Christmas List

I'm trying to stay on top of the fall/winter holidays this year. One of the things that always happens to me is that I have to scramble to pull together a Christmast list of present ideas, per the request of my mom and grandma.

When I'm left scrambling for things, I can never seem to think of anything that I really, really want! I've been trying to get better at keeping a list all year long, so I don't put myself in that position.

Here's what I've got so far:

1. Subscription to Sunset Magazine
2. A personal screen-printing machine
3. Book: Making a Family Home
4. Book: Simplicity Parenting
5. KitchenAid mixer bowl

---------------------------

P.S. There are 3 days left to secure your spot in the next Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy! Let me know if you have any questions...

Share |

Pre-Conception Planning Post

I wrote a post for Offbeat Mama about the value of spending time preparing for conception. Definitely check it out if you're interested! I truly adore Ariel.

Also, there are only a few more days left to register for the next Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy, which begins October 3 and runs through November 5. This course will be the last one of the year.

Here's some of the positive feedback from the last course:

"This was an excellent course and a lot of thought, research, hard work, and love went into it - that is obvious. It was comforting to find a community of others who are really taking the time to plan for conception and parenthood, because I don't find that among my local community. Great job, Sara. Really and truly. This course was a big help to me and I will definitely recommend it to others!"

"I think that this course really shines in the lessons that require self-reflection. You brought up several issues that I hadn't really considered."

"Thanks to all the reflection, guided discussions, and useful advice from this course, [my] worry/fear has pretty much disappeared. My partner and I have figured out what 'ready' means to us, and it's not as hard as we thought it would be to get there. We have a short to-do list with achievable goals. I'm happy to be where I am right now in my life."

"Thanks for taking the time to put all of this information together and for sharing so much of yourself with us. I enjoyed the course."

"After working through the course I feel much more comfortable with the idea of having a child and much more prepared to expand my family."

"I was very ambivalent about having a child before taking this course. I now know that my husband and I are more prepared than I thought we were to have a child. For the areas in which we need some work, I now have concrete action steps to complete...It's wonderful to actually be excited about this next step instead of fearful or unsure."

"I have a long way to go, but I want to work on myself before having a baby. This course has helped me identify concrete areas that need work."

The Nitty, Gritty Details

What:

• An online course and community focused on preparing our minds, bodies, and lives for pregnancy

When:

• October 3-November 5
  

Cost:

• $99 USD

How:

• Visit the Purposeful Conception website for more information or to register

-----------------------------

Here's the more detailed version:

Are you thinking about getting pregnant or are you already actively trying? Welcome to Purposeful Conception! This course is for you.

The idea is simple: bringing a baby into the world is both an overwhelming joy and a life-changing commitment. When we approach conception with intention and purpose, we create a welcoming and prepared space for children in our lives.

This online course will help us position our minds, bodies, and lives for pregnancy. Over the course of five weeks, a new lesson will be uploaded each weekday. The lessons will address a whole host of topics, such as preparing your body through solid nutrition and exercise, finding balance between what you can and cannot control, making space in your life for pregnancy, deciding whether to track your cycle, building a solid partnership as a foundation for your future family, and much, much more. As a participant in the course, you'll receive information, tips, reflection exercises and prompts, access to interviews, and a community of like-minded kindred spirits who are on a journey similar to your own.

Interested in learning more? Visit the Course Overview or About the Author. Already prepared to join the community? Register now! Spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be limited to the first 100 participants. The total cost is $99 USD, and the course will begin on October 3, 2010. Happy Conceiving!

-----------------------------

Please consider spreading the word by sharing this post via the buttons at the bottom of the post or by reposting the information on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Thank you so, so much!

Share |

Post-Birth Guests

I got a lovely e-mail from a kindred spirit in Australia, talking about how to navigate visits from family after birth.

Here's what she said:

The first weeks and months and year even, are extremely wonderful but also challenging for so many reasons you have already identified. However, managing the relationship with parents and in-laws can be equally wonderful and fraught (much like-wedding planning). All sorts of assumptions and expectations and stress around the new baby and our own upbringings can really make that transition from son/daughter to parent and from parent to grandparent extremely difficult. For example, our birth centre recommended no visitors for the first 24hrs to let baby and mum rest and for everyone to get to know each others smells and bond. I am very close to my mother, but this request was really difficult for her to understand. Also, I have a great relationship with my in-laws, but so many of the things they do with our son really irk me and I think they are challenging or doubting our parenting decisions. Really, they are just helping and adore their grandson and I have to keep reminding myself of this. I also imagine that living away from family means that in-laws and parents will be visiting for extended periods of time which brings a whole host of other issues into play.

