Monday mission!

Happy Monday to you! It is beautiful outside here in central New York.

This week's mission for myself is to get prepared for camping! We are headed to Vermont to camp over the fourth of July weekend. Jon and I, and Kayla, have been a bunch of times, but this will be Finn's first time camping.

We plan on: hiking, making s'mores, rock hopping (possibly), visiting Ben and jerry's, cold hollow cider mill, the farmers market, going to the forth of July parade, hopefully seeing the fireworks (this depends on Finn!), and generally getting dirty and having fun!

For meals, I am a huge proponent of hobo packs. You can put whatever meats and veggies in there you like with some butter or EVOO, wrap in foil, stick in fire, flip a few times, serve on a bun. It can be much healthier than the classic hot dog on a stick (which my husband could eat every night if I let him). Lunches will be peanut butter and jelly on homemade bread. Snacks are fruit, or homemade granola bars, and I usually make some trailmix as a treat. Since we usually like to get going in the morning (as opposed to rebuilding the fire) we'll just have some homemade granola and yogurt for breakfast.

I'm bringing the camp washer and flat dispers with five covers for Finn's bottom.

More planning to come.

What is your favorite camping pastime?

Thankful Friday

It seems I have taken a break this week on the blog. I have been spending my computer time making Finn's birthday invitations And a 'brag' book (that was free on walgreens.com!) for him to learn the names and faces of distant family.

I am finding it hard to be thankful for some reason. Just in a funk I guess. But here we go anyways.

I am thankful for the faithfulness of God. He is always present and freely giving of what we ask. He is good all the time, all the time He is good.

I am (teeth grittingly) thankful that we have this opportunity to redo the den. It's going to be really nice once it is complete.
My dad said it'd be so nice, we'll need new furniture!

I am thankful for good books. I am reading Francine Rivers the mark of the lion series right now and it is a blessing to be able to disappear into a different world for a few hours.

Wisdom for the ages

Proverbs 2:2-5


^"2 turning your ear to wisdom 
   and applying your heart to understanding— 
³ indeed, if you call out for insight 
   and cry aloud for understanding, 
⁴ and if you look for it as for silver 
   and search for it as for hidden treasure, 
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the LORD 
   and find the knowledge of God. "


People want a lot of things these days. however, Wisdom isn't counted in the top of the wish lists. There are two ways to gain Wisdom: get older & gain experience and Wisdom in years; or actively seek Wisdom. What would that look like for you?

Thankful Thursday 6/16/11

 This is my sweet baby Finn. I am eternally and infinitely grateful for his presence in my life. He is a joy and so much fun to be around.

I'm also thankful for my MOPS group. We've been on two playdates this week with them and it's just a blessing to have a network of moms that are either going through what I am or have already been there! Although he hasn't told me yet, I know Finn loves hanging out with his MOPS friends too.

I am thankful for this year's strawberry harvest. It is delicious and makes great jam.

We finally received word from the insurance company about our flood claim. I am so grateful that they are covering everything that we need to do and then some. If we end up doing all the work ourselves, we will have a beautiful new den and some money leftover. yay!

Monday Mission!

Today, Finn and I went along with Mah-ma (Grandma) Strawberry picking! This week, the mission is to make Strawberry Jam. I want to keep a running tab of how much it costs to make the jam just to have a handle on the cost savings.

Clean them, cook them, stir them, can them!

So far, I have 14 pounds of strawberries for $22.40.

Here is the equation I followed...

 +

 =

 + 12 hours =

More to come!

Closeness Requirement

Background story that I feel compelled to share for some reason: Jon bought me a subscription to Mothering magazine for Christmas. I was so excited! After two digital issues with no print copy in sight, I received notice that the magazine would be exclusively online and no longer in print. What? Lame. I was really excited. Well, anyway, so they replaced it with "Natural Life" magazine which I just got in the mail this week. Aside from the fact that it is a slim magazine (only 30 pages) - to redeem it, there are few advertisements - it's a great magazine with thoughtful articles. There was one in particular which spoke to me directly in my current circumstance - something I've really been feeling pressured about lately.

Finn cries if I leave him with someone he doesn't know WELL. So basically, we've had success leaving him with Grandma a couple of times, and a couple times a month, I leave him with my husband for a few hours to go to my women's group. He will not tolerate me leaving him in a nursery setting though. This really is not a problem except at church, where Finn cannot be in the service, but I'd like to be! Our church doesn't have one of those "mom rooms" where you can still participate in the service - they have a "nursing mothers room" if you want to call it that. It's a locker room off of a bathroom in the corner of the building where you can barely hear music if it's blaring. Most Sundays, I try to get him to nap while wearing him in a wrap, but as he gets bigger, this is getting harder! The hard part for me? Seeing people look at me and wonder what they are thinking. (This is a whole different blarticle - I know in my heart that all that matters is the truth.)

