Violet

 Violet's 12 Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 12 months

Poppy - 11 Months

Weight - 21 pounds 14 ounces

Length - 27 3/4 inches



Dear Poppy,

Poppy 10 Months

Weight - 21 pounds 8 ounces  

Dear Poppy,

Another month, another letter. Well I had high hopes that we'd be able to report you are crawling and have a tooth but alas these things will come when you are good and ready. And right now is just not that time. 

I will say you are getting closer to crawling. You've figured out that rolling isn't just for getting onto your tummy or back but it can also get you across the room, under the couch, under your sisters bed and closer to that toy that is just out of reach. Your arms are also really good at pushing you backwards when you are in the crawl position. Once you figure out your knees I will no longer find you where I left you sitting. 

One of the best developments this month is your desire to imitate things we are doing. You have waved goodbye to daddy as he leaves for work and hello to Nana on FaceTime. You clap when you've done something we are excited about. And you dance in your high chair when we're all being silly at dinner. Best of all you never hesitate to stick your tongue out at us to get a smile. 

Your fine motor skills are also awesome. You are a pro at picking up spaghetti and getting it straight to your mouth. In fact your appetite rivals Violets at this point; sometimes you even eat more then she does! You also seem to have this ability to find the smallest item (a hair, piece of string, one grain of rice, a piece of grass, a fleck of wood) on the floor next to you, pick it up between your tiny thumb and forefinger and get it into your mouth before I even have a chance at identifying it. You definitely keep me on my toes! 

Lastly, I've really enjoyed watching you and Violet play together this month. She likes to hide and when you find her she shouts "peek a boo" which brings out the best belly laugh I've ever heard. Violet has also been honing her doctor skills on you while you have done your best to keep her tools as clean as your mouth can get them. And then there's the NASCAR nights when Violet pushes you around and around in the walker while you giggle uncontrollably. It's a little crazy at times but we wouldn't have it any other way! 

Love, 

Your mom, dad and big sister Violet

Violet's 10 Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 10 Months

Poppy - 9 Months

Length - 27 1/2 inches
Weight - 21 pounds 4 ounces

Head circumference - 18 1/4 inches

Dear Poppy,

What a month! This month you have figured out how to use your walker to move in all directions. Forward, backwards, around the corner, turning around and most importantly chasing after your sister. When Violet walks away from you, you chase after her and try to take what she has. When she takes things away from you, you yell at her. When she runs away from you, you run after her laughing  the whole way. This is definitely the beginning of your sister bond and I can't tell you how much fun it is to watch it develop.

You still continue to show no interest in crawling. You are happy to sit and play with toys or watch your sister run around you. You have started reaching forward for toys that are just outside of your reach and folding yourself forward flat as a pancake. The other day you started scooting backwards while sitting. It might not be crawling but it's something!

A few times this month you have spent part of the night co-sleeping with your Dad and I. The downside is that even though you are so little you take up as much of the bed as you can. We have found ourselves in the "H" position and I've even found myself curled up on the bottom half of the bed just to give you some space. The upside is that I often times wake up to your smiling face watching me. One night I even discovered that you smile in your sleep. Frequently.

This month you were finally able to meet Great Grandma Peach when we traveled down to Connecticut. You had a great time giggling and I'm pretty sure she fully enjoyed having lunch with you. Nana and Granddad also came for a visit near the end of this month. They couldn't believe how happy you are and were impressed at your never ending gremlin noises. As you grow you continue to amaze and entertain us. Will next month bring crawling and teeth? Time will tell!

Love,
Your Mom, Dad, and big sister Violet

Violet's 9 Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 9 Months

Poppy - 8 Months

Weight ~ 20 pounds 

Dear Poppy,

This month we've started to hear your sweet voice more. Your first syllable came at the beginning of the month, and just like daddy was trying to teach you, it was "da". Thankfully, shortly thereafter you also mastered "ma". One of my favorite moments is watching your face as you pull your bottom lip back over your toothless gums and bounce your jaw up and down, perfectly accentuating your round cheeks, as you softly repeat "ma, ma, ma". It's not a coo and definitely not a toddler voice but the perfect in between soft noise of the beginnings of speech. And I love it!

