life's journey

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Singing morning

This morning was a singing morning - both Michelle and Eshel were singing... it was so nice to hear them!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The paradox of natural mothering

I started reading The Paradox of Natural Mothering by Christina Bobel and it is a great book to be read by all "natural" mothers (and others as well). I feel that this book helps me to reflect on my identity and helps me understand a little more why I make the choices that I do - a great study (when I read books like these I always feel a little sad that I am not in academia and can't have my own research - on the other hand why not? Do I really need to be somewhere to do research?) and a great read.

"Natural" mothers, as defined by the author, are mothers who birthed at home, practice co-sleeping, nurse for long periods of time (years), usually homeschooled ... they are concerned about food choices and environmental impact of the family. As a young mother Christina Bobel decided to homebirth and through that she met the "natural" mothers. In the book Bobel describes the lives of these mothers, how they are different from the "mainstream" and what unites them despite their differences. One of the main arguments of the book is that women who choose "natural" parenting enjoy circumstances that allow them to make those choices. It is not only the choices that these women are making (even though the choices are very "strange" considering the women's background, education, life philosophies) but also life circumstances play a big role (usually "natural mothers" are middle class, Caucasian women). The socio-economic status is very important because then, mothering "naturally" becomes a choice and not a necessity and from the first glance it seems that it's a choice that takes these women backwards (in time, education, status), but, the author argues, it's the future motherhood - the motherhood that changes the world toward more good, and that is the goal for all of the women in this study.

Volunteering in the zoo

This week we helped the zookeepers cut two huge buckets of salad for monkeys. The kids were enjoying the fruits and we were told that we are good helpers.I left my camera at my parent's house so there are no pictures, but we are hoping to continue with the tradition. We hope to be able to come at least once a week to the zoo to help cut salads and (maybe when we are better friends) clean up the cages.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

pig

Yesterday was Lee and Guy's birthday. Eynav made lots of crafts for kids to make. Made butterfly wings with Michelle and she wore them with the other girls - they were flying around the park. At home Michelle tells me:
-Mom, you know, there was a girl there (meaning Nina) flying around but she wasn't a butterfly... no, not even a fairy ... she was a PIG! A flying pig!

I thought that, maybe, Michelle didn't understand Hebrew and so Ia sked her, what Nina said in Hebrew
- Hazir bar!
She laughed
-Mom, have you ever seen a pig with wings?

Don't worry doll

Made this "worry doll" for Raz's b-day next week... hope she'll like it as much as Michelle does (Michelle tried to take it but we agreed I'll make her one of her own... hope it will happen soon)

Friday, May 14, 2010

Pets

We have new pets (to be honest we had them for a week already - but it's the first time I have time to write about it).
Silk caterpillars. At first they seem disgusting ... but with time you get used to them. I can actually even touch one now!
Every other day we go and find leaves for them and clean their box. Almost all our caterpillars made cocoons by now… soon we will see the moths.