Clean tushies in these parts

I have a houseful of boys.  As you can imagine, potty talk among two- and five-year-olds is pretty common and I try not to react too much when they're joking about it.  I will write about it, though---this post is all about pottying, so skip it if this stuff is gross to you.

The bidet
During the start of the COVID crisis and when people were freaking out about toilet paper, bidets seemed to be becoming a popular investment. I had actually never used on before in my life, although from what I've seen (they are popular across Asia), read, and learned (Stuff You Should Know has a great recent episode on bidets), they are very eco-friendly and better at getting the job done than TP.  This week (despite having plenty of toilet paper in stock), Kelvin decided that it was time for us to get one. He chose a very basic model from Tushy, without bells/whistles or heated water or a seat, and installed it yesterday. We've all (except Niall) tried it out and it works well!  You do have to "pat dry" (we have plenty of cloth prefold diapers we can use), but I think it is a great investment, both from an environmental and hygiene perspective (I joke that the piano was my quarantine toy, and this is Kelvin's!).

Butt-wiping in kids
Iver is five and a half and possibly attending public kindergarten this year (which is still up in the air per our school district for another couple of weeks after a very inconclusive board meeting this week).  He can wipe his own butt and does an okay job (he's taken the "first pass" for many months), but doesn't like to do the task and asks one of us (usually me ["MOOOOOOMM!!"']) to wipe after him (he's very regular, going in the morning and sometimes after dinner, so having to wipe when not at home with us is a rare thing). I was pretty sure that busy and underpaid kindergarten public school teachers didn't have time to wipe their students' butts if they poop at school, so I told Iver that I was drawing the line, and that he'd be on his own this August (August 1st, or tomorrow, to be exact), although I polled a Facebook mom group to be sure that this was developmentally/age- appropriate and not too mean (I got some many great replies, including suggesting "practicing" with peanut butter in a bowl [although Iver is probably still allergic so we'd have to use an alternative nut butter) or with balloons [check out this awesome video with instruction targeting Asian kids who appear far younger than five], and reassurance that I should "let him fly"). We just got the bidet set up (which Iver knew was on its way) and smart kid he is, he said, "I won't have to wipe-- I'll just use the bidet! (Obviously, most places in the US don't have one, so the skill of wiping is still necessary!).

Potty training our youngest
Aah, I can't wait until the day that diapers and pull-ups are behind us! Iver potty trained quite easily around age two, although he wore nighttime pull-ups for another two years. Niall (almost two-and-a-half) has been a bit more challenging during the day, despite being in underwear for several months. Sometimes (even recently), he'll have multiple pee (and occasional poop) accidents during the day, requiring more laundry than I'd like (but still less than multiple loads of cloth diaper laundry), but I think we've turned a corner and they are rare now (we also bring a tiny Baby Bjorn potty in the car when we're out anywhere). He's even woken up dry from overnight a handful of times, which is really encouraging and one day had escaped his crib and was crying at the door to his room at 5 a.m. that he had to go pee. While life with two kids has certainly been getting easier as they get older and more independent, I think we'll have a more marked leap in adult satisfaction and peace when diapers are a thing of the past!

Here's to hoping for very clean tushies all around here going forward!

Rockin' the Plaid

The pictures speak for themselves! 

(Thanks to my mother-in-law for so many wonderful masks!)

(Katherine edited this photo!)

(if my two-year-old can keep a mask on all day except for while eating and sleeping with a smile on his face and thumbs up, so can you!)

Every vote counts (100 days for democracy)

I still get a pit in my stomach remembering November 9th, 2016, the day which held the dark feelings of despair and hopelessness I had never experienced before.  It's been an incredibly stressful four years of an aftermath in trying to follow the news and witnessing the amount of human suffering that the outcome of that election has cost our county (and world) while staying positive and maintaining hope that it won't always and doesn't have to be this way (I'm trying to do less Facebook "doom-scrolling" by setting a curfew and app limits!). It was hard to accept that there was a "reason" for that outcome, and that it was the will of a benevolent higher power whom I still believe in. I've seen glimmers of hope in recent months-- youth activism, protests positively changing public opinion (reminiscent of the civil rights era), and even poll numbers (even though, after 2016, I will never be able to trust them). 

