tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25462339966603373122024-03-12T16:11:05.573-07:00Rain WashedAdventures of a new green family.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-84246905361781613382014-10-08T20:36:00.000-07:002014-10-08T20:36:43.871-07:00Waiting for AutismIt's a all too common feeling. The waiting and the preparing the night before something big will happen. Packing before your big vacation, picking out clothes the night before your new job, putting out cookies for Santa on Christmas eve. How do you prepare to find out if your child is autistic? How do you resolve the hope and the dread? <br />
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It not something you can discuss easily with friends. Especially friends who are parents because no one can resist the urge to try to be reassuring and solve what they perceive as a problem. And there must be a problem, right? otherwise why would we have gone through the evaluations, the drs appointments, the occupational therapy. It's hard not no think of autism as a problem needing solving, but I honestly don't. It's not a problem. It just.... IS.<br />
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Here's how I see it: nothing can change how awesome my child is. He is funny and passionate. Imaginative and unusual. And so, SO smart. Nothing changes that. Nothing we can be told tomorrow changes who his is today, labels don't have that kind of power. But what it can do is change who he will be. That's where the hope and the dread really start to battle it out. The double edged sword of diagnosis and labeling. Opening of doors and slamming of others. The labels can bring assistance that could be so beneficial to helping my amazing preschooler thrive in school and later life, and labels can get him left out of sleep-overs and group activities. <br />
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And maybe the scariest thing of all is no answer, more evaluations, more waiting, more preparing.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-72032127265176440282014-07-09T00:03:00.000-07:002014-07-09T00:03:22.093-07:00Liam's Birth Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Laim will be three years old tomorrow. I have been thinking about his labor and birth way more than I have at <span style="font-family: inherit;">past</span> birthdays and I was finally motivated to write his birth story. I'm up much later than I should be, but somehow staying up late on the anniversary of my first labor to write the story feels right.</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="color: #cccccc;">The birth of our Liam</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">There was a little stress and drama the day before Liam was born (friday). Well, a lot of stress actually. I was attended by a very mainstream medical midwifery practice and because I was more than a week past my due date I was constantly checking in with them for monitoring. Through that process I found out that there was a gap in the midwife schedule on Sunday that was being filled by the OB that I didn’t like and felt very uncomfortable seeing. We contacted Jenny, the doula who had taught our yoga birth class and made plans to try to speed the process up with castor oil and have Jenny help us during the birth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">We made plans to start the “induction” after dinner so in the middle of the day we took a trip to the co-op to buy a bottle of castor oil and stopped into the garden store next door to buy a nice glass bird bath for entertainment. We spend the afternoon relaxing in the backyard, ate a healthy venison and garden veggie dinner, and took my first dose of castor oil after dinner. When nothing happened in the first hour and half I took a second dose per the plan and Ina May guidance. I felt like the baby got really slow after that and was worried and calling the midwife when the kick counts weren’t the normal rate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">And then the action started. My labor is hard to remember because I became very primal very quickly. I’ve later described labor as being like a freight train, but there was a calm before that began. When my pains were just starting to ramp up I was getting scared and Jim was trying to help me lay in bed a rest a little. Then a big pain came and I felt panic and tried to get up. Jim folded me into him and rocked in bed through the pain. We stayed like that, him wrapped around me and the baby for about an hour while I slept briefly between pains. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">The rest of labor is a bit of a blur. I remember there was lots of diarrhea (thank you castor oil), a little vomiting, singing, groaning, music, soaking in the tub, and some yoga. I focused a lot on singing and then groaning to facilitate opening during my pains. I think I even moaned “ooooppppeeeennnn” in a big low voice repeatedly. I labored in our great big tub until it felt to confining and I had to get out and get moving. I remember that the yoga positions with Jims support that I had found uncomfortable during pregnancy were just the best feeling ones during labor (like the hip pressure one) and the ones I had liked during pregnancy were almost irritating during labor (too light and hesitant).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">At some point Jim called Jenny the doula because he needed help deciding when to go to the hospital (and I was offering no opinion). My pains had been about 2 mins apart since the first and each pain lasted about two minutes. Nothing like what the books said would happen. Jenny came to the house and asked a few questions, helped me through some pains and gently encouraged Jim to make the decision to go to the hospital. Longest 4 min car ride ever! The pains in a confined setting were almost unbearable and I had a bathroom garbage can at the ready for puke.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">We entered the hospital through the ER and I another pain brought me to hands and knees in front of their desk (they got us out of there in one hell of a hurry). I was up to the birth floor and into a room around 3:45. I refused the hospital gown and IV and paced in my yoga bra and skirt hoping the transition to the hospital hadn’t stalled the process. Far from it. Katie the midwife attending that morning came in and checked how dilated I was, and told me I was 8cm. They all seemed very pleased but I thought it sounded like I still had a lot of work to do. The nurse tried to monitor me with the belt monitor and I could not hold still during the pains for the monitoring. I wasn’t pacing anymore, but i wanted to rock and sway my hips and be on my hands and knees. My movement kept interrupting their feed on the monitor and this was apparently a problem. I don’t remember the discussion really but I know the nurse was very upset I wouldn’t hold still and Katie started talking about using a scalp monitor. I just wanted them to stop talking to me and let me get on with my work, but some way we settled on Katie breaking my water and attaching the scalp monitor to the baby. She was still settling up just about to use the amnio hook and I felt my waters give way during a strong pain. I hadn’t realized she hadn’t broken them but they had broken on their own and was wondering why there was a rush with towels to clean up the mess. I was on my hands and knees on the bed and not looking behind me but I could feel them scurry around to tidy up. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Jim was firmly planted in front on me on the bed and Jenny next to us cooing soothingly and feeding us both sips of water and recharge. We were ready to get back to work and Katie told us that there was meconium in my waters and they would need to bring in more people to look at the baby right away which was a deviation from our birth plan. I must have consented, but I don’t remember speaking. I was completely using my reptile brain or “letting my monkey do it” as Ina May would say. I was moaning deeply, moving with the pains, collapsing into Jim to rest between and completely following my instincts at that point. Getting closer to pushing Jenny reminded me that my plan was to have the baby on my chest right away for skin to skin so I should take my bra off. I did and had my little skirt rucked up like a belt so I was essentially naked. I’m sure the pediatricians and labor nurses were scandalized.