While you are just starting to talk you have most definitely perfected sitting and playing with toys. It's amazing how good you are at entertaining yourself with a basket of toys and somewhere soft to sit. You will pick each toy out individually and slowly inspect it, play with it, and then move on to the next one. Every now and then, when the toys are just out of your reach, you topple over. That usually ends your play time but if you stay upright you are sometimes happy for up to 45 minutes.

This month you've also gotten better at naps - sometimes you make it past a 45 minute nap and stay asleep for an hour and a half. This is definitely not the norm but it's a nice surprise every now and then.

Love,
Your Mom, Dad and big sister Violet

Violet's 8 Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 8 months

Norwich Fair 2015

This years fair did not dissapoint. Not only were we able to enjoy our yearly fried dough treat but we also got our fourth picture in a row in front of the stand. It's so much fun to see how our family changes over the years. The only part I didn't bargain for was having to share our fried dough with Violet.

This year we were lucky to have free pony rides. And after hyping them up to Violet all week and watching three kids go first we were able to successfully get her on her first pony. Funny thing was as soon as it was over she wanted to go again and then she didn't want to get off. 

Violet also enjoyed her first fair ride. She begged to go on the cars and was happy to ride them all by herself. That was until the ride stopped and suddenly she was in tears wanting to be held and asking to go home. 

Our last stop was checking out our towns volunteer fire department fire trucks. Violet seemed to fit right in.



Last years post can be found here.

Poppy - 7 Months

Weight - 19 pounds 10 ounces

Dear Poppy,

I wish I could keep you little forever. This stage is absolutely the best. You're diving into new foods, able to sit and play contentedly by yourself, still enjoy cuddles and snuggles, and have even started to notice when I am in or out of the room. You're not really an infant anymore and most definitely not a toddler yet but you are our happy go lucky relaxed baby girl.

This month we started you on solid foods to supplement the breast milk. As we expected - you were very interested in food. We loved watching your hands working like an excavator operator for the first time. Hand open, hand close, twist wrist, twist wrist back, move arm forward, open hand, move arm down, touch food, move arm to the side, knock food off tray, close hand on nothing. It really is a unique experience to watch your brain trying to figure it all out at once. Just a few weeks later and you are a pro at picking up cheerios and putting them directly into your mouth.

This month we also had a few firsts. We took you on your first ride in the jogging stroller when we went for a walk on the rail trail in New Hampshire. Your first trip to the beach and Cape Cod. This month you also rolled from your back to your tummy for the first time. You've started scooting backwards in your walker. This month was also the first time we had a child throw-up. We think you might be allergic or intolerant to avocado but once it was out of your system you acted as though nothing had happened.

One of my favorite moments is when I carry you on my hip. Your hand grabs tightly onto my upper arm to anchor yourself as you look around. When you see something you like your little legs bounce up and down excitedly. You are just the right size to sit comfortably in my arms and I love showing you new sights and sounds both inside and outside of our home.

Love,
Your mom, dad and big sister Violet

Violet's 7 Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 7 months

Edgewater Farms CSA Weeks 2-6

This summer has been busy! Our week 2 share ended up going to one of our friends as a thank you for taking care of our chickens while we were out of town. But since then we've had a great time eating up all our fresh fruits and veggies. My favorite part of each week is watching Violet's excitement as she opens up the box and identifies all the produce for Poppy. Here's a summary of what we have received over the past 5 weeks. 

Week 2 - rhubarb, scallions, lettuce, swiss chard, strawberries, garlic scapes, and radishes

Week 3 - strawberries, scallions, lettuce, cucumbers, beets, garlic scapes, kale and a rosemary plant

Week 4 - strawberries, scallions, lettuce, beets, broccoli, arugula and fennel 

Week 5 - blueberries, tomato 2nds, fennel, scallions, radishes, arugula, broccoli and a thyme plant

Week 6 - blueberries, heirloom tomatoes, scallions, hakurai turnips, garlic, cabbage, dill, pepper, and cucumbers

Baby legs interested in the box.

