BakerBits

Vivienne’s Cake. I made that cat out of frosting. Well, ok, not really. It’s a littlest pet shop kitty. I did the writing and pink accents…which were strawberry frosting.

The party took place at Pioneer Park in Brownsville. I failed to realize that I planned the party for the exact same time and place as Pioneer Days, which is the biggest event of the year. Therefore, the whole town turned out for Vivienne’s birthday party. There were big bouncy houses, horse-drawn wagon rides, teepees, carnival games, and a parade (although we missed the parade). We were joking and saying we didn’t spare any expense for our daughter’s first birthday party.

Vivienne’s personal cake…

Kyle working Rubik’s Cube…

Vivienne going for the funny things on Uncle Caleb’s face…

CAKE nom nom nom…

She was taking the kitty, dunking it in the frosting, and then sucking the frosting off of the kitty. This is the life.

Other assorted shots…

All three kids in their own kitchen…

Vivienne being a big pale strawberry…

Todd being himself…

The kings of toddlerdom, reigning pure pandemonium in kingdom Baker…

Vivienne having a blast with Todd:

At Pioneer Park in Brownsville. Remember the story of Todd and his little friend who were playing house? You can see them in the background. Peter is in the foreground.

Peter the smug…

Now that she can walk a lil bit, Vivienne gets to wear tennis shoes!

This collage shows a picture from each month of Vivienne’s life, starting with the upper left and working clockwise, ending in the middle.

Dear Vivienne,

When I was pregnant, I thought life after you were born would be so stressful.  I didn’t see how I would make it having three children under three. However, from the time I first held you in my arms, you have filled me with joy. We chose your name because it means, “lively”. Oh, how you have added to my life! You are the sweetest, happiest, cooiest baby I have ever met.  Every day you have bonded with me closer and I have learned so much about life from you. With you, my third child, I have let go of my fears about loving a child too much and spoiling them. I have let myself love on you without any reservations, and have experienced such a loving, wonderful bond with such a sweet, confident baby. Now, watching you take your first steps, and laughing and playing with your brothers, and reaching out to hug total strangers, I am truly convinced you are a special child who is going to love other people in tremendous, life-changing ways. You have already done that to me, my precious daughter. God has shown me many things through being your mother. Especially that He is abundant in giving strength and grace to a young mother overwhelmed by circumstances. I pray that as you grow, you will learn God’s love and let Him lead your life forever.

Happy Birthday, Vivienne. I am so grateful God has given us you.

Todd was playing with a girl at playgroup today. We have playgroup at a local playground. Anyway, she is five and he is three. They were playing husband and wife and they were trying to use Peter (2) to be the baby but he wouldn’t stay still and kept wandering off. :giggle: They had a ‘house’ that was part of the playground and they could climb up the structure to be on the ‘roof’. Todd kept going on about how she was his best friend and the older boys were mean to her.(They’d accidentally sprayed dirt in her face.) It was just so precious! That’s his first time ever really interacting with a girl. I’m just glad they weren’t kissing or anything. But yeah, he really didn’t want to leave and she was asking if Todd could stay.

If you cloth diaper, you would probably be interested in this nifty reveiw and giveaway:

The Simple Mom

Which reminds me, I’ll have to do a cloth diaper entry sometime.

It’s been awhile since I’ve done an attached parenting blog. I must say, a vital part of attachment parenting has been the partnership with Kyle, which started before we had babies. Attached spousing is based on the same principles as attached parenting: being there and focusing on understanding the needs of the individual, and meeting the needs with love and devotion to the point of self-sacrifice.

The bigger picture points to God parenting us. God is eternally just there for us. He meets all our needs deep down to the most hidden portions of our souls. He understands us, especially because he made us.  Every atom of our bodies is wonderfully made and divinely cared for. He sees the bigger picture and leads us in spite of when we think we know better (but we are actually just being selfish) he brings through it, disciplines us, and makes us better.

So our goal as parents is to be like God in how we love our children.  Doesn’t that sound high and lofty? It’s downright impossible. There are days I’d like to ship the little darlings to Zimbabwe rather than spend another five minutes in the same room. However, because I know God has put up with much worse with my discipline issues with being his child, I know he completely understands how frustrating parenting is.  He gives me strength to make it through each day and make good decisions when I calm down and ask him.