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">The “ring of fire” is a perfect description of how my perineum felt during crowning. Taunt and burning. Katie applied warm moist cloths and warm oil which felt amazing. When the urge to push came I pushed, and when it stopped I rested. In a period of time that felt both infinite and remarkably fast I was on my final pushes. I think The monitor showed something that worried Katie because she asked me to push harder and deliver the baby right now. I bore down and went for it. Katie had everyone lift me at the last second and flip me on to my bottom facing her sitting up in this amazing fluid motion that felt like being weightless. Liam’s shoulder has stuck and the flip changed his entry angle and then he was there, and then he was suddenly gone. Whisked to a table in the corner under bright lights.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">The mental armor that had made me non-verbal was suddenly gone to and I was crying and so was Jim, and so was Liam. Jim sort of grabbed my shoulders at the same time Jenny and the labor nurses lunged for me. It surprised me because I hadn’t realized I was trying to stand up and go after Liam. When Jim and Jenny told me later that I had done that I was surprised. My body had moved without me realizing it. They had him back to us in less than a minute I think and they didn’t clean him or wrap him just like we had specified in the birth plan. The nurses really tried to follow it even though they had to cut his cord right away and take a little detour to the doctors in the corner before landing on my chest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">And then I was staring down into Liams face. He was big in some ways and then so little in the details. “Well cooked” the nurses liked to refer to him since I was 10 days past my “due date” and so sturdy and ready for life. Laim was calm on my belly and we basked in him, saying all the amazed ridiculous things new parents say when in awe of what they made. When I felt the next pain it seemed almost worst than the other phases of labor because I was completely in the present and didn’t have any of the mental armor up. I remember telling Katie that I thought more pains after delivering the baby was completely unfair. Then the soothing ooze of the placenta over my perineum which I hadn’t even notice had been hurting so badly. The final rush to push had left me with a large tear that she adeptly stitched while I cuddled Liam. The needlestick to numb it was painful but the rest was fine.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">William James Rudenko 9lb 5oz (giant head)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Liam was strong and tried to do that classic newborn squirm up my belly and start to nurse. It’s hard to remember the order of everything because I nodded off to sleep when I didn’t have the baby. Jim bathed him at some point and I got up and walked to the bathroom to pee (everyone seem completely freaked that I wanted to walk, but I was totally fine. Sore, but fighting fit. And then we ordered breakfast and I ate SOOOOOO much. The french toast was so yummy. Liam had been born about 45 minutes after we arrived at the hospital. A few hours later I was walking down the hall to a recovery room pushing him in the clear plastic bassinet. The hospital stay was longer than necessary and there was much stress and frustration but I remember so many good parts too. The nurses were really amazing and supportive. I remember some of them coming into my room to check on me and saying they had heard about my birth and were so blown away with how fast it was and that it was all natural and how well I had labored. Makes you feel very good, especially coming from someone who sees birth everyday. They gave me so much help learning how to breastfeed and helping me with the healing process.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGG53p3BD-rAG_O6HdHvqsdkT-1pEmy3N09fg7LOuVsrf-GxdnsDuaziwjkkBpsitJq1k11pskqVQhRHYa-wYleP_PHrEuCOWcBsHg9ggfCb9y2XwH3hAm_xbAeEpOEvVyfUrXIo9gHto/s1600/280914_10150310572756410_7010556_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGG53p3BD-rAG_O6HdHvqsdkT-1pEmy3N09fg7LOuVsrf-GxdnsDuaziwjkkBpsitJq1k11pskqVQhRHYa-wYleP_PHrEuCOWcBsHg9ggfCb9y2XwH3hAm_xbAeEpOEvVyfUrXIo9gHto/s1600/280914_10150310572756410_7010556_o.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z3uhQrSHfKd2W_7Mo6HkRyxAEL1nRMC8J134g8t8fkaP3ZJMXTEPDBEWdxyXSSgFA57COCM46nI8pqn554w2e3YDQhgMHzLcTZG3GbRFb2dIL0nCZTj-ofwu8vxISxskZjx_WsmKxtw/s1600/265975_10150310568156410_2148797_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z3uhQrSHfKd2W_7Mo6HkRyxAEL1nRMC8J134g8t8fkaP3ZJMXTEPDBEWdxyXSSgFA57COCM46nI8pqn554w2e3YDQhgMHzLcTZG3GbRFb2dIL0nCZTj-ofwu8vxISxskZjx_WsmKxtw/s1600/265975_10150310568156410_2148797_o.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Liam was such a amazing newborn. He weight 9lbs 5oz and even with all the crazy medical stuff he was put through he had gained a few ounces by the time he was a few days old. I think one of the most amazing things for me to realize was that I was now the person who could soothe and fix things. It took a little while to feel like I had the right to make decisions about my baby, but I did and it felt great to stand up for us and to know he felt safest with me and that he already knew me.</span></span></div>
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-27977318278622882672014-06-09T21:51:00.000-07:002014-06-09T21:51:02.101-07:00Roll CallPicking up a blog after a two year break is such an obvious indicator that you have found life to be a bit more overwhelming and time consuming than expected. The funny thing is that probably means there was lots of fodder for great writing. In fact some great amateur bloggers (redundant?) have stopped writing right when life got really interesting because writing is so often the first thing to go when life gets messy.<br />
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Our most time consuming, overwhelming project in the last two years has been adding another member to the family. Lily is the sweetest, happiest baby I know (and I'm one of the things that makes her so happy, how awesome is being a mom?!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4iN-o9DLRiHjvq4pCcKCof96zueTKOa4bcGC-2-f0GNvMBTpq-2EzLslYH3fzmdRxac9pHYGUhpl9kfMlqoAfDKugWUE5lndn8onDQCPRQEMMEfyC0azsR9OqYsnQhDArCdRcrPtsLU/s1600/IMAG3947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4iN-o9DLRiHjvq4pCcKCof96zueTKOa4bcGC-2-f0GNvMBTpq-2EzLslYH3fzmdRxac9pHYGUhpl9kfMlqoAfDKugWUE5lndn8onDQCPRQEMMEfyC0azsR9OqYsnQhDArCdRcrPtsLU/s1600/IMAG3947.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a>Lily was born last August in our cozy old house in Salem. It was magical and perfect and all those other adjectives mothers use to describe homebirth.<br />
Maybe I will finally write it all down one of these day. I keep saying I will write Liam's birth story and he'll be three next month..... But I digress.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuAzdN6wEjI9jGr4s1jqQ009UOSSPU-YEmWq-bwLApKw-7QKn-T63Rz9t-RVLEKBQ7qwJqEADa2P2kxoRE9d5XnabF4mgE2a70KvcUrEDOCgTOenjmfJ00OMIIrcPsMfzF3C54065Dxg/s1600/IMAG3926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuAzdN6wEjI9jGr4s1jqQ009UOSSPU-YEmWq-bwLApKw-7QKn-T63Rz9t-RVLEKBQ7qwJqEADa2P2kxoRE9d5XnabF4mgE2a70KvcUrEDOCgTOenjmfJ00OMIIrcPsMfzF3C54065Dxg/s1600/IMAG3926.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a>Sweet little Lily loves so many things in her life, but perhaps none more than her quirky older brother Liam. We often capture the looks of adoration she give him on film (do we still get to say that with digital photography?) and it just melts your heart.<br />
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And now that they are learning to play together and develop new social interactions we get awesome moments like what happened last night. We heard Lily cry out following the distinct thump of being beaned with a toy. When we asked Liam if he hit Lily he responded "No, fire truck hit Lily." <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWC1tzFln3wSMdZ5I69UH8OPciPgElwB3Cio3UCWGo_PjivCqLd2d0FozLsSviUtUIaRMewlyFkc8wLrIwXhyphenhypheniZ4q_tXdijIQ1Yc-gEDLSovpfdhIDhFO9xOdI5SLH148PUWn0v7IqiY/s1600/100_4942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWC1tzFln3wSMdZ5I69UH8OPciPgElwB3Cio3UCWGo_PjivCqLd2d0FozLsSviUtUIaRMewlyFkc8wLrIwXhyphenhypheniZ4q_tXdijIQ1Yc-gEDLSovpfdhIDhFO9xOdI5SLH148PUWn0v7IqiY/s1600/100_4942.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
*sigh*<br />