Always looking for the fruit at the bottom of the bushel. 

beets ready to be roasted

Can I eat this?

Edgewater Farm CSA Week 1

It's CSA time again!! This week is our first and boy are we excited. In the box we have strawberries, rhubarb, lettuce, basil, scallions, garlic scapes and spinach. I'm already looking forward to the rhubarb crumble and basil garlic scape pesto that I remember so vividly from last year. As for the spinach - I think that will end up either cooked or in a quiche.

Violet enjoyed smelling the basil, scallions and garlic scapes. I almost got her to eat a leaf of spinach straight from the box but she second guessed my suggestion just before biting. What really caught her eyes and made her light up were the strawberries. There's nothing like strawberries fresh from the farm and luckily Poppy is old enough to enjoy them too!!

Poppy - 6 Months

Weight - 17 pounds 13 ounces

Length - 25 1/2 inches

Head Circumference - 17 1/2 inches

Dear Poppy,

Happy Half Birthday!! This month we reached a bunch of milestones. You rolled for the first time from tummy to back and both mommy and daddy were home to see it. You slept through the night for the first time. And you even took your first airplane trip.

We finally achieved something we never achieved with Violet - you slept through the night completely on your own from 8pm until 8am. I was a little worried when I woke up that something had happened but you were happy as a clam, if not a little hungry. Since that one night you have been waking up maybe once a night usually between 1 and 3am. With your sleep being so good we decided to move you into your bedroom with Violet and so far it's been going really well. You both go to bed around the same time - somewhere between 7 and 8. When you wake up in the night to nurse, Violet sleeps through it. And when Violet wakes up early in the morning for the day, you sleep through it. I think you like having company in your bedroom at night. We're still working on your naps but they are slowly getting more defined and longer.

This month you have also been busy trying to put everything into your mouth. You are picking up toys, passing them back and forth between your hands and then putting them directly in your mouth. You are blowing raspberries in competition with your sister's abilities at this age. You've even started putting your toes into your mouth. You are loving spending time in your exersaucer and have even started putting those toys in your mouth too!

It seems strange that you were six months before we took you on a big trip but it was worth the wait. You and I took your first airplane trip to California to visit Nana and Grandad and some of Mommy's friends for a few days. It was nice to have time just the two of us and you traveled like a champ! Unlike your sister you are not a fan of a pacifier or sucking you thumb. During our trip to California I realized just how much you love your lovey blanket and other pieces of fabric.

It's so much fun watching you learn and grow, especially with all the smiles you give us everyday.

Love,
Your Mom, Dad, and big sister Violet

Violet's 6 month Post

Violet and Poppy at 6 months

Poppy - 5 Months

Weight - 16 pounds 3 ounces

Dear Poppy, 

5 months. 5 months. I keep repeating this to myself but I still find it hard to believe. How did we get here so fast?! As you were sleeping in my arms the other day I had to stop to really take in the moment. I wanted to remember not only the peace and relaxation in your face coupled with the random eye movements, twitches and dreamy smiles but also the size, weight and warmth of your little body in my arms. You are too big to be able to hold with just one arm and your legs now drape themselves across my lap. Although we constantly comment on how big you are, you still are my little baby and this time disappears so quickly. I'll miss these quiet cuddles when you are older. 

This month has been a big one. At the beginning of the month the motor on your swing broke, which meant my easy days of putting you down for a nap were over. At first we struggled to figure out how to get you to sleep without the swing and I spent a few days manually swinging your swing as it seemed to be the only way to consistently get you to sleep. We also tried wearing you in the ergo and going for a ride in the car. But in the end it was a good challenge and it paved the way to getting you to start napping in your crib. We also stopped rocking you to bed for hours and started giving you a little time to settle yourself. Some nights were more successful then others but it's definitely making a difference.

