Infused oils and a little education...

I love infused oils.  I use them in salves, lotion bars, lip balms, even alone.  You could say I go a little oil crazy.

I currently have some calendula infused oil hanging out on my porch (among others).  My son came in the first day it was out there, and asked why on Earth I had drowned sunflowers in a jar.  I laughed, then took that opportunity to take his herbal education a little farther.  He is growing up in a home where we use herbs instead of Tylenol, baking soda instead of shampoo, and vinegar instead of cleaners, so he has a pretty good base knowledge of natural alternatives.  He’s also familiar with the herbs we use to treat his asthma, reactive airways, sinus infections, etc.  He probably knows more than most adults in this area, but apparently his oil education was lacking.

We went through the basic properties of calendula and organic olive oil.  He kept telling me, “I know Mom…”  To his credit, he has paid attention when I’ve been in the kitchen creating my concoctions.  He remembered a lot about calendula from when we made a nipple salve and lip balm a few weeks ago.  I told him about the process of infusion, why we have to wait at least 6 weeks, and why the “drowned sunflowers” go in the sunlight.  To my delight, he was enthralled!

I was not about to let this educational opportunity slip away, so we headed to my tincture cupboard.  We went through a full shelf that day, and talked about what each does and how I made it.  He helped me shake each one and check the labels.  He asked a bunch of questions about how each would affect certain conditions.  It was one of those times where you could see the information being absorbed and the wheels in his head turning.  One of my favorite sights.  We decided to add herbs to his summer curriculum.  I think everyone should have a base knowledge of herbs and basic home remedies, and this seems like the perfect time to expand his knowledge base.  It is wonderful to see him take an interest in something I love, that will serve him well as he gets older.  I am one happy mama.

Tarot Cards

What do you think of when you hear about tarot cards and their readers?  Most people I know conjure images of an old woman dressed in layers and layers of skirts and scarves, in an incense filled dark room, staring into a crystal ball.  Or maybe a gypsy in a traveling caravan.  Maybe the spooky psychic that goes into a trance...  The reality?  That would be me sitting at my dining room table, probably in my PJs.

Sorry, not as mysterious as you'd pictured.  There is a lot more to them than meets the eye though...

I've never really mentioned tarot to most people, mostly because it just hasn't come up.  I'm sure that some will be very surprised to find out that I read the cards regularly.  They are not the work of the devil, evil, or anything of that nature.  Honestly, those opinions, while they are opinions, are usually based on miseducation.  They are in fact based on archetypes, intuition, and the interconnected world we live in.  They are incredibly useful in personal meditation, besides the more known uses.  There is a long, long, seriously long, history associated to tarot cards.  I won't get into that, but there are some awesome books on the subject that I highly recommend if you are interested.  

Have you ever taken a True Colors test?  Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment?  Studied the work of Carl Jung?   If so, then you will find many of the tarot cards extremely familiar.  The major arcana are actually archetypes that correspond very closely (if not exactly) to these personality types.  We all have these parts of our personality, they are just in different orders, concentrations, etc.  In fact, I have taught True Colors workshops in the past, and was amazed that the Orange characteristics are described identically, verbatim, to the wands suit of tarot cards.  Odd how things don't always mean what you think they do at first glance.  I know of several psychologists or counselors who even use tarot cards to help their patients explore their inner psyche with great success.  

I'm sure I'll talk more about this eventually, but the point of this post is more to share my excitement!  There is a beautiful set of tarot cards that is about to be released that have been in the works for 7 years!!!  7 years!  That is a long time to wait.  Here is one of the cards that I just fell in love with!  (This image belongs to Mary-el, http://www.mary-el.com/5swords.html)

I am so excited to get this deck and try it out!  The artwork is amazing, and looks like it will read beautifully as well.  I've heard stellar reviews from everyone who's tried it out and studied the scans.  

By the way, happy Monday!

Warning: Vagina Talk! But it could be helpful...

Have you ever heard of a menstruation cup? Mama cloth? I have found that a lot of people have no idea what these things are. A menstruation cup is a small flexible cup that you insert into your vagina to collect the menstruation blood. Mama cloth is simply a cloth pad. Neither is a new concept. Some cultures had women sit on a large cup for the entirety of their period, others used natural sea sponges, others used cloth. We have developed disposable everything, so it's not surprising that we have one for our periods.