Like I said, I just think this is something that begs thinking about before the sleepless nights arrive. We are for good reason focussed on the bonding and sleeping and breastfeeding and our relationship with our partner, but often forget about the extended networks (and associated stresses) that make up a family and it is good to reflect (with matt) and possibly have a strategy or personal mantra to help get through some of those new challenges.

My family is in Florida and Matt's is in Indiana. That means we have to plan when family comes to visit.

Initially, I was thinking that Matt and I would want about two weeks together with our new baby alone, so we could establish ourselves as parents and bond. However, we recently interviewed a doula, and she recommended that we invite family right away, so that we can have help with cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc.

I've talked about this issue with my mom and my "bonus mom," and they both seem amenable to whatever Matt and I want. It's just so hard to know what we'll want before the time comes! Because they'll have to book flights, take time off from work, etc., we can't exactly wait and see what we want. Therefore, I would appreciate any insight you all have! Would you prefer to have family come and help right away or would you rather have alone time to bond with the baby and get your bearings?

---------------------------

P.S. There are 5 days left to secure your spot in the next Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy! Let me know if you have any questions...

Share |

Montessori Self-Service Water Station

Image courtesy of Meg via Sew Liberated

I'm so inspired by the toddler self-service water station that Meg set up for her son Finn (featured over at Sew Liberated).

I am definitely bookmarking this post to remind myself of a great strategy for cultivating independence, concentration, and focus.

That reminds me: I need to add the documentary Edison's Day to my baby registry. It's all about a family that implements Montessori in their home with a 21-month old. It's chock-full of ideas!

I need to learn more about Montessori for infants. Hmm...let me see what resources I can find right now:

• Here's a video about an infant/toddler Montessori class. It reminds me to incorporate mirrors, as well as a variety of carpeted surfaces, wood, etc.
• This video points out that it's helpful to give children rattles that show how the sound is made. It also explains that activities should provide some challenge and lots of repitition.
• There are a few interesting ideas in this article, like opting for muted colors over bold ones.
• This article (although advertisment-heavy) has some really useful ideas. It makes me think we should opt for a bookshelf with baskets for clothes, rather than a dresser.

---------------------------

P.S. There are 6 days left to secure your spot in the next Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy! Let me know if you have any questions...

Share |

Book Review: Heading Home with Your Newborn

Many, many months ago, I read Cate's amazing birth story on Project Subrosa. When she got to the end, she described sitting on the couch with her partner and their new baby. In that moment, I realized that I had thought a lot about conception, pregnancy, and birth, but I had never thought much about the "happily ever after," about what you actually do when the baby finally joins your family.

In that moment, I made a decision to try and stay one step ahead in my learning. For example, I tried to read a little about pregnancy while I was trying to conceive. Now that I'm pregnant, I'm trying to read about caring for an infant.

I know my habit of reading books and seeking advice from others makes many of you think that I lack confidence in my ability as a mother. Last week, I was accused of harboring "an obsession to be perfect and live up to others' expectations." The advice was that I should "take a rest from all the 'resources' and just be [me]." But honestly, this is exactly who I am. I love learning as much as I can from books and websites and then filtering it all through my own critical lens in order to formulate an approach that makes sense to me. It's not that I don't trust myself to be a good mother or that I think the "experts" have all the answers. It's simply that I want to be the best mother that I can be and, for me, that means I want to approach motherhood with intention and learn as much as I can and prepare as much as I can (knowing full well that the preparation I'm doing through books and websites is only the tip of the iceberg and the rest will be revealed through actually doing). Reading more and talking with others makes me more confident and more relaxed about heading into the unknown.

I am having so much fun gobbling up books that help me think through and anticipate the changes that are in store for us. I don't feel pressure to be "perfect." I don't even believe that such a word could ever be used to describe a parent. I definitely don't feel pressure to live up to others' expectations. I don't even feel internal pressure to do more or read more. I've simply created a lot of space in my life for pregnancy (by eliminating other commitments), and I'm using that time to relax in my bed and read.

A friend of mine recommended the book Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality, and I found it to be very useful. It goes over the basics of caring for an infant.

Here's some of what I learned:

• In the first 2-5 days when a breastfeeding baby is drinking colostrum, it's normal for a baby to urinate only 2-3 times per day. After that, a more normal frequency is about 8-10 times per day.
• A baby's first poops are thick, tarry, and black. Then they shift to pasty brown and then to mustardy yellow and seedy.
  
• Red, black, or white poop can indicate a problem, so can bowel movements that become progressively more watery or outpaces the feeding frequency.
• A normal frequency is once every several days to several poops a day.
  
• To prevent gas, you should try to feed an infant before they start screaming for food. You should also try to feed a baby with their head higher than their stomach. When using a bottle, you should let milk fill the entire nipple, and you should keep the baby upright for a few minutes after feeding and before burping.
• To help relieve a gaseous baby, you can put it on its back and bicycle pump its legs.
  
