little traditions

I find it incredibly exciting that with the arrival of a new child comes the opportunity to create brand new family traditions. Growing up, my family was not driven by tradition and events. Sure, we celebrated mainstream holidays, but it was never a monumental undertaking. But there were the little things, and looking back, I can see that they were family traditions in their own right.

There was the boisterous greeting that my American grandfather would always use when he saw me. "MWAAAA!" he bellowed, as he wrapped me up in a huge hug. He called this our special language, and it was--a sacred conversation between grandfather and grandchild.

My Japanese grandmother would pull on my earlobes before bedtime, assuring me that the longer the earlobe, the better my prospects for great wealth and health in the future. If ever she forgot to do this during our bedtime routine, I quickly reminded her, as the night didn't feel complete without this little gesture.

With a toddler, routines are constantly shaken up, and these little traditions that we develop can be quite transient. For Julie, there is her morning walk with Daddy, the long trek (for little legs) to go see the horses after the local farmers market, our evening sling-cuddly time, and the way that we wind down at bedtime. I read her one story, and then she takes the book and reads it to herself, while I comb her wild curls with my fingers. When she is done, she turns around, murmurs "Mommy" with a smile that could melt the weariest of mamas. As quickly as these little traditions develop, they can fade away just as swiftly, leaving behind only a sweet memory, and a slight ache in my heart--a constant reminder of just how fast it all goes, and how precious this time is.

10 things i'm grateful for

1. Amasake. I mean real amasake--from Japan, with some rice left over in it. Just sweet enough, creamy, with a splash of ginger or lemon juice. I'm officially on the hunt for a good homemade recipe, but in the meantime, I'm grateful for care packages from mom all the way from Japan.

2. Perfume (the natural kind). One spray always makes me feel fresh and girly.

3. These baby wipes. I'm really not sure how I lived without them most of my life, as I now use them for everything.

4. Soup for breakfast. Try it, it's amazing in the winter!

5. Cream of buckwheat. This is Julie's breakfast of choice, but she doesn't mind sharing. So good with some vanilla almond milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

6. Exercise DVDs. They make it much easier to not make excuses, and some are not so bad. I have my eyes on this one.

7. Foggy mornings. There is something so cozy about them. I love wrapping myself in a thick sweater, and zoning out with some tea.

8. When the laundry finally gets folded.

9. Our air purifier. I swear it's warded off many an illness, is enormously helpful for people with pets (we have two cats), and makes for the best nap time white noise for Julie.

10. Juice bars.

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.