kim through
   the looking glass

Oddly, I’ve been thinking a lot about babywearing lately. I guess it’s not too odd, since I still carry Gwen quite often, but I find myself thinking about the fact that I’m not likely going to be able to wear her nearly as long as I was hoping.

And finding myself feeling guilty.

When I was pregnant with Gwen, I developped some NASTY varicose veins in my left leg. I had to wear support hose. One of my tip-offs that I might be pregnant again was a nice plump varicose vein running along my thigh. I poked it and thought, “Hmmm … it’s been a while since I’ve seen one of those … like … almost a year … OH CRAP.”

So, needless to say, the veins are back and I’m already wearing the support hose. During my last pregnancy, my midwives wanted me off work because it involved lifting that was adding extra strain to my cardiovascular system. I’m assuming it’ll be the same this time, only the lifting and carrying that I do now is of a very different sort.

I’m hoping to wear Gwen as long as possible, not only because I love it and she loves it, but also because I am one of the few people I know or have seen in Hamilton wearing a baby. And you know what? I believe that being visible and wearing your baby out of the house goes a long way toward normalizing babywearing and encouraging other people to do it.

I am, however, thankful that Gwen doesn’t hate our new stroller - in fact, she loves riding in it and gets excited when she sees me pull it out and open it up. But the best is still how she rests her head on my chest when I’m getting her in the Mei Tai and snuggles her head under my chin when I’m tying it.

She still loves transportation by mama the best!

This summer, we’ve done a lot of planning for ways to grow our own fruits and veggies and taken many steps toward becoming much more self-sustaining. Our housemates have a large vegetable garden in the back and although they have offered for us to partake of the veggies/fruits grown therein, I didn’t feel up to doing that much gardening just yet … I don’t really know much about it and when the planning was happening, I didn’t feel up to helping even with that, since it was at a rough Gwen-time.

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… that in this post, I said that I was planning on using a baby carrier for the first few weeks.

Here we are - Gwen’s almost 11 months old and I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve had her in the stroller. I love wearing my baby!

I don’t have a topic that I specifically want to blog on, so I thought I’d throw a random smattering of stuff out there.

• On the right, you’ll see a new widget - the ‘Ideal Bite’ widget, and to be more precise, the ‘Mama Bite’ edition. I had signed up for these daily tips for green living a while ago and was loving getting them! Lately, though, I’ve realized that I already am aware of most of the tips/advice, so I unsubscribed, but thought I could continue to support them by helping my readers get some tips.
• I’ve finally mastered the art of wearing Gwen on the front in my woven wrap. I’m currently using the front wrap cross and LOVE IT. Since Gwen’s about 15 lbs now, she’s getting too heavy for my sling, but it’s quite comfy to wrap her on! Now I’m trying to work on back carries …
• I’m an aunt for the second time! Brad’s sister had a baby on February 4th - they are both (to our knowledge) doing well.
• I’ve finally joined Ravelry! So far, I’ve input most of my stash and needles and have picked out my next pattern for some new socks. I’m almost done the sock I’m working on now.
• I’m thinking of selling off my wool covers. Although they fit Gwen quite well as a newborn, this next size is just not working for us. Right now, we’re using two little g pants, a Kushies cover, and a Bummis cover. I’ve got an order in for a few more little g’s.
• I’ve been working on my wedding scrapbook lately - digitally - and it’s been lots of fun to go through our pictures and re-live that day! I can’t decide whether to make just a picture book or to do some journalling … any suggestions?
• Gwen has been sleeping GREAT lately!! She’s been taking two good naps - around 1 - 2 hours apiece AND she’s only waking twice during the night - once around 10 or 11pm and then again around 2 or 3am. The only downside to this good sleep is that she’s waking for the day between 6:15 and 6:30am. That’s just cruel (she used to wake up around 8:30am!).
• On of my very good friends is very close to having a new baby … I’m so excited to meet him! I made her a dinner last night and need to take it over to her house this weekend for her freezer.
• Facebook is irritating. Why doesn’t it ever work correctly?
• I have been totally slacking in the picture department lately! I’ve got tonnes of pics of Gwen and lots of videos, but I haven’t taken them off my camera yet.
• The cord on my laptop is dying. It needs some serious electrical tape and Brad and I are thinking seriously of doing a full back-up of all my files in preparation for the day that my laptop will be on it’s way to computer heaven. You can’t buy a new power cord for Macs, so once it’s done, it’s done. Not quite sure what we’re going to do when the lappy dies. I’m hoping I can get a new one, but yeah. That’s money.
• My mommy just called and she’s coming to visit today! YAY!
• I totally fell off the push-up and sit-up wagon. I did the first week and was loving it. And then yeah. I’m thinking I’m going to re-start week one this coming week since Brad wants to do the challenge too. This way, we can suffer together

The first giveaway is over at The True Face of Birth - a 2nd Womb ring sling! Check out the details of how to enter!

AND

Fill out this survey at Along for the Ride to win an Organic Embroidered Ergo Carrier.

AND

Check out Northwest Moms Finds for another Ergo Hands-Free System!

Wow! I keep forgetting that it’s International Babywearing Week! I keep reading Steph’s posts at Adventures in Babywearing and forgetting to create my own post with some pics so I can enter the contest for some great slings at Nonny & Boo!

I’ve been wearing Gwen since she was barely a week old, and have been loving it ever since! In fact, we’ve yet to actually use our stroller … we tried it once and Gwen screamed the whole time she was in it! I don’t really mind though, because I loooooove wearing her - and I love not having to carry our stroller up/down our front steps every time I want to go somewhere! Read the rest of this entry »

DON’T wear your baby in a front-facing position while trying to add milk and sugar to your tea at the local coffee shop. Your baby may reach out and stick her hand in the piping hot water, requiring you to run home, stick her hand in cool water, give her tylenol, stick a baby mitten soaked in cold water on her hand, and bounce her while singing to try and soothe her for over an hour until she finally falls asleep. Your baby may then, after this horrible traumatic experience, sleep for three hours.

DON’T ask me how I know this.

Time keeps on slippin’ …

Jolly Jumping!

into the future …

Playing with daddy and 'The Ozlo'

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I’m not sure if it’s because I’m busier now than I used to be or if it’s because Gwen is sucking my brain cells out in my milk, but I’m having a hard time forming real posts. I think I’m going to start a ‘Quote of the Week’ thing for myself - at least force me to blog about something once a week! Here’s this week’s quote:

“It seems that in Western industrial societies like ours, we have somehow managed to remove most of the closeness between mother and baby that comes naturally in simpler places. We’ve invented plastic infant seat so that wen babies are moved about, they don’t have to be carried in the parent’s arms. What a contrast between this and the frequent movements and warm contact when babies are held by slings against their mother’s warm bodies. If it’s true, as the accumulated evidence seems to suggest, that movement and bodily closeness are good for babies, especially in the early weeks, we’re been ingenious and consistent in depriving them of these sensations”

- Dr. Benjamin Spock, MD

This quote is on the front of the brochure I received when I got my Heart 2 Heart Baby Sling and it made me stop for a second and think. In most cultures, babies are carried or worn most of the time and put down infrequently during the day - count me in with that culture! I love having Gwen with me - I feel wrong when she’s asleep in another room or out of my sight line. I feel right when she’s nestled on my chest or in my arms. When I’m wearing or holding her, she can signal her need to nurse before she starts crying and I can meet that need quickly. She  wakes up from napping and gazes into my eyes - content that I’m right there. I love wearing my baby - and as a bonus, psychology research thinks I’m doing the right thing, too.