Night Weaning (again) and the Eco-Kids Tuesday Link-Up

I have written before about night weaning Bunny. Then I wrote about un night weaning Bunny. I feel it was the best decision I could make. My poor little girl needed me and I don't at all regret going back to nursing her at night.



Her 2 year old molars FINALLY came through and she is no longer in agonizing pain. We made it through the holidays and are now beginning the night weaning process again. I am taking it slow to start with and just encouraging the idea. My hopes are that we will be ready to take it on full force by January 8th. That is when The Farmer's Almanac weaning days begin. I figured it couldn't hurt to have some lunar phases (at least I am pretty sure that is how they decide the days) on my side. Also, I am giving her the homeopathic, Calms Forte, to help her relax and sleep. So far so good. Bunny at least understands the goal. She and Nana even played it out with little plastic cows (a mama and a baby that were sleeping) and had big talk about it and she knows exactly what the plan is.  And our first night was success!   



In the mean time, we had to put Bunny in trainers at night. She was doing well staying dry at night, but once she started nursing at night again, there were just too many accidents to let her keep soaking everything. We would have put her back in cloth diapers, but they are now a bit too small for her since her new baby milk growth spurt. Not wanting to invest a large amount of money in something she would only need for a short time, we began the search for a brand of disposables I could live with. We tried a couple different ones, and ended up liking Seventh Generation Training Pants the best. There a few reasons for our choice.

1. They fit Bunny really well. She is a stalky two year old and these have nice stretchy sides that pull on easily.
2. The hold an entire night of pee. I don't want to wake Bunny up to change her if she is sleeping deeply. These have never leaked on us and she has a very large bladder.
3. I am a sucker for the whole Go Green side of it. These trainers are the "greenest" disposables that I could find.
4. Free and clear. This is kind of the same as saying green, but I also wanted to explain that Bunny is a pretty sensitive kiddo. She doesn't handle junk food or harsh chemicals well. We try to use as many natural products on her as possible. The less nasties, the better for us.
5. They don't smell like a normal disposable diaper. After years of doing daycare and changing thousands of diapers, I have noticed that they have a definite smell. Kind of a funky, bleached, chemically nastiness. These don't smell that way. Even when filled with pee. And that is a breath of fresh air.

We ordered a box of 4 pack of 17 and I am hoping they are the last ones we get. After night weaning, Bunny should hopefully go back staying mostly dry through the night... Hopefully... :)

I am hoping to incorporate some poem or verse into our bedtime routine. Something that basically says it is now night time and we can't nurse until morning. I would like any ideas if you have them.
So far, I have found this:

Now the sun has gone to bed.

The stars are shining overhead.

In their nest the birds all sleep.

Into the houses the snails will creep.

Children now, no more will roam.

It's rest time now, and we're safe in our home.

Now onto the Eco-Kids Tuesday Link-Up!  Welcome!!  We are happy to be back after taking last week off to celebrate Christmas!  We hope you and your family had a joyful celebration!   We had so many great posts shared with us at the last Eco-Kids Tuesday! I enjoyed each and every one of them.  It is getting harder and harder each week to pick just a few features!  Here are three of my favorites.

Raising Godly Daughters made some homemade Elderberry Syrup! 

Mama and I have been planning to make some, so this recipe was timely!

Explore and Express has one of sweesest, meaningful, and most simple Nativity/Advent activities I have ever seen.

Bridgit's Bell shared the sweetest Winter Gnomes!

Thanks to ALL of you for sharing such wonderful ideas!  If you were featured please feel free to grab a button for your blog.  And please keep linking up great all your Eco-Kid ideas!

Now on to the party!!!  I hope that you'll share some great family-friendly posts that are also friendly for the environment. Some ideas include:

•  Nature Activities
• Outdoor Activities
• Crafts made with re-purposed or recycled materials
• Sewing and DIY home projects
• Science Experiments
• Posts on environmental issues for kids or families
• Non-toxic living
• Homeopathic Remedies

Eco-Kids Tuesdays is co-hosted by Organic Aspirations and Like Mama~Like Daughter this means that anything you link-up shows up on both blogs!

Feel free to link up several of your posts.

There are only a few rules:

Please follow both co-hostess' blogs, and visit some of the other posts and give them some encouragement!  Please stick to posts and photos not giveaways or items for sale.

By linking up, you are agreeing that Organic Aspirations or Like Mama~Like Daughter can feature your photos next week with a link back to your site.  

Please link back to my site using this button (once I get it fixed !!) OR simply text linking within your post!

Sledding

 

What a wonderful wintery day for a sled ride

We went to visit our chickens.