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No one said this parenting gig was easy, but at least we're still laughing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcJgxaubIsuY1CmK0gL8UFPPPDXgj4ep733d7lXzAt3kPYAjMXKRQZ5gz14x-AxTsemeDz7Uui9PxiJVRc-RnmjiM330P6aYbln0hksf9SBuVKBshbohuEZOiNtQ2u-vZOGPouOGA200/s1600/IMAG3571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcJgxaubIsuY1CmK0gL8UFPPPDXgj4ep733d7lXzAt3kPYAjMXKRQZ5gz14x-AxTsemeDz7Uui9PxiJVRc-RnmjiM330P6aYbln0hksf9SBuVKBshbohuEZOiNtQ2u-vZOGPouOGA200/s1600/IMAG3571.jpg" height="320" width="181" /></a>My motto is "life is messy" and I find that to be truer every day. The more we fight the mess the more stress and turmoil consumes our lives. I try to just accept this hot mess of life and soak it in like steam in a nice hot sauna. My success in acceptance is mixed sometimes, but acceptance is like yoga; a process not a end point. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglLUhz4Ma4hXeXjiGRb6hc88T9Iow82XhGL-OnIfmKBmABsfMDicVyzpwE8ORviKxdtDH87dzGDqQ8wyrM1DeCJTcwrimoCUFDsxbjzV25Ny9-9Ca66nYEUctuqskd-w33GEOTJ4Fs88/s1600/IMAG3824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglLUhz4Ma4hXeXjiGRb6hc88T9Iow82XhGL-OnIfmKBmABsfMDicVyzpwE8ORviKxdtDH87dzGDqQ8wyrM1DeCJTcwrimoCUFDsxbjzV25Ny9-9Ca66nYEUctuqskd-w33GEOTJ4Fs88/s1600/IMAG3824.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a>Jim is the stable center of our family. Kind and unwavering. He stays at home to care for Liam and Lily full time, a job made for true saints. And one of these days he will finally break down and write a blog post on one of the many interesting subjects he is an expert on such as cargo biking, kombucha, dad assisted birth, hiking with kids, oh and the list is endless.<br />
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<br />So this is us. Four imperfect people filled with love for each other. Wandering, adventuring, growing.<br />
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-30247260573158362852014-06-08T21:52:00.000-07:002014-06-08T21:52:04.384-07:00Pastoral DreamsWhat is it about human nature that makes us crave the pastoral setting? The way we manicure our lawns to reflect grazed pastures is the most obvious emulation. But we also find something seductive in a golden field of wheat and rolling hillsides of livestock. My heart filled to bursting with love, nostalgia, and dreamy pastoral thoughts when we traveled home to help with the haying.<br />
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There have been many homes in my life but there is one Home. And I've never even lived there. Our families farm in Oakland, Oregon has been more constant than any other completely wonderful and stable home I have had in my 33 years. It is a dreamy pastoral paradise where I have always felt at home. <br />
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Bringing in the hay has always been the work of one man, my grandfather. He has spend most of his life laboring in this place and now that he's in his 80's we've finally realized we need to learn his trade to carry on his work. <br />
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The experience of haying on the family farm was perhaps most profound for Jim. Having grown up in an extremely urban setting in Southern California he has be transported through the years of random encounters and happenstance to sit upon a old Massey Ferguson baling hay on a small family farm in Southern Oregon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and he was damn goo at it too.</td></tr>
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It's hard to express the enchanting feeling I had standing with our son watching him bale the hay while my father and grandfather looked on from their perches on 4-wheelers, and my sister, mother, and grandmother watched over little Lily in the shady backyard of the farm house. It was all so lovely and natural feeling it is hard not to idealize a place filled so full of loving people and special memories.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is a lot of joy to be found in the seat of an old tractor</td></tr>
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Even when letting my practical side rein and taking my own turn on the tractor the dreaminess of the pastoral setting creeped in when I gazed across the field to spy my son sitting with my grandfather on a bale in the shade. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam and his great-grandfather enjoying a shady break</td></tr>
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We can be cautioned against idealizing a place all day long, but that may never smother the pastoral dreams it inspires. Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-10488772280191073132012-07-19T21:44:00.001-07:002014-05-07T21:19:38.116-07:00"One Of Those Moms Who...."Since Liam turned 1-years old a week ago it's a question I've been getting asked in varied forms:<br />
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"You're not going to be one of those moms who [fill in blank with apparently unforgivable parenting mistake]?"</blockquote>
The questions have mostly been about how long we intend to breastfeed and to be fair not all of them have been phrased in such an openly critical way. For example the nurse at Liam's 12 month check-up just judged me quietly to herself and emphasized the importance of MILK (i.e. not mine)<br />
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<b>Two</b> things I find interesting about these inquiries:<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>The sudden renewed interest in my lactation plans.</b> Previously it was rare for any one to say boo about nursing and pumping milk for my son. Generally people could care less about my boring old boobs. (Although I did get the teasing "Moooo" from one colleague)</li>
<li><b>No one can agree on the unacceptable.</b> The apparently unforgivable lengths of time vary so greatly and unpredictably depending on the questioner; beyond-a-year, 18-months, 2-years, 4-years, 5-years are all apparently unforgivable or at least unnecessary lengths of time.</li>
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So, why the renewed fascination with the business of my breasts? I think it's a pretty simple explanation: While breastfeeding your <u>baby</u> is still not what the majority of American mothers do, it has finally returned to being recognized as what is normal in most American minds. On the other hand nursing a <u>toddler</u> is still in the realm of "freaky" "unnecessary" "hippy parenting".</div>
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Perhaps it's time to start pushing for a wider understanding of extended breastfeeding and get the American Academy of Pediatrics to increase their minimum period of breastfeeding to at least 2 years, consistent with recommendations of the World Health Organization. </div>
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Mothers of nursing toddlers often begin hiding their illicit nursing behavior, and I now know why; condemnation by society, shame on you society! But wait, aren't we society too?......<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheq_XVOE3OPtFZCpriitAG8u5MuSeQHbA4FvWVoKR3MFnVChdiFeLqxJKRO4J0jJRjFTAwBNA8GN9jiewqiAMKXjrCINMuRHfW9-2To32El_C6ceGse00SVDFWwjDJ318NXkAWVhoZ_xw/s1600/IMG_1728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheq_XVOE3OPtFZCpriitAG8u5MuSeQHbA4FvWVoKR3MFnVChdiFeLqxJKRO4J0jJRjFTAwBNA8GN9jiewqiAMKXjrCINMuRHfW9-2To32El_C6ceGse00SVDFWwjDJ318NXkAWVhoZ_xw/s320/IMG_1728.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William nursing during my lunch break in the park on his first birthday.</td></tr>
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-85056822381104688712012-07-18T18:15:00.001-07:002012-07-18T18:15:38.242-07:00Cherry Season In The Cherry City<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-NJpzSg0T5POKCPmWHXXUd4fd1UOECv124QJ_PDFxz894dlBlYWq5lGjqerjNYtkETz8YWNyZJ3e3vWNzNuwRjk_HJVT9AQN82weDqFAo2Y-2-e-QacHlzVdSNFPgmrLZJu05md7FiM/s1600/IMG_1747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-NJpzSg0T5POKCPmWHXXUd4fd1UOECv124QJ_PDFxz894dlBlYWq5lGjqerjNYtkETz8YWNyZJ3e3vWNzNuwRjk_HJVT9AQN82weDqFAo2Y-2-e-QacHlzVdSNFPgmrLZJu05md7FiM/s320/IMG_1747.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pitted Organic Sweet Cherries destined for the dehydrator. <br />These have sat in a acsorbic acid bath for 5 minutes first.</td></tr>
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A few ways you can tell it's harvest season at our house (beyond the obvious cherry stained fingers, the hum of the food dehydrator and the rumble of the water-bath-canner) include a leaning pile of unfolded laundry, floors going unswept, dishes going unwashed and most meal plans don't go beyond leftovers and sliced raw veggies.<br />
