Lanae and Baby

Santa Pictures

2010-12-18T05:47:00.001-07:00

This year:

Last year:

Two years ago:

If a picture is worth 1,000 words...: September - December 2010

2010-12-05T23:37:00.008-07:00

I am so over-scheduled and under-rested, (especially with regards to trying to earn a little money here and there) that personal computer time has suffered. I hope to start writing about natural living and natural mothering again, if only to document for myself what I've learned along the way (should I ever find myself needing to learn it again). But for now, my goal is to keep an up-to-date monthly journal of my little one's transition from baby to boy.

In order to catch up with three months, here is a picture journal of some of my little boy's current antics. He loves:

Dressing up, especially in high heels!

Putting the key in the ignition and turning the car on!

Commandeering every skateboard and bike he sees on the road or in the park!

Learning to count in Thai while jumping on fabric swatches!

Taking good care of his monkey!

Posing for cheese!

A former linguistic major, I am most fascinated by the opportunity to watch a little one learn a language from scratch. It's like my own research subject up close and personal.

Regarding phonetics and phonology, the fricatives (sounds like f, v, th, s, z, sh, zh) were the hardest for him to get. All fricatives became /h/. One day, he started saying them at the end of words, and he usually does that just fine. But even now, he rarely can say them at the beginning of a word.
Regarding syntax, he started out copying me like a parrot and so used "me" or "I" for "you", and "you" for "me" or "I". (Interestingly, he never confused his subjects and objects, as I've been told many other babies do.) I decided not to correct him, and sure enough he eventually figured it out on his own! One day last month, almost literally overnight, he switched the words to their proper usage, and now uses the words "I", "me", and "you" appropriately, and also began venturing into the world of "we" and "us".
On another syntactic note, he typically misplaces negative words. I don't know if this is normal, or if he is confusing English word-placement with Spanish word-placement. But I am excited to watch his little brain figure it out!

...A video is worth 10,000: September - November 2010

2010-12-05T22:45:00.005-07:00

More amazing feats!

Once my little boy got most of the car symbols memorized, he started showing an interest in letters. One day, I spent about 30 seconds pointing out some capital letters on a book cover. The next day, I picked a different book and did the same for about 60 seconds. The third day, he was reading them to me! He knows all the capital letters and about half the lower case letters, and can tell you the sounds associated with quite a few of them.

At 2 years and 4 months:

My little boy always wants to know which country everyone is from, and even talks about it in his sleep. Check it out!

My Baby's A Genius: August 2010 - Part 1

2010-09-10T23:57:00.007-06:00

"He should be on the Jay Leno show!" someone told us in the zoo parking lot. A couple weeks later, a bike rider who almost hit a car because she was gawking in surprise at my baby. I know every mother thinks her child is a genius, and I'm no different. I'll explain at the bottom of the post why these two people were shocked, but for now let's recap our month...

In cute news, last month my baby gave business cards away to everyone as they walked out of the office. This month, everyone gets a hand shake, usually one with the left hand and another with the right.

Out of the blue at least a couple times a day, my baby says "Kountani Gambo from Baku, Ghana." Oddly, he has never met this fascinating person - she is the mother of one of our clients and he picked up her particulars from one of our conversations. He can also tell you from which different country many of our African clients are from. Funny he doesn't seem interested in the origin of any of our non-African clients.

A friend gave us her son's trike, and we must take it with us everywhere we go. It sleeps in our bedroom or the hallway at night, it goes with us to the park, and it rides in the backseat of the car each time we drive somewhere.

Another cute outfit he picked on his own:

Fun with Uncle Seth, who was visiting from Las Vegas!

Definitely progressing in true boy fashion, my baby is just short of obsessed with any motor-run contraption. Here, getting a ride on one of his favorite "toys" at the pawn shop:

Any time we see a motorcycle or moped, he identifies which it is and then proceeds to run through the list of things a driver must do before driving away:

My Baby's A Genius: August 2010 - Part 2

2010-09-10T23:33:00.011-06:00

And on to this month's amazing skills (at 25-26 months old), which were each a surprise to me as they came...

Reading 0, 1, and 10.

In response to the question "What shape is this?" he can identify and say circle, square, trapezoid, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, oval, parallelogram, diamond, heart, and sometimes rectangle. He seems to have a little trouble with triangle.

Counting from 1 to 10 in Spanish (well, I got the camera turned on at 3), then from 1 to 10 in Mandarin Chinese:

Counting from 1 to 10 in French (I got the camera turned on by 2 this time):

Singing his ABCs (click to view at Photobucket):

And the skill that amazes people wherever we go:

Last weekend, we were walking down a street and he was excitedly calling out cars as they drove by at 35 miles an hour!

His current repertoire includes 15 cars. Do you know each of these?

A Month in Our Life: July 2010

2010-08-07T12:31:00.009-06:00

This month (at 24-25 months) my baby did some very surprising things!

One day while watching two bicyclists whiz past, he said his first sentence: "Other one guy helmet on; other one guy no helmet."
One day while playing in the office, he looked up at our client and counted 1-5 in Spanish.
One day in the grocery store, I asked him to help me put pea pods in the produce bag, and as he dropped them in he counted them 1-10 (well, minus 9).
Counting backwards from 5-0.
"W X Y Z" (you've gotta start somewhere - might as well start at the end).

He also started picking out his own clothes and dressing himself.

But even more exciting: We are moving into our own place the beginning of August!!! After 20 1/2 months of living with other people, we will finally be on our own again as a family. Thank you and good buy to Erika, Ticha, and Andy.

Wearing Erika's climbing gear:

Wearing Ticha's high heels and purse:

Wearing Andy's oxygen:

And to finish, a sampling of some of our fun summer activities:

Saturday morning exploring some of Denver's grittier neighborhoods:

Saturday afternoon at the pop jet fountain:

Sunday afternoon at the park:

Makeshift playground anywhere we go:

Climbing toys at the park:

Climbing ladders at the office:

Climbing trees at home:

Typical weekday morning fun with sidewalk chalk and a little car:

Typical weekend fun with the neighbors' dogs:

And the highlight of every week: Tuesday mornings with the lawnmower guys, who landscape some few houses a block away. (Listen for "Turn on weed wacker.")

Making Up For Lost Time: June 2010

2010-07-01T23:13:00.010-06:00

June marked:

A visit from Grandma and a mini vacation to Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs

My baby's 2nd haircut

My baby's 2nd birthday (celebrated early in Colorado Springs)

Halfway through June, I borrowed a camera from a friend, and a week later my mom gave me a new camera as an early birthday present. After 4 1/2 months of no pictures, I'm trying to make up for lost time...

June 14 - n*k*d time in the car seat

June 15 - afternoon visit to Kieth's daddy's barber shop

June 16 - showing off strong abs

June 17 - a favorite spot at Whole Foods

June 18 - an afternoon visit with Murphy at the pawn shop

June 19 - konked out in the car

June 20 - exploring tunnels at Glen Eyrie

June 21 - exploring Native American cliff dwellings

June 22 - exploring Old Colorado City

June 23 - baby and Grandma at the Glen Eyrie Castle

June 24 - wearing a potty hat

June 25 - watering flowers with Ticha

June 26 - morning-after-birthday breakfast

June 27 - fun with mud at the park

June 28 - racing our new vacuum cleaner to the office

June 29 - sound asleep

June 30 - hide and seek in the office safe

And a few Mamatoto pictures:

A Month in Our Life: April 2010

2010-05-19T00:38:00.004-06:00

Still no money for a new camera to replace the one that was stolen, so here are a few notes from April:

Both bottom two-year molars came in
First four-syllable word: dandelion
First three-word phrase: mama blue car
Other three-word phrases: dirty blue car, dirty gray car
His term for fish in a fish tank: agua birdie
My baby has quite a lot of upper body strength. He can pull himself up onto a high chair and climb the side of our bookshelf.
My baby is still obsessed about keeping things clean. If he spots a tiny crumb (so small that I have to get on my hands and knees to even see it), he either picks it up and puts it in the basura (trash can) or cries out "blue on, blue on" (referring to the blue vacuum cleaner at the office). He would vacuum all day if he could. Unfortunately, the office vacuum cleaners are too loud to run when our landlord has clients in the office, so we only get to vacuum after they leave at night.
My baby is also concerned with putting things away in their proper place. If we are in a grocery store parking lot and he spies an abandoned shopping cart, he doesn't rest until we have pushed all the out-of-place shopping carts back where they belong!
OH DEAR! My baby picked up this phrase from the adorable book Sheep in a Jeep. He says it often - up to 5 times a minute. It's quite catchy: I now say it, our roommates now say it, people at church now say it, people at the office now say it. Amazing how influential a baby can be!

A Month in Our Life: March 2010

2010-04-02T23:03:00.004-06:00

Still no camera! So here is a few brief "journal entries" to memorialize fun things that happened this month.

The last thing we do before leaving the office every night is to put our toys and books into baskets. One night a client came in right before closing time and stayed about 1 1/2 hours, so by the time she was gone my baby was over-tired and definitely ready for bed, and the room was a disaster . I bent down to put a few things in my bag, and when I stood up the entire room was perfectly clean! My baby walked over to me and started to pull the bag towards the door. He may not be able to tell me with words that he's ready to go, but his communication skills are impeccable.

Our first year in Denver, we lived with my brother's wife's parents, affectionately termed Oma and Opa. We didn't see them much after moving out last November, but recently started going to their church and so now see them at least once a week. The first Sunday we saw them at church, my baby was so overjoyed he couldn't stop saying Oma and Opa. He woke up and went to sleep saying Oma and Opa! And now every time we drive into the church parking lot, he starts saying Oma Opa Oma Opa. I guess he misses them!

New skills this month include walking up and down stairs without holding on to anything, walking on his heels, and walking backwards.

My spare time has turned a bit crazy. The end of last month, God graciously brought me a sizable contract with an attorney. Each night I complete what I need to do for my own clients, then work at least two hours for him. I try and make it into the attorney's office at least once a week, plus I organize/clean house for a friend one morning a week and babysit at church two to three times a week. Beginning mid-April, I will be cutting my hours at the office down from six days a week to five. But at the same time I will be starting studies for a three-year Master Herbalist course, as well as training to be a La Leche League leader. I'm excited about each new opportunity, but am not sure exactly when I will have time to sleep, much less blog!

A Month in Our Life: February 2010

2010-03-21T00:29:00.006-06:00

Our month began with a trip back to Washington State - a second (late) Christmas with the entire family. (My brothers both had to work on Christmas, so they weren't able to fly in for the "real thing.") My baby had lots of fun playing with his cousins, and I enjoyed seeing how big each had grown since last seeing them in person.

We were blessed to have an entire airplane row to ourselves both coming and going, and my baby loved moving from seat to seat, clicking the seat belt together, then unbuckling it, clicking it together again, then unbuckling it... I have always wondered why the flight attendants demonstrate how seat belts work, especially since they only do the demonstration after everyone is already supposed to be buckled in. Now that I know a 20 month old can figure it out on his own, I'm really wondering...

Reading up on airplane emergency procedures:

Sadly, I lost my camera (had it stolen?) near the beginning of the month. Of course, my baby seems to have done more cute things this month than the other 18 months of his life, and I had no way to photograph them. But here are two cute stories that exemplify our month. As a backgrounder, my baby's favorite phrase is "uh oh" (which he says any time something breaks or falls apart) and his two current obsessions are vacuums and poop.

The hose attachment on his toy vacuum broke off, and every time he catches sight of the broken vacuum he say's "uh oh." I tried multiple times to tape the hose back on, but it never stays long, especially since my baby likes to push the vacuum back and forth as fast as possible in an attempt to "re-break" it. One morning the tape came loose and the hose fell off. After saying "uh oh," my baby took off his diaper and proceeded to try and tape himself!
My baby stopped telling me he had to go potty a month or so ago. But he immediately takes his diaper off as soon as he wets or messes his diaper. Whenever there is poo poo in the diaper, we wrap the diaper up like a burrito and my baby walks the diaper through to the bathroom, places it on the floor, carefully unwraps it, picks the diaper up, and with my help dumps it in the toilet. He panics and cries if he has to wait for our routine - after all, who wants to sit there and look at poo poo - so even when there is a client in the office we quickly excuse ourselves to take care of business. One day as we dropped the poo poo in the toilet, it broke into two pieces and he blurted out "uh oh, uh oh."

The One Year Mark

2010-02-21T22:36:00.009-07:00

The last week of February marked one year in business as Immigration Solutions LLC. During this first year I have had paying clients from the following countries:

Burkina Faso

Colombia

Cuba

El Salvador

Ethiopia

Gabon

The Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Iraq

Mexico

Peru

United States

Mexican states represented include:

Aguascalientes
Chihuahua
Distrito Federal
Durango
Estado de Mexico
Guanajuato
Hidalgo
Jalisco
Michoacan
Morelos
Nuevo Leon
Tamaulipas
Veracruz
Zacatecas

Thank you, Lord, for an interesting first year! I have learned about countries I didn't know existed, and have helped people file for immigration benefits I thought only attorneys could do. I wonder what next year will bring...??

Pink Eye

2010-02-06T23:22:00.004-07:00

My baby woke up one morning last spring with his eyes almost plastered shut from yellow eye gunk. The area around his eye was red and swollen, and over the next couple days the whites of his eye were pink. Here's what I did:

I brewed some double strength chamomile tea. Every other hour, I dipped clean cotton balls in the tea, squeezed some tea into the corner of my baby's eye, then wiped the gunk out of his eye.
Every other hour (when I wasn't applying chamomile tea), I expressed 5-7 drops of breast milk into the corner of my baby's eye. The anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties of breast milk are amazing! Knowing how to hand express breast milk is not only useful to relieve engorgement, but is also helpful to heal infections like pink eye and prevent infections in scrapes and cuts. Click here for a step-by-step guide to hand expression. The most important thing to remember is that the milk sinuses are behind the areola - not in the nipple. Squeezing the nipple will only give you a sore nipple, so make sure you are placing all the pressure on the areola.

After two days of chamomile tea and breast milk, my baby's eye was back to normal. If you have effectively used any other natural remedies for pink eye, I'd love to hear about them!

A Month in Our Life: January 2010

2010-02-03T23:07:00.010-07:00

A sample weekday:

6:00 - Mama and baby wake up before the sun. Within about 10 seconds, baby is full of energy and ready to start the day. Baby uses the potty in the bathroom. Mama and baby read books together.

6:45 - Baby helps mama make breakfast by operating the coffee grinder (to grind flax seed). Mama and baby eat breakfast. Baby knocks on Erika's door to play with her and her cat. Baby says goodbye to Erika, which usually "requires" putting on Ticha's hat and scarf.

7:30 - Mama does the dishes, tidies the bedroom, folds the diapers, packs our bags, and gets ready. Baby plays with Ticha, the most creative person I've ever met. They make houses for cat toys (including one named "Pink Ears"), play hide and seek, roll hand weights in the hallway, make car ramps out of old suitcases in the living room, and clomp around the house in Ticha's high heels or Erika's boots.

8:45 - Mama and baby play outside. We usually head to the alley, look inside every garbage can in sight, run up and down dirt piles, jump off tree trunks, slide on the ice, and play with rubber bands stashed in a box next to a neighbor's recycle bin.

9:45 - Baby plays with Ticha some more. Mama packs lunch and loads the car.

10:00 - Mama and baby leave for the office. Baby naps in the car. Once parked at the office, mama does her Bible study and takes a short nap.

12:00 - Mama sets up the office. Mama and baby eat lunch. On Fridays, mama treats Estela and baby to tortas or huaraches from Rancho Liborio.

1:00 - Mama and baby play together. This usually involves chasing each other around the office, "vacuuming" the carpet, climbing all over mama as if playing in a jungle gym, making a ruckus with musical instruments, pushing trucks, throwing balls, practicing putting keys in the door and clicking the Ergo together, turning the lights on and off, and reading lots of books. Periodically during the day, baby blurts out the words "dot" or "cuckoo" or "crash-bang-boom" and then peals with laughter.

3:00 - Mama and baby walk around the neighborhood and talk to "the usual suspects." Baby seems to be learning at least two new words a day, and his all time favorite right now is "hat." On the way to the post office every day, we walk by a group of day laborers waiting for work, and since it is cold outside they usually all have hats or hoods on. Baby likes to point/wave to each man in turn and announce "hat."

3:30 - Mama and baby play together some more in the office. Baby announces he's ready for a snack by saying "eat," announces he needs to go potty by patting his diaper, and announces he's already gone potty by taking his diaper off.

5:30 - Mama and baby eat dinner. Mama tidies up the office. While listening to lullaby music, baby gets ready for bed, and mama and baby read together. Last thing before leaving the office, we tuck the stuffed monkey under a "blanket" and give it a smooch and say night night.

