Dear Calvin,

I know your mom is a better cook than I am. I also think she’s tidier than I am. In case the second statement is, in fact, true, then let me show you how to make a huge mess—and how to have great fun in the making of the huge mess. You’ll need to open the box that came in the mail, set the playdoh aside, and pull on those cool giraffe boots. Having fun yet? Good. Now, don’t you dare find contentment with wearing those boots indoors, young man. Beg your mama to find you the largest, muddiest puddle in St. Louis and then try to emulate the following shots.

You’ll need to run back and forth in the puddles, splashing the mud way up high in the air.

Sometimes you can stand still and jump, other times you should leap across the water like a frog.

You’ll know you’ve had good clean (ha!) fun when even your knees are filthy. Sometimes the mud comes out of clothes, sometimes it doesn’t, but don’t let that stuff worry you. Your mom will take care of the mess later. It’s your job to have fun with your new giraffe boots. And next time you’re in Lincoln, you and Liv can run puddles together.

Love,
Rebecca

It’s quiet time in the Tredway household. Livia’s upstairs taking it easy in her room. Jeremy’s sequestered in his home office, web developing away. And it’s quiet. Way too quiet for this wife and mama. I need to tidy the first floor, make a few soups for dinner, and do the dishes and yet I find myself unmotivated in all this quiet. So I called next door to check on the baby. No answer. I called my mom. But I think her phone is turned off. I even called Sarah in St. Louis. We never catch each other on the phone, so I wasn’t surprised I had to leave a message.

I am placing all blame for my conversational needs squarely under the title of Extroversion. Yes, sometimes it does feel like a curse.

I’m reading a book right now called Raising Your Spirited Child. The subtitle, worth sharing, explains that the book is “a guide for parents whose child is more intense, sensitive, perceptive, persistent and energetic”. It’s great so far (more on it someday when I actually complete the thing) and I want to share a bit with you from the chapter entitled, “Extrovert or Introvert: Finding the Energy to Cope.” Author Mary Sheedy Kurcinka says that extroverts need time with people:

“Extroverts collect their energy on the outside. Not only do they like people, they need them. Allowing extroverts to talk, share their experiences, and air their feelings gives them energy. Extroverts talk their way through movies, television shows, and the newspaper. They like to discuss the action and ideas as they occur, either in person or by telephone” (Harper 1991, p.90).

Though I’m reading this book in order to understand my own spirited child, this chapter has shed light on my personality as well as Jeremy’s. Every time I read something about how introverts work, I’m a bit shocked and then laugh at how accurately it describes my husband. And then, the explanation of extroverts fits me to a “t”. So, read ahead to see if either of the following paragraphs describe you perfectly. Where do you get your energy… from people or from being alone? Final note: there’s no right answer to personality type. We are all simply built in a particular fashion, there’s no right or wrong way about how you prefer to get re-energized.

[Excerpt taken from Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka]

If You Are an Extrovert, You Probably:

• want to talk with someone at the end of a busy day.
• have an immediate answer for a question.
• want to invite friends over on a Friday night.
• are comfortable repeating something already said by someone else.
• need and like to hear that others love you and like your work.
• start to invited a few friends for dinner and realize you’ve invited the entire neighborhood.
• find yourself telling your introverted child to get out of her room and call a few friends.
• solve a problem by talking through the solution with someone else.
• feel comfortable initiating a conversation.
• call for the babysitter.
• are comfortable revealing personal things about yourself.
• frequently leave a party chastising yourself for talking too much and not listening.
• enjoy and need to interact with other people and feel exhausted when you have spent too much time alone or only with young children.
• immediately share a new idea or experience with someone and find joy and energy in the telling.