• Newborns sleep about 16 hours/day. At 6 months, they sleep about 14 hours per day. At a year, they still sleep about 14 hours a day.
• Babies generally don't have tears for the first month.
• It's important to fold diapers down and off of the umbilical cord stump while it's healing.
  
• Cords can take about 2-4 weeks to heal and it's best to sponge bathe babies before then.
• Baby girls may have bloody vaginal discharge or their nipples may discharge a white substance, both of which are normal reactions to hormones.
• In the first few months, if a baby has a fever you should call the doctor. A fever is anything over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. From birth to three months, it is best to use a rectal thermometer. Directions for doing so are on page 256.
• Common breastfeeding holds include: cradle, football, and side-by-side or lying down.
• Once a baby has latched on, you should relax your grip on its head to allow it to adjust itself as necessary.
• A baby uses its tongue to lap or massage milk out of the breast. Therefore, the tongue needs to be positioned under the breast in such a way that the baby can draw the nipple and the darker colored area around it into its mouth as it sucks.
  
• You can gently express a few drops of breast milk onto and around your nipple to help the baby hone in on its intended target.
• To interest your baby in opening its mouth, you can lightly stroke its cheek just to the side of its mouth.
• If a baby doesn't open wide enough, you can gently push down its chin.
• Don't be fooled into thinking that any latching on is better than none. If the baby didn't open up wide enough, it seem to have only gotten the nipple in its mouth, or it continues to hurt when the baby sucks, take the baby off and try again. You can put your finger in its mouth to break the seal.
  
• Mild irritation or discomfort that occurs only at the start of each feeding is generally associated with the newness of nursing. Nipple pain that persists or gets worse as your baby nurses is more likely to be a sign that the baby is not latched on correctly and is often accompanied by cracked or blistered nipples.
• Let your nipples dry before putting your bra/shirt back on to help prevent yeast infections.
  
• Uterine cramping during breastfeeding is normal and actually decreases the likelihood of uterine bleeding and shortens the amount of time it takes your uterus to shrink back down to its pre-pregnancy size.
• The change from producing colostrum to transitional milk can take place over a couple hours or a day or two. It typically occurs anywhere from 2-5 days after the birth of the baby. To support the production of milk, it's important to keep up with fluid intake, ensure the baby latches on properly, and nurse frequently.
  
• The best two ways to manage engorgement are to wear a supportive bra and to express a little milk whenever necessary to relieve the pain (being careful not to express so much that the body starts producing more). Using a warm compress, expressing milk, and feeding the baby more frequently may help relieve the symptoms.
• To ensure the baby doesn't become dehydrated before your body reaches full milk production, it's recommended that you nurse more frequently during the day (at least every 2-3 hours, but more often if the baby is ready/willing/able) and less frequently at night (4-5 hours at the most, if the baby will sleep that long). When tracking the time between feedings, it's customary to use the time from the start of the first feeding to the start of the next.
• If a newborn decides to skip two or more feedings, consult the baby's doctor.
• Newborns are expected to lose as much as 10% of their birth weight in the week or two after birth. On average, they should gain it back by two weeks of age.
• Resist the urge to follow a schedule for feeding during the first several weeks of your baby's life. It helps establish good breast feeding habits.

You can download a printer version, if you're interested.

The book gave a really good overview of what to expect and what to worry about. It was a quick, easy read and a good start for formulating some ideas about what to expect.

My midwife recommended a much thicker overview of raising an infant, entitled, The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age to Two. I'll probably skim that book in the next few weeks. Luckily, she gave me my own copy, so I can keep it around as a reference guide for many years.

Share |

DIY: Appliqued Onesie

Friends of our just gave birth to a lovely little girl, and Matt and I need to send along a celebratory gift. We're opting to send an appliqued onesie that I made. (Please don't tell anyone that they are incredibly easy to make!).

DIRECTIONS:

1. Find a fabric that has a design you would like to cut out and use. I used a vintage tablecloth for this flower.
   
2. Cut loosely around the shape.
3. Stick it to a piece of Steam-A-Seam.
4. Cut closely around the edges of your design.
5. Peel off the back of the Steam-A-Seam + Fabric and position it on the onesie. The cool thing about Steam-A-Seam (well, one of many!) is that you can reposition it as necessary.
6. Once you're happy with the placement, hold a hot iron over the design (follow the Steam-A-Seam directions for temperature and length of time).
   
7. Sew around the "patch" to secure it in place.
8. Voila!
   

Writing this post inspired me to start an Etsy shop. When I start making stuff for Coconut, I might try to make a few extra and put them up for sale.

