Raising Peanuts

Just a lot of random

2009-07-16T14:25:00.003-04:00

So I figured since I've been pretty sparse around here I thought I'd at least fill you all in on a bunch of random things we've got going on.

I'm in the midst of trying to come out from under the weeds in my garden. It's so horrible I just can't keep up. Between that and the potato beetle larva I'm dealing with, well...let's just say it's been time consuming! (I've been placing carpet strips in my rows though to help me out down the road)
I'm also one of the directors for VBS this year at our church and right now I'm busy planning lessons and activities. It's in like 4 weeks, so we're down to the time crunch!!
I'm also nursing a lot. Yea, baby's like to eat! And I get on the computer quite often in the AM but the thing is - it's hard to write a post one handed!!
I've also been busy freezing strawberries, cherries, and soon - blueberries and peaches.
And I'm doing laundry. A lot. And not from the baby - from the toddler.
Plus we've been trying to do some fun summer stuff like go to the park and hang out with friends!

So what have you been up to??

Review : Don't Bit Me Patch

2009-07-08T23:30:00.001-04:00

We live on a mosquito farm.

Seriously.

Everyone has them at their house in the summer right? Right.

Except we also have a good size river that floods during the spring/summer rains and then proceeds to fill all of the low lying areas just a few hundred feet from our front door. I mean, we used to live 2 miles (big move huh?) from where we are now and it was nothing compared to this. At night we get swarms of the outside the sliders and basically can't go outside after about 6pm. It borders on ridiculous.

And that is the reason why I jumped at the chance when Momfuse asked if I wanted to try out some Don't Bite Me Patches. This patch is a new, natural, way to repel those stupid biting insects. It contains only vitamin B1 and aloe. The vitamin B1 travels through your system and the excess is the sent out your pores, thereby masking the carbon dioxide you body emits. The aloe is an anti inflammatory that helps minimize any inflammation that occurs if you do get a bite.

Sounds great right? At least a way to not use lots of chemicals. But does it work?

I put one on my leg about 2 hours before I tested it out. (it takes 2 hours to be effective) After dinner I went outside, right up to the edge of the woods. What transpired was really weird. I was being swarmed, yet none landed on me. After a few minutes I received only one bite, which is a miracle seeing how many where out there.

Since then I have used the patches a few more times, and each time received one bite or less. So these things really do work! My only beef is that it takes a couple hours to be effective so it doesn't really work for impromptu outings. But for camping or for when you know you'll be outside for great lengths of time, these are awesome! They're waterproof and they even last for about 36 hours!

Best of all, you can put them on kids without having to worry about Deet!

So if you'd rather not feed the mosquitoes this summer, try out the Don't Bite Me Patch. I'm pretty sure they can be found nationwide at RiteAid and I've also seem them at our local Health Food Store.

Potty Training

2009-07-07T23:30:00.002-04:00

I've been meaning to write this post now for months. Literally.

See, we did all our potty training almost one year ago when Cody turned 2. Actually just a couple days before. But I guess this does seem to be a good time since he is now 100% diaper free as of a few weeks ago and in time for his third birthday!

How I did it:

Once I decided to start potty training I made the decision that what we started would not be stopped. I was not going to revert back to diapers. So I went out and bought a little potty at Target and about a dozen 'big boy' underpants. It was just a simple little potty, no bells and whistles.

It soon went right back to Target.

See, umm...boys pee out. Not down. And there was no way in tarnation that he could sit down on that thing and actually go into it! So I did some searching online and it seemed moms of boys liked the Baby Bjiorn potty as it had a higher guard in front. Plus it's a very basic potty and of good quality for only a few dollars more, so I highly recommend it as well!

One morning after breakfast I took off his last diaper and we put underpants on both him AND his teddy. We walked downstairs to the potty, where I had already put a bit of water in it, and placed teddy on it. So teddy got to be the first one to go potty and get a potty snack. (I had some organic m&m type candies) We then talked about what he was supposed to do.

