Blissed Out Baby

Leila, You're Almost 9 Months and This Is My First Blog Post About You

2013-02-20T15:04:00.002-08:00

Your second vacation in September 2012 to Disneyland

13 Days old

Embassy Suites Resort September 2012

Leila my beautiful baby girl where do I begin?You came into our lives as a wonderful surprise and since you've been here darling you've certainly made all of us so happy and completed our little family. You are always full of smiles and laughter. You love your brother so much and you just light up every time he comes into the room and talks to you. You squeal with delight and flap your little arms excitedly. He talks to you in this hilarious, high-pitched voice (Trying to mimic mommy) saying, "Hi pretty girl! Who's the pretty girl? " and various other sweet sayings. You also love when your Daddy comes home and scoops you up into a big hug. "Da!DA!" You give him your yummiest, slobbery kisses and he makes you laugh. After we have all had our fun with you- playing pat-a-cake, army crawling after your brother's legos, reading books, and singing songs then you are ready to snuggle up to Mommy and have some of your milk. "Ma!Ma!"And these days, drinking Mommy's milk is probably your most favorite place to be.
Leila you are the baby that everyone stops to compliment whenever we take you out. "What a beautiful baby!" they all say. "Look at those cheeks! How precious!"
We all love your cheeks! We think they are one of your best features too! So yummy, puffy and soft! Mommy can't get enough kisses on those cheeks of yours every single day.

June 2, 2012

Only about 2 hours old

Leila we are all so excited to know who you are and who you will become.

Love, Mommy

6 months-ish

Leila's Birth Day Video

2012-08-27T23:47:00.001-07:00

Click Here and Enjoy!

Thank you to my amazing husband for creating my dream newborn video!!! Oh and my dream newborn too! :)

Best of Belli- 3rd Trimester

2012-05-23T23:01:00.001-07:00

Waiting

2012-05-21T14:01:00.003-07:00

Baby Girl,
Your half of the closet is organized, (the other half is still your brother's toy closet) your tiny little cloth diapers are all washed and ready, swaddling blankets folded, hospital bags in car, your car seat is ready, mommy got her pedicure, Daddy got his whopping cough vaccine, your brother painted you a picture with heart stickers, there's food in the freezer, my hypno-birthing soundtrack is loaded on my ipod, the video and two cameras are fully charged and my power labor drink-coconut water is also fully stocked in the car. :)
We are all so excited for your arrival! Everyday I get text messages, Facebook messages and an occasional phone call from a dinosaur asking if you are ready to come yet :)
Only two major unfinished tasks are still in the works: Deciding on your name, (this has been a hard one!) and securing someone to photograph your birth.
Waiting for the other shoe to drop because you already have so says the midwife and my bladder,
Your Mommy

trying to work out some pelvic pain-38 weeks

Whirlwind

2012-05-01T21:29:00.002-07:00

belli painting at 36 weeks

It's been a wonderful but long day. I'm in my 36th week and having a lot more back pain, pelvic pain and much more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions lately. Loss of appetite, (unless it's fruit or I didn't have to cook it), extreme exhaustion with hour long afternoon naps instead of prepping dinner, flaking on playdates and appointments because I just don't feel like it but then deciding that a 7pm trip to Target is absolutely necessary because I must have the perfect nursing bra before she arrives. Dangerous online shopping habits have begun and the completion of thank you cards has not.

amazing gifts from the baby shower my church gave me!

Then there are the extreme highs where I nest psychotically pulling weeds, planting flowers, organizing closets, finishing the nursery decor, washing baby's things, convincing my husband that hiking in the hills during the afternoon heat will really be ok for me, grocery shop online, work on an artsy baby project with Aiden, dust my plantation shutters, feeling that it's imperative that I master that lullaby on the piano before she arrives, (even though she can already hear my painful practicing process in the womb) and threaten to mow the lawn myself if my overworked husband doesn't take care of it soon. Got to mail that package to our family in Colorado, solidify a name for baby girl, need to catch up Aiden on his vaccines, put the hospital bag in the car, complete that blog memory post about how cool Aiden is lately, find a date to do last minute maternity family pictures, make a belli cast, fill out that overdue hospital paperwork, get birth ball blown up, and through everything try to make time every day to spend quality time with my precious son during our last days just him and I. It is a whirlwind game of rushing around to get things accomplished before she arrives and at the same time trying desperately to slow down and throughly enjoy these last few days of our family of three. I am trying to be more mindful in my parenting with my son these days, taking extra time and savoring more moments than usual trying to keep a strong patience level even though all the discomforts are overwhelming at times. Listening to some of his music from our recent music together class can produce nostalgic tears while I get overly sentimental of the fun times we had together in that class loosing ourselves in the fun together and realizing we don't do that often enough... A drastic change in our family dynamics is upon us soon and it will never be the same again. We are so very excited and so extremely blessed about the upcoming arrival of our little angel joining our family of three making us four. Making us complete. We cannot wait to meet her and love her. And with an incomplete "To Do" list or not, we are ready and waiting.

My Naturally Minded Birth Plan- 2012 Edition

2012-04-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer- This is a post about birthing which will most likely use words like vagina, nipples, cervix and the rupturing of membranes. It may get ugly. :) If this is not your cup of tea than skip on over to the previous post about toys or perhaps you could browse my right-sidebar index for a yummy recipe? :) I'll see you on the other side. For the rest of you, enjoy as I spew my super duper hippie birthing beliefs on the public. :) Your welcome.

