Tiny Teeth

A little glimmer of hope for us this week... A little glimmer of hope for those we know with children who have severe tooth decay too, perhaps? Our Tiny has long had a rather alarming amount of dental decay and has been living with a painless abscess on her gum for about 9 months now. We've fretted, researched and thought so much about what to do... We've been monitoring it, cleaning and nursing it and talking with her about it this whole time. We've improved her diet as well as we could (we could possibly do better), and in turn, the decay seems to have halted, but still, the abscess was there. It grew when her immune system was working on protecting her from other things and went down when she was robust and healthy (she's always robust...).

This week it disappeared completely.

We're quietly celebrating (just a little bit). Looking hopefully at one another and doing little happy dances inside. We're holding out on the big GA just that little bit longer and watching still. Watching and hoping and waiting. And trusting that the gut instinct we've had will lead us the right way as it usually does...

Happy Friday, peeps. xx

Independence

Fiercely independent and self-sufficient, Tiny proves daily that she's quite capable of looking after herself, thank you very much. Of course, sometimes this leads to events such as the Blue Paint or Blender episodes... She's quite capable of sorting breakfast and an outfit and Peppa Pig sideways on the (now slightly broken) iPad. Our fearless third child believes she might be at least seven years old, like her bigger sister, and possibly even thirty-seven.

In fact, she is almost three and so content and assured of her place in the world, we haven't a clue what to give her for her birthday. She doesn't value "things" so much and I expect that might have something to do with sharing all her sisters' toys and hand-me-downs. She wants for nothing and when asked what she might like, she replies "nothing" or "candles". Although I suspect if there isn't a present to open on the day she'd be quite devastated.

Thing is, she's the kind of owlet who just makes-do. A practical sort who'll find a way to organise what she needs on her own if you're not able to provide it.  Sharp as a tack and the freest of spirits, we're blessed to provide her with the kind of life where freedom is valued and she'll be able to continue moving through the world so sure of her place in it. Her own sovereign person. A wonderful and frightening thought all at once, as anyone who's ever parented a three-year old can attest.

So what do you give the owlet who has everything she needs?

I'm looking forward to finding out! Ha!

Happy Tuesday. xx

unschool monday :: whole family learning

I'm constantly astonished at how this unschooling life evolves. And yet, I've always had a sense of how things would flow as we settled in and it all became second nature... And it has. So much so that I forgot about noting it here for a time and, as such, I'm not sure that Unschool Monday is a thing anymore... but hey, it's Monday and I'm writing about unschooling, so why not? Anyhow, it flows, this life. And we flow with it. And what we have created in our little nest is a group of people all working towards a common goal - to love each other, make life a little easier, and to help. We help out and take turns and communicate openly and it seems there's always someone to lend a hand if another's hands are busy. These owlets are turning into the most excellent humans, who see a need to help and (most of the time), gladly step up.

Big Owlet has become the most patient of teachers for Little Owlet, who will ask for help with spelling, writing and reading multiple times a day. What's brilliant is that there's always someone to answer Little Owlet and help her on her way. And understands there are loads of people available to help her and she's supported in her learning. When little bursts of development happen for her and she, for example, solves a maths problem in her head upon waking in the morning (this happens lots right now), she knows she's supported by more than just one of us. There's a whole gang of us cheering her on!

But it's not just Little Owlet who's benefiting here... When any of us takes on something new, we all pitch in to help them learn it. Of course, there are always basic needs like "I'm hungry, I'm tired, she hurt me, can you carry me?... Muuuuuuummmm!!!" going on. And we meet those needs. We move through it. And that takes up much of the day. But there's support too. And so we find ourselves going to pick up Huz from a run at 8.30am on a Saturday morning... Or everyone will feign interest and don the gardening gloves to help implement my permaculture design. We're in this together.

We help each other. It's good. It's what gets things done and its how these excellent humans learn to seek and create communities where everyone lives by this code. There is no competition. There are no rules to abide, or tests to pass. Only enthusiasm and help and learning and support. We are creating the kind of world we want to live in by listening and supporting and learning together. Imagine that!

How does learning look for your family right now? 
How was your Monday? 
Have a happy one! xo

Little Owlet :: Chef

Nothing brings Little Owlet more joy than cooking. When she was a baby she'd cry and cry while I cooked dinner until I put her in a rocker on the kitchen bench. She'd sit in the sling on my hip and grab the spoon from my hand. Since she could see over the bench, she's been there alongside me, asking, advising, tasting. Now she just walks up when I'm cooking, grabs the spoon and takes over. Cooking together is our thing. Cooking is her thing.




