What Are Little Boys Made of, Made of?

What are little boys made of?
Snakes and snails, and puppy dog tails.
That's what little boys are made of.
--author unknown

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the arrival of

Benjamin Hudson

he was born less than an hour of twelve days late
 11:05pm, May 5, 2012
weighing in at 8 chubby pounds plus 10 more ounces
20 short inches

He is named after his wonderful father, and after the missionary Hudson Taylor.
We will be calling him Hudson.

More details later! :)

~clarita for the thrilled little family
{daddy, and three little mommies}

How to Make a 5-Star Bed.

Before I even get started, let me just say that I am very well aware of the fact that my title has nothing to do with the Imminent Issue At Hand.

But please, let me also say that I am wanting to talk about things other than an "L" word that rhymes with 'gate."
And two other words; an "O" word that rhymes 'rover' and a "D" word that rhymes with 'blue'.
And I would like to talk about something other than numbers in the double-digits.

And before anyone offers advice on How to Make a Baby Come,
let me also say that I have tried everything under the sun and nothing even phases me.
The only other thing I will say is that I have 3 more days at the very most.
There IS an end in sight, after all. :)
I'm fully expecting the baby to come out talking, and his first words better be "sorry mom." :)

And on to the subject of this post...

How to Make a 5-Star Bed

You know how you spend a much-looked-forward-to night in a beautiful hotel,
saving the pennies and dollars for a very long time until you can afford that certain one you really want?
And the hotel itself is beautiful.
Not a crummy little joint where you're afraid that a roach will run out from the bathroom,
[and WAS that bathroom even cleaned anyway?]
or that there will be hair from several past renters in the bedsheets?

No, not that kind of hotel at all.
The kind where you walk into a room and you instantly feel pampered.
Just stepping inside and looking around makes you feel like you're in a special sanctuary.
And the bed, oh the bed.
The crisp sheets, the fluffy duvet, the pillows...
Even if there is great entertainment all around, you just want to sleep for at least 8 hours in such a bed.
Or more, given the opportunity.

I want to offer the opinion that you can create such a chamber of your very own.
Why wait for those once-a-year splurges, when you could spend the same amount of money and have something of your own all the time?

My personal take on the matter of a home is to create a sanctuary.
Not perfection, not a performance, not simply to impress someone who walks in.
But to bless your very own family.
To make them feel as though they live in a palace, even if it's a little cottage less than 2000 square feet.
That they are valuable enough and special enough for you to create a place of beauty,
and to do those little extras that give life those Rainbow Sprinkles, as Leslie Ludy says.

So a bed that I'm speaking of is not a $5 yard sale find.
A lot of what I do around my house is in $5 increments, and I like to do it that way.
However, a bed is one thing that is worth the splurge.
And if I, in my O_ _ _D_ _ state still find my bed to be the most comfortable place,
I'd say that gives some weight to what I'm saying. :)

There are a few articles that I would recommend for this 5-Star Bed:
[assuming there is already a bed frame and mattress]
* a feather-bed
* a high quality sheet set
* a down comforter and duvet

So, how to make a 5-Star Bed:

• Begin with high-quality sheets. My personal favorites are those of Egyptian Cotton, 1000-thread count. Yes, that's one-thousand thread count. These can be rather pricey, so overstock.com is a good place to find them, or on sale at department stores.
  
  The difference of sleeping in between sheets of 200-thread count and 1000-thread count is out of this world. You won't have the little balls that appear after several washings, and the higher thread count sheets stay crisp and fresh much longer. If you're one of those that likes super soft sheets, these may not be for you, because although not crispy, they definitely are not a satin finish.
  
  I don't normally have any spare sheets for our beds - what is on them is what we've got, and so I wash and rewash them often. But a good quality sheets set lasts me several years, even with weekly washings.
  
  
• Freshly launder the above said sheets in gentle action, cold water.
  [If necessary, you can add oxy-clean for added cleansing, but if you're gentle on your sheets they will last much longer.]
  And there is nothing like climbing into a perfect bed with lovely smelling sheets.
  Use your favorite scent of laundry detergent or fabric softener when you launder your bedding.
  
  
• Put your pillows in the dryer on high heat for 20 minutes.
  This kills any dust mites (or so I read) and it fluffs them beautifully.
  On a normal day I hand-fluff them before returning them to the bed, but try to dryer-fluff them at least once a month.
  