I have developed this plan of how my ideal birth would go based on my previous experience of a drug-free, natural birth. It is also based on my own research on natural birthing, (meaning completely drug-free and vaginal in my mind) through books such as, Ina May's Guide To Childbirth, Birth Matters, and Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin. I also read and loved Birthing From Within by Pam England CNM, MA and Rob Horowitz PHD. The Birth Book by Dr. Sears was another good one. Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize opened my eyes to the spiritual side of giving birth and experiencing the promises of God concerning conception and delivery. I watched some eye-opening and extremely informative documentaries such as Pregnant in America, The Business of Being Born, and the new More Business of Being Born. These were just some of my most favorite books and documentaries on the subject of birthing naturally and each one gave me newfound knowledge about my body and more confidence in realizing that I could do this without the use of drugs which would, hands down be the safest way for my child to come into this world. This plan is just a plan though and I am well aware that at any time a medical complication could arise and it could be totally thrown out the window. Or maybe my body will stop progressing the way it's supposed to and I will be forced to re-evaluate my plan. I am prepping my idealistic mind to be ok with that and in the end just be completely grateful for the safe birth of a healthy baby girl. Some of my requests may seem pretty far out in left field or just plain high-maintenance but let me remind you that while most women in the U.S. choose an epidural, (In 2006 a national survey called, "Listening To Mothers" was conducted and found that 75% of women had epidurals compared to 14% of women who choose an unmedicated birth.) I am planning not to have one due to all the dangers and possible side effects of epidurals. If you haven't already done your own research on epidurals I strongly suggest you explore both sides throughly before going into your own birthing experience. So, in lieu of drugs these natural coping mechanisms are vital to reach my goals in labor.
My first birthing experience was completely transforming. An extreme rite of passage into the tough but rewarding work of motherhood. I went in with complete confidence and a strong desire to do this without drugs no matter how intense the pain was because I learned that my body was designed to handle it. I went through it in complete shock at how horrifically painful it really was, with questions in my hormonally overloaded mind if I could really and truly come out alive. I came out of it in completely humbled because throughout my labor I prayed for the strength I needed to get though it drug- free and I had actually received it. It was one of the most powerful examples of the ask and you will receive from God that I had ever experienced. I had given myself the reward of knowing I could in fact be strong, truly strong in myself despite other feelings of vulnerability in other areas of life. In the end, the most important goal was met-a healthy baby boy was placed into my arms for me to fall head over heels in love with.
There were, however a few things that made my labor and delivery more difficult than it had to be due to the unnecessary interventions of doctors and nurses. There was an unexplained order for me to begin pushing at only 8 centimeters, (You are only supposed to begin pushing when you are a 10 and/or when your body has the natural urge to bear down and push.) and a scary vacumme suction device used on my Aiden's little head to assist in getting him out of me. I still shudder when I think of that. In revising my former birth plan from my experience in 2009, I hope to have an even better experience this time around. My plan is based on the positives of my former experience such as learning the powers of my own body while taken into a sacred space in my own strength I never even touched on in the past. It is also based on the negatives of my previous birth such as finding out firsthand how hospital policies and medical procedures can truly disrupt the whole natural process of some of the magical phenomenons of the birthing process. I have learned that one of the most important aspects of achieving a natural birth is trusting your body that God has specifically designed to be perfectly capable of giving birth without the assistance of this culturally- inspired trend of using drugs, IV's, and episiotomies. It is also about honoring your body's natural processes and becoming well versed in them through research though it's sad that some things aren't common knowledge. It is all about realizing that birthing isn't a medical emergency that must always take place in a hospital setting, (Unless you have a high-risk pregnancy or a medical emergency at the time of your birth.) If my own insurance covered me to give birth in a free-standing birthing center with a midwife, that would be my ideal place. And just to dream for a minute, if money were not an issue at all then I would fly to Tennessee to give birth under the care of Ina May Gaskin herself, (the most accomplished midwife in the world with much safer birthing outcomes and statistics than any hospital) at The Farm Midwifery Center where I could labor outside in the forest near a little stream if my heart desired or in a birthing tub where I would be most relaxed. If for example my baby was breech, there would be no insurance/hospital policy saying that I had to have a risky C-Section because the midwives there, (and most midwives anywhere) would know the age-old techniques of delivering a breech baby safely and vaginally. If I wanted to eat or drink during labor, I could without the worrisome hospital nurses giving me reasons why I shouldn't when clearly my body needs the nourishment to get through labor. This is a place where the natural processes of a women's body would be honored and not disrupted by hospital policies.

Back to real life, my Kaiser insurance and onto the realities of hospital birthing. I am hoping that my Doctor, midwife and labor nurses will take some time to read over my wishes and help make this birth the safest for my baby and the most comfortable for myself it can be this time around!

our baby belli's about 2 weeks ago! (Currently I'm 35 weeks pregnant!)

Laura's Plan

As long as the baby and I are heathy, I would like to go at least 10 to 14 days over my due date before inducing labor.

I would like to discuss laboring at home as long as possible.

I trust that my practitioner will seek out my opinion concerning all of the issues directly affecting my birth before deviating from my plan.

If I go past my due date and the baby and I are fine, I prefer to go into labor naturally rather than be induced.

During a vaginal exam, I prefer at no time to have my membranes broken unless there is an emergency situation.

I prefer to have minimal internal exams.

If I am less than five centimeters dilated, I would like the option of going home.

If induction becomes necessary, I would like to try natural induction techniques first (with the guidance of my practitioner).

These are the natural induction techniques I would like to try:

Breast stimulation

Walking

Herbs

Castor oil

Sexual intercourse

If Medical induction becomes necessary, I prefer to try:

Rupturing membranes

If my water breaks before I go into labor, I would like to:

wait 6 hours before being induced.

Upon arrival at the hospital, I prefer to have my partner with me at all times.

Please, no residents or students attending my birth.

I request the following people to be present during my labor and/or 2nd stage labor:

My Partner: Tim Bishop
Possibly a doula

I prefer to give birth in a birthing room.

I prefer to give birth in room with a shower and/or bath.

If birth equipment is available, I would like to use:

A birthing bed.

A birthing ball.

A birthing tub/pool/shower.

A birthing stool.

Miscellaneous environmental requests:

I would like to have dimmed lights.
I would like control over the thermostat in my birthing room. For my last birth I had it at a comfortable 52 degrees no joke. (They don't call it labor for nothing!) Bring your winter coats nurses!
I will need multiple ice-packs.

I would like for people entering the room to speak very softly and keep whispering to a minimum as I will need full, undistracted concentration once I have shifted from my logical left-brain into my primitive birthing-brain, (right- brain). Please speak softly to me and slowly, using simple phrases to avoid disrupting my labor-trance and concentration.

I would like to play music.

I would like to wear my own clothes during labor and delivery or be naked if I prefer it at the time

I would like to have my birth photographed.

I would like to have my birth filmed/videotaped.

I would like to wear my glasses or contact lenses unless removal becomes medically necessary.

I would like to have no restrictions on food or fluids during my labor.