So back to spousing. Being married is a very big important step in actually living less selfishly. When you have to coordinate wants and needs on a daily basis in a shared living space and emotional territory, you learn that 1. You have to say no to yourself. 2. You have to pay attention to another person’s needs. 3. You have to meet those needs in the best way possible, at outright denial of your selfishness.

So when kids enter the picture, you have to do those three steps and then add: 4. Do what’s best for them even when they don’t want it. Meaning the big subject of discipline. Which we won’t get into here. Except that it’s important.

Gee golly. Posts like this make me realize how much work we have to do to even get by. Kyle and I are really young in this area. We are however, going at learning hard core, as we now have three toddlers. It’s taken us this long to even refine basic theories. As for actual practice and refined theories, there is much work to be done.

So my family has long had a bit of a counter-culture flavor to it. It’s only been since coming out on my own that the true hippie tendencies have come out. I’m not completely hippie, but the older I get, the more steriotypical hippie stuff comes out. Here’s an ongoing checklist:

Outer Appearance

Long hair or dreadlocks. I used to have the long hair, but no longer can I check this because I got a hair cut. No dreads either.

Flowy skirts/sarongs: Check

Tie Dye or other bright designs: Check

Birkenstocks: I did have a pair, I did I did I did, but they got wet and stretched out and they don’t fit anymore. I have also worn socks with my birkenstocks, which is sooo Eugene

Earth tones: Check

Volkswagon: Nope

Hippie Actions:

Smoking Pot: nope.

Cloth diapering: check

Other re-usable items: shopping bags (and I have some tie dyed and handmade ones), mama cloth, tupperware vs. plastic snack bags

Organic food: about 10% of what I buy

All-natural food: about 80% of what I buy

Grow my own food: nope.

Protest political actions: no picket signs yet. But I will someday.

Line dry: sometimes. this is Oregon and we get about 3-4 dry months.

Shop at farmer’s markets: sometimes. Will do more when I’m not toting three toddlers.

Babywear: oh yes. Lately it’s the ring sling

Breastfeed: yeah baby!

Drug free labor and delivery: 1 out of 3. The first two were drugged, but the third was natural on purpose. I had a midwife for my first.

Home birth: Nope. I’d consider it, but it scares Kyle.

Art Fairs: Check.

Outside concerts: umm, before children I did. it’s been awhile.

Dancing barefoot in grass in front of live band: Check.

Been to Ashland: Check, and have seen several Shakespeare plays.

Been to Eugene Saturday Market: Nope. Maybe this summer.

Been to Woodstock: Nope, and don’t plan on it.

Co-sleep: I did, but she’s got her own place now. Three feet over, in a crib! LOL.

Hemp Jewelry: I make it! I wear it! Double check!

Bartering: Check, I trade stuff with people in my mommy forums all the time.

Sitting cross legged in grass strumming guitar: Check, in high school. Haven’t attempted the guitar in a while

Bongo drums: did it in college. Only twice, but it counts a little bit, right?

Rock Music: SOOO CHECK! Bring on the Beatles. 60′s decade is my favorite style of music hands down.

Folk Music: I’ve listened to a little and liked it. It’s been years, though.

Use of 60′s slang: Check, man, check. Groovy. Cool.

Yoga: Bleeeccchhhh no. I am so not a yoga person.

Art: Check to the yes. I’ve done several different mediums. My main now is photography, but I’ve done a fair bit of painting in high school. I make jewelry, as mentioned above.

Communal Living: Not with anyone outside the family. Not opposed to it, though.

Beliefs:

Liberal views: a little? I’m pretty conservative about certain issues.  I’m pretty uninvolved and clueless when it comes to politics. That leads to my lack of picket signs.

Mother Earth: umm, no, the earth is a giant rock. However, I do believe we should take care of our rocks and our selves by managing the rock in a way that is good for everybody.

Meditation: Nope.

Eastern religious influence: Nope.

Sexual Liberation: Nope.

Psychedelic Experiences: Nope.

Peace: Yes, I believe in peace. I can make peace signs with both my hands at the same time. Check.

Ok, so in conclusion, I’m kinda hippie. But not hippie enough to be completely hippie. I’m more hippie looking than hippie believing.

I’ll have to one of these for Kyle about geekiness. Maybe he makes a better geek than I make a hippie.