Then I got him some juice. Yup, juice. He rarely ever gets juice so for him this was HUGE. And he drank and drank and drank it all day. Why? Well, when they have to pee more often it gives them more of a chance to learn when they feel the urge to go.

At first he had shorts on and let me tell you, this did. not. work! After the 3rd time of him just peeing and barely getting wet, I put on his cotton pj pants that fit quite snugly. And this was the ticket for him! The first couple times he got wet, he lost it. He did not like getting all wet.

By the end of the first day he was starting to hold it much longer and by the second night he actually started telling us he had to go potty! (I had taught him the sign for potty previously) Every time he went, he did get a potty snack and of course we made a big to do about everything as well. And I did a ton of laundry!!

Sure he had accidents, but for the most part he was trained #1 within a few days time. But then after a couple weeks, the newness wore off and he started having accidents multiple times a day. So I decided to take all of his hot wheels away when he wet himself and he could get them back by going in the potty chair.

Worked like a charm! In no time flat he was staying dray all day again.

Then we got some sort of stomach bug and let me tell you, this really did not help for training #2! Because of the cramping he felt and the pain while going, I'm pretty sure this scared him away from going on the potty. And then I got pregnant. And was so tired I just couldn't train anymore than what he already was. So he ended up scheduling himself to go during naptimes where he still used a diaper. I guess all I can say is that I'm glad he at least wasn't going in his pants during the day as he only wore underpants then.

A few months go buy and I make it my goal to get him to go #2 on the potty by the time baby comes. And I knew it was my fault he wasn't fully trained as I was being a bit inconsistent with the training. So we try the treats again. And we try the taking the toys again. Nope, still going at naptime.

So then I started putting him down naked. Yes, you heard me right. Naked. Cause I knew he wouldn't go unless he felt the security of the diaper. And while we had a few wet sheets here and there, it worked like a charm! Until he held it for days and then hurt himself again while going in the potty.

So while we finally had naptimes down, he then started going in the morning.

Ugh! I talked to a few of my friends and got a few different ideas. But when talking about rewards with one friend I finally got the idea to use hot wheels as a reward. So I went out and spent 10 bucks buying some new cars for him.

The next morning I had them all lined up on the counter and we discussed what they were for. And you know what? Two hours later he told me he had to go!

Bingo!

I had finally figured out how to break his habit and within a week he was fully trained except for bed time.

And last month I figured it was as good a time as any to start night training when he started peeing in his diaper right after we put him to bed. Actually it was the "just a minute mommy. I have to pee in my deeper first" when I went to take it off one morning! I knew then he was ready!

I just told him if he woke up dry he got a treat. Of course it didn't work for the first couple of nights and I was up changing wet sheets. But of course I was already up with the baby so it wasn't that big of a deal! After 2 weeks he stayed dry. And has been dry since.

Now, we aren't without accidents. I mean he's not quite 3 yet. But all of those are due to the fact that he get's lazy or to busy to go.

So if I were to give any advice (yea, I know you didn't ask, but I'm gonna give it anyways!) I'd tell you to:

Buy more underpants than you really need. Like 2 dozen so you don't have to do laundry as much!
Use a favorite doll or stuffed animal to show them what to do
buy treats or prizes for each time they go (I only gave them out when he went, not just when he tried)
Make sure you have a week at home with out interruption
Give them lots to drink the first few days!
Unless it's before naptime or bedtime, don't tell them when to go. Wait until they feel the urge themselves. Yes, it makes more laundry, but at least they'll be trained, and not you who's trained.
Don't use pullups. All it really is is a diaper and will give them the same feeling as wearing one.
Be consistent! I know that the reason it was drawn out for a few months for us was because of me. I was being inconsistent and that translated into untraining.
and most of all, expect your kids to get the hang of it. It seems no matter what you say or do, if you somehow don't expect your kids to 'get it' or if you think it's gonna take forever, somehow they feel that and only live up to your true expectations.