Disposable options are not always the best choice. Personally, I react to them. I also don't like to use disposable pads and tampons because of the chemicals and the insane amount of trash that they cause.

When I first heard about the Diva cup, my first thought was, "You want me to put that where?"

Then I researched it. Researched some more. And a little more for good measure.

Then I bought one, and waited. I'm still breastfeeding Britches, so I hadn't had my first postpartum period at the time. While I waited, I made some more mama cloth too. I used cloth during my postpartum bleeding, but it was more of a "Hey, I am having a bad reaction to these pads, let me whip up something that will work temporarily." I sew cloth diapers all the time, so mama cloth was a piece of cake. I knew from the reaction I had to postpartum pads that disposable would not be an option for me long term. Oddly enough, I hadn't had a regular period since conceiving Tater (who is now 8). The pad/tampon thing had not been an issue for a long time.

I waited and waited. Then on Britches' first Birthday (how's that for timing?), Aunt Flo came to town.

I tried the Diva cup with a mama cloth liner. It is... weird. When I first put it in, it was a very different sensation. It has a learning curve. Most people seem to make leaks their first couple of days, until they figure out how to place it. Mine was pretty easy, I just popped it in. In the directions it will tell you to turn it, I didn't. I tried, but quickly figured out that wasn't going to happen. It worked perfectly. No leaks. By the end of the first day, that "weird" sensation was gone, and I was a convert.

Taking it out is really not any harder than removing a tampon, or Ben Wa balls. Every 12 hours I took it out, emptied it, washed it with mild soap, and popped it back in. Worked like a charm.

I loved the mama cloth too. I tried just that for a day, and it worked perfectly. I used the same materials I use to make soakers for cloth diapers. I topped one with a wicking material (pulls moisture through it) for a stay dry feeling. The other I made with all natural absorbent materials. Both felt great, so much better than disposables.

I would highly recommend the Diva cup and mama cloth to anyone.

I have to share a chuckle too. Grizzly acted completely grossed out talking about the cup for the first time. He even made a face. We talk about everything, so it is totally normal for us to discuss my cycle. I swear, he knew it better than I did when we were trying to conceive. I asked if he'd rather I used disposable, and his tune did a 180. He said, "No, I love that you use these. It's natural, better for you, no trash, and the best part: it's cheaper!" He's 100% behind me using the cup and cloth, even if it is largely due to financial reasons. He is even willing to do the laundry, now that's love...

Oatmeal Cake Bars

I try to do most of my baking from scratch, but sometimes you need something super quick and easy. I love this recipe for those times. If you want to go all out Betty Crocker, you can use it with your favorite cake recipe too. Just use the dry ingredients instead of the cake mix.

Oatmeal Cake Bars

1 Box of cake mix (yellow and funfetti are my favorites for this)

3 Cups Quick Cook Oats

1 Cup Applesauce

2 Eggs

1 Tablespoon

water

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients together until it resembles a dry batter.

Pour into a pan (I use an 8x8 or 9x9 most often) and press it down so it is even.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.

That's it. Simple, huh? Perfect quick and easy snack or dessert for those forgotten events that tend to sneak up on you. Or for something that smells yummy in the oven without making a huge mess of the kitchen.

The Real Nursing Cookie Recipe

I was looking at my nursing cookies post, when I realized that is not how a really make my cookies. That recipe will still help boost milk production, but it's not exactly how I make them. I have a terrible habit of rewriting recipes or writing new ones and not keeping track of every step and ingredient. I swear someone has to watch me make a recipe to get the whole thing. I make so many recipes by memory only. I can blame it on my Grams, she does the same thing. The biggest change is that I don't use butter. I use organic applesauce for all butter, oil, and fat in my baking recipes. Here are the changes, with the actual ingredients and amounts (as close as I can eyeball).