I prefer to have no IV.

Please do not offer me pain medications. Instead, offer me the encouragement I need to get through this labor drug-free. On that note- I would prefer to only work with labor nurses who themselves have had a drug-free, vaginal birth if they are available at the time. I've found that their labor techniques and assistance are the most helpful to me.

I am prepared to try to handle pain with these natural and alternative methods:

Breathing techniques.

Distraction techniques.

Hypnotherapy.
Aromatherapy.

Massage.

Deep (or guided) relaxation.

Water/bath/shower.

Other considerations :

Ultimately, I want to be able to walk around and move as I wish while in labor.

Ultimately, I would like to feel unrestricted in accessing any sounds of chanting, grunting, or moaning during labor.

Please keep my door always closed during labor.
The Big Push:
Even if I am at 10 cm and the midwife or Dr. feels it is time to start pushing, I prefer to honor the natural signals of my body and wait until I have the natural urge to push. I learned from my previous birth, (which was disrupted by my doctor who forced me to start pushing at only 8 centimeters) that pushing just because you are 10 centimeters, but without the urge to bear down, will be less effective and more tiring. " Without vaginal examinations telling them they should be pushing, women will continue laboring until the urge arises." - Birthing From Within p.139

If pushing for more than several hours, I am open to medical intervention in 2nd stage labor.

I would like to be encouraged to try the following different positions for labor:

Squatting.

Classic semi-recline.

Hands and knees.

Standing upright.

Side Lying.

Whatever feels right at the time

I prefer not to have an episiotomy.

To help prevent tearing, my husband or doula may apply olive oil to my perineum and check out this link on giving a proper perineal massage instead of an episiotomy.

Other labor considerations:

No stirrups please unless I'm having a medical emergency.

If intervention is needed for an assisted vaginal birth, I prefer vaccume suction

I would like my partner to catch my baby, (if he is ready and willing at the time)

I prefer to have the lights dimmed for delivery or, if it is daylight, to access only natural light.

After Baby is Born:
Delay cord clamping until it stops pulsing.
No Vitamin K and Hep B vaccines
As long as my baby is healthy, I would like my baby placed immediately on my abdomen following the birth.

Please put my baby skin-to-skin on my abdomen with a warm blanket over it.

Please delay all essential routine procedures, (for the first hour) on my baby until after the bonding and breastfeeding period (i.e., bathing).
I will be bringing a supply of cloth diapers to the hospital with me. Please only use these on my baby from the very first time she is diapered. I also will provide a sanitary wet bag in which to place all the soiled diapers for laundering when we return home.

In the event of a medical emergency where a C-Section is necessary:

My partner(s) is(are) to be present at all times during the c-section.

Ideally, I would like to remain conscious during the procedure.

I would like the baby to be shown to me immediately after it's born.

I would like to have contact with the baby as soon as it is possible in the delivery room.

We would like to photograph or film the operation as the baby comes out.

If possible, please discuss anesthesia options with me (including morphine options).

I prefer a low transverse incision on my abdomen and uterus and the double layer stitching method for stitching me back up.

Recovery:

If my baby is healthy, I would like to hold my baby and nurse it immediately in recovery.

I would like to sign any waivers necessary to permit me to be with my baby in recovery.

As long as my baby is healthy, I would like my partner to be the babys constant source of attention until I am free to bond with it (i.e., holding, skin-to-skin contact, etc.).

Please discuss with me what I can expect to feel immediately following the procedure.

Please discuss my post-operative pain medication options with me before or immediately following the procedure.

Please allow my partner to cut the umbilical cord if he desires.

Placenta:

I would prefer for the placenta to be born spontaneously without the use of pitocin, and/or manual extraction and please don't try to show it to me I'm not interested. :)

If the baby has any problems, I would like my partner to be present with the baby at all times, if possible.

I would like to have routine newborn procedures delayed until bonding and breastfeeding have occurred.

I would like all newborn routine procedures to be performed in my presence.

Administration of Eyedrops:

I would like my baby to be administered eyedrops after the bonding period if necessary.

Immunizations:

I prefer any immunizations be postponed to a later time.

Bathing Baby:

Please bathe my baby after we have had time to bond with it.

Circumcision:

I would like him circumcised.

Other circumcision options:

Please use a local anesthetic.

PKU:

Routine PKU Testing right away.

Feedings:

My baby is to be exclusively breastfed.

I would like to see a lactation consultant as soon as possible for further recommendations and guidance.

Do not offer my baby the following without my consent:

Formula.

Pacifiers.

Any artificial nipples.

Sugar water.

If my baby's health is in jeopardy, I would like:

To be transported with my baby if possible.

My partner to go with the baby.

To breastfeed or express my milk for my baby.

To have no time restrictions with my baby.

To have as much bodily contact with my baby as possible.

To be offered a room at the hospital for the duration of my baby's stay (within reason).

I would like my in-hospital routine to be:

Rooming in with my baby.

Other hospital preferences:

I prefer a private room.

I prefer to have my partner stay with me for the duration of my hospital stay.

I want privacy during my stay and for my guests to limit the time they are visiting me.

Our Toy System

2012-04-12T20:45:00.001-07:00

Recently, I had a few other mommies over to my house for the first time for a craft group for kids that I lead.
Upon entering my house, one of the first things one lady said was, "Are you kidding me? " And I thought, "Now what did I do?"
She went on, "Tell me your house isn't always this neat and organized?" I smiled and said, "Well most of the time it is, but only because I'm super anal and hate any sort of clutter lying around..."
"But where are all his toys? I mean, are these all that he has?" she asked pointing to my 8-cubby hole Ikea shelve in the family/playroom.
"Oh no, " I replied, "I will show you his toy closet, we just rotate toys on a weekly basis."
I saw the enlightenment on their faces. It's a simple system really and keeps my house clutter free while also teaching my son how to pick up after himself, respect for his toys, gives him a sense of order and excitement for each new week when "new" toys are brought out. I adopted this system from a few Montessori classrooms I have worked in during my pre-school teaching years and I will never look back. I am certain that this is a great system for our family and keeps everyone happy.