The Article is titled "Separation Anxiety?" The question mark is simply because this: my baby needs me; does it qualify as anxiety if the closeness is needed? They mention hunger anxiety - if a baby is hungry is this also an anxiety? Only in the case where food is denied routinely would it become an anxiety. God designed babies to NEED the closeness of their mommy for life and survival. Mommy has lunch, she has comfort and security and safety. The presence of this bond becomes even more important as babies become more mobile - they want to explore the world around them, but still be able to return to familiarity whenever they need to. Why do some babies tolerate separation better than others? They are different people for one. They might have a more adventurous spirit or they might have given up on pursuing what is best for them. When you force babies to be prematurely independent, after a while, they give up & stop listening, worse yet, stop trusting in that voice inside of them that is telling them to seek security. They lose their safety mechanism in effect. 

Another thing that the article mentions, similar to when babies become mobile & they'll explore the room, but come back to you to touch base once in a while. Or like Finn, when he is being particularly adventurous, he'll want to nurse - just a little bit, off and on - until he feel comfortable in this new situation. This is an illustration of how babies go through stages, but sometimes they revert back to previous habits, seemingly a younger stage of development (one that you thought he was past!). It is all a part of growth.

Some people believe that denial breeds acceptance. For example: letting your baby cry themselves to sleep. The theory is that they will 'learn' to 'self soothe.' In reality, denial in that sense (of your presence to lull them into sleep) breeds giving up, detachment, and distrust. Will the baby exhibit the desired behavior? Eventually - perhaps. But at what cost? They end up detaching themselves emotionally from the close bond with mama. Humans are complicated beings - what you see displayed on the outside is not always reflecting what is going on inside. In effect, you are training your child to ignore their instincts and conform to outside expectations. This has resounding ramifications in the teen years and even adulthood. It goes against what we all wish for our children - that they be healthy and secure - they don't need to conform to what someone else thinks is right for their life! 

The solution? Rejoice in your child's connection to you, and their connection to themselves. Give them what they need for today & realize that they will grow up and out of it and into a healthy, trusting secure independence. I am so fortunate to be able to stay at home with Finn full time. If that is not possible for you, the best thing to do is leave your baby with a loving and trusted relative or close friend - dad, grandma, etc. This is hard - I can't even imagine. I know for us, neither dad or grandma are an option. I am blessed.

The article really touched my heart and reassured me that, although the choices I am making in parenting aren't always easy, they will pay out in the end. Thus, I choose to view the whole issue as Finn's "Closeness Requirement." It is simply something that he needs - like air and milk and love, he needs me - for now.

Thankful Thursday

This week has been a whirlwind. After the flood happened, we've been busy tearing our house up, taking up rugs, moving stuff upstairs, meeting with insurance adjusters and mold/dampness specialists. Oh what fun. The good news, and what I am thankful for, is that it looks like insurance is going to foot the whole bill. We've yet to find out the final dollar amount, but since we lost 2 carpets, and the flooding caused a bunch of damage to the baseboards and the crawl space, we are hoping that it will be enough to put in a slate floor in the den and an area rug to cover it. I can't wait for the floor to be down and everything to be put back into it's place!

As a result of the mayhem, I've been spending most of my time out of the house. So I got to spend tuesday at the beach with my sister-in-law Kelly, my niece and nephew, and one of Kelly's friends and her kids. Yesterday, Finn and I got to visit the awesome Kidzclub for a MOPS playdate (what a cool place!) then go to the pool with Grandpa. Today we're going out to lunch with Grandpa and my brother Chris. So, I am thankful that circumstances have forced us out. Especially since it has been so nice out.










I am thankful for my husband, Jon. He has taken care of this whole flooding issue on TOP of working full time, training for a half-marathon, riding his bike to work, and running a business.

We just found out that our neighbors: Amy and Rory are expecting! I am so thankful that their prayers have been answered with this blessing. It couldn't have happened to better people.

Cloth diapering - Why?

Different reasons why people choose Cloth diapering:

• Money savings  - you can save over $1000 for one child in cloth diapers! This is actually the most conservative estimate I've seen to date, but I like how they have it broken out since younger babies are changed more often. If you reuse those same diapers for another the savings is multiplied! 
• Environmental: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Cloth diapering enables 2 of the R's (Reduce and Reuse), Disposable diapering doesn't. Need I say more? There are articles (paid for by major disposable diaper companies) that say that disposable diapers are no worse than cloth for the environment since you have to wash the cloth diapers. Since there is no scientific evidence - it's just conjecture from a major corporation with an agenda and a bottom line - I don't believe it for a second. There was another article stating that there are mushrooms that biodegrade diapers in about 2 months. The oversight? It states that the mushrooms feed on Cellulose, which USED to be used in disposable diapers as absorbant material. No longer - there were some technological advances & now most plastic diapers are made with Superabsorbant polymers.
• It's cuter! I know that disposable diapers are just coming out with prints (by the way - what do you think they are trying to compete with? Cloth!) But let's admit it, a fluffy bottom is adorable! and the possibilities are endless if you are crafty. There are lots of prints available even if you aren't crafty - Kissaluv fitteds, blueberry diapers, BumGenius artist series, goodmamas off the top of my head.
• Health reasons: Disposable diapers are filled with chemicals you probably would not otherwise want in your house, and are linked to male infertility
• No blow-outs. With a well fitting cloth diaper, I have never had a poosplosion.
• More versatile - there are one-size pockets & All-in-ones; there are flat diapers which will work from birth to potty (really actually will since you fold them to suit). After your babies are out of diapers, you can use cloth diapers around the house - rags, housecleaning, etc.
• It's not the norm. Personally, I like to make conscious decisions & I've come to the realization that in most cases, I choose to walk the road less travelled. So, I have come to associate that positively.
• Cloth diapering is growing in popularity, more and more people are doing it, and it's cool! Let's face it, this is sometimes a motivator for people (especially women).