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While our house may be in disarray at present our stores of winter goods have grown by a weeks worth of picking and processing evenings. It may not sound that substantial but for us this is a moment to be commemorated; our first cherry season since moving to The Cherry City.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaXjmG4OgYCdEHfNy0waICIAcL1HoLpXp7uRoMlTYGrRhf0MtsmHmG8mz3TUvsd0wDqroARjsIWdzIXPRIag8eAFBmgPDWvsoCMcItpvavLE35HagRom14Nl0n7qF9mo2t_10MO9biow/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaXjmG4OgYCdEHfNy0waICIAcL1HoLpXp7uRoMlTYGrRhf0MtsmHmG8mz3TUvsd0wDqroARjsIWdzIXPRIag8eAFBmgPDWvsoCMcItpvavLE35HagRom14Nl0n7qF9mo2t_10MO9biow/s320/IMG_1768.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim and William Picking in the commercial orchard <br />opened to grateful Salem Harvest Volunteers</td></tr>
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Our first windfall of cherries came with a generous invite from a co-worker to pick the remaining cherries from her over producing tree. Never ones to turn down free food we rushed to her house after work and after a delightful evening up a tree we returned loaded with many pounds of sweet juicy cherries, a pint of blueberries and a large bag of almonds. (Yes almonds can grow in Salem! It was news to me too)<br />
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The next day, while our cooler sat full of cherries waiting to be pitted and processed, we received notice of another harvest scheduled for the very next night. When Jim and I discussed this harvest he pointed out that it was on his birthday, I paused and, not unlovingly, replied "I guess that's what happens when you're born during cherry season." So we made plans to pick again with a cooler full of fruit and a birthday looming.<br />
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That night we pitted, bathed in asorbic acid, filled the dehydrator to over flowing and froze the remaining haul in two large zip-locks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGgp2okuOsB_YOe-tg7yGIwmmD3CyjnZrRBYtI2HPGqZrzG3HYHneAkRELjrK1yldesQgbpGMc50N1_hIFQGohFqHVt3Eb1KyAc4Rap0rj6sWECOYAp0k73SbR8OPfzT_GI3uliGJVKI/s1600/IMG_1788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGgp2okuOsB_YOe-tg7yGIwmmD3CyjnZrRBYtI2HPGqZrzG3HYHneAkRELjrK1yldesQgbpGMc50N1_hIFQGohFqHVt3Eb1KyAc4Rap0rj6sWECOYAp0k73SbR8OPfzT_GI3uliGJVKI/s320/IMG_1788.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim pitting our haul with William and Bud's "help"</td></tr>
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The next evenings harvest was a <a href="http://www.salemharvest.org/">Salem Harvest</a> event. This fantastic gleaners group coordinates volunteers to pick unwanted crops and donate half to Marion-Polk Food Share. The harvest was very popular with families and I really enjoyed seeing other moms with young tots and the older kids stretching to their tiptoes to reach the next sweet red morsel.<br />
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The plan for these sweet little Queen Anne Cherries was to can them for winter pastries. So the next night we dusted off our water-bath-canner reviewed our food preservation books (we're a little out of practice since Williams birth) and after a call to both mother and grandmother for extra fruit canning tips we dived in hands first. Canning always feels so much simpler than I think it will be and setting up the pitting, washing and canning area in the garage instead of the kitchen is FANTASTIC!<br />
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The biggest surprise to me was that to dry fruit or veggies correctly (according to <u>Preserving The Harvest</u>) after running the fruit in the dehydrator for the recommended time (and temp) we must then "cure" the dried fruit in a non-reactive open container stored in a warm dry place. The dry fruit must be stirred 1-2 times per day for 7-14 days. Then the final step is to pasteurize the dry fruit by cooking briefly in a cool over or spending a few days in the freezer. We will report the detailed results later, but I can tell you from the few I've been seeking into my oatmeal in the morning, the results are delicious.<br />
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The end result of our week of harvesting is<br />
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<ul>
<li>Approximately 10 cups of dried organic sweet cherries "curing" on Jim's dresser destined for muffins and oatmeal (or possible to be smothered in melted dark chocolate and given as christmas gifts</li>
<li>About 4 "pies-worth"(official measurement) of organic sweet cherries in the freezer (which may end up in the dehydrator if I can't find the trick to baking an acceptable cherry pie)</li>
<li>7 quarts of Queen Anne cherries in light syrup</li>
<li>1 edible but not stupendous cherry pie (made with a coconut oil pastry crust, Queen Anne and sweet black cherries)</li>
</ul>
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Not bad for our first cherry season in the Cherry City, and a stupendous way to begin the season of unwashed floors and dirty knees.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen Anne cherries in light syrup, processed in a <br />water-bath-canner, they really loose their color</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEign8pRUZYqYgKG9bKL6FAy05u5O-lBsRanRRqPedeH00zUUx56kaSgFJ6gv5EIsfflYWWrdBbVZhVuGpGp2x4Co5nceNQoMKcw2ioez8nddg7_ivV0YIPz98N3VeFFS13n6FmxYNk4pZQ/s1600/IMG_1752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEign8pRUZYqYgKG9bKL6FAy05u5O-lBsRanRRqPedeH00zUUx56kaSgFJ6gv5EIsfflYWWrdBbVZhVuGpGp2x4Co5nceNQoMKcw2ioez8nddg7_ivV0YIPz98N3VeFFS13n6FmxYNk4pZQ/s320/IMG_1752.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organic sweet cherries ready to be dried in our basic food dehydrator</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-36588270827070571782012-07-09T21:49:00.001-07:002012-07-17T18:19:57.165-07:00First Green Birthday - a year in reviewToday is Liam's first birthday, and I thought I should take a moment and reflect back on our families goals and accomplishments.<br />
<br />
1- We wanted Liam to make a small impact on the environment<br />
<ul>
<li> Cloth diapers have been a huge success! They are way cheaper and easier than disposables, and they work better! We gave up using the occasional disposable when they started printing the Lorax character on them (but that's another subject entirely)</li>
<li>We have exclusively breastfed and bottle fed expressed breast milk (EBM)</li>
<li>We always try to buy used clothes and toys first (especially colorful adorable sweaters, but that's also another subject entirely)</li>
</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKGAue1iydzITYT4FfhdioxVBMSlCWpo1vWfgnBzJ9vvv9T92ad8AOUp6nXvUVGfFoyyMShrSaIJluYJe0qBKNmmrFxTmnBwwzJSS9xk-WPDScgvm2DlbXDcW8F-LP8XIeeZlPUzvyt8/s1600/IMG_0361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKGAue1iydzITYT4FfhdioxVBMSlCWpo1vWfgnBzJ9vvv9T92ad8AOUp6nXvUVGfFoyyMShrSaIJluYJe0qBKNmmrFxTmnBwwzJSS9xk-WPDScgvm2DlbXDcW8F-LP8XIeeZlPUzvyt8/s320/IMG_0361.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam modeling the adorable sweater that started my addiction (circa December 2011)</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li>We threw a huge birthday bash for Liam and Dad and managed to keep it very green: compostable plates, jam jars for cups, real utensils, and compostable cupcake wrappers (all natural parchment paper). The total garbage produced from the party was less than half a grocery bag (and consisted of a little plastic film and half a hotdog- just the meat part, composted the bun.)</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVoRWhLTsDwFsOej_RySe6LyWCtQAN0Syq4HIAn7zZ5VK1r-Jz3MHB8U1EidHD25ZlYo-s2fQ7xB9yCoO7A1KIJ_drUrOjO2YHAfKPsojAYYhgIioocpGYcAF9PQsCcGzA5qcu9omPH4/s1600/photo-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVoRWhLTsDwFsOej_RySe6LyWCtQAN0Syq4HIAn7zZ5VK1r-Jz3MHB8U1EidHD25ZlYo-s2fQ7xB9yCoO7A1KIJ_drUrOjO2YHAfKPsojAYYhgIioocpGYcAF9PQsCcGzA5qcu9omPH4/s320/photo-3.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The compost bin - 2 days post party</td></tr>
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2- We wanted to live "actively"<br />
<ul>
<li>For the first six months Liam rode the bus and rode in a stroller most days (much of the time out of necessity as much as convenience) and we tried to limit the use of the car to my long commute and the trips to visit family</li>