7:15 - Mama and baby leave the office. Baby falls asleep in the car.

8:00 - Once home, mama eats another dinner, does laundry, works on business stuff, then hopefully has a little time to relax and read before soaking the next morning's breakfast.

10:30 - Mama crawls into bed with baby.

Babywearing 103: Carriers

2010-01-20T22:50:00.012-07:00

Carriers are structured baby-wearing contraptions.

Pros: The structure of a good carrier balances baby's weight over mama's hips and shoulders, so mama can wear baby comfortably for long stretches of time (hours and hours at a time). The structure of a good carrier places baby in a natural seated position, so that baby's spine and hips are not compressed. (Baby's bum is naturally lower than his knees when in this position.) A good carrier leaves mama completely hands-free, even when baby is nursing. A good carrier provides support (often a hood) to prevent baby's head from bobbing or jerking while asleep. Baby fits comfortably in most carriers from the newborn stage through toddlerhood (and beyond). Carriers are adjustable so that one size fits all adults. Many carriers come with instructional DVDs, which make learning how to use the carrier easy.

Cons: Carriers are more expensive than slings or wraps. Some carriers are only designed for baby to be facing in, not out. Some modern carriers are not designed for babies under four months (when they cannot hold their head up on their own). You can usually buy an "infant insert" for use during the early months, but these inserts aren't consistently easy to use.

Note: The popular Baby Bjorn and other similarly styled carriers do not provide most of the benefits listed above and are actually bad for mama's back, baby's back, baby's hips, and baby's genital area. When purchasing a carrier, it is important to make sure the carrier is structured so that baby is sitting in the carrier (not dangling unsupported), such that baby's bum is lower than baby's knees.

Variations: The waist band and shoulder straps of modern carriers connect with buckles. The waist band and shoulder straps of Asian back carriers connect with tied sashes.

Recommendations: For a modern carrier, the Ergo Baby Carrier (aptly named because it is designed to be ergonomically correct) consistently rates higher than all other carriers. For a less gear-like look, try the Beco Baby Carrier, which is currently rated second highest on www.DiaperPin.com. For an Asian back carrier, try the Kozy Carrier. The Ergo can be worn on the front (facing in), on the hip, and on the back. The Beco can be worn on the front (facing in) and on the back. The Kozy can be worn on the front (facing in and facing out), on the hip, and on the back.

I wore my baby in an Ergo Baby Carrier on and off from the time my baby was about six weeks old until. From birth until about 10 months, we used the Moby Wrap as our go-to carrier. But at 10 months I switched to the Ergo because my baby was gaining weight rapidly and I felt the Ergo provided the best support for my back. To be honest, my baby disliked the Ergo for the first week or two of constant usage because he was used to being worn facing out. But he soon adjusted and loves it now. In fact, I think he has said the word "Ergo" this week more than any other word!

Front Carry

(Kozy Carrier)

(Beco Baby Carrier)

Side Carry

(Ergo Baby Carrier)

(Kozy Carrier)

Back Carry

(Ergo Baby Carrier)

(Beco Baby Carrier)

Two Babies at the Same Time

(Kozy Carrier)

Babywearing 102: Wraps

2010-01-16T20:51:00.017-07:00

Wraps are basically long pieces of fabric wrapped intricately around your body. The sight of 6 yards of cloth piled in your hands may at first be intimidating, but don't despair! With just a little practice you can master this superbly comfortable way of wearing your baby. First, practice wrapping and tying the cloth around your body. Once you've got that down pat, practice placing a stuffed animal or rolled up bath towel into the wrap. After you feel semi-comfortable doing that, place your baby into the wrap. While it is more difficult to learn than other ways of carrying your baby, it is well worth the effort! The Moby Wrap quickly became our favorite carrier and faithfully served as our go-to carrier for my baby's first 10 months of life outside the womb.

Wraps are unbelievably comfortable for both mama and baby. Baby's weight is evenly distributed across both of mama's shoulders and her back, giving mama hours of comfortable baby-wearing time. The fabric is more comfy than a favorite t-shirt and hugs mama and baby perfectly, regardless of size or shape. And wraps are also fantastic nursing covers. If mama is wearing the wrap (empty) and nursing her baby in her arms, the folds of the wrap naturally fall to cover baby's head and mama's entire chest area.

Wraps are especially beneficial for premature babies and babies with breastfeeding challenges. Both groups of babies need lots of skin-to-skin contact and "kangaroo care" is an easy way to provide that contact for long stretches of time (hands free). Mama takes off baby's clothes (except perhaps a diaper) and places baby into a wrap directly on her bare chest - the wrap covers mama's torso, so a casual observer would never suspect she was not wearing a shirt. Skin-to-skin touch regulates baby's heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones, and body temperature. Mama's chest temperature actually changes to meet her baby's needs, and research shows that kangaroo care is more effective at keeping baby warm than a traditional preemie incubator!

The downside to wraps is the time it takes to put them on. A mama can partially compensate for this by putting the wrap on when she first needs it and leaving it on throughout the day (whether or not baby is in the wrap).

For a comfortable fit and no back strain, baby's bum should hit at or just above mama's belly button. And baby's bum should always, always, always be lower than baby's knees. This protects baby's spine, genital area, and hip alignment.

Click here to watch a great video demonstating how to wrap a Moby Wrap around your body and place your baby in the wrap in the hug hold.

Click on the pictures below to see step-by-step instructions for each of these holds. Of course, this is just a sampling of the great variety of ways you can wear your baby in a wrap. Next on our agenda is figuring out the hike hold on my back.

Cradle Hold

Twin Cradle Hold

Newborn Hug Hold

Hug Hold

Lotus Hold

Sling Hold

Baby K'Tan
The Baby K'Tan is like a wrap without the wrapping. It takes only 5-7 seconds to put on, so is a great alternative to a sling for easy, around-the-house wear. Because baby's weight is distributed on mama's shoulders and back, it is also great for short jaunts out and about. However, it's not as comfortable as a regular wrap for long stretches of time.

Babywearing 101: Slings

2010-01-13T22:49:00.013-07:00

Slings are basically strips or tubes of fabric worn over one shoulder and down to the opposite hip. Slings' best selling point is their ease of use: mama only needs about 2-5 seconds to put one on. They are fairly compact, so mama can easily stash one in an otherwise full diaper bag. And many sling styles have built-in pockets that fit a set of keys and small wallet, or even a diaper, for baby wearing on the go. On the downside, slings can become uncomfortable when wearing baby for a long stretch of time. And while bending down or actively working around the house, mama may need to lightly support baby with one hand, rendering the sling not entirely hands-free. Because most slings come in different sizes for different sized adults, mama may not be able to share her sling with another adult.

Because slings are so quick and easy to use, I like to wear my baby in a sling for short periods of time around the house. For a comfortable fit and no back strain, a sling should feel snug (almost as if it might be just a tad too small) and baby's bum should hit at or just above mama's belly button. Virtually all retailers have helpful sizing information, detailed wearing instructions, and great return policies. What works for one mama may not work the same for another mama - it's helpful and a lot of fun to buy a variety of baby carriers, try each one, then keep the one(s) you love the best.

Last, but perhaps most important, baby's bum should always, always, always be lower than baby's knees. This protects baby's spine, genital area, and hip alignment.

Types of slings

Basic pouch sling

(Cute Slings Baby Sling in the Cradle Carry position)
Pros: No adjustments necessary. Folds up tiny for stashing just about anywhere.
Cons: Cannot be adjusted, so some mamas may have trouble getting a perfect fit.
Variations: no padding vs. light padding (just where a toddler's legs hang)
Good brands: For a sling with no padding, try a New Native Baby Carrier. For a sling with light padding, try a Cute Slings Baby Sling.

Adjustable pouch sling

(Kangaroo Corner Adjustable Fleece Pouch in the Tummy to Tummy position)
Pros: Size is adjustable to accommodate weight loss/gain or clothing layers.
Cons: The snap or zipper adds just enough bulk that it is tough for narrow-shouldered adults to make the adjustments necessary to prevent the sling from sliding down the shoulder.
Good brands: My friend Ginny loves the Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch! They also carry other fabric types, including a mesh pouch for water use.

Ring sling

(Zolowear Ring Sling in the Tummy to Tummy position)
Pros: Size is adjustable to accommodate weight loss/gain or clothing layers. The long tail can serve as a built-in nursing cover.
Cons: Because there is a limit on how much padding can fit through a ring, extra small women may not be able to completely tighten a fully padded sling.
Variations: no padding vs. light padding vs. full padding (along the edge of the fabric)
Good brands: For a sling with no padding, try a Zolowear Ring Sling. For a sling with light padding, try a Maya Wrap Lightly Padded Sling. For a sling with full padding, try the Balboa Baby Adjustable Sling.

Sling positions

Cradle carry - Baby is inside the pouch, cradled in the fetal position. This is a great position for newborns.

(New Native Baby Carrier)

Tummy to tummy - Baby is inside the pouch, upright and facing mama. This is a great position for babies of all ages, but especially newborns who prefer being upright (not horizontal).

(Zolowear Ring Sling)

Kangaroo carry - Baby is inside the pouch, upright and facing out. This is a great position for babies who can hold their heads up.

(Maya Wrap Lightly Padded Sling)

Hip carry - Baby is straddling mama's hip and the sling fabric forms a seat under his bum, holding baby tight enough to mama's body that she can be hands free. This is my favorite position for toddlers.

(Cute Slings Baby Sling)

Back carry - Baby is straddling mama's back and the sling fabric forms a seat under his bum, holding baby tight enough to mama's body that she can be hands free. This is a great position for toddlers, but is also a popular position for newborns in African cultures.

(Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch)

Why I Wear My Baby Part 2

2010-01-09T22:27:00.004-07:00

A baby spends the first nine months of his life inside his mama. Giving baby another nine months outside (but on) mama is a gentle way to introduce him to life outside the womb.

Baby hears mama's heartbeat, feels safe and nurtured, easily develops a strong emotional bond and secure attachment to mama, has a bird's eye view of the world, interacts with others in mama's surroundings, and enjoys an increased amount of quiet alert time. According to the famous pediatrician Dr. Sears, "sling babies" cry less, learn more, are more organized, get "humanized" earlier, and are smarter than non-sling babies.

On the flip side, mama is inherently more available and responsive to baby, and can carry baby comfortably and hands-free. Mama can cook, clean, do laundry, go grocery shopping, take a walk, care for other children, nurse discreetly, and on, and on, and on, all while wearing baby. Baby wearing is especially helpful for mamas of high needs babies (babies who have a greater than normal need to be held and nurse - often virtually nonstop).

My baby is now 18 months and I still wear him throughout the day - when he wants to see what I'm doing in the kitchen, when I want to take a walk or go hiking, when he needs a little extra calm cuddle time, when we're in an area that's not safe for babies, when I think he's getting sleepy... ... ... In fact, his newest word this week is Ergo!

Why I Wear My Baby Part 1

2010-01-06T22:59:00.005-07:00

I read this article by Serene Allison before I was pregnant, and it revolutionized the way I viewed motherhood. It was originally printed in the November 2005 edition of Above Rubies. (You can find other great articles at www.AboveRubies.org.)

Plastic or Natural?

"So you're almost about to pop! Do you have everything you need for the new arrival?" a sweet lady asked a day before my due date. I'll have to admit I did not have a beautifully painted nursery, a lovely wooden crib with matching bedding that harmonized with the pastel of the walls and curtains. I had no perfectly folded piles of blue or pink layettes and outfits. I didn't have a cloet full of baby paraphernalia... walker, swing, bouncer and playpen. I didn't have a set of baby monitors, a package of pacifiers, or the latest vented bottles in case of supplemented feedings. I had a couple of yellow onesies and a pair or two of yellow socks. So what did I repl to the earnest soul who looked so eager to help out. Yes, I've got everything I need!"

"What?" you may shriek! "You've got nothing!" "Why didn't you drop a few hints her way and snag some of these necessities. You're not prepared at all!"

Raw and Unadulterated

You see, I didn't need all that fad-dangled cluttering stuff that complexifies my mothering. I had everything I needed to nurture my sweet babe through its early childhood. I already owned the top of the line designer baby equipment. God designed my body with what I needed to nurture my baby while on the inside and He also designed it to have everything I needed to mother on the outside.

God gave me breasts, comfy pillows which are not only baby's favorite nest but which bring complete satisfaction to his every sucking need. Breastfeeding goes far beyond its main function of filling their little tummies with warm nutritious sweet milk of perfection. There is no need for me to worry about pacifiers that are always getting lost or bottles you have to fill, warm, clean and sterilize. Why would I want this bothersome stuff?

He gave me, as a woman, a tender voice my baby has grown to love. No need for lullaby tapes and musical toys or teddy bears with recorded heart beats - all dust catchers! I love to watch my baby, as he nurses at my breast, be calmed and sedated by the sound of what is most beautiful to him. As I sing to this captivated audience of one, his eyes begin to roll back and his lids grow heavy. As I continue to hum, the warm breath that carries his favorite tune blows a gentle breeze of love across his sleepy face. These are the joys of motherhood ... raw and unadulterated ... uncluttered by plastic mechanical objects that can never come close to what a baby really wants.

Mothers Are God's Perfect Design

Swings and things that chime and vibrate with colored flashing lights and recorded tunes are man's design. Mothers are God's perfect design for the job. I am not saying that these things are all bad and that a mother can't benefit from popping the baby in a contraption so she can go to the toilet by herself, take a shower or fix dinner, but they are not the necessities our modern world has made them out to be. They should never take the place of mother.

The sad fact is there is now an imbalance of "thing mothering" rather than "human mothering". There is nothing wrong with a few inventions to assist us. The problem is when we let them replace us!

This brings me to my next point. God created us with arms and hands with dexterous ability. He designed them to be used. Proverbs 31:17 tells us that the virtuous woman "strengthens her arms." God does not want us to let our arms get fat and floppy. Let's bench press that baby and get a good workout and a few giggles and goo-gahs to boot!

Plastic Mothering or Human Mothering

I have seen some babies who are hardly ever out of a plastic contraption. It's so sad. I call it plastic mothering. They get wheeled around in a stroller, plopped in a plastic swing and then into a car seat from which they are hardly removed except for a diaper change. Mothers are more often seen lugging cumbersome car seats around with their babies inside instead of simply holding them skin to skin. Some are even fed their bottle in their car seat. They bring their car seats inside everywhere they go. They are no longer car seats but "everywhere seats."

Babies are happiest being worn on your body. I say "worn" because I believe my baby is the most beautiful part of my appearance. I hate being out in town or in church without my gorgeous chubster beaming a huge smile from within the security of my arms.

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to wear your baby but still be free to be the "mummy on the go" - to run (I mean literally) after a bunch of rowdy children, get a toddler out of a tree, go grocery shopping, or even speed walk four miles up and down hills, all the while wearing your baby snugly and comfortably next to your heart. Imagine if there was an invention that made carrying a toddler feel like a featherweight, even for extended hours of "baby wearing." Or, nurse a fussy babe, even while shopping, with discreet coverage and arms completely free.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were such an invention to prevent my shoulders and back from screaming out for mercy after an hour of wearing my baby like most carriers? It would be perfection if there was such an invention that could be used from birth to late toddler hood - front, back, sideways or whichever way I fancied.

Well, I've found it. Christmas has come for all mothers who love to "wear" their baby but have tried the slings, back packs, front packs and ordered many fad-dangled baby carriers that down-right hurt and give you a headache.

Personally, I am an avid baby wearer. I collect slings and baby carriers from around the world and have tried the whole gamut. I have used the many yards of material that you fold in strange configurations and wrap you and your baby up like mummies. I've owned an excellent hiking backpack, with a very light alloy frame, but the baby wasn't close to my skin. I couldn't nurse the baby and I had to wear a beanie on my head in the middle of summer as the baby sat high enough to pull my hair out in tufts.

Slings are wonderful and I was somewhat content with a very top brand a friend bestowed upon me. Yes, I still had some troubleshooting. My shoulder and upper back ached fiercely after an hour and I still wasn't hands free. I had to support my baby when I bent down to dress a toddler or load the washing machine. It grew very painful on strenuous exercise walks but it was all I knew. I didn't complain and enjoyed wearing my baby...UNTIL I discovered the "Ergo" (named appropriately because it is designed to be ergonomically correct for you and your baby's back and chiropractic recommended.)

Pot of Gold

ALL MY CHRISTMASES CAME AT ONCE! I can now wear my baby on a four mile hike, come home and clean the house, vacuum, reach high and low, do all the laundry, dance around the lounge with my little ones, go picking blueberries or hunt for insects with my boys, cook (or uncook) dinner and do the dishes. I can nurse free-handed and keep on trucking, even go to the restroom, all while wearing my baby in the Ergo. My back and shoulders don't need a rest and I can forget I even have the baby.

