okay, more about our cabin!

it is one of the historic ccc cabins built during the great depression. it has a beautiful fireplace. one of the glass panes in the fireplace doors was broken when we got here, but they have since replaced it with a new set of doors. i can’t even believe how hard it must have been to make this fireplace by hand. the stones look hand carved! and we have learned that fireplaces are not energy efficient. the old thing whistles when the wind blows. when the glass pane was broken, it would blow into the room. needless to say, the heat (they have rigged the house up with electrical baseboard heating) was up very high in that room. i even went downstairs and turned the heat on low to help the cold air that was raising up through the floor boards. 

i love the old fixtures! i love the old hardwood floors. i even love the old, single pane windows. it’s pretty genius actually. they have made the single pane windows double pane by adding in a glass panel. and then the screen goes on top of that! a little side note about our windows. apparently, bats like our windows. in our bedroom, there are two different windows with dead, squished bats in them. it sort of gives me the creeps, even though i know they are dead. but the little fingers of the one that are stuck on the inside of the window give me the heebie-jeebies. i guess i really don’t like bats! oh, and they were squashed and dead long before we ever arrived. 

the shutters on the windows have the evergreen trees carved into them and each room has log walls and wood paneled ceilings (except the kitchen and bathroom). the curtains may be the “most beautiful curtains” i have ever seen. but i am thankful we have something to cover the windows with. our cd player does pick up a couple stations so we are able to listen to music throughout the day (which happens to be when i also get my weather for the area… or i ask josh to check at work).  the kitchen has a modern fridge and electric stove but an old ceramic sink and no dishwasher. the cabinets are probably the originals as well. there is a breakfast nook which is my favorite part of the house. it has windows on two sids and is bright during day. with all the wood in the cabin, it does tend to make the place feel a little… dim? drab? but this nook is wonderful. i am currently sitting at the table, looking out those windows at the trees, the snow, and drinking a cup of coffee. i can see when people arrive to go snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or cross country skiing from this vantage point. it overlooks the brush creek parking area. the little table and benches are perfect for our little family. the benches are even the old forest service benches with the same carved evergreen trees as the shutters outside. and sweet penny’s high chair is strapped to an old forest service chair. i wouldn’t mind having a set up like this in our future home. 

the bathroom is pretty dated. it has an old ceramic tub which is in pretty good shape but the walls around it are disgusting. i cleaned them and scrubbed them and you can’t even tell (though they still look better than when we first moved in). the original cabinets are intact and functional which is pretty neat. the old medicine cabinet and lights may be original? or at least, dated pretty far back. the toilet is not a low flow and we have to hold the handle down the whole time it flushes. it also has a commercial toilet seat on it. that does make it a little difficult for lily to get up on it. and the inside of this thing, i thought it was stained rust. well, i cleaned the toilet… nope. not stained. it just hadn’t been scrubbed clean in a very long time! i’ll just light my lavender, eucalyptus, sweet orange candle and pretend i’m somewhere fancy. 

(stay tuned for the second part of this post! and once again, when i have better internet, i will include pictures!)

beautiful north carolina and beautiful friends

alright! i recently got back from visiting my best friend in north carolina. she had a little baby so, of course, i had to go meet her! plus, lily wanted to go play with brooke (her older daughter). it’s sort of perfect. brook is 10 months older than lily. and penny is 6 months older than baby fiona. she is the one that i referenced in my breastfeeding post and i’m happy to say, nursing is going well this time around. the trip was wonderful. it was so nice to see my dear friend and her little family. it had been quite a while since we had seen one another. we talk almost everyday and have “coffee” with one another over the phone but having coffee in real life was one of my favorite parts.

we didn’t do much while we were there which was just fine with me. brooke and lily played and lily got to do a few things she had never done before. she jumped all by herself on a little trampoline. she tried gelato (which was a big hit). she even learned to drive! she was such a champ and tried so many new foods like avacado-chick pea and red onion sandwiches! she also got to watch her first movie in the theatre. we went and saw frozen and it was wonderful! lily loved it so much, we now have the soundtrack and she sings all the songs (which started with brooke, in the car. those girls really are too cute!) she really loved playing with her friend.

penny did a few new things as well! she started crawling on our trip and sitting up all by herself! she also tried lots of new foods. and her and baby fi would just smile at one another. she really wanted to play with the baby, but of course, fi just isn’t ready for that quite yet. but the smiles she would give penny were simply precious!

while i was there, it snowed. in north carolina! it was crazy! i must have brought the weather with me! but there were a few nice days where the girls got to play outside. i flew with both girls which was a first for me. thank God for my double stroller. it was a life saver in the airport. and my dear penny cried for much of both flights (those poor people trapped in the plane with us). actually, there was a guy on the flight out that commented before all the crying started. i was talking with the sweet woman we were sitting by and he asked me to quiet down because our voices were carrying over to him. i had to giggle at that. in my mind i was thinking: just wait, sir. i knew penny wouldn’t do well. it was a 3.5 hour flight and penny only likes to nap in a bed or wrapped up on my back. 

we also attended church with shalane and david. manna church in fayettville is quite large but josh and i have been watching their “to love life, and see good days” series on blessing and curses and we have really enjoyed it. their church has special parking for new guests and a “welcome” packet that includes a free item from their coffee shop. i thought that was a nice way to welcome new people to their church. they also have a nursing mothers’ room with rocking chairs and changing pads where mothers can nurse their babies and watch the service on televisions. it thought that was nice too. i have no problem nursing penny in public, but she is at that age where  she gets super screechy when my milk doesn’t let down quick enough. it was nice to take her little distractible self somewhere to nurse where her little voice wouldn’t distract those around us. 

anyway, for my first trip alone with the girls, i would say it was a success. and as soon as i left for the airport, i was already missing my dear, sweet friend. i hope we don’t have to wait as long to see one another again.