Nursing Cookies to boost lactation

Ingredients:

1 C Applesauce

1 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

3 T water

2 T flaxseed meal (no subs)

2 Lg eggs

1 t vanilla

2 C flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

4.5 C Thick cut oats

1 C Chocolate chips

4 T Brewers Yeast (no substitutions)

1 T Fenugreek

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350

Mix 2 T of flaxseed meal and water, set aside 3-5 minutes.

Cream applesauce and sugar.

Add eggs.

Stir flaxseed mix into butter mix and add vanilla.

Beat until well blended.

Sift: dry ingredients, except oats and choc chips.

Add butter mix to dry ing.

Stir in the oats and then the choc chips, fenugreek, and brewers yeast.

Drop on parchmant paper on baking sheet.

Bake 10-15 minutes.

The Dress Form

Here was the short, yet wonderful conversation:

Me: I want NEED a body double to stick pins in!

Grizzly: Sigh... Go ahead and order the dress form.

Me: (Hesitantly) Are you sure?

Grizzly: I said yes didn't I...

Most men would think I was crazy and not have a clue what I was blabbering about, but my wonderfully enabling husband actually gets it. Or at least pretends to.

I like to sew. It is an constructive hobby, I do make some money with it, and it can save us money. Ok, it does save money, but not necessarily a lot because I am a complete fabric-oholic. I love my fabric stash!

Anyway, Grizzly is the best man in a wedding at the end of the month. I got the hair-brained idea stuck in my head to make my dress. I have several "good" reasons for wanting to do this:

1. I want to. Simple reason, but it is enough for me.

2. I have had crazy inspiration lately and it is a great experiment. I don't think that Grizzly would be fond of me making the elaborate wedding gown that I have in my head (unless he feels like selling me off to the highest bidder that day--could happen), so I'll play with this instead.

3. Nothing fits me and I despise shopping. I guess "nothing fits me" isn't entirely accurate, but I had a baby 7 months ago, I am breastfeeding, and recovering from a serious illness. My body is not in it's normal shape, nothing even resembling its normal form. My body has seriously been through hell, so I am fine with this--for the time being....

4. To see if I can do it. I love Project Runway. I am not the typical "I watched Project Runway so now I can go design a fashion line" type woman. I sew already, so that is a big help. I am also not looking for high fashion. I am looking for something to flatter my curves. What better way than to design and fit it for my body. Not nearly as easy as it sounds...

Because of this, I decided I needed a dress form. I really didn't want to spend a fortune on one. I found one on Craigslist, but it was gone before I could commit (we all have our issues, committing to purchases is one of mine). My mom helped me attempt a duct tape dress form. That was a no go, even though it really works for some people. My guess is those people don't have a screaming infant who freaks out when her source of nutrition is being wrapped in duct tape. Just a guess... (She was just hungry, but that sounds better)

Thankfully Grizzly was in a highly accommodating

mood during the afore mentioned conversation. Love you honey!

I have had a dozen different designs for this dress in my head. I have finally landed on one, but I assure you it will evolve. They always do. My mom showed me a beautiful dress that I will be taking a lot of inspiration from. It is a beautifully draped greek goddess inspired frock. I think it should flatter my statuesque (aka nursing boobs and child-bearing hips) figure.

I decided on a maroon/burgundy type color. This could also change halfway through, so we shall see. Now the dress form and fabrics are ordered! Keep your fingers crossed for me, and wish me luck. I am definitely going to need it!

Crayon on Canvas

I saw an awesome piece of art that I loved on pinterest the other day, and thought "I can totally make that!"

(Said piece of art)

I happened to have a few boxes of crayons and a canvas just waiting for inspiration. I chose to go with a full rainbow for mine. Tater didn't even blink when I grabbed the hot glue gun, a canvas, and his crayons. He knows better than to be surprised. Remember, he has been raised by me so he thinks this is totally normal!

It is a very simple piece to do. Glue the crayons to the top, then let it sit in the sun. It will melt all by itself. If you are impatient like me, use a blow dryer. Be very careful though, it splatters that way. I would also recommend using a flat canvas, not a stretched. The heat will deform those.

I had a small monkey attached to me most of the morning (Madame Britches), so I didn't take pictures for a tutorial. BUT I just saw that one of the awesome moms on my craft board did! Here is the link to Naptime=Craft time for the tutorial.