As I'm sure is obvious from my previous blog rants, I have become a bit of a progressive political activist since that devastating election and have been motivated to do anything in my power to attempt to have a better outcome come this November 3rd. While I certainly had opinions, I didn't "engage much" in political organizing or talk among my social circle prior to 2016 and have had some reluctance to be outspoken because of my profession and because of the nature of the community in which I live (as well as because I may have a few family members/friends that land on the "other side of the aisle"). Nevertheless, I am not able stay silent with the state of current events and doubt I ever can retreat in the future (here's an interesting article from the NY Times which describes some medical professionals' efforts to get out the vote [there is no reason that doctors, who see firsthand negative health outcomes from health inequities, social injustice, and lack of insurance, should be expected or required to stay neutral]).  

I find it very hard to understand/believe that there are people out there that don't see this 2020 election as perhaps the most consequential in our lifetime (who are not already motivated to cast a ballot and who actually are "persuadable"). Nevertheless, others have organized and spearheaded efforts to attempt to increase voter turnout among such groups, and I have come on board to join the effort. If you have extra time at home this summer/fall and also are looking for a "quarantine mission" or a project to feel you're being productive and have a purpose to your current (and last four years' worth of) pain, there are many ways to get involved. THERE ARE ONLY ONE HUNDRED DAYS REMAINING UNTIL THE ELECTION. My greatest fear in 2020 and what keeps me up at night is either a lack of turnout (either pandemic-related or due to Republican-led voter suppression efforts including delaying USPS mail delivery), or a current White House occupant who, even if defeated handily by both a popular and electoral majority, may refuse to actually leave office so attached he is to concentrated power at all costs (especially if results aren't tallied until a week or so after election day due to many mail-in ballots needing to be counted). I'm try to quash my anxiety with being proactive (and praying a lot).

I'm sure that almost all of the readers of this blog are like-minded in political persuasion and are already engaged, but please, if you care about your neighbors, your country, and your world, here is my entreaty:

1. Commit to vote. Different states have different election laws, but a recent article by the Washington Post reported that 76% of Americans could vote by mail in 2020, which is essential with public health a concern this 2020 (I think 34 states allow vote-by-mail without any specific reason and about 7 others allow it with documentation). Check out VoteSaveAmerica if you're unsure if your state qualifies, and be sure to mail your ballot EARLY due to volume stresses on the Post Office (and attempts by the president to sabotage the USPS) to ensure that your vote counts. Reach out to your friends and family in other states to encourage them to check their vote-by-mail status and do everything in their power to vote (ideally remotely, and decrease the demand for and risks associated with in-person polling stations and lines)!  While increasing access to voting is inherently nonpartisan, improved turnout will increase the chances that the will of the majority actually results in the election of our representative, while it has been denied in so many recent elections, including in 2016 (and crazy 2000). 

2. Volunteer your time.  Volunteer on campaigns of local, state, and national candidates if you can do so as progressive change is needed at all levels!  Visit the Crooked Media site https://votesaveamerica.com/, where you can "Adopt a State" and reach out to potential persuadable voters in swing states such as WI, MI, PA, FL, AZ, and NC with activities including phone or text banking (which I'd never done before-- I was hampered a bit by a poor internet connection but attended all the trainings and Zoom prep).  Also check out: Every Last Vote, which can direct you to vote-by-mail efforts, or to sign up to be a poll worker, protecting our older (and health at-risk) volunteers this year with COVID-19 not going away anytime soon. If you are nervous about "virtual door-knocking" via phone and prefer writing (like I do, even though I told myself if I didn't do everything, even if uncomfortable, to help defeat the sitting president this election, I would regret it forever), you can also sign up to "adopt voters" and write letters at: https://votefwd.org. Remember that the election 2016 was decided by fewer than 80,000 votes in three key states and because many people chose to "sit it out" or voted third-party. Please do everything in your power to help GOTV (Get Out the Vote), especially in the home stretch. 