She adores making up her own recipes and collaborating on ideas. And she's super picky on presentation. Many a time I've seen her rearrange the pikelets on our afternoon tea plate on it's way to the table. When she chooses what tv show to watch together, its always a cooking show... "So I can learn to cook everything, Mama!" She loves woman chefs and cooks best. She looks for role models... Maggie Beer is her favourite - "Grammy Beer", she calls her.




It's such a delight to watch the delighted little spark inside her when she indulges her passion. Aside from all the delicious food she cooks/we eat/we discuss.... She's learning to count, to measure, to multiply, to read. She's learning to cook.

What are your owlets passionate about? 
Is it something you share? Or do they do it on their own? 
Do you like making up recipes? Or do you follow the book?

This is Little Owlet's Apple Upside Down Cake. Aside from flour, sugar and milk, we can't remember the recipe. But it was yum. 

xx

Everything and nothing...

I've been absent for the longest time in such a long time... Life has been always busy, always messy and very, very full. Full of one very busy toddler, a business and regular day-to-day life which seems to  be full of everything and nothing all at once.

 Like a Monday morning where you can't remember all the wonderful, busy, simple things you got up to on the weekend... There's nothing. I've lost the momentum and with it the words... I have so much to share about our recent days. I have the pictures too! But right now, I've got to focus on sleep. Somehow I reckon once that picks up, everything will just flow. Meanwhile, this is what everyday life is looking like at our nest these days... Lots of dreaming and planning, gardening and relaxing. Everything and yet nothing...

More soon. I promise. I have the pictures!!

How are you going? 

Getting enough sleep? 

What do your days look like? xo

snow day...

It was all Tiny's idea...





So full of delight and inquisitiveness, her exuberance often leads the way, especially when it comes to sensory play. It would be so easy to step in and say no. But then you don't always want to quash that sense of fun and enquiry. Or endure the wrath when you ask them to stop... Toddlers. Sometimes it's easiest to just breathe and turn a blind eye...





Of course older sisters can be led astray. Exuberance is contagious. As are giggles...





And what begins as an impending sense of doom becomes a feeling of joy as they are led to play and it snowballs into the "best afternoon ever". One that we'll be cleaning up remembering for a very, very long time to come.

How does play look at your house? 
Do you breathe and turn a blind eye? 
Have any run-ins with polystyrene boxes lately?

xo

ten...

Big Owlet turned ten this month... TEN! She woke up with a cold, so some of the plans she made couldn't happen as hoped. But we sure did make the most of it!

There was lego and her favourite breakfast...

A visit to her blossom tree...

A rite of passage... Pierced ears. After a whole lot of research and a visit to the tattoo parlour, she convinced them, in her own words, why the needle was her preferred method. And they agreed and treated her like the awesome human she is.

A ceremony... This time it was Big Owlet's turn. Her felt placenta, gifted to her a year ago. We found a three-way pear and found a spot in our orchard for Big Owlet's very own placenta tree, between her sisters' trees and beside her brother... After all these years, she has her own. Let's face it, it wouldn't be an Owlet birthday without placenta featuring in some way...

Rainbows, cake and wishes came next. And for the first time, Big Owlet played Mum while I got to watch and enjoy. And reflect on ten years of parenting one of the best kids I know... TEN YEARS!!

Now I think I'm ready for a lie down and a cuppa. Or two. How about you? xx

seven...

Right now... 

Little Owlet loves green.
Little Owlet has learnt to read (just a little bit), giggling all the way.
Little Owlet wakes up thinking about maths and science.
Little Owlet has a great sense of humour and silliness.
Little Owlet isn't afraid to laugh at herself.
Little Owlet is afraid of the dark, the toilet and a bunch of movie characters. And big dogs.
Little Owlet isn't afraid of ants anymore.
Little Owlet doesn't like socks.
Little Owlet is easily overwhelmed by sounds and textures.
Little Owlet sometimes needs some quiet space to hide.
Little Owlet love playing with Big Owlet best of all.
Little Owlet likes knitting.
Little Owlet communicates clearly and from the heart.
Little Owlet feels bucket loads of empathy. And lots of big feelings.
Little Owlet likes a good funk bass line.
Little Owlet loves custard and cakes and all things carb.
Little Owlet likes broccoli. Raw.
Little Owlet loves cooking.
Little Owlet doesn't want anyone to ever grow up.
Little Owlet has two wobbly teeth.
Little Owlet loves with a pure, gentle and open heart.
Little Owlet is a daydreamer.
Little Owlet can't wait until her next birthday...