Here is my masterpiece...

Nursing Cookies

Update: I updated the cookie recipe, so now it is exactly how I make them. I always forget my tweaks until someone else watches me make it. :)

I sent a recipe for nursing cookies to a friend today, when it occurred to me that others might not know about nursing cookies either. They are a great way to boost lactation. The 2 best methods for me are a dark beer, and these cookies. I did a search for nursing cookies, and was amazed at what I saw. Some companies sell cookies with the identical active ingredients for $40 for 30 cookies! Plus shipping!!! Nursing moms, please make this recipe instead of spending a fortune.

Nursing Cookies to boost lactation

Ingredients:

1 C butter applesauce

1 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

4 3 T water

2 T flaxseed meal (no subs)

2 Lg eggs

1 t vanilla

2 C flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

3 4.5 C Thick cut oats

1 C Chocolate chips

2 4 T Brewers Yeast (no substitutions)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 350

Mix 2 T of flaxseed meal and water, set aside 3-5 minutes.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs.

Stir flaxseed mix into butter mix and add vanilla.

Beat until well blended.

Sift: dry ingredients, except oats and choc chips.

Add butter mix to dry ing.

Stir in the oats and then the choc chips. And Brewers yeast

Drop on parchment paper on baking sheet.

Bake 8-12 minutes.

Funny story about these cookies... I gave this recipe to my mom and asked her to make some shortly after Britches was born. I wasn't able to be up yet, but she sweetly agreed. My husband came home and saw cookies on the counter cooling. He grabbed one and walked into the living room. Just as he was about to take a bite, I told him they were nursing cookies. He froze, and said, "Like for breast milk?" I confirmed this, and he slowly walked over to me, handed me the cookie, and said he was good. I laughed hysterically!

These are perfectly fine for anyone to eat, just especially good for milk production. Enjoy!

The Diaries

My husband and I were driving (hence the pic -->; I crack me up...)

When I received an email from my mom. I just got a new smartphone, so this is still exciting to me. I opened the email and started to read. It was a forward, so I thought it would be funny. It was so sad though. It detailed a common story of a wife's feelings, that I think we can all relate to. I really felt for the wife in the story. Then I reached the end, and I burst out laughing! Grizzly had me read it to him. He looked sincerely puzzled as to why I laughed so hard. Once I reached the end of the story, he got it. He laughed hysterically. I thought you might appreciate this:

Wife's Diary: Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn't say much. I asked him what was wrong; He said, 'Nothing.' I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving. I can't explain his behavior I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love you, too.' When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep - I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster. Husband's Diary: Boat wouldn't start; can't figure it out. It's all about perspective, and I think we should all reread this from time to time.

The Teeny Tiny Tutu

I got a message from a friend today. A close friend of hers just welcomed a new little bundle of joy into the world. This particular little bundle is an especially tiny bundle. She was born 3 months early and weighed 2 lbs 4 oz. My friend wanted to know if I could make a preemie tutu for her. I am pretty handy with tulle, so I said of course. She requested that it be black and hot pink, and the parents liked zebra print. Not a problem, I have all of those colors. She sent me a picture of this itty bitty princess, and my heart melted.

I am not sure if it's preemies in general, because both of my children were premature I do have a soft spot for them. Or maybe just a baby who is so tiny. Whatever the reason, it melted me. Turned me into a ball of jello. I think it hit me so hard because Britches was supposed to be smaller. The doctors tried to convince me to let them take her out, but I refused. I just kept on refusing. The ultrasound estimate at that time was 1 lb 8 oz. I am so glad I held out as long as possible. Seeing this tiny little human hooked up to machines took me back to when she was born.

So I went to work shrinking my normal tutu dress pattern. I compared sizes to one of Britches preemie onesies, and checked some measurements online. I started cutting the teeny tiny bodice, sewing the small pieces together, cutting baby pieces of tulle, and weaving through impossibly small holes. The tutu started to take shape. It looks like it's made for one of my daughter's dolls, not much bigger than your hand. So small. It makes me think of how fragile this small girl is...