The main rule is that the only amount of toys allowed out at one time must fit in an organized way in one of the 6 cubby holes on the shelf. (Books and the musical instruments have top toy priority in our home so they remain on the shelf forever.) :) Four of the cubbies are used for four toys of Aiden's choice and the two top left cubbies are saved for games, puzzles and learning toys such as the wooden patterning beads pictured here. I think it's important for there to be a variety of toys available at all times to children as you would find in any quality pre-school classroom. Toys like his legos, cars, or garbage truck just let him use his imagination. Books for obvious reasons, musical instruments for creative expression, and one motor skill enhancing toy set like the Lakeshore ball and ring set for more interactive play when other kids come over. There is a space for art with construction paper, markers and crayons always available, (and not always supervised which surprisingly enough has never resulted in crayoned walls as I explained the rules of where we color and where we don't extensively.) At the beginning of each week, (usually on Monday nights) I take most of the toys off the shelf and replace them with "new" toys from his toy closet where everything is kept in categorical clear plastic bins on a big shelf system.

Art/ block area

Each basket has a theme

Some who are not used to such a system may think that this can't be enough things to keep a three year old happy all week but I'm here to tell you that it does. If you observe children, do they really play with more than 6 different toys at one time? No way, they usually focus on one at a time and then move onto the next. Plus if mommy is involved then the attention life-span of the toy of the moment is drastically lengthened and the learning toys and games are truly being put to use. Most experts on child-rearing agree that by a certain age kids need order and a schedule in their day. It doesn't have to be the same each day but there should be some sort of rhythm to all the chaos of life. Same goes for their things. There needs to be a home for everything when you ask them to pick up their toys but more importantly not an overwhelming amount of stuff lying around so that cleaning up the play space seems like an insurmountable task to a young child. This will just result in YOU picking up all the mess and robbing the child of learning how to do things for himself.
When I see play spaces with an overwhelming amount of toys, I see children who are stepping on their books or toys in order to get to another toy and not learning the important lesson of treating one's things with respect and care. I see a very mindless and scattered approach to play in which the child takes out one toy and begins to play with it then quickly gets distracted by another toy nearby and leaves the first toy in the dust without putting it back where it belongs and without ever appreciating it fully. Suddenly the entire room is filled with the mess of a ton of toys pulled off their shelves, scattered around that have not really been played with and the space is chaos. Then the child gets bored with it all and doesn't know what to do. Free space equals more creativity with toys in my mind. So it's very important to provide this to kids so that they have the clarity of their minds to be creative with their things instead of rushing around from one thing to the next. "Tis a gift to be simple..." (Why not throw in an old choir lyric for good measure?) :)

Hopefully with our new addition to our little family we can still somewhat keep up the organization of the toys but I'm sure it will be much harder as we will have a whole new ballgame of more girly toys to add to the collection...and eventually one more big item like a play kitchen.

As for the ladies of my craft group, they asked me to maybe do a little group presentation on organizing your home to the entire mother's group but since I'd rather have all my teeth pulled without drugs than speak in public, I told them I'd do a blog post instead. :)

Belli Love

2012-04-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

It's Happening

2012-03-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

28 weeks

Dear Baby girl-

It is a beautiful Saturday at home and your Daddy and I are so excited to be starting on your nursery. Your big brother is spending the weekend with Grandma and Grandpa at the Folsom zoo so we can devote our full attention to all the projects that need to happen in order to make room for you in our house. We decided to move your brother into our room for a while and keep his room as the "baby room" so that we will have all the necessary baby furniture in one place. We've picked out the perfect shade of lavender paint to match your adorable Potterybarn lavender and pink butterfly quilt. While your Daddy is prepping your new room to paint, I am resting on the couch feeling your feisty little kicks and picking out other things for your room like lamps, (I'm planning on making a lampshade myself with lavender rosebuds on it) a chandelier, shelves, curtains, (your multi-talented Daddy is talking about sewing you some himself after we pick the fabric!)

Color on the left is what we chose! - french lilac by Benjamin Moore

I feel like I've waited my whole life for you, as I did also for your big brother. He is a dream come true and you are as well my little love. I have to admit though, I am a TAD bit more excited to be able to decorate a baby girl nursery now. This is something that I've been excited about since I was a little girl, thumbing through the old JC Penny's catalogue heading straight for the baby girl nursery collections. I loved the cribs with canopies, back in the eighties those were really popular. I loved white eyelet lacy fabrics and hardwood floors. I even got excited about how cute those little diaper holders were that matched the crib bedding and how they were filled with the tiniest little newborn diapers. I have visions of those little wall shelves with hooks underneath to hang a ruffled white dress and a matching white bonnet. I absolutely LOVE love love baby girls in bonnets. I hope you'll bear with me as I adorn your little head in these frilly accessories.
As we begin on your room today, everything is becoming more real that soon- (only 11 more weeks!) you will be here snuggled in our arms. We are all so excited for you to come and add a new element of surprise to our family.
Now if we could only decide on your name...:)

Baby Girl

2012-02-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

I love love love feeling you kick and move inside my womb. Every time I feel you I am reminded of how blessed I am to have you. I wake up at 4am a lot because I am so hungry. After I eat, I lay back down in my bed and you go wild! I feel your tiny fingers moving inside me. I feel your strong kicks and sometimes it feels like you are turning. You must love that buttered cinnamon-rasin bagel I eat in the early mornings. I love that this is my only time of day to solely focus on you as my hands try to feel you through my belli. During this time I wonder what you'll look like. I wonder how your cry will sound. I wonder about the expression on your big brother's face when he gets to meet you for the very first time. I wonder about the color of your eyes. Your daddy, big brother and I are so very excited to meet you and love you so much already. You will be coming into a home of silliness, laughter, adventures and lots of good food. :) There will be music, nature, family and friends. And there will always be someone there to give you love.
We love you baby girl, we can't wait to hold you in our arms.