If You Are an Introvert, You Probably:

• sit down with the newspaper or zone out in front of the television after a hard day.
• will do anything, even clean the toilets, if someone else will agree to call the sitter.
• can’t imagine wanting to invite a group over on Friday night.
• find being in a large group for an extended period of time exhausting.
• share personal information only with those who are very close to you. It may not be unusual for a long-term friend to exclaim, “I never knew that about you!”
• think before answering a question, often berating yourself for not sharing an answer you knew.
• frequently have extroverts ask you the same question twice because they interpret your pause to think as ignorance of the question.
• prefer dinner with the family or one special friend, rather than with the whole neighborhood.
• find yourself hiding in the bathroom or back bedroom at large family gatherings.
• solve a problem by thinking it through yourself before ever talking about it with anyone else.
• get tired of telling extroverts what a wonderful job they’re doing and how much you love and appreciate them.

I’m anxiously awaiting the outcome of some dough in my bread machine. I’ve made several loaves successfully with the machine, most of which came from premade mixes. However, I’m trying to be brave and I really want to make homemade bread and rolls. This afternoon I’m attempting to make some dough in my machine, then bake as rolls in the oven. Will I succeed or will I (and the bread) fall flat? Stay tuned…

UPDATE:

They came out beautifully [big sigh of relief], and they’re edible, too! Whew. After a particularly frustrating evening of parenting, I feel relieved something went my way tonight. Now I’m encouraged to try my hand at other recipes.

Welcome to the world, Baby Kate! My good friend Natasha delivered Kate last Thursday; we were thrilled and delighted to hold this 9lb, 1oz little girl on Friday. This child is absolutely adorable.

Zion Church has been blessed with babies like you wouldn’t believe. I’ve done the math and since last August, 14 babies have been born. In February alone four kiddos were delivered. In related baby news, our buddy Simon is home now and he’s doing wonderfully. He’s such a little peanut right now—teeny and perfect.

**I’m suffering from a serious case of Blogger’s Malaise. Hope this condition goes away soon!

Liv and I were walking. These cute dogs were sitting, oh-so patiently waiting for their master to get something delicious from DaVinci’s restaurant.Two little dogs in a big manly man truck.

On the way to Target we noticed the moon, bright and beautiful, high in the sky. On the way home from Target, I told Liv the clouds were partially blocking the moon. Geez, get with the program, Bec… Thank you, CNN, for setting me straight.

• Wishing: I had more motivation to write the blog posts that continue to roll around my brain.
• Typing: Over and over, due to my competitive nature. [HT to Lori.]
• Munching: On the remainder of Livia’s M&Ms from V-Day. Hey, she got tons of candy and clearly someone needs to help her eat it all.
• Reading: A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. More on this in my end-of-the-month review.
• Watching: No Reservations and part of Maxed Out, a documentary on Americans and debt.
• Cooking: Finally, a decent meal for my fam tonight.
• Thinking: Lots of children’s clothes are made for children shorter and more rotund than Livia–most of her shirts expose her round belly these days. Quick, someone give me a Sharpie!
• Planning: To recycle more and search for products for Liv without phthalates.
• Singing: Happy Birthday to my pop who turned, ahem, 60 yesterday! [big grin]
• Loving: Livia’s cuddly nature and Jeremy’s willingness to relieve me of parenting for a portion of every evening.
• Deciding: To be done inging for one night.

I woke up this morning and look what I found… A beautiful new Prairie Box! What a valentine!

I love everything about this new design. In case you were wondering, it all came from Jeremy, not an ounce was designed by me. I love the font and colors, the scrollwork, the gray wallpaper design that grades out (that’s my non-technical description of it) as you scroll down. I love the prairie grass at the bottom of the page, and I love the small touches that only a designer would implement. Thank you, Valentine. I love you most.

I’ve been told that most kids will stop sucking their fingers around age 4 or 5 due to peer pressure. My child is not “most kids” though so I’m not holding my breath. The very first song she created goes something like this: Finger Mouth. Finger Mo-ou-outh. Oooohhh! Finger Mouth! God bless those two wrinkly fingers on her right hand. They’ve calmed her more nights than one would imagine.