Salty Sweet Mommy

Plus Size Spring & Summer Haul

2014-04-18T06:31:00.002-07:00

We've been gearing up for spring and summer in our house and I wanted to share what I've gotten for myself so far this year. All pieces are from Torrid, Lane Bryant, Deb, and Kohls. :)

5 Things I'd Tell My Pregnant Self {TAG}

2014-04-18T05:39:00.003-07:00

I saw Christina SubfertileFrugalista do this tag on her YouTube channel and I thought it was super fun and would be fantastic to look back on when we are expecting our 4th and last baby.

5 things I’d tell my pregnant self

1. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

2. No moving while pregnant.

3. Going from 2 to 3 is going to be so much harder than you imagine.

4. Be Prepared for the possibility of a C-section.

5. Go easy on yourself after birth.

Catching Up On Life...

2014-04-18T05:27:00.000-07:00

We have finally moved back to our home state! For the past 8 years we have been trying to move back to Ohio, but the economy hasn't been in our favor. This year we made the decision to move back to be closer to our families and to explore better employment opportunities regardless of the economy. That may seem like a silly thing to do, BUT the potential opportunities for my husbands job here are much MUCH better than the same job he had in North Carolina. It is harder to get into his field up here but once he does it will be well worth it, the pay is higher, benefits better, and there is more job stability compared to North Carolina, not to mention the schools are better, housing is more affordable, there is more "to do", our families are here, etc...Did I mention we missed our families? Both of our families live in Northeast Ohio and now that we live here again the kids are so incredibly happy, that in itself is worth it. We are looking forward to our new adventure and setting roots here. :)

Curvy OOTD

2014-04-17T17:55:00.002-07:00

Because sometimes we need a reminder....

2012-03-22T04:42:00.002-07:00

I Took His Hand and Followed
Mrs. Roy L. Peifer

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I...

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood...

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill...

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.

I have this poem framed in our hall way and I need to stop and read it more. I think sometimes we all need to be reminded to stop worrying about all the little things going on in our daily lives and just enjoy the moment with our kids. When they're older we don't want them to remember that we always kept a perfectly clean house, but had no time for them. We want them to remember the T-I-M-E we spent with them, learning and making memories, because it goes by incredibly too fast!

Kids and sports

2012-03-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

When our kids got to the age when it was time for them to start playing sports, my husband and I both agreed that it was important to get them involved. There are lessons you learn when you play sports that you wouldn't learn otherwise. We believe playing sports helps foster a positive self-image and builds charachter. We also believe it makes them gracious winner AND losers, yes, we do believe in winners and losers for kids sports. It teaches an important lesson. We make sacrifices for them to have the opportunity to play sports and for us it's worth the sacrifice.

Micro Update, Hazelwood necklace, sunscreen!

2012-03-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

We moved into our new house a few months ago and are totally settled now. The kids have some really nice friends to play with that live on our road, the park is within walking distance, there's a pool nearby I need to check out for pricing, it's close by to my husbands school, and stores downtown, so for us it's pretty close to perfect. :)
I bought a hazelwood necklace for our son, which is working out wonderfully. Highly, highly recommend!
The brand of sunscreen we are using this summer is California Baby and Thinkbaby. We are also using coconut oil.
Here is the list of safe sunscreens...
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/

Baltic Amber Teething Necklace

2012-03-16T18:19:00.001-07:00

My review of the Baltic Amber Teething Necklace from Amber Artisians.

Updated Cloth Diaper Stash and Storage

2012-03-03T10:37:00.004-08:00

So, back in December I made a cloth diaper stash and organization update and it was finally monetized the other day! :)

While everything is still pretty much the same we have had a few new additions including;

Flip Trainers in moonbeam and Dazzle

BumGenius Freetime in Albert

Fuzzibunz Trickle Free Trainer

Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted in Ocean Blue to go under his Wool Cover

Meal plan for this week!

2012-03-03T10:17:00.069-08:00

Following in suit, I have decided to post our weekly meals...in no particular order lol...

Tilapia with broccoli and rice

4 servings Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins

Ingredients:
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 tilapia fillets (about 1 pound total)
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . In a shallow dish, combine the cheese with the paprika and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and dredge in the cheese mixture. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with the lemon wedges.