Well, that's what has worked for us thus far. And I know my way of doing things definitely isn't for everyone, but I thought I'd share just in case there's a mama out there who's only told that boys take forever to potty train. It is possible!

Any other mama's out there wanna leave us some of your own tips? What worked for you?

Lost hours

2009-07-07T13:10:00.002-04:00

You know... when I thought how my life would look with a second baby I figured I'd be losing a lot of 'me time'. It's just what happens when children come along. You just have less time to do things. Well, baby number two came along and really not much changed. Sure I had a bit less time to myself, but after we woke in the mornings I had ample time to get things done and blog before Cody woke up.

Hmmm.

I seem to have forgotten that my son does not sleep well in the summer. June 1 hits and he somehow needs about 3-4 hours less sleep per night.

So instead of me getting my blogging time done in the morning before he wakes at 8:00am, I barely get the baby fed before he's up at 6:30. Some days he's even up before Todd leaves for work! Even skipping naps doesn't seem to work as he just gets crabbier and crabbier. What I miss most of all though is my ability to sleep in on Saturday morning. Sure, the baby wakes to eat, but she's at such a young age she'll nurse herself right to sleep again.

Anybody elses kids do this?

A few ways to get things for free

2009-07-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

So, I know I posted about these few things yesterday when I put up my resources page, but I got a couple questions about some so I thought I'd go in depth about a few so you knew they weren't scams. Cause, I'd never direct you all to a scam let alone something I hadn't done myself! And I know many of you already joined these, as I always seem to be the last one to post about them!

First up is Paperback swap. I joined up about a year ago now and have received quite a few "new to me" books. The easiest way to explain paperback swap is to call it an online book swap. You post any book that you currently own that you no longer read. (if you post 10 books right away they automatically give you 2 book credits!) Now at some point, you'll most likely have someone request your book. When you send it out to them (you pay the shipping) and they receive it, you get a book credit. You can then use that book credit and search the site to request someone else's book. They then pay the shipping to send it to you and you get a free, used, book! I've sent out many of my own books and have received some great books in return. I've never had any issues with people not sending out a book, although it is up to the people who post them to follow through. It's a great way to save some money! And if you have friends sign up with your refferal link you earn even more book credits! (so if you haven't signed up yet, you can click on the button above to use my refferal link. I'm currently saving up my book credits to be able to get some 'schooling' books to use for preschool this year)

DVD Swap - Same premise as the Paperback Swap but with DVD's. I joined this one much later on, but have since gotten 2 DVDs that my toddler enjoys quite a bit.

SwagBucks - A search engine that rewards you for using it with "points". These points can then be turned into online gift certificates to all sorts of online stores or to buy prizes. I've earned $15.00 in Amazon.com cards in about 6 weeks! This works just like google and you can even pull the swagbucks search up into the top right hand "search area" say the Mozilla or IE window. You then do nothing different at all when yuo search. Every few times you search for something online it pops up that you have earned a swagbucks and it gets added into your account. So far I've used my swag bucks to purchase an amazon gift card so that I could buy some California Baby Sunblock! A fabulous way for me to buy things that are normally out of my price range! And of course, you can also earn extra points here and there by refferals as well. (*clears throat* the above button!) So once you sign up, your friends and family sign up, you'll all be earning 'bucks' for something you'd be doing anyways.

Mitetees winner

2009-07-01T18:54:00.000-04:00

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-07-01 22:50:29 UTC

Tami - an e-mail is on it's way!!

Resources

2009-07-01T14:25:00.002-04:00

Here is a decent list of companies/site that I frequent in my quest to live a healthier, greener, and more nourishing life. This definitely is not a concrete list and I will add resources as I come across (or remember) them!
(also - if you have any that you think I'd like to know about, send them my way!)

Recipes/Cooking Sites:
AllRecipes - A great searchable site for all kinds of recipes. Includes ratings from those who have tried certain recipes which is helpful to know which ones to try. My most used recipe site, and I just modify to adjust for our nutritional standards.

