Important Children's Books

I've seen many lists lately of good books for children.  Most of them have some of the books my siblings and I grew up loving, and that were very important for the foundations of a love of literature, but most miss some of what I consider the essentials.  So, I'm starting my own list.  Thus far it is VERY roughly categorized by "age" or rather readiness.  I am not including a lot of books that I think are decent, or even quite good, but rather the ones that I think are the most important, in terms of a good literary foundation, and perhaps a few that are nostalgically important to me.  I plan to continue to add to this, and when I have time, even put in links to the books.  

For Little Ones:

Little Golden Books

• The Friendly Book
• Scuffy the Tugboat
• Busy Timmy
• The Tawny Scrawny Lion
• The Saggy Baggy Elephant
• Pretty much anything illustrated by Eloise Wilkin

The Maggie B

The Little Moon Theater

Make Way for Ducklings

One Morning in Maine

Blueberries for Sal

The Frances books

Molly Brett books

Good Night Moon

The Runaway Bunny

Mother Goose

A Children's Garden of Versus by Robert Louis Stevenson

Frog and Toad series

The Seamstress of Salsburg

Winnie the Pooh and other A.A. Milne

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Ready for a little bit more:

The Brambly Hedge series

Thornton W. Burgess

• Old Mother West Wind and many many others

The Chronicles of Narnia

Mary Poppins series

The Little House of the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder (except for The First Four Years)

The Wind in the Willows

Bambi

Pippi Longstocking

Peter Pan

Getting bigger:

George McDonald

Frances Hodgeson Burnett

• The Secret Garden
• 
  

Anne of Green Gables series

Louisa May Alcott

• Little Women and others

The King of Ireland's Son

The Sword in the Stone

The REAL Grimms Fairy Tales

Heidi (and sequels)

Caddie Woodlawn

Corrie Ten Boom

The Black Stallion

Black Beauty

The Incredible Journey

National Velvet

Linnets and Valerians

Tolkien- The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The Jungle Book (Kipling)

Things I want to do

• Learn to play the guitar (at least some simple chords for folksongs)
• Improve my handwriting
• Read more poetry

Right Now

Taking a cue from my favorite new mom of twins(!) blogger, Sarah, I am capturing a glimpse of my favorite people, right now.

HE:

• Is such a delightful person.
• Still loves "playing trains" as much as ever, and can build some impressive tracks, all on his own.
• Is enamored of his new baby brother.  In fact, little Sparrow lights up when he sees his big brother come into the room.
• Has very strict rules for how things are supposed to go.
• Has a fondness for puzzles and is remarkably good at putting them together.
• Is particularly interested in arithmetic.  He has invented a game that he plays in the car where he asks us "what does two and three make?"  If he says "what does just three and just five make?" it means he's seen a road sign displaying a 35 mile an hour speed limit, and he's trying to figure out what number 35 is.
• Is generally very kind to his little sister, but does find her perturbing at times.
• Is extremely helpful to his mama and sister, and loves his daddy more than anything in the world.

SHE:

• Has such a zest for life. Everything is either delightful or terrible!
• Loves her baby brother, but has a tendency to want to squeeze/poke/prod him a little too hard.
• Has adorable little speech patterns: "Do you don't mind if I borrow this?" is one of my favorites.
• Talks A LOT.
• Thinks band-aids are a fashion accessory.
• Remembers everything.  You've got to watch what you say around this girl.
• Gets quite a few kicks out of bugging her big brother.  Ok, let's be honest, she gets her kicks out of bugging all of us.  But we love her.
• Has an eye like a hawk.  She's always the first to spot a hummingbird at the feeder or some other little thing (often animal related) that the rest of us would miss.
• Has finally taken to naming her dolls: Boingy, Cheetie and Big Baby.  