(and ftr, once i have better internet, i will include some links to the sermon series and whatnot)

our new adventure!

i have decided to revive our little blog. so much has happened since the last time i wrote. the biggest thing being that we added a new little to our family (penelope iris). the most recent news, we have moved to wyoming for the next 3 months.

this move is our next big adventure and we want to keep you all in the loop with the goings on here in the great wide somewhere. we have headed here to follow josh’s job (forester for the forest service). he is working a detail here and we are blessed enough to be able to join him. we did have to pull lily out of preschool and gymnastics, but i’m doing homeschool time with her and i plan on starting our own gymnastics soon (once i figure out what to do…. i guess i need to do a little research). we are living in the small town of saratoga. i think at the last census, the population was around 1,900 people. there is no stop light in town but the downtown area is very quaint. we are staying in a forest service cabin outside of town at the brush creek workstation. the biggest adjustment has been the lack of…. technological amenities.

that’s right. there is no internet at our house. let that sink in. not only is there no internet, our phones are roaming so we have no 3g which means no data. i can’t even send a photo message. what an adjustment. for the past week we didn’t have a tv and haven’t even had a radio. world war iii could have broke out, and i would have no idea. the office did eventually send josh home with a big box television with an attached vhs player. but we don’t own one vhs tape! josh’s sister was nice enough to bring a cd player and some vhs tapes for us to borrow. i figured it would be good to have an fm radio so i could know if there are any crazy weather warnings. there is a ton of snow here and as i don’t have any access to the internet or any antenna/converter box for our tv, i had no way of knowing what the weather held except to look out my window and know “it looks cloudy. and windy. i think it might snow.”. not only that, but we always listened to music on pandora or spotify. i really have no music on my laptop so our days have been pretty quiet. i’ll be thankful for even a little music. i have yet to plug it in to see if we can get anything out here…. 

there is so much more i want to tell you! but right now, i need to go to bed. i am at josh's parents' house for the night and tomorrow leave to visit my bestie and her new little. once i get back from that little trip, i might have a couple days where i will have access to the internet and i can finish this little installment on the beginnings of our saratoga adventure (and maybe even include a few pictures)!

until then...

"so, i breastfeed my toddler..."

this article in TIME magazine has me.... torn. and my friend over at "little froggy feet" has written and wonderful response to the uproar and i wanted to add my 2 cents.

i have no room in my heart to judge others on their parenting choices. it is not my place and i think that holding hostilities towards women we have have never met takes far too much energy. instead, i am going to share the story of my breastfeeding journey.

my story actually began before i even became pregnant. the only women i had ever known (or remembered) to breastfeed were my good friend tattney and my loving sister in law, becca. these women had easy easy stories and and i am blessed to have seen that side of the issue. but the woman who forever shaped my role as a "lactivist" was my best friend, shalane.

she did not have an easy go. it was not simple for her and my words will never be able to convey how hard she worked to nourish her baby with the best thing she could provide, which happened to come from her own body. her baby did not latch on right away. her suck was weak. but shalane was determined. she was blessed enough to have her baby in a hospital in northern colorado that had a breastfeeding clinic held from 10-2 every day in the week. my dedicated friend went in multiple times a week to work with lactation consultants to check brooke's latch, to see how much she consumed in one feeding and to get help with using a nipple shield (and eventually weaning off of that shield). she had bloody and cracked nipples. they were in constant pain. and her baby was NOT getting enough milk. the nurses at the clinic encouraged her and she pumped to help up her supply (while simultaneously taking supplements). her husband was supportive and knew that breast milk was best for their baby and so he never pushed formula and never suggested the easy way out. if i remember correctly, my friend had to nurse (which took almost 45 minutes on each side as brooke did not have a strong suck) and then pump afterwards to stimulate milk production for 3 months. for over 90 days. with each session taking at least 2 hours. and doing this 8-ish times a day! my friend just continued on her path of determination. i admire her more than she will ever know for this. because of her, i knew that breastfeeding was not easy. i knew that i would hit snags in the road. but because of her i knew that i could do it. not matter what lay in the way.

as it goes, my journey was not nearly as difficult as shalane's. lily was born via emergency cesarean section and while i was in recovery, my husband went with our baby to the nursery and let her suck on his finger until i could come up and latch her on. thankfully she was still awake when i got back to the room. and the latch was successful. her lips were exactly how they should look but it hurt. i had no idea what i was doing and even though the nurses said i was doing great it was shalane's kind words that reassured me. of course it hurt. lily was learning to nurse. until she got it, it was going to hurt. and my boobs would hurt when the milk came in. and i was going to smell like milk all the time. and i was going to feel like a human pacifier. and i would have this baby tied to me for a long, long while (during which time she has bit me more than once and even went on a nursing strike that we eventually worked through).

