The amazing Tracie Birch is doing Spring Mini-Sessions at the Clemson Botanical Gardens. Have I mentioned how much I love her photography? And her way with children? And altogether how much I love Tracie? Here are the details. I bet the slots will fill extraordinarily quickly…
Whatcha waiting for?
I attended the Greenville Cloth Diaper Group yesterday. I could not believe how many mamas were there! Even a first time pregnant mama with her mother came to learn about cloth diapering. I think there were around 15 women there!
I love cloth diapering. There are so many choices available. Really the sky is the limit on creative options for different lifestyles. My “go-to” diaper is still the bumGenius one-size. But around the house, I do love a simple prefold with a snappi. I love the simple look of it. It makes me think of summer and clothes-lines. It is close to the way my grandmothers diapered. Of course, I’m clumsy and would never attempt to use a safety pin anywhere near a wiggly baby so the snappi it will be!
It isn’t waterproof which is great because I am trying to learn Cedar’s elimination cues. And sometimes the snappi comes undone and snags on a towel or bedspread. I remember Norah crawling across our bed and getting stuck by her snappi. According to the snappi instructions, they are not meant to be used without a cover. Call me a rulebreaker.
The prefolds I use were given to me before Norah was born and were purchased by another mom (who also used them) at a yard sale from a family (who also used them)! Needless to say, a quality prefold holds up well!
When your baby grows out of prefolds, they make wonderful cleaning rags.
They are also an inexpensive option. A good prefold costs 1.50 (you’ll want a dozen) . And a snappi costs 3.95 (you only need one). To make them waterproof, you can add a 10.00 cover (you’ll need at least two).
As I think about my sister and her husband diapering in a developing country without hot water, I think prefolds might hold up the best. Of course, where they are going, the babies don’t wear diapers at all and they might find that practice suits.
So what is the deal with those necklaces all the babies are wearing these days?
They are baltic amber teething necklaces. And no, they are not meant for tots to gnaw on. The necklace isn’t a teething toy.
Amber contains succinic acid which is an analgesic and purported healing agent. As the amber rubs against the baby’s warm skin, it releases oil rich with succinic acid. Used more commonly in Europe, this homeopathic remedy is non-invasive and, well, stylish.
Does it work? I don’t know. It doesn’t hurt. And the necklaces are sweet. Teething bites and frankly, I’ll try anything. Except orajel. I tried that with Norah and managed to get her in her eye. Bad mama moment.
When looking for a safe amber necklace for your baby, select one that is knotted between each bead. If the necklace should break, the bead won’t be an immediate choking hazard. It is recommended that the necklace be removed when children sleep. If children are chewing on the beads, the necklace should be removed as the amber may chip.
I have purchased several products from Inspired by Finn and have been very pleased with their quick shipping, frequent discounts, and quality. Plus, it is a work-at-home-mama outfit. Pick up a pair of babylegs while you’re there. No, I didn’t receive anything to promote her store!
Interesting. iBirth is a virtual childbirth class and doula. Anyone tried it?
Meanwhile, is there an app for everything??
Yes, apparently.
Challenged to find a toy that is not “made in china?” Or ridiculously priced? Or plastic? Or requiring batteries?
Want to support a local craftswoman?
Check out Ashley’s amazing handmade Waldorf toys. Ashley is trained in Waldorf Early Childhood Education and is a parent educator. Click here for more info on Waldorf education . She makes her beautiful toys in Traveler’s Rest but, of course, can ship anywhere.
She says: Inspired by the limitless imaginations of young children, each toy is created with much love and warmth. Toys are purposely without detailed facial features to promote open-ended play and feed the infinite expressions of the child’s imagination. The beauty of the craftsmanship and simplicity of each toy beckons to be played with in a myriad of creative environments for years to come. Appropriate for ages birth through 7 years (and beyond!). My own children, ages 1 and 2, are my research and development team! I craft each of these toys from my home. The all natural materials I use include: hardwoods; wool – roving, batting, felt and yarn; cotton; bamboo; and found materials like acorn caps. Please allow 1-2 weeks for most custom orders.