RecipeZaar - Another searchable site for recipes.

Tammy's Recipes - A blog run by a stay at home mom of 3. She posts some great, easy, recipes.

The Nourishing Gourmet - Lots of Real/ Whole foods recipes!

Sue Gregg - This site includes nutritious and nourishing recipes.

Real Asian Made Simple - Has a great listing of some easy to make Asian foods.

The Pioneer Woman - Seriously, this woman can cook! I personally love her mac and cheese.

Rachel Ray - I love to browse her recipes and I usually alter tham a bit to make them a bit more nourishing or based around our dietary needs.

Beauty/Hygiene Products:
Skin Deep - An awesome database by the Environmental Working Group to search cosmetic products for chemicals, etc. Gives a listing of the most and least toxic products.

Flora Botanicals - They sell handmade body whips and scrubs along with products for mom and baby. (my review here)

Real/Whole/Nourishing Foods:
Weston A. Price - "The Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism. It supports a number of movements that contribute to this objective including accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labeling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies. Specific goals include establishment of universal access to clean, certified raw milk and a ban on the use of soy formula for infants." Basically a grest resource for all things pertaining to nourishing foods!!

Real Milk - A great site on the hows and whys of drinking raw milk. They also have a search feature to find a local source for raw milk.

Moutain Rose Herbs - A great resource for herbs, spices, oils, and things pertaining to natural body care. I've ordered from them and loved everything I got!

Cultures For Health - A site that sells, Yogurt and Sourdough starters as well as kefir grains.

Finding Local Resources:
Local Harvest - A great site to find farmers markets and CSA's near you.

Real Milk - A great site on the hows and whys of drinking raw milk. They also have a search feature to find a local source for raw milk.

Eat Wild - A great site all about healthy meats with a search feature to find your own local source.

Azure Standard - I've never ordered from them, but know a lot of folks who do. They sell bulk and natural foods.

Green Living:
Neela Bags - Stylish reusable bags. (my review here)

EcoTouch Waterless Car Wash - Wash your car w/o water! (my review here)

EcoStores - eco friendly laundry detergent, dish detergent, bath and body stuff, pet care, etc. (my review here)

Green Lemonaide - offers "green toolkits". (my review here)

Tappening - Offers BPA free water bottles. (my review here)

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding:
Kellymom - A great resource for all things concerning breastfeeding!

The Bradley method - This method focuses on husband coached childbirth and was a great natural childbirth resource for me!

The Best Birth - a nice DVD to watch to get yourself ready for birth. This seemed to help my husband really know what was going on 'down there' since we chose not to take actual classes. (my review here)

The Christian Childbirth Handbook - A wonderful book about natural childbirth from a Christian perspective. The website also has some wonderful information on it as well.

Giving Birth Naturally - A site all about natural childbirth. Even has online childbirth classes.

Babywearing:
The Kylie Wrap - *Handmade* wrap style carrier using jersey knit fabric. (my review here)

Wrap and Wear - Another wrap style carrier using crinkle cotton fabric. (my review here)

Ring Sling - *Handmade* ring slings by Kangaroobabe. (my review here) She also sells tutu's and baby leggings.

Mei Tai - *Handmade* Mei Tai from Jellie Babies. (my review here)

Ergo - A soft structured carrier. (my review here)

The Peanut Shell - A pouch type sling. (my review here)

Cloth Diapering:
Cotton Babies - a great resource for learning about and buying cloth diapers. I've ordered a few things from them and never had any customer service or shipping issues. Everything was as stated on the website.

Nicki's Diapers - another great place to buy diapers and supplies. I've also ordered from this site with no problems!

Wooden Toys:
Ogunquit Wooden Toy - Super cute *handmade* baby rattles and toys for kids.

Play Child Toys - A great source for Melissa and Doug, Wooden Thomas the Train, PlayMobile, pretend play toys, Uncle Goose blocks, and they even have a made in the USA section.