3. Donate money if you are in a financial position to do so (and, as we learned through Citizens United, money can talk!). Although I may have given money to Obama's campaigns (but I actually don't remember and I didn't have much money), I have never supported politicians and political fundraising in any meaningful way before the last few years. If you are limited by time (your own jobs) or energy, you, too, can contribute to any number of important efforts, including (rightful GA Governor) Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight 2020  to protect the right to vote, which is more important this year than ever, as well as to Joe Biden's campaign himself, or to a number of Senate candidates that have a chance to change the balance of the overwhelmingly white, antidemocratic institution and rip the gavel away from ruthless, amoral Mitch McConnell ("Ditch Mitch!"). 

4. Pray.  

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  -Philippians 4:6.

Despite knowing that our limitless God ultimately works for the benefit of us and "has everything under control," it's hard not to feel anxious when the burden is so heavy and the stakes so high.  As much as faith is weaponized by conservatives, Jesus in his thoughts, words, and actions was undoubtedly a progressive in the way he loved and spoke for the marginalized and powerless.  Please pray to your preferred higher power for Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she, a 87-year-old feminist icon and hero on the Supreme Court, has disclosed that she has been hospitalized and is receiving chemotherapy for recurrent cancer.  It is critical that she stay alive and on the court until a Democratic president gets elected because no one has faith that the evil Senate Majority Leader referenced above will hold open a Supreme Court seat to let the "voters" decide in one hundred days who is suitable to replace her (as he did for nearly a year in 2016 to block an Obama nominee, shifting the Court's balance of power for generations).  Pray for the family of and thank God for John Lewis, who we lost last week (may he rest in peace), who continued for decades the God-serving work of Martin Luther King, Jr., and changed our country forever.   While we may not be able to eliminate evil and sin in this world, we may be able to outvote a considerable amount of it this year.

 RBG "I dissent" earrings that my sister-in-law, Lisa sent me.

The stakes are so high this year for democracy. The future of our country depends on you. Don't leave any vote on the field. If you love your neighbors and love humanity and all that is right and good, do everything in your power to turn weeping into joy this 2020. Every vote counts! 

Big Lagoon Family Kayaking

We have had truly spectacular weather lately and decided to take a Saturday morning trip to Big Lagoon, about 25 minutes north of us, to kayak as a family.

We took Iver kayaking in Stone Lagoon once, but he was actually ill during the trip and fell asleep. Kelvin and I last kayaked in Big Lagoon in 2012 (with Pepper).

We had reserved kayaks for rent from Kayak Trinidad and spent about an hour and a half in the shallow water of the lagoon.

Iver and I were in a tandem kayak...

... while Kelvin and Niall were in the other (we brought our own kiddie life jackets/floaties).

As you can see from the blue sky, we had wonderful sunny weather. There was barely any wind, and the shallow water was even quite warm (while we didn't jump in and swim, we saw many swimmers!). There were several other kayakers and boaters on the water, but plenty open space (and mask-wearing on shore).

(Iver was jokingly "sleeping" but was actually very relaxed in my kayak. Next time, I told him I'd expect him to grab and use an oar!).

Towards the end of the return trip, my out-of-shape arms were aching a bit (I was regretting not taking the lighter child, and repeating the Little Engine That Could mantra, "I think I can, I think I can...") and I had acquired a couple of oar-inflicted blisters, but we made it back to shore okay.

The kids played some in the warm sand prior to heading home for lunch.

I love that we have such beautiful outdoor spots just a few minutes from our home.  Two thumbs up for family kayaking at Big Lagoon!

In-N-Out (mostly in)

My kids are such troopers, handling COVID precautions like champs. We have been making a point to do weekly weekend socially distant activities in the great outdoors, because we know it's going to be a long COVID haul and our weather will not be quite so dry and warm come fall/winter but there is still an awful lot of time at home indoors for these littles.

