Wired For Noise

It’s almost December. I can’t believe it.

A is almost 18 months old. How did he get so big? Where did the time go? Who is playing this joke on me? Wasn’t he a chubby little babe just the other day? Now he’s a chubby toddler with an attitude, dirty hands, and hugs. Lots and lots of hugs.

I dug around in the garage and pulled out some decorations. bells for the front door, the sleigh with snowmen on it, and the boys favorite - a teddy bear that reads The Night before Christmas. I have some greenery that I usually hang over the fireplace, but I think this may be the year to skip it. A is at that age where nothing is off limits and trying to make it so only makes it all the more appealing. Today he managed to rip several pages out of a book of mine that I still can’t believe he reached. Yesterday he pulled apart a toy of E’s that was at the very top of the bookcase. If I leave the room for a moment he becomes Spiderman or grows wings. I may have to install hidden cameras to find out.

We’re just not very Christmas-y this year. No greenery hanging above the fireplace, and no tree twinkling in the window. I’m a bit sad about that. I love putting up and decorating our tree. Lots of purple and blue and silver decorations, beautiful swirls and spirals, soft white lights. But in a house this small, with a toddler, and cats that probably need Ritalin putting up a tree is just asking for trouble. I was thinking of cleaning off the mantle and putting up a few things, maybe a small tree. But that would require, well, cleaning off the mantle. And I’m sure the cats and kids would manage to destroy things still. That is their job after all.

I received my Pinetree Seeds catalog today and reading it is like torture! Strawberries, tomatoes, fresh herbs. Ahhh! Will spring ever get here???

I’m trying a new spot this year for my garden in hopes that it will do better. Now if I can stop Dearest from mowing it down this year I’ll already be ahead. I was out there last week trying to get the area turned over and ready ahead of time, but I’ve hit a snag. A snag in that I messed my back up and can barely move now without shooting pains. I’m living on aspirin and caffeine here.

Ohhh, sale books! I love Pinetree because they sell more than just gardening stuff. They also have a huge book selection, and stuff for soap making and paper making. Lot’s of Thoreau and nature and being one with the land. There’s even a cool book on how to get colors from plants (BERRY SMUDGES AND LEAF PRINTS) marked down to $5. I’m trying to convince Dearest we need it. Hey, it’s educational!

Another exciting edition is here! I’m pretty excited that over Thanksgiving week people actually submitted posts. I thought for certain it would be an empty void with the holidays. I hope you’re sharing my enthusiasm and will check out all these great posts.

Do you actually get to stay home as a stay at home mom? Didn’t think so! Neena (NeenMachine) presents Stay at Home Moms (SAHM’s) are a Myth! posted at A Mom’s Life at NeenMachine.com.

Of course when you are at home you need to relax and refresh. Keeping your house a place of calm is a must. Carole Fogarty presents Eleven simple ways to add serenity, calm, peace and balance to a busy family home: posted at THE HEALTHY LIVING LOUNGE, saying, “The energy in your home is forever changing. It effects how you think, feel, respond and act. It speaks to you via your feelings. It influences your moods and emotions. Adding regular doses of serenity and calm will have a positive effect on you and your family.”

Though, if you want your home to be a place of calm you might have to lower your expectations a little. Renae presents I Quit Reading Better Homes and Gardens posted at Life Nurturing Education.

But who needs matching place settings and decorative floral arrangments when there is so much fun to be had! WhatWorksForUs presents Bliss Like This posted at What Works For Us.

Though some of us miss that little extra income that working can bring. SummerM presents Make Money Instead of Spending It During the Holiday Season posted at Our Family Village.

Even with all the fun raising kids can be scary. Especially when you make the jump from one to two kids and you’re suddenly being pulled in two different directions. Jaimie presents Personality vs Upbringing - So Far, Personality Wins posted at Hug Twice.

And where there are behavior problems, well it can get a little more strained at times. pickel presents Discussing Autism » Coping with Behaviors posted at Discussing Autism.

But it’s still tons of fun. Jenny-up the hill presents Quick and Easy Stocking Stuffer posted at Up the Hill Gang.

I hope you enjoyed this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of SAHMs using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page and a schedule of hosts as well as information about the carnival can be found here.

Last year my mother bought E two decks of flashcards. One was for letters and the other for numbers. He never seemed too interested in them, and I’m not a flashcard kind of mom so I let them go. Often they were played with as fans or plates during pretend tea parties. Sometimes E would ask about the letters, words, or pictures on the cards but there was still no real interest in anything more.

Yet suddenly, for the last two days these cards have been E’s favorite tool. He rads the letters over and over again, his mind working out how the letters somehow mean the same as the pictures. Lion, crayons, and starfish have been slowly spelled out over and over again as the right switches begin to trip. It’s exciting to say the least!

Here he is in action. Warning, sibling violence at the end. Someone didn’t like his brother hogging the cards.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzGZ1WO39wo&rel=1]

There are so many amazing blogs out there, thousands of them, millions maybe that are worth checking out. And yet with so many it’s hard to get a chance to read them all. Christine wrote about a blog that I checked out and fell in love with. Then Jo shared some blogs that she loves and I teared up a little.I have over a hundred blogs in my feed reader. I know, it’s insane. I would probably have three times as many if I thought I could get through them all. As it is now it takes me about a week to cycle through once, but it’s worth it. Some blogs I read and never comment, some I comment when I can. Some make me laugh, cry, or inspire me to try something new. They are all my favorites.

In the spirit of sharing I decided to open up my feed reader and choose 5 blogs at random from it to share. Go check them out, you might find a new favorite of your own.

• Breast and Belly - This is the blog for all you birth junkies out there. She’s fun, funky, and knows her stuff.
• Veggie Way - This is one that makes me feel like unplugging the computer and giving up, because I could never be as cool as her. A vegan, peaceful living, crunchy mom that’s just way too smart.
• Imperfect Mommy - Sure she says she’s imperfect, but I think she’s pretty darn close. If you want to learn about eating healthier this is the blog you head to. Trust me.
• blue milk - If you looked up feminist motherhood this is the blog you would find. Or should be at least. I always feel a lot smarter after reading her.
• Tattoos & Drool - Every time I click over to read her I start itching for new ink. She’s an awesome mom, funny, and has purple hair.

Hmmm, maybe I need a new dye job with the new ink. There’s what you can get me for Christmas!