and none of that mattered. i was so utterly in love with this new little bundle that i had only known from inside my belly. every pre-conceived notion of how i would parent went out the window while i was holding her for  the first time. she was perfect. and our love was perfect. and i was terrified but i knew i would figure things out. my parenting style developed over the next few months. i had no name for it at the time. all i knew was that i was trying to do everything that everyone else had suggested for me. and i loved all of these people and wanted their approval. and was drowning in the lack of my success. finally josh grabbed hold of me and said "lesley. if you were on an island with just me and lily, how would you do it?" and that question has guided everything else. my friend holly broke it down even further. she said "remember the holy spirit? yeah, God gave us that so we can listen to his promptings. God gave you lily. He knows you are the best mommy for that baby. and of course, she is the best baby for you. you need to listen to that intuition because it is there for a reason.

and isn't that so true? shouldn't women be listening to that intuition more often instead of listening to media? and to what society claims is normal or acceptable? it is extremely difficult to parent outside of societal norms but as i have been listening to the holy spirit, and to my gut i have naturally developed a parenting style that many now call "attachment parenting" (this term is coined from dr. sears, whose whole line of books have been wonderful and i now consider my parenting style guru). and to be honest, before i was pregnant, i had heard the term and thought these parents were cah-ray-zee. i had no intention whatsoever of becoming "that kind of parent" but like i said, holding lily for the first time caused a major paradigm shift. and as i have done more research on everything related to parenting, it has only further affirmed our belief that the way we are parenting is the best for our little family. it works for us and it feels right (and of course, i am a big advocate for intuitive parenting).

the question i get all the time now is "so when are you weaning?" and this question makes me sigh. if you had asked me while i was pregnant i would have said "around a year." but that time has come and gone. so to this, i have no answer except: when lily is ready. we currently are doing the "don't offer, don't refuse" method to nursing and will continue to do so until lily doesn't want it anymore. i could go into the scientific reason why this is okay. and go on and on about how breastfeeding an older kiddo is normal and our bodies are actually made to do so, and how the united states has one of the lowest breastfeeding ages in the world. but this is not a statistical post. you know these things already. and if you don't, before you judge me or you judge the mom on the cover of time magazine. please do your research. and i won't get on my soapbox about the sexualization of breasts either.

i will leave you with this. before you get up in arms about the picture or judge attachment parenting, ask yourself "why does it matter?" "how does it effect me?" we all are just trying to parent in the best way we know how and shouldn't we support one another when we are doing right by our children? and if you are a breasfeeding mother, "how can we foster a community where breastfeeding is the new norm? how can we create an environment where it is the new desirable goal? how can we support other women who do not have a network of other nursing moms to lean on?"

and by all means. send me statistics and new studies. i am not one to sit in my ways simply because "that's how i did it with my first one." i am always up for trying something new if research shows it is better.

a button for the blog

look! i have a button now.

just had to share. :)

and if you add it, let me know.

<center><a href="http://thepeckstoo.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yeKyqvU_ras/T3DARqxUPpI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/VDLszQhi3to/s1600/100_2478-001+(1).JPG" /></a></center>

little toes

i have been feeling.... blah lately. i may blog about this later when i am in a better place. but for now, i have decided i need to do some creating. i think this will help, immensely.

wanna see what i have been working on?

{those are lily's toes. not mine ;) }

cloth diaper washing routine

okay...
on to routine.

if there is poop in the diaper, that must be scraped off before the diaper goes into the diaper pail, unless it is exclusively breastfed poop. this poop is very water soluble and diapers soiled with ebf poop can be tossed directly into the pail. we were actually lucky to start cloth diaper at this stage. it made it easy because we didn't have to think about what to do with poop. we could just concentrate on getting used to using cloth. as it is now, i just scrape poop off with toilet paper, into the toilet. some people have diaper sprayers (but poo can fly when these are used) and some keep a bucket with a spatula by the toilet to do the scraping). others use a bucket and the shower head. for really messy diapers, this is what my husband likes to use. i just dunk them in the toilet. you just have to find what works for you.

we have our large wetbag in the diaper pail. i bought a cheap 13 gallon trash can with a lid to use. i have one wetbag in the pail, and one that can be in the wash. i prefer a wetbag with a drawstring so i can travel with cloth but that is personal preference. i usually sprinkle baking soda and a couple drops of essential oil in the bottom of the pail. we really don't have an issue with stink though. i try to wash every 2-3 days, which helps keep those stinkies at bay. when it is wash day, i grab the bag out of the pail, and take the whole thing to the washer. i dump everything in (first emptying the wetbag, and then throwing that in as well). i don't add soap yet. i run a prewash on cold. this gets rid of the poo nasties and the cold water helps with stains. if i need to strip because my diapers stink or are repelling, i add the dishsoap here (only a tsp). i also like to add tea tree essential oil here.

once that is done, i add the soap and wash on hot with an extra rinse. if i am still having repelling issues (which sometimes happen even after a strip), i add rlr now. this would also be the time to add ammonia drops/tabs if you are having issues with ammonia smell. but keep in mind, i do not need to do these extra things all the time. only when my diapers leak, or smell awful, which is rare.

then, i do one more rinse for good measure (unless stripping, then you must rinse, rinse, rinse until there are no more bubbles).

last, i dry my diapers. i prefer to hang them outside to soak up the sun. however, in the winter, they freeze (which is fine) but then must be dried in the dryer. or, it may be raining or snowing, or too windy to put diapers outside so they must be dried in the dryer (or hung in the basement). i never dry the covers and only dry the diapers on medium heat. a dryer is very hard on diapers.

that is it.

i know that seems like a lot. but i assure you, it's like second nature now and i do all of these things without even thinking! as you gain experience, it gets easier. if i can do it, anyone can.

are you feeling brave now?

cloth diaper options

so starting to cloth diaper can be overwhelming when weighing the options. maybe you don't understand all the types. if so, this post is for you!

the first thing to consider are the kinds of diapers you would like in your stash. most people have more than one kind and often times what works for one baby may not work for another. a lot of cloth diaper stores (and online) offer a 30 day trial so you can try different kinds and send back what doesn't work.