Free Stuff:
LaBump - A great place to search out free maternity and baby clothes. Not yet available in every area though.

Paperback Swap - A great site in which you list books you have that you no longer read and can then pick out another book from someone else that they want to pass along.

DVD Swap - Same premise as the Paperback Swap but with DVD's.

SwagBucks - A search engine that rewards you for using it with "points". These points can then be turned into online gift certificates to all sorts of online stores. I've earned $15.00 in Amazon.com cards in about 6 weeks!

Freecycle - A website with locally based groups where you can both offer free items or look for them yourself.

Review : Thai Kitchen (and a giveaway!)

2009-06-30T13:32:00.004-04:00

I've had Thai food once, at a wedding reception. I have never, ever cooked it myself. But when Mom Fuse asked if I'd like to review some stuff from Thai Kitchen that I would make in my own kitchen, I thought in light of my whole "Try It Tuesday" thing, it would be a good way to expand my horizons!

They sent me the curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, and jasmine rice so I could make either some curry vegetables or some curry chicken. I went with the chicken. I was a bit worried it wouldn't turn out, or we wouldn't like it, so I had some quick dinner items in the fridge just in case!

Here's the recipe I made:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 can (14 ounces) Thai Kitchen® Coconut Milk, divided

2 tablespoons Thai Kitchen® Red Curry Paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar (I used sucanat)

1 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup chopped fresh Thai basil (I totally forgot this! oops!)

2 tablespoons Thai Kitchen® Premium Fish Sauce

Bring 1/2 of the coconut milk to simmer in large skillet on medium heat. Stir in curry paste until well blended. Add remaining coconut milk and sugar; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in chicken. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is heated through.
Stir in basil and fish sauce.Serve with cooked Thai Kitchen® Jasmine Rice. Garnish with additional basil and red chile slices, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

It was super easy to make and get this - we all liked it! I did lower the curry paste by a half a tablespoon since I didn't want it to be to spicy for my toddler, and it wasn't hot at all. Next time I'll put the full amount in. It even reheated well when my husband took the leftovers to work the next day. He even liked it so much he made the comment "This is really growing on me!". So nice when I step out on a limb and it actually works!

I also like the fact that they have all the allergy information right on their labels as well as on their website. Since my husband is on a gluten free diet right now, this is especially helpful. And with their variety of products, I may just try my hand at something else soon! And the curry chicken is on the menu again for later this week!

Now, the sponsors of the review, Thai Kitchen, are also going to giveaway a Thai Kitchen cookbook to 2 of my readers! So now you can try out something new as well. To enter to win, just go check out Real Asian Made Simple and leave a comment back on this post with a recipe you'd like to try. I'll choose the winner via Random.org next Monday (the 6th) at 6am.

The giveaway is now closed. And the winners are.........

Here are your random numbers:

16 7

Timestamp: 2009-07-15 19:36:15 UTC

They have been e-mailed!! Thanks everyone for participating!

A Day in the Life...

2009-06-26T06:00:00.002-04:00

A stay at home mom always get's the "So what do you do all day" question at least a couple of times during her mom career. And lately I've been feeling like I'm busy all day, but not getting a lot done, so I thought I'd take a random day this week and actually jot everything down!!

5:30am - Baby wakes up to eat. (slept since 10pm!!whoo hoo!!)

6:00 - Toddler tries to get up. Tell him to go back to bed, it's to early to wake up!

6:30 - Let toddler get up since he's not going back to sleep. Kiss hubby goodbye! Toss a load of dipes in the wash.

6:45 - Breakfast and kitchen cleanup. Let the dog out.

7:15 - Put baby down for a nap and let toddler watch some PBS while I get some morning baking done. (normally he helps, but he's in a bit of a mood today from going to bed late and then up way to early!) Got a batch of granola bars and GF zucchini muffins done!

8:00 - Quick check of the e-mail, get dressed and ready.