It's been really fun watching you start to interact with your environment more. We've started putting you in the high chair so you can join us at meal times. You've started to roll on your side and arch your back on the play mat so you can check out everything going on around you. You are rotating around in your exersaucer and playing with all the toys. You've also started picking up toys and bringing them straight to your mouth. And you are so close to finding your feet but right now your knees seem to be entertaining enough.

What we can definitely say about you and your personality is that you are one very happy go lucky laid back kind of kid and we love you more and more every day!

Love,
Your Mom, Dad and big sister Violet

Violet's Five Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 5 months

Happy Mother's Day!

My requests for Mother's Day are the same every year - breakfast in bed and a card. (Next year I'm also going to ask for a breakfast in bed tray.) I also go in with the expectation that someone will help me eat my breakfast. And for the second year in a row - Violet ate half my breakfast in my bed. There's nothing like tradition.

Along with breakfast I received a hand picked flower and handmade card from Violet. Marc gave me a perfectly picked card, some chocolates and a concrete stepping stone for the garden that has our hand-prints in it (Marc, Violet and mine). Best of all Poppy gave me the gift of sleep. After putting her to bed at 8pm last night she only woke up once at quarter to five to nurse and then slept in until almost 9am this morning.

After breakfast we headed outside as a family and went for a hike in the open land across the street from us. Walking in the woods gets me thinking about making some trails on our own land. Then at least we would know which path to take home.

During nap time this afternoon Marc gave me the gift of peace and quiet. I had two glorious hours to myself to do whatever I wanted without little hands trying to help. Then when Violet woke up we played outside until the first thunderstorm of the season rolled in.

Violet watched the start of the storm from the couch but as it got closer and louder she ended up in my arms. Not a fan of the wind or the thunder. Poppy on the other hand was her usual cheerful self and spent the time talking and squealing from her bouncy seat. 

I feel incredibly blessed to have spent the day with my family at our home. The only thing that would have made it better is if my mom was here to celebrate with us in person. My brother had that responsibility this year. Happy Mother's Day!! 

It's a bear!

Monday morning before breakfast Marc headed out to our back 40 to pull the taps from the maple trees. While he was out I started getting the girls dressed for the day, that was until I heard Marc come running back to the house in a panic.

Turns out sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning a bear had stopped by the bee hives and had a little look for some honey. Being the end of winter there wasn't much in there for the taking which meant the hives were not completely destroyed. Marc quickly put them back together so the bees would have a chance before the rain rolled in.

After lunch and while the girls were napping, Marc and I headed out to the hives to set up an electric fence. We also repositioned our trail camera towards the hives. And it's a good thing we did because that evening when the bear came back our hives were safe and we caught the bear on camera. What a curious being!!

Apr21 044 from Christina A on Vimeo.

16 chicks and counting

At noon today we received a phone call from the post office letting us know that our baby chicks had arrived. Off Marc went to collect them and bring them home.

We ordered 5 each of speckled Sussex, barred rock, and cuckoo maran. We received all of those plus one extra barred rock. Hopefully we have all hens but we'll only know for sure once they grow up a bit.

They are now happily settled into their brooder in our garage with food, water and a heat lamp. I'm really looking forward to watching them grow up and seeing how they interact with the four non blondes when they all move into the new chicken coop. 

Poppy - 4 Months

Weight - 15 pounds 1 ounce

Length - 24 1/2 inches

Head Circumference - 16 3/4 inches

Dear Poppy,

Something I wondered about a lot while you grew in my belly was whether you and Violet would look alike as siblings. Now, as I look at your 4 month picture I can't believe how much you and Violet are the same yet different. While Violet was born with more hair, you both have the same color and type of hair even down to the part that sticks up in the back because of your cowlick. You two have the same color blue eyes, a beautiful blue that is dark around the edge and different from both your mom and dad's shade of blue. But while Violet's eyes are definitely Daddy's shape we think that you look like I did as a baby. Violet has the same toes as your Aunt Effie and Aunt Stephanie while you have mommy's toes. Even though you weighed more at birth, Violet seems to outweigh you each month. However, length for length you two are pretty comparable. The rest we haven't figured out yet. So while you two aren't twins it is clear you are definitely sisters.