<li>At six months Liam could hold himself up well and wear a bike helmet. So, we started him in a Peapod seat on the back of Dad's xtracycle.</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPRA_Rpmm00jW8n9WMwdNsTJyXP18RPdxYfWeBGEcBrLIa9dqKkdVVhHKB1ZCpS3LlbgGKDzRQ7L11VlX6jLcFVlYZmZXZPvMQO397uvnTSQMyHWRCUBsUjcxSW-gBclRwuZILbVyU5E/s1600/IMG_0718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPRA_Rpmm00jW8n9WMwdNsTJyXP18RPdxYfWeBGEcBrLIa9dqKkdVVhHKB1ZCpS3LlbgGKDzRQ7L11VlX6jLcFVlYZmZXZPvMQO397uvnTSQMyHWRCUBsUjcxSW-gBclRwuZILbVyU5E/s320/IMG_0718.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam's first Bike ride (January 2012)</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li>In February we moved to Salem, reducing my daily commute from a 60 mile round trip by car to a 2 mile round trip by bike (or foot). Now Liam and Dad walk or ride to my work every day for lunch so we can nurse and play and eat together.</li>
<li>We can now grocery shop and do most other errands exclusively by bike (and sometimes by foot).</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbQBKlxTspKdoTdh8-UWTwpOP5fnJKzmVYwHN3q-WuO8RAUKdWZ5DOBNKoQDzc4fPzm302rEUXK6etmVlC6EV0xZK1uWMIDW3Y1rvlpJ_TQsUD6suiVNVkcfwxEufCGGRAxv_ZuRXsyg/s1600/IMG_1389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbQBKlxTspKdoTdh8-UWTwpOP5fnJKzmVYwHN3q-WuO8RAUKdWZ5DOBNKoQDzc4fPzm302rEUXK6etmVlC6EV0xZK1uWMIDW3Y1rvlpJ_TQsUD6suiVNVkcfwxEufCGGRAxv_ZuRXsyg/s320/IMG_1389.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding home from shopping trip to Roth's in West Salem, we love crossing the Willamette on the Steel Bridge.</td></tr>
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<br />
3- We wanted to eat whole foods and teach Liam to enjoy the seasonal variety Oregon has to offer<br />
<ul>
<li>We've dived in to the local markets and really been please by what the Cherry City has to offer. Even during the hungry months (February and March in my book) we could find enough local produce at the public market to fill the meals (somewhat creatively) each week. This included trying out cardoon, turning some wrinkly apples into fresh sauce, and eating alot of leafy greens.</li>
<li>We've joined a local harvest group that cleans-up unwanted crops for donation and our own consumption</li>
<li>Friends in our new community have helped us find new foraging areas, shared harvests of delicious wild greens (we made a rocking nettle quiche!) and have invited us to harvest at their homes when there is an overabundance (we have a freezer full of raspberries and a giant bag of cherries on my table waiting to be processed)</li>
<li>I started making my own yogurt which Liam really enjoys too. (Now I just need to find a source for good local milk)</li>
<li>We put the work into starting a new vegetable garden and some perennial edibles at our new place in Salem (even after saying we would wait a year to discover the sun an soil situation)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjHGZnwhE_NwIRVImtcKHWHQUqTC7109_5HzTqfTAwYZkSd6BixisTMIsSYdSz4HhESvZTbEKpkDJBMd5S2dFoDT_x-ry9PZHfXvXF0O1Wl575L5OqeqEUNC11NkbeXBw3PQRr-yxfHo/s1600/IMG_1189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjHGZnwhE_NwIRVImtcKHWHQUqTC7109_5HzTqfTAwYZkSd6BixisTMIsSYdSz4HhESvZTbEKpkDJBMd5S2dFoDT_x-ry9PZHfXvXF0O1Wl575L5OqeqEUNC11NkbeXBw3PQRr-yxfHo/s320/IMG_1189.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam helping Dad put up the new garden fence</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li>The whole foods we find essential and can't find locally (flour, beans, rice, oatmeal, olive oil, peanut butter) we try to buy in bulk quantity from a good source and store in our make shift basement pantry</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4e8QnM8JPFPh2YlhyphenhyphenY9ICLyO3jO58neiQZBNscsmJY7TMguJ1jqSGrTC0AeTEuGIjRQ4IG5f8_fl_OcvsOX98S3cPAOnMcLdNz5ORsePf9ZAaJJrnxVZ1BJpywcHV-WImz3baTe7aZY/s1600/photo-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4e8QnM8JPFPh2YlhyphenhyphenY9ICLyO3jO58neiQZBNscsmJY7TMguJ1jqSGrTC0AeTEuGIjRQ4IG5f8_fl_OcvsOX98S3cPAOnMcLdNz5ORsePf9ZAaJJrnxVZ1BJpywcHV-WImz3baTe7aZY/s320/photo-5.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We prefer Bob's Red Mill Flours and Grains (25lb bags stored in food grade buckets), Maranatha peanut butter and Napa Valley Naturals Olive Oil (purchased by the case from the manufacturer online)<br />
<ul style="font-size: medium;">
<li style="text-align: left;">We finally purchased a pressure cooker! Now we can smoke, dry, freeze, water-bath-can, and pressure-can for winter</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Most importantly we let Liam try everything possible. To my discontent the only food he just doesn't seem to excited about is avocado! but I am saved by his apparent love for heirloom tomatoes, raspberries, and blueberries. Other wonderful surprises have been his love of homemade whole wheat bread, black beans, lentils, and plain popcorn.</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYovV09a_yORORRS3pksoWlvGsLjzSoL2_kJu76_NQtIiPhCRr6VHecaPPM0hjKmVVZfV_tiorAIeJ_TeJYSdyno9546xUOZbcymoqkZ3IcxjETbCnZr-oEYKdhOUpsDlTSjJ6YpfLtQ/s1600/photo-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYovV09a_yORORRS3pksoWlvGsLjzSoL2_kJu76_NQtIiPhCRr6VHecaPPM0hjKmVVZfV_tiorAIeJ_TeJYSdyno9546xUOZbcymoqkZ3IcxjETbCnZr-oEYKdhOUpsDlTSjJ6YpfLtQ/s320/photo-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam enjoying a cherry today at lunch (Mom removed the pit first)</td></tr>
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<br />
Every day of success breeds the next round of life changing goals (I want to make lavender and rosemary hand cream and age prosciutto in the basement). It's a open ended process full of dirt, and sweat, and peeing on paper-plates while they rot back to the soil we will grow next years dinner in.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-61833899378122880562011-10-11T13:35:00.000-07:002011-10-11T13:35:11.982-07:00Moo Moo Buckaroo-That was a friends facebook status update one day last week. I (and I'm sure many other Moms who are members of the pumping club) couldn't help smiling to myself. <br />
<br />
Pumping is an odd and impersonal necessity for a working mum like me. I have a deep desire to breastfeed my son as long as he needs and a financial and cultural necessity to work away from home while he is still completely dependent on me for his nutrition needs. <br />
<br />
This creates an unwelcome dichotomy of being the breastfeeding nurturer and the absentee working parent. Balancing stress of accomplishing enough work tasks each day to be satisfied in yourself and justify to yourself your continued absence from your child's day with the stress of producing enough milk each day at work can be challenging.<br />
<br />
I've found myself with a problem I've read other working mums give themselves, the over production problem. It seems to start when our babies are very young and eating constantly. We see the looming deadline on the calendar for returning to work, it's always too soon. The books we read and advice from podcasts and professionals tells us to pump every second we can to build up a stock of frozen milk, plus needing to save 25-30oz of fresh milk for your first day back.<br />
<br />
So we pump. We wake in the night to pump, we pump during morning naps, we pump on one side while the baby feeds on the other, we pump before bed, and eventually by tiny increments we prepare for our absence from our babies lives. It some days felt like the need to pump and the nagging worry about saving enough was stealing what little remaining time I had with my son.<br />
<br />
The sneaky thing about this method of building up a frozen supply is that we teach our breast that our babies need more milk than they can drink in a day. I've gotten in to this downward spiral of pumping in which my body thinks I need to feed the baby 5-10oz more than he'll eat. This leaves me painfully engorged, leaking milk during the night, and sometimes spraying my baby in the face when I try to feed him. This then requires pumping for relief thus continuing the cycle of over production.<br />
<br />
I have tried to leave a little engorgement to teach my breasts no to make so much, but I fear loosing my supply. I would guess this is a fear many working breast-feeders share. So, instead I'm looking in to the possibility of donating the excess. This may mean more coughing and sputtering from my little guy when I'm over producing on the weekends, but I think we will continue to cope it if means reducing the constant fear of loosing the one thing that connects me to him when I'm working.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-61233321540293774812011-10-04T10:35:00.000-07:002011-10-04T10:35:59.129-07:00Becoming a working mother - Being of two mindsI've been back at work for two weeks now. In one big way it wasn't what I expected. I think the work I do is very important but those first few days back I did NOT feel like my career mattered. I guess it's all about biology and perspective - who cares about the preserving or protecting the environment when every molecule of your being is telling you how unnatural it is to be separated from your baby.<br />