26 weeks pregnant

25 weeks

A Grim Rant on the First Trimester of My Second Pregnancy

2012-02-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

11 weeks- baby is lime-sized

I'm so thankful it's over. I'm so thankful that I kept my cool...for the most part. Or maybe I just won't tell you about the time where I wanted to strangle the well-meaning employee at Chipotle for forgetting to put my side order of guacamole, (the only food I could eat that night) into my take-out order and only discovered it after my husband arrived home with our meal. Speaking of food, did you know that in some rare, desperate cases some local restaurants will deliver food to your home even though they don't regularly deliver their food? Thank you MJ's Cafe. You saved my life a few times. (And they even brought me extra pickles God bless their souls) There were many times where I felt like a failure as a mother, spending my days with my son in front of the TV watching endless amounts of movies instead of our normal social or creative activities and feeding him more convenience foods rather than our usual healthy choices. He sometimes ate Ramen Noodles with me. I may as well have measured out one cup of salt and poured it into some boiling water with some noodles because that's exactly what those "foods" consist of. I was a poster mom of what NOT to do with your child when you stay home.

belli kisses

I was so constantly nauseous, (it's not morning sickness, it's 24 hour sickness) that I couldn't eat much and what I could eat wasn't sustaining me. Cooking, the thought of cooking, and any cooking smells in the house make my gag reflex swing into full action. I lived on Honey Nut Cheerios, grapes, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So really just loads of processed sugar and maybe some nuts and berries like a savage in the wilderness. I couldn't eat any of my normal, healthy foods that make me feel good. It was an ugly cycle of bad food, leading to extremely low energy, many couch days, lost social outlets, and sleepless nights due to hunger. There were weeks at a time where I didn't leave my house and when people did not show any understanding as to why we missed a holiday event, I was left dumbfounded at their lack of empathy.

Vegetarian minestrone for a quiet Thanksgiving at home

I wasn't surprised when extreme bouts of depression and anxiety started seeping through the cracks of my mind causing me to feel like I wasn't going to be able to handle keeping it together for my one child, and the thought of another on the way seemed like an insurmountable feat. The, "What did I do?" (completely untrue to my heart's desires) types of thoughts were there. There was lots of late night grocery store runs for my husband because being inside a grocery store with all of it's food smells made me want to hurl. He was doing double duties at home while I lay on the couch in nauseous but hungry pains popping Zofran like they were Skittles. My sweet little son at only 2 and a half years old caught on quick to the drastic change in me. "Mommy, come to the store. Please? It's not scary mommy. Come on!" GUILT. "I'm sorry baby, Mommy doesn't feel good right now. I need to rest," I would say. The few times I would leave the couch after my husband was home for the night, Aiden would automatically go get me a pillow, my blanket and my trusty pack of Saltines so they would be nearby. It was the sweetest thing, but again made me feel extremely guilty that he felt the need to help me. I should be helping him, he's the child. Once during a difficult car ride out of town my husband told me that when I got out of the car to use the restroom, Aiden looked at him sadly shaking his head saying, "Mommy is sad, Mommy is not good." That one really killed me. I always tried to hide it as best as I could, but as I always knew and even experienced myself as a child-kids know. They are like miniature, mind-x-ray machines and they always know when you are putting up a front. Hopefully he's young enough to forget the three months I was practically an absent mother. There were however a few...shall I emphasize, FEW times that family and friends were available to help which was really nice. One time a good friend offered to take Aiden on a field trip to a wildlife museum for the whole day with her, ah-em THREE other children under three years old. SHE.IS.A.SUPERMOM. and I will forever be grateful for her kindness that day. I am also very grateful to my husband who never, ever gave me a hard time for being difficult, (like I could help it, see how easily you operate when you can't eat and feel like you're about to hurl 24/7), for having the patience of a saint, and for all the extra things he did to make me as comfortable as possible. I will forever be grateful to you my love.
Like any rough patch in life, it's those closest to you who carry you through. Thank you, I am overjoyed that part is over. I'm going to go eat my three course dinner now because I am so happy I can :)

He learned to make lasagna

It's A GIRL!!!!!!!!

2012-01-05T21:48:00.000-08:00

I Couldn't Resist I Guess...

2011-12-20T18:50:00.000-08:00

Earlier today I posted this to Facebook: If you haven't received a Christmas card from the Bishop's this year it's not because we don't love you. It's because we didn't send any this year. So just look at one of our millions of Facebook pics, attach a "Merry Christmas" to it and we'll call it good ok? :)

I was serious too. With the rough past couple of months of pregnancy symptoms paired with trying to keep up with an active two and a half year old, I had a certain list of priorities for the Christmas season and sending out 50 cards was NOT part of the top 10 priorities. Things like teaching my son the story of Jesus's birth and Christmas songs, buying and making homemade gifts, baking, having Aiden create holiday crafts, and showing up at holiday parties with my hair actually washed were. Period.
But then I remembered a $20 Shutterfly promo card sitting in my desk I got a while back while shopping at Destination Maternity. And Aiden decided to nap today. So we purchased only 20 of these just for our families. Maybe we're not so bah-humbug after all. But I'm still not setting foot in a mall until after the holidays are over. :)

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Last Minute Christmas Wreaths

2011-12-20T15:34:00.000-08:00

Need a last minute way to impress the family with some yummy treats on Christmas? A project for the kids to do while you wrap presents? Or, a way to schmooze your way into some extra vacation time from your boss? Or how about a ring? Trying to get that slower than molasses boy to put a rock on your finger? Then try these, they are super duper yummy and you can create a whole batch in no time at all. My sister and I used to make these with my Grandma when we were kids. You know they're gonna be good when they come from a Grandma! :)

You'll need:

1 bag of large marshmallows
1 stick of butter
Green food coloring
3 cups of cornflakes
Red Hot cinnamon candies- found at Dollar Store
Wax paper
Cooking spray

Melt the butter and marshmallows together on the stovetop, medium heat until a thick gooey syrup forms. Add in 15 drops of green food coloring. When it looks like this,

then remove from heat and mix in the 3 cups of cornflakes until they are completely covered in this Grinch-colored oooozy goodness.

Now lay out some wax paper which has been sprayed with cooking oil spray, butter up your fingers and drop spoonfuls of the mixture on the wax paper to cool for a bit. After they have cooled, (about 4 minutes) then form into wreath shapes with your buttered baking hands. Let your munchkin try too. He'll eat most of it.

After the gooey mess slightly resembles wreath shapes, place your red hot candies on by pressing them gently into the wreaths. I've heard some people use corn syrup to get these little suckers to stick, but I never have.

Yum! Now try not to eat them all before you get to your family's house for Christmas!

