Lamaze Breathing. Selah.

Do any of you moms find Lamaze breathing techniques helpful years after giving birth? I have found the breathing method helpful more times than I can count this week.

Cameron broke his hand. His fourth metacarpal in his right hand to be exact. I used lamaze breathing to help him (and myself after watching his fingers bending the wrong way).

After the kids decorated his cast. 

This gives me goosebumps when I look at it.

I employed the handy breathing strategy when Josiah started sounding like a smoker of 30 years in the doctor's office. The kid had something big to hack up. Our doctor, without looking up from writing a prescription for me for my ear infection and sore throat (that I've had for over a week) said, "He shouldn't go to school tomorrow." Alright.

Sick days. Not as great as he had hoped.

Dr. Fernand Lamaze, you are my hero! While I was working out at Pop Physique, I practiced a slow, deep approach. I made it through my work out without feeling like I was going to throw up. I focus on my butt looking more like this. 

Did you know that "cast claustrophobia" is a thing? Neither did I until last night! I came home to Cameron basically having a panic attack about his cast. He was seriously considering removing it himself. Again, more lamaze breathing for everyone involved. If you know my husband, you know he's an incredibly level headed, sweet, quiet dude. For the past 24 hours that has not been the case. He looks like a lost dog that has bad fleas. Poor guy. Pray for him.

Today has been nothing but driving and going and doing...and driving. I took Josiah back to school. I got stuff for dinner at Vons. I came home, cleaned, got Mae ready for the day. We went to Whole Foods to find anti-anxiety supplements and homeopathic remedies for Cameron's anxiety. I went to the juice bar. I needed me some kale juice. I dropped Cameron and Mae off at home, went back to get Josiah (it's his first minimum day for Back to School night). I come home, make lunch, tell Cameron not to dissolve his cast in a bucket of vinegar. I leave for physical therapy. I go to physical therapy where very sore parts of my body are given pressure point treatment. I DID SOME MAJOR LAMAZE BREATHING. I drove home (but missed my on ramp, had to back track through LA traffic). I finish some work for Josiah's teacher. Cameron is dealing with insurance and doctor's office approval. *HEE-HEE-WHO* REPEAT. I finally get the bright idea to ask the doctor's office to give Cameron something for the anxiety. They send a prescription to Target.  Cameron takes Josiah to capoeira and Mae to Target to get his meds. It's quiet.
*DEEP INHALE*
...then I'm off to Back-to-School night.

Tonight will be a good night to meditate on this wonderful reminder that God gives us:

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Selah.

Josiah's First Day of School.

  And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

2 Kings 22:2

Here is my special little guy this morning. Looking super fresh and ready to hit the books.

I can't believe this day is here (what every parent everywhere says about every milestone their kid hits). 

Josiah was ready to start Kindergarten this morning after a breakfast of bacon, eggs, bagel & Naked Juice (with oil). We enjoyed our morning- we read out of the Bible, prayed about today & repeatedly "yelled" "Kindergarten- get at me!". 

We were out the door by 7:30.

We were at school around 7:40.

He was officially at his desk by 7:50.

I was drying my tears at as we drove away at 8:00.

Josiah was excited.

So excited that he fell down about five steps as we went to the car this morning. He hurt his pinky, but this did not stop him. He wanted to get to school! 

He looked a little overwhelmed as we walked out the door and he sat at his desk. Maybe realizing the seriousness of Kindergarten. 

Now it's just Mae and I here. 

It's so quiet...

We made a kaleidoscope and I'm about to clean. 

Here's to a new era of parenting. 

Here's to my special little guy who is a total stud in his formal uniform.

Breakfast with Dad & the modeling begins.

Cameron told him he was like Ryan Gosling in Gangster Squad.
He liked that.

His lunch box kills me.

Kindergarten Man.

Preschool Pressure.

In the past week both Cameron & I have been asked why our kids aren't in Preschool. Multiple times.