I am sure that this precious little girl will not remember the teeny tiny tutu, or even know the tutu maker, but I hope that some of the love that I felt making this dress for her translates. I have said before that I believe that my love goes into each stitch. In this case, I hope it helps her grow stronger and thrive...

Destash? Um, no...

My husband does not need to know how many diapers Britches actually has... Seriously, he has seen them all, he just doesn't need reminding...

I don't think it's excessive, but it is enough that we could go on a week vacation without washing. I like knowing I have more than enough that if our power went out for a week, we'd be fine. As long as it wasn't wash day of course.

I just put together a loaner newborn stash for little Mr. M (who is due in just a couple weeks) out of some of her smaller gender neutral diapers. He has 16 prefolds, 3 covers, and 2 AI2s (one tester and one mama-made I received free with a swap order). Excuse the terrible picture, but the heathens are at it today...

That is plenty for washing everyday. These will go nicely with the dozen one size AI2s and fitteds that little Mr. M's mom ordered from me. Her oldest was born at just over 8 lbs, and my one size diapers fit Britches about then. That should bump her up to a 2 day wash routine. I should destash, but it's nice to have enough diapers to lend and not worry about it! After all, babies do not stay in newborn diapers long. Britches is the exception though, she can technically still fit in all of these.

Besides the diapers, I am making her a wetbag and wipes. I do seem to have a love affair with cloth wipes, I use them for everything. Side note: I have been sick the last couple of weeks, blowing my noise every 2 minutes. My nose is not raw though, because I have used the awesomely squishy cloth wipes. See, useful for everything!

I can't forget that I just received those last chance bumgenious diapers too. As soon as I convert some to snaps, he will have a one-size loaner stash if they need it too! I love diapers!

Channeling Alexander?

Today has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day! I am definitely channeling Alexander today. Most of it has been pretty small, so it could definitely be worse. However, Murphy rules my world.

I can't even recount the entirety of my day. I had to deal with the stupidity of our healthcare system, a screaming drama queen (aka Britches, out of character for her), and I did not enjoy the storm.

I had to borrow my brother's car to take Tater to the surgeon for a pre-op visit. No biggie, he was being an awesome brother to let me use his car, Grizzly had mine (longer story). Tater did have an awesome commentary on our healthcare system though. I'll post that later. Anyway...

His car is not the newest, so it has some big freaking issues hiccups. He failed to mention that the windshield wipers don't work AT ALL perfectly. This wouldn't have been an issue if we hadn't had a complete down pour. So I am stuck half an hour from home with both kids, no wipers, and it is raining cats, dogs, horses, cows, and pigs! We'll throw in a chicken, a 5 foot chicken, for good measure!

Because Britches fell asleep in the car, Tater and I started the doomsday countdown. Otherwise known as the "we have to get our little tushies home before our sweet sleeping baby starts channeling Linda Blair" countdown. Britches is a seriously happy baby, until she isn't. Tater, by the way, was so incredibly well behaved. Especially considering I was stressed. So I opened the car door to get out and fix the wipers, and immediately flooded the car. After several attempts, with the Fedex guy staring at me the entire time--Thanks for the help!-- I managed to get it workable.

--Holy run on sentence Batman, sorry!

We some how made it home in one piece. I made an executive decision to skip the grocery store, because we were done. Seriously, done.

This lovely storm also knocked out my internet, so I totally missed the end of my giveaway! I finally broke down and called my mom and Grizzly (both are out of town, ugh) trying to get someone to update my page. Luckily, my mom called back and was able to post the winner.

Honestly, it could have been so much worse. It was just the little things that just kept piling up. I think I am done channeling Alexander now...

Last Chance Diaper Pictures

I have written a few times about Cottonbabies Last Chance Sale, so I thought someone might like to see what exactly you get with this sale. I purchase 2 sets, a girl and a gender neutral. Each set was 12 diapers for $24. Remember they retail for $17.95 per diaper. I also purchased 12 refresher kits just in case they needed repairs. here are my diapers:

Here is a close up of one of them. It is in average condition for what I received.

I will be using the prefolds from the Update: $100 Challenge for inserts. So if each diaper did need repair (which they don't) it would be a total of $3.50 per diaper!

$2.00 per diaper + $0.50 per prefold + $1.00 per refresher kit = $3.50.