HE:

• Is beyond adorable.  I know everyone says it, but it is amazing how much you can fall in love with each new little person God sends your way.
• Is huge.  At least, he seems huge to me.  He looks like a little football player, shoulders up to his ears, no neck, chubby arms that can't quite hang down at his sides.
• Has the greatest grin.  I especially love the ones he seems to save just for me, after we have a nice quiet nurse together and he's sitting there looking at me.
• Is a bit of a mama's boy. And I'm ok with that.  I love how happy he is when he sees me or knows I'm near.
• Feels like he has always been a part of this family.

PHFR - What it REALLY Looks Like

I've been really pleased that despite being in the adjustment period of adding a newborn to two toddlers age 3 and under, the house has been relatively tidy at the end of every day.  HOWEVER, I felt it behooved me to document a little more of the reality of the situation - partly just to make Aaron laugh when he gets home.  This is a quick post to show what our house REALLY looks like, at least before the baby naps every day.  And he doesn't usually take a solid nap until after 11:00 so this is most of our day.  

{Pretty} and {Happy} and maybe even a little {Funny}

This sweet babe.  I put Chickadee's hat on him while he was in the baby carrier so I could run out and take the diapers off the line.  It used to be my hat when I was a little girl.  I think he's manly enough to pull it off.

{REAL} and {Funny}

The children's bathroom.  I need to find a child lock for the medicine cabinet.  I already don't keep anything too toxic in there, but this morning while ostensibly going to put on pants Chickadee climbed in the sink and got into the cabinet.

The office.  Not bad, not bad.  Just some trains, books, a baseball hat and a jelly fish stuffed animal on my work desk.

The living room.  Also not bad - I got all the laundry (that was currently done) folded and put away yesterday, so just toys are out.

Oh yes, and the top of my desk.

Dining room and kitchen.  I HAVE to get the kitchen tidy to think straight.  It's almost always the first thing I clean up.  Because whatever else happens, these people need to eat.  And I do too.  Sparrow has gained 2 1/2 lbs since birth.  That's in less than 4 weeks.  I have never been this hungry, and so far, I'm still LOSING weight.  This mama has to eat!

And last but not least, the garage-turned-play-room.  Note the children NOT fully naked.  This is also a victory.  Why is it so hard to get toddlers to keep their clothes on?  This is something I generally give up on at some point during the day.  Daddy usually gets home to children in various states of undress.

What's funny and real in your world these days?  

Fidelity

I just finished a book and I cannot help myself, I have to proclaim from the rooftops how wonderful it was.  

Copyrighted material

Wendell Berry is one of those unequaled American writers, I want everyone to read at least one of these stories.  Fidelity, however, was the one which made me want to run out and tell all my friends to read.  Berry does not just write about nature, agriculture and our connection with the land, he writes about our connectedness with one another. Who else can communicate love between people, real, serious, meaningful love, that transcends romance, in such a truthful and real way?

Ok, I'm done gushing.  I'm just going to say again, please go pick up this book.

New Baby Daybook!

Outside my window... The birds are coming to the three bird feeders we have set up, I enjoy watching them so much.  There are baby clothes drying in the sun on the makeshift line my husband rigged up for me.

I am wearing... First trimester maternity jeans, gentle on my no-longer-pregnant tummy, a brown and red peasant top and a grey sweatshirt.

I am thankful for... The amazing birth of this dear new baby, the moments of intensity and the memories of the support I had from my precious husband and dear midwives, right here in my own home and bedroom.

I am thinking about... Resting and going slow.

Learning all the time... I am learning to be a mother to three little ones and not physically over-do things at the same time (also known as obeying my husband, these days).

From the kitchen... Right now, this means: from our wonderful church family.  We have received meal after meal from our friends at church, who set up a meal train for us.  This has meant so much, especially after this birth, when Aaron has been taking care of us in every way, but has been relieved from having to cook, which isn't an area where he's particularly at home.  And the meals have been DELICIOUS. I can't say enough how grateful we are.

I am creating... Lots and lots of milk :-).  I also have a crocheted blanket almost done for Chickadee, but I haven't been able to pick it up since Sparrow was born.  Yes - I picked a name for him!  It was almost Robin, since he is so sweet and cozy and friendly, but Sparrow won out for me.