Thankful Thursday 6/2/11

Our sump pump stopped working just when we had that big storm Sunday night. The storm was "cool," but we woke up to a flood - well, almost. The water was right at the level of our downstairs - one more drop, we'd be swimming in our den! I am so THANKFUL that we didn't get another inch! What a blessing! As it is, we had to rip up the carpet in our "secret room" (we use it for storage), it was really starting to smell like mildew. We might have to rip up the carpet in our den as well, but we are hoping not!

I was invited to join Kim from Dirty Diaper Laundry to go to Ithaca today. I left the house around 9am, Finn fell asleep within a few minutes & didn't wake up until we were outside of Mama Goose! I LOVE MAMA GOOSE! It's the best consignment store for babies and mamas that I've found. After that, we went to Jillian's drawers (where I found this beautiful organic cotton cover - Imse Vimse), and Yerba Mate for lunch (yum yum yum). Jon really wanted me to go to the Ithaca Bakery to pick up some goodies for him, but Finn fell asleep while I was trying to find it in the GPS & instead of tempting fate, I decided to drive home so that he'd stay sleeping! I am so thankful for the whole day - getting out of the mildewy house, getting out of the house in general, going for an adventure with my little man, spending some time with Kim & her sweet little men, and getting to go to my favorite stores & yummy Yerba mate! Also, the trip gave me confidence in driving with Finn on my own - at least on short adventures, about the length of naptime!

Aaron came over last night to help Jon rip up the carpet and move all the stuff in and out of the secret room. With his help, we were able to get it done in one night - it would have taken much longer if it were just Jon by himself! I am very thankful for the friendship we have with Aaron & Dena.

Flats Challenge Conclusions

Things I learned:

• Airplane fold
• Diaper bag fold
• Great solution for overnight: airplane fold with pad folded flat on top & a large Motherease stay-dry liner.
• I have definitely refined my diaper changing process. Of late, FInn has discovered his mobility & thus will NOT stay put for anything. What I was doing was just to change him while he was standing up in the bathroom. Now, I let him stand for me to take his diaper off and clean him. Then, I let him stand dipe-free for a bit while I prep his dipe (fold it, get the snappi, etc) then he will stay put long enough for me to quick snappi on a diaper. Then I let him stand for me to put the cover on. 
• I tried
• How to better distract Finn while changing his diaper (sing a song OR one of his favorite toys du jour)
• That I love flats. I've started using them a LOT more. Both as inserts in my pocket diapers and snappi'd straight on his bum.
• If I were doing flats full time, I'd need a few more covers! I essentially only had 3 for the challenge. Once my 2 homemade woolies dried, I used them a few times & he pooped on both with a day! (Even though I thought I put him in the wool once the poo was out that day - WRONG! is there something about wool that makes them poop?)
• If I didn't have enough money to buy the kind of cloth diaper stash that we have and/or we didn't have a washing machine, I would definitely use flats full time. 
• I am seriously considering selling off some of my pocket diapers in favor of using more flats.

Final thoughts:

• Although, looking back on this experience, I can say now that I am really comfortable using flat diapers - I do not think that I, personally, would have initially thought that I could use them . This would especially be the case with a newborn, and Finn being my first. So - I recognize that each family needs to do their own experimentation with cloth diapers to see that YOU CAN DO IT TOO! The essential component with this is education. Even though I did a lot of research before Finn came along (and cloth diapering commenced), I got the impression that using flats (and even prefold diapers) was extreme in some sense. After using both, they really aren't! I think once you get used to whatever cloth diapering system you use, they are equally easy.
• If education is the key - how am I going to share my experience? I am still thinking this over.
• I would recommend every cloth diapering mama have a stash of flats on hand. Even if you don't use them in your regular rotation, you might need them in an emergency! Think about how you'd go about diapering your baby in case of a natural (or man-made) disaster. Flats are probably the easiest to hand-wash and dry in a reasonable amount of time.
• There are so many ways to use flats with your current rotation. Use in a padfold inside a cover, use as an insert in a pocket diaper, snappi straight on their bum. Also, you can fully customize the diaper for your baby - put the most layers where they wet the most; fold it in the perfect size.