Amazing!

It doesn't come around very often, but it is totally worth it. At least I think so!

Giveaway!

I love giveaways!

I love entering, giving, and especially winning. I am giving away a free-for-shipping tutu dress at my store right now. They are so pouffy and princessy. This is one of my recent dresses. It was for a Relay for Life auction.

If you want to enter, like my facebook page and enter the drawing on hyenacart.

Cottonbabies Last Chance Sale!

Just wanted to let everyone know that cottonbabies.com is having their awesome last chance sale! Go check it out. 12 really well loved diapers for $24. You can't beat it!

Don't forget to add the free cover and use the coupon code CVR611 if you spend more than $50.

The List

I was sitting in church today people watching, as I often do, when I saw a young woman walk by. She really wasn't a woman, but a girl just graduating from high school. It was, after all, graduation Sunday. I have known this girl her entire life. Something stuck me this morning though... She doesn't know how to walk in heels! I had to laugh at myself a little for noticing such an odd thing, but it is something that I do pay attention to.

I whispered to my mom, "Do girls just not know how to walk in heels anymore?" Her response was an incredibly true statement: "There are a lot of things about being a girl that girls just don't know."

This got me thinking about the things I need to be sure to teach my daughter. This has nothing to do with the battle of the sexes, feminism, etc. I just think that if you are going to wear heels, you need to know how to walk in them. So, here is the start of my list. Many of them have stories behind them, but some are just skills that I think everyone should have.

What Every Girl Should Know:

• How to rewire an outlet.
• How to walk in heels.
• How to change a tire, oil, belt, etc.
• How to sew.
• How to substitute ingredients.
• How to read a map.
• How to use the Dewey Decimal System.
• How to relieve yourself in the woods.
• How to haggle.

I am confident that my list will grow, but this is a decent start.

Sew Fun!

I have been having a ball lately sewing gifts for a friends baby shower. The shower was last weekend (I know I'm late putting up pics, busy week). I have had an enormous number of custom orders from the store, so I've had to steal minutes here and there for fun baby sewing.

I have embroidered, appliqued, made up new patterns, and played with adorable boy prints. I love customized gifts. They mean so much more when someone puts their love and effort into them. Some of my favorite gifts over the years have been handmade. A painting, a quilt, an afghan, all so lovely. I remember those gifts very clearly. Hopefully she loves handmade items as much as I do.

Did I mention she is having a boy? This is particularly fun for me, because I have a new girl. I love being able to do projects for both! As luck would have it, another friend of mine is having a boy soon too. So I get to make even more fun boy stuff. Both moms are going to be cloth diapering--Woo hoo! Grizzly doesn't understand why I get so excited about this, but it means more people who will kinda sorta understand my passion.

So, here are my fun baby gifts!

Ok. First up is a Grab Rag! Britches loves hers. It's the "can't get it away from her" kind of love. I designed and embroidered the little man's name on bamboo velour and sewed it up with a cute cotton print and ribbons. I make cloth wipes with the same materials, so it is perfect to use as burp cloth, chew toy, or any other whoops rag. Plus, it's pretty the boy equivalent of pretty.

Next is from a scrap from the Grab Rag, an appliqued t-shirt. I love the little ties on shirts.

Another scrap from the Grab Rag is this Grab Ball. I looked at a beach ball and thought, "Yep, I can make that." It is actually 6 leaf shapes sewn together with ribbon. Not nearly as difficult as it first appears.

Here is a wipes pouch. I love to keep things organized. That way when I am searching for wipes in a panic, Tater can say "It's in the bag labeled WIPES mom, geez." This is a simple pouch made like an envelope. (It's lined with firefighter fabric, you will eventually see a pattern)

Wipes. Boring, but oh so useful. I swear you can never have enough.

More wipes. Seriously, never enough...

A matching changing mat is so necessary. I made this with PUL, cotton, and hidden fleece (to make it squishier). Because I had to play with my embroidery software and machine, I made a cute baby too, with a little A on his helmet.

Here is my favorite! I love this wetbag, it does everything. Well, not everything, but more than you can ask of a wetbag. It has the nice large wet pocket, plus a dry pocket, plus a shoulder strap, plus it's shrinkable. I will do an entire post on the evolution of this bag later. But for now, isn't it pretty.

