Back to Work

M went back to work today.  He never actually left work.  His whole life is work.  Work for the state, work at home, work for the kids, work for me, work for his dad, work building the chicken coop, work, work, work.

I've been lookin' around the house thinking how much I would like to get back to work.  Back to my normal routine.  Back into the swing of things.  I'm driven crazy by the chaos of the five kids, especially F.  She is getting into everything!

M thinks F is the worst two year old we've had.  I think it's just the new house.  Our old split-level house was divided nicely in half.  Everything off limits (chemicals, computers, power tools, Daddy's work things) were stored downstairs, behind the baby gate barrier.  Here there are no gates and no safety latches (well, we now have one gate, but the ashy fireplace and sewing center are on the wrong side).  There we had a fenced yard.  Here we have 15 acres of wilderness.  There we had no senior citizen.  Here we have Grandad.  It's impossible to baby/toddler proof a house and have it be senior citizen friendly at the same time.

Besides disappearing down the driveway and scattering ash on the good carpet, F has been found playing with sharp kitchen knives left on the counter, coloring on and ripping up books, modifying M's spreadsheets on the computer (right before an important meeting), playing with my sewing supplies, kitchen supplies, homeschooling supplies, DVDs, CDs, etc, etc, etc.  Every time we turn around, she is exploring some new item.  In fact, just now, she came up to me with her finger firmly lodged in a marker lid and looking like this:

How the heck am I going to get anything done with her and the new baby?

Like this!  This is my new new sling.  I made it from five yards of fabric, cut in half lengthwise.  Piece of cake.  Baby D loves it and I can do anything while wearing him.  I've changed F's diaper, used the bathroom, done dishes, done a little bit of school with the boys, and now I'm typing using two hands (gasp!).  At first M didn't think this wrap was a good idea.  It might not be safe.  The baby could fall out.  Like I would stand there and let him slip out!  But once he saw how comfy Baby D is and how nicely he sleeps all curled up the way newborns like to sleep, he totally changed his mind.  He now hates Snuggli's and the splayed "Baby Doll" effect.  And this wrap is so versatile.  He can have his head in or out, face forward or backward, sit up or nurse, and keep his legs curled up or stretch them out.  All with one simple piece of fabric and no sewing.

A closer look:

Awwww!  Now where's F and why is it so quiet?  Oh, she's just eating... whew!

Edited later to add a picture of the next long strange silence:

She was eating...and then she wasn't...the joys of the napless two year old...