babywearing wishlist

1. Babyhawk Mei Tai This looks so comfortable and beautiful.

2. Sakura Bloom Ring Sling This is the sling I am pining for right now.

3. Ergo Baby We love our ergo to bits and pieces.

4. B.B. Woven Wrap I would love to try a woven wrap! They are so versatile.

5. Solly Baby Wrap These are lightweight, and come in the prettiest colors. Maybe for our next one?!

8/52

"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2014."

That look on her face when she hears her Daddy about to come through the front door.

what julie ate

Breakfast: Cream of buckwheat with coconut oil and kelp flakes, green smoothie
Snack: Apples, almond milk
Lunch: Oatmeal, tofu with carrots, zucchini, nappa cabbage, and miso, olive oil
Snack: Brown rice cakes with tahini, banana
Dinner: Brown jasmine rice with natto, nori seaweed, parsley, flax oil, strawberries

the joys of babywearing

When I was pregnant with Julie, I tore through baby books like there was no tomorrow. Pregnancy put me in an entirely different mind frame. Before Julie was even a possibility, I had this idea of how motherhood would not change my lifestyle much. How wrong I was! As the days flew by toward her arrival, I read, meditated, soul searched, and slowly, a parenting style that felt true to me emerged. It did not look anything like what I had expected it to. 

I don't like to confine myself to any particular labels when it comes to parenting, (and most other things, I suppose.) as I feel it limits me from discovering amazing options that may lie outside of my comfort zone. James and I parent with our hearts and intuition, and try hard to keep an open mind. We don't adhere to methods just because they are the golden standard of the day. What we do these days takes a lot from Attachment Parenting and Waldorf education, but we don't "follow the rules" 100 percent. That's a lot of pressure! Truly, what's right is ultimately what works for us as individuals, and I have no desire to contribute to the defensiveness and judgment that unfortunately can come up in this sensitive subject. That being said, I am so excited and passionate about this parenting journey, so there will be much talk about it. Consider yourself warned :-)

One of the things that really works for us is baby wearing. When Julie was born, she couldn't nurse well until an incredible lactation consultant discovered that she was tongue and lip tied. This makes for horrendously painful, endless nursing sessions, where the baby is not getting milk fast enough. And it makes for one cranky baby. During these trying days, I happened to read a thought provoking book called The Continuum Concept. And this is where our baby wearing adventure began. 

We started with a moby, and after a couple days' learning curve, fell in love with it. Next, we dabbled with using a baby bjorn for a couple days, (this didn't work well for us) moved on to an ergo, added a maya wrap to our stash, and recently upgraded to a toddler carrier called the kindercarry. And now, I am pining for a sakura bloom ring sling big time. The moby was fantastic for those early weeks and months, where she was happiest being cuddled full time. She would sleep best while being carried, which gave me so much more freedom to run errands, take a walk, etc. I can't say enough good things about the ergo. It's easy to use, and converted James to loving babywearing. At 19 months, Julie prefers the maya ring sling when she wants to be carried. She loves to be carried on my hip, as I clean the house, get the mail, or dance around with her. For extended trips outside the house or long walks, the kindercarry is the most comfortable. Babywearing is like an extended hug. Your baby is close enough for constant kisses, and she can see the world from your vantage point. When they start to get heavy, wraps and packs really help to take the burden off your arms and back, as well. Do you have any favorite baby wearing slings or packs? I'd love to hear.

7/52

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2014".

Her newest obsession is leaves. She painstakingly picks out her favorite ones, like a little nature connoisseur, and offers them up proudly. Grandma is the lucky recipient here.

10 things i'm grateful for

1. My husband, my hero--he drove me an hour to and from my friends house, as I am still nervous about driving, and so I could have a lovely lunch/catch up with her

2. Three boxes filled to the brim with hand-me-downs from said friend. Because of her generosity, we have barely had to buy anything for our daughter

3. Soy kielbasa and cabbage. Sometimes the simplest meals are the very best

4. Getting to see Julie begin to interact with other children

5. A new blender and water filter. My amazing family is generous beyond all belief

6. The days are getting longer again, and it's light enough to resume evening walks

7. A steaming cup of rooibos tea with vanilla coconut creamer and coconut sugar at the end of the night

8. This book: The Honest Life. It is full of so much inspiration for greener and more balanced living

9. Julie's new step stool. Now she actually runs to go wash her hands!

10. Sleep--I don't get nearly enough of it, which makes it all the more sweeter when I catch a few extra hours

our favorite green smoothie

I've recently started making green smoothies my breakfast, and they are surprisingly filling and absolutely addicting. This smoothie is packed with vitamins and minerals, and is a lovely way to set the tone for a healthy day. With a high powered blender, it's easy to blend up a huge amount of fruits and veggies into a delicious drink in very little time, especially if you wash and store your greens in bulk. Julie also enjoys a green smoothie ("Soomy!") with her breakfast. Here is the basic recipe.

Breakfast Green Smoothie

2 servings plus a baby size serving

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup water
1 cup frozen strawberries (blueberries and raspberries work well, too)
2 cups kale
1 banana (optional)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Blend all ingredients and guzzle.

This is just the basic recipe I blend. Some days I like to add dried goji berries, and switch up the frozen fruit. Peaches and mangoes work nicely. The greens are also interchangeable. Kale, collards, romaine, parsley...Whatever feels right on any given day. Enjoy!