ALL IN ONES:
these are the most similar to disposables. the name says it all. there is one piece and you change the whole thing at every diaper change. these have the absorbent parts sewn into the waterproof cover.

ALL IN TWOS:
these have a soaker part that pairs with a waterproof cover. if the soaker is the only thing that gets soiled, the cover may be reused.

POCKET DIAPERS:
these are covers that have a "pouch" or pocket where a soaker pad is inserted. this whole diaper has to be changed at diaper changes.

FITTEDS:
this diaper is similar to a disposable but is not waterproof. they are usually very absorbent but require a waterproof cover if used for sleepy times or for extended period of times. again, if the fitted is the only thing to be soiled, the cover can be reused.

PREFOLDS: 
these are square pieces of cloth with three sections sewn in. the middle section is the most absorbent. they must be used with a waterproof cover (that can be reused if poop doesn't get on the cover). these can be trifolded and laid in the cover or folded and used with a snappi. i prefer to use the snappi as it holds in the mess better, in my experience. plus, snappis are much easier to use than pins. though, some still prefer to use pins.

FLATS: 
these are large, flat pieces of fabric. they are folded in various ways and then pinned with pins or snappis. many like these because they are so cheap, trim, and because of the freedom to fold however you want, can be customized to fit all different babies.

COVERS:
these waterproof covers are used over fitteds, prefolds, and flats. these can also be made of wool or fleece if you prefer to stay away from tpu or pul.

HYBRIDS:
these diapers usually have a cloth option or you can put a biodegradable soaker pad in. these can usually be flushed.
There are also sized diapers and one size (or two size) diapers. usually one size diapers can't be used at birth unless you have a big baby. we used our one size diapers when lily got to be about 10 lbs.

*i don't necessarily prefer to buy at the stores listed. they just happened to have very user friendly sites and i could link my examples. i simply wanted to be able to give you something to look at (though, my lovely friend does own greenbyusa,  where they only carry products that are made here in the united states and i do love to support her).

you will also need a diaper pail, a large wetbag (which is a waterproof bag), though i recommend 2, to put in the pail, and a medium wetbag for your diaper bag. i also have a small wetbag that i put my cloth wipes in. i like making my own wipe solution because then i know exactly what i am putting on my baby's skin. it is also cheaper and i don't have to worry about fishing a disposable wipe out of the dirty diaper pail.

ready to get started now? haha

why should you consider cloth diapers?

alright.
i have decided to do this post.

i have friends that are "fluff" (aka cloth diaper) curious. but once they start looking into it, they become overwhelmed. it is true. the options are endless!

so i will start off my little cloth diaper series with a few reasons why we chose to cloth diaper.

i'm not going to lie, our number one reason was cost.

this video sold me. she speaks very quickly so you may want to watch more than once.



the cost up front can be a lot for people but there are options to buy used. however, the nice thing about buying new is many companies offer a warranty in case the elastic goes out or the stitching comes loose. buying a whole stash up front can save money in the long run, but if you don't have that, buy a diaper or two at a time. soon, you will have enough to switch over!

the second reason: cloth diapers are better for the environment.

some argue that more water is used in the cloth diaper world than in plants that make disposables. however, water is a renewable resource. and i will be keeping hundreds of pounds of waste out of the landfills. that alone was reason enough. studies have been done in the past, stating that water/energy used in cloth is still more than in disposable (when looking at the "life" of the diaper, from field to plant to home). however, all the studies i have seen have been done in the 80's and 90's using horribly old washing machines. a new study  done in 2000 showed that while the level of energy used isn't significantly less with cloth, it still was less. this study was not done using the new, energy efficient washers. i'm willing to bet that the energy and water usage is even less with these machines. disposables also generate 60 times more solid waste and use 20 times more raw materials (like crude oil) than cloth diapers.

third: we believe that cloth is better for lily. 
less diaper rash! that's right! kids in cloth get changed more often as cloth does not hold as much liquid as disposables. because her diapers get changed more often, there is less time for bacteria from ammonia to grow and multiply. plus, there aren't toxic chemicals against my baby's skin. in disposables, the bleach used to whiten the cotton leaves dioxin. dioxin has been known to cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, and skin diseases. there are unbleached disposables, but as our main concern was cost, there was no way we could afford to buy those diapers (and of course, we would still be putting a ton of waste into landfills). these are the same toxins that are thought to be linked to toxic shock syndrome (tss).

disposable diapers have emissions. did you know that? yeah, that plastic-y, nasty smell. the smell that reminds me of maxi-pads or scented tampons? new studies suggest that these admissions can cause asthma and asthma like symptoms. some sites even suggest that disposables cause little boys scrotal temperatures to be higher, which can affect fertility later on in life.