Also, the friends of ours who just had a baby inspired Matt to try and think of a "pushing present" to bestow upon me after I give birth to our baby. Our friend gave his partner a fancy new bike.

At first I told Matt that our new baby would be present enough. But then I realized what I want for my pushing present: two cupcakes from Crave. I've been seriously dedicated to eliminating refined sugar from my diet. In the past two months, I've only eating a ginger snap with a small scoop of ice-cream (because we were at a friends' house for dinner) and four bites of ice-cream when Matt and I went on a double date with friends of ours.

Indulging in two, delicious cupcakes sounds like the perfect way to celebrate our baby's Zero Birthday. (Hmm...I'm kind of getting inspired to make some fun bunting to string up for our homebirth. We'll see if I have time for that...)

Share |

Lentil & Pasta Recipe

I've been trying to eat more lentils, quinoa, and cous-cous, but I still find myself pulled toward pastas, breads, and pizzas.

Recently, I found a recipe that combines the best of both worlds!

Fusilli with Lentils, Feta, and Cilantro

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown or green (not red) lentils
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 c. finely chopped onion
• 1/4 c. finely chopped carrot
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 c. broth
• 1 lb. shell pasta
• 1/2 lb. feta cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Sort and rinse lentils (I punch slits in an old yogurt container to make a strainer that is fine enough for lentils.)
2. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water.
3. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until tender (~35 minutes).
4. In a heavy saute pan, heat the olive oil; saute onions and carrot over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add bell peppers and stir to blend. Add broth, salt, and pepper to taste. Add lots of coarsely ground pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
5. Cook pasta. Add lentil mixture and toss gently. Pour onion and pepper mixture over the top and toss to combine.
   
6. Top each portion with crumbled feta and chopped cilantro.

It's delicious! The next time we make it, I'm going to cook the lentils in the broth for added flavor and simply saute the onions, carrots, and bell peppers for a few minutes instead of simmering them for 20 minutes. The original recipe tastes great, but I like my onions more sauted rather than boiled to a mush. Also, I think this modification will shorten the prep time.

I'm looking forward to trying it again! (P.S. In my opinion, the cheese and cilantro MAKE this dish. The recipe also says you could use gorgonzola and basil...)

Share |

Our Baby Is a...

Baby - Ultrasound - Intro from Sara Matthew Hoss Hop-sing Clem on Vimeo

Baby - Ultrasound - Session from Sara Matthew Hoss Hop-sing Clem on Vimeo

Baby - Hoss - Brother Announcement from Sara Matthew Hoss Hop-sing Clem on Vimeo

We're having a boy! We went for our first ultrasound (see the second video), and apparently our little Coconut has a "Texas-sized penis." Um, okay...

We were ecstatic to get our first glimpse inside my uterus. Honestly, I was expecting it to be a boy (for somewhat unscientific reasons). First, I didn't have much morning sickness. Second, our baby's heart usually registers on the lower end of the scale. And, third, my body is staying pretty much the same, except for my expanding basketball-belly.

Of course, there's pretty much a 50/50 chance of guessing right, so it's not exactly some psychic feat...

Before I was pregnant, I always wanted a girl. After I got pregnant, I honestly didn't care either way. In a super-shallow way, I'm a little disappointed that I won't get to sew a bunch of summer dresses, but I'm eager to try and raise a sensitive, caring, and passionate male. It helps that two of my favorite bloggers, Kristina and Meg, are busy raising some of the cutest boy babies I've ever seen.

Our household will officially balance out: Matt + Hoss + Coconut = Boys; Me + Hop-Sing + Clem = Girls (I'm joking about this, but the thought did occur to me, so I thought I would share).

I've been having some anxiety around various things (both my belly and breasts have gotten significantly smaller this past week; the ultrasound couldn't detect a gallbladder, which can be pretty serious; and our baby's head looks very weird in some of the ultrasound pictures). I have another appointment with my midwife in about a week, so in the meantime, I'm just trying to remind myself that this kind of anxiety is common but that the most important thing to do is relax. I'm also trying to remind myself that we will be able to deal with whatever issues come our way.

Other than that, I'm still thoroughly enjoying the second trimester. I'm officially 19 weeks pregnant today!

Share |

Elimination Communication

Toilets for babies?

I have to confess that I was hugely dismissive of the concept of "Elimination Communication" as a strategy when I first heard about it. In my mind, even occasional, accidental poops and pees around the house seemed pretty awful.

I didn't realize that you could keep your kids in diapers AND try to read their cues and actually train them to use a [baby] toilet as early as day one. Thank you, dear Amy, for being a constant source of inspiration!

