Naughty Knotty Mommy

Perhaps I should preface by sharing with you that I've been having some health problems of late. I have been waiting over a month to get in to see the doctor. Meanwhile, I'm dealing with a lot of random fatigue. After eating and while driving, just random. It is really hard to stay awake sometimes. I'm fighting sleep right now, actually.

2 month old dreads... of shame

Mamatography - Week 37

Day 253

(09/09/12)

Baby shower yesterday, baby shower today. This time for my little brother and his fiancé.

Babywearing from Every Angle

I am proud and honored to be a volunteer with the Natural Parents Network (NPN), a community of natural-minded parents and parents-to-be where you will be informed, empowered, and inspired.

When you visit the NPN’s website you can find articles and posts about Activism, Balance, Consistent Care, Ecological Responsibility, Family Safety, Feeding With Love, Gentle Discipline, Healthy Living, Holistic Health, Natural Learning, Nurturing Touch, Parenting Philosophies, Practical Home Help, Preparing for Parenting, Responding With Sensitivity, Safe Sleep, and so much more!

Today I would like to share some bookmark-worthy posts that highlight all aspects of babywearing. These posts were featured on the personal blogs of myself and other Natural Parents Network volunteers and are some of my favorites.

We hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as we enjoyed writing them. We are always looking for new volunteers so please, contact us if you are interested. Just a few hours per month can help other mamas in a huge way!

Benefits of Babywearing/Reasons To Babywear

• Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares "5 Reasons Why I Love Babywearing." The ultimate babywearing photo collage is also included. You can find I Thought I Knew Mama on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
• Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children shares "The Minimalist Parent." Wearing your baby or toddler in a good sling or carrier minimizes the need for a lot of baby gear. You can also find Living Peacefully with Children on Facebook.
• Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares "Buying A Pram Or Pushchair." In this post Luschka discusses all the reasons why she thinks you shouldn't, but should try a baby carrier instead. You can also find Diary of a First Child on Facebook or Twitter.

Sasha in the no-sew ring sling I made.
November 2009

Sasha's Birth Story

In celebration of Sasha's 3rd birthday, I'm finally sharing her birth story here:

On Tuesday morning, we got up at 3:30 AM for Elmo's Monday of work. I stayed up, though I usually sleep while he is gone. I took a half hour nap before our doctor appointment at 11:30. Sasha was healthy and the doctor stripped my membranes again. It was obvious none of us really expected it to work this time, since it did nothing the week before. We made an appointment to have my water broken at the hospital at 7 PM on Wednesday. We went on about our day. There was no increase in contraction strength, no bloody show, nothing all day.

My last belly shot - taken the evening before Sasha was born.

Mamatography - Week 36

Day 246

(09/02/12)

The weather got hot again and our A/C couldn't keep up. I wish I'd thought of playing in the cold water for Spencer earlier in the Summer!

Natural Parent Married to a Smoker

Are you a "Natural Parent" married to a smoker? Embarrassing, isn't it? I've been there. Last year I took my husband to meet a bunch of my crunchy friends and had to confess that he was a smoker.

If you're in the same embarrassing situation, I have some pointers for you. First, a smoker can only quit for themselves. Nagging and begging don't help. They have to be convinced and want to do it themselves. My husband was a smoker when I met him, so I didn't feel I had too much room to talk, other than to simply make it known that I would love for him to quit.

Mamatography - Week 35

Day 239

(08/26/12)

Sasha's first trip in her new booster car seat.

Spencer's first time to sit in a restaurant high chair. We dug out the old cover from when Sasha was a baby. I just love this (crappy) touching photo of my 2 guys!

When they gotta go...

Welcome to the second edition of the "I'm a Natural Parent - BUT..." Carnival

This post was written for inclusion in the carnival hosted by The Artful Mama and our feminist {play}school. During this carnival our participants have focused on how mainstream society has affected their natural parenting and how they have come to peace with this.

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Our Elimination Communication journey with Spencer has been amazing! I love it! I do get annoyed for night time EC, though. Once we found our groove during the day, he started insisting on being pottied at night, even when he doesn't actually want to go. He can't settle or stay asleep when he needs to go. He will toss and turn and fidget before eventually peeing in the bed. His wiggling is enough to wake me.

I figured all this out because he would wiggle, I would nurse him "back to sleep" and put him back down. Just as I would doze back off, he would start to wiggle again. It wasn't milk he needed, it was an empty bladder.

Mamatography - Week 34

Day 232

(08/19/12)

We all went to the zoo with some friends to see the new jaguar babies! Here is momma giving baby a bath.

My friend Lisa may prefer the teen years, but she was awesome with Sasha. Here they are, hopping like the kangaroos we had just seen.

Lisa has a "Do it all" kind of Zoo Membership, so we all got to ride the train and we got to go on the carousel, too!