Montessori At Home: Marble Transferring Activity

2011-12-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

In the past few months I have been taking ideas from various Montessori homeschooling books and websites and implementing them in our daily home activities. One of this week's activities is this simple marble transferring activity which helps develop hand eye coordination, concentration, fine motor control, and the ability to be persistent when presented with a difficult task.

I thought Aiden would have a much harder time with this at first but he caught on right away. The only frustrating part for him in the beginning was scooping the marbles up with the spoon. He used his hands a few times and then I showed him how to tilt the spoon to pick up the marbles and he got it. He was pretty proud of himself when he had finally got all the marbles into the bottle.

And for the record: I am totally anti-plastic water bottles, especially paying $1.49 for this fancy FIJI water but I didn't have any containers at home suitable for this project because we use Camelbak's in our house but I found this at Walgreen's and it was the perfect size. And by the way, that FIJI water didn't taste any different than my tap water and it didn't give me any super powers...well yet. :)

Weaned at 30 months

2011-11-29T15:41:00.000-08:00

When I began nursing my newborn son, I had no idea we would be going strong until he was 2 and a half years old. It's just not common in our society. But now after being a parent myself, I have found that most of the unconventional parenting practices as opposed to the mainstream ones have worked best for us and have made my boy one happy little guy. Like child-led weaning for example. I had come to the understanding that although it's not a choice for many, it certainly worked for us. I wanted Aiden to decide when he was done nursing the natural way and not take something away from him that he needed because mainstream society was uncomfortable with it. I've found that many mothers would have nursed their babies longer but were pressured by friends, family or even their doctors that one year old was the appropriate age to wean. Appropriate age for who? The baby? Certainly not the baby, a lot of babies still very much need and want their mommy's milk at one year old. And others don't. But the ones who do put up a big fight when Mommy decides it's time to wean. And they should because why is something that is nutritionally beneficial and natural for them to desire being suddenly taken away from them? The answer is because sadly our society has over-sexualized women's breasts and forgotten why God gave them to us in the first place. ~Psalms 22:9~ I wasn't about to base my views on breastfeeding on the views of our misguided world. Sheesh. The WHO recommends breastfeeding, "Up to two years of age and beyond."

In the few months leading up to Aiden weaning, he would only ask for my milk once every other day or so. Sometimes only every 3 days. "I want Mommy's milk" he'd say, Or, " I want Mommy's boobies!" from around two years of age until then, nursings were something that I only gave him when he asked for them, I didn't just offer all the time as part of a routine for nap or bedtime. I was getting tired of it too sometimes wondering when he was going to be done. Other times, I would look down at him suckling away, looking so much like a little boy instead of a baby and throughly cherish the short time we had left for this special mommy-son bonding. There were times when I wondered if we would still be nursing when he was three years old, my anticipated limit on nursing my child.

At the end of September when I found out I was pregnant, I had visions of us nursing through my pregnancy with my big round belli cuddling in bed like the true granola parents I take some of my ideas from. That vision was abruptly turned around as soon as my morning, (all day) sickness hit in full force. I was feeling so awful and that meant I didn't want anyone touching me, especially when it came to nursing my 2 and a half year old. A week went by with no nursings during that first week of sick time and Aiden didn't ask for it. On one good day I felt guilty so I nursed him to sleep for naptime mainly because I missed our closeness. Then another week went by and he never mentioned it. Then one night, he asked for, "Mommy's milk" before bedtime and since I happened to be feeling ok that night I happily nursed him. I looked down at his beautiful little face and remembered all the different stages in his young life through which we had nursed. I was so happy that I could comfort and nourish him in this way for as long as we did. I whispered to my husband to please go get our camera to document our last nursing session. I hope that through this photo, more women will become more comfortable with the normalcy of breastfeeding their young children. If not in doing it themselves, but at the very least becoming more comfortable with the idea that breastfeeding does not have to stop at 6 or 12 months of age. That is does not need to be covered up with a Hooter Hider and can be done discreetly anytime and anywhere. That it is quite possibly the best way we can nourish our babies and toddlers conveniently with love.

Halloween

2011-11-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

The official announcement:

Our church trunk or treat event:

And some trick or treating with friends:

Eco Chic Baby

2011-10-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

The other day I was searching around for an eco-minded baby shop in my area and stumbled across THIS little gem: Eco Chic Baby. I am always on the prowl for quality baby and kid products that are unique, eco-friendly and affordable. Why not just hit up the local Babies 'R Us you ask? I hate to break it to you if you haven't discovered this for yourself already: Babies 'R Us is more about quantity over quality. They'll carry that snazzy looking umbrella stroller that will fall apart on you 6 months later while trudging through Disneyland with a 25 lb. toddler that you now have to carry because they are tired of walking. Oh my goodness. Bet you haven't heard of too many City Mini strollers falling apart now have you? Oh and how about getting a Boba carrier for those places where strollers aren't an option like a hike by the ocean? These carriers will take baby from birth all the way through 45 lbs. or so unlike the few options at most chain baby stores which only hold babies up to 6 months. It's all about withstanding the test of time people, and that's exactly why I've found throughout my momma journey that it's really all about the off the beaten path companies like Eco Chic Baby that get me excited!

The Eco Chic Baby store is located at 318 Main Street in downtown Vacaville and also has an awesome online store for those of us who are married to our couch lately... They also have a great variety of my favorite cloth diapers such as Bum Genius, Gro Via, Blueberry and Rockin Green laundry soap- (Bet you've never tried an all natural laundry soap that comes in scents like Smashing Watermelons have you? Well get on it! It's AMAZING stuff!)

They also carry green toys, shoes, clothes, Reese Li diaper bags and bento- style lunch boxes oh my! And get this: the store actually hosts classes such as various childbirth and pregnancy courses, newborn care and breastfeeding, prenatal and post-partum yoga, cloth diapering 101, baby wearing, baby signs, tummy time, baby-food making, and a few free groups like breastfeeding support, story time, clothing exchanges, mommy and me play date. They also show documentaries such as Vaccine Nation and The Business of Being Born and then afterwards there is a certified Midwife available for Q & A time! There's also a Maternity and Baby fashion show- (sign Aiden up!)... it just keeps on getting better! I absolutely LOVE it! If there was an organic cafe inside one could almost LIVE at this store. I will definitely be venturing out to Vacaville more often now that I know this awesome store exists! Nothing but the best for my baby!