I can't wait to get my hands on these books (thanks to the good ol' Houston Public Library!):

1. Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene
2. Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative

It seems pretty strategic to start getting children used to toilets early on. It seems like a way to avoid having to provide them with incentives (like M&M's) after they've developed habits of comfort and convenience related to using diapers. I'll let you know how my thoughts evolve as I read the books!

Share |

Music Recommendation: Blind Pilot

I am not one to recommend music very often because I am dreadfully out of the pop culture loop. However, Matt has introduced me to a band that has turned into my new favorite Pandora radio station: Blind Pilot.

If you're looking for a good Pandora radio station, I suggest you try it! In case you're wondering what kind of stations I typically listen to on Pandora to see if our tastes overlap, I love the Iron and Wine station, as well as The Be Good Tanyas.

Share |

Pregnancy Pictures: FINALLY!

Photos taken with our refurbished Nikon D60

Okay. Matt and I still don't have a concept for how we want to organize and present our pregnancy pictures, but we took your advice and just started--um--taking photos. You were right. It was something we had to start doing.

Two weekends ago, we trekked to northern Indiana for a wedding. So fun! I was 17 weeks pregnant. My belly is growing quite round, if you ask me...

The second trimester is way more fun than the first. Aside from the stupid sinus infection I get every year at this time, I've been feeling great. I'm still avoiding refined sugars and going to prenatal yoga once a week. I need to do a better job of staying hydrated at work.

We'll be heading in for our first ultrasound (probably next week). We want to find out the sex (primarily so we only have to come up with one list of names). I want to make sure that we don't start gender socializing the thing before it even sees the light of day.

Share |

BellaBands and Bras

As we get deeper and deeper into this pregnancy, I continue to be very conscious about what we purchase. I've managed to get used maternity clothes from one of my acquaintances. As we think about what we need to buy before the baby comes, we're trying to take more of a minimalist approach (in order to be better for the environment, our budget, and our 1,000 square-foot house).

However, two products have been absolutely essential so far: a BellaBand and a soft bra to sleep in. The band has helped me extend my wardrobe. I'm able to wear all my old pants (unbuttoned with the band hiding the gap).

The soft bra was something I've had for a long time. I bought it as a more outdoorsy alternative to bras, but I never wear it because it doesn't provide enough support. However, it was absolutely perfect as a bra to sleep in throughout my first trimester when my breasts were extremely sore all the time, and I need to sleep in something supportive at night.

I seriously can't believe we're only five months away from delivery. The other night, I mentioned something about "six and a half months away" to Matt. He was like, "Um, you're due a lot sooner than that." I did the math and realized I was a month and a half off. Oops. I think counting the weeks is throwing me off.

Share |

Parenting on Instinct (or Not)

I get a lot of parenting advice that goes something like this: "Just trust your instincts."

Ironically, my "instincts" tells me not to blindly trust my instincts. Maybe it's because I'm an INTJ on the Myer's-Briggs personality test. I like to do research. I like to read multiple perspectives. I like exposing myself to different paradigms and new ideas.

Of course, at the end of the day, Matt and I will have to trust ourselves to select from the various informed perspectives and piece together a parenting philosophy that resonates with us.

That's kind of like "trusting your instincts," but not exactly. I happen to believe that a lot of our impulses (or instincts) stem from potentially unhealthy places. Sometimes, they are connected to the way our parents raised us (for better or worse) or they are in reaction to the way our parents raised us. Sometimes they are connected to unresolved needs we have in our own lives. Sometimes they come from patterns we've internalized from mass culture via TV, movies, magazines, etc.

Anyway, I often think it's worth putting our "instincts" under a microscope and analyzing them before we act upon them. That's why I so appreciate this nine-month period to prepare for parenthood as much as possible (with full understanding that they amount of preparation you can do is pretty limited, relative to the actual experience!).

In this vein, I picked up a few parenting books from the library, such as Nurture Shock. I very much appreciated the introduction, entitled, "Why our instincts about children can be so off the mark." The authors explain that our "instincts" can be "so off-base because they are not actually instincts." Instead, they are "reactions" that are "polluted by a hodgepodge of wishful thinking, moralistic biases, contagious fads, personal history, and old (disproven) psychology."

Fortunately, many of the book's conclusions do align with practices and philosophies that I've been implementing in my classroom for years. For example, in the chapter about "Why Kids Lie," the authors conclude that it's really important to make a big deal about honesty and telling the truth from a very young age. Some parents think that telling lies is "just a phase" and don't emphasize it enough.

However, I've had new realizations, like the fact that it's important to talk about differences in race, rather than just try to treat everyone equally without explicitly talking about it (from the chapter called, "Why White Parents Don't Talk About Race").

Although I'm enjoying the book, I do wish it were a bit more prescriptive. At the end of each chapter, for example, I would like a bulleted list of "So here's a list of specific strategies to implement with your child, based on the research we just shared." Actually, I wish I were reading this book in a book club, so I could brainstorm those ideas with others...too bad I'm almost finished!

