Thursday, March 12, 2009

Reader requests

Damselfly wanted some tips on how to garden with little "helpers". When it is time to work in the yard I try and do what I do when I want to attempt something in the house. I try and find some aspect of the chore they can help me with to start with. If that is not working I find them something similar to do in another area away from where I am working. If that is not working then I banish them from the area altogether.

When we were planting the bulbs last fall we let the kids help put them in the ground after my husband dug out a trench for the bulbs. We ended up having to go back and put most of them the right way up, but the kids had a fun time until they got bored. When they got bored and we still needed to plant more bulbs I let them dig dirt in another part of the garden. That entertained them enough that we were able to finish the bulbs. Had the digging caused problems then I would have shooed them off to the back yard where we could keep them contained and out of the way with out having to do more than check on them every so often.

As the boys get older they are able to do a lot more around the house. Harry loves helping with the dishes and can be trusted to put the silverware away in the drawer. He will even separate the smaller spoons from the bigger spoons instead of putting them all together like certain husbands. When I was vacuuming the dining room this morning he rushed downstairs to get his toy vacuum to "help" me. Both boys love doing laundry and could almost do it on their own if they were a bit taller and had a bit more discernment about what they would put in the washer. It is nice to have two short people to do all the bending down for me now that I am getting on in my pregnancy. We now expect them to help clear the table of dishes after the meal (well often it is from the meal before, but we can pretend it is right after the meal). Heck Harry will even get me a new garbage bag when I take out a full one to the trash can and I am sure that if he knew how he would change the toilet paper roll. If Harry keeps his helpful ways up he is going to be a dream husband.


A couple of you have asked to see my pregnant belly. The picture is not that great but I don't really care enough to go and take another. I need a new camera since mine is over five years old and starting to show it's age. The sad thing is that I just now actually figured out how to turn the flash off when I want to. I don't feel as big as I did with my other boys but that also could be my imagination. I do know that my weight gain has not been nearly as insane thanks to my strict diet.


11 comments:

Aunt Kathy said...

Wow only 60 days to go... you look great, really.

I love finding ways to get the kids to help. Adam loves using my feather duster, what kid doesn't love waving that thing around, lol

Anonymous said...

Looking great!!!
I always gain like crazy when pregnant, although I am trying harder not to this time around.

My kids love to help too. Sometimes I so do not have the patience and creativity to make it work, but I do try most of the time to include them. I want them to know how to take care of a home.

Anonymous said...

You do look good, and hope you're feeling well, too.

Those are great ways to get Evan and Harry involved. After baby brother comes, you'll all think of even more ways they can help. Your husband was a wonderful helper when his little sister came along. And he told me he was so glad that he wouldn't be called the baby of the family anymore!
diana

Crunchyconmommy said...

Looking good! See you tonight at knitting!

Heather said...

Seeing all these pregnant bellies lately I'm getting all nostalgic. I can't believe my baby is almost 10 months already.

Great ideas for getting the kids involved. We try similar things with our kids too.

Midlife Midwife said...

Great gardening tips and a way cute belly!!!

Unknown said...

You are a brave woman. NEVER did I pose for any pregnancy pictures. Good for you staying healthy!

Jaelithe said...

Good job training the boys to do chores.

I've been working on my kid. He used to be a lot better about helping with the laundry (and I used to be better about getting him to help) when it was on the first floor. Since we moved to this house, with our laundry in the basement, he doesn't want to help as often. He has trouble with stairs due to his sensory disorder, so he always wants me to hold his hand WHILE I am holding the laundry basket, which is quite a trick on a narrow old staircase!

He ALWAYS remembers to put his used dishes in the sink, though, which is more than I can say for his father.

Kate said...

Hey nice belly shot!

And speaking of helping out around the house, my son is supposed to start his week of chores and one of them is to set up/clean up the dinner table. He says he wants to earn some money. Given his past history, I don't think he's going to be earning much!

Damselfly said...

Hey! Look at you. And your baby! Lookin' good, mama!

Thank you for the gardening-with-kiddos tips. I actually did a minute amount of gardening with Fly -- we planted some flower seeds in two little pots, that's all. Like your boys, he loved digging in the dirt!

And how great is it to have little short people around to pick up things from the floor? I *loathe* bending over these days. Your boys are so helpful!

Ice Cream said...

I need a strict diet.

Thanks for the reminder to let my kids help in the garden.