Attachment style mothering has now become as easy as toting around a feather.

My sister-in-law is petite in stature but has a huge heifer of a baby. We call him "Harry Hamhock" as his thighs are good 'n meaty. He didn't like her to put him down and I could see her tired arms at the end of the day. I told her about the Ergo and she is now as happy as her sweet baby. She wears him all day and never grows tired.

My sister, Pearl always fretted when taking her baby to the grocery store, as she would suck on the rail of the shopping cart, the worst place for babies, toddlers and children to pick up germs. Her baby often brought a cold home from the store with her.

Slings make you want to scream by the end of a long grocery trip and you still are not completely hands free to fill your cart and keep toddlers in tow. Pearl always dreaded grocery day until the Ergo.

It sounds too good to be true. I did not believe it until I tried it for myself. In my search for the best baby carrier, worldwide, I always felt a little dissatisfied. My husband would say, as I begged him into buying yet another sling or carrier, that I wouldn't be content until it felt like I was carrying a feather and not a baby. He thought my search would never be through. But I have found my pot of gold and I am finally satisfied.

So, when that sweet lady asked me, "Are you prepared?" and by the world's standards I was not so, I could reply with a resounding and confident ...

"Yes, I've got my set of milkers and an Ergo - and that's all I need!"

Serene Allison

Primm Springs, Tennessee

New Year's Resolution

2010-01-04T21:22:00.004-07:00

For my soul to prosper more than my physical health.

"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."
-3 John 2

A Month in Our Life: December 2009

2010-01-02T00:23:00.007-07:00

Our one and only vacation in 2009 was a fantastically relaxing two week trip home to the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Oh, how I miss the gray, cloudy skies and the green, green, green everywhere you look! We spent lots of time outside hauling tree branches, taking lots and lots of wheelbarrow rides, jumping off tree stumps, stepping on mole hills, and visiting the three black sheep next door to my mom's house.

My baby's new favorite game is playing "where is...[mama's eye, ear, nose, arm...the bunny rabbit, zebra, birdie, goldfish]." His vocabulary virtually exploded in the two weeks we were gone. The most often uttered word while in the Seattle area: Great Gran (pronounced goo-tee). Take a listen!

Visiting with Great Gran

Relaxing with Grandma

Playing with Auntie Amber and my baby's new favorite toy: Great Gran's walker

My two brothers had to work Christmas (in Las Vegas and Grand Rapids), so we didn't get to see them or their families. However, there were four packages from out of town to open, including the new set of dishes/silverware featured below. My baby won't have to eat off my plate any more!

Thank you everyone for all the thoughtful gifts! We love you all!!

Santa Pictures

2009-12-22T22:43:00.005-07:00

This year:

Compared to last year:

Sprouting Grains

2009-12-16T21:18:00.008-07:00

Like soaking grains, sprouting breaks down phytic acid, neutralizes enzyme enhibitors, and makes grain proteins more easily digestible by the body. In addition, sprouting drastically increases the vitamin and protein content of grains, and adds an important live food factor to meals. Sprouted grains are a great base for hearty salads or raw porridge. They can also be dehydrated and ground for an extra nutritious flour. Sprouting is easy and fun! Simply:

Place desired amount of whole grains in a jar and fill with cool water.

Cover jar with a cotton cloth or cheesecloth. Secure in place with a rubber band.

Let sit overnight.

Pour contents of jar into a wire mesh strainer. Rinse well under the faucet.

Cover with a cotton cloth.

Rinse every morning and night until the grain has sprouted.

Different grains take different lenghts of time to sprout. For example, my quinoa usually sprouts in 1/2 day, buckwheat in 2 days, and wheat in 3 days, etc. Air tempurature and humidity often play a factor in the length of time it takes a grain to sprout. Unfortunately, oat groats do not sprout. To store sprouted grains, place in a ziplock bag lined with paper towels and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Soaking Grains

2009-12-13T22:05:00.008-07:00

Soaking grains allows enzymes, good bacteria, and other organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid. This neutralization allows the body to absorb all the grain's naturally occurring nutrients. Soaking also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and encourages production of beneficial enzymes, which further increase the grain's natural vitamin content. In addition, soaking breaks down gluten and other proteins into simpler forms that are more easily absorbed by the body. For best results, soak grains for at least 7 hours in warm water with a small amount of acidic substance (lemon juice, vinegar, or whey).
To soak grains:

Place desired amount of grain in a pot. Add an equal amount of water. (If you start with 1 cup grain, add 1 cup water.) Add a splash ofwhey, raw apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice. (Use approximately 1 tablespoon acidic substance for every 2 cups of grain.)
Cover the pot and let sit for 7-24 hours.
Add a pinch of salt and an equal amount of water. (If you started with 1 cup of grain and 1 cup of water, add another cup of water.)
Bring to a boil and cook as appropriate for the grain type.

The yield is typically twice the starting amount. (If you started with 1 cup of grain, you will end up with about 2 cups of cooked grain.)

Rolled or cracked cereals cook up much quicker when soaked than when not soaked - literally a couple of minutes in high altitudes. My usual weekday breakfast:

1 cup cooked cereal grain: cracked, rolled, or ground oats, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, cornmeal, rice, or millet (or a combination of two or more grains)
1-2 T extra virgin coconut oil
1 T natural sweetener: raw honey, pure maple syrup, pomegranite molasses
1-2 T freshly ground flaxseeds
1 T bee pollen
1 handful raw nuts: walnuts, pecans, or chopped almonds
1 handful fresh, frozen, or dried fruit

Grinding flaxseeds...

...for this morning's breakfast.

Grains

2009-12-08T23:47:00.004-07:00

Grain Anatomy: A kernel of grain consists of a hull, bran, endosperm, and embryo.

The hull (chaff) protects the inner parts of the kernel while it grows on the plant, but is an irritant and has no nutritional value and so is discarded after harvesting.
The bran contains cellulose (which gives a kernel its storage life) and nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and digestive enzymes). The outer bran layers contain lots of cellulose and a little bit of nutrients, and moving in the layers contain progressively less cellulose and progressively more nutrients. Once the cellulose in the outside bran layer has been penetrated, the nutrients in the inner layers start to deteriorate.
The endosperm is the starchy part of the grain. It nourishes the embryo before the plant’s leaves begin photosynthesis.
The embryo (germ) sprouts into leaves and roots when germinated. It is high in vitamin B, vitamin E, essential fats, and proteins.

Trivia: In the 1800s, many cultures began removing brown rice’s outer layer to create white rice. At the same time, the incidence of heart disease and nervous system diseases skyrocketed. In 1890, a Dutch doctor recognized the connection between those who ate this “polished” rice and those who suffered from the disease heriberi. He prescribed rice bran “waste” and his patients recovered. Researchers later identified thiamine as the vital ingredient in rice bran. The word “vitamin” originated from the phrase “vital amine.”

Problem: In order to create a flour product that doesn’t need to be refrigerated or frozen, manufacturers remove the embryo of the grain (“de-germinate” the kernel). To extend shelf-life, they further process the grain to remove the nutrients and fiber that spoil quickly. The end product contains approximately 10 percent of the original nutrients. Manufacturers often “enrich” the stripped flour by adding chemical versions of some of the removed nutrients. However, because these chemicals are created in a lab and not nature, they are not easily absorbed by the body and are sometimes toxic. To create white flour, manufacturers go a step further and bleach the flour with numerous chemicals, many of which are toxic and disease-causing. In all, white flour has undergone approximately 20 separate processing steps before reaching the grocery store shelf. Even non-white flour, however, has undergone numerous processing steps that render it nutrient deficient at best and toxic at worst, especially if sold at room temperature.

Solution: Purchase a grain mill or Vita-Mix blender to grind your own flour from whole grains. Store the freshly ground flour in the refrigerator or freezer.

Problem: To create boxed breakfast cereals (including granola), manufacturers subject grain to unnaturally high temperatures and pressures so as to form flakes and other shapes. Like flour, this processing destroys nutrients, causes the natural oils to go rancid, and makes some of the natural proteins toxic.

Solution: Cook your own breakfast cereal from whole, cracked, rolled, or ground grains. Try oats, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, cornmeal, rice, or millet. Top with freshly ground flax seed; bee pollen; extra virgin coconut oil; raw honey or pure maple syrup; chopped raw nuts; and fresh, frozen, or dried fruit. Very yummy and much cheaper than store-bought cereal!

Problem: All grains contain phytic acid. Untreated phytic acid combines with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc in the intestinal tract and blocks their absorption into the body. This can lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. Whole grains also contain enzyme inhibitors, which prevent the body from utilizing the enzymes naturally present in the grain. Grain proteins, especially those found in gluten grains are difficult to digest. Regularly over-straining the digestive system with gluten-containing whole grains can result in allergies, celiac disease, and yeast overgrowth.

Solution: Soak, sprout, or ferment whole grains before cooking them. Soaking, sprouting, or fermenting grains allows enzymes, lactobacilli (an important type of good bacteria), and other organisms to break down and neutralize the phytic acid. Soaking, sprouting, or fermenting also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and encourages production of beneficial enzymes, which further increases the grain’s vitamin content (especially the B vitamins). In addition, soaking, sprouting, or fermenting breaks down gluten and other proteins into simpler forms that are more easily absorbed by the body.

Peppermint

2009-12-04T17:29:00.010-07:00

Peppermint is my favorite tummy herb - a quick fix for common digestive problems.

Var. Vulgaris Wild Peppermint
Giclee Print

History
At Greek and Roman feasts, revelers crowned themselves with peppermint and enjoyed broths, sauces, ans wines flavored with the herb. Ancient Athenians perfumed each part of their bodies with a different scent, with mint scenting their arms. Ancient cultures also used mint as a restorative (the precursor to smelling salts).

One of the oldest remedies for colic and indigestion, it was officially admitted to the London Pharmacopeia in 1721 and the English began its commercial cultivation in 1750.

Healing Properties
A member of the mint family, peppermint has the following properties:

Antacid - corrects overly acidic stomach or bowels, alkalizes blood
Anti-emetic - relieves nausea
Anti-inflammatory - reduces inflammation
Antiviral - destroys viruses
Anti-spasmotic - relieves nervous irritation, muscle spasms, convulsions, and cramps
Diaphoretic - promotes perspiration, thus detoxing and lowering body temperature
Expectorant - eliminates mucus from the throat and lungs
Febrifuge - reduces fever
Nervine - relieves pain, soothes nerves, supports the nervous system

Peppermint is effective against such conditions as asthma, bad breath, bloating, bronchitis, burping, colic, the common cold, diarrhea, digestive problems and gas, dizziness, dry coughs, fainting, fatigue, fever, the flu, headaches, heartburn, herpes, hiccups, indigestion, irritable bowel, laryngitis, menstrual cramps, motion sickness, nausea, nerves, sinus congestion, sore throat, toothache, and vomiting.

An "activator," peppermint also enhances the medicinal properties of other herbs.

Description
Peppermint leaves and essential oil distilled from fresh cut peppermint contain multiple healing properties. Major components of the oil are menthol, menthone, and menthyl acetate.

Many members of the mint family closely resemble each other, at times making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. However, because mints share many of the same properties, substituting one type of mint for another typically results in similar medicinal effects. Spearmint is a bit milder than peppermint and can effectively be substituted in children's remedies.

Preparation
Everyone can use peppermint, including babies and pregnant and nursing mamas.

My favorite preparation using peppermint leaves is tea. Simply brew a cup (or quart) of tea and enjoy as needed!

Peppermint essential oil can be placed directly (undiluted) on the skin and is also safe for internal use. To ease a headache, rub a couple drops of oil onto your temples. To ease a toothache, rub a drop onto your gums. To eliminate bad breath, place a single drop of essential oil directly on your tongue or drink a small cup of warm water mixed with 1-5 drops oil.

Strategically place fresh peppermint leaves or cloths scented with peppermint oil as a deterrent against ants, mice, and other rodents.

A Month in Our Life: November 2009

2009-11-30T18:23:00.006-07:00

Truly a month for thanksgiving, November brought us a new home with new roommates: Erika, Ticha, Andy, and two cats. I am so thankful for their generous hearts and offer to share their tiny, new (to them) home with two new people. We now live in a house where I can cook in the kitchen, do laundry, and play with my baby all at the same time. Each of our new roommates loves my baby (well, except the cats, although one seems to be warming up to him) and he loves playing with each of them. This makes for a wonderful gift of spare snippets of time where I can easily wash the dishes or organize a corner of the closet. Thank you!

This move also means we are officially out of the burbs and into the Denver city limits. It's a far cry from living in DC - we're certainly not in the hood - but we are no longer surrounded by the materialistic excess that defines so much of the suburbs. Of course, we will miss Oma and Opa and Shooter the dog, as well as our friend and neighbor Lisa and her three super fun, rambunctious boys.

The past month was a huge boom months for my baby's vocabulary. We seem to have moved from A words to B words: bread and ball-ball and Bible and baby (meaning all children, not just babies) are favorites. But the all time favorite word of the month is basura (trash in Spanish).

My baby actually runs down the sidewalk and turns into the alley yelling bura, bura because he knows there are dumpsters around the corner! He tells me pee pee and poo poo, refers to all fruit as apple, and said his first three-syllable word: Erika (who owns our new home).

A few pictures demonstrating other fun activities this month:

Mamatoto - The First Year

2009-11-14T21:59:00.012-07:00

June 25, 2008 - June 25, 2009

1 hour

1 day

1 week

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

1 year

Mamatoto

2009-11-08T20:47:00.007-07:00

People often tell me, "I bet you can't wait until your baby is old enough for school, then you'll have some time to yourself." Actually, they're wrong. I often feel nobody understands what I am doing or why I am doing it. But nobody really needs to understand my life or even like it. I am responsible to God alone for how I raise my child. This article by Evangeline Johnson, printed in the November 2005 edition of Above Rubies, always encourages me to keep a godly perspective of motherhood. (You can find other great articles at www.AboveRubies.org.)

Friends With Who?

Are you amused by printed warnings that are apparently obvious? Warnings like "Do not put fingers in food processor" or the one I saw on the side of a septic tank, "No swimming allowed." Well, lo and behold, to add to the collection, I found one in the Bible. I laughed right out loud before I could help it.

It is in Titus 2, the famous passage where we are told to love our children. Have you ever stopped to think about that? Of course, all mothers love their children! Why tell them to do something they already do? Barring a few twisted women, all mothers would die for their children. What an obvious thing to write.

I thought I had better investigate. I found that the Greek word for love in this verse is philoteknos which literally means "to be a friend to your children." Her's the crutch. It's easy to love, but are we their friend?

The human heart cries out for friendship and God designs it to be met by... not the TV, not the dog... but the mother. The mother is God's first display of friendship to the world. Why? So our children will know how to be friends with God and friends to the people around them. By doing this, we either make or break society. We literally affect our whole culture. Instead of being a redundant statement in the Bible, it is one of the most important!

Friendship, at its most basic level, is hard to come by in today's families. Yet it is the highest cry of the human heart. What do friends do? They want to hang out together. But what do we see today? Children hanging out with TV... children hanging out with anything or anyone but their mother. Statistics reveal that over 50 percent of children less than two years of age have a TV in their bedroom!

The latest figures, via internet, show that in the last 30 years the average time parents spend with their children has dropped by 40 percent. This tells me that friendship has literally been shipped out the door. Our lives have become too busy!

Webster's Dictionary defines friendship three ways:

1.One who is attached to another by affection, which leads him to desire his company.
Are we attached or detached? My friend has a saying, "Wherever you are, be there!" We can easily miss the relationships we have right now by not embracing the present. Do we desire the company of our children or are we tolerating them until bedtime?

You may say, "Look, lady, "I'm around them all the frantic day. What do you want from me?"

What I propose is to "hang out" with your children, just like best friends, for one week! Lay down the phone from all your other friends and acquaintances and symbolically get on the phone to your children! Include them in whatever you are doing.

Boswell, the famous biographer of Samuel Johnson wrote about the best day of his life. It occurred one day when his dad went fishing with him. Boswell said that day changed his life forever. The rest of childhood was a blur, but that day..."that day my Dad was a friend to me and I learned what life was about through example." Some historian decided to track down the diary of Boswell's father to see how he reflected on the most important day of his famous son's life. The entry read, "Went fishing today - a whole day wasted!"

A lot of mothers think they are wasting their time. No, you are not! "But I'm cleaning my house, shining my tea pot." Many mothers are more of a friend to their house than their children. Yes, we must keep house, but you will notice that is further down the list in Titus 2 than loving your children. God always puts things in order of importance.