   
  
   
• Shake your featherbed. If you have no featherbed, then wash the mattress pad and try to be content without a featherbed. :)
  Because once you sleep on one once there is no turning back, at least for most people.
  A featherbed creates a softness that is unlike any other pillowtop mattress or anything else.
  If your mattress is somewhat firm that is a good thing, because then the featherbed will just form a gentle cushion but you'll still have good support from the mattress.
  If you do have a featherbed, then shake shake shake every change of sheets until you're short of breath. These guys are heavy, and I only bough a medium quality [on sale]. This gives you your weekly exercise, or daily exercise, depending on how often you change your sheets. Please don't tell me you go longer than one week. :)
  
   
  
  
• Pamper your bed, and ultimately you and your family, with the freshly laundered sheets.
  Make a "hospital corner" on the flat sheets and blanket down at the bottom. This is the professional way, even though it's never seen.
  Carefully tuck in the sides and edges to make a tight fit.
  
   
  
  [a hospital bed]
  
  
      
        
• Fold down sheet, with blanket if needed, at the top of the bed.
  Or have a blanket fluffed [can you tell I love fluffy bed objects?] and folded at the bottom.
  
   
  
   
• Add an assortment of pillows - big, small, a few select, a bedful, whatever is your preference.
  And arrange however suits your fancy. A very deliberate, or just a tossed-on look both look great.
  But do add pillows. Pillows add a "come crawl in" feel.
  
   
  
   
  
   
• Do not touch the bed until you climb in at night! The feeling of getting into a bed that is freshly made like this is unbeatable!
  [Just as a side note: do you make a 5-Star Bed if you're expecting company for the evening with small children.
  Your 5-Star Bed will be crushed and turned into a flat little roadside inn bed.]
  
• Enjoy the luxury of a 5-Star Bed, right in your very own home!
  
   
  
  
  
  

Until next time.......

~clarita

The Waiting Game

So. Day Six.
Not before due date.
After due date.

I should be used to this by now.
Third pregnancy.
Third time being overdue.
And it's only Day Six.
Not Day 11 or Day 8.

But goodness, what a mind game!

I think the strong contractions and having two days of being in bed three weeks pre-due date
made me hope that perhaps this would be different.
But it's not so.

"You're a crock pot," says Ben.
One that only functions on warm, I add.
There's no "high" or "low" setting, much less the oven's "broil" setting.
Nope, it's just warm.

At least I know the most I will go is a week more.
Two weeks over is the most that I'm allowed.
Whew. :)

Sooo, what does one do to pass the days,
to try not to just live in survival mode,
but to actually enjoy each day?

Ann Voskamp style, there's a list. :)

For one,
take one day at a time.
Don't look at the week I could still have the babe in incubation.

//due date day: coffee with whip. it's worth the splurge//

// also due date day: pancakes with blueberry topping. also with whip.
like i said, worth the splurge. :) //

 Two.
Don't get excited about contractions, unless they would continue over long periods of time.

// due date day: helping Zoe with K-4 books, while making My Faire Lady orders.
enjoying the chilly day, and the rare chance for a fire in the hearth in April //

Three.
Plan fun things. After  the due date. So that you'll actually look forward to being overdue. :)

// A Day at the Ocean! I wish I could do this daily... :) //

i just love my little two-year old. how such a little person can have such a personality just trips me out.
goodness, is she ever fun.

and i love her little grammar misuses, and hope she doesn't discover 'he' and 'she' for a long time.
"Him left him book at our house!!" said with great drama and wide eyes, is quite a typical reaction to something quite small.

and the way she runs with her elbows... it looks so funny, but oh so adorable.
please stay two forever.

and then i remember, this is also the child that picks scabs in bed and smears blood all over clean sheets...
... that grabs a bowl from up on the counter and splatters milk all over the floor...
... that doesn't like to ask for help in the bathroom and then smears poo all over bed sheets...
... that sends us on a roller-coaster of emotions, ranging from exasperation to adoration.

umm. maybe you can grow up a liiiiiitle bit. :)

and sweet zoe... still set on having her "jack" or "rose."

i asked a friend if she'd like to go with us, and was it ever a fun day!
my kids had friends to play with, and I had a dear friend to talk to. ♥

// to document that i indeed did go to the ocean. :)
the day of the due date was cold and windy, so we went the day after.
it was absolute perfection! //

today I spontaneously planned a Picnic at the Park day with a few other moms from church.
i'm ready for some lady friends, some out-of-the-house time,
and conversations that consist of more than, "You're STILL pregnant?!!?" :)

Four.
Thank God for the kindness and encouragement of friends...
So many people have sent me messages and notes and phone calls,
some people have made me baked food,
a friend from out of state sent me money for take-out!!
and seriously, it all feels like a hug straight from God.
Thank you, thank you...

