Homeschool on the Farm

April 2 was a day I never thought would happen. I gave birth to a girl. Julianna Joy is the most precious gift I’ve ever been given. She has affirmed my faith as I gave her to God right from conception. (How else could I manage being pregnant and taking care of five little boys?!?) She is so beautiful, and she sleeps all night. She’s growing downy brown hair. She smiles at everyone, and she has so many fat rolls on her neck, she gets baby cheese daily. I don’t like putting her in the bouncy seat or letting someone else hold her, but in the interest of getting anything done in my house, I must. She’s recently started “talking” to us.

One happy girl

Isn't she beautiful?

We did a home birth and I remembered why I switched to hospital births after the third baby was born at home! I don’t think I was this in love with any of the other babies. Do you know why the Old Testament says to abstain for 40 days after the birth of a boy and 80-something after the birth of a girl? I think I know why now. It’s because she’s everything right now. After the birth of my first 9 pounder at home, I remember my mother holding him for the first time when he was two weeks old. She asked me if I’d ever known I could love something so much. I’m sure I agreed, but I was thinking, “are you crazy? That little bugger just destroyed a part of my body, I’ve never known such pain, my nipples are sore, I’m a crying mess, he cries a lot, I don’t know what I’m doing, and I can’t sleep for more than two hours! Love? I think not!”
But this time around… Love? Oh so much. Is it because I’m getting a full night’s sleep and feel relatively sane? Is it because it’s a girl?

Oliver and Quinn are two months apart. Can you guess what people comment about when they see Quinn?

Bailey is the proudest big brother. For the fifth time...

Pot pies. We’ve been incredibly blessed this go ’round with all the meals people have brought. We humorously discovered that THE meal to bring someone in this part of the country is a home-made chicken pot pie. Yum. Boy, it beats stuffed shells (city slickers meal) hands down. Each one has been different. And delicious.
Gifts, baby showers, and hand-me-downs. Everyone knows how excited we were to anticipate the birth of a girl. My dear mother planted the seed of doubt, however, so if it had been another boy, he would’ve been named Lincoln Vivaldi. And as it were, in the final moments of labor, 91.5 was playing one of Vivaldi’s seasons. I remember thinking, is this a sign? So, it was and is a girl.

Here's Julianna in some of her finer duds

My many friends have been so generous with gifts and bags of hand-me-downs. At this rate, I should only have to buy diapers/undies for the next several years! I love it!

In her non-pink (!) dress, struttin' her stuff

Here's the front of the senorita dress

Speaking of pot pies and the kitchen, what’s going on besides the new baby?  I’ve joined an organic produce co-op, so once a week we go pick up our produce, then I sit down and plan how to use it up within a week.  Talk about fun!  Today is my kitchen day (thanks to Large Family Logistics) and I got A LOT of cooking done.  I just heard the beeper for one of the bread machines and when I opened the lid, “Oh my goodness!”  I exclaimed.  It looked just like a photograph.  Maybe it’s because I inadvertently selected light crust this time?  It is the most beautiful bread I’ve ever baked.  I hope it tastes good…It just occurred to me that I used white flour because I’m out of wheat.  Ha!  The kids won’t leave a crumb untouched. 

Oink, oink, oink.  This little piggie went to market, this little piggie stayed home, this little piggie became bacon, chops & sausage, this little piggie hid in the bushes!  That’s what’s going on at the farm these days.  Urban Cowboy’s wrapping up another season of chickens, but wait, does he ever really finish?  I think there are over 200 chicks currently in the brooder.  Thankfully there are layers because we’ve sold out and been outsmarted by predators taking our older hens.  He set up at the Mayhaw Festival and we’ve got a couple of events coming up this month, too.  The Tomato Feastival at Turkey Hill is this weekend, and we’re cooking some chicken and/or pork for some writers coming to Monticello to a B&B there.  It’s so fun to serve people.  That reminds me, I need a new home for Buford.  He’s the rat terrier.  He needs a quiet home.  It’s either him or the boys that need to go.  The dog really does need a home where he can be spoiled.  He cowers in the corner here whenever the kids get loud (when aren’t they?) He’s a senior, very sweet.  Find him a home, okay? 

Daisy, the white goat, died at the start of April.  We’ve been getting to know our neighbor, Bob, lately as he’s a retired veterinarian.  This man just makes my day.  He’s 72 I think, and has a smile that just doesn’t quit.  He was a charmer back in his day, I’m sure of it, and not in a perverted way, in a wholesome way.  He’s happy, helpful, and now that I think of it, a very effective witness for Christ.  Something we’re addressing these days.  The latest book on my nightstand is the Duggar’s A Love That Multiplies.  Very inspiring.  More on that another post.

sweet girl

my girl

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 at 10:19 pm and is filed under Howdy from the Herd, Tales from the crib (corn crib, that is). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.