Share |

Halloween Costume

Make your own disco ball costume

So far, I've managed to stick to my pregnancy project plan. It helps me feel like there's plenty of time to get everything done.

One of the things I have to accomplish this month is my Halloween costume. I know it seems early, but the fall holidays come really fast (in my humble opinion), and I don't usually give myself adequate time to prepare for them without stressing myself out.

Based on your feedback, I've decided to pursue the "crystal ball reader" idea, since I will probably have a nice round belly ball by October 31. (For the record, I almost went with the gumball idea.) And, even now, I'm starting to have second thoughts. Should I be a disco ball, like the photo pictured above?

I guess not. After looking at the picture again, I think the oversized ball is much more dramatic and fun. Maybe I'll table this idea for next year. Perhaps the baby could be a go-go dancer for its first Halloween?

So, back to my crystal ball reader concept. I brainstormed these ideas in my notebook:

Basically, I'll make my own turban, make some sort of pendant to put on the turban (probably with feathers and a vintage pin), wear fake eyelashes, alter some sort of short top from the Goodwill, wrap my belly in some sort of fabric that looks like I think a crystal ball might look (um, I have no idea!), sport lots of bangle bracelets, and then make a maternity skirt out of some kind of moon/star fabric or something.

And I need to make fortunes. The last time I made fortunes was for a Teach For America holiday party when I was teaching in rural Louisiana several years ago. I made fortune cookies from scratch and filled them with Teach For America fortunes (I basically copied common TFA phrases--like "Relentless Pursuit"--and added "in bed" to them). When I ran out of those, I started quoting my favorite poetry. I love this poem from William Carlos Williams and quoted this line on a fortune: "I am lonely, lonely. I was born to be lonely, I am best so!"

A woman at the party opened the cookie, read her fortune, and burst into tears.

Perhaps I need to be a little more careful this time...

Any ideas?

Share |

Cow's Milk

I grew up on milk. I usually ate it (and then drank it) with my Chocolate Cocoa Krispies. Then at night, my mom would serve up a tall glass for dinner.

As my consciousness about nutrition has grown over the years (no more fake cereals for me!), I've looked at cow's milk through a more critical lens. I'm extremely wary of the chemicals and the antibiotics that go into raising cows. I now opt for organic, antibiotic-free milk.

However, I've never gone the route of many of my nutritionally-conscious friends. I know lots of people who have given up dairy. I've been reluctant to take this path because, as a vegetarian, I appreciate the protein and calcium that come from milk. "Milk" that comes from non-dairy sources (like soy or rice), always seemed so processed to me.

Now that I'm pregnant and under the care of a midwife, I've been forced to look at my milk consumption again. My midwife advises against drinking milk. She has noticed that milk drinkers tend to have a strange calcification on their placentas, post-delivery. She says she hasn't been able to find any research to support her observations, but she's noticed it so many times that she feels confident advising against it.

Despite her warnings, I've continued drinking milk (again, because it's so easy so get protein and calcium from what feels like a natural source).

However, the other day, we ran out of milk, so I opted for the leftover, plain soy milk we had in our fridge (from the cookies Matt made last week). I realized that I enjoyed it so much more than cow's milk! It felt so much lighter.

I definitely won't switch to soy milk, due to the concerns associated with isolating certain soy compounds, but I think it's time to explore nut milks. When I read about Amy's process of making her own almond milk, I realized that nut milks aren't really that processed at all. She simply soaks almonds.

The one thing I need to look into is the nutritional content. I need to make sure I get enough calcium and protein...

Share |

Conscious Consumption of Technology

I listened to an interesting interview on NPR's "Fresh Air" this weekend. The show's host talked with William Powers, the author of a new book called, Hamlet's Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age. The author argues that we should embrace new technologies and new ways of connectivity with intention and mindfulness. He explains that inundating ourselves with knowledge, information, and conversation crowds out the time we need to process all the knowledge/information/conversations we're taking in. We don't give ourselves enough space to extract meaning and really take things in. He explains that the more we try to "connect maximally," the less "present" we are and the less we are able to "show up for our lives."

He doesn't take a Luddite perspective at all. Instead, he argues that we need to cultivate balance in our lives. For example, his family has established an "Internet Sabbath" ritual that runs from Friday to Sunday evening. They literally unplug the modem and they don't check their e-mail or go online all weekend long.

The interview got me thinking a lot about the role that technology plays in my life. I want to be a conscious consumer of technology. For example, I haven't lived with a TV for the past seven years. (Matt and I do have a "TV," but it's only set up to play DVDs. I also occasionally use the internet to watch TV shows, but the setup prevents me from mindlessly watching TV--something I did throughout my entire childhood.)