Asparagus & Beef stir fry

Ingredients:
1 lb beef for stir fry
2 bags frozen stir fry vegi's
1 lb asparagus
2 cups rice

Meatball subs and salad

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen meatballs
6 hoagie rolls
spaghetti sauce

Shepard's Pie made with ground turkey and sweet potatoes by Rachael Ray

Ingredient:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground turkey or chopped leftover turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, cut into 1-inch dice
2 carrots, peeled and grated
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups turkey or chicken stock (recommended: Kitchen Basics brand)
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas
1 very ripe banana
A few dashes hot sauce
2 cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a deep skillet or a Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add meat and break up with a wooden spoon, season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning.
Place sweet potatoes in a pot, cover with water, cover pot, bring to a boil, salt and cook 15 minutes until tender.
Grate onions and carrots into the turkey. Add the celery and stir, cook 5 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add flour to melted butter and whisk 1 minute then whisk in stock and season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Thicken a few minutes.
Stir the gravy into the turkey mixture. Stir peas into meat and turn heat off.
Drain potatoes and return pot to heat. Add remaining butter and melt over medium heat. Peel and slice banana and add potatoes to the pot. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and a few dashes hot sauce. Mash potatoes and banana to combine, adjust seasoning. Top the meat with the potatoes. Cover potatoes with cheese and set in oven. Bake to melt cheese, 5 minutes.

Bacon and baked potato soup

8 large baked potatoes
12 slices bacon
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups whole milk (can also substitute cream or half-and-half for up to two cups of the milk for an even richer soup)
2 cups cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 Tablespoons cornstarch (I like my soups VERY thick so I double this... but start off with 2
Tablespoons... you can always add more)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 pound container sour cream

Dice four of the baked potatoes into small, bite size pieces, skins and all. For the remaining four potatoes, scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth. Discard skins of these potatoes.

In a large soup or stock pot, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool slightly. Crumble into small pieces when cool enough to handle.

Add the chopped onion and garlic to the rendered bacon grease. Cook over medium heat until softened. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the chicken broth, milk, diced potatoes and mashed potatoes and stir to combine. Heat soup thoroughly, but do not boil. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Add salt and pepper to taste as well as they cayenne.

Place the cornstarch in a small bowl and combine with equal amount of water to create a slurry. Add to the soup and cook, stirring constantly, until thick.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, the reserved crumbled bacon, extra cheese (if desired) and green onions.

Serves 8 to 10.

Corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatos

Add all ingredients to slow cooker, flavor pack that comes with the corned beef, plus 2 cups water. Cook for 8 hours, sprinkle salt & pepper, and serve with butter.

Turkey bacon, egg, lettuce, cheese, and tomato sandwiches

I'll update with a video and more pictures once I have made all the recipes!!

Wonderful Wool

2012-02-17T12:45:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I discovered Wool Diaper Covers. I had read about Wool Cover's while researching cloth diapers when I was pregnant with him and I thought they were wildy too expensive and I couldn't see how they would not get everything that touched them soaked, so I moved on and didn't think much about them.
I was recently looking for a more natural, breathable night time diaper for my one year old son when I stumbled upon Wool Cover's again and thought, what the heck, we'll give it a try and, let me tell you, I'm so glad I did. I am in love with our Wool Cover and our son loves it too

When he wears this diaper he just feels so soft and comfy, which is exactly what I wanted for him at night time. The wool wicks the moisture away from the fitted, contour, or pre-fold diaper underneath, but the moisture does not penetrate through the wool, because wool has a built in ability to hold water. It's also naturally anti-bacterial and does not hold odor's, so even if the cover feels wet, it does not need to be washed, simply turn it inside out and lay it flat to dry. Wool only needs to be washed once a week if it is not soiled.

Here is a video on How to Wash and Lanolize a Wool Diaper Cover:

Happy International Babywearing week!!

2011-10-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Its Babywearing Week!! People are always asking me about my baby carriers, I have an Ergo baby carrier and a Moby wrap. Both of them still get used a ton, even at 13 months! I'm going to post some information about Babywearing from the Babywearing International website. My hope is that more people become aware of how important holding your baby is. They are only little once and I promise, you will never, ever, ever regret the amount of time you spend holding and carrying your baby....

From Babywearinginternatinal.org..