<br />
It felt very unfair to have to return to work when William was just 10 weeks old. I know that many working mums, in THIS country, have to return even earlier but that is so unnatural! The last few weeks of maternity leave I actually felt very resentful of our work-centric culture. <br />
<br />
The transition has turned out to be much more of an upheaval for Jim and William than it is for me. I've managed to fall back in to my work smoothly and (though I'm still not caught up from being gone for the summer) finding ways to be very productive (both in work and milk quantity). <br />
<br />
Mondays are especially hard for Jim and William, I think it's partially because he becomes accustomed to being constantly cuddled and carried that when suddenly it's just him and Dad he has trouble adapting. I look forward to the day when he understands the difference between weekends and weekdays and can comprehend that I'm not gone forever when I'm at work.<br />
<br />
Thursdays are especially hard for me. I work 10 hour days, which is great for the long weekends, but means by Thursday I've seen very little of my son during waking hours. By Thursday I'm dying to spend the day with him and the hours until I can leave just get longer and longer.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-29730495693021079322011-09-02T08:32:00.000-07:002011-09-02T08:32:38.671-07:00Bottle feeding Expressed Brest Milk (EBM) - more complex that we thought...We had no idea when we bought our supply of traditional glass bottles that bottle choice was so complicated and there were issues such as; there really is no such thing as interchangeable nipples for baby bottles. From the admittedly limited reading I had done of bottle feeding EBM the biggest challenge sounded like it would be getting your baby to take the bottle at all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUjrW1dnq9Wg0UqFWvzfbsJ54r1RhEYBVQPhBevfoMSEOYSPrVoKU8_T6GlH1qejm9hLEhMmQ6_CyXhLQp3dX8Ble6yv4yVOeEY5OqIqZ4Xe7gkwI_BDtuXzsksKgcF6292Ql2Ct7E0Q/s1600/100_4210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUjrW1dnq9Wg0UqFWvzfbsJ54r1RhEYBVQPhBevfoMSEOYSPrVoKU8_T6GlH1qejm9hLEhMmQ6_CyXhLQp3dX8Ble6yv4yVOeEY5OqIqZ4Xe7gkwI_BDtuXzsksKgcF6292Ql2Ct7E0Q/s320/100_4210.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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It was apparent the first time we bottle fed William the bigger issue was how fast he could finish a bottle. Being a healthy breastfed baby makes him a VERY strong nurser and the slow flow nipples on the glass evenflo bottles were no match for him. He drank 4oz in about 4 minutes the first time which was much to fast to for him to realize how full he was and he got very upset when there wasn't more milk in the bottle.<br />
<br />
First we tried to find other nipple for the glass bottles and that was when we learned just how complicated bottles have become, there is almost no interchangeability between bottle companies, and often none between product lines of the same company. There were other companies making glass bottles with different nipples, but we knew we might have to give up the idea of glass for a bottle that he could eat slowly and calmly from.<br />
<br />
After talking to other moms we tried Advent, Dr. Browns, and Breastflow bottles, and it was the very weird large double nipple of the breastflow bottles that was a winner in the end. Of course there is no glass option for these bottles but at least they claim to be BPA free.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.intobaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/breastflow-bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.intobaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/breastflow-bottle.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Jim's been practicing with these bottles in preparation for me returning to work next week. He's getting rather good at calming tricks and he found a clever little way to bottle feed when William is upset. Jim mimics side-lying breastfeeding in bed by laying down with William on his side and offering him a bottle that way. I thought it was a very clever adaptation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.babycenter.in/i/breastfeed/1-lying-down-final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.babycenter.in/i/breastfeed/1-lying-down-final.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-47892650547677999862011-08-31T08:32:00.000-07:002011-08-31T09:19:42.008-07:00Green Diapering: Successes and FailuresIn the wake of our local cloth diaper store closing I feel compelled to reflect on our green diapering experience so far.<br />
<br />
Our goal of having William leave a tiny carbon footprint for his diaper use had a little set back with his extended stay in the hospital. For the first week of life William sported disposable pampers an was cleaned with disposable wipes. I have to say babies in hospitals is really what disposables were meant to be used for. I can't imagine what a pain it would be dealing with all those dirty cloth diapers and trying to teach exhausted new parents how to cloth diaper along with everything else they're learning. I know there was a time this was the norm, but I'm grateful we have a different option now. Although I don't see any reason hospitals can't use chlorine free diapers; better for babies and the environment.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tentinypiggies.com/images/10187_th_prefolds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tentinypiggies.com/images/10187_th_prefolds.jpg" /></a>And now for our second green diapering confession we brought the open packages of of wipes and disposables home from the hospital, and we used them! I was totally overwhelmed by the chaos in our home when we brought a screaming newborn inside to meet the fleet of pets. I carried him straight to his changing table and tried to put a cloth diaper on him like a good green mom. I can't tell you what a relief it was when Jim suggested we hold off on the cloth until the next day.<br />
<br />
And the next morning we started experimenting in cloth diapering and Jim made another great suggestion; we start just with the diapers and then would ease in to the cloth wipes in a day or two. That gradual switch to green diapering made the transition feel like an accomplishment instead of a duty. Progress not perfection! (what the motto of all green parents should be)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.simplecloth.com/i//happyheinys-1size.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://www.simplecloth.com/i//happyheinys-1size.jpg" width="320" /></a>The first few weeks in cloth we really struggled with the fit of his Happy Heinys pocket diapers. His legs weren't quite chubby enough to get a tight fit and we had numerous accidents through the leg holes. We were very glad to have some pre-folds to fall back on since the covers had a tighter leg fit.<br />
<br />
And now for our third green diapering confession, we bought more disposables after we got home. We're actually on our third package now and have moved up another size. (not too bad for 7 weeks) It was great to have them for emergency back up in the diaper bag and for nights when he was so upset cloth just seemed impossible. This last package we just bought because he was being babysat for a few hours, and it seem like the right thing to do. <br />
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<br />
We may never be one of those families who travel with diaper bucket and laundry soap and bogarts our parents washing machine at christmas to wash cloth diapers, but the way we figure it is every time we wrap his hiney in cloth it's one less disposable the will end up in the landfill.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-6747752561745513332011-08-29T08:17:00.000-07:002011-08-29T08:17:24.588-07:00Seeking SanitySeven weeks with Baby William and I finally feel like we're having some moments of sanity. Maybe it's because we've finally caught on to his routine or because we found the confidence to take a short day trip to the coast. But whatever the reason we've managed some very normal things this week: Trip to the coast (with William), jogging on a cloudy morning (also with William), and trip to the movies while William was babysat.<br />