Natural Parenting Children's Books

2011-10-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

I had no idea there was even such a thing until I read an article on the Mothering website about children's books geared towards the granola-eating-baby-wearing-extended breastfeeding alternative parenting practices. I paged through some of the books online and decided they were a nifty idea! I would love my son to see how natural breastfeeding is and learn about all the different animals and how they nurse. So I purchased a copy of Mama's Milk and he loves it!
See?

The book tells a story of babies and animals nursing highlighting all the different places they can be found nursing like in a tree, underwater, in a burrow, in the grass, at the park, and so on. I particularly like the image of the woman nursing in the park without a nursing cover embracing the idea that nursing is a normal and natural thing which need not be covered up if mama so desires. Hopefully with more mama's nursing in public and through books like these, our culturally-backwards idea that babies should stop nursing at 6 months will be re-examined in the near future.

Another one of our favorites is called, Little Helpers which is all about what even the smallest little child can do in their part of being a good steward of the earth. Genesis 1:28, 9:1

"When I use a cloth grocery bag instead of paper, there are more trees for the bears to climb." It's short, sweet and has simple ideas for teaching kids to take care of the earth. The book itself is also made of 98% recycled materials and uses only eco-friendly inks!

Our last crunchy-lifestyle book, (for now!) is called, A Ride on Mother's Back: A Day of Baby Carrying Around the World. This timeless and beautifully illustrated book explores the different ways in which people from a variety of cultures carry their young ones and describes what the children see and learn as they are carried. Babies in this book are depicted as a sweet part of daily life and chores, not separate from it. There is a map of the world which shows the approximate locations of all the characters in the book and a bonus section in the back of the book providing additional details about the people and their different ways of life.

It has been nice to add a few books to our collection that embrace the parenting styles I have adopted and sharing their values with my son who may one day be a father himself.

Art

2011-08-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

"I dream my painting and then paint my dream" - Vincent Van Gogh

painting with cars- 13 months-ish

learning to use crayons at 15 months-ish

Custom Ornaments by Aiden

decorating or eating decorations with cousin Mason?

Aiden's frame painting

cousin Emma's 1st painted picture frame

decorating a grocery bag for Mommy

marble painting

"Ta-Da!"

marble painting part 2

The art-gallery laundry room

Potty-Learning Update Part 2

2011-08-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

Our 1st potty in public success story this week!

Here it is the fourth month now of our potty-learning journey and we are finally getting the hang of it. They say the earlier you start the longer it takes but I'd prefer that over having to still change nasty diapers at this point. This past week has been a completely accident-free week with no diapers used except for at nap and bedtime. It was also the first time we had a potty in public success at a local park where I took his potty chair along with us. For so long I had him about 90% trained at home but would still diaper him to go out in public using the excuse that I didn't have a cool car travel potty yet so I didn't want to bother. Then recently a friend said, "Well why don't you just take his potty from home and bring it with you in the car?" Sometimes it really takes talking over things with my friends for a simple idea to click! Why didn't I think of that? Maybe if I had he would have been fully trained a few months ago! :) The next morning I decided to try out the new idea of bringing the potty to the park. (I'm not ready to deal with nasty public restrooms and my pure baby's behind touching them yet!) I stocked the car with an extra change of clothes, underwear, wipes, a wet bag and Clorox Wipes to clean out the potty should it get used. I was prepared for the worst. (I was traumatized from about 2 weeks ago when we had an ugly park poop accident that involved smearing down his legs, poop falling out all the way walking back to the house, and a total of 45 minutes spent cleaning up my kid, the tub, the carpet, his clothes, myself...you name it, I was scrubbing it!)
So there we are playing at the park and all of a sudden he runs up to me saying, "I hafta go on the potty!" I was shocked that he remembered to tell me even while at a different environment other than at home because it's so easy to get distracted... I sprinted to the car, grabbed the potty and set him on it while some other moms looked at us smiling, thankful that those days were over for them :) After he was done I just watered a thirsty tree with the potty contents, clorox wiped it out and we were good to go!
We continue to bring the potty with us where ever we go except for friends houses, (we trust your toilets!) :)
We are on a roll now and I couldn't be happier with the process. It really has been a lot easier than I expected. Of course there have been some very messy accidents and my poor carpet has been peed on SO MUCH, (I'm hoping to put in wood floors in the near future so it's ok) but it's all part of the process and it just keeps getting easier and easier the more we keep at it.
Two children's books that have really inspired Aiden to use the potty are You Can Go to the Potty and Everyone Poops. Both are fun reads, You Can Go on the Potty is a very through introduction to using the potty and even has a great parent's guide in the front to familiarize new parents with potty training concepts. Everyone Poops is just a hilarious addition to our home library and sure to make you laugh!

sometime in June 2011

If I Watched TV...

2011-08-20T23:45:00.000-07:00

If I watched TV I would have missed out on playing the "Garbage man letter block game" with Aiden this morning.
I would have not finished the amazing novel, The Help this month and gained the new perspective and wisdom this book brought to me.
I would not have taken the time to write this blog.
I would not have the pleasure of knowing it was I who taught my son to sing the "A B C's" perfectly because it may have been Elmo who taught him.
I probably would never take the time to teach myself new songs on the piano. I'd probably just stick with the old ones because they are safe and easy.
I would spend less time outdoors at night with my family and watching my son ride his bike.
I would most likely be less social because it would be much easier to turn on the TV than to persuade my friend to run out to the store with me at 8pm for some much needed girl time.
I wouldn't have discovered all the inspirational, amazing and talented blogs that I keep up with which give me new ideas for fun art projects and outings to do with my son while we are at home together.
I would be less motivated to attend my mother's group events and church events.
I would read less to my son at night and he probably wouldn't be able to pronounce, "Constitution" as well as he can. :)
I would probably consume more salt and vinegar kettle chips, (yumo!) than I should.
Speaking of food, I would probably be heavily influenced by all the junk food ads on TV like Jack N the Box and take up eating fast food again like I didn't know any better.
Consequently, I would eat less healthier than I do.
I would cook less and get takeout more.
I would then need to loose 25lbs instead of the 15lbs I need to drop.
I might get caught up in all the petty, meaningless drama of a show and it would swallow me whole.
I'd probably not listen to music as much or get lost in it as I do sometimes.
I may end up like a robot, programmed each night to watch this show, then that one, without ever creating anything in my own life.
I would be more numb and less alive.
I'd start actually taking the Pull-Up's commercials seriously and end up with a three year old who is still in diapers! Oh wait! They're Pull-Ups! RIGHT. (My excellent potty-training karma is probably ruined for saying that out loud now but I couldn't resist!) :)
I would be teaching my son that there's nothing better to do than to watch TV.
I would spend less time talking with my husband.
If you think I'm bad at calling you on the phone now, sheesh! Imagine if I watched TV regularly! HA!
I wouldn't have time for all that Netflix has to offer :)