I know I’m purchasing several pieces for Norah’s stocking. Take a look and if you’d like to see pictures of all of Ashley’s work or if you would like to purchase a few, email her at waldorfmama [at] gmail [dot] com.
Gnomes – (measuring approximately 4″ tall) in custom tailored outfits; gnomes are warm and wonderful to touch, all outfits are securely attached, and make great imaginative play toys as child grows – $4 each; 3 for $10; 6 for $20
Flower children and acorn fellows – each meticulously created and inspired by the changing seasons. A wonderful addition to sprout on a nature table and into imaginary play. Acorn folks are $4 each; a family of 3 – 2 adults and 1 child – for $10. Flower folks $6 each. (not recommended for children who will put them in their mouth)
Birthday/Dress Up crowns – a delight for the birthday celebration or for dress up; sized for young children to adults with adjustable velcro. – $15 each
Birthday Ring – inspired by rings from Germany, contains 12 hand tailored figures on a beeswax sealed wood base; customarily, child chooses one each year to stand in the center and the spot on the ring is filled with a candle; at 12 years old the ring is fully alight with all figures in the middle. Not recommended for everyday play. – $85, set includes 12 figures, wood base.
Knot dolls – a lovely first toy for the young child; knots are easily grasped and soothing to gnaw on; made from soft cotton fabric &/or organic bamboo fabric with wool batting in head (choose solid blue or pink) – $10
Balls of all sorts – felted (both wet and needle felted) wool with custom designs (small 2″ diameter $6, medium 3″ diameter $9, large 4″ diameter $12), embroidered cotton with a small rattle enveloped inside (4″ diameter $7); wool felt patchwork ($10); great for indoor play as first a rattle then an interactive toy
Carved wood animals – each hand carved, sanded smooth and finished with food grade beeswax; lovely as a first toy (safe for teething) then an addition to imaginary play as child grows older – prices start at $7.
Knitted animals – Soft and soothing to the touch (wool and cotton yarns), they can accompany many lovely tales children never tire of hearing (consider a mama duck and her babies with Jemimah Puddle Duck, bunnies to accompany any of the many fun rabbit tales, or a donkey, cat, dog and rooster set to illustrate the Bremen Town Musicians…) – Mama Duck $10, ducklings $4 each or a set of Mama and 2 babies for $15; rabbit $8; horse/donkey $10; rooster or chicken $4; cat $5; dog $10; elephant $15
Felt animals – pictured are two Scotty dogs; more designs to come in the future – $8 for solid $15 for appliqued
Mobiles – each individually crafted from pecan branches with wool and silk decorations – custom order, sizes and prices vary
Washcloths – knit or crocheted with organic cotton and quite lovely for the entire family – $7
Gift sets – multiple items may be selected to create a fun gift set; great for baby showers and birthdays! – prices vary
Aren’t they gorgeous?
Stunning, isn’t it?
Meanwhile I love Mr. Organic Man. Especially when he says flirty things like “oh, for you? just a dollar.” Or when he promises me a special jar of coconut oil next week after an evil woman snatched the only jar as I was reaching for it. Then she asks, “What do you do with coconut oil anyway?” She didn’t deserve it.
And lest you be confused in your own quest to find Mr. Organic Man at the flea market. He is quite the opposite of organic as he chain smokes in his camo jumpsuit with his chain-smoking, camo jumpsuit cohorts. Ah, but his flea market booth is fantastic.
My family was surprised when I decided to use glass baby bottles. Sure, they know I’m down on plastic, BPA, and all that jazz. But glass? Didn’t I remember what happened to every single glass given from my wedding registry? Didn’t I remember: “Julie, um, you have slippery fingers.”
So, today (and I’m surprised it has not happened earlier) I dropped a glass bottle from the kitchen counter to the ceramic tile floor. And…
It didn’t break! Ha ha! Hoorah for Coddletime bottles and their snazzy silicone sleeve.