I am working on... Resting, reading, being peaceful.  I have only three more days with Aaron home full time, and need to treasure every moment of it.  I am also working on having faith that my three children and I will figure out how to manage each day, meals, nursing and everything else, when he does go back to work.   

I am going... Nowhere.  We plan to stay at home as much as possible throughout my forty days.  We only have two more days of preschool, and other than that, nothing planned until Sparrows baptism.

8 Day Naming Blessing - our wonderful priest came to our home to do this.

I am hoping... I feel like everything I've hoped for is here.  What else is there to hope for right now, with a new baby in my arms and such a sweet family taking care of me?

I am reading... I just finished Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica.  Whew boy, I can't say enough good things about this book.  I will be picking it up again and again, if only I can stop lending it to people. :-)  I am also reading Fidelity: Five Stories by Wendell Berry.  He is a beautiful writer.  I loved the first story.  And, on my list of books to acquire: Everyday Saints and Other Stories.

I am praying for... Sweet little Sparrow.  My husband.  My extended family.  Matushka Anna.

I am hearing... Chickadee and Grandpa, playing with measuring spoons in the living room. 

One of my favorite things... Newborn babies!  And an amazing husband who does everything possible to take care of the rest of life's responsibilities for a few weeks.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Cuddling Sparrow, learning to keep the toddlers busy while nursing a baby. Last day of preschool for Bluejay.  My baby shower on Saturday (this is the first "after" baby shower I've had!  Kind of excited to bring the wee one with me).

A few more picture thoughts I am sharing with you... 

I wanted to add a few pictures of Aaron with his new son, he is always behind the camera, but I know we got a few good ones.  They must not be downloaded yet... next time.   

Join the fun at the Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook

The Third Trimester Begins

I've been wanting to put up a new post for the past few weeks, ideas float around and then disperse into pieces of ideas, vague memories of having had an idea, or an occasional word, hanging there alone without it's string of context.  I realized that I have reached that stage in my pregnancy where I am much less mentally present, and yet much more physically and emotionally at one with my surroundings, with what Bluejay calls "the beautiful world".  This is a lovely and disconcerting place to be.  Driving has become an exercise in focus.  I find myself noticing the hillside on my left, or light on the grass, or sheep in a vineyard, and when I glance back at the road, I have no idea for how long I was being a sheep in a vineyard or a ray of light on the hillside as opposed to a 30 something (ahem) mom driving a minivan to preschool pick-up.

People talk to me and I hear them, I really do, but when they are done, I cannot often tell you what they said.  The children are very understanding and forgiving of this.  I think I am more in tune with their way of being part of the world.  Even when I forget, the moment after he tells me, that Bluejay is stuck and needs my help, he just tolerantly, if somewhat more urgently, reminds me.

I have found that this altered state of consciousness makes it, not easier, but perhaps more compelling, to concentrate on spiritual growth.  I do not mean that suddenly I am "growing spiritually", oh wonderful, look at me (although pride is one of my great failings), but that I am finding myself aware of the possibilities for growth, and actually able to notice the rewards of grace that accompany such effort.  It took some serious searching through my mind's archive to remember where this came from, but I believe it was something I read on Matushka Anna's blog that lead me to think, not so much about learning to address my personal neuroses, or psychoses, or whatever, but rather to ask God, not to remove, but to give me the grace to bear certain burdens.  Anyway, this stuck in my mind, became a part of my current world, while it's source, it's context even, floated away.  And, when I came across a situation and this small piece of the wisdom of a spiritual father was available to me, in one attempt, one painful, difficult attempt, this was rewarded, with grace.  

I am sure this post is also reflective of my state, I can't remember when to use it's versus its, I don't recognize the letter order of the word consciousness, and I don't have any motivation to look them up, even though normally I gleefully like to relearn grammar rules.  We made an unplanned trip to The City today and boy was it beautiful.  Some of these pictures are from little adventure.