Here is a newborn fitted. It is so tiny and squishy! It's all bamboo with a knit outer. It almost makes me want another... Almost...

Here is a one size all-in-2. Bamboo velour inside so it's soft.

And my favorite diaper. This is an impossible to find print. I even talked to the designer trying to find more, even she doesn't have a scrap left. Needless to say, I'm glad it turned out!

Here is the whole shebang! I threw in some wipe cubes and organic coconut oil too. Did you know that coconut oil works wonders on diaper rash? It does! Hopefully she likes them as much as I do. Even if she doesn't, I have really loved making everything.

I need to get to work for the other new little boy now. I can't wait to cut into the motorcycle fabric I have saved for him!

Babywearing Love

First of all, the people I see on my way to and from the post office are so nice. Just had to say that and send them another thank you...

I wear Britches daily, but especially whenever we are running errands. I am recovering from a long illness, so I do not have the strength to schlep that giant and ridiculously heavy car seat everywhere. Britches is not a fan of sitting down anyway, so wearing her keeps the screaming at bay makes much more sense. I love the hands free option too. I don't know how I would manage carrying a package and dealing with a car seat or stroller.

Back to the post office. Every time I go to the post office, I have multiple people ask if I need help. Whether it is carrying her or my package, opening doors, juggling, etc. I always say "No thank you!" But it is very nice to have them offer. It renews my faith in people to have someone be courteous enough to actually offer help. It just doesn't happen as much as it should.

I don't think new moms quite understand the benefits of a good carrier, whether it be a stretchy wrap, woven wrap, soft-structured carrier, mei tai, ring sling, etc. They are so convenient, especially if you have older children running around. I love being able to hold Britches and give her cuddle time, and still be able to have my hands free to write blog posts! get things done.

I do have to admit, I cringe every time I see someone using a Bjorn or wearing a baby in an unsafe way. If you google Bjorn (or visit any babywearing board--they will happily educate you), you will see that they are horrible, no good, evil not the best choice for a baby's spine, stimulation level, or mom's back/shoulders. If you would like a good carrier, definitely check out The Babywearer, they have a swap board with amazing deals! Babycenter has a babywearing swap board too, that I have purchased many, many, many wraps from.

My current favorite carriers are my Dolcino Jamaica, Storchenwiege Anna, Didymos Lila shorty, and a Sweetpea Ring Sling. I have a few other wraps (I will not divulge how many wraps I have to Grizzly under any circumstances, including torture) and a Babyhawk mei tai too. I will go into more detail later, but here is the abridged version.

My first wrap was a stretchy wrap (Sleepywrap) and it was great! I had a ring sling with Tater, but wraps are a different beast. Britches was a preemie, so the stretchy was perfect to keep her close.

My first woven was a Dolcino, and it was an excellent choice. They are soft and squishy right out of the package. Used wraps are fantastic though. I would always prefer a broken in wrap to a new one. My favorite Dolcino is a 5.2 and long enough for every carry. She has major sleepydust too.

I tried several other wraps and then found Anna. I was in love with the first wrapping session. She molded perfectly.

I've had my ring sling for some time now. I did a lot of research before purchasing one. I needed something for quick trips, that I could nurse in, and with a comfy shoulder. I am happy with this one. It came up on a swap board and was so pretty, so I had to get it. I do like the Sweet pea shoulder, but might have to try a few others to be sure--wink.

Because I liked the ring sling and wraps so much, I became shorty curious. A shorty is simply a short wrap. The benefit is being able to do some basic wraps, but also being able to rebozo (basically what a ring sling does but with a slipknot). For me it is great! I still like my longer wraps if I am going to be carrying Britches for long periods of time, but Lila is so comfortable.

Beware, it is addicting. I am pretty content with my stash. I will be adding a couple more for summer months, and trading the ones I don't reach for anymore. That is the great thing about them, if it doesn't work for you, you can always trade.

Update: $100 Challenge

I have an update to my $100 Challenge! I have recently tried a couple more options that I think everyone should know about.