Here are the specs:
Made of borosilicate glass, the same kind of glass used in laboratories due to its superior strength, durability and ability to resist thermal shock, making it extra safe for your little one. Borosilicate glass is also much lighter than traditional glass that is used for baby bottles.
Features:
And they didn’t pay me to say all that. I didn’t even get a free bottle out of the deal.
Meanwhile, I hate using the bottle and check the mail daily for my SNS. But I continue to pump and persuade comfort nursing as much as possible.
This one is for you, Marty Finch.
How much does a baby cost? Our first baby was expensive! We bought lots and lots of unnecessary things (and then ended up giving most of it away). What have I spent money on this time?
Pregnancy: I skipped most of the expensive medical tests and used the free ultrasound provided by Greenville Tech. I saw our family doctor for my prenatal care. I splurged on organic herbs, tea, and vitamins.
Birth: The birth was very inexpensive. We skipped the medical route and had our baby in the dining room. Honestly, the biggest expense was the remodeling work I forced Scott and my dad to complete on the house during my extended nesting period. There were some supplies to purchase–the most expensive was a birth tub. Otherwise, they were small things like tinctures, food, waterproof sheet, etc.
Diapers: We have not purchased nor has Cedar used a single disposable diaper. And I see no reason to use any in the future. We have not even purchased any cloth diapers. Cedar wears the one-size bumGenius that Norah used. And we have been loaned and gifted many newborn diapers as well. A good cloth diaper should last through several babies! My only expense has been water and energy for washing. I bought one container of Charlie’s Soap which is still half-full. I think I paid 11.99. I use the sun to bleach any stains out. Our cloth wipes were sewn by my mother-in-law. I make my own wipe solution using a few drops of lavender EO mixed into water.
Food: Cedar is thriving on human milk which is 100% free. She hasn’t tasted anything else. And when we get ready to start solid food, I won’t buy anything special. I’ll just mash up some of our fresh food with a fork.
Clothes: When we’re home, she is mostly in a diaper. I bought 10 white onesies at a consignment sale when I was pregnant and tie-dyed them. Add to that all of Norah’s newborn clothes and we’re set. I’m less susceptible to the “oh-my-gosh-too-cute” syndrome that hit me the first time around regarding baby clothes. It is hard to buy new baby clothes when there are such amazing steals at consignment sales! They don’t wear them enough to become worn.
Gear: I bought a bouncy seat for 10.00 at a consignment sale. I borrowed a moses basket which she naps in sometimes. I paid 2.50 for a jersey knit wrap. I already had a Maya ring sling, Ellaroo MT, Moby, and my Storch wrap. We already had a carseat and we don’t use a stroller. She sleeps with us, bathes with us. I can’t think of anything else we use.
Products we use often that we were given: Weleda Calendula lotion/bathwash. I love anything made by Weleda. Aura Cacia lavendar oil.
Do I sound proud? I am! I love to be frugal. And frugal is especially fun when it also benefits my baby’s health and the world in which she will live. Did I leave anything out?
So Finch, my friend, what are you waiting for?? Having a baby does not have to cost a fortune!
I’ve been complaining about how much I dislike Baby Books. I didn’t love Norah’s and really didn’t want to do another. But as my younger sister always points out: the first child gets a complete baby book and the younger sibling’s is barely completed if she has one at all. Do I sense some angst?
I have dutifully completed the required questions in Cedar’s oh-so-generic baby book. I even did her footprints (which turned out to be a messy disaster). But so much of the information is irrelevant. Such as the two pages dedicated to “coming home from the hospital.” Really? Two pages? What outfit did you wear home from the hospital? Well, not only did Cedar not leave the house for 7 days, she also didn’t wear anything that first week. And decorating the nursery? Cedar’s nursery is our room; her crib is our king-sized bed.
I muttered something about how someone needed to design baby books for the not-so-generic experience.
Voila: Artist Adriane Bovine has created baby books that are beautiful, hand-made, and tailored for out-of-the-norm whether it be adoption, non traditional families, homebirths, the family bed, etc. Check her out! Put this extraordinary baby book on your wish list.
Well done, Adriane Bovine!
Inexplicable Ways 