Benefits of Babywearing

"Medical professionals agree that infants thrive through touch; “wearing” your baby is another way to meet this need. But the benefits of babywearing don’t end there … babywearing offers many other advantages, some of which include:

• Happy Babies. It’s true … carried babies cry less! In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that babywearing for three hours a day reduced infant crying by 43 percent overall and 54 percent during evening hours. (1)

• Healthy Babies. Premature babies and babies with special needs often enter the world with fragile nervous systems. When a baby rides in a sling attached to his mother, he is in tune with the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of her heartbeat, and the movements his mother makes—walking, bending, and reaching. This stimulation helps him to regulate his own physical responses. Research has even shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier than babies who are not. (2)

• Confident Parents. A large part of feeling confident as a parent is the ability to read our babies’ cues successfully. Holding our babies close in a sling allows us to become finely attuned to their movements, gestures, and facial expressions. Every time a baby is able to let us know that she is hungry, bored, or wet without having to cry, her trust in us is increased, her learning is enhanced, and our own confidence is reinforced. This cycle of positive interaction deepens the mutual attachment between parent and child, and is especially beneficial for mothers who are at risk for or suffering from postpartum depression. (3) (4)

• Loving Caregivers. Baby carriers are a great bonding tool for fathers, grandparents, adoptive parents, babysitters, and other caregivers. Imagine a new father going for a walk with his baby in a sling. The baby isbecoming used to his voice, heartbeat, movements, and facial expressions, and the two are forging a strong attachment of their own. Baby carriers are beneficial for every adult in a baby’s life. Cuddling up close in the sling is a wonderful way to get to know the baby in your life, and for the baby to get to know you!

•Comfort and Convenience. With the help of a good carrier, you can take care of older children or do chores without frequent interruptions from an anxious or distressed infant—which helps to reduce sibling rivalry. Baby carriers are also wonderful to use with older babies and toddlers; you can save those arms and go where strollers can’t. Climbing stairs, hiking, and navigating crowded airports all can be done with ease when you use a well-designed baby carrier!"

Fuzzibunz!

2011-10-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

As a cloth diaper addict, I had to grab up the new Spearmint and Black colors by Fuzzibunz. Holy size difference!! I was debating getting him the size large, but I'm super glad I went with the Mediums, I can't imagine him ever needing the larger size!

Chicken and gnocchi soup

2011-09-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

2 cups rotisserie chicken thigh meat 4 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons flour
1 quart half and half
2 14 ounces can of chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
2 minced garlic cloves
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
1 cup onion, finely diced
1-2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon parsley
Salt
Pepper
Grated Romano cheese
1 pound potato gnocchi

Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add the flour and make a roux. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.
Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
Into the roux, add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick, add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasoning;, simmer until soup is heated through.

Oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies

2011-09-09T05:09:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on food.com back in March to give my supply a boost and wanted to share it...ENJOY!!

This recipe is great for mothers who are breastfeeding. It helps to keep your milk supply up or increase your milk supply. Use more brewers yeast and oatmeal if you are wanting to increase your milk supply. You can use more chocolate chips if you like or any kind of chips.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips
2 -4 tablespoons brewer's yeast

Directions:

1
Preheat oven to 350°.
2
Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
3
Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
4
Add eggs and mix well.
5
Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
6
Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt.
7
Add dry ingredients to butter mix.
8
Stir in oats and chips.
9
Scoop onto baking sheet.
10
Bake for 12 minutes.
11
Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

Serves 54, yeilds 4.5 dozen.

Breast-feeding in public...big busted style

2011-08-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

I never, ever felt comfortable nursing my daughter's in public, I was far too shy and I was so afraid of someone coming up and confronting me for nursing in public. I tried to plan my day around their nursing habits, which made things rather difficult. When they wanted to nurse I would leave whatever I was doing and trot off to the overheated car or try to find a bathroom, here I would have to balance with one foot on the toilet, hold my nursing daughter while resting her on my knee, all while people were coming in and out using the facilities all around us. It wasn't fun. When there was nowhere to go and I did have to nurse them in public I felt like I was doing something illegal. I'd be glancing around nervously at everyone to see if they knew what I was doing and I'd try my best to hurry things along, instead of enjoying the nursing session with my daughter. That's not a good way to feel and it shouldn't be normal for new Mom's to feel that way...

Having active older children has changed things a bit. I couldn't plan my day around when he might be hungry, there were soccer practices, PTO meetings, Daisy scouts, Ballet, parent/teacher conferences, doctor appointments, etc...I have nursed Rusty in public more than I can count, in every place I can remember. For awhile every time we went to the grocery store, or anywhere for that matter, he thought it was just time to nurse and nap. Which was fine with me, at 4 months old we had become pro's at nursing in public. When we go out somewhere he usually always ends up in his carrier, so that has made things easier...I just move him down, position him, and he's off. It's so much easier than I thought it would be!

Being bigger busted it's a little bit more of a challenge to nurse discreetly, SOMETIMES I put the nursing cover over him, particularly if I need to use both hands to do something, but it's not often. The carrier I have comes with a hood to put up while the baby is napping, so that definitely comes in handy for nursing, great for big busted Mommies.

I've never once had someone come up to me and confront me, I've been prepared for it though, just in case...I have gotten the stink eye from time to time, or people staring, because they couldn't figure out what I was doing.
On one occasion I had an older lady come up to me while nursing and tell me she thought more younger people needed to breast feed and she thought I was doing a good job *Blush*. Another time, I was nursing at a soccer game and a Mom came over and we started chatting about her daughter whom she had nursed for 19 months. Which makes me even more determined to NIP and let other women who are NIP know that I think it's great.
I feel so much more relaxed nursing this baby. I think I have grown more confident and through that confidence I have loved nursing even more. I cherish this bonding time I have with him no matter where we are or what's going on around us. I will always remember and look back fondly on these beautiful and special moments...

Summer time and Parenting fail...

2011-08-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

We are preparing for another 100°+ day outside with temps feeling like 110°. Thats hot. We will still attempt to play outside in the kiddie pool, or sprinkler, or just chase each other with the hose, but like the last couple of days, it will more than likely not last long, probably two hours or less. I remember spending all my summer days outside playing and having to be called inside multiple times, of course I grew up in the Northeast, so "hot" meant 85 and perfectly bearable and there weren't bugs as big as my baby or fire ants that bit at the first opportunity. This summer has not been nearly as structured as summers past either. I used to have planned activities and play-dates with the neighbors kids everyday. I tried to do that this summer, but this summer has just been more hectic, less money, and the neighbors with kids moved and were replaced by 2 19 year old Marines and 1 very old lady with lots of dogs.

At the beginning of the summer I had visions of vlogging a different, fun, unique activity a day, but most of that idea went right out the window. This summer my girls have been staying up way past their bedtime either playing Wii or watching movies, they've been staying in their pajamas way too late during the day. It's wear whatever you want to wear day just about everyday, unless we're going to the grocery store. The enemy T.V. has been on way too much this summer, I blame the heat and the fact that they beg to play "sleepover" everyday, which means they put on P.J.'s and watch a movie. Their bedroom and playroom is always a mess and trickles out into the living room, people coming over? Let's just shut the door...Green eggs and ham for breastfast? Absolutely! Dinner? Didn't I just clean up lunch? Sure, you can eat that...Bath time, nah,you swam today, you're clean enough.

I'm not whining, I have been right there with them all summer. The summer is coming to an end in a few weeks, so I know we will get things back to normal then and it's been nice spending the time with just my kids. This summer has gone by way too fast, did it go as planned? Nope, but it was better than I had planned.

How we change as Parents...

2011-08-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

My oldest turned 7 last weekend. When I think about Haley's infancy I think about all the books I read and the (although misguided) pressure I felt to "get it right" as a new Mommy. I religiously listened to the advice from my Mother-in-law, Mother, Grandmother-in-law, neighbors, random strangers, Doctor's and Nurses and did everything they told me to do (NOT saying don't ever listen to Doctor's or Nurses, but also follow your own instincts). I can't remember all the advice I was given, but some include;
"Put the baby on a nursing schedule"
"Do not feed her more than once every 3 hours"(Didn't happen)
"Do not let her nurse for comfort" (I still did)
"Use formula when you're out, don't breast-feed in public"
"Never put her in bed with you"(Didn't happen)
"SUPPLEMENT"
"Cry it out"
"Start solids now"
"Wait to start solids"
"You need to sleep train her, or she'll be spoiled"
"Don't carry her around, she'll get spoiled"
"Don't run to her every time she cries, she'll be spoiled"
"Put her to sleep, on her back, in her own room, or she'll be spoiled"
people seemed to always be worried I was going to spoil my baby girl. What's a new Mommy to do? I tried, I really did, to be the Mom I thought I was suppose to be, but something just didn't feel right. I always felt like I was failing every time someone told me to do something differently.
It took me almost a year to realize that parenting isn’t about being right or wrong, it’s about constantly learning and discovering what works for you as a family, even if it's different from what everyone else does. My parenting has changed a lot in 7 years. When it came to our second daughter, I still heeded the advice I was given, but followed my instincts more. With this baby I am confidently parenting the way I want to parent and I know it's what's right for our family and best for my kids. Now...
~We cloth diaper. It's just the better choice for us all around.
~I wear my baby, when we are home or out and about, he can nap, feel secure, and hang out with me while I clean or cook...I don't believe you can spoil a baby.
~We co-sleep. We ended up co-sleeping with Haley and Lindsey too, but I never told anyone, because "Babies are suppose to sleep in cribs". Now I believe my baby is suppose to sleep near me, able to breast feed and cuddle easily.
~I BREAST FEED in PUBLIC (gasp!) Rusty has never received formula and i've never been hunched in a dirty bathroom stall or sitting in a hot car nursing my baby. He nurses in the Ergo or under a cover, usually no one even notices he is nursing.
~Rusty did not have solids early on.
~I'm not self-conscious about my parenting anymore. I do not compare myself to other Mothers and I don't compare my kids to other kids. I've never asked what percentile someone else's baby is and honestly, I'm not sure what percentile Rusty is in right now.
I'm sure there are other things we have tweaked and do differently now. We are still learning and evolving as parents as well and that's OK.
All in all, I feel like I am a better Mother, because I'm more relaxed and confident. My kids are all well adjusted, smart, happy little beings.

First cloth diaper

2011-08-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

I had no idea people even cloth diapered anymore, until my Dad suggested it when I was pregnant with my 3rd baby, and to be honest, I thought he was insane. Until after the 4th time he mentioned it and I did a Google search on cloth diapers. Holy crap!!! There is a whole big world of cloth diapering Mama's out there and tons upon tons of options. I started my "stash" of cloth diapers with 24 newborn green mountain pre-folds and 6 Thirsties covers.

After a few weeks I got my first Fab-fitteds. I was hooked. I couldn't believe how easy cloth diapering was.

At about 3 months, he out-grew the covers we had, so I ordered our first pockets. I got 6 Thirsties Duo Diapers, but frankly, I wasn't all that impressed with them. I turned to Fuzzibunz and ordered a bunch of their one-size diapers and a few perfect size.

Uh! LOVE! I'm a Fuzzibunz addict, they should make a support group. If there is a new color I have to have it. It's a problem. I have added to our stash over the last several months...2 Flip covers, 6 inserts, a few BumGenius 4.0's, 6 Dinkledooz, and a mix of others. In all seriousness, I love cloth diapering. I try to show them off without saying to every person I meet "Hey! Have you heard about modern cloth?!!". My husband often makes fun of me for putting two cloth diapers on top of my purse in the grocery store in hopes someone will notice (and they do every time:)).

My beliefs

2011-08-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Hey! My name is Sarah. I, first and foremost, am a PAHM (Play at home Mommy) to 3 wonderful kids, Haley (7), Lindsey (5), and Rusty (11 months). I am also a Lactation Consultant and (almost) Doula, (Once all 3 are in school full-time). I believe in raising our children the absolute best way we can. I believe all children are different and unique and learn in different ways, it is our job as parents to help them nourish their minds and talents (or un-talents!). I believe that so long as we have our children's best interests and welfare at heart, then we are all doing it right and we are all great Mom's (and Dad's). There are so many different ways to parent, it can't be a one size fits all experience.
That being said I believe in following my instincts when it comes to raising my children. They have all been breast-fed "on-cue", as their own bodies tell them they are hungry. I remember the nurse I had when I gave birth to my first scolding me for feeding her after only an hour of nursing. I was mortified and thought I was doing something wrong, but after a day of trying to stick to the ridged nursing schedule she had told me, I gave it up and did what I thought felt right. Which is how i've been breast-feeding ever since, I politely nodded in the hospital when I was given "advice", but did my own thing. They eat when they are hungry or need comfort, (whether we are home or in public) and wean when they are ready, which has been right about a year for my daughters. My son, I feel, is going to go longer. I would love to be able to keep going until he reached the 2 year mark!!

They have been carried (worn) since birth. Rusty was in the Moby wrap until he was about 6 months old, then we transitioned to the Ergo, which I am absolutely in LOVE with.
Moby Wrap

Ergo (Back carry)

We Co-Sleep. My son does have a crib, which is currently side-carred with our bed. He still nurses 2 or 3 times at night, so naturally co-sleeping makes sense to me.
We cloth diaper, I wish, wish, WISH I had known about modern cloth diapers with my daughters. It makes me cringe to think about all the chemicals that were on their little bums and the money we could have saved!
I'm passionate about all of these things and hope to share that passion with other like minded Mommies and anyone else who is interested. :)