those were the biggies for us. but there are even more benefits:
they provide a great way for baby skin to absorb vitamin d. setting cloth diapers out in the sun, they absorb great vitamins from those uv rays. then, those vitamins go right onto baby's skin. the suns' uv rays can also kill yeast and other bacteria.

another plus: they are soooo dang cute! i love the prints and colors! i love all the options! and i think a little fluffy bum is just adorable! 

many people may be hesitant because of the "gross" factor. i.e. what do you do with the poo? i would like to point out, that i *think* that directions state that fecal matter on disposables should be flushed before the diaper is thrown away (anyone care to confirm this?). if this is true, then the yucky part of cloth should also apply to disposables. i'll go over what we do for poo. it really isn't a big deal and you get used to it.

if you don't have a washer at home, here is a great video showing you how to create a bucket washer. if you are really daring, you can make this work if you don't have the facilities at home!

others may be hesitant because it seems like a lot of work. there is extra laundry, but diapers don't need to be folded. there are diapers that are very similar to disposables (called "all in ones" or aio). these are more pricey, but more convenient. they do take more time to dry, so the time factor should be considered.

but i'm getting ahead of myself. look to the next post to learn more about cloth diapering options.


*i got my statistics from here , here,  and here for the reasons that we chose cloth. these sites link back to specific articles, books, and studies, which i appreciated.

intro into babywearing: choosing a carrier

babywearing has become a passion of mine (and my husband may even go so far as to call it an obsession). i have done so much research on this subject, and if money weren't so tight right now, i would become a professional babywearing instructor. as it is, i am just a mama who wants to share a few things with you. when i first started on this journey, i was so overwhelmed by the options. and so friends, this is my post to you! a great place to start your wonderful journey.

so many people will tell you to buy a baby bjorn and so much inside of me screams NO, DON"T DO IT!!!!

they are the most uncomfortable carrier i have tried. it hurt my back and made me feel wobbly. plus, lily did not feel secure and if i had bent over too far, i fear she would have fallen out. baby bjorns and the like (i.e. snuggli, infantino, etc.) are referred to as "crotch dangler" baby carriers. if you look at the way the baby sits in these carriers, they are, indeed, suspended by their "crotch." not only are these carriers super uncomfortable and unsafe, they can also be detrimental to a baby's physical development (another post will address safety). they are not ergonomically designed and having a baby's legs dangle in the manner they do can cause hip displasia and puts stress on their little spines. while there is little scientific evidence that i have found to support this, why chance it when there are much better and way more comfortable options out there?! not to mention, these brands (especially infantino and snuggli) have shotty workmanship and i have heard multiple instances where a strap or buckle starts to come loose! yikes!

have i convinced you to try a different kind of carrier yet?!

all of the carriers i am listing here are from reputable companies or work at home mommies. the carriers are made with the quality materials and safe hardware. they also keep baby secure and all will keep their knees above their hips in a nice deep seat.

SOFT STRUCTURED CARRIERS:
if you were looking at a baby bjorn, you may like a soft structured carrier (ssc). these have a body with straps that snap close. we recently bought one of these for josh so we can go hiking with our baby as they have padded straps on the shoulders and around the hips. they can also be worn on the front or the back (often times people want to get frame carriers for hiking. just make sure you can try it out before you buy to make sure it is comfortable for you and your baby, that your baby feels nice and secure, and make sure it doesn't dangle baby by the crotch).

recommended brands (based on personal use or ratings/reviews i have read):
beco
boba
olives and applesauce (o&a)
ergo
oh snap from babyhawk
angelpack
action baby carriers
dream carriers
bamberoo
two mommas designs
kanga carriers
ella belly click
pikkolo by catbirdbaby
patapum
kinderpack

MEI TAI:
this is like a ssc except the straps tie instead of buckle. these are nice for multiple wearers as the straps don't need to be adjusted every time someone new wears the carrier. these can be worn on the front or the back. there are variations of this carrier as well. you can get a taller body or extra long straps. a wrap conversion (wc) is a mei tai (mt) that is made from a woven wrap so you get the best of both worlds. wrapstar is a pretty reputable company that makes wc. others are boutique bella bambini, bamberoo, dream carriers and ocah). a podaegi (pod) has a soft body, like a blanket that you tuck under baby's bum and then tie the straps around his or her body. zidee makes a pod, but i couldn't find a website to link. wrapstar also makes a pod. there is also an onbuhino (onbu) that has rings and no hip strap as well. two mommas desings makes these. and so does happy slings.

recommended brands:
babyhawk
kozy
beanslings
bamberoo
dream carriers
two mommas desings
ella belly
happy slings
catbird baby
freehand

quite a few mommas make these on etsy. however, i want to caution you. the fabrics that are safe enough to hold a baby tend to get pricey so while $30 seems like a steal, it is probably not very safe. also, as i have seen, many of these mommas don't do X boxes on the straps which is also worrisome. you wouldn't want those straps to come out while wearing your baby! there are also directions online, but i would just recommend buying used.