When we were first married my husband said, "We will include our children in everything we do. If we can't we won't do it!" Consequently, our children have gone to a lot of things other children have never gone to, and we have not gone to a lot of things that we could have gone to. Our children have learned to sleep anywhere and behave well. Remember the Word does not say to make friends with the church functions but with out children.

2.A companion who is kind, promoting the good of the other.

Friendhsip comes before discipline and order. Before you freak, let me explain. I am a firm believer in complete obedience. That goes without saying! However, it is far better to have friendship, than everything perfect with no relationship. That is dead meat!

Some belive that to be "buddy, buddy" with you child destroys order. Wrong. Do I propose they should start calling me by my first name? No. Respect is a must! Respect and obedience must come out of trusted friendship. They will then realize that discipline comes out of desiring to see the best for them. Discipline without relatinoship breeds rejection, which is the seedbed of rebellion. You may be able to enforce external compliance, but without friendship there is no real heart change. They might be sitting down on the outside, but they will still be standing up on the inside. Submission is a heart issue. No child on earth submits his heart willingly without the love of frienship.

3.Having a favorable opinion of them, noble opinion from a pure source.

Some friends tear each other down like it's their favorite thing to do. True friendships encourage each other - daily! Everybody yearns to be validated, worth-while and encouraged. I grew up on it. If children don't get it in the family, they will look for it somewhere else.

I have often thought that it would be great if every person could have their own funeral service before they die! I long for people to hear the beautiful words people say about them at their funerals, words they should have heard while they were alive. If only they knew how much they were loved, how talented they were, how beautiful they were etc. Let's not wait. Children long for encouragement and friendship from their mother.

There is a level of trust in friendship that can be damaged by the following:

Outbursts of anger. And, on the flip side, the silent tratment. If anything kills friendship, it is these two. They are like a bad smell. We can put nice perfume on when we go out, but what if our children are getting stink bombs at home? Do not use your children as your emotional toxic waste dumps. Treat them like friends.
Betrayed confidences. There is nothing worse than a child overhearing their mother talk badly about them to another person, even their father. It takes the very stuffing right out of them, then and there. Do not label your children, deal with them!
Favoritism. This is extremely destructive. If your friend treats another better than you, it sours your friendship pretty fast. It is the same with your children.

Remember the obvious, "Don't use your hair dryer while you are in the shower and do be a friend to your children."

Your friend Vangi!

Evangeline Johnson
Primm Springs, Tennessee
Howard and Evangeline's 10 children are Zadok, Sharar, Rashida, Crusoe, Jireh, Arrow, Tiveria, Sahara, Iqara, and Saber Truth.

Dairy

2009-11-03T21:55:00.004-07:00

Problem: To pasteurize milk, workers heat it to 160 degrees for 45 minutes. This heating process not only kills bad bacteria, it also kills good bacteria, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. and alters the milk proteins, fatty acids, and amino acids. It destroys 50% of calcium, 50% of magnesium, 66% of vitamin A, 60% of vitamin B-complex (including folic acid), 50% of vitamin C, 66% of vitamin D, 90% of enzymes, and 95% of amino acids, altering the remaining 5% of amino acids. The resulting lack of enzymes means that those people whose bodies don't produce lactase (the digestive enzyme necessary to digest the milk sugar lactose) on their own cannot consume dairy products (termed lactose intolerance). Furthermore, the altered milk proteins cause dairy allergies in many people.

Problem: Homogenization breaks up whole milk's large butterfat globules into tiny particles that are easily suspended in the milk. This results in milk that doesn't need to be stirred and has a longer shelf life. However, because the resulting fat molecules are so small, they easily pass through the intestinal wall directly into the blood stream, where they build up as plaque inside arteries.

Problem: Today's dairy farmers inject their cows with antibiotics and growth hormones that unnaturally raise milk production from 500 pounds a year to 3,000 pounds a year. The milk produced by these cows is itself laced with hormones, which are often blamed for early onset of puberty, and antibiotics.

Solution: Organic raw milk. Modern sanitation standards, sterile holding tanks, milking technology, and bovine health standards have made pasteurization unnecessary in today's world. (At the time pasteurization was discovered, approximately 65% of cows had tuberculosis and 15% of cows had brucellosis.) Pasteurization typically drops the bacteria count to about 25,000 per cubic centimeter, but the count starts to rise as soon as the milk is cooled. (Because pasteurization also kills the good bacteria, they are less able to keep the bad bacteria count in check.) The FDA only requires the bacteria count be less than 75,000 at the time of sale. Certified raw milk, on the other hand, is required to have a bacteria count of less than 10,000. Therefore, raw milk is virtually guaranteed to have less bacteria than pasteurized milk. In fact, in the past several decades, all salmonella outbreaks and most listeria outbreaks traced to contaminated milk actually came from pasteurized milk.

Raw goat's milk is also a great alternative to cow's milk because it is significantly easier for humans to digest. While cow's milk digests in approximately 3 hours, goat's milk digests in only 20 minutes.

In What the Bible Says About Healthy Living, author Rex Russell, M.D., lists his milk preferences (from most preferable to least preferable) as follows:

Organic raw milk
Non-homogenized pasteurized milk
Pasteurized nonfat milk
Pasteurized homogenized milk

For local raw milk sources, visit www.RealMilk.com.

A Month in Our Life: October 2009

2009-10-31T22:57:00.009-06:00

October was a busy month for us!

New words include ball, balloon, vacuum, belly button, and up. Doggie now refers to all animals, not just dogs. Agua now refers to water, herbal tea, ice, and snow - smart baby to instinctively know these things are just different forms of water! The word for help has changed from "baby" to "all done," which at times leaves me feeling confused. And my baby counts to 2 twice in a row in Mandarin whenever he wants me to count things with him or read his favorite book, Freight Train (because we always count the wheels on each page). But there still is no word for me, his mama. On the other hand, the words I started to practice this month were "no tantrums." My baby understands most of what I say and loves searching for and "fetching" the Ergo, his Baby Legs, mama's boots, the blue bag, etc. So fun!

Favorite activities these days include sweeping, vacuuming, going for rides on suitcases, turning around in circles until he is dizzy, running while being chased, sitting on my shoulders, copying everything I do, and most of all "talking" on phones! He has even managed to (accidentally) make a couple calls and send a text message on different clients' phones. Anything works as a phone: remote controls, toy boats, even a crumpled up paper towel!!

Here is a picture montage of our month:

First haircut:
Before - After - The Proof

At the office:
Vacuuming - Suitcase ride

Copying mama:
Putting on shoes - Clipping his toenails

Cuddling with our friend and her cat:
(the only one he doesn't call doggie)

Mama's birthday hike with our hiking buddy at Garden of the Gods:

Celebrating fall:

Celebrating fall with snow!?!:

And a quick video of a remote control-becomes-a-telephone:

Herbal Teas

2009-10-25T23:26:00.010-06:00

Herbal teas are an easy, quick, tasty way to enjoy the aromatic and medicinal properties of herbs. Loose herbs are more potent and much, much cheaper than store-bought tea bags. They're also more fun! When brewing tea with loose herbs, use 1-2 tablespoons of herb for each cup of water. Herbal tea dosages are as follows:

Newborn - 2 years: 2-3 teaspoons tea. Alternatively, a nursing mama can drink an adult dose just before breastfeeding, and the herbs will be transmitted to her baby through her breast milk.
2-6 years: 1/4 cup tea
6-12 years: 1/2 cup tea
12 years - adult: 1 cup tea

To brew a quart of flowers or leaves:

Place 1/4 cup herbs in a quart mason jar.

Pour just-boiled water over the herbs and cap the jar.

After 10 minutes, strain the herb mixture through a wire mesh colander.

Enjoy!

To brew a quart of bark or roots:

Measure 1/4 cup herbs.

Place herbs and 4 1/2 cups water in a pot on the stove. (The extra water allows for a bit of evaporation.) Bring to a slow boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain through a wire mesh colander.

Enjoy!

To make a single cup of tea:

Fill one half of a tea ball with herbs.

Place tea ball in a cup, wrap the chain around the cup's handle, and hook the chain to itself to keep in place. Pour just-boiled water over the herbs and let steep for 10 minutes.

Remove tea ball and enjoy!

For a cup of tea to go, place 1 tablespoon of herbs in a tea filter bag. Pour just-boiled water over the herbs and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bag and enjoy!

T-Sac Single Cup Tea Filter Bags

Responsive Breastfeeding Part 3

2009-10-17T22:50:00.003-06:00

A few final thoughts on why I practice responsive breastfeeding:

Sometimes I'm parched and drink a quart of water in a few gulps; sometimes I take tiny sips over the course of a few hours. I don't drink water on a schedule, so why should I make my baby drink on a schedule?
Sometimes I'm hungry an hour after eating a big meal; sometimes I'm not hungry for hours. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night ravenous; sometimes I don't feel hungry when I wake up in the morning. Sometimes I eat a lot; sometimes I eat a little. I don't eat my meals and snacks on a schedule, so why should I make my baby eat his meals and snacks on a schedule?
Friends and family don't give me hugs and words of comfort on a schedule. God doesn't comfort me on a schedule. So why should I provide my baby with the ultimate means of comfort on a schedule?

Our First Client Gets His Green Card!

2009-10-13T12:12:00.003-06:00

Responsive Breastfeeding Part 2

2009-10-10T15:55:00.003-06:00

I love this article written by Nancy Campbell. It is reprinted here with permission from Above Rubies. (You can find other great articles at www.AboveRubies.org.)

Why does my baby want to suck all the time?

I was full of great intentions as I set out to nurse my first baby—well over forty years ago! My mother was by my side to encourage me in the way she thought best—to feed my baby on a four-hourly schedule. But sadly, this way brought me heartache and frustration. Every time my baby woke before the four hours were up, I paced the floor in agony waiting to feed him. My heart ached while my baby cried. I was a desperate mother. And I ran out of milk! With such a little amount of sucking, there was no way to keep up a good milk supply. By the time my baby was three months, I was well on the way to weaning, plus feeding him as many solids as I could to fill him up. I felt a failure!

I still did not understand what was happening and thought I just didn’t have enough milk supply to feed a baby. Our next babies were twins and I nursed them for eight months. I could easily have nursed them longer, but weaned because we had to travel to a family wedding. It is sad to think about it now. I confess with great grief in my heart that although I loved my precious babies with all my heart, I realize now that because of my ignorance, they were not mothered sufficiently. They expressed this by self mothering. The two boys sucked their thumbs and my precious little girl sucked her bottom lip. They did this because they did not get their sucking satisfaction from me, their mother. As they grew into childhood, they banged their heads on their pillows or against the bed head to go to sleep.

All babies are born with a great sucking need. If this need is not met, it will show itself in some way in the child, if not when they are little, when they are older. Many mothers satisfy this need by using a pacifier. But God intended the mother to meet this need. A pacifier is a mother substitute.

God designed a mother to meet the total needs of her baby through the breast. This cannot be done through scheduled feeding. My mother nursed me for nearly a year on schedule (I was one of the few babies that kept nursing that long without my mother running out of milk) but because she did not satisfy my sucking need, I sucked my thumb. In fact, it was such a need in my life that I didn’t stop sucking my thumb until I was a teenager!

It was not until my fourth baby that I was forced to make a change in my way of mothering. This baby was born screaming and screamed all night and every night. Some babies are born with a greater need for comfort, assurance and sucking than others. He was one of them. He would not have survived physically or emotionally on continued scheduling. I desperately began to research and realized that it was the sucking stimulation of the baby on the breast that produced the milk supply and that if I let him nurse as much as he wanted, I would have plenty of milk

But that was only part of the solution. His needs were greater than physical! I found to my delight, that as I nursed him freely and as much as he needed me, he became peaceful and contented. I even took him to bed with me (which I had been told was taboo, and that I would either roll on him or he would be totally spoilt!). Taking him to bed with me and letting him nurse as he wanted in the night was the answer to all my problems! This change in mothering style set me free! Instead of being frustrated, mothering became a breeze. Whenever my baby was fretful, I didn’t worry about what to do. I put him to the breast. I enjoyed motherhood with new delight.

But now I was in a dilemma! I was enjoying life, but the old wives’ tales haunted me. I certainly wanted to do it God’s way. I cried out to God for direction. He was faithful and revealed His truth to me through Isaiah 66:10-13. In this passage God likens Jerusalem to a nursing mother. As we read the passage we see God's plan for nursing mothers. We do not even see the word ‘food’ mentioned. Instead it talks about satisfying, consoling, delighting and comforting. The revelation hit me. Nursing is not an alternative method to bottle feeding. It is total mothering! It is ministering to the total needs of the baby, whether it is for hunger or emotional security.

This “freeing” way of mothering blesses mother and baby. Not only does the mother meet the needs of her baby through sucking, but God provides natural contraception. It takes a lot more sucking than scheduled feeding provides to hold back ovulation.

We are in a time of restoration. God is restoring us back to His ways for family. Many families have been, and are continuing to be convicted of their selfishness of stopping the children God wants them to have. They are returning to God’s heart and His desire to fill this earth with the godly seed. However, in coming back to God’s way, we cannot come back in only one area. We must come back in all areas of understanding. When we get the revelation of trusting God for our family size and yielding our fertility to Him, we need to do it His way. If we continue to schedule the feeding of babies, menstruation will return early and therefore the possibility to conceive. It can be overwhelming for a mother to conceive a baby every year.

I do not believe that this God’s ultimate plan. He has provided natural contraception for mothers through the continual sucking of the baby. Studies prove that mothers who nurse this way will have their babies about every two years. Some may commence menstruation at six months, but others not for two and a half years. The average is 14.6 months. The spacing is even longer in more primitive societies who freely nurse their babies day and night.

I will concede that it takes time to learn to totally mother. Many first-time mothers are not ready for this because they have been conditioned to selfishness and to always meet their own needs first. I was like this when I first started out, but gently God taught me and with each baby I learned to give more freely to my baby and forget my own needs. My fourth baby led me into this beautiful way of mothering. I gave more with my fifth baby who weaned at three and three-quarter years. I gave even more freely with my sixth baby who weaned at four years. Nursing this way did not hinder me from ministering to the rest of my family. It enabled me to mother them more fully too. I was still able to minister to the needs of many people as a pastor’s wife, open our home in continuous hospitality and commence the ministry of Above Rubies which touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of women in over 100 countries of the world.

My last three babies had no need of self mothering. They did not suck their thumbs, fingers or use pacifiers. They did not need cuddly blankets or any mother substitute. They were totally satisfied at the breast. I know that my fourth baby, who as my learning baby into this new way of life, was saved from much heartache. I know he would have been a very difficult child to handle if I had not learned to meet his deep emotional needs in those early years of nursing.

Many may still rebel at giving themselves so freely. “What about time for me and my own interests?” they cry. God’s principle of “losing oneself” applies in every area of life, including motherhood. Jesus said, “He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep pit unto life eternal.” (John 8:25) You will never lose by losing your own life for someone else’s. You will only lose by keeping it to yourself. Many mothers think that it is their right to have a night’s sleep and that they should not have to feed their little babies at night. But what is a little sacrifice when you are doing the most important task in the nation? Sacrifice can be expected when you are involved in a career that has such far reaching influence. You are nurturing a child who is eternal and will live forever.

May God lead you into His perfect will and into the liberating joy of nurturing your baby that God has wondrously designed for you.

Nancy Campbell
Above Rubies
Primm Springs, Tennessee

Responsive Breastfeeding Part 1

2009-10-07T22:05:00.004-06:00

God created the means for mamas to naturally obtain a temporary period of infertility after the birth of a child: responsive breastfeeding. The hormone prolactin not only tells mama's body to make milk, it also suppresses ovulation. This allows mama's body to focus on nourishing baby before getting pregnant again (and then needing to nourish an even smaller baby in the womb). Because prolactin clears quickly from the blood, the key to keeping prolactin levels high (both for a good milk supply and for suppressing ovulation) is to nurse frequently - at least every 2-3 hours during the day and 4-5 hours during the night. As prolactin is the most concentrated between 1:00 and 6:00 in the morning, middle of the night nursing sessions are incredibly beneficial. In order to gain the maximum benefit from this natural contraceptive, mama must practice responsive breastfeeding:

Respond to baby's cues by nursing whenever baby wants, without restrictions on frequency. (Nursing baby in a sling, wrap, or carrier is super helpful when mama is out and about or simply needs to get things done around the house!)
Respond to baby's cues by nursing as long as baby wants, without restrictions on duration.
Respond to baby's cues by nursing in the middle of the night, without restrictions. (This is a piece of cake if mama and baby sleep in the same bed together!)
Respond to baby's cues by allowing baby to meet all his sucking needs at the breast. Use the breast for comfort instead of a pacifier, and use the breast for nutrition and hydration instead of a bottle. Do not supplement with water or other liquids during baby's first year, and introduce solid food no earlier than six months. Between 6 months and 1 year, baby should get at least 75% of his nutrition through breast milk - food should not replace breast milk, but rather should be in addition to breast milk as baby's caloric needs increase. Between 1 year and 2 years, baby should get at least 25% of his nutrition through breast milk.