8:30 - Forgot the dog was still outside and let him in to eat. Fold clothes from the dryer (washed yesterday) Toss the dipes in the dryer. Get the toddler dressed and ready.

8:45 - Sit and read books with toddler while I nurse the baby

9:15 - Snacktime while I try and get a package ready for post office. Baby is NOT happy that I put her down and is screaming away. Toddler then gets in trouble after snack for getting into something he can't have. Starts screaming. Goes to sit on his bed till he calms down. Change and feed baby some more cause she obviously wasn't full enough. Listen to toddler have a complete meltdown and cough and gag because he's crying so much.

9:45 - Get ready to head to post office to mail package and then to the farm to pick some strawberries and get our milk.

10:00 - Finally leave.

10:45 - Back home. Only got 1 qt of strawberries before we had to leave. Guess, I'll try again later. Baby asleep in car seat, toddler in his room for "playtime", I send out a few e-mails and deal with some vbs business. Throw dipes in the dryer and wish I had a laundry line outside since it's so hot they'd dry in no time! Toss another load in the washer.

11:00 - Wash strawberries and set out to dry.

11:15 - Nurse baby again, while toddler play with toys in livingroom.

11:30 - Put half dozen eggs in pan to hardboil. Head outside to check on the garden.

12:00 - Make lunch. We had a salad, GF muffin, applesauce, and sliced cheese.

12:30 - Put toddler in naptime, baby in the Ergo and then transferred to bed. Fold laundry, and cut and bag granola bars. Put GF muffins in bags and put in the freezer.

1:40 - Blog time/Me time! Then send out e-vites for a bridal shower next month. (good thing the kids slept so long as it took me longer than I thought!) Swap some more laundry out.

3:15 - Toddler up and has some dried pineapple for a snack.

3:30 - Feed baby while toddler plays.

4:00 - Show toddler how to run in the sprinklers since it's over 90 out.

4:30 - Let toddler play on the back deck with buckets of water while I clean the kitchen again. Throw in another load of laundry. Clean up the house a bit before husband comes home.

5:15 - Get dinner started with baby in wrap as she wouldn't let me put her down. Toddler still playing in water on deck! Except by now he's ditched his clothes. Still can't figure out the whole "swim shorts" thing!!

6:00 - Eat dinner.

6:20 - Feed baby while the rest of the family finishes dinner.

6:45 - Relax for a bit.

7:30 - Toss in more laundry, clean up kitchen.

8:00 - Start getting toddler ready for bed. Then let him play for a little while.

8:30 - Kiss toddler goodnight and have hubby put him to bed.

8:45 - Feed baby again.

9:15 - Try and put baby to bed, but it's a no-go for walking her to sleep and I'm to tired to keep it up.

9:30 - Take the easy way out and nurse baby to sleep. Fall asleep myself while nursing her on the couch.

10:15 - Barely notice husband turn off the lights and head to bed. To tired to get up and join him, plus I don't wanna wake the baby. Guess I'm sleeping on the couch for the night.

Review : Mitetees

2009-06-25T06:00:00.002-04:00

I totally got hooked up again through Mom Fuse to do a review on a personalized infant tee from Mitetees. They sell onsies and t-shirts that you can customize in a lot of different ways.

I thought about getting this one that says "go green"
and I probably should have gotten the one that says "run, mommy, run!" since I do need to get my behind out there!
But then I decided to go with something I could put some pink on and got this one that I had personalized to say Cody's little sister.

I was impressed with the actual quality of the onesie as I've seen some like this where the fabric is kind of stiff and not comfy. These are soft and definitely wearable! And they wash well without the font coming off. And Cody is super proud that Sophia can wear his name!

These would make a great gift for either the new baby OR for older siblings. (they have regular t-shirts for older kids) Just seems like such a fun way to give something that no one else is going to give. So if you have a new baby to buy for soon, check out Mitetees to see what they offer!