This month not only do you keep flashing your big cheesy smile but you have also started to coo and "talk" to us and the toys around you. You have started to reach out and hold the toys around you on the play mat, bouncy seat, exersaucer and car seat. If you aren't using your hands to reach for toys you are busy sucking and chewing on them, especially your first two fingers. I don't think you've figured out how to use these to soothe yourself just yet but we are optimistic that you are on your way. Then again maybe you won't be a thumb sucker and you will rely more heavily on your monkey lovey which you already like to hold.

Because of your interest in your hands we stopped swaddling you this month. We also moved you out of our room and temporarily into the guest room. Eventually you and Violet will share a room but we have to get some sort of bedtime routine for you figured out first. It would also help if your sleep patterns became a little more regular but that's a pretty big request for a four month old. No signs of rolling yet but you are definitely kicking your legs a lot and trying to arch your back. Sometimes when I put you back in your crib in the middle of the night I can hear the sound of you banging your legs against the mattress as you settle yourself back to sleep. No crying just the rhythmic sound of your legs crashing against the mattress.

We're really excited to watch you continue to grow and gain control over more of your body. Will you be rolling by the end of next month? Will you have started blowing raspberries? Time will tell and I can't wait to find out!

Love,
Your Mom, Dad and big sister Violet

Violet's Four Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 4 months

Homesteading

Happy Spring! (Vermont style)

Today Violet and I embarked on a morning of homesteading chores. First we headed out to the maple trees to collect the buckets of sap. Sugaring season is beginning to wind down so we wanted to make sure we collected as much sap as possible. On our way to the trees we saw various deer tracks in the snow. Based on the number of tracks around the bonfire Violet and I decided that they had their own little party last night.

After returning with five gallons of sap, Violet and I checked on the chickens. As of yesterday we have started getting eggs from the Four Non Blondes. Marc I and I each enjoyed one this morning for breakfast and boy were they tasty.

Our last activity for the morning was making muffins. Violet is becoming a very good bakers assistant. Secretly I know she's just in it for the chocolate chips but her ability to whisk and stir are definitely improving. More importantly she is keeping 98% of the ingredients in the bowl these days.

All of these activities with Violet this morning reminded me how excited I am to start sharing them with Poppy too. Happy Friday!! 

What's up 4 Non Blondes?

This morning we picked up four of the new additions to this years flock. Say hello to - Ariel, Josie, Wendy and Ginger. Collectively we're calling them the 4 Non Blondes.

After losing the Spice Girls, our Barred Rock hens, last fall to a weasel we've been planning for our new flock all winter. Instead of sticking with just one breed, we're branching out to a variety of hens. The 4 Non Blondes are red babcock or hyline hens, bred for egg production. These ladies come to us at about 17ish weeks old which means we should be getting eggs within the next month.

In April we'll be getting 15 chicks - a mixture of barred rocks, cuckoo marans, and speckled Sussex. In the meantime Marc is busy designing, planning and building our new chicken coop which we will locate over by our garden instead of next to the wood pile on the driveway. I'm fantasizing about chicken tunnels and how to get the hens to do the weeding and fertilizing in the garden for me. Anyone who has visited in the summer knows the weeds are out of control in our garden and we need all the help we can get! 

Cooking with a Toddler - Blueberry Muffins

Lately I've started to invite Violet into the kitchen to cook with me. I can't tell you how excited she gets about the idea of baking together. It usually starts with "I need my apron" and crazy pointing at the drawer where it lives. Then she wants to hold all the ingredients and the measuring spoons and cups. Unfortunately it usually ends with tears when she realizes she has to wait for the baked goods to cook in the oven before we can eat them.

Today we made blueberry muffins. Violet learned how to use a whisk and the importance of folding the wet ingredients into the dry ones so as not to over mix. 

I have to say - the jumbo muffins turned out pretty good! 

And the best part of course is enjoying the treat for our afternoon snack. Happy Friday!! 

**In case you want to make these blueberry muffins we used this recipe, minus the sparkle.