// delicious blueberry muffins, made and dropped off by my sweet piano student,
whose lesson I canceled because of being overdue and uncomfortable //

Five.
Continue with the Nesting.
Not only will you have the cleanest house on the block, but it will also
a] help pass the time
b] help you not think about how desperately uncomfortable you are.

// new slipcovers for the living room. bought with compliments of My Faire Lady.
uglysofa is where I found them, Pottery Barn brand, in fact, for a price I could afford. //

before & now
not so very different, but just a little touch of brightness

the neutral palate is a bit of a challenge. i think it takes more work to pull it together...
still working on that one!

 fun little bike pillow found on clearance at Tar-jay...



aqua shams found in my linen stash from when we used to have a guest room...
folded over and pinned in the back, they now work as couch pillows. :)

 

 Six. 
Remember the wise and beautiful words of a sweet friend:



Sugar Words.
How I need that reminder in these days when it's so easy to be selfish,
when discomfort is a part of every moment.
This isn't about me.
This is about letting Jesus live in and through me, even now.
Especially now.

It's really surprised me how this late-term pregnancy has brought out so much selfishness in me.
The energy the kids have, the lack of energy I have, is a combination that is not easy.
I find myself wanting them to behave just so I don't have to deal with discipline,
rather than taking the time to care for their dear little hearts.
I see how much I care for self right now, rather than focusing outward...
God and I are having lots of talks these days. :)

I so look forward to feeling better though,
to where a walk with the kids or a trip to the park doesn't feel overwhelming.
To where sitting on a sofa reading books to them doesn't make me feel like I'll suffocate from lack of oxygen. :)

There is a reason for the discomfort, I do believe.
The scariness of labor?
Still there, but I'm so ready for the baby that I don't care as much about pain levels anymore. :)

// the wedding invitation of a dear sister. ♥
and another invitation of a brother-in-law, a week after. and a lovely sister-in-law's picture.//

The last few days I've been thinking...
with the anticipation of the baby, the expectancy, the waiting, the fervent preparation...

What if the return of the Lord would be anticipated and prepared for this much?

With this little baby coming there is so much thought and preparation.
The whole house is being purged and cleaned from top to bottom.
Not a single drawer or corner will be left untouched, given enough of time.
There are eyes to see DIRT and DUST that never even bothered me before.
To be honest, that I never even noticed before. :)
Areas to clean that never crossed my mind before.
An old toothbrush is my new best cleaning friend, and boy, do we ever go places together.
That little crack that collects dirt and grime. It must go.

Before I go to bed each night, the house must be in perfect order.
All messes put away,
all dishes stacked in the dishwasher or neatly back on shelves
but certainly not on counters or in sink,
everything neat and tidy.
Just in case tonight would be the night.

What if it would be like this on a soul level for me, for all Christians anticipating the return of our Lord?
Such purging, such cleanliness of life and heart,
no nagging sin left,
a purity, a full concentration of things eternal, everything filtered by perpetual readiness -
the Lord's return may be at any moment, and I want to be ready.
Just in case tonight would be the night.

There are so many allegories to be drawn from this.
It's really been so challenging for my soul,
and to take my focus off of the waiting at present and onto the eternal perspective on waiting.
It's just really hit me how the process of waiting on a child is really a bigger picture
of the longing for the return of our dear Jesus...

So today I pray for the Lord to prepare my heart for HIS return,
even more than for the arrival of this much-anticipated child.
Because if I am ready for Him, then everything else will be okay.
I need Him to purge my heart from it's selfishness and stubbornness,
from the short temper with the girls, from the focus of self and discomfort these days...
and I want to be refreshed and restored by HIM, by Jesus Himself.

So, I'm not exactly feeling top-of-the-world today, :)
but I want to find Jesus in this day,
worship in the waiting.
[tried to play this song on my site, but playlist didn't have it]

It feels silly to even write about going overdue,
because, my word, it's not that big of a deal!!
But the waiting is where I find myself, and I don't want to just try to survive it.
I want to thrive in it.
Even as I write that I think, "Oh God, help me!"
because it seems that in the smallest areas it's easiest to justify selfishness.

And I want to find room for gratefulness too.
One older lady told me that back in the day she went THREE WEEKS late.
Oh goodness, I'm so glad I'm not allowed to go that long! :)

And in whatever wait you find yourself, may you find Jesus too...