Mamas who practice responsive breastfeeding are period-free for an average of 14 1/2 months. My baby is 15 1/2 months and I started my period today for the first time in almost 25 months!

Furthermore, responsive breastfeeding is 98% effective at preventing conception in the first 6 months after baby is born. This is as effective, if not more effective, than artificial birth control methods.

Chamomile

2009-10-05T21:41:00.007-06:00

Chamomile is my favorite children's herb - a lifesaver thanks to its calming properties.

History
An English garden and domestic medicine staple for hundreds of years, chamomile famously appears at the end of the children's story Peter Rabbit. (Peter Rabbit's mother gives him chamomile tea after his harrowing adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden.)

Egyptians believed chamomile could cure malarial-type fevers, and so dedicated the herb to their gods.

Nowadays chamomile is known as the "plant's physician" because gardeners believe the health of a garden is related to the number of chamomile plants scattered throughout.

Healing Properties

Analgesic - relieves pain by calming nerves
Anti-inflammatory - reduces inflammation
Antispasmodic - relieves convulsions, cramps, muscle spasms, and nervous irritation
Bitter - promotes digestion
Diaphoretic - promotes perspiration, thus detoxing and lowering body temperature
Diuretic - increases urine flow
Emmenagogue - promotes and regulates menstrual flow
Nervine - relieves pain, sooths nerves, supports the nervous system

Chamomile is effective against such conditions as poor appetite, poor circulation, colds, colic, digestive problems and gas, drug withdrawal, fevers, the flu, headaches, hysteria, indigestion, insomnia, irregular menstrual flow, sore muscles and muscle cramps, nausea, rattled nerves, pink eye, stress, and urinary tract infections. It is also used to lighten hair.

Description
Chamomile is part of the sunflower family. Referencing the herb's distinct apple smell, the word chamomile comes from two Greek words meaning "ground apple," and the Spanish name manzanilla means "little apple." The tiny white or yellow flowers contain the plant's most potent healing properties.

Preparation
Everyone can use chamomile, including babies and pregnant and nursing mamas.

My favorite preparation is tea. Simply brew a cup (or quart) of tea and enjoy as needed!

To treat pink eye, brew a cup of tea with two tea bags, place a tea bag over each eye, and rest for a few minutes. Alternatively, brew a cup of double strength tea, soak two cotton balls in the tea (one for each eye), squeeze some tea into the corner of the eye, and use the cotton ball to clear the goop. Apply chamomile tea to the eyes every hour (or if mama is breastfeeding, apply breast milk to the eyes every two hours, and apply chamomile tea on the "off hours").

A Month in Our Life: September 2009

2009-10-01T21:20:00.004-06:00

This month my baby picked up quite a few new "copycat skills" from watching me. Last month his favorite activity was taking caps off bottles, then putting them on, then taking them off... This month he decided to try his hand at drinking from the bottles. He swallows about 1/3, chokes on 1/3, and spills the other 1/3 onto his belly. His second favorite word is "augee" for water (agua). This is not to be confused with "audu" for all done or "audu" for more (perhaps the latter having originated from again). As far as I can tell, the difference between the two "audu"s is the length of the vowels - all done is longer than more. Basically, this means he would have been better off learning Japanese as a first language! He has also added to his vocabulary "baby" for help and "mama" for mama's milk (still no word referencing me - perhaps he doesn't realize we're separate people). He also tries to copy me counting in Mandarin. And his favorite word - the one he says first thing upon waking, last thing before falling asleep, in the middle of the night, and hundreds of times each day: "doggie." Here's a picture taken earlier this summer of our roommate Shooter, the dog that started his fascination:

Other notable new skills/interests include:

The shred basket at the office

Brooms

Wheelbarrows

Picking out his own clothes

Picking flowers

Blowing his nose
(super quick video)

Climbing up and down steps
(watch the video at the bottom to see this in action)

And worms!!

Salt

2009-09-27T23:13:00.005-06:00

Problem: Table salt is a highly refined, potentially toxic product. It originates from evaporated sea water or mined rock salt. To "purify" the natural product, workers treat the raw salt with chemicals and process it in a high temperature, high pressure environment. This process removes beneficial trace minerals (including iodine) and magnesium salts. To prevent caking, workers add additional chemicals, including two types of aluminum. To prevent iodine deficiency, workers add toxic amounts of potassium iodide. Then to stabilize the potassium iodine, workers add dextrose (corn sugar). And because dextrose gives salt a purple color, workers bleach the final product before packaging it and sending it to grocery store shelves.

Solution: Unprocessed, unrefined salt has an odd grayish hue but tastes amazing, contains beneficial minerals, and does not contain unnatural chemicals. Right now I have a jar of Celtic Sea Salt brand sea salt in my cupboard. It's more expensive than regular table salt, but is well worth the extra money!

One Thing I Miss About My Job

2009-09-24T22:58:00.003-06:00

I never got traffic tickets.

Goodbye Summer!

2009-09-21T21:57:00.012-06:00

The last day of summer it snowed here in Denver.

Here are some memories of our fun in the sun while it lasted:

home

the park - just a couple blocks away

my cousin's house - four fun kids to play with

camp for the Breast Cancer 3-Day - visiting a friend
in from Seattle for Denver's walk

exploring Denver's neighborhoods

at a friend's house - always lots of fun with mud and water

Pine Lake - with our hiking partners

St. Mary's Glacier - much slushier than I expected

The Continental Divide - more than 11,500 feet above sea level

Smoothie time!

Hands-down our favorite smoothie recipe this summer was from
Rejuvenate Your Life! Recipes for Energy by Serene Allison, published by Above Rubies:

Minty Zinc Shake
2 frozen bananas (cut into chunks before freezing)
1 large handful raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup water
1/2 T tahini
3 dates
1 heaping t spirulina
2 drops mint extract

Blend and enjoy!

(Note: I was pleased to learn that spirulina doesn't really have a flavor.)

Cloth Diapering 201: How-To

2009-09-19T21:30:00.004-06:00

1. DECIDE HOW OFTEN YOU WANT TO WASH.
Babies go through about 12 diapers per day and 3-4 covers per day. (However, if using wool covers baby will only need 4 covers total.) When deciding how many diapers and covers to buy, take into account how often you want to wash and buy an extra half day's worth of diapers so you don't run out. (If you want to wash every day, buy 18 diapers; if you want to wash every other day, buy 30 diapers; if you want to wash every three days, buy 42 diapers.) Always wash at least every three days.

2. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF DIAPERS AND COVERS YOU WANT TO BUY.
(See Cloth Diapering 101: Types of Diapers.) I use wool covers with my fitted diapers and polyester diapers with my contour and prefold diapers.

3. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF ACCESSORIES YOU WANT TO BUY.

Diaper pail liners: Buy two diaper pail liners. I recommend Swaddlebees/Blueberry liners because they are sized larger than average, can be hung from a door knob, and wash well. I purchased my liners online at www.JilliansDrawers.com.
Wet bags: Buy one or two wet bags to put dirty diapers in while out and about. (Keep in your diaperbag.) I recommend LoveyBums wet bags for short trips out, and large Planet Wise bags for long trips out. I purchased my LoveyBums bag online at www.LoveyBums.com; I purchased my Planet Wise bag online at at www.NickisDiapers.com.
Cloth wipes: If you want to use cloth wipes, buy or make about 45 wipes and mix up a good wipe solution. I purchased flannel wipes at www.NickisDiapers.com. The best wipe solution recipe I have tried calls for combining 3 3/4 cup water, 8 drops grapefruit seed extract, 5 drops lavender essential oil, 3 drops tea tree essential oil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon baby soap. Some mamas keep wipe solution in a bowl and dunk a wipe into the solution to use on baby. Other mamas keep wipe solution in a squeeze container and squeeze some solution onto a wipe to use on baby. I keep a large squeeze bottle at home, a medium squeeze bottle at the office, and a small squeeze bottle in my diaper bag.

3. BUY YOUR DIAPERS, COVERS, AND ACCESSORIES.

4. WASH PRIOR TO FIRST USE.
Your order will come with pre-use washing instructions. In summary:

Wash (in hot water) and dry unbleached prefold diapers 5-6 times.
Wash and dry bleached prefold diapers, contour diapers, and fitted diapers 3-4 times.
Wash and dry all-in-one diapers and pocket diapers 1-2 times.
Wash and dry polyester covers 1 time.
Wash and lanolize wool covers 1 time.

5. WASH AFTER USE.
Your order will come with washing instructions. In summary:

Place diaper pail liner in diaper pail or any indoor garbage can, or hang over doorknob.
Place soiled diaper in diaper pail liner. Do not soak in liquid. (If baby only eats and drinks breast milk, you do not need to remove poop, as it dissolves fine in the washing machine. But if baby eats or drinks anything other than breast milk, first shake poop into toilet. This is not as gross as it sounds.)
Wash diapers in cold water with a SMALL amount of detergent (no more than half what you would normally use) and a few drops of tea tree essential oil (a natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial).
Rinse diapers an extra time in hot water with some vinegar (a natural fabric softener that also helps prevent detergent build-up, which affects a diaper's absorbency).
Dry diapers. Do not use fabric softener.

Wash polyester covers with diapers. Wash diaper pail liners every couple days with diapers.

To wash and lanolize wool covers:

As necessary, spot clean covers. Use a Sudz'N'Dudz wool wash bar to clean leaky poop and food stains. Wash bars can be purchased online at www.TheNaturalBabyCo.com.
Every 1-2 weeks, wash covers. Add a small amount of Eucalan No-Rinse Wool Wash to a sink full of slightly warm water, add wool cover, soak for 15 minutes minimum, roll in a towel to remove excess water, then hang dry. Do not rinse. Do not use commerical wool detergent like Woollite. Wool wash can be purchased online at www.NickysDiapers.com.
Every month, lanolize covers. Add a pea-size amount of Sudz'N'Dudz Pure Liquid Lanolin to a small jar containing a few ounces of hot water, shake well until lanolin is completely dissolved, add lanolin water to a sink full of slightly warm water, add wool cover, soak for 15 minutes minumum, roll in a towel to remove excess water, then hang dry. Do not rinse. I do not recommend using Lansinoh Lanolin, as it is very difficult to dissolve. Liquid lanolin can be purchased online at www.TheNaturalBabyCo.com.

Cloth Diapering 101: Types of Diapers

2009-09-17T21:27:00.016-06:00

There are five basic types of diapers.

Chinese Prefold Diapers + Cover

(Bleached Chinese prefold diapers are pictured above)
Comments: This basic rectangular cloth diaper is called a "prefold" because multiple layers of cotton have been "folded" and sewn together to create an absorbent pad in the middle third of the rectangle. (The more layers sewn together, the more absorbent the diaper is.) For newborns, fold a diaper in thirds short-wise (end to end, not side to side), insert the diaper into a cover, and attach the cover to baby's bum. For bigger babies, fold a diaper in thirds long-wise (side to side to as to make a really skinny rectangle), insert the diaper into a cover, and attach the cover to baby's bum. For baby girls, instead of folding, you can twist a diaper in the middle, insert the diaper into a cover so the twist is in the crotch area, and attach the cover to baby's bum. The cover will hold the diaper in place so you do not need pins or Snappis (the modern pin-less "pin"). They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size and the amount of absorbency desired.
Pros: Cheap. Trim, so fits well into a diaper bag.
Cons: Because the diaper itself doesn't have gusseting around the legs or waist, you have only one line of defense (the cover) against blow outs.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.Nicki'sDiapers.com. Or for diaper service in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, try www.ModernDiaperService.com. The benefits of using a diaper service are not having to launder your own diapers and not having to buy different sizes as your baby grows. However, the extra load of diaper laundry turned out to be less burdensome for me than I expected, and it is cheaper to buy your own diapers than it is to use a diaper service.

Contour Diapers + Cover

(Kissaluvs contour diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This thick cloth is shaped to better resemble a diaper. Place a diaper in a cover, wrap the back edges ("wings") of the diaper around to the front, and attach the cover to baby's bum. Or wrap the back edges of the diaper around baby's bum to the front, hold the diaper in place with a Snappi, then attach a cover over the diaper. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size.
Pros: No folding required.
Cons: Just as bulky as fitted diapers, but without the gusseting or snaps.
Recommended brand: Kissaluvs.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.JilliansDrawers.com.

Fitted Diapers + Cover

(Swaddlebees One-size Organic Velour fitted diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This diaper-shaped diaper has gusseting around the legs and waist, and closes with a series of snaps. Snap a diaper onto baby's bum, then attach a cover over diaper. This turned out to be my favorite diapering combination. The snaps allow the diaper to grow with baby, so there are only two sizes for baby's entire diapered life.
Pros: Because it has gusseting around the legs and waist, you have two lines of defense (the diaper and the cover) against blow outs. And because each diaper comes with a doubler (a small rectangle diaper piece that can be snapped inside the diaper), you also have an extra line of defense to soak up urine for night time or heavy wetters.
Cons: Bulky.
Recommended brand: I love Crickett's hemp-cotton blend, which is rated number one on www.DiaperPin.com.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.CrickettsDiapers.com.

All-In-One Diapers

(bumGenius One-size Organic all-in-one diaper is pictured above)
Comments: The cover is built into the diaper, making this a cloth version of the disposable diaper. Some diapers close by snaps, while others close by Velcro. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size.
Pros: Easy to use. Fairly trim, so fits well into a diaper bag. Because these diapers are just as simple to use as disposables, many cloth diapering mamas use these when leaving their baby with someone who might otherwise be afraid to use cloth diapers.
Cons: Expensive.
Recommended brands: BumGenius has good gusseting, which works well to prevent leaks. It has Velcro closures, which makes the diaper very easy to use. Unfortunately, the inner lining is a man-made material and the Velcro doesn't hold up as well in the wash as snaps would. BumGenius Organic has a natural inner lining, but does not have the same kind of gusseting and so didn't fit snugly on my skinny-legged newborn baby, increasing the likelihood of leaks. Also popular is the Dream-Ez, which has a natural inner lining and snap closures. Unfortunately, it does not have good gusseting for skinny-legged babies either.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.NickisDiapers.com.

Pocket Diapers

(FuzziBunz One-size pocket diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This diaper is a cross between a fitted and an all-in-one. The diaper itself doesn't have anything to soak up urine, but has a "pocket" inside for stuffing. Each diaper typically comes with one pocket insert, but you can purchase extra inserts for night time or heavy wetters. I stuffed mine with two inserts; some moms stuff theirs with folded prefold diapers.
Pros: The diaper can be stuffed with a little or as much as you want to soak up urine.
Cons: Expensive.
Recommended brand: FuzzyBunz is currently rated number two on www.DiaperPin.com, but seems to be the most popular cloth diapering option overall on a variety of mothering forums. I loved them until I realized the inner lining is a man-made material.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.NickisDiapers.com.

Wool Covers

(Aristocrats wool soaker and LoveyBums Wool Crepe covers are pictured above)
Comments: I adore using wool covers with fitted diapers. However, I don't recommend using them with prefold or contour diapers because the covers aren't fitted enough to guarantee a defense against blow-outs.
Pros: Natural material. Breathable. Because wool neutralizes urine, only needs to be washed every one to two weeks (other than spot treating poop leaks).
Cons: Hand wash only. Must re-lanolize every one to two months. (Lanolin is what gives wool its natural water-repellant properties.) Water-repellant, not water-proof, so gets slightly damp after a few uses and needs to be hung to "dry."
Recommended brands: Aristocrats Soakers brand are heavy duty and are my favorite nighttime covers. They come in a shortie and a longie (with legs) style. Although they look bizarre in pictures on their own, they are very cute on baby! LoveyBums brand has a variety of styles, depending on the absorbency desired. Wool Jersey Covers are light weight for daytime use; Wool Crepe Covers and Wool Pull-Up Covers are medium weight for daytime or nighttime use; Wool Interlock Covers are heavy weight for nighttime use. The pull up covers are great for older wigglers because they are easier to use than the snap covers.
Where to buy: I purchased my LoveyBums online at www.LoveyBums.com. I purchased my Aristocrats online at www.NickisDiapers.com.