In-N-Out Burger (which I think is mostly a California/west coast chain) coming to our county capital of Eureka was big news for most of the last year and, while the grand opening was postponed due to COVID, it finally happened this past weekend. Kelvin, a big fan of its burgers (particularly double meat/animal style), was quite excited and decided to get us take-out for dinner on Sunday (of note, Chipotle, another favorite of his and Iver's, also recently came to Eureka).  He was aiming for drive-thru as the obvious safest option; however, the line was too long (stretching way around the block/street!), so despite having the kids with him, he ran inside with them to order, standing six feet apart from other customers and then hung out with the masked kids outside waiting for the food to be ready for pick-up. The boys loved their hats and scratch-and-sniff stickers!

Niall doesn't really like meat (we call him our little vegetarian!) so he ate something else for dinner, but Iver sure enjoyed his cheeseburger, fries, and some of a vanilla shake (which his brother definitely requested to "SHARE, SHARE!"), which he ate on our sunny deck.

I (who have also been leaning vegetarian lately) am not a fast food or much of a burger fan (nor willing to put up with lines!) so, while it was nice for a little novel treat, I'm don't think we'll be getting In-N-Out for a while-- we'll be mostly IN.

Maple Creek River Day

 

"Going to the river" was one thing I hoped we'd get a chance to do with the boys this summer and which I've been talking about in recent weeks, as we have been blessed with lots of sunny, dry weather. While we have explored some rivers in Humboldt, not being true "locals," we aren't aware of *all* of the best swimming holes that are in warmer areas of the county (as our coastal California town is definitely on the cooler side). We been trying to balance the desperate need to get fresh air and get the kids out of the house on weekends with safely avoiding anything resembling a crowd (which is hard when all coastal people, trapped in a pandemic, seek sunshine and warmth but thankfully we have a ton of natural open spaces up here!). This part of northern California has many small (and six major) rivers to enjoy, but you have be willing to do a bit of driving which is hard with young kids (one of whom gets carsick and the other who is not super reliable with telling us when he has to do his business!).

In any case, one day last week when I was walking Pepper, our next-door neighbor, Maria, said, "Sometime, you guys should come out to our property in Maple Creek and swim at the river. It's super warm and the boys would love it!"  Neither Kelvin or I really ever want to "impose" or bother anybody, and we weren't quite sure what "using their property" meant, especially during COVID times, but Maria enthusiastically invited us out to her place and, as they were going to be spending the weekend there, told us that she could wave us down to the river spot and not even come within ten feet of them.

We took her up on it, an on Saturday morning, we headed up the ~1 hour drive east of Arcata through Kneeland through lovely forest and hills (spotting many deer and other wildlife along the way) to the tiny community of Maple Creek (her property sits opposite what really looks like a one-room-barn schoolhouse, Maple Creek School).  We'd never been anywhere near this area in nearly nine years in Humboldt, but have been missing out, as it really was beautiful (the road was really curvy, though!). The houses (and other traffic) were few and far between, and after losing cell and GPS service but with directions in hand, we were lucky to spot her marked driveway, which led to a lovely private section of river (a branch of the Mad River).  She waved us past her house down the path to direct river access, which even included sandy beach!  Even at 9:30 a.m., it was warm (for us in Humboldt-- 70+ degrees!) and we didn't see another soul. 

The kids had a snack of fruit

The kids spotted grasshoppers and enlisted Kelvin to try to "catch one" (they were unsuccessful).

We borrowed a parked kayak, which allowed us to visit a rock island, next to which was some shallower (and much warmer) water in which the kids could splash around.

(We called this Kelvin's kayak shuttle service-- the kids, Pep, and I were able to stay dry as he pushed/paddled us across! The water, while not deep, actually was still too cold for my liking!).

Princess Pepper

The kids did some rock-jumping. 

Niall wasn't so keen!

Lunchtime lounging

We headed back to the coast trying to get home in time for Niall's ~1 p.m. nap (even though both kids-- Iver, perhaps under the influence of pre-treatment with Dramamine, and Niall, wiped out from running around in the hot sun, fell asleep en route).

It was a lovely, warm, secluded getaway in a truly special spot, and we couldn't thank our neighbors enough for letting us enjoy a few hours at their own private riverside beach!