RING SLINGS:
these are great slings to use right from the beginning (as mt's and ssc's sometimes can't be used in the brand new little squish stage). these are also very affordable (but can also get very pricey). some brands even have water slings that are made to dry quickly but protect baby from the sun!

ring slings (rs) go over one shoulder and are threaded through rings. once a baby gets bigger, they help a momma with a hip carry but it can be straining on the wearer's shoulder and back. they are also probably the cheapest to make yourself. these are NOT the same thing a bag slings, which have been recalled and are often called bags of death. if you cannot wear your baby up by your face, it is NOT a safe sling.

recommended brands:
sleeping baby productions
maya wrap
sakura bloom
sweetpea
boutique bella bambini
zolowear
kalea baby
comfy joey
upmama
snuggybaby
taylormade
posh papoose

directions for diy
remember when you make your own rs only use recommended fabrics and aluminum or nylon rings. hardware rings or craft rings can come apart. again, safety is the issue here.

pouches:
pouches are similar to rings slings as they drape over one shoulder. they fold up very small and fit great in a diaper bag. however, they must fit perfectly or they don't work right, aren't safe, and tend to be very uncomfortable.

recommended brands:
hotslings
karma baby
gorgeous baby
peanut shell
lucky baby
slinglings

while i know that sevenslings offers codes for a free sling (all you pay is a ridiculous amount of shipping) stay away from this brand. they are a single layer, cheap fabric, scratchy sling. they aren't even double stitched. they are making money on the shipping and may not be safe! remember, if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. plus, they are uncomfortable and in my honest opinion, not worth the money.

WRAPS:
i may dedicate a whole post to wraps in the future. they are my loves. :)

wraps are a long piece of fabric that you wrap around your body and tie in various ways to hold the baby close to your heart.

stretchy wraps:
these are probably more well known through the brand moby. they are made from a jersey material so they are soft and snuggly and perfect for a newborn. however, once a baby gets to be about 15 pounds, they are not supportive enough and start to sag with baby.

recommended brands:
moby
sleepy wrap
snuggybaby
anaju by 3 tree designs
wrapsody bali stretch (great for a little heavier babies as they are more supportive)

yes, you can even make your own!! this is probably the least expensive option, which is good as babies grow out of these quickly.

woven wraps:
these are made from organic fabrics (usually) that are specifically woven to carry a baby. they are pricey but can be used from brand new little baby all the way up to 40 pound kiddo. the reason that these are soo expensive is because of the quality and you really do get what you pay for in this area. a good size to start with is a 6 or a 4.6 metered wrap (but if you are really fluffy, you may want one that is a little bigger). some of these can be hard to find new as they are all made in other countries.

recommended brands:
didymos
storchenwiege
girasol
hoppediz
neobulle
bbslen
dolcino
vatanai
easycare
elleville
natibaby
bebina
ellaroo
gypsy mama/wrapsod


you can also make your own woven. however, i did not feel safe using a cheap fabric for this and the other recommended fabrics ended up getting so pricey that i was better off buying used.

some places to buy new carriers:
piece of cloth
granola babies
the blueberry tree
frogmama
paxbaby
metro minis

to buy used:
the baby wearer (tbw)
diaperswappers
the baby center (bbc) babywearing swap (and their fb page)



happy hunting and i hope you feel more brave now and are willing to try something new!

happy world breastfeeding week!

happy breastfeeding week.

this time last year i was super engorged, learning how to give my baby the sustenance to survive. she was small and very dependent on me. she was incredible.

my, how time flies. she is one year old now, and has never stopped amazing me. and i am so glad that we have an amazing connection that started with our breastfeeding relationship. little did i know how hard that journey was going to be. i have always heard that breastfeeding is "natural" so i assumed i would just "get it." how wrong i was. my sweet little baby had a wonderful suck, but an incredibly clumsy mother, who hadn't had much experience with floppy, new little squishes. she was also a baby who loved her sleep (if only that were true now). she was constantly falling asleep while we nursed. and the worrier in me was freaking about if she was eating enough. and silly me (or extremely naive me) had read too many "sleep training" books and was trying to keep her to a schedule. thank goodness she was one that fell into that naturally. now i know how detrimental that could have been!

i was also one who didn't understand all the hype about the "attachment" you will develop while nursing. i was such a nervous first time mom that i was constantly second guessing myself and i never lived in the moment. i worried too much about the future. i knew that breast milk was the best for my baby, which is why i continued to struggle through, to persevere. even when i had to have gall stones, and eventually my gall bladder removed, i pumped, dumped, and had to give formula but knew that i was going to get back into nursing. it was hard. it was tedious and trying. especially because josh couldn't help as much as i wanted him to. if it were up to me, i would have been able to chop of my boobs and lend them to him for a night. too bad it doesn't work like that.  but, lily was such a little power sucker, that she transitioned back very well. i was a zombie in those first days from the lack of sleep, but i would just pull lily up to my chest and i could feel her warm little body and hear her breathing and swallowing and i knew this is how it is supposed to be.

that full blown attachment mentioned earlier didn't happen for me until she was about five months old. it took me that long to enjoy breastfeeding. i really did hate it in the beginning.
it took so much time.
it hurt like hell.
i was too insecure at the time to not use a cover, so it was incredibly awkward.
it was all on me (or i felt that way) and i stressed over being so responsible for a little life.

now i see it completely different, and completely worth it.
it has helped me loose some of my baby weight.
i am now a more secure mommy and trust my judgment.
i am protecting her from illness and disease and helping her body thrive.
she still gets great nourishment from me.
it is my time to reconnect with her, even after she has been screaming all day.
i constantly get to re-establish and strengthen our attachment to one another.
i am helping her become a secure little person.
and
i still get to feel her warm little body and hear her breathing and swallowing and i still know this is how it is supposed to be.