Polyester Covers

(Thirsties diaper cover and Bummis Super Whisper Wrap diaper cover are pictured above)
Pros: Machine washable and dryable.
Cons: Man-made material.
Recommended brands: Thirsties come in a variety of solid colors and is rated number one on www.DiaperPin.com. I really like mine, especially for use with prefold diapers since they have a small fit. Bummis Super Whisper Wrap comes in a variety of prints and has been rated number two on www.DiaperPin.com, but seem to be the most popular cover on a variety of other mothering forums. I liked mine, especially for use with fitted diapers since they fit a bit larger than the Thirsties. I think the Bummis Velcro holds upbetter in the wash than the Thirsties Velcro. Bummis Super Snap only comes in white and are recommended by Cricketts Diapers. I have not tried them.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www. NickisDiapers.com. Bummis Super Snap are also sold at www.CrickettsDiapers.com.

Snappis:

I used a diaper service for my baby's first month, but soon realized a load of diaper laundry each morning would not be as much of a hassle as I thought it would be, especially since my washer/dryer was easily accessible in the kitchen. My initial stash of diapers consisted of Crickett's fitted diapers for everyday use and all-in-one and pocket diapers for my diaper bag. By three and a half months, my stash of diapers consisted of Crickett's fitted diapers for everyday use and Chinese prefold diapers for my diaper bag. Nowdays my diaper stash consists of Crickett's fitted diapers for everything.

Why I Cloth Diaper My Baby

2009-09-15T22:18:00.007-06:00

I am often asked why I cloth diaper my baby. Quite simply, I have no desire to wear plastic underwear myself and find it a little selfish to put cloth underwear on my own body but subject my baby to plastic underwear. In short, cloth diapers are surely more comfortable than disposable diapers. That being said, there are a lot of other great reasons to cloth diaper a baby.

Cloth diapering is cheaper than disposable diapering. It costs approximately $2,000 to disposable diaper a child from birth until the time he is potty trained. It costs approximately $1,500 to use a diaper service for the same child. It costs between $300 and $1,000 (depending on the type of diapers used) to cloth diaper, including the cost of electricity and water needed to wash and dry the diapers. And the same cloth diapers can be used by multiple children!

Cloth diapering is better for baby's health than disposable diapering. A baby's skin absorbs at least 48 toxic chemicals from disposable diapers. These harmful chemicals include chlorine, dioxin (which can cause cancer), sodium polyacrylate (which can cause skin and respiratory problems, including asthma), and tribytil-tin (which can cause liver disease and hormonal problems). In fact, polyacrylate was removed from tampons in the 1980s because it increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome. Studies have also linked disposable diapers to urinary tract infections in baby girls.

Cloth diapering is better for the environment than disposable diapering. Diapers are the single most common found item in landfills, and experts estimate it takes 250-500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose. Disposable diaper companies argue that cloth diapers are bad for the environment because of the water and energy needed to wash and dry them. However, disposable diaper manufacturing plants surely use more energy in creating disposable diapers than that used by the combined individual households to wash and dry cloth diapers. Furthermore, parents can minimize environmental concerns by using energy efficient appliances and a front-loading washing machine, and by hanging diapers to dry (or partially drying them in the dryer and finishing them on a clothes line or drying rack). Finally, it is illegal to dispose of human feces in the trash, yet most disposable diapering parents ignore this law and the potential health and environmental dangers it may pose.

Cloth diapering causes less leaks and blow-outs than disposable diapering. My baby has had no more than three blow-outs and half a dozen leaks in the first 14 months of his life. (And four of the leaks were likely caused by his mama not snapping the diaper tight enough.) On the other hand, one of my disposable diapering friends had at least five blow-outs a day during the first few months of her daughter's life.

Cloth diapering creates fewer diaper rashes than disposable diapering. Most diaper rashes are caused by too much urine moisture too close to the skin for too long a period of time. Cloth diapers breathe better than disposable diapers, and cloth diapered babies are changed more often than disposable diapered babies.

Cloth diapered babies potty train earlier than disposable diapered babies. Disposable diapers are designed so the baby cannot feel the wetness caused by their urine. Unlike cloth diapered babies, they don't easily associate urinating with an uncomfortable wet feeling. Cloth diapered babies are potty trained an average of six months before their disposable diapered counterparts.

Cloth diapers are cuter than disposable diapers!

As a side note, washing cloth diapers has turned out to be much less of a hassle than I thought it would be!

Ear Ache Remedies

2009-09-12T21:42:00.006-06:00

If I wasn't a believer in the power of herbal healing before my baby had his first ear infection, I definitely would have been a believer after! Two days before his 6 month checkup (at 7 1/2 months), my baby got abnormally fussy and started persistently pulling on his ear. I mentioned this to our pediatrician, and after a quick look into his ears confirmed my baby had an ear infection. She gave us a two-day treatment plan that worked almost magically. A few months later my baby again got abnormally fussy and started persistently pulling on his ear. So I implemented our treatment plan and, again, things were back to normal two days later. Here's what our pediatrician had us do:

Children's Ear Formula by Golden Flower Chinese Herbs - 1 ml every three hours. This liquid formula contains 13 Chinese herbs. Our pediatrician gave me a set of small syringes with the needles removed, and I used one to easily suck the tincture up out of the bottle and then "inject" it into my baby's mouth. He loves the flavor!

Mullein Flower Ear Oil by Wish Garden Herbs - 2 drops every two hours. These drops contain garlic and mullein flower, an herbal painkiller that calms inflamed nerves. I found it best to have a cotton ball or clean cotton cloth handy to cover the ear immediately after putting these drops in so that they had time to make it down the ear canal before my baby stuck his finger in his ear.

If my bottle of garlic-mullein oil ever runs out, I might try making my own oil. A Bulk Herb Store article instructs readers to crush a fresh clove of garlic, place it in a tablespoon of warm oil, let the oil sit for five minutes, then strain out the garlic. I would probably try and figure out how to infuse almond oil with mullein, then use that as the base. If you've ever tried making your own garlic oil, or have another natural ear infection remedy, I'd love to hear about it!

Herbal Poultice

2009-09-08T21:44:00.004-06:00

A poultice is an external herbal preparation that allows an herb's healing properties to work on a specific area (like a wound, bug bite, external infection, or swollen joint) or to be easily absorbed into the bloodstream (if battling a virus or internal infection). It is basically a pile of wet herbs wrapped up like a burrito and held onto the skin.

When making a poultice with fresh herbs, blend or mash with a little hot water; when making a poultice with dried herbs, mix with enough hot water to moisten the entire pile of herbs; when making a poultice with powdered herbs, mix with a little hot water and then with olive oil to make a paste. Wrap the moistened herbs in a piece of cheesecloth or other clean cloth, and place against the skin. Hold in place with your hand or wrap in place using medical tape, a bandage, or plastic. Keep the poultice on the skin for anywhere from 30 minutes to three days, depending on the severity of the illness (less for a garlic poultice). Change the herbs and cloth at least once a day.

To make a garlic poultice:

1. Mash three to five garlic cloves (one to two for a baby or child) onto a piece of cheesecloth or paper towel. I prefer using a garlic press because it is very effective at extracting juice from the clove. And I like using cheesecloth because it makes me feel more "earthy" but a paper towel honestly works just fine.

2. Fold the cheesecloth around the garlic.

3. Flip over and sprinkle just enough hot water onto the herbal wrap to moisten the cheesecloth. (This step isn't always necessary when using a paper towel because the garlic juice typically starts soaking into the paper right away.)

Hold directly on your skin. If treating a wound or other external irritation, hold it on the affected area. If treating an internal infection, hold it on your chest, back (if you have help), or the soles of your feet. Keep the poultice on your skin as long as you can stand it, moving it around as needed. (It will start to burn, especially if using cheesecloth.) I usually try to keep it on my skin for 5 to 20 minutes. When using a poultice on my baby, I try to hold it on his chest, back, and the sole of each foot for 20 to 30 seconds at each location.

Garlic

2009-09-05T20:17:00.010-06:00

Garlic is my favorite medicinal herb - a true powerhouse of healing properties.

A Dried Garlic Bulb
by Steven Morris

History
When testifying under oath, ancient Egyptians swore on garlic cloves in the same way Americans today swear on the Bible. Garlic was so valuable that 15 pounds of garlic could buy a healthy male slave.

In the mid-1300s, four famous thieves pillaged Plague victims' houses and later buried the dead (as part of their punishment after arrest), but never got sick. One of the thieves was an herbalist who concocted an herbal preventative remedy that the thieves claim kept them alive. Termed the "Vinegar of Four Thieves," it contained lavender, peppermint, rosemary, sage, wormwood, and of course garlic.

More recently, during World War I, doctors in Great Britain used garlic poultices to prevent wounds from becoming infected. The British government encouraged civilians to grow the herb and paid one shilling per pound. During World War II, garlic was dubbed "Russian penicillin."

Healing Properties
A member of the lily family, garlic has the following properties:

Alterative - cleanses the blood (thus helping the liver, spleen, kidneys, and bowels)
Antibacterial - destroys bacteria and prevents bacterial growth
Anti-diabetic - regulates blood sugar
Anti-fungal - destroys fungi and prevents fungal growth
Anti-inflammatory - reduces inflammation
Antioxidant - prevents and slows free radical damage
Anti-parasitic - destroys and expels worms and parasites
Antiseptic - slows tissue decay
Anti-spasmotic - relieves nervous irritation, muscle spasms, convulsions, and cramps
Antiviral - destroys viruses
Discutient - dissolves tumors
Expectorant - eliminates mucus from the throat and lungs
Immune-stimulating - strengthens the immune system
Lung tonic - strengthens the lungs
Lymphatic - stimulates and cleanses the lymph system
Vulnerary - promotes healing of burns, wounds, and cuts by protecting against infection and stimulating cellular renewal

Garlic is active against such conditions as arthritis and other joint issues, asthma, bronchitis, candida, earaches, high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries, colds, digestive problems and gas, dysentery, e-coli, fevers, the flu, herpes, HIV, lead poisoning, meningitis, ring worm, salmonella, sinus and respiratory problems, strep throat, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, ulcers, viral encephalitis, warts, whooping cough, and yeast infections.

Description
Garlic is a complex substance that contains at least 28 active constituents. In comparison, pharmaceutical antibiotics are simple substances that typically contain only one chemical constituent (which is often originally derived from an herb). Bacteria can easily learn how to counter an unnaturally isolated single constituent, rendering many antibiotics useless with time. The use of naturally occurring herbal antibiotics, on the other hand, does not create antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

When crushed, the amino acid alliin joins forces with the enzyme allinase to produce allicin, garlic's lead healing component (and also the subtance responsible for garlic's strong smell). One milligram of allicin matches the potency of 15 standard units of penicillin.

Steven H. Horne states in The ABC Herbal, "[A] nurse who worked in a hospital growing bacterial cultures told me how she had proven to herself the powerful effect of garlic. She took a petri dish with a very powerful strain of bacteria and set a peeled clove of garlic in the center of the dish. Within two hours, every bacteria in the dish was dead. She told me it took eight hours for the strongest antibiotic the hospital had to kill that same strain of bacteria when the antibiotic was sprayed over the whole plate. That shows you how penetrating the effects of garlic are."

Preparation
Everyone can use garlic, including babies and pregnant and nursing mamas. To get the most benefit from the allicin, it is best to use garlic in its natural unheated, unprocessed state. Whether battling a severe condition or the onset of a cold, garlic is an easy herb to use. My favorite preparations are raw garlic, garlic oil, and a garlic poultice.

To take garlic raw, simply crush with the side of a chef knife, mince, scoop onto a spoon, and swallow with water (as if it were a pill). Some people prefer to mix the minced garlic with raw honey before swallowing. I take two to eight cloves a day when fighting a cold or other infection. Some practicioners recommend taking up to 9 bulbs a day, depending on the severity of the illness.

To take garlic as a poultice, create a poultice with three to five cloves and hold it to your chest as long as you can stand it. (It will start to burn.) I usually start on one side of my chest, then move to the other side of my chest when it gets too uncomfortable, then to the middle of my chest, then back to the first side, etc. for 5-20 minutes, depending on how I feel. When applying a poultice to a baby or child, create a poultice with one or two cloves and try to hold it on their chest, their back, and the sole of each foot for 20-30 seconds at each location. I apply a poultice once or twice a day when fighting a cold or other infection. However it can certainly be applied more often if needed. To help soothe the skin, I usually rub an herbal salve onto the skin when I am done with the poultice.

A small bottle of garlic oil (especially oil infused with mullein) serves as great ear drops for children with ear infections. Put two to three drops in each ear every two hours.

A Month in Our Life: August 2009

2009-09-01T22:03:00.006-06:00

My baby is getting STRONG! This month he bettered his running skills and also learned how to walk up and down stairs (holding on to me or a railing). Although walking by himself across the park or around the neighborhood could potentially still take all morning, he easily moves faster than me around the house and the office. And he loves being chased! When he starts running, he usually looks back to see if I'm following him. Thankfully, he is pretty good at obeying "stop" and "stay" (we started working on "stop" at about 12 1/2 months and "stay" at about 13 1/2 months), although he still regularly tests his limits by purposefully putting one toe past the stop line or outside the stay area, and looking to see if I'm looking and will react.

And a quick video in which the door really is as big and heavy as it looks:

My baby is becoming a CREATIVE COMMUNICATOR! If he is hungry, he lets me know by pulling out the red sparkly vinyl mat on which usually sit and eat at the office. (And if I'm hungry, I tell him to get out the red mat, and by the time I've got our food out, he's already placed the mat on the floor, albeit slightly askew.) If I suggest we read some books, he'll pick a few out of the book basket. And if I tell him to put something away, he usually drops or throws it in the nearest basket or bag. (We started working on "put it away" at about 11 months, and although he usually thinks it's really fun to put things away, he often gets sidetracked and starts playing with whatever he is supposed to be putting away.)

My baby is sort of STARTING TO TALK! He can possibly say four words/phrases:

gato (Spanish for cat)
dog
all done
agua (Spanish for water) - this typically sounds similar to "apple"

He does not yet say mama. Although he can blabber mamamamamamamamamamama, he does not ever seem to say it in connection to me.

While I don't yet have any clear words on video, here's a quick clip of this month's favorite sound:

Try our new favorite recipe from Rejuvenate Your Life! Recipes for Energy by Serene Allison, published by Above Rubies.

Rich Carob Treat Balls
3/4 c tahini
3/4 c carob powder
1 T honey
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped nuts and seeds

(I used a small handful each of pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, and almonds.)

Mix together. Roll into balls with lightly oiled hands. Freeze and enjoy!

In Memory of My Dad

2009-08-30T21:01:00.005-06:00

Today is my dad's birthday. Every year on father's day, his birthday, and the day he died, I do a little something special in his memory. When I was in Georgia, I ate breakfast for dinner at The Cracker Barrel - his favorite restaurant. When I was in California, I ate dessert crepes for dinner at La Creperie - a restaurant we ate at the last time he and my mom visited me. When I was in DC, I started the day at Starbucks with an apple fritter - one of his favorite pastries, in memory of Saturday mornings as a kid when we brought donuts and Danishes from Hillcrest Bakery to the lot where my dad and uncle built boats - and a grande raspberry mocha - my twist on his favorite homemade espresso drink, a raspberry latte in a humongous mug. Now that I'm in Colorado, I've added a little flair to the DC ritual:

This afternoon we headed to The Market
(a great cafe and coffeeshop with tons of character)

in Larimer Square (a cute, historic block in Downtown Denver)

and enjoyed an apple strudel and black forest latte (a cherry mint mocha).

Yum!

Why I Share A Bed With My Baby Part 2

2009-08-27T22:19:00.008-06:00

I shared a bed with my baby from the moment he was born, and since that time have heard a lot of alarmist comments on the perceived danger of mamas sleeping with their babies. Every mama I know who has slept with her baby says the same thing: There is no possible way she could roll onto her baby. Fathers, maybe. But mamas, never.

Infant co-sleeping deaths can virtually always be attributed to one of the following unsafe sleep practices:

An adult in the bed is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
An adult in the bed is a smoker.
An adult in the bed is obese (thus creating a "trough" in the mattress that baby can roll into).
There is room between the mattress and the wall or furniture that baby can roll into.
There are blankets or other items on the bed that baby can burrow under.
Baby is sleeping with an adult on a couch, chair, water bed, or other soft, flexible surface.

It is the sleep environment that can be dangerous, not the co-sleeping. Unfortunately, some state government agencies have decided it is easier to advise against co-sleeping than it is to educate the public on unsafe sleep practices. Thus, co-sleeping is often vilified and unnecessarily termed dangerous. How sad, considering the fact that bed sharing in a safe environment actually decreases the risk of SIDS.