   Cameron was confronted by a woman in the grocery store who had a look of disgust on her face after she asked about Mae going to preschool and Cameron said she wasn't a pupil yet. Really? She's 2 1/2 and there's no place on God's green Earth that she would rather be than with her family. While she truly loves marching into Sunday School or playing with kids at a park, I can guarantee that she'd rather be home (or with her family) than elsewhere.
 We went to the bank on Friday to fix a couple of problems and to open the kids savings accounts at our new credit union. The banker was a woman who had an 8 year old son. Since it was quite obvious that I was not working on a Friday afternoon and she was, she asked if I worked. "No. Well, I do. I'm a stay at home mom." Blank stare on her part. She later asked me after I told her I use to work at a bank if I missed working. I literally let out a guffaw. Not on purpose, not to be snotty, but I snorted and guffawed. "No. Not at all. I get to be with my kids all day." Then she brought up the Preschool Pressure.  I told her neither of the kids were in preschool & that I used free curriculum online to teach them the basics. She looked back at me like I was a member of the FLDS and I was wearing a prairie dress. When I said something about just having moved here and not knowing people that could watch the kids (except Sarah May and she works during the day!), the banker said "Well, you know you have to leave them with other people so that they learn to socialize and listen to other adults." My eyebrows arched up. "My kids are often left with others. They have been since they were babies. They go to Sunday School every week. They know how to interact with others." I wanted to tell her about how social Josiah is with other kids. He will go up to a kid at Disneyland and ask their name or what character they like. His best buddy might live in Lake Havasu, but he talks about him constantly. Mae is sweet and gets worried if she sees another kid upset or in trouble. Then again it's not just about the superficial, it's about your child's heart. I don't know any place other than the home and between Mom & Dad that character can be built well. That's what we were made for. That is our mission and ministry in every step of parenthood.
   Now, before you say "My kid is in preschool and I work! You're just biased." I understand that is working for your family. That's not what's bothering me. It's the pressure on people like me to place my kids in preschool/childcare/daycare. My children are not going to grow up disadvantaged because I didn't pony up the cash to send them to preschool (The average cost of full-time preschool here in California for a 4 year old is $8,234 a year and we're not eligible for Head Start).
   When I was a kid, my parents gave us the choice: Home school or Public School.  I even managed to go to private Christian school (which seemed to me to be somewhat of a nightmare). When we chose home school, we did not lack for friends or getting out and seeing the world. We went on far more field trips while home-schooled than I ever did through my whole public school experience. I had fantastic friends at church, some of whom I am still friends with. We had activities galore and never lacked scholastically. My Mom made sure we got stuff done, even when it was difficult for her and us.  When I went to high school, I did well in most of my classes (except math, I'm terrible at math and always have been). I graduated in the top 10% of my  class, I was in Speech & Debate (where I won some tacky trophies for being dramatic), I was in drama (DRACULA!), I was in student council and I helped to lead the Christian club on campus for awhile. While I've seen many former home-schoolers flourish in their lives, I'm also keenly aware of the stereotypical home-schoolers. The ones that give the rest of us a label.
 My point in all of this education rant is that you need to do what is right for your family, for that individual child. Every child is incredibly unique, someone that was hand crafted a particular purpose. Sending your kid to preschool is fine if you can afford it and if that's where that child will flourish. I know that right now in our lives, that's not for us. I don't need any judgement for my decisions. I need a fellow Mom to be encouraging and helpful no matter what.
   In the end, we all need to be good parents at home (something I'm not always good at). Here's a quote from one of my favorite dead guys: C.H. Spurgeon:

Let no Christian parents fall into the delusion that the Sunday school is intended to ease them of their personal duties. 

We can replace Sunday School with preschool/Christian school/public school/home school. Regardless of your educational choice for your child, you are the most important teacher your child can have. Especially when it comes to learning about what matters most: Jesus.