***

I’m celebrating World Breastfeeding Week with Natural Parents Network!

You can, too — link up your breastfeeding posts from August 1-7 in the linky below, and enjoy reading, commenting on, and sharing the posts collected here and on Natural Parents Network.

(Visit NPN for the code to place on your blog.)

alone

i miss josh.

he is wild land fire fighting right now in los alamos, nm. i am so proud of the man he is.

but i still miss him.

and lily is in such a place right now. she doesn't want to sleep anymore and i would really love a break. but that isn't why i want him home.

it is times like this that i realize how madly in love with him i still am. even after 5 years of marriage (and dating for 5 years before that).

.

and as a side note. i am going to try to blog more often. i know that family and friends would like to know more about our day to day lives. so, this is my attempt to keep everyone up to date.

new discoveries

 

my sweet baby discovered a worm. as we were working in the yard and she was playing in her pool, that we have yet to fill with water, i found a worm. i offered it to her and she played with it. 

she observed it for a minute.

smelled it.

held it tight. i had to help her learn that if she squeezes too hard, she will squish the worm.

tried to taste it.

watched it wriggle.

then got really excited and pulled it into two pieces. 

i loved watching the wonder and discovery on her face. she is spectacular and i can't believe how far she has come in these short months. and the fact that i get to experience this time with her is such a blessing. 

thank you God for my sweet baby and her curious little mind. :)

around

i am still here.
i'm trying to organize thoughts and decide what i want to say. too bad i am terrible at this (and easily distracted).

on a side note:
i have decided to give up capital letters. my lovely sister-in-law noted how they take up too much time (and has also ceased using them). once i stop trying to capitalize everything, i will probably agree. and at http://starvingartistink.com/ she never uses capitals and i think it is beautiful. 

Dishwasher Repaired.... hopefully (updated)

As it turns out, Fridgidaire makes some of the noisiest dishwashers a person can buy. Ours was making the most awful noise (and lights were blinking) so the repair guy came by and installed some new motor. Hopefully this fixes the problem (though one of my friends has already had 3 different machines because they couldn't repair hers properly). While he was here, he informed me that the dish-washing liquid we were using is not recommended. He told us we needed to use a powder, which makes sense. He said that the liquids are actually gels. Companies must add extra ingredients to the soap to make it a gel. This means that in a dishwasher, it doesn't work as efficiently if it has to break down all the extra ingredients as well as the soap.

Because powder detergent is recommended, that got me thinking. I could make my own dishwashing detergent. This would save me money and I could use all natural ingredients that are safe for my family as well as the environment! Why didn't I think of this earlier!? Most recipes I found use borax. While borax is all natural, it is considered toxic. When using borax in the dishwasher, you must make sure that your machine goes through the entire cycle (and no soap residue is left on your dishes). I think this goes for any dishwasher detergent.  And with any cleaner, make sure you store it where kiddos and pets can't get into it. Also, (as the repair guy told me) you must make sure that the water temperature on the heater is no lower than 120 degrees. A bit higher is even better, unless you live in a home with small children.


Through searching for recipes, I decided to develop my own recipe.


1 tbs. baking soda
1 tbs. borax
1-2 drops of essential oil (optional)

Add these all to the dishwasher dispenser. Essential oil is added more for the smell than anything. American seem to be obsessed with the idea that something has to smell good to be clean. Some oils also have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, which is always a good thing when it comes to cleaning.

For the rinse aid, pour distilled white vinegar into the rinse aid dispenser.

Happy washing!

*An update:
I cannot get this to work right. We have extremely hard water and every time I wash with this, I end up with really cloudy dishes. Anyone have a solution/suggestion?

Elections... ugh...

Can I just say how I am sooo glad that the elections are over? I hate how politics just seem to drive a wedge between people, as opposed to bringing them together (unless, of course, you believe the same things, then I guess it can be uniting). Each is entitled to a unique opinion, but I firmly believe that we should not belittle someone simply because they don't believe the same things we do. Here is where it can get a little crazy though.

I believe that Jesus is our savior and I try love God and love others. I think this is essential for those who follow Christ. But why is it that when politics are brought up and there is always some bill that is being pushed that the "Christian community" is against, that those trying to live their lives for Jesus seem to forget how to love others and NOT be the ones passing judgement? I believe there is a loving way to dialogue with others and share beliefs. However, I do not believe that method is often used when it comes to politics and so many just end up feeling hurt or angry. Pressuring another person will never help them to see your point of view or help them develop a desire to understand where you are coming from. This isn't how God wants us to share His word, or His love.

So how do we change someones opinion? Do we need to change other's opinions? It seems that I can see both sides of the argument and don't really have answers to these questions. Does this make me fickle? I'd like to think I am just keeping an open mind.

Poor little sick baby :( (updated)

     Our little Lily has an ear infection. I am glad that we figured out what is wrong with her, but now I am worried about a load of other things. The doctor put her on Amoxicillan and now I am concerned about her little digestive system. I need to supplement her with some probiotics... but sadly, I have no idea where to even start with those. I have heard that the different brands have varying qualities and some just don't work (any suggestions here would be greatly appriciated). She developed a rash and I took her in, just be be sure it wasn't a reaction to the antibiotics, which the doctor didn't think was the case. She felt it was a contact rash. The only thing I can think could have caused this is her new hat that my friend Jordan knitted for her. It is amazingly cute and made of organic yarn, but I guess I still need to wash it. Poor baby. However, I do need to get some baby Benadryl on hand, in case the rash gets worse (because of the antibiotics).