Puffy Paint Craft

2011-08-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

Toddlers love things with cool textures. It's a proven fact. Give them a shoebox filled with flour and they'll allow you to cook dinner for 47 minutes... maybe longer. It works with un-cooked rice, pinto beans and a couple of cups for pouring. You may be cleaning rice out of your carpet for the next 2.5 years, but hey the kids had fun so don't sweat it. :)
The other night when I wanted some un-interrupted time to create culinary bliss, I set up this easy puffy paint station alongside me in the kitchen. He LOVED it! We even ended up painting each other's faces a little...

Puffy Paint
1 cup flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
food coloring

Mix everything together in a large bowl, (except food coloring). Then divide mixture into 4 small bowls and then add the food coloring. Ta Da!

It's Potty Time!

2011-07-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

"It's potty time, gotta let it go! It's potty time, you can do it I know!"
Oh Whoops! Just have Elmo's potty time song running through my head like a gazillion times a day. Aiden has watched the DVD a number of times while I shower in the morning and those songs are catchy!

Back in April when my baby boy turned two, I decided it was time to start introducing the potty to him and finally in the month of May we began full on potty learning. Why potty learning and not potty training you ask? Of all the methods I've read about the most important thing to remember is that the child is learning something completely new to them. Learning is a process which we all know and without a doubt will have many stumbling blocks along the way. Two things that really helped me were realizing that the success of this learning process was highly dependent on MY attitude about the whole ordeal. Don't get too crazy with rewarding and don't show any frustration when accidents happen. Be positive about everything and non-reactive when stumbling blocks occur.
The second idea that I adopted was the naked from the waist down method. No cloth training pants, (I wouldn't even consider Pull-Ups which are SUCH a scam), no diaper, no pants nada! Why? Toddlers are used to being diapered or clothed. They are used to peeing and pooping in SOMETHING. Take that something away completely and they become more aware of whats happening down there. The safety net is gone. LOVE this method and saw it work wonders for us.
Week one was pretty impressive. I started in the morning asking him if today he wanted to start using the potty. After receiving an enthusiastic, "Yes!" we began our journey. I placed our small froggy potty in the kitchen near his play area so that it would be close by and he could go on his own. I found that worked the best for him. He is a very independent little man who does not want to be nagged every 10 minutes, "Do you have to go to the potty?" by his mother. That morning he made it to the potty three out of the five times and the other two times had pee accidents. All three of the times he went to to potty and was successful was completely on his own! I made a huge deal of course, praised him and gave him lots of hugs! I'm not too sold on the idea of giving rewards for peeing or pooping on the potty because it's not realistic in the long run. Nobody gives me a Butterfinger when I go to the bathroom. :)
That first week was a great success! We had more successful potty trips than accidents and he even began going poop on the potty too! The first time he did it I was totally unaware too. I think I was prepping dinner and suddenly he's getting off the potty, (I didn't even see him get on) and saying, "Mommy, poo poo!" I go over to him thinking he's probably pooped all over the floor but there it is smack dab in the middle of the potty! He stands over it and says, "Poo Poo! It's like muffin! Look like muffin mommy!" I busted up laughing and agreed that it did indeed look like a muffin. And ever since that day, I haven't had the craving for those super yummy Trader Joe's bran muffins again.
May was a very good start to our potty learning journey. The diaper laundry was sparse and I was a happy momma. I love those cloth diapers but after 2 years of them I am ready for a break! (Gotta keep up the enthusiasm for a future child!) The pee accidents were starting to improve too because I'd catch him starting to pee on the carpet and I'd quickly re-direct him to the potty. He's stop peeing and hold it until we got to the potty. That was a huge milestone too in my mind.
June came and we had lots more challenges to deal with that month that slowed down the process. Relatives came to visit, our first camping trip with Aiden, hives and the stomach flu all happened that month and and all played a part of the regression stage. He was mostly diapered that month but would occasionally ask to go the potty after taking his diaper off himself. We kept it up here and there through all the challenges.
July has been a busy month as well with more traveling, social events and pretty soon our annual Tahoe vacation will be here.
Little by little he is improving on his at- home potty learning, (We haven't even attempted doing it while outside our home or bought a travel potty yet.) We are planning to bring the potty with us on our vacation and since we will be hanging out at our cabin mostly on the beach we will have plenty of opportunity to keep it up! :)

Tahoe 2011

Bikini Wrap

2011-04-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

26 year old me, summer 2006

You hungry for lunch? I am. This morning was my first time all alone in my house since before my little man was born. Crazy huh? I texted my sis for ideas on what to do with myself all morning, (as if I don't have a list full of things to do already!) She said I should make a yummy breakfast, watch a movie and relax while I can. Good idea! So I made some french toast, watched a little of Did You Hear About the Morgans? on Netflix.
That lasted about 37 minutes before I realized I had so much to do! In goes laundry load #1, out go the clean dishes in the dishwasher, weeds get pulled, a wall art project gets started, and photos get selected for printing at Walgreen's. Phew! Time for lunch. Except for it's almost bikini season, (gasp!) and I don't want the mama-gut to make an appearance so here's what my go-to, feel skinny and healthy meal will be today:

Laguna Beach Bikini Wrap :)

tortillas
Earth Butter
sliced carrots, avocado, cucumber, and spinach
mozzarella cheese
fresh squeezed lemon juice
lemon pepper
sea salt
toothpick (for holding it together)

Throw it all together, wrap like a burrito and stick it with the toothpick, and enjoy while reading a silly chick lit book on your back porch in the sun!