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I must say the trip to the coast did wonders for my sanity. William slept through a lot of it, but he did get his first look at the ocean from the Pier next to the Rouge Brewery (No we didn't stop for a pint , much to Jim's discontent - but it was 10am)<br />
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We spend a few hours at the aquarium while William napped in his Ergo carrier.<br />
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We (all three) ate lunch in a Nye Beach cafe and the went for a sandy stroll while the tide was out.<br />
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I was surprised to find that nursing him in the front seat of the car worked really well (especially with my nursing pillow) and topping off his tummy before leaving the car made him much more content. We got lots of practice changing him in the hatchback area of our car and even dealt with a awesomely dirty diaper without resorting to disposables.<br />
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It was generally felt to be a massive success and just what two frazzled new parents needed to feel sane.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-33172812172376703362011-07-01T20:30:00.000-07:002011-09-02T08:33:01.187-07:00Preparing for Baby - Green Choices vs. ConventionalThere is a suite of universal preparations that all expectant parents make when waiting for baby. (especially if this is baby #1) We wanted to make these preparations without compromising our belief in the importance of living a low impact life as well as being as frugal as possible. <br />
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In many instances the frugal and green choice was one in the same, but there were some compromises we refused to make for the sake or being green, the number one being safety. <br />
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So based on the guidance we could gather from the internet, stacks of books, a few resourceful experts, and our own good sense the following is a run down of the preparations we made and how they rank on the scale of honeydew to guacamole.<br />
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<u>A Place to Sleep</u><br />
Our choices: Second hand arms reach co-sleeper and new 3-in-1 crib.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tendertots.net/images/Toffee-Short-Liner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.tendertots.net/images/Toffee-Short-Liner.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>What was green about these choices</b>: <br />
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The co-sleeper was second hand. Second hand is almost always the greener choice, but not always the safest choice. Whats safe about this co-sleeper is that they have no recall history for safety problems, they are easily completely cleaned, and they are only usable as a bassinet for about the first 6 months (then can be used as a playpen) so one or two children can't really wear one out.<br />
<a href="http://www.ifurn.com/pics/8/da-vinci/jamie-3-in-1-convertible-crib-in-espresso.M7301Q.5.300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://www.ifurn.com/pics/8/da-vinci/jamie-3-in-1-convertible-crib-in-espresso.M7301Q.5.300.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
The crib converts into a toddler and full bed, so should be useable for an extended period of time (although now that we've purchased it I do questions its durability for years of childhood bouncing and teenage flopping).<br />
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<b>How we could have done better:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
Choose true "in-bed" co-sleeping, no crib or bassinet required. Although I have no doubt that our little one will end up spending plenty of hours sleeping in our bed we decided against going for true co-sleeping for safety concerns. The biggest issues we had were that according to popular guidance our queen mattress in both too small and too soft to safely co-sleep with an infant. <br />
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Purchase a second hand crib. I looked into second hand cribs and to be honest was scared by the number of worn out or recalled cribs being sold at more than half the original price. Especially prevalent were dropside cribs that were manufactured prior to the establishment of current crib safety laws. <br />
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<u>Transportation</u><br />
Our choices: New convertible car seat, second hand jogging stroller, and xtracycle conversion.<br />
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<b>What was green about these choices</b>: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://dsp.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1040568reg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://dsp.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1040568reg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The jogging stroller was second hand (and again second hand is a good green and frugal choice). High quality jogging strollers take a long time to wear out and with a little elbow grease they can look and function like new (or at least as good as any stroller would function after a short period of use).<br />
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By skipping the infant car seat we've saved money and the waste of having to replace it with a larger car seat in a few short months. Since the convertable car seat can fit a child weighing from 5-40 lbs and up to 49inches tall we should get a long period of use. Plus I really don't like the detachable/carrying basket function of infant car seats. It's not so much a "green" issue as a "don't treat you baby like luggage" issue. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KYQT27GyuLvPkb2NvfYgJfcTUuxKNoADxYbg3PxeFkMMowxbCAu_S2T2W1AYUyJzECrgFlG1JLUi_WZ5TstVn_CsDYGBJ6BS25_uGEWjo_FrmQL649osOyWGWn3l_yG5y6Sz3rx7gr0/s1600/100_4031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KYQT27GyuLvPkb2NvfYgJfcTUuxKNoADxYbg3PxeFkMMowxbCAu_S2T2W1AYUyJzECrgFlG1JLUi_WZ5TstVn_CsDYGBJ6BS25_uGEWjo_FrmQL649osOyWGWn3l_yG5y6Sz3rx7gr0/s320/100_4031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The xtracycle conversion to Jim's bike is by far the greenest investment we've made in a long time. In the present and near future it has significantly cut back on the car trips for in-town errands and trips to the recycling center, and when our little guy is a year old and big enough for a bike helmet we can get the peapod childseat for the bike and eliminate most of our in town driving all together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/satisfaction-production/s3_images/460487/pp3-web-side-2-up_inline.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/satisfaction-production/s3_images/460487/pp3-web-side-2-up_inline.png" width="252" /></a></div><b>How we could have done better:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bambibaby.com/images/Britax-Advocate-70-CS-Riviera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bambibaby.com/images/Britax-Advocate-70-CS-Riviera.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Purchasing the car seat second hand would have been greener, and I did look into that but once again safety was the stumbling block. I contacted quiet a few people selling used carseats on craigslist and when I asked about care and maintenance of the seat each person proudly stated that they regularly washed the seat cover AND STRAPS! Apparently the fact that that makes the straps unsafe, and need to be replaced isn't a widely known fact. I mean does anyone even read their manual, they all say to <b>spot clean</b> the straps don't put them through the damn washing machine. But I'm getting side tracked on a rant. So in the end I felt like the used car seats out there were totally sketchy and we bought the most unbelievably expensive convertible car seat that we felt was the safest and best option, hopefully we'll get a lot of years of use out of it.<br />
<u><br />
</u><br />
<u>Something to Eat</u><br />