     I also found out that not only does her prescription make her poo an alarmingly bright green color, she now has diarrhea and could potentially get a yeast infection (which if it developed in her mouth, we could both get thrush). She uses cloth diapers and if this rash develops, I will need to disinfect her diapers. But after investing my time and money into her new GroVia diapers, I don't want to ruin them by using bleach. Not to mention, her skin is super sensitive, so the bleach just may aggravate the rash that she already has! As some of you may know, we used to use Tide Free and Gentle on her clothes, which gave her a rash everywhere except where here diapers were. We have used Country Save on those from the beginning and as soon as we started washing everything in this, the rash disappeared! I can't rave enough about his detergent. It is safe to use on cloth diapers, is safe for baby/sensitive skin, and is safe for the environment! I now use this detergent on all of our things. Oh, and I figured that per load (because of our HE washer), this detergent is actually cheaper than Tide!

     So anyways, to disinfect Lily's diapers, this is what I have come up with!

• Wash on a hot cycle. I usually was warm because of the TPU waterproof layers. 
• Add 1-2 tsp. of Tea Tee Oil (TTO)to the wash. This has great natural antibacterial properties! Make sure it is essential oil. Other forms won't be concentrated enough to really kill off anything.  
• Dry on high (I usually dry on warm because of the TPU) 
• Lay out in sun (those uv rays are also great at disinfecting!)

   Not only does Lily use cloth diapers, she also uses cloth wipes. I make my own solution and have decided to change my recipe. I wanted to include the TTO in this for it's antibacterial properties, and some lavender essential oil for its anti-fungal. 

   This is my anti-fungal baby wipe solution recipe:

• 2 cups boiling or distilled water
• 1-2 drops tea tree oil (or grapefruit seed extract) - acts as an anti-fungal/bacterial agent
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• a few drops of your favorite essential oil (Lavender, Chamomile)

I add all the oil to the bottom of my wipe container and pour the boiling water in. Then I add the wipes.  I love the way this solutions smells, though for some people, the TTO can be a bit over-powering. 

    I'll keep you posted about how this all turns out! 


update: lily did not end up getting a yeast infection. however, i add the tto to her presoak cycle. (i presoak in cold, wash on hot with a second rinse, and the do another quick rinse). i also add a teaspoon of original dawn to the presoak if i feel i need to strip her diapers. i am also ordering some rlr to use. our hard water seems to be depositing minerals and i have noticed that my wipes are not absorbing as quickly as they used to, which means my diapers are too. 

First Posting!

Hi!
     My name is Lesley Peck and I will be doing most of the postings on this little family blog. I have been thinking of starting one for a while now, seeing as my husband and I live so far from our families. I figured this was a great way to keep everyone posted on what is going on in our lives, to post pictures of Lily as she grows, and to share thoughts that have been weighing on my mind.
     I should state, however, that I am a horrible writer. Those of you who read this, I do caution you. There are bound to be spelling and grammatical errors as well as unfinished thoughts. Sometimes my writing maybe disorganized, or may make no sense at all, especially since I will be sharing what is going through my head. Now, if Josh were to write here (as I hope he will), it will be beautiful and poetic, because I have married an amazing man, who happens to be a much better writer than I am. As thoughts are shared, I must also apologize in advance. It is not my intention to offend anyone. However, sometimes I may get on my soapbox and share what I feel about controversial issues. I would love to create dialogue through this, but please no hateful posts. I won't hesitate to delete them. I am not in the position to judge others, or to make them feel judged, and that is not the point of this blog anyways. I also have no idea what I am doing, so each blog will happen by trial and error. I'm sure I will get better at formatting and what not as I progress.
     As many of you already know, we are a family of three. My husband and I just had our first baby at the end of July and let me tell you, she is stinkin' adorable! We also have a chocolate lab (Frodo) and a grey tabbie (PitPat). Life has really changed these past three months. During this time, it has left me wondering "what's next?"  I love being a mom and hanging out with Lily all day, but I have been wondering how I can serve those around me. My small group is going to start by lending help to a new mom in our church, which I think is wonderful. When they brought it up last week, I was so excited because it was something that God had really laid on my heart recently. I think it is a good starting point for me, seeing as we haven't lived here long and don't really have a lot of connections here. However, the people in my church are great about loving on one another. So, now I have been thinking about how I can reach out to those who don't have people like that in their lives. It's hard meeting people like that when one isn't working and has a hard time meeting new people outside of church. Which leads me to a whole knew thought...
     I feel like we have just fallen into a bubble. It isn't where we want to be, but we are comfortable here for now. Well, maybe comfortable is the wrong word for it, seeing as we don't like that fact that we are in a bubble. Perhaps complacent is a better word. What a life to live: a complacent one. I know this isn't what God has called of us. But how many Americans live their lives that way, simply because it is easier. How lazy can we be? It is time that we make a change (starting with ourselves). But what does that look like? I don't have an answer for that yet. It is what I have been thinking of a lot lately.