I like the time I spend blogging. For me, blogging is a way to process my thoughts. It's like a journal that helps me build connection with others.

I also don't spend a lot of time "surfing the web." The nature of my job (teaching 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade at a public Montessori school) doesn't allow computer time during the day. Further, I only have about ten blogs that I visit on a daily basis for inspiration.

The rest of my schedule is so packed (pregnancy nap, one-hour walk, blogging, cooking dinner, reading) that I literally don't have a lot of time for mindlessly interacting with technology.

I think the number one area I need to work on is my interaction with my iPhone. Ever since I've gotten an iPhone, I pretty much let e-mail stream into my life constantly. I use my phone to fill the in-between moments in my life, instead of using that rare space to process my life or relax.

I'm going to make a committed effort to limit the number of times I check my e-mail every day. I'll continue to check it four times: before work, during lunch, after school, and before bed. But I won't let myself check it in those small moments (e.g., when I'm waiting for Matt to return from the restroom at a restaurant or when I'm waiting in line). I'm going to make a more concerted effort to make time and space for thinking, relaxing into the moment, reading, or writing in my Writer's Notebook.

Share |

Registration Is Now Open!

I'm very excited to announce that registration is now open for the next Purposeful Conception: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy online course, which begins October 3 and runs through November 5. This course will be the last one of the year.

Here's some of the positive feedback from the last course:

"This was an excellent course and a lot of thought, research, hard work, and love went into it - that is obvious. It was comforting to find a community of others who are really taking the time to plan for conception and parenthood, because I don't find that among my local community. Great job, Sara. Really and truly. This course was a big help to me and I will definitely recommend it to others!"

"I think that this course really shines in the lessons that require self-reflection. You brought up several issues that I hadn't really considered."

"Thanks to all the reflection, guided discussions, and useful advice from this course, [my] worry/fear has pretty much disappeared. My partner and I have figured out what 'ready' means to us, and it's not as hard as we thought it would be to get there. We have a short to-do list with achievable goals. I'm happy to be where I am right now in my life."

"Thanks for taking the time to put all of this information together and for sharing so much of yourself with us. I enjoyed the course."

"After working through the course I feel much more comfortable with the idea of having a child and much more prepared to expand my family."

"I was very ambivalent about having a child before taking this course. I now know that my husband and I are more prepared than I thought we were to have a child. For the areas in which we need some work, I now have concrete action steps to complete...It's wonderful to actually be excited about this next step instead of fearful or unsure."

"I have a long way to go, but I want to work on myself before having a baby. This course has helped me identify concrete areas that need work."

The Nitty, Gritty Details

What:

• An online course and community focused on preparing our minds, bodies, and lives for pregnancy

When:

• October 3-November 5
  

Cost:

• $99 USD

How:

• Visit the Purposeful Conception website for more information or to register

-----------------------------

Here's the more detailed version:

Are you thinking about getting pregnant or are you already actively trying? Welcome to Purposeful Conception! This course is for you.

The idea is simple: bringing a baby into the world is both an overwhelming joy and a life-changing commitment. When we approach conception with intention and purpose, we create a welcoming and prepared space for children in our lives.

This online course will help us position our minds, bodies, and lives for pregnancy. Over the course of five weeks, a new lesson will be uploaded each weekday. The lessons will address a whole host of topics, such as preparing your body through solid nutrition and exercise, finding balance between what you can and cannot control, making space in your life for pregnancy, deciding whether to track your cycle, building a solid partnership as a foundation for your future family, and much, much more. As a participant in the course, you'll receive information, tips, reflection exercises and prompts, access to interviews, and a community of like-minded kindred spirits who are on a journey similar to your own.

Interested in learning more? Visit the Course Overview or About the Author. Already prepared to join the community? Register now! Spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be limited to the first 100 participants. The total cost is $99 USD, and the course will begin on October 3, 2010. Happy Conceiving!

-----------------------------

Please consider spreading the word by sharing this post via the buttons at the bottom of the post or by reposting the information on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Thank you so, so much!

Share |

Purposeful Nurseries: Planning Stage

From Finn's room over at Sew Liberated

Matt and I have started the preliminary planning for converting our office/craft room into a nursery/office/craft room. We've decided that we want to set aside some space for ourselves in the room (for using our laptops, sewing, etc.). We're guessing that we'll spend a lot of time in the first several months hanging out in there for breastfeeding, diaper changing, and tummy time. It also happens to be my favorite room in the house, which is another reason why we'll probably spend so much time in there.

Once little "Coconut" (I have no idea why we've taken to calling the baby by that moniker) is able to move independently around his/her own room (by the way, we're getting our first ultrasound in a few weeks, and we're going to find out the baby's sex), then we might rethink the whole office/craft aspect of having our own stuff in there.