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</u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://comitstores.s3.amazonaws.com/catalog/product/cache/7/image/350x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/u/purely-yours-ultra2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://comitstores.s3.amazonaws.com/catalog/product/cache/7/image/350x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/u/purely-yours-ultra2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Our choices: Long term breastfeeding, new breast pump for returning to work, glass bottles, and breast milk freezer trays to make cubes for long term storage. <br />
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<b>What was green about these choices</b>: <br />
<br />
It is actually a bit shocking that breastfeeding a baby is an alternative choice people have to make rather than just the normal way all babies are raised, but again that is a different rant for a different day. Breastfeeding is greener and a much cheaper than the alternatives, and there are all the negative side effects of not breastfeeding that also increase the costs of feeding your baby.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3.hubimg.com/u/1469234_f260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://s3.hubimg.com/u/1469234_f260.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the accessories of breastfeeding needed for returning to work reduce the "greenness" and "cheapness" of breastfeeding but we tried to go as minimal as possible. <br />
<br />
Purchased a new pump without any accessories or fancy carrying bags which just seemed unnecessary and expensive. <br />
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The intent of the glass bottles is to purchase something that will last for a long time and be passed to other families to be well used (like all those old canning jars we're still sterilizing and using each summer). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nurturecenter.com/images/products/large_1537_sensiblelines-tray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="99" src="http://www.nurturecenter.com/images/products/large_1537_sensiblelines-tray.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The milk storage trays seem less wasteful than using the individual storage bags which must create a lot of plastic waste. this way we can freeze the milk in 1 oz cubes and pop them in to another container for long term storage.<br />
<u><br />
</u><br />
<b>How we could have done better:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
The best way to improve this choice would be to not have to pump breastmilk but to be able to feed our little guy myself for the first few years. That isn't in the cards, so we're working with what we have.<br />
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Another alternative would be to buy these accessories second hand. I looked for second hand glass bottles and milk trays and found nada. I also researched the second hand pump issue and came up with two big problems: <br />
<br />
<ol><li>The main brand you find used (medela) isn't one of the few brands that prevent milk from entering into the pump itself and potentially contaminating it. </li>
<li>Pumps wear out gradually and can have reduced suction while the motors still seem to pump normally; slowing down the process, significantly reducing your pumped quantities and potentially effecting production.</li>
</ol><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u>A Place to Poop</u></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Our choices: Cloth diapers; a mixture of pocket diapers and pre-folds. Mostly purchased new as gifts from loving friends and family and a few used covers from out local second hand kids shop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-d-3zyCT9B50WTw3ISJblKub1hR8YbRme88vb-aTy04Pw8W1STQ7oSTiSIL79iARR_BUwHiCon1SqJQL1jMcdeqv77kLJQSIdiOR6xrBtUGyyoaGMVcMkgtczA2gjg1ZkWkOX6MyYqHc/s1600/100_3986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-d-3zyCT9B50WTw3ISJblKub1hR8YbRme88vb-aTy04Pw8W1STQ7oSTiSIL79iARR_BUwHiCon1SqJQL1jMcdeqv77kLJQSIdiOR6xrBtUGyyoaGMVcMkgtczA2gjg1ZkWkOX6MyYqHc/s320/100_3986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What was green about these choices</b>: </div><div><u><br />
</u></div><div>Cloth diapers is another awesome example of the greenest option being the cheapest option. For a few hundred dollars we can diaper a baby through potty training and not make a unalterable negative impact on the environment (plus save the estimated $5,000 people spend on diapers for a baby!)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Another big bonus; we were able to register at a local diaper shop and having an on-line registry made shower gifts very easy.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>How we could have done better:</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div>Purchase more of the diapers second hand. We did find some covers at our local second hand shop for a good second hand price (about 1/4 the original price) and we bought everything we thought would work for us.</div><div><br />
</div><div>There are a lot of used cloth diapers on craigslist, especially pocket diapers, but I think most are a ripoff. They generally sell for 70-80% of the original price which I think is way too much. I even found some un-usable pocket diapers that needed to have the elastic entirely replaced (presumably the covers were put through the drier repeatedly instead of hung dry over night) that were being offered for 40% the original price!</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Well that's it really, a summary of our rationalization for baby preparations. Now we just need the little guy to arrive and test all our carefully considered preparations.</div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2546233996660337312.post-15658857525602079952011-06-26T11:34:00.000-07:002011-06-26T11:34:45.817-07:00Why Are We Here?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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If life is the grandest experiment that we all participate in then reproduction is not just the perpetuation of a species but a replication of an experimental subgroup.<br />
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I write this somewhat in jest, but also see an underlying truth in the statement. When we ponder how to raise offspring we inevitably imagine little miniatures of ourselves that share our appreciation for the parts of our culture we find most important. <br />
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Doesn't the die hard Vikings fan buy purple onesies for their baby? The dog lover purchase a stuffed puppy for their child to cuddle with? <br />
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Thus through early indoctrination we replicate our own experimental group, and just like any experiment poorly planed by amateurs each experimental group resembles the previous but is not a perfect replication and is instead improved by lessons learned through previous replications.<br />
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And the two of us as new parents are no different, although since our cultural choices run to the left side of green rather than to the mainstream there is a certain amount of cynicism and eye rolling we must endure from the mainstream judgmental consumer. <br />
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Luckily we have more than just our own smug satisfaction to help us endure. There is a continuously growing green parenting and green lifestyle movement being fueled not only by the desire to reduce our own and offsprings impact on the planet but perhaps even more significantly fueled by the frugality of living a greener lifestyle. This feels especially important when beginning what is widely agreed upon as the most expensive stage of our lives; parenthood!<br />
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So we, like so many other green parents out there, feel the need to document this stage of life for a multitude of reasons; the need to ally ourselves digitally with like minded people, give ourselves an outlet for 'green introspection', and of course to simply document the process of life for our own satisfaction and the entertainment of others.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0F6zKxLJl0S_0SAlXFQ-n5Yk2qhGHW6rlH9pFAgwFBAoChacaaa5xCzWKMO40ao_5ulaiM5m75MV8mwh0C3A1AADX9QAdbFPJ-taN61nsBHuZ8QeJ4CO8kMTknVnjr78gVUYw1KomVxA/s1600/100_3918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0F6zKxLJl0S_0SAlXFQ-n5Yk2qhGHW6rlH9pFAgwFBAoChacaaa5xCzWKMO40ao_5ulaiM5m75MV8mwh0C3A1AADX9QAdbFPJ-taN61nsBHuZ8QeJ4CO8kMTknVnjr78gVUYw1KomVxA/s320/100_3918.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06174964308521154902noreply@blogger.com0