Parked while Papa fed and watered our fine feathered friends.

We have two new chickens, by the way. Our dear friends and neighbors, Emmy and her mommy Lindsey, moved with their soldier man to Fort Polk, LA and left their two chickens in our care. They are the only white ones in our flock and easy to spot. I took this pic because it was the first time I had seen one of them by itself as they usually stick together. They seem to be fitting in quite well.

Yummy snow!

Little Sister Squirrely chilled out in the ergo with Mama. 

Run, Papa! Run!

Squirrely's turn.

And that turned into them riding together <3

Wheeeee!

Snow much fun!

The drag home.

I love my life! 

Time to head in for hot cocoa!

Shared with:

It's Playtime

Friday's Nature Table

The Sunday Parenting Party

Country Kids

Winter Carnival Highlights ~ December 30th



It is such a blessing to be a co-host of The All Year Round Blog Carnival: Winter!  I oooh and ahhh over the many, many ideas shared there all winter long!  Be sure you take time to check out the additions often! On Sundays I like to highlight a few of my favorites!

Life with Moore Babies shared this fun and magical idea: Ice Jewels!

Ginx Craft shared her simple but beautiful Christmas ornaments!

And last, Sunnydaytodaymama has an amazing Winter Nature Basket!

I keep this linky party up all winter! It can be found at the top of my blog!

All Year Round Blog Carnival: Winter

Blocks Rock!

We love wooden blocks!

wooden lego

castle blocks

old fashion ABC blocks

more castle blocks

our own tree blocks

Shared at:

Montessori Monday

It's Playtime

For the Kids Friday

{this moment}

{this moment}  - A Friday ritual inspired by SouleMama.  A photo capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

What To Do About Santa?

The big Christmas question. I have been asked many times. Over time I have developed a sort of an answer, but I don't typically tell the whole story behind it.          

We "play" Santa. We read the books, and watch the movies, and do "elfy" things. But it is all pretend (or "tend" as Bunny says). Just the same way we play fairies and ponies and whatever else we can come up with for fun. Presents come from loved ones. Papa and I like to play Santa and put gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve night. It is all very fun to play and sneak around with the secrets and the excitement of it all.

We have many reasons for doing things this way. The first and most popular would be because I don't want my children to believe something that is not true. As their parents, it is our job to direct them toward truths and help to weed out confusion and dishonesties. We choose to model honesty to our children. That means no telling lies. Not even white ones. I know that I cannot stand to be lied to. Why then, would I lie to my children whom I love?

Also, I want my children to understand that they are very blessed and not every one has all the lovely things they have. Some children don't have anything, and yet Santa delivers gifts to everyone? Then why are there people in our world who are starving to death? I want my children to desire  to help others rather than expecting them to be automatically taken care of by a man in a red suit.

St. Nick was a great man, who helped poor children to have something special to celebrate the birth of our savior. I cannot help but think that this modern "Santa" is not how he would have chosen to be remembered. He was not a genie in a bottle. He was an example of how to be a servant. It was not magic. It was hard work. And it should be remembered for that.

I hear some people say that they want Christmas to be magical, so that is why they do Santa. But these people did not see the excitement in our house Christmas Eve. The whispered secrets. The packages peeking out from the top shelf of our closet. Bunny running to sneak a peek at the pretty wrapping and wonder what pleasures could await her in the morning. The time with family at Nana's house. The way she had a hard time falling asleep. How she would pop up in bed every few minutes, and ask if it was time to wake up yet. Once she was snug, all tucked into bed, she slept with visions of sugar plums, I am sure.



Ready for Christmas morning.

Bunny & Squirrely

Bunny woke up Christmas morning and shrieked with excitement. She was a little bit sleepy, but fought it back. Grinning from ear to ear, she dug into her stocking.



Then we made our way to the living room. With her new stuffed horse tucked under her arm, she immediately ran to the doll house that was set up with dolls and furniture for her and her sister to share. "It is not a bird house!" she proclaimed (she had seen Papa working on it and thought that was what is was).



After a few minutes of checking out the dollhouse house, she made her way to the presents under the tree.
Two for her and two for Squirrely.

Yum! Wrapping paper!



Bunny opened all four (since little sister doesn't know how), and drooled over each one.

She thanked us both and went about playing.





We later made our way over to Mama's for more presents and brunch. Then home for a rest and playing with toys, and back out again for dinner at Grandma's house. Bunny's new toy horse went every where with us.

The girls were especially snuggly and lovey with me all day, and slept like rocks that night.

Now that is what I call Christmas magic.

Shared at:

Mama Moments
Sunday Parenting Party