♥
~clarita





Mother's Day Specials

{edit: because of link issues on Monday,
I'm extending this sale through Wednesday, April 25}

In honor of Mother's Day,
and my due date,
and springtime,
I'm running some Mary Kay specials!

[yes, I'm still doing this. :)]

All Mary Kay items are 20% off
[not just the ones on this page]

Monday and Tuesday, April 23-24th, only!

There are a few new items that Mary Kay has come out with that are so lovely,
and just in time for Mother's Day!

Mint Blossom Pedicure Set, $24 before discount

With this luxurious set, she can enjoy the relaxation and pampering she deserves
without an expensive trip to the salon! This invigorating set in a mint blossom
scent includes emery board, pumice stone, icy foot gel, foot fizzies and a
coordinating bag -- perfect for giving! Mint blossom scent includes notes of
zesty lime, lemon sorbet and cool mint leaf.

Limited Edition Thinking of You Mother's Day set - $30 before discount

Let Mom know she's one of a kind with this doubly fragrant gift set featuring
the Thinking of You® fragrance. The Moisture Rich Shower Crème, enriched with
shea butter and vitamin E, cleanses and moisturizes skin in one easy step. The
perfume pendant offers a rub-on fragrance that feels like a creme but applies
like a powder.

Peach Satin Hands® Pampering Set, $34 before discount

Exfoliates dull, dry skin. Wraps hands in instant hydration. Leaves hands
feeling smooth, silky and supple. Available in a delightful peach scent and a
fragrance-free scent that's ideal for everyone.

Satin Lips Mask and Balm Set -  $18 before discount

 Mineral Eye Color Bundles - $19.50 before discount
A trio of eye colors specifically for  blue, brown, hazel, or green eyes.

TimeWise Miracle Set

The TimeWise® Miracle Set® provides incredible age-fighting results to help you
maintain younger-looking skin. The set offers 11 age-defying benefits in one
skin care regimen: cleanse, exfoliate, freshen, energize, hydrate, smooth, firm,
soften, protect, rebuild and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. And it even works
with sensitive skin. We tested our TimeWise® Miracle Set® on individuals with
extremely sensitive skin, people with rosacea.** The results showed that people
with skin sensitivities can experience the same great age-fighting benefits. The
Miracle Set® includes:

~TimeWise® 3-In-1 Cleanser
~TimeWise® Age-Fighting Moisturizer
~TimeWise® Day Solution Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 35*
~TimeWise® Night Solution
  









 To order, go to my Mary Kay site - www.marykay.com/claritayoder .
[I will give you the discount even though it's not mentioned on that page.]

All items listed above, plus all Mary Kay items are on sale at 20% off retail price, plus free shipping!
Today and tomorrow only, April 23-24th!

Enjoy this lovely springtime!

~clarita

~ Nesting ~

A strange phenomenon has hit me the past few weeks.

Nesting.

This isn't the chicken-on-the-egg kind of nesting. Oh no.
This is the song-bird-flitting-around-nest-building-a-home.
Think robin, bluebird, chickadee.

One would think that perhaps nesting would be limited to the birds.
But perhaps the instinct is given to far more mothers preparing to give birth?

It's the preparation of a Nest for a wee little one who doesn't care for the world how clean the house is,
or if he has a drawer or a box or a cradle to sleep in.
The little one has no idea if the house was newly-housecleaned, or if it has been years since a good cleaning.

However, the mama knows, and she wants her Nest ready and perfect for the precious little arrival.
You'd think a good weekly cleaning would suffice.

But oh no.
This Nesting  is of a different sort.
Very strange things happen within the mother.
There are outrageous bursts of energy, even as she carries a basketball-size tummy everywhere she goes.
Her eyes take on new lenses, and see things that need to be cleaned that she never even noticed before,
and that MUST BE SCRUBBED & CLEANED & SANITIZED. NOW.

She climbs atop of piano and balances on tall headbands, trying to reach that last little inch of window trim.
She tries to step down safely, and most times does, but sometimes the bench falls out from under her.
But she's okay.
She's nesting.

She uses toothbrushes and bleach and cleans dirty corners that were never there before.
She could write a tutorial on how to make rabbits from dust bunnies found underneath the master bed on the hardwood floor.

She hands rags and cleaning supplies to the other a-bit-bigger-birdies in the home and they crawl under beds and in places where basketball-belly-mother cannot go, and they think nesting is fun too.

It's a very curious phenomenon.