First up are Alvababy diapers. These are similar to Sunbaby diapers. I find the fit a little larger, so they might be better if you are starting with an older baby. They are very affordable. I found a 20 diaper package for $84.00 and free shipping. 20 diapers should be enough for every other day washings for many babies (not my lovely frequent wetter though).

Here is the link: alvababy.com

Next up is an ultra affordable option, 60 flannel prefolds for $29.95. 50 cents a diaper! Unbelievable. Free shipping again too. I thought these were too good to be true when I ordered them, but they work! I live by the idea that you can never have enough prefolds, but this will get you close. I have used them with a snappi, folded in a cover, stuffed in pockets, as a soaker in all-in-2s. They are so useful. They are a made from a few layers of flannel and are fairly thin, so heavy wetters might need 2 diapers to be effective. A couple of mine frayed a bit on the edge, but it didn't change the effectiveness of the diaper. You can't beat this deal! Pair them with 4 diaper covers of your choice (econobums, thirsties, etc. can be found on Amazon too), and you are good to go. Here is the link: amazon super cheap prefolds

I will keep trying more options and passing on anything I find worthwhile. Remember, I have personally used each of these options, so they do work for me. Hope this helps!

No Poo

Sample conversation:

"Hello"

"Hello"

"Do you like my hat?"

"I do not like your hat."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

--Sorry, got sidetracked by Go, Dog, Go...

To the real sample conversation:

Random person: "Your hair looks great. What shampoo do you use?"

Me: "I don't use shampoo or conditioner."

Random person: "You don't use shampoo? Seriously? Eww."

That is the reaction I normally get from people when they find out I use the no poo method. No poo means "no shampoo." It's not that I don't shower or clean myself up, I am a very clean person. No poo is a natural hair cleansing method. And I must say, it works wonders too!

The science behind it: Modern shampoo strips hair of its natural oils. The more you strip your hair, the more oil it will produce to compensate. Hence, oily hair. You'd think that not shampooing your hair would leave you with an oil slick, but that is not the case. No poo uses natural products to cleanse, but maintain your hairs natural pH balance. The end result is naturally beautiful hair.

My no poo method:

(Remember this is what I do; if it doesn't work for you, please do not yell at me)

It is a basic 1 Tbs. to 1 Cup recipe

What you'll need: (The picture to the right is my actual bathroom counter and what I use.)

1 Tbs. Baking Soda

1 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar

Water

2 Cups, bottles, or other liquid containing devices

Put 1 Tbs. baking soda in your liquid containing device and fill the rest of the cup (1 cup) with water.

Put 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar in your liquid containing device and fill the rest of the cup (1 cup) with water.

Pour the baking soda mix over your hair (this is done in the shower) and work it into your scalp and the rest of your hair. I concentrate on the center of my part and the front part because that is where I get the oiliest.

Let it sit for a minute and then rinse thoroughly.

Pour the ACV mix over your hair and let it sit for a minute.

Rinse thoroughly.

That is it. Simple huh?

I brush my hair when I get out of the shower and let it air-dry. If you play with your hair, it will get dirty quicker from the oils and gunk on your hands.

I usually do this routine once or twice a week. You can just rinse with water during your in-between showers, but I keep mine dry pretty often too.

Here is why more people don't do it: There is a detox period. Your hair has to rebalance to get back to its natural state. Mine was only about 2 weeks, but some people have a 6 week period. Honestly, I barely even noticed during my detox period. Grizzly didn't even notice I was doing something different at that point. The easiest way to deal with the detox is just replace your shampoo routine with the BS and ACV routine. Then go an extra day between, then 2 extra days, etc.

There are a lot of ways to personalize your no poo routine too. You can add extra BS for oily hair, extra ACV for dry hair, honey for dry hair, all sorts of essential oils, etc. I have several recipes I'll be trying in the coming weeks, so check back to see how they turn out. Overall the basic version works really well for me!

*Note: Grizzly LOVES it because it is CHEAP my hair appears to grow stronger, thus longer quicker.

**Extra note: I do have a liter of Biolage shampoo and a liter of Biolage conditioner in my bathtub right now that I used prior to switching and kept "in case of hair emergency," but have not needed it at all.