Regardless of where baby sleeps, mama should always take responsibility to ensure the sleep environment is safe. Here are a few safety check items for a co-sleeping mama:

Make sure there is no space between the mattress and the wall, headboard, footboard, or other piece of furniture that baby can get stuck in. (I always perform the two finger test.)
Make sure the fitted sheet is snug on the mattress and cannot easily be pulled off.
Do not use blankets or comforters. (Receiving blankets are fine.) Instead, keep the room at a comfortable temperature (at least 68 degrees) and dress in layers if needed.
Keep pillows away from baby's face. Do not place stuffed toys in the bed.
Do not wear pajamas with strings or long ribbons.
Do not sleep on a water bed, pillow-top mattress, or any other soft, flexible surface.
Make sure no lamps, cords, electrical items, or drapes are within arms reach of the bed.

My baby started rolling about the time we moved to Colorado. So once we arrived, I placed our mattress directly on the floor (with no box spring). I also bought a Snug Tuck Pillow to prevent any roll-offs during the middle of the night. It was the most reasonably priced product of its kind, and did a great job keeping us both on the mattress while asleep!

Why I Share A Bed With My Baby Part 1

2009-08-24T22:34:00.011-06:00

While still pregnant, I decided to share a bed with my baby. I figured:

it seemed a little harsh to make my baby (who slept inside my belly for nine months before being born) sleep apart from me just because he had been born, and
it seemed a little silly to have an entire bed/crib (not to mention a separate room) for a tiny little baby.

For some bizarre reason, I allowed a co-sleeping (but not bed-sharing) friend to convince me it was a good idea to buy a co-sleeper bassinet. I ordered the Original Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper a few weeks before my due date, but due to a handful of mishaps it didn't arrive until a good five weeks after my baby was born. By that time I simply couldn't imagine him sleeping anywhere other than snuggled up next to me, even if it was only a few inches away. So my baby never used it for more than a handful of naps. We are still sharing a bed and love it! Here are some of what I think are the best benefits of co-sleeping:

When a mama and baby sleep together, both mama and baby can easily fall asleep and stay asleep since they are both already in bed and mama doesn't need to later transport baby to another sleeping surface. (I couldn't even begin to count the times I accidentally fell asleep with my baby even though I was planning on staying awake to work.)
When a mama and baby sleep together, they share sleep cycles. When baby is in a light sleep, mama is in a light sleep; when baby is in a deep sleep, mama is in a deep sleep. Because babies only naturally wake up out of a light sleep, mama only wakes up out of a light sleep (and so is never awakened out of a deep sleep). This means better quality sleep for mama!
When a mama and baby sleep together, nighttime nursing is a breeze. Mama can pop baby on the breast and both can fall right back asleep while baby is nursing. Mama doesn't have to get out of bed, and once mama and baby have mastered the art of nursing lying down (which for us was at about 6 weeks), mama doesn't even need to sit up.
When a mama and baby sleep together, they get more skin-to-skin contact, which is essential for baby's health, physical growth, and emotional well-being.
When a mama and baby sleep together, mama's sixth sense is put to good use. When my baby was little, I always woke up about 10 seconds before my baby even stirred. This meant I could comfort my baby at the breast and lul him back to sleep without him ever really waking up. And because I rarely was awake longer than half a minute, I usually had no idea in the morning how many times my baby "woke up" during the night.
When a mama and baby sleep together, baby feels safe and secure and so often sleeps better than he would if he were alone. My baby sleeps sounder after I have joined him in bed for the night than he does when he is asleep but I am still up. When we are together, he feels my warmth, smells my presence, and hears my heartbeat and breath. When my baby was very little he would often open his eyes, see me, reach out his hand to touch me, then smile and close his eyes and fall back asleep. Precious!
When a mama and baby sleep together and wake up together, the first thing they see when they open their eyes in the morning is each other. Now that my baby is active, we snuggle, giggle, and play together before getting up. What a great way to start the day!
Baby sleeping in close proximity to his mama is the second best thing (behind baby sleeping on his back) that can be done to reduce the chance of SIDS. According to Dr. Sears, "[r]esearch shows that infants who sleep in a crib are twice as likely to suffer a sleep related fatality (including SIDS) than infants who sleep in bed with their parents." There's a reason SIDS is also called "crib death." It is normal for babies to stop breathing in their sleep for a short period of time, then start breathing again. Hearing and feeling mama breathing regulates baby's breathing and so babies who sleep close to their mama have a lower chance of NOT starting to breathe again. (This is not surprising given that skin-to-skin regulates breathing, body temperature, and heart rate.)

Welcome to Our Neighborhood

2009-08-21T23:03:00.016-06:00

This weekend marks six months from when we opened the doors of our business. Since signing our lease, there have been four shootings on our street in the four blocks just west of us. Two were fatal. (Although one was a store owner shooting a robber.) Oddly enough, I feel fairly safe here. Here's a flavor of the type of businesses we walk by every day in our neighborhood:

PAWN SHOPS

MONEY AND PACKAGE SENDING BUSINESSES

AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING SALONS

INSURANCE AGENTS

OTHER SMALL HISPANIC BUSINESSES

AND A SMALL "MALL" WHERE ALMOST ALL THE STORES ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY ASIAN FAMILIES

Funny Signs

2009-08-19T23:29:00.004-06:00

Kombucha Sweepstakes Part 3

2009-08-15T22:51:00.007-06:00

I bottled my first batch of kombucha (since moving to Colorado) last night. It all started three weeks ago when I received a priority mail package with my "winnings" (a kombucha scoby) inside. Here's the recipe I followed:

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil.

Add 1 cup organic sugar. Simmer 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. Fill tea ball with 4 teaspoons organic black loose leaf tea.
Steep 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Pour 1 cup starter kombucha into a 4 quart glass jar.

Add sweet tea.

Top with kombucha scoby. Here, it sank to the bottom.

Cover jar with a tea towel and rubber band.

Place in a dark place away from strong smells. Brew for 3 weeks.
Ideal growing temperature is 80-89 degrees.

Remove mother and baby scobies.
Here, one is floating on top and the other is floating in the middle.

Pour kombucha tea into pint size bottles and refrigerate. Enjoy!

Vaccines Part 2

2009-08-13T22:26:00.010-06:00

More interesting vaccine-related tidbits:

Flu (Influenza) - The media erroneously reports the flu causes 36,000 deaths each year in the U.S. This number comes from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report database, which reports flu and pneumonia deaths in the same group. The National Center for Health Statistics classifies flu deaths separately from pneumonia, and reports approximately 1,500 flu deaths each year in the U.S., over 90% of which are in people older than 64 years. The main reason babies and children are vaccinated is to limit flu exposure to the elderly. There are two types of vaccine: a live-virus nasal spray (which causes flu symptoms in approximately 2/3 of the people who are vaccinated) and a killed-virus injection. The virus for the nasal spray is grown in baby chicken kidney cells; the virus for the injection is grown in chicken eggs with chicken embryos inside. There are five brands of this vaccine, four of which contain mercury, three of which contain formaldehyde, and one of which contains MSG.
MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) - For the measles: This disease is transmitted like the common cold and causes a rash, fever, runny nose, and cough. There are only approximately 75 cases each year in the U.S. and only about 1 in 1,000 cases is serious. For the mumps: This disease is transmitted like the common cold and causes a rash, fever, and swollen saliva glands in the cheeks. There are only approximately 250 cases each year in the U.S. and the mumps is not serious in children. In fact, most children with the mumps are probably never diagnosed as having the disease. For rubella: Also known as the German measles, this disease is transmitted like the common cold and causes a rash and fever. The sypmptoms in children are so mild that it almost always goes unnoticed. However, if a pregnant woman catches rubella in the first or second trimester, it can infect the unborn baby and cause birth defects. The vaccine contains human blood proteins, cow fetus serum, and chicken embryo proteins. (This disease also played a prominent role in the Agatha Christie book The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side.)
Chickenpox - This disease is transmitted like the common cold. Symptoms are worse in teens and adults than they are in chlidren, and the disease is most serious for individuals with compromised immune systems. The virus was originally grown in guinea pig embryo cells and unkown human tissue cells, and is reproduced in cow fetus blood. It also contains MSG. The vaccine does not guarantee to protect a person from catching chickenpox, and what protection it does provide wears off with time, thus still making a vaccinated person succeptible to the disease as an adult. If an individual has not been vaccinated and does not catch the disease, a simple test can determine if he is susceptible or not.
Hep A (Hepatitis A) - This disease is transmitted through infected stool. Symptoms in children are virtually nonexistant; symptoms in teens and adults are similar to flu symptoms. There are two brands of the vaccine, both of which contain aluminum, formaldehyde, and human cell proteins; one of which contains cow blood proteins; and the other of which contains 2-phenoxyethanol and polysorbate 20.
Meningococcal - This disease in transmitted like the common cold. It causes an infection in the bloodstream that moves to the organs and brain, and can cause meningitis. It is recognized as the most serious and potentially deadly of all vaccine-preventable diseases. There are approximately 3,000 cases each year in the U.S., approximately 15% of which cause a permanent disability and approximately 10% of which are fatal. Most cases occur in babies between 6 months and 2 years. However, the vaccine schedule does not call for immunization until age 12.
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) - This disease is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S., with approximately 20 million new cases each year. Most viral strains only cause genital warts which typically "cure" themselves without treatment, but some strains cause cervical cancer. The vaccine protects against 90% of the strains that cause warts and 70% of the strains that cause cancer. If cervical cancer is detected early, it is curable by removing part of the cervix.

Vaccines Part 1

2009-08-09T21:50:00.013-06:00

The Vaccine Book by Robert W. Sears

This must-read book unbiasedly presents all the facts about each of the 12 vaccines on the current vaccine schedule, and allows each parent the opportunity to make an informed vaccination decision for her child. And in my opinion, only informed decisions can be wise decisions. The best thing about this book is that five different mamas could read it and make five very different decisions regarding whether, when, and how to vaccinate their children.

As a backgrounder, here is the current vaccine schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (although not necessarily recommended by every pediatrician):

Here are a few interesting tidbits I learned while reading this book:

Hep B (Hepatits B) - This disease is transmitted through blood. If a pregnant mother is infected with this disease, she can transmit it to her baby during birth. (So any mama with this disease may want to consider having her baby vaccinated.) This disease is also transmitted sexually, by sharing IV drug needles, and by using improperly sterilized tattoo needles. (So any mama whose baby is engaged in these risky behaviors may want to consider having her baby vaccinated.) There is also approximately a 1 in 282,500 chance that a person can contract this disease from a blood transfusion. (So any mama whose baby is undergoing a blood transfusion may want to consider having her baby vaccinated.) There are two brands of this vaccine, both of which contain aluminum, and one of which also contains formaldehyde.
HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) - This disease is transmitted like the common cold. There are only approximately 25 new cases each year in the U.S., most in children under 2 years. Breastfed babies who do not go to day care have an even lower risk of contracting the disease.
Pc (Pneumococcal) - This disease is transmitted like the common cold and is treatable. Because the Centers for Disease Control has not classified this as a reportable disease, nobody knows exactly how common it is. However, a baby has a 1 in 20,000 chance of having a seizure after getting this vaccine. This vaccine also contains aluminum.
DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis) - For diptheria: There are only approximately 3 new cases each year in the U.S., and the disease is treatable. For tetanus: This disease lives in soil and on dirty metal, and is introduced into the body through deep, dirty wounds. In children under 5, there is only approximately 1 new case each year in the U.S.; in older children, there are only approximately 5 new cases each year; and in adults, there are approximately 70 new cases each year. If an unvaccinated person gets a deep, dirtly puncture wound, he can get vaccinated after getting the wound and the vaccine may help prevent the disease. For pertussis: Also known as whooping cough, this disease is not considered serious after 6 months. (It is intersting that the vaccine schedule calls for children to be vaccinated 3 times at/after 6 months.) There are three brands of the vaccine, all of which contain aluminum and formaldehyde, two of which contain 2-phenoxyethanol (a known toxic substance), and one of which contain polysorbate 80 (a known toxic substance) and mercury. In addition, two of the brands contain liquidized cow tissue. The Tdap vaccine listed on the schedule at 12 years is a version of the DTaP vaccine that contains less diptheria and pertussis than the DTaP.
Rotavirus - This disease is transmitted by coming into contact with the stool or saliva of an infected person. It spreads most easily in day cares, and most children have caught the virus at least once before turning 3 years. It is an intestinal virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea, which in turn sometimes causes dehydration. (The best hydration remedy for babies is breast milk.) The vaccine contains a live, whole virus, and is actually intended to cause a mild infection. A baby has a 1 in 1,300 chance of having a seizure after getting this vaccine. The vaccine also contains monkey kidney cells and fetal cow blood.
Polio - This disease is transmitted like the common cold. The last case of polio in the U.S. was in 1985, when an already-infected immigrant entered the country. The last case of wild polio contracted in the U.S. was in 1979. The old form of the vaccine was taken off the market in 2000 because it caused paralysis in approximately 8 children each year. No reports of paralysis have been reported from the new form of the vaccine. The vaccine contains monkey kidney cells, baby cow blood serum, human blood proteins, a component of MSG, formaldehyde, and 2-phenoxyethanol.

Why the 8th day?

2009-08-06T22:25:00.006-06:00

In Genesis 17:12 God said to Abram, "And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations."

Why eight days? God's laws not only have spiritual significance, they are also based upon scientific laws - the scientific laws He Himself created. God created the human body and so is intimately familiar with its every detail. Babies are born without a natural supply of vitamin K, the blood clotting vitamin. As babies nurse, vitamin K develops in their intestines. After seven days of breast feeding, babies have a sufficient supply of vitamin K to clot the blood during and after a circumcision. Amazing!

A typical baby boy in the United States is circumcised during the first three days of his life. Because such a baby does not have a sufficient amount of vitamin K to clot the blood, a doctor must first administer a vitamin K shot. In fact, doctors routinely administer vitamin K shots to all newborn babies, regardless of whether they are boys or girls.

I birthed my baby at home and opted to forgo the shot. But I did want my baby to be circumcised. Because our pediatrician did not perform circumcisions, I arranged for a mohel - a Jewish rabbi who performs circumcisions - to circumcise my baby if he was a boy. The mohel came to our house on the eighth day (counting the day of birth) and circumcised my baby in our bedroom.

Five things really surprised me. First: The entire procedure took less than five minutes. Second: The mohel did not numb the area prior to the procedure. Third: My baby stopped crying immediately after the procedure, making me suspect he was crying primarily because he did not like his legs being held open. Fourth: The area did not bleed much. Fifth: Although a little fussy the day after the procedure, my baby's recovery was otherwise very smooth. I am pretty certain watching the circumcision traumatized me more than it traumatized my baby.

Our mohel was incredibly kind and compassionate, left me with everything I needed for the after-care, answered all my questions before leaving, called the next morning to make sure things were healing properly, and even stopped by a few months later to see my baby and answer a question I had. Thank you, Rabbi Rappaport.

BEFORE
With our children's pastor, who held my baby during the circumcision:

AFTER
With mama and Rabbi Rappaport:

With a friend's mom, who was my emotional support during the circumcision:

Sleep Aids

2009-08-03T23:24:00.007-06:00

My baby can usually fall asleep anytime, anywhere.

But if he's feeling icky or super excited, he sometimes has a tough time falling asleep, even if he's really tired. Here are a few of my homemade sleep aids:

Epsom salts - The magnesium in this salt relaxes baby's muscles. Dissolve 2 cups of Epsom salts in a shallow bath and soak for 20 minutes. This "prescription" came straight from our pediatrician in DC after she diagnosed my screaming baby with having a mama who was too stressed. Among other things, she had us take Epsom salts baths together several times a week and had me increase the magnesium-rich foods in my diet.
Lavender essential oil - The smell of lavender relaxes baby's central nervous system. Add a couple drops to your bath water, or mix a few drops with olive oil and rub into baby's skin. Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used straight on adults' skin, but I always dilute it in olive or another carrier oil when using it on my baby's skin.
Massage - If baby is still enough for a massage, this can be a helpful way to calm baby to sleep. We took a series of very helpful baby massage classes at the DC Breastfeeding Center. I got so much more out of the classes than I would have just from a book, but parents who are unable to take a class can still learn a lot from the book Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents by Vimala McClure.
Chamomile flowers - This sunflower relative acts as a sedative by soothing the nervous system. Brew a single cup by filling a mesh tea ball half full and letting it steep in hot water for at least 10 minutes; brew a quart by pouring 1/3 cup directly into a mason jar and letting it steep in hot water for at least 10 minutes, then pouring the tea through a wire mesh strainer. A breastfeeding mama can drink the tea immediately before or during nursing, and the herbal properties will transfer almost instantaneously to the breast milk, automatically diluted to the appropriate strength. If giving tea directly to a baby from birth through 2 years, 2-3 teaspoons of tea equals a 1 cup adult dose. If giving tea directly to a child from 2-6 years, 1/4 cup tea equals a 1 cup adult dose. If giving tea directly to a child from 6-12 years, 1/2 cup tea equals a 1 cup adult dose.
Sleep tincture - I first made a batch of this tincture when I was pregnant and waking up often in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but then having trouble falling back asleep again. I was amazed at the results - 4 droppers full and I was able to get back to sleep quite quickly!! I have only used this on my baby a handful of times, but it has worked great every time. I keep it on hand for "special" situations when I can tell he is super tired, can't fall asleep or stay asleep, and none of my other remedies seem to be working. Click here to read about the ingredients and learn how to make your own.