She could write articles about deep cleaning and how to sanitize every inch of your home and not miss a single dirty corner as she's Nesting. But she knows that within a month of the arrival of Wee Birdie she would look back at the article and laugh, because this is most definitely not normal, and quite clearly a perk of pregnancy. And she enjoys the season of nesting and house-sanitizing because it is a season, and feels quite sorry for those folks who live with these cleaning-lenses all the time.

And the clock ticks, and this nesting is a race against time.

But she takes time for naps if she's tired,
and trips to the park with the other little birdies.
And crosses things on her list of to-do's for the Nest.
And prays to live these last days with Grace.
Not tenseness,
not being grouchy about being uncomfortable,
not being irritable if she goes overdue, as she has with the other two birdies.
But with Sweet Grace.

[spring mantel inspired by The Lettered Cottage]

For real, this Nesting thing is amazing even to me.
How I can be at the very end and have the bodily shape I do and feel the uncontrollable urge to purge and clean and organize and sanitize...

I must look quite large at this point,
and feel very conspicuous going out in public, even to Walmart.
This was confirmed the other day when I was in [ha, the cleaning aisle of] Walmart,
and a complete stranger [older male] passed me and said,
"Hey! Didn't anyone tell you not to swallow that watermelon seed? Ha ha ha!"
Wow, Sir. Someone sure missed the tact end of things in your child-training.
I smiled and nodded politely.
He thought it was a great joke.
It only confirmed my feeling that I should not be out in public.

Zoe is wild with excitement about a new little baby.
Giving her the gift of siblings is ever so special to me.
I'm so grateful to God for giving us that gift!
She's constantly saying, "I'm so excited about our baby coming I just can't wait!!!"

[my new screen door off the kitchen, bought with money saved from My Faire Lady. love love ♥]

[Ballard Design Company, I love your style. And your coupon/discount email.]

Ben and I were talking baby names the other night.
I had ideas picked out last September already, but apparently we haven't discussed as much as I thought.
Two weeks before baby is due Ben says,
"I remember the boy name we're talking about, but, what's the girl name?"
Um, Husband! Am I really lacking in communication that badly?

Zoe has her own ideas of baby names.
Very excitedly one day,
"I know what we can name our baby!!
If it's a boy we can call him 'Jack' like 'Jack and Jill went up the hill'!
And if it's a girl we can call her 'Rose' because no one else would think of that name!"

So it's been baby Jack and baby Rose ever since then. I think Jack is really cute actually. :)

[front porch in lovely spring time]

[confederate jasmine in all the sweet blooming glory]

 

And it's really amazing to me, but somehow my physical appearance and baby-belly is so lovely to Zoe.
"We should always tell pregnant mommies that they're sooo beautiful!" she said once,
and she compliments often on how pretty she thinks I am.
I asked Ben if he put her up to that :) and he said no.
I was surprised, and her compliments mean all the more.

Olivia, on the other hand, says things as they really are:
"You have a weally big belly, Mommy!!"
:)

The excitement of meeting our new little one is sky-high.
The other two children it was just Ben and I that were excited.
This time it's Ben and me plus two very excited sisters!
The suspense of not knowing the gender only adds to the excitement.

Zoe is declaring she wants eight children of her own,
and that she wants five brothers and five sisters. :)

I actually get butterflies thinking about meeting this precious little baby,
and finding out what it is!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice?
A trio of little girlie sweetness? Yes, please!

Or Snakes & Snails & Puppy-Dog Tails?
A little man in the house? Yes, please!

Either one would not be a disappointment.
God knows the perfect family arrangement for us.
It's not like any other family in the world ~ it's unique to us.
And we can't wait to find out!

It's FOUR DAYS until my due date.
Tuesday, April 24th.
Which, so beautifully, is the very day that Ben and I started dating, in 2004!
No, we didn't plan this. :)

But my record is to go late, soooo I'm planning a beach day in celebration of my due date. :)
Just to make things enjoyable and not focus on the date itself.
My theory is, with a record of 11 days late and 8 days late respectively,
that if I do enjoyable things before and after my due date,
I don't notice the discomfort of late-term pregnancy as keenly.
And it makes me look forward to the days ahead, rather than dread them.
However, I do hope very much I don't go the full two weeks overdue that my midwives allow...

But Sweet Baby Love, if you do decide to come early, or on time, or late,
know that we are so ready for you, and so excited to meet you.

And there is a sweet little antique cradle waiting for you right beside our bed...

...with dear little organic bedding from Pottery Barn, found on clearance for a song...

...where you can be rocked by eager little sisters...

...and where you'll sleep, when you're not being held and cuddled and kissed upon...

 Dear Lovie, you are already so loved.

~ clarita