For now, here's what we're thinking we need:

• A dresser (with a changing pad on top--although we fully recognize that we will likely change Coconut throughout the whole house)
• A trash can for storing our dirty cloth diapers before we wash them
  
• An organic mattress to put on the floor (we're following the Montessori approach and not using a crib)
• A pullout couch for anyone who comes to stay
• A sidetable that can function as a "breastfeeding station" (for extra Klean Kanteens filled with lots of water to stay hydrated, books, burp cloths, etc.)
  
• A lamp
• An iPod dock
  

We will not be getting a changing table, a crib, or a glider/rocker (is this a huge mistake?). We'll be consolidating our three crafting/working tables down to one.

I'm excited to be thinking about this stuff!

Share |

Cookie Party

Matt and I attended a fun birthday party this past weekend. The theme was "Cookies and Beer."

As a person who is sixteen weeks pregnant, I am neither partaking in sugar nor beer, but I wanted to go nonetheless. (Did I mention that Matt is also not eating sugar in my presence, out of solidarity?)

I decided that I would make ice-cream cookie sandwiches as my contribution to the party, while Matt took a different route and opted to make cookies without sugar. I was skeptical, but, fortunately, he proved me wrong. He used mashed up bananas, butter, soy milk, dried cherries, oatmeal, sundry spices, and sunflower seeds (following this recipe) to make a pretty decent "cookie." They definitely can't compete with a good ol' sugar-laden cookie, but they were definitely a nice treat nonetheless. The dried cherries made all the difference.

Share |

Wart Removal

I seem to have a wart developing on my hand. It's the first one I've had since sixth grade. I did a quick google search for natural remedies, and I read about using Apple Cider Vinegar. Apparently, you apply it to a cotton ball and attach it to the affected area with a band-aid twice a day.

It's definitely worth giving it a shot. We'll see what happens!

Share |

September: Reflection & Rejuvenation

Image courtesy the Nikki McClure calendar

Phew! I somehow managed to make it through August. Well, it wasn't so bad. It was just a lot of work to make it not bad.

The month started with a trip to Las Vegas for a national conference. I spent a lot of time in July preparing for the conference. We took at side trip to Zion National Park in Utah, and I had to make sure that I didn't overexert my pregnant self while hiking. It was also challenging to continue to eat healthy food and to stay hydrated.

Then I was thrust into getting ready for school. It would have been so easy for me to spend all day and night getting stuff ready because I enjoy doing it, but I had to remind myself to make time for rest and rejuvenation. I also had to make time for exercise (despite the sweltering Houston heat!) and cooking meals and keeping up with my chores (which I neglected to do for three whole weeks!). I've also been trying to make time for naps.

Overall, I've been doing a really good job with balancing everything; it's just taken a lot of metacognition and willpower and coaching and cajoling. I really want to honor the work that my body is doing to create a new life. I also want to make time for the rest of me to come to terms with what it means to be a parent and to fully embrace the ways in which our life is about to change.

Here were the intentions I set out for myself at the beginning of the month:

1. Enjoy a mini-vacation with Matt as we trek to Las Vegas for a conference and spend a few extra days at Zion National Park. Yes!
   
2. Have fun participating in my Purposeful Conception course. Yes!
   
3. Accomplish my massive to-do list before school starts. Get to a place where I can actually sit and meditate in my classroom before school starts. I accomplished many, many, many of the things on my list. And I did have time to sit on the floor and meditate (for about 1 minute) before the kids came in on the first day!
   
4. Prepare to present a workshop at a conference in September. Yes! I have the PowerPoint done and the handout ready. It will require probably another 1-2 hours of tweaking before the conference.
   
5. Organize our office. I did this on the last day of the month! It was a huge undertaking. I went through our craft boxes and files to purge, purge, purge. My plan is to tackle one room a month, leading up to the baby's arrival in February. I scheduled the hardest room first.
   
6. Spanish, Spanish, Spanish. Enough said. No, no, no. Aack!
   
7. Finish learning all I can about pregnancy. I'm getting tired of reading about pregnancy. So much of what I read creates a culture of fear. "This could be happening--look for these symptoms!" I think stress is one of the worst things during pregnancy. I'm trying to stay as relaxed as possible. I've been moving on to books about parenting, instead.
8. Relax and rest! I've been trying my very best...

My intentions for the month of September:

• Work on Halloween costume
• Organize the bedroom
• Learn about taking care of an infant (breastfeeding, sleeping, bathing)
• Attend a conference for public Montessori teachers
• Travel to Indiana for an awesome wedding
  
• Work on birth announcements
  
• Relax and rest

I'm looking forward to it!

Share |