If you have another natural sleep aid that has worked for you and your baby, I'd love to hear about it!

A Month in Our Life: July 2009

2009-07-31T21:56:00.018-06:00

My baby's skill sets expanded quite a bit this past month. He can now:

Stack blocks
Sort objects (one morning he tossed all his clothes in the closet into a pile on the floor, then picked out his socks from the pile and placed them in the drawer)
Climb up and down stairs (and throw things down the stairs)
Run down hills (not without a few face plants)
Balance one one leg (he practices by climbing over my legs when I'm lying on the floor)
Understand some of what I say (I especially love watching his eyes light up and a huge grin spread across his face when I say the words "mama's milk")

Some new skills in action:

My baby's interests also changed a bit this past month. Some of his favorite things to do include:

"Talking" on phones
Sitting next to the vacuum (it doesn't seem to matter whether it's running or not)
Playing with cleaning supplies (some days he doesn't even touch his toys in the office, but rather spends most of the day toddling around with a roll of paper towels or a bottle of homemade all-purpose cleaner)
Reading books (his favorites right now are two books from the library entitled Rojo and Amarillo - unfortunately the library doesn't seem to have any of the other colors)
Being outdoors on the grass or in the dirt (including in the rain)
Eating (his favorites include peaches and carob smoothies)

Some new activities in action:

Try my baby's new favorite recipe from Rejuvenate Your Life! Recipes for Energy by Serene Allison, published by Above Rubies.

Carob Delight Smoothie
1 handful raw sunflower seeds
1 cup water
1/2 T tahini
1 T pure maple syrup
2 frozen bananas (cut into chunks before freezing)
heaping 1/2 T carob powder

Blend and enjoy!

Teething Remedies

2009-07-28T21:23:00.007-06:00

My baby and I are not just experts at teething pain, we are also experts at teething pain relief. When I try and imagine how it must feel to have a cutting tooth, I sometimes picture a jagged rock slicing through the skin in my leg. But unlike your regular run-of-the-mill sharp object breaking the skin, then coming out and allowing the skin to heal, this jagged rock stays in place so you have to learn to live with the pain. Ouch!! No wonder my baby was waking up every 15-45 minutes during his sixth month. And those molars must really hurt, with four separate points plus a flat piece in the middle! Thankfully we honed our pain relief techniques. Here's what worked for us:

Nursing - A baby don't just nurse for food and hydration. He also nurse for stress and pain relief, to feel safe, and to cuddle with his mama, among other things. This is hands down better than any "baby tranquilizer" on the market.
Hylands homeopathic teething tablets - By far the best teething tranquilizer invented by humans, these tiny herbal tablets dissolve instantly in baby's mouth and provide immediate relief (within minutes or even seconds). Before my baby was about six months, I held each tablet in his mouth until I could feel it start to dissolve. Now I put a couple tablets in his hands and he feeds himself. If the first two tablets don't seem to provide complete relief, I give him another two every 15 minutes until the pain is completely gone. And if a few doses don't solve the problem, the problem almost certainly isn't teething. (Note: I also tried the Hylands homeopathic teething gel, but it didn't seem to work one iota.)
Catnip and passionflower tea - Catnip and passionflower are both calming herbs. If mama drinks a cup of this tea immediately before nursing, the herbal properties will transfer to baby through mama's milk. As an added bonus, this tea also helps mama calm down after a rough time listening to her baby cry in pain. Just mix equal parts loose catnip and passionflower leaf.
High calcium tea - This tea is less an immediate remedy than it is a general help during times of bone (and teeth) growth. I try to drink at least 1 cup a day, but sometimes brew a quart and sip on it throughout the day. The recipe comes from Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Remedies for Children's Health:

1 part nettle
2 parts oats
1 part raspberry leaf
2 parts lemongrass
2 parts lemon balm
3 parts rose hips
1/2 part cinnamon
a pinch stevia to sweeten (optional)

I make a big batch by adding the herbs to a ziplock baggie and shaking to mix. Then it's ready to go when I'm ready to brew! When brewing a single cup of tea, I fill my mesh tea ball half full and let it steep for 10 minutes. When brewing a quart of tea, I pour 1/2 cup of the herb mixture directly into a mason jar with hot water, steep for anywhere between 10 minutes and 10 hours, then pour the tea through a wire mesh strainer.

We also tried some pop-it-in-the-freezer teething toys, but they didn't really seem to make a difference. If you have another natural teething remedy that worked for you, I'd love to hear about it!

Teeth

2009-07-25T21:07:00.011-06:00

Last time I was at the dentist I picked up a pamphlet called "The Teething Booklet." It reads, "Your baby's primary teeth will erupt in the order shown." Not "may erupt" or "will probably erupt" but "WILL erupt." Well, they were wrong...way wrong! The only accurate statement in the entire booklet says the back molars come in last - my baby turned 13 months today and he's got all but those back molars. He's bucking the system already! Here's our personal teething chart:

I think it's a little funny his left teeth always came in before his right teeth. I've long thought my baby was left-handed...could he also be left-toothed?

And lightning-quick, slightly dizzying video that demonstrates not only my baby's teeth, but also his newest fun sound:

The Difference Between Boulder and Denver

2009-07-22T22:56:00.009-06:00

A sampling of the type of comments we get when out and about in Boulder:

Oh, isn't the Ergo great?
He looks so comfortable in there!
I'm sure he loves being so close to his mama.
Six yards of cloth just tied around your body? What a great idea! (referring to the Moby wrap)
Where did you get that? My daughter/friend/neighbor is having a baby soon and I bet she'd love that carrier!

A sampling of the type of comments we get when out and about in Denver:

Are you planning on carrying him until he's out of high school?
Your back must be killing you!
When are you going to stop carrying him?
If you keep carrying him, he'll expect you to carry him forever.
Aren't you ever going to use a stroller?

Needless to say, I fit into the Boulder scene much more than the Denver scene!!!

(One noteworthy exception to the typical Denver comments was a Japanese lady who told me women in Japan carry babies on their backs so they can do housework without the baby getting in the way. She then proceeded to suggest I ask the next person I know who is going to Japan if they could bring me back a Japanese style baby carrier... Anyone taking a trip to Japan soon?!?)

Most Oft Heard Comments

2009-07-20T22:06:00.010-06:00

The comment we hear the most while walking down the street, playing in the park, shopping in the grocery store, sitting in the office, and so on: "Oh, what beautiful eyes!" (or the Spanish equivalent "¡Oh, qué hermosos ojos!")

And the second most common comment: "What a beautiful smile!" ("¡Qué una hermosa sonrisa!")

It is most fun to hear these comments being spoken to someone else, like the gal in the airport describing my baby to her friend on the phone, or the lady at the coffee shop discussing my baby with her friend in a hushed voice, or the grocery store employee calling all his coworkers to the homeopathic aisle to see my baby. Of course I'm biased and think he's beautiful, but surely I can't be wrong if all these other people think so too, right?!?

Kombucha Sweepstakes Part 2

2009-07-18T22:52:00.003-06:00

I won! I never win anything, but this time I won! Click here to see the official announcement. I can't wait for my "mother" to arrive so I can start brewing again!!

Kombucha Sweepstakes

2009-07-16T22:30:00.004-06:00

Originally from the Ural mountain region of Russia, kombucha is a traditional lacto-fermented beverage that for hundreds of years has been drunk as a daily health tonic. It is made from tea, sugar, and a kombucha scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). The scoby basically eats up the bad stuff (sugar), and in the process creates tons of good stuff for your body: probiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, and a host of helpful organic acids. It detoxifies the body, boosts the immune system, acts as an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and normalizes the digestive system's pH level, among other things.

I vividly remember my first kombucha experience. My friend Jamie offered me a taste of some she was brewing, but I declined because she used the word "mushroom" while describing the brewing process, and I quite simply don't like mushrooms. A peek at this mushroom monstrosity that resembed a humongous floating pancake further reinforced my decision to abstain. But not being one to give up easily, she continued to offer me tastes and I finally agreed to have a little. With a tiny glass of kombucha in one hand and a large glass of water in the other (to wash away what was sure to be a disgusting flavor), I took an tiny sip, then another, and another, and then I asked for a large glass. It tasted like ginger ale but better - fizzy and refreshing and overall yummy! And no mushroom flavor! (Turns out the mushroom wasn't really a mushroom after all.)

I eventually started brewing kombucha of my own. But since moving in with my brother's wife's parents, I haven't had the counter or cupboard space to do any kitchen experiments. I've been thinking recently, though, that perhaps I should clear out some space in our bedroom closet and get a few jars going. It sure would cut down on my grocery bills not to have to buy it pre-bottled, and it would be a lot of fun! While perusing my favorite Christian natural health forum, I came across a link for a kombucha give-away on a fun blog called I can't decide. So I put in my entry and am crossing my fingers that I will be the winner!

What We Miss Most About DC

2009-07-12T23:03:00.009-06:00

After our church and friends, the thing we miss the most about Washington, DC is... the Metro. Locals call it the Metro or the train; visitors unfashionably call it the subway. But no matter what you call it, the Metro allows DC-area residents to live pretty much car-free. In fact, many (most?) of the neighbors in my building didn't own cars. When they needed a set of wheels they easily rented a Zipcar by the hour.

Unlike the New York subway, DC's Metro is safe and clean. And unlike halfhearted mass transit systems in other cities, DC's metro can get you pretty much anywhere in the District and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs. No traffic hassles! No parking nightmares! No parking tickets!! No smashed windows! No calling the police to report your car stolen! But best of all - no need for a car seat.

If you're going to drive your baby around in a car, you'll definitely need a car seat. (Which also means cab rides are out.) But car seats have got to be one of the most unnatural necessities of mothering. Mama holding baby in her arms is natural. Mama strapping baby into a plastic seat is not. Mama being near baby is natural. Mama being just out of arms reach of baby is not. Baby being able to see mama is natural. Baby not being able to see mama is not. Baby being able to nurse and be comforted as needed is natural. Baby stuck by himself alone in the back of a car is not. My baby does not like cars, and I don't blame him!

With the Metro, just grab a well-stocked diaper bag, wrap baby onto your body, and go. Baby can watch the world, interact with others, fall asleep, and nurse as he wants all while "on the road."

Just outside our Metro station:

Waiting for the train:

Riding the train:

And please, on behalf of all DC-area residents, if you visit the city:

Stand ON THE RIGHT and walk on the left while riding the Metro escalators.
Stand TO THE SIDE and let passengers off BEFORE trying to get on the train.
Don't stand by the doors - move TO THE MIDDLE of the train.
Don't sit in an aisle seat if there is a window seat available.
Don't eat or drink in a station or on a train.

Happy Birthday, America!

2009-07-08T22:28:00.010-06:00

This time last year I had a 1 week old baby, so our 4th of July festivities were limited to watching and listening to home grown fireworks displays (quite impressive, actually - they probably rival many small town displays) from our bedroom window in the heart of DC. I got into the spirit by creating a little stars and stripes theme for the blankets on the bed:

This year that baby was a toddler, so we were able to expand our celebratory activities a bit. Late morning/early afternoon we joined some other neighborhood families for a picnic in the park. The strawberries were a big hit:

In the evening we headed to a friend's house down the street for a barbecue and some (illegal) kiddie fireworks. My favorite was a tank that blew smoke out the top, sparks out the back, and "drove" down the street a couple feet. I must say this suburban city has quite a different idea than DC does about what should and should not be legal:

And a few parting words from the star of the show:

What do babies really need? Part 2

2009-07-02T22:35:00.003-06:00

I love this poem printed in The Power of Motherhood by Nancy Campbell. It is reprinted here with permission from Above Rubies.

The BEST!

With all the gadgets and labor-saving devices on the market for babies nowadays, I thought I'd try to find the best of each. I was not surprised to find that:

The BEST infant seat is mother's arms,
The BEST baby swing is mother's lap in a rocking chair,
The BEST stroller is mother's body,
The BEST nursery record is mother's own heart beat,
The BEST lullaby record is mother's singing, and of course,
The BEST food, pacifier, electric warmer, and tranquilizer can be found at the mother's breast.

by Sally Simmons - printed by Above Rubies with permission from LLL News

What do babies really need? Part 1

2009-06-26T18:07:00.040-06:00

While pregnant, I asked a few mothers what "must have" things I should get before baby arrived. The lists were starkly different from each other, and reflected the different mothering styles of each mama. A year of motherhood wiser, here's what my "must have" list for the first month would look like:

a sling (quick and easy around the house) and a Moby wrap (your go-to carrier)
a stash of diapers or one month of diaper service, a handful of diaper covers, a stack of diaper wipes, and a dirty diaper bag
a few good nursing bras mama can live in 24/7, plus plenty of nursing pads
Lansinoh lanolin
a digital thermometer, a nasal suction (also great for sucking up spit from baby's mouth), and nail clippers
Lansinoh lanolin
an extra large bottle of Colic Ease tincture
Lansinoh lanolin
the book Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child
some nice soft lullaby music and recklessly loud dancing music to calm both baby and mama (our favorites include Celtic lullabies, Mozart, salsa, and reggae)
for a summer baby: a sun hat and half a handful of onesies (baby only needs clothes in hot weather when strapped into a car seat)
for a winter baby: two handfuls of onesies, a handful of pants, a handful of sweaters, two handfuls of socks, a pair of mittens, a pair of booties, and a cold weather coat and hat (separate pajamas are optional)
a few small stretchy receiving blankets
a dozen toddler size cloth diapers (for burp cloths now and nose-wipe cloths or food-off-the-face wash cloths later - smaller size burp cloths don't help much when you're dealing with a spit up artist)
a cute diaper bag or backpack (no need to give up class or style just because you're toting around baby stuff - I love my Coach diaper bag)
a car seat
a few weeks worth of meals frozen in individual portion sizes (no way the freezer can be too well stocked)

Past the first month and into the rest of the first year, I would add these things to the list:

Hyland's homeopathic teething tablets
lots of books
an Ergo carrier (for when baby gets too heavy for the Moby wrap)
a high chair or booster seat (even if baby isn't eating adult food yet, this starts to come in handy around seven months when baby is wiggling too much to be comfortably held on mama's lap during meals)
a mini baby swing (although my baby hated being out of my arms, we managed to build up to about nine minutes of scream-free swing time each day, which was just long enough for me to take a quick shower or pop a few pieces of bread in the toaster)

Things that specifically don't belong on my list include:

a crib, bassinet, or co-sleeper (baby can sleep in bed with mama - although our co-sleeper did come in handy as a nice storage bin)
a changing table (mama can change baby on the bed or floor - and I can't imagine trying to change an older wiggle-worm on a changing table without him falling off and breaking his neck)
a stroller (mama can wear baby)
a pacifier (that's what mama is for!)
baby shirts that don't snap at the bottom (the shirt turns into a necklace the moment you pick baby up)
a baby bathtub (there's no need to wash baby for the first few weeks, and when you're ready to give him a bath it's easier and more fun to just hop in the bathtub together - I'm not sure why hospitals normally bathe babies after birth, so if you've never smelled a never-washed baby you're really missing out on one of life's little known pleasures)
a TV or DVDs (if you want baby to watch things that move, try taking a walk, looking out a city window, watching ceiling fans and laundry machines, or making wall shadows)
toys (my baby's favorite things to play with this week are rubber rain boots, dropper bottles, a vitamin bottle stuffed with an old film cannister, a drawer of winter scarves and hats, dirt, and a myriad of other stuff a non-mama would think appropriate for the recycle bin)
contraptions that help baby learn how to walk (baby can push a box or empty laundry basket around the room)

If there's any "must have" item you think I left out, I'd love to hear about it!

Pictures of some of my "recommendations" in action:

Swaddled in a homemade blanket (thanks Ginny!):

A practical summer outfit:

Traveling in style in an Ivy cap and cardigan sweater:

Burp cloths are also good for cleaning up bloody mouths after falls:

Nasal suctions double as chew toys:

The view from our bedroom in DC provided hundreds of hours of entertainment:

Thankfully it's just as fun to put them back as it is to take them off:

Taking a break from reading to eat his foot:

A "homemade" baby walker: