Man and Wife Living Life

Winfield: Feisty Four-Month Update

2013-05-20T13:50:00.001-04:00

Our little man is on the mooooove, man! Like, groovy!

Latest 4-month doctor visit stats:

Height/Length: 26.5" - 90th Percentile

Weight: 16.06# - Doctor said about the 75th percentile, but the paper said lower (?)

Head Circumference: 17.5" or 50th Percentile

Plagiocephaly issues: All but gone. YAY REPOSITIONING AND THERAPIES!

I do believe we've avoided a helmet, though his ears are and always will be kind of uneven. Ah well, you barely notice unless you're really looking for it.

Little Man LOVES to look around. You always hear him fussing if he can't look around.

PS: I spy with my little eye something... Flint.

He is extraordinarily expressive. And apparently mommy thinks he likes to have conversations like the one above. (NOTE: He does.)

We took a trip to the Detroit Zoo a few weeks ago, which was totally fun.

Winfield loved to watch the seals swimming in the arctic exhibit. He only temporarily appreciated sitting by the monkey statue. I appreciated his patience with my need for photos.

I feel very blessed that he has REALLY started to "click" with his daddy. One day last week they spent the day together and afterward he didn't want anything to do with mommy... just daddy. I love that he really enjoys his father and of course, that Nate really loves his son. And yeah, he and I like to snuggle.

I call him "Schooly D," short for Schooly Drooly. Brotha' likes to DROOL.

He's working on a front tooth presently. Insert knuckle: GNAW. The man has a plan.

Not that I needed to point it out, since he's honing the art of flipping over, but he's really doing well at tummy time. Though he does wimp out and keep his head down when he gets tired. But he loves to reach out to grab and play with his toys. He's also got a first-class case of Monkey Toe-itis, or the tendency to grab things with his legs and feet. (Especially my hands and arms during diaper changes.)

We've really been reading lately and he likes to "talk" along with the stories he likes best. We enjoy the magazine "Highlights Hello" and we have also been reading soft cloth books and board books on colors, shapes, etc. He also got a free book in Cheerios about "Digby" the dog and he LOVESLOVESLOVES that story "Digby Takes Charge". Bonus for free books!

If you can't tell by the outfit, he's stylin' and profilin'. Minky-soft zebra-pattern diaper, whale tank top and rainbow striped bib. You know, we rollz with the fashionz. (Hey it was hot.)

Speaking of "rollz":

I see two type of "rollz". In the process of rolling over and rolls of baby chub. LOVE IT.

Oh yeah, we visited the park. It was, um, bright and warm...

...but he was in a great mood.

And he still loves to dream.

We sing the song "It's Time To Say Goodnight" before bed and give kisses and so far it has worked every time. We made up the song. It's four lines long and, well, it's no sweet genius, but it's cute.

"It's time to say goodnight/

let your dreams take flight/

we hope you have a special dream/

when we say goodnight."

Goodnight.

PS: I think he knows when I do his blog updates because he celebrates each one by going #2 in his diaper.

Just so you know.

Knowing is half the battle.

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"Thank you for our time."

2013-05-09T09:52:00.003-04:00

I'm sitting here with you on the couch today. You are not in a very good mood. Your usual peals of smiles and laughter don't make many appearances today. You alternate half-pouts with screams of hunger and long bouts of sleep. You are teething and you are growing. Between you and me, I wouldn't trade this day for the world.

I hold you nestled in my arms today as you drink your milk from your bottle. You grab my fingers and direct the bottle in and out of your mouth, taking breaks when you need to. You know what you need to eat and when, you just can't do it yourself yet. It won't be long until you try to hold it all on your own. I look into your eyes and in the morning sun reflecting my image back at me. Today I can set my clock by your tummy: a bottle every two hours on the nose, else wailing ensues.

You need a lot of sleep today. Twice I place you on my chest as you grip my hand with yours. You turn your head, smile and drift off to sleep. You wake up in an hour only to drift back off for another one. Eat a bottle and repeat. Awake two hours and eat, sleep two hours. You don't know that I have your head close to my nose so I can drift off to sleep with your baby-soft hair enveloping my senses. Godmade pheromones are working overtime and a few tears leak out with gratitude and fear as I drift in and out of sleep with you.

"Thank you for this boy, Lord. Thank you for our time."

Our time day in and day out might be ending soon, son. Like many first-time mommies, the thought of leaving you in the hands of someone else, even someone very loving and capable, tears my heart out. I should be home with you. I'm your mommy and I was made to do this job. I was made to take care of our home and somehow entrepreneurial me has adapted to this role, even though I sneak work in here and there when daddy is home to be with you.

It's true... We should've made better choices with our finances when we were "young and stupid" so I could stay with you. But we didn't. So I suppose I hope to teach you that we make choices, son, and we have to live with them and work through them. Even when we are young and say "It won't affect me for ten years at least." That ten years comes and goes and now you have to deal. We have to deal. I hope that you learn these things and I hope that you are still a happy boy despite our choices, which, by no fault of your own, have become your reality.

God, heal my heart as I seek out to do what needs to be done. Heal my brain and my body as I process through all of these things, these feelings. Surround me with people who can help. Help me to see straight and separate truth from the lies of the enemy. Help me to be Your light to others as I wade through my circumstances. Lead the appropriate opportunity my way and set my heart to do an excellent job. And thank you for our little boy. And thank you for our time.

If you enjoy this post, feel free to Subscribe in a reader or subscribe via e-mail. Follow @thegirlburgan on Twitter. Content ©2006-2013 Man & Wife Living Life. Photos © Man & Wife Living Life unless otherwise noted. Please e-mail before using or contact the original copyright holder. Thanks!

Winfield: 3 Month Update

2013-04-29T14:02:00.006-04:00

Winfield is 3.5 months old right now. As I type this, he's sitting in the bouncer next to me... filling his pants.

That's just how he rolls.

Goldarn he's cute.

He has been practicing his tummy time, though he is oddly preferenced to sleep with his head to the left (on his back) and lay during tummy-time and play-over-mom's-shoulder-time with his head facing right. It's odd and balanced, yet unbalanced if you catch my drift.

We're still cloth diapering part-time and using disposables part-time. That's me per usual, the hybrid mama.

PS: For a diaper savings calculator, click here. I made it. That's how I roll. For the record, the pictured image is the most metrosexual baby diaper known to man. You can buy it at Kawaii Baby Diapers. (It's on sale because, well, just look at it.)

Winfield is working all of the expressions. He's finding his personality. And if he's grumpy, you will usually see THE MEGAPOUT. Photo-based evidence:

He also loves to smile. And play. It's way more fun now that he's mostly immobile, yet exploring his world.

His head therapy regimen includes tummy time, physical therapy checks, craniosacral therapy, massage and at-home therapy, Tortle use, and after PT is done, he'll go back to the chiropractor for very gentle adjustments. Like I said, he has a weird preference for left-right at different times, so finding balance is key. It's better, but not perfect. Overall I'm happy about how his noggin' is doing. Oh, here's a photo of him at PT. He looks like me and my dad as babies in this pic. (The older he gets the more of me I see in him. Admittedly vain, I enjoy this.)

While extremely independent during the day, he still loves to snuggle when he's very tired and at bedtime. He still puts his hand, well, in the same place he has always put it. (For safe keeping. You know.)

Nate and I have had some other adventures with him. He still travels very well and likes both snug body carriers and his stroller. We even went to Irene's, the massage school I work for, to participate in Infant Massage class. He looooooved it.

He has a "lovey" that we named Beary White. Get it? Beary White?

It's a white bear. And it has a deep, deep voice. Yeah, anyway...

He loves Beary White. Beary White will be "that bear" that's all filthy and filled with Kid Germs and I have this feeling he won't want us to wash it. I also have this feeling I need to find a back-up online for two years down the road.

Oh, and did I mention brotha' is teething already?

Ka-DROOLZ!

If you think that's just normal baby behavior, check the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdHRET07wj8

He has little buds where those teeth are "just barely" poking through. The buds appear, disappear briefly, then reappear bigger. So one of these days he'll have two bottom chompers.

So until next month, that's the end.

THE END.

Free Download: Diaper Savings Calculator

2013-04-22T22:02:00.004-04:00

Being the hybrid mama I am, I am okay with using disposable diapers when necessary. Some days that is all we use. I really do enjoy cloth diapers and think they are cute and effective. However, sometimes our guy just does better in disposables, or "paper diapers" as I'm prone to calling them.

We do enjoy the Honest Company and think their diapers are both cute and convenient, not to mention less "toxic" than regular disposables. We've used most "natural" brands out there, including Earth's Best and Seventh Generation. (We still use Seventh Generation Baby Wipes and love them.) But sometimes we buy bargain brands and regular national brands, like Huggies and Pampers. And while I love to coupon in order to save money, I want to know that I'm using coupons wisely.

I sat down this past weekend and created a simple Excel tool that will allow you to easily and automatically tabulate your savings using coupons. This helps you to determine the total price paid, the total dollars saved, and the total price per diaper in your shopping trip. You can also use this calculator for just about any couponing where you have individual items in a pack (like dishwasher tabs for example) or really anything else! I put this calculator under a Creative Commons license, so feel free to use it to its full extent, provided you share and share alike and don't use it for profit, okay? Download this calculator from the Man & Wife Living Life Download page.

Click to enlarge

Here is my most recent diaper shopping trip, by the way. I think I did pretty darn well. Because we also use cloth diapers, these diapers will get us most of the way through the "2" and a good part of the way through the "3" stage, too! Let me know if you enjoyed this calculator!

If you enjoy this post, feel free to Subscribe in a reader or subscribe via e-mail. Follow @thegirlburgan on Twitter. Content ©2006-2013 Man & Wife Living Life. Photos © Man & Wife Living Life unless otherwise noted. Please e-mail before using or contact the original copyright holder. Thanks!

Photo © IngaMun | Flickr Creative Commons

Easy, Inexpensive Natural Baby Powder: The Magic of Cornstarch

2013-04-15T13:02:00.002-04:00

Most traditional baby powders contain talc. According to PreventCancer.com, talcum powder can contain one or more carcinogens! Why expose your tiny baby's bottom to these substances?

Sure, you can purchase many brands. For instance, Burt's Bees Baby Dusting Powder, California Baby Non-Talc Powder, and Little Twig Baby Powder all have great products for baby's bottom. But if you want to spare the expense and keep the ingredient list very limited, read on. There is a super-simple and effective powder for your baby's bottom and it's most likely in your pantry: cornstarch.

Cornstarch is a great, all-purpose powder for baby bottoms and general chafing concerns, even for grown-ups! Simply put some in a container used only for baby's bottom and sprinkle as necessary. A powdered-sugar shaker is a great container. (Here at Amazon you can get two for a very inexpensive price and it qualifies for Prime.) Sprinkle and watch your baby smile!

I keep it even simpler... I just use re-usable cloth wipes and powder away!

The only consideration you might want to be on the lookout for is diaper rash caused by yeast overgrowth. The cornstarch won't be appropriate in this case. You can try arrowroot powder or one of the aforementioned natural powders.

The photo at the right explains: Dip reusable wipe (dry), powder and diaper as usual!

If you enjoy this post, feel free to Subscribe in a reader or subscribe via e-mail. Follow @thegirlburgan on Twitter. Content ©2006-2013 Man & Wife Living Life. Photos © Man & Wife Living Life unless otherwise noted. Please e-mail before using or contact the original copyright holder. Thanks!

Marley Coffee Review

2013-04-08T14:18:00.002-04:00

Bob Marley always said he would return to farming one day. With Marley Coffee, Bob's son Rohan fulfills the dream. Rohan remembers his grandmother drying their wild coffee berries in the sun, then hulling and roasting them for her own cup of coffee each morning. Marley Coffee is determined to deliver that same intoxicating aroma and rich smooth flavor into every cup. - MarleyCoffee.com

Starbucks is expensive, people. After having our baby, I became quite smitten with caffeine again. It is either that or fall asleep... doing pretty much anything. I have been making the rounds to the regular chains, both cafe-type chains and fast food places (and even gas stations), but I decided that it is too stinkin' expensive to have that kind of daily habit!

Last week I had an idea: "Brew your coffee at home, duh." So I set out to find an organic, free-trade coffee that met my needs. Normally I'd be sad to spend good money on something like a bag of coffee, but if one bag of coffee saves over $100, I'm for it. Enter Marley Coffee.

I happened upon Marley Coffee through Vine.com (enter "fromnature" at checkout for 20% off). The "Mystic Morning" blend was on sale at the time for $9.44. You can also buy most blends at the Marley Coffee website through CoffeeWiz for $9.99 and their more exclusive blends are higher based on the blend. I was intrigued that Marley Coffee was 1) organic, 2) fair trade, 3) sustainable, and 4) birthed from the desire of Bob Marley, one of the most influential musicians in the 20th century!

Here is a video about coffee production and the Marley Coffee company:

The Mystic Morning blend smelled great out of the bag. I was really excited to brew the first pot. I use a no-frills, regular drip coffee maker and this coffee worked great in it. I got no grounds in the cup. The Mystic Morning blend tasted phenomenal. It was very dark and rich and shortly after drinking it, I felt the after-effects of the caffeine. I drank one cup black and then drank another cup with unsweetened almond milk, which made it nutty and delicious.

I will be the first to tell you I am no coffee officianado! I don't know the different notes that come from the coffee cherries or their roasting methods. But like most folks, I know what I like and I give Marley Coffee two thumbs up for flavor, price and ethics. I will certainly buy it again. I am excited to try "One Love" blend as well. I have this feeling you will find Marley Coffee a very good buy for your coffee maker and for your ethics!

If you enter my email address or Refer-a-Friend code "fromnature" at checkout, you'll get 20% off your first Vine.com order and 20% off your first order on each of the other sites in their family, including Diapers.com, Soap.com and Wag.com.*

DISCLAIMER: This review was initiated by the author and has no ties to Marley Coffee nor did she receive any compensation or free product. The Vine.com links are affiliate should you use the code "FromNature".

Product Image Copyright belongs to the manufacturer.

Keeping House, Keeping Baby: Just One Per Day!

2013-04-02T10:48:00.002-04:00

In January I realized my normal "do the chores you need to do... period" way of homekeeping was going out the window with the impending arrival of our kiddo. So after a couple of weeks of mommydom, I decided to make a chart with just ONE chore per day. (See the calendar image here... That's on my fridge right now!)

Oh, I have to sweep or vacuum each day to combat doggy fur tumbleweeds and I have to run dishes and wash bottles, but I decided those are my must-dos. Otherwise the house just gets gross with fur and we have no clean dishes to feed ourselves or baby. That doesn't work! But the other chores I squeeze in when I can. Some days it seems like, "Wow, that's all I'm really doing today?" And other days it seems like, "Wow, that is a lot to get done." Regardless, it's just the one chore. Today, for instance, I cleaned the bathroom sink in the basement bath. I did it before Winfield woke up for the day. Voila! Other than dishes, I'm done for the day! And yet over the course of the month, this keeps things in generally great condition. My husband always asks how I got the house so clean, when other than my "one chore" I only pick up a bit, sweep and do dishes. Well, this is how!

It's easy if you want to do it yourself. Take a calendar you've printed (or any calendar) and fill in the chores you both do regularly and not as regularly. For instance, I never want to clean the whole fridge, but I can do one shelf a day. In 4 days, I have a sparkly fridge that is neatly organized! The simpler you keep it, the more realistic you are and the more accomplished you feel. This really worked the first quarter of 2013 with a new baby, so I plan to keep this going all 2013 and possibly beyond.

Winfield: 2 Month Update

2013-03-28T16:04:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm only two weeks late on the two-month update, eh?

Winfield is now 10 weeks old, or 2.5 months. He has grown so much from this...

to this...

Right?

We go on the town a lot:

We go to places like malls and stores and restaurants and grandma's and to mom's work. Wellby travels well.

He's become very exploratory when you place things near his mouth or hands. He will now reach out and grab on and direct things where he wants them to go, or at least try to.

He is really into his milk, of course. We are still nursing a couple of times a day, but with all of the troubles I've mentioned before, milk is still going downhill production-wise. So bottles it is. But he's thriving and gaining weight at an appropriate pace. He's a stringbean! He's 90th percentile for length and 50th for weight and 55th for head circumference.

Speaking of heads, his PT evaluation said momma's work with massage and stretching and tummy time exercises are really helping with the torticollis and plagiocephaly. His head is rounding out bit by bit and he's getting very strong! Check this out:

And finally, he's super-snuggly and he loves his mommy and daddy. He also adores attention from his cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends. Everyone is a friend right now! Even his dog, Bruce, who watches out for him.

So that's the update. He's meeting developmental milestones, growing like a champ, and a joy to be around. We're happy that he's even sleeping longer... With the help of disposable diapers and some plastic pants he can make it 6-7 hours now, which to mommy and daddy is something special indeed!

Here's one more video of him talking and playing:

Till next time!

Of Flat Heads and Crazy Heads

2013-03-05T12:54:00.001-05:00

Our son Winfield is now seven weeks old. I think he's just a gem! There was as time around 5.5 weeks that I finally realized, "Wow, I actually love being a mommy!"

Unfortunately we are realizing that Wellby has torticollis and plagiocephaly on his right side. This means his neck muscles are short ("too tight") and he doesn't like to lay his head anywhere but the right side. That leads to flattening on the right side. Many parents have kiddos with flattening on the back of the head, largely due to "Back To Sleep" or the campaign to put babies to sleep on their backs only, thereby lessening the chance of SIDS, or crib death. Our guy sleeps on his back, but places his head to the side. We try to reposition him and use a Tortle, or repositioning beanie hat, which does help. The more he does "tummy time" to strengthen his neck muscles helps, too. But he needs a little extra help! (Below is a photo of him with his Tortle in the car seat. Dang, he's cute!)

We will be going to the doctor to ask about his reflux and his plagiocephaly diagnosis next Monday, so no more information is available until then. At a minimum, I hope he prescribes PT. He may need a little helmet, but we're catching it early, so we'll see. Mommy is taking him to Dr. Vanloon, our gentle chiropractor, for the reflux and the plagio as well. It does seem to calm him right down and help the "snuffles" that come with reflux. I'll also be visiting my colleague Jennifer Pillow-White from the massage school to see a couple of CST, or Craniosacral Therapy, sessions. These are particularly good for infants and gentle as all get-out. Of course Wellby's favorite therapist is his mommy for massage, but mommies need help sometimes!

Speaking of needing help, yeah... I am doing much better overall with the postpartum depression, but on occasion it rears its ugly head. I feel crazy most days. My body is all out of whack, as I did just carry and birth a child, but it's not helping that I feel so... squishy and weak. That's the best way to describe it. Paired with no real sunshine and not being able to go outside to walk around, this is a good recipe for stir-crazy-depression-crazy-brain-itis. (That's my own personal diagnosis and official terminology.)

I did manage to actually put on well-planned makeup for church last week. This is a new feat, for foundation and blush with mascara is all I've been able to eek out thus far. I felt like a normal person instead of a fat, lumpy, butt-sitting, daytime TV watching mom. I know that when the spring finally decides to come and the weather warms, being mobile will be easier. I put together our stroller, which our car seat (roughly) snaps into. I plan on taking the kidlet to local malls, etc. until we can be outdoor daily. (Normally I'd just do my Mei Tai carrier, but with one person it's hard to carry baby stuff and baby without the stroller.) I think the combination of sun, fresh air and exercise will be good for the both of us.

I wish more friends lived closer, but for now we just have to get through the ugly winter and focus on helping Winfield get his own, tiny head together! Come on spring... I know I will be a much saner person and in turn a much nicer, more fun wife and mother.

PS: Extra bonus! Someone sent me a free "gently used" Infantino pouch carrier with an eBay auction of baby clothes. I knew right away that carrier was recalled from previous news stories, BUT when you cut off the logo portion (thereby destroying the carrier), you can mail it to Infantino for a free Sash Mei Tai carrier, which is soft, strong and safe. Two Mei Tais for the price of the one I bought early on... LOVE IT! (Always check recalls on used items. Visit the CPSC recalls page here.)

Winfield: 1 Month Update & The Difficulty Of Baby Decisions

2013-02-13T13:56:00.002-05:00

Our little dude is just about one month old! He's taking a nice, long nap right now and I have energy, so I thought I would post. Here are a few milestones he has hit this month:

1) He is now taking about 3-4.5 ounces per bottle feeding during the day (less at night), up from 1.5-2.5

2) He can hold his neck up in longer bursts, which is supposedly a little ahead of the curve.

3) He sleeps in his bassinet just fine, and has been since week one, which according to his doc is a little ahead as well.

4) His weight is creeping up. He has a double chin and is getting upper arm and upper leg chub, too. This is good!

5) His daddy might be right... It looks like Wellby is heading for brown eyes like his mama, even though SHE was hoping for blue/grey like his daddy.

6) Speaking of eyes, he can now follow us around a bit and knows our voices quite well. He can see and likes the look at the book "Colors" and his "Highlights Hello" magazine with very bright pictures.

Winfield: BLUE STEEL!

Winfield pretty much sleeps, eat, and likes to mess his diapers, like any baby. I am impressed that this little THING was inside my belly just four scant weeks ago. I hardly remember life before baby, but I DO remember sleeping before baby and I miss that nice, long uninterrupted sleep F'REAL!

Here are five very helpful things I've encountered in the last few weeks concerning raising a newborn:

1) BabyCenter's "My Baby Today" App

2) KellyMom - Evidence-based articles on raising baby, typically from a "natural" POV

3) BottleBabies.org - When you must or choose to use a bottle for breast milk or formula

4) Similac's "Diaper Decoder" for baby poo. Yes, graphic photos of poo, but this is really helpful! (When you are a parent, BMs and #1 are the talk of the town.)

5) Swagbucks. Seriously! I have cashed in Swagbucks, earned for free, for $25 Babies R Us gift card and $20 in other gift cards. Babies R Us is my happy place these days!

Wellby & Daddy - Skin-to-Skin Time

One other thing I've learned in spades is that every mom and dad has to make the best, informed decisions they can for their child. This is SO MUCH responsibility! This little thought was brought up by my own personal struggles with breastfeeding, having to supplement with formula, and so forth. I said "I'd never do it" and then my child lost 18% of his birth weight (too much by all standards) and needed to gain. I had days and days of feeling like a failure and then I had the epiphany: We need to do what's right for our child, period. And now my mind is changed and now I am seeking support from other parents and receiving it, thank God! And Wellby is doing SO WELL and I am feeling so blessed that we have these tools at our disposal.

So no, we aren't perfect. I threw that notion out the window years ago. But every parent's decisions about feeding, clothing, diapering, sleeping, medicating, vaccinating, spiritual development, education, and so forth are A) hard ones to make for your child and B) never "perfect", but it's important that C) they are right for you, your family, and your baby.

With the internet and its anonymity, I believe we've really regressed as people. We're unkind sons-of-youknowwhats when it comes to leaving comments, telling people "this is how it should be, or you are a terrible person/parent", suggesting people "should be shot" if they chose something you don't care for. Hardlining, in person or online, "You should do as I do or you are a sorry excuse for a human," is reprehensible.

Peace, people. Peace, love and grace! Listen before speaking. Support and encourage, especially during the fragile times. Therefore it's now my mission to support mamas and daddies as they make decisions for their child, assuming they're not putting the kiddo in mortal danger! I think if we support each other and approach each other in love, this is ideal. Cooking meals, holding the baby while mom gets an extra hour of sleep, passing along gently used items, and so forth. This is community. This is how we should be. This is what I will continue to seek.

Wellby & Grandma Burgan

Bringing Home Baby

2013-01-29T14:15:00.002-05:00

My baby is sleeping. I don't have much time to write this. I've already "saved" and restarted several times since yesterday. But by now the majority of you know that we've brought home our son, Winfield. We were "Team Green" and didn't find out the sex until he was born and passed up through his mama's legs and his mama said, "Oh. He's a boy." But then I proceeded to have a "Raising Arizona" experience of "Iiiiiiii... loooooooovvvveee him soooo-hooo-hooo muuu-uhhh-uhhh-ch..." moment, until the doctor decided it was time to break out the needle and thread and, well, we were reunited about 45 minutes later after he had some skin-to-skin time with daddy.

Winfield Lawrey was born at 1:09 a.m. on 15 January 2013 at Providence Southfield's Alternative Birth Care Unit. (Here is his birth announcement on BabyCenter.) He was 20" long and weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces. He was born naturally after 48+ hours of labor, 8 hours of hard labor, and 24 minutes of pushing. I'm healing quite well and he is doing well overall.

We had an amazing birth doula, Laurel of Guided Passage Birth Companion in Ferndale, who helped Nate and I to focus and bring our little guy into the world. She held my hand when Nate was busy doing other things to help me, she helped me remember how to breathe (yes, I kind of forgot when things "got real"), started and stopped the jets on the labor tub, and held my back and legs when I would have contractions and when I got ready to push. When one technique stopped working, she tried another. That, plus all of the amazing information she gave during prenatal visits, was worth its weight in gold!

Our OB, Dr. Dionne Dickerson, of Physicans For Women in Southfield, was a huge part of our birth experience as well. "Dr. D" as I referred to her in labor didn't pigeonhole me due solely to weight. She was supportive and allowed me to birth naturally, despite of my pre-pregnancy BMI, because I had no other "risk factors" or health concerns. She allowed me to be in any position and do whatever my body needed to do during labor and delivery (except she stopped me from pushing before she had her gown on, which I guess we'll let slide), allowing me to deliver my baby without breaking my water artificially, allowing me to deliver naturally despite his presenting "Right Occiput Posterior," (not breech, but the least preferable presentation for a head-down baby) and helping me to move a "lip" that was holding the baby in at the cervix and preventing his delivery.

Nate is childhood friends with a fellow named Matt, whose wife Jill is the "After Baby Lady," or a postpartum doula. Instead of assisting in birth, her goal is to educate and assist mamas after they come home, whether it be light chores, baby rearing, or breastfeeding. I reached out to her in the bleary-eyed throws of initial breasfeeding pain and exhaustion (twice!) asking for advice and she came out to the house to educate us and take the babe for long enough for me to catch a catnap. At that point in time, I had about eight hours of sleep in 3-4 days, so 1.5 hours of sleep was amazing. Then when my resolve fell away the next night, she was so supportive via e-mail I was just blown away. She continued to check on the baby and on us and we both really appreciated her kindness and expertise.

Lastly, today we consulted with Brandy from In Home Lactation Specialists, as Wellby (his nickname) lost 14% of his birthweight, due to no fault of our or his own. She came out to the house to weigh him, check his mouth and latch, check my breasts for trauma (there was none, really, which was good!), and check to see how I was feeding him, position, etc. When she left, both Nate and I felt like it was a great use of our money, as we were doing the right things and just needed a leg up to give Winfield a chance to thrive. I'll be following up with her to ensure he stays on the right path.

You see, Winfield had a big jaundice (bilirubin) spike after birth, which made him a sleepy eater. He has had several foot pricks since then to check his levels, and he will have another on Thursday of this week. I can tell his yellowing is going away though and his "output" (wet and dirty diapers) is excellent, which helps to rid the body of the bilirubin. He's already a sleepy eater, so this compounded the milk intake. His metabolism might also be a little overactive, amongst other things, so crying and normal "being a baby" stuff means he's burning the calories he's taking in. Luckily he's started gaining slowly in the last four days, but now we'll be pumping and supplementing with mama milk and formula until he has regained his birth weight and has gotten off to a good start.

Lastly, friends and family have been integral to Wellby's well being. My mother Verna has been staying with us for nearly two weeks to help with the "graveyard shift" and give me and Nate sleep breaks and I have loved the extra time with her, as she normally lives in Florida. My dad Terry helped us to fix a few things around the house when he came home and helped us break into our garage, which hasn't opened in weeks due to a broken opener. My mother-in-law Mary Ann stops by with her love and words of wisdom. Friends and family have sent flowers, brought meals, and said prayers. To say we've been bowled over by this tender care is to say too little. We are flabbergasted at everyone's kindness.

So no, we're not getting a ton of sleep and I feel like Milky the Marvelous Milking Cow, but as he gets bigger and keeps his beautiful eyes open (he has his daddy's eyes and ears and my nose), he develops his little personality and I fall more and more in love. As my friend Angela said in a beautiful card, "Your heart lives on the outside now." (Yes, I'm hormonal and it still makes me cry, even when I type it.) I feel tired, sore, stinky (showers are fewer and farther between), weepy and worn out... and indubitably blessed from one end to the other.

Easy, Healthy Recipe for January 2013: Hummus & Cucumber Crostini

2013-01-11T11:44:00.003-05:00

This past December, I was inspired by a Pinterest post about a "Year of Dates" from the blog "Life In General" as a great gift for a significant other. Basically, each month your loved one opens a sealed envelope with a new date for that month in it. I made a year of dates for my husband Nate, but at the last minute (on Christmas morning), I decided to add a supplemental envelope to each month. Each month includes a healthy, easy recipe for one of us to make, a scripture passage, and a health topic. That way we could do what Nate had wanted, and focus as a family on health, spirit and trying new, delicious foods! I am really excited to "execute" each month's surprises!

This month the January 2013 Easy, Healthy Recipe is Hummus & Cucumber Crostini, which is a simple appetizer... and delicious!

Delicious crostini! Photo by Carrie

Hummus & Cucumber Crostini
Originally sourced from Real Simple

Serves 4

Ingredients
12 large bagel chips (preferably “everything” flavor)
1/2 cup hummus
1/4 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions
Dividing evenly, top the bagel chips with the hummus and cucumber. Drizzle with the oil and season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Notes (from Man & Wife Living Life)
I didn't want to buy a bag of bagel chips, so I took a few mini bagels, cut them in half, pressed them with a spatula and toasted them under a "Lo" broiler in the oven for a few minutes on each side. That made them a meal appetizer and super-hearty!

By Charlyne Mattox , July, 2011

If you enjoy this post, feel free to Subscribe in a reader or subscribe via e-mail. Follow @thegirlburgan on Twitter. ©2012 Man & Wife Living Life. Photos © Man & Wife Living Life unless otherwise noted. Please e-mail before using or contact the original copyright holder. Thanks!

New Uses For Old Socks

2012-12-31T08:33:00.001-05:00

I think I went through a period about three years ago when I would just buy new socks instead of matching old socks together. While Nate was always the "laundry guy" when we both worked full-time, I was always the "sock girl". I failed miserably at my job, even after taking over the majority of laundry loads!

We had baskets of unmatched socks sitting around. Then one day I decided to finish ALL the laundry in the house, come heck or high water. I did! (Well, for that day, anyway.) I matched socks and to all those left-overs that didn't have a mate, TOSS! They went directly into the garbage. Perhaps it wasn't environmentally sound, but it left us a lot happier... and swimming in socks.

I decided that before 2013 came I would clean out the many pairs of abundant socks that were good, but that I no longer needed. The photo of the shoebox with socks in it you see here is indeed the 35+ pairs of socks I decided I did not need. I have about 40 pairs of socks left, which will be further-reduced soon. I balled them up, put the image on Craigslist under "free" and I am awaiting an e-mail saying someone will take them for some purpose or another. (People will take just about anything for free on Craigslist. Just be sensible if you choose to use it!)

I had several socks that didn't make the "donate" cut, though. They had holes or were just too old and worn to be mended. Growing up, my mother would take any old clothing that was ripped or stained and put them in my dad's "rag hamper" in the garage. He would reuse these rags for his automotive and household projects. I used to throw socks out there, too, but he could rarely use them due to their small size. I was thinking about this today as I prepped my worn socks for household reuse: What are some other things you can do with old socks? The answers I came up with on a whim surprised me.

Things You Can Do With Old Socks

1. Make household rags

The easiest thing to do with old socks is to use them for household clean-up. I would recommend NOT using them in the form of socks for most things, as the shape is inconvenient. These need not be pretty, but definitely take a few seconds to prep your old socks before use.

Take a pair of scissors and cut down the back of the sock, over the heel and to the toe. You may need to cut just past the toe if yours is very rounded. This will allow the socks to lay flat and be used to wipe up spills, clean grease, etc. And of course you can wash and reuse these, but if they get too grungy, you at least re-use them before tossing into the landfill. (See image above.)

2. Make cat and dog toys

I love using cloth scraps to make cat toys. A pinch of stuffing (or more cloth scraps) and some catnip make my cat as happy as a clam. A few seconds with hand- or machine-stitching and voila! Happy kitty! Bonus: When these get lost or beaten into submission, you don't have to feel sad that you wasted money.

You can also stuff a sock with other socks and sew or tie the end shut for your dogs who are light chewers. (My dogs would destroy these in a heartbeat.) Be careful to make them look different from your regular socks, though! Make the shapes different, tie in several places to create bumps, etc. When you train your dog to play with socks, you might be sacrificing your or your family's socks to your pooch and it's not fair to discipline them for something you trained them to do, right?

3. Make reusable wipes

Being an expectant mother due at any time, I'm thinking of ways to save cash with baby. Why not use very clean old socks for reusable wipes? Much like the "household rags" option above, you can simply cut open the socks for them to lay flat. Certainly you could use them this way, but I recommend cutting off the elastic. This works better with softer socks like the ladies' socks above, and not men's sweat socks. (Would you want those on your bum?) Anyway, wet gently with water if necessary and use on baby's bottom for an eco-friendly wipe option. Bonus: You can use them to wipe up baby food spills or in a pinch to line your bra if you run out of breast pads!

4. Make liners for cloth pads

If you are familiar with "mama cloth," or cloth menstrual pads, you could use old socks as the inner liner layer for these pads if you make them yourself. If you need to know more about "mama cloth," visit this six-part series with reviews of one lady going green for her "red". Instead of buying expensive inner fabrics, reuse some thin sock material. It doesn't have to be pretty, just clean, as it's going inside of your cloth pad. You could also use them for the outside, but it depends on your pattern. Here are some free cloth pad patterns if you're extra-crafty.

5. Make herb strainers for herbal baths

Okay, admittedly this sounds silly. But we're talking herbal bath infusions, not herbal tea that you drink! You can cut off the ankle part of the sock, especially a thinner sock, quickly sew one of the ends shut with hand sewing or a sewing machine, stuff with your desired herbs, and either zip the end shut on the sewing machine or tie with a string to empty the bath mix and reuse later with new herbs. This cuts the expense of fill-it-yourself teabags and accomplishes your herbal health goals as well. Bonus: Use nicer-looking sock fabric in this method and tie with ribbon to make scented potpourri or herbal drawer sachets.

If you have more sock recycling ideas, please share them with me!

Creating a Vision: 2013

2012-12-26T16:50:00.003-05:00

Each year I complete a "vision" planner to help me kickstart my year. I purchased one in 2009 through Leonie Dawson, purveyor of fine eCourses designed to help you get-to-know-yourself and be-a-generally-better-person, and I got hooked!

This is the fifth year that I have completed the "Create Your Incredible Year Workbook", formerly the "Creating Your Goddess Year" workbook, but "goddess" is a loaded word. (No, it's not some weird, pagan ritual. It's about self-empowerment.) There are over 100 pages, ridiculously full-color, to work through. Seriously, Leonie loves her some color. This is not a "blah" Franklin Covey green-and-white binder insert. This is something that makes you think, something designed primarily for women, and something you will actually refer back to after you set your goals. I keep mine in my faux leather binder for handy reference wherever I go to keep me on task!*

I also have the companion Business Edition Workbook for my massage business, designed to help you release the imperfect from 2012 and focus on the positive, business-building goals and dreams for business in 2013. This edition has over 80 eye-popping, full-color pages. Yes, a little heavy on the ink (but it's a business write-off)! So is the $9.95 (USD) price tag, just save your receipt.

Anyway, one of the things that I enjoy doing each year, which is a task in the annual Workbook is to create a Vision Board. I do not believe that whatever you put on a vision board will magically come to you in all cases. There is a natural order of things and we can't get every single thing we want, because honestly sometimes we want what we don't want or shouldn't be focusing on, right? However, I do think that for visual people, a Vision Board or "Dream Board" can really help you to focus your priorities for the upcoming year, season, quarter, etc., whether for business, personal, pleasure, family, mind-body-spirit, or all of the above.

I tend to make my annual Vision Boards an "all of the above" experience, because life isn't always easily compartmentalized. So this year I focused each theme around a word, which reflected back to my 2013 word of the year, which is "Surrender." (Previous years' words were "Submission," "Balance," "Movement," and so forth.) My goal in 2013 is to surrender to always-changing circumstances (i.e.: living in the moment) and to surrender to God's will for me.

I used to create cut-and-paste Vision Boards with magazines and other clipped images, words, and so forth. These days I prefer a streamlined approach. From 2009-2011, I used Photoshop or Powerpoint to put images and text together, but in 2012 and 2013, I found a new, online Dream (Vision) Board creator that Oprah publishes through her "Envision Your Best Life" project. I don't always adore Oprah, but I really appreciate this fully-featured tool she has made available to everyone at no cost. Click here to visit the O Dream Board website and get started.

Directions for your 2013 Vision Board: Basically to create a Vision Board or Dream Board, whether you use the O Dream Board or not, you need images of some type (perhaps), words, etc., arranged in a manner that inspires you to evoke and create change in your life, or for you to pause and refocus when life gets out of balance. If it's pretty, you're more likely to hang it where you can see it, which makes it much more effective than hiding in a folder or desk drawer somewhere.

I have no problem sharing my 2013 Vision Board with you! The O site lets you do just that, which is nice. My theme, as I said, was "Surrendering Sweetly," because "surrender" can have negative connotations, so I added a bit of sugar, so to speak, meaning that in 2013 "Surrender" is a good thing!

(CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE IT FULL-SIZE)

I hope this inspires you to create your own Vision Board or Dream Board for 2013. If you complete the 2013 Creating Your Incredible Year Workbook or a Vision Board of your own, I'd love for you to share that with me. I really would like to support you through the process with prayer or kind words, because I do believe that lifting each other up is a great way to create community, even online. (See? It relates to my Vision Board, too!)

All the best for 2013!

*Affiliate links... Because I use and recommend these products fully year after year!

Nest While You Rest?

2012-12-24T07:12:00.000-05:00

I'm a few days into the "rest your bod" phase of trying to slow down the labor symptoms I had, which is going very well thus far. I am happy that is the case. We have canceled our plans for the last two days, but today is Christmas Eve and we're going to see Nate's family at my Father-in-Law's home later today for a few hours. His wife Jean said, "Pick a spot and hunker down and you'll be okay!" For some reason that cracked me up! But she has a lot of family who will be there as well, so she's probably telling the truth!

I have been sitting, resting, putting my feet up, etc. as much as possible. Let me tell you, if I had been put on bedrest during my pregnancy, I would've gone NUTS. So kudos to the ladies who have had to stay put for weeks on end, especially laying in any certain position! Nate has been a godsend in this last few days (well, marriage overall!) and has really done a lot to help me out and still get lots of chill time for himself. He's masterfully negotiated pre-Christmas Costco yesterday and the grocery store the day before, doing something I often cannot do... stick totally to The List! He has also been helping with dishes and running things up- and downstairs for me, which is so awesome, since too many trips on the stairs mean more contractions. (PS: Love that picture? I took a peanut box decoration and turned it into a Christmas hat. Sexy!)

Despite the rest, I try to have little spurts of productivity. The end of 2012 was my time to get a new laptop, as we are allowed to upgrade every four years, which means every two years a Burgan gets a new computer of some type. Nate said he wanted me to have one before the baby, so he suggested we pick one up from Microcenter. So getting that up and running with my programs and files took some time, albeit sitting time. I also transferred Nate's files from his old desktop to the external hard drive and tweaked my old Dell immensely to prepare it for, well, a secret project I can't reveal before Christmas. (Wink.) So I "nested" our tech on Saturday and Sunday! Despite the fact that sitting is resting, there was still quite a bit of swelling in my feet, so intermittently putting those up to "drain" was a must.

Our nursery, our bedroom, our baby sling, and pretty much everywhere baby could be is very well-nested at this point. On Nate's honey-do list is installing the carseat into the Kia and dusting off the hand-me-down bouncer and swings we received from family and then... Done. Well, except that pesky labor and birthing part.

I took a photo of my ring sling with new trim added (extraordinarily well-made, affordable and purchased from Etsy shop owner Rhiamon, slightly modified to add trim and length by moi). We used our baby giraffe to stand in for an infant, since the height and width are correct. Nate used the giraffe to get a basic fit for his Ergo-type carrier, which he loves because it's manly... and looks like a flak jacket (see also: image). (We also have a Moby-inspired wrap, also handmade by an Etsy-dweller, and I love it, but no cute photos exist of it... yet.)

And then Nate and I have been working on various things for the baby's room and comfort, like decking out the nursery (mostly Nate) with decorative additions by me, sewing, etc. I do these things in little one-hour-or-less spurts and then chill, and chores I do in 20-30-minute spurts and then rest, like running dishes, laundry, Swiffering or other light tasks. But without further ado, here are some photos of baby's room with new additions. Even though baby will be rooming in with us for the first half-year at least, the nursery is decked out for a baby ages 0-6 or so, or at least we hope. (Studies say SIDS is decreased if babies spend at least the first six months in their parents' room. See also: SIDS.org article) It's nice to feel "done" and just concentrate on resting,

On Sunday, December 23, Nate used 3M Command Strips (great inventions!) to hang the stuffed animal net in the nursery. He and I have been collecting those stuffed animals and puppets since we got married "just in case" we ever had a kiddo. Nate's favorite is the mandrill. Mine is Philip, the mouse puppet, which we've used in a Youtube video previously.

My friend and co-worker Amy and her husband made us this beautiful vintage-inspired art, conceived via our good ole' friend Pinterest. We've gotta love that site, right? (Well, when you actually take the info and DO something with it.) I added the soft lion "lovey" that Grandma Jean bought for baby and the dresser is clutter-free and simply beautiful.

The crib, jungle mural and accordion door.

A hiding zebra, our rocking chair and bookshelf.

Another hiding creature, the diaper organizer and a tweeting birdy.

For more photos of the whole "Baby Burgan" experience, check out our Baby Burgan #1 set on Flickr.

You also still have 17 days from Christmas Even to guess in our "What'll it be?!" Baby Poll: Click here to leave a guess. There is a legitimate prize for the winner! We haven't decided on what yet, but it'll be good. :-) (And you don't even have to know us to enter. We welcome all entries.)

36 Week Update: Ready to Rock & Roll?

2012-12-21T18:39:00.001-05:00

Well, once again it's been a while since I've updated. Nesting is in full-swing as Nate will confirm. Between that and squeezing in as much work and other preparations as I can, I decided blogging would be on my schedule and not the other way around. (And since it's 21 December 2012, the world did not end and it will still go on even if I'm a sporadic blogger.)

Here is a shot of the ole' belly at 35 weeks and 0 days.

There is most certainly a baby in there, so for those few who insist, "But I don't think you look pregnant," well... It's not very Christian-like, but you can bite me at this point! It's pretty darn obvious, even for a plus sized pregnant gal.

I technically turn 36 weeks on Saturday, December 22, but headed to the doctor on Thursday to get my GBS test, or Group B Strep test. I'm usually for minimal testing, but this test was fine with me because if you test positive for it in the vaginal/anal area (where it usually is not found), you can give it to baby in the birth canal during delivery and baby can have serious reactions to GBS. Anyway, after this test I allowed one check, since my doc doesn't believe in doing excessive checks, I figured it was fine, since it'd be the last until labor and delivery. Well, I'm 30% effaced, 3 centimeters dilated, baby is at -2 station or lower, and now, well, I will save the extra TMI, but let's say things are moving along much more two days after that check. I am having more cramping-like contractions which are different than the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been having amongst other factors.

The immediate goal is to take it easy, holiday plans be darned, we suppose. We'll do a little here and there, but plan to forgo traveling more than a half-hour and staying out for more than a couple of hours at a time. I want to do my best to stay, as my awesome doula Laurel says, "hydrated, nourished, bathed and rested" to do my part to keep baby happy and healthy until he or she decides to come into the world. At 36 weeks, s/he would likely be quite healthy, but every week between 37-40 adds more brain development, additional fat stores, and other important developmental factors. As much as I keep saying, "I'm done now, come out!" jokingly, I really would like for the "bun" to "bake" a little longer.

When Baby Burgan makes his or her grand entrance into the world, we'll definitely update the blogosphere and our friends and family here and on Facebook and Google+.

Update 12/24/2012: Here is a 36 week photo for comparison. Baby dropped quite a bit.

Nesting Gratitude

2012-11-29T18:04:00.003-05:00

The weeks after our trip to Germany and Denmark have been all a-flurry. I decided not to continue posting my trip follow-ups. I don't have the brain bandwidth. As soon as we got back I had to catch up on work to try to earn as much cashola as I can before baby comes in January and since I can't do many massages these days, that means working at the school a little bit more. I've supervised events, revamped our wellness program, etc. In addition, there have been a lot of get-togethers with friends and family and celebrations in planning for Baby Burgan.

Our baby shower was held on November 10 and my sisters, mom, aunt and cousin did a great job setting it up. It was a real blessing not only to receive items with which to care for our little bundle, but also to see people all in one space and see some folks whom I haven't seen in quite a while. Plus, my sister Wendy flew my mom in from Florida as a "present," which was definitely a welcome surprise.

Nate also did a great job in painting the baby's room. For the longest time this room was our workout room (later dubbed "The Room of Good Intentions"), a reading room, a massage equipment storage room, and basically a dumping ground for a lot of stuff. Now it will house baby and all of his/her things. The color is "Wild Porcini" and, though we would never recommend the Behr Ultra Premium with Primer paint that we purchased (it does NOT cover in one coat), it's done and it looks really nice with the white trim. Nate has also discovered that painting is, well, terrible and he doesn't plan to paint much, if at all, in the future. I said if we ever move again (a hated project of mine), we'll be hiring movers. He says if we paint again, we'll be hiring painters. I say we're even. He agrees.

We've been sorting through purchases, putting things together, organizing, washing, folding and fluffing laundry, packing hospital bags, meeting with our doula, reading up on just about everything, signing up for birthing class (required by The ABC Unit, our birth center) and breastfeeding class (suggested by our doula Laurel and our OB, Dr. Dickerson), and more. At this point I can pretty much say we could bring this baby home any time and be a-ok "stuff-wise". This is a blessing.

Otherwise, aside from work and nesting, I've been trying to embrace my role as homekeeper and make home-cooked meals for health and budget, maintain a tidy the house, tend to the fuzzballs (who have now graduated from their kennels in an effort to reclaim my dining room and make room for high chairs), and do other crafty things like make homemade baby accoutrement and Christmas gifts. I realize this ambition will be few and far between for a while after baby comes in January, so I figure I'd better get into good habits now and make as much headway as I can.

So with all of that said, I suppose I should share some gratitude via my "Gratidues" list. It's been much, much too long.

Gratidues #443 - 468

443. My canister vacuum (the one Nate dislikes)

444. A tidy main floor

445. Space to spread out

446. Baby's room painted

447. Nate's work improvements

448. Blessings from friends

449. Get-togethers with former co-workers

450. Seeing friends whom you can pick right back up with after a long while

451. Good trick-or-treaters, enthusiastic and polite

452. My list of 100 to-dos in 2013... fun :)

453. Celebration dinners... with coupons!

454. Nate getting more involved with the finances

455. Sarah, Nate's HR rep at work

456. My belly, rounding out (late in the game, but still)

457. Our baby, even when s/he pushes on all the painful spots

458. Handmade quilts and blankets

459. Giving/tossing/recycling 100 things

460. "The Natural Baby" book by Janet Balaskas

461. iPhone upgrade

462. Convictions. Strong ones.

463. Four more years... let's see what happens

464. Modern Natural Baby in Ferndale

465. Dogs who don't STINK (thanks, Smiling Dog Parlor)

466. Crockpot recipes! Fix it and forget it.

467. Memories of our trip to Europe

468. Friends who hosted us. What a blessing. :)

Reflecting on Germany, Part 3

2012-10-25T10:20:00.003-04:00

Read Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Fortunately Monday's purchase of compression trouser socks mitigated the swelling on a very enjoyable train trip to Passau, "The City on Three Rivers," a city just over 60 minutes away from Regensburg by train, also near the Austrian border. We walked miles and enjoyed a delicious lunch before visiting the Dom St. Stephan, likely the most beautiful church I have ever visited. Conversation with Nate, Cliff and Sarah was good and though admittedly I have a short attention span for some things (reading the historical plaques for example), the day and the company were certainly excellent.

That night however, I lost focus again as a pain in my pelvis started to grow and become unbearable when abducting (opening) the hips and knees and when rolling over in bed. Having helped pregnant women with the compensating pain for this condition previously, I recognized this as SI joint and symphasis pubis pain. The walking I was unused to had exacerbated this new-to-me condition. Again I retreated inward and began to miss the comforts of our home, the stink of our mutts, and our bed and pillows.

Luckily Tuesday was a point of welcome respite and was certainly needed for a mental and physical reset. Cliff had to work in Nuremberg on Tuesday, so Sarah, Nate and I stayed close to home. It was a bit gray and rainy, so after dressing we at and took a short trip to look around. I needed one more pair of compression socks and we wanted to poke around a few shops.

We happily picked up a few items at the gift shop and grocer and retired to our rooms for a few hours of rest and repose for the afternoon. I had a nice walk and a particularly nice cup of coffee (a la Sarah's French Press) and conversation with Sarah and I was able to count myself as genuinely blessed. We hadn't "conquered" a new town, but I felt a deep appreciation for our hosts and our circumstances that allowed for us to get away an experience the vast newness of Bavaria and connecting in community with friends.

To be continued in Part 4...

Note: This is a travel journal of reflections on my first European trip and as a pregnant woman at that. It's not a traditional travel journal. It will be published in many parts.

Reflecting on Germany, Part 2

2012-10-20T07:29:00.005-04:00

Note: This is a travel journal of reflections on my first European trip and as a pregnant woman at that. It's not a traditional travel journal. It will be published in many parts.

Despite this being a "pre-baby" ideal time to travel, our trip has been interesting for me as a pregnant mama. I never expected as we booked the tickets to land in Munich nearly seven months along. The day before travel my doctor issued an "all clear" bill to travel. I had no concerns. She said I could even look forward to a few ounces of beer!

After our hour-long flight to Dulles Airport and our 8-hour trans-Atlantic flight, I walked off the red-eye with severely swollen and discolored ankles, feet, toes and calves. The size was disturbing and the stretching skin was painful. Walking was a challenge and in Regensburg, a city where the roads and buildings were established largely before 1800, expecting an easy foot commute wasn't overly realistic. I felt guilty that my heart turned toward trepidation at our trip. "Oh goodness, what did I get myself into?" I tried to stay other- and experience-focused, but my experiences were largely colored by my inward focus.

We were able to muddle through swelling Saturday and Sunday, as most businesses are closed early on Saturdays and entirely on Sundays. (Remember those days?) Monday before adventuring out, we stopped at the Apoteke (Apothecary/Pharmacist) to get some compression hose. Luckily, a combination of the hose and sleeping with my feet up helped immensely. My dear husband also helped with some lymphatic drainage on-the-fly, thank goodness.

Sunday night also brought with it a new pregnancy symptom, likely made noticeable by days on my feet: What I know now are Braxton Hicks contractions. They are harmless, but disconcerting for a pregnancy newbie, once again turning my attention away from our experience toward fear. "I'm 5,000 miles away from home and I'm contracting." I was terrified and finally broke down over ordering drinks at Mesopotamia, a Kurdish restaurant in Regensburg. Again, my heart sank at not being a team player, for being more scared of travel than living in the moment.

To be continued...
(It gets happier, trust me!)

Next, Part 3 (coming soon)

Catch up: Part 1, Part 2

Reflecting on Germany, Part 1

2012-10-19T12:56:00.004-04:00

Note: This is a travel journal of reflections on my first European trip and as a pregnant woman at that. It's not a traditional travel journal. It will be published in many parts .

I'm sitting on a DB train from Nuremberg headed back to Regensburg. We have at least an hour until we arrive back at the train station, and another 20-30 minutes of slow-paced walking back across the bridge to Cliff and Sarah's apartment where we are staying. The first day, with no bearings or sense of direction, the walk felt very long. Each day the trip across the bridge seems much shorter. Conversation makes it go faster as well.

This trip has revealed to me where I am at on the spectrum of creatures I call "travelers". I am not filled with an insatiable wanderlust, and more and more I see the assertion I heard as a child from my parents, "You're such a homebody!" ringing true. I have legs and can walk, occasionally prompted by a desire to see something new or expand my horizons, but home is where my heart is.

Indeed, my husband has a true bite of the travel bug, tempered only by time and money. I would assume by the amount of travel they do that our friends Cliff and Sarah are host to that bug as well. Admitting you are out-numbered is hard when you want to fit in with the roamers. Hectic airport transfers and language barriers don't get my blood pumping as much as discovering a new nook in our town. A peaceful flight over the Atlantic doesn't serve to relax me as much as our beige chair in our upstairs bungalow. That corner, with sunlight streaming in and our cat lazing on the futon, is my happy place. But I'll be the first to admit that's the "safe" way to think about it.

This is not to say that our trip hasn't been an eventful blessing, one with dozens of enjoyable experiences. It has. I can rest assured that the best time for us to travel is now, before baby comes and we are firmly anchored to the homestead. Indeed it revealed some pre-baby refinements I'd like to make that I haven't previously identified.

Seeing brightly colored homes, most built somewhere between 1500 and 1850, line the stone-cobbled streets and reading unfamiliar traffic signs is a refreshing change from awakening to six expectant, fuzzy eyes awaiting their morning food dish. In the back rooms of Cliff and Sarah's Regensburg apartment, even a rainy morning evokes a little mystery and romance, with happiness at the thought of a morning filled with good conversation, warm tea and fresh pastries. Literally and figuratively, I eat it up and take it into me, hoping to hold onto that feeling for years to come.

Next: Part 2

Catch up: Part 1

2012 Michigan Renaissance Festival: A New Look

2012-10-02T16:56:00.000-04:00

This year for my birthday, I told Nate I wanted to go to the Michigan Renaissance Festival. My birthday always falls around the very last weekend and this year Nate was able to get two free tickets when he gave blood at the SE Michigan Red Cross. It's like it was meant to be. ;-)

Anyway, this year we were able to take a friend who had never been to the festival. My co-worker Myeshia said she had never been and couldn't find friends to go with her, so I asked her to come along. I semi-guilted her into dressing up, but offered her an extra costume. She looked amazing and really seemed to enjoy the experience... and the turkey drumstick. We enjoyed walking around with a fresh set of eyes. Although we did see a few new things (mermaid exhibit [well, the long line for it anyway] and the new pirate ship shop), sometimes you overlook certain things until you have a "newbie" with you and everything gets super-fresh and fun all over again. It was a generally low-dough, mellow, but fun event. Plus... the PEOPLE WATCHING! So great.

Here are a few photos of us at the festival. We hope to go again next year with Baby Burgan in tow. If Baby LB is a girl, I said I would make us twin faerie costumes. If it's a boy, well... It might still might be a faerie prince or something. (Wink.) We'll see in January!

A pre-festival photo. I love my hand-made hat with feathers. I try to wear it whenever I can to the festival, since I worked hard on it. And no, my chest isn't hanging out. ;-) I have a black bra and full shirt with no cleavage. The cowrie shell "bra" is an overlay. You'll see.

My darling husband poses for the camera. He said if he pays off his credit card, his [cash!] reward is to buy a new Ren Fest outfit. I agree wholeheartedly.

This is Myeshia looking gorgeous. I think two ladies told her that at the festival... because it's true.

My 24-week "gypsy pirate" baby bump pic. I'm sure our kiddo will think this is funny in a decade or two when he or she looks at his/her baby book.

The happy couple. Arrrgh! (PS: For those "gypsies" who want a little more coverage, look for a ghawazee-style top. Less skin, still looks great.)

Myeshia (with her "non-Renaissance-approved jacket, glasses and cell phone" accessories) and her new friend, the delicious TURKEY DRUMSTICK. Meaty mission accomplished. Yum!

From a Sponsored Child: Compassion International

2012-09-24T08:55:00.005-04:00

Brazil, 2009
Story #1

This morning is a little cold as the seasons change. I'm waking up, and I hope that sometime today I will be given some bread or some porridge. My tummy is very empty because my caretaker said I was bad yesterday and I did not eat. I have one beautiful toy and a small blanket, but I don't really do much during the day except to nap and play with my little doll. People come in and out, caretakers and strangers, but they don't say much and they don't pick me up. I hope someone, anyone, comes to take me home. I don't remember my parents, but I hope someone will want me. Until then I will sit in my bed and be quiet so I can get my hot porridge when it's time to eat.

Brazil, 2009
Story #2

This morning it is a little cold as the seasons change. I'm waking up, hoping to have porridge in my belly soon. After my caretaker cleans me up, we go to eat together in the common room. Thankfully, we have porridge and a bread and my tummy is very full. I am not old enough to start primary school, but we learn songs during the day and the children and I can play together. Sometimes we have church services and I learn about a man named Jesus. Sometimes we have visitors, too. Many times they will play with us, and some speak a funny language, but it's okay. Today after playing, my caretaker said I could read a letter from someone who is called a "sponsor". Her name is Gina and she says she is my friend from another country called America. Gina sends me little paper toys and I play with them and share them with other children. I get to tell my caretaker what I want to say, and she sends it to Gina in a letter. Sometimes I color pictures and send them, too. I also like to play with my stuffed lamb toy and dress in my nice pants and shirt that I got from Gina's birthday gift! They are so great! I hope that one day a mommy and daddy take me home, but for now I am happy and my tummy is full and I can talk to Gina and play with my friends.

There is a big difference in these two stories. And in 2009 (or 2012 for that matter) I'm sure stories similar to these happened right in Brazil. There are overrun orphanages where resources are slim and children feel unwanted by parents and don't know about God. There are also warm, Compassion International-assisted projects in Brazil where children are given enough to eat, learn about God's love for them, and are sponsored by people like you and like me... and they thrive! And of course this is not limited to Brazil, because Compassion International works in countries in Africa, Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Nate and I have been sponsoring Kelvin, a boy in Tanzania, since he was five years old. He is now twelve and we love him, though at a distance, as if he was one of our own! One of my dreams is to meet young Kelvin and give him the big, loving hug of a friend or auntie! I have kept every one of his letters and pictures and send him letters, photos, and trinkets several times each year. His photo stays in a special frame as well as over my desk, and we enjoy updating the frame when we get new pictures twice a year or so.

I know that Kelvin is getting a solid education, religious training and celebrations, enough clothing and food to eat, and is doing well in all of those areas. My hope for him is that he finds a very good trade and gets the education he needs to succeed and Nate and I will be there with him the whole way.

If you want to read a beautiful story of a child who was sponsored through Compassion International, thrived as a result, and now sponsors other children, read about Anita Charles on the Compassion Blog. You can also learn more about how to sponsor and the direct effects of child sponsorship by subscribing to Compassion International on their Twitter feed or their Facebook page. You may also read about their financial integrity (how money is spent) by visiting their Financial Integrity page.

Consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International. Your life will be changed for the better and so will theirs.

“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” -Mother Teresa

Vanilla Honey Pear: Smoothie of the Week

2012-09-21T13:54:00.002-04:00

What on earth do you do with pears that have beaten to death in your lunch bag? By the time lunch rolls around, if your ripe pears haven't been protected, they are a brown, mushy, unpalatable mess. My husband brought one home in his lunch bag a couple days ago that was certainly worse for wear. However, considering that pear was organic and expensive, I wasn't going to throw it out! I remembered a Vanilla Honey Pear pudding recipe from "Foods" class in high school and decided to whip out the ingredients and modify them to make a nice, afternoon smoothie for the Smoothie of the Week.

Vanilla Honey Pear Smoothie

Ingredients

1 regular, ripe or overripe pair (organic preferred)
1/2 large vanilla bean (organic preferred)
1 Tbsp. honey
Crushed ice (to preference)
1 scoop protein powder (optional; I left it out this week)
1 1/4 c. milk

Wash and cut pear and put into blender. Scrape half of a large vanilla bean (first score with a knife and then scrape insides out) and place into blender. Add honey, milk, protein powder (if desired) and ice. Protein powder will thicken this recipe. Because honey, pears and vanilla are delicate, I left it out this week.

In the photo, the dark spot is the vanilla floating in the pear/honey/milk mixture. It's very strong! Vanilla extract can be used instead (~1 tsp.).

Blending Tips: When blending, make sure to give it a few extra spins to break up the pear. You will get a little skin in here, but it is fiber-rich. Also, blending the milk will leave this recipe light and frothy. Leave room in the blender for it to "grow"!

I really enjoyed this light smoothie. It was good for a post-lunch treat and is reasonably lower in calories for a smoothie, especially if you use skim milk like I did today. If I wanted it for breakfast, I would've added the protein powder to give me more "staying power". You can see another black dot in the finished product on top... That's the split half of the vanilla bean I used. I popped it into the drink for extra flavor. Drinking this in your favorite glass helps, too. This "Cafe Loveless" souvenir glass is the one drinking vessel my husband and I fight over!

Monday Morning: Citrus Cleaner, Giving Thanks

2012-09-17T09:44:00.001-04:00

Citrus brightens your mood! I had a couple of citrus orange peels ready to go to compost and remembered that instead of composting them, I could turn them into concentrated citrus cleaner. Mix 1/2 cleaner with 1/2 water and voila: all-purpose cleaner with a feel-good smell.

Now, I saved this tutorial/recipe from The Prairie Homestead blog to my Evernote feed. (Evernote is so handy for saving recipes and articles, by the way!) So I take no credit for creating the recipe, only seeing it come to fruition! (Or is that fruit-ition?)

The gist of the article is that you take fresh citrus peels, shove them in a jar, cover them with white vinegar, let sit for 2-3 weeks (shake occasionally), dilute with water and spray! I like to use Heinz Distilled White Vinegar because it's made from plants (apples or corn), not petroleum. Did you know the cheap, white vinegar you might eat can be made from petroleum derivatives, a by-product of oil, and they don't have to tell you? So the best way to figure out what's in your vinegar is to ensure it's made with plant products. Heinz prints their ingredients on the side.

Now that my Monday morning project is done and I'm taking a mini-break from cleaning up, I'd like to take a couple of minutes to spread some gratitude with a continuation of my Gratidues List...

Gratidues #425 - 442

425. Homesteading bloggers

426. Amy's jams

427. Nicole moving on to better things

428. A full work schedule again this week

429. Baby hiccups

430. Swagbucks (really!)

431. Our physical body's connection to our emotions

432. Fresh, organic grapefruit

433. Companies with stellar customer service

434. DIY Street Fair 2012 with Nate

435. Waitresses who forgive Pregnancy Brain

436. Dads to the rescue

437. New, unbroken Swiffer sweepers!

438. Bookshelf cleansing

439. Freely giving (also begets freely receiving)

440. Wellness points redeemed for store certificates

441. Bright, purple flowers out the window

442. The smell of fall in the air

Pancake Smoothie: Smoothie of the Week

2012-09-14T08:09:00.003-04:00

This morning I wanted pancakes. Period. But alas! I was too lazy to actually make pancake batter, especially because Darling Husband doesn't eat much for breakfast during the work week and I would be eating by myself. So instead I thought... Smoothie of the Week! I was sure that I could make a pancake smoothie from the ingredients I had around the house.

Pancake Smoothie

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups of milk (any type)
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder of choice
1 T white chia seeds (optional)
1 T peanut butter
1 small, ripe banana
1 tsp. maple syrup (Grade B gives a rich maple-y flavor)
Crushed ice (to preference)

Mix all ingredients into your blender of choice and blend for 15-30 seconds or until nice and smooth. The chia seeds, while optional, impart a nutty flavor that compliments the "pancake batter" well, though they do change the texture a bit. To me, this tasted exactly as if I had liquefied a prepared, well-topped pancake and that was exactly what I did. The bonus? This is actually healthy and packed with protein!

Where can you find chia seeds? I like iHerb.com and if you use code GAN033 at checkout, you can get $5 off your first order. I got a bag of white chia seeds for $5.00 as a special buy. Bonus. :-)