Since Mitetees is a super rocking store, you can just comment on this post to enter to win one for yourself! I'll keep comments open until Wednesday July 1st at 6am when I'll choose the winner. (US residents only) ***GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!**

This post is also linked to: Things I Love Thursday

Grateful for my Handy Man

2009-06-23T15:13:00.004-04:00

My husband is one of those guys that's just plain handy to have around. He fixes what breaks, and builds what we need.

And two weeks ago I needed a fence.

See, I have this garden. And this year I'm really hoping to get a good harvest out of it!

But the deer? Well, they seem to have other plans. They ate all of my cucumbers, half my peppers and even started munching on my strawberries! And while I had some great comments on my other blog about it (human hair seems to keep them away) we figured it was time to "go big or go home".

See what he built me?
My garden right now is about 24' x24' and is now guarded like fort knox! He spent his whole Saturday morning and early afternoon putting this up all by himself. And don't worry - we know deer can jump. That's why we haven't yet cut down the posts yet. If they come back we'll put a bit more fencing up. :-)

And that's what I'm so grateful for today - my awesome husband!

My Chunky Monkey

2009-06-19T11:25:00.003-04:00

I figured it was about time to put up baby girls 2 month update now that she's 10 weeks old. :-)

She's got lots of chunky rolls and is growing fabulously! I weighed her just the other night and she's 10lbs 12 oz already and 23 inches long! Since I didn't take her in for her 2 month check at the doctors, I'm making sure to do all the weighing and measuring myself. I might take her in for her 4 month. Might. We'll see. For me it just doesn't make sense when i know she's healthy and growing well to spend $30.00 for a copay when all they do is weigh and measure her. (we currently aren't getting her vacc'd at this point.)

She still eats about every 3 hours during the day. She still does great at night as well. From about 3 weeks old, shes slept 6-7 hours at a time and she's slowly increasing it to about 8 hours. Except her night starts at about 8:00pm, so I do end up laying her in her Moses basket in our room when she goes to bed and then I usually get up about 3 or 4am and head out to the couch and finish off the night there. (sleeping while nursing - the ultimate lazy mom move!)

She's also a really happy baby most of the time and rarely fusses unless she's dirty or tired. She basically just snorts instead of crying too. The only time she really cries is when she wakes up! So different from Cody. Although, I think now that most of Cody's fussiness came from my eating to much wheat and dairy while I was nursing him. Maybe it's easier this time around because we've cut our consumption of those so much!

But she's also super laid back and just content to watch whats going on. Also very different from Cody! She's 10 weeks and barely likes to stand. At 2 months he couldn't get enough standing! he'd fuss unless you held him up!

So it's been fun to see how different they develop and I think God knew we couldn't handle 2 very active babies in a row! And we're loving our little girl so much! (she totally has daddy around her little finger already too!)

A Baby Wearing Guest Post

2009-06-18T06:00:00.002-04:00

Today I'm bringing you a guest post from Desiree Fawn. She's mama to 4 month old Gretchen and blogs at So Fawned all the way up in Canada.

Babywearing: Happy Babies & Happier Mamas
by, Desiree Fawn

There are many articles citing that the art of babywearing makes for happier, smarter & healthier babies and I absolutely agree. However, I feel as though I am benefiting just as much as a mother. Babywearing has solved so many issues that have come up and I cannot imagine parenting without it. I actually started collecting babywearing devices before my daughter was born. I had seen a few mamas wearing their babies on walks and at the grocery store and knew I wanted to give it a try but I never imagined what an incredible asset it would be.

When Gretchen was a newborn the only way that I could help her fall asleep was to put her in the sling and do laps around our apartment. The movement soothed her I loved her being so close. It helped us both to feel peaceful. Having her in the sling also served as a way to keep her swaddled and secure while she fell asleep. During those first few weeks the only time that I could manage to shower was when Gretchen was happy in the sling being worn by her daddy.

Now that she is four months old I still use the sling every single day and the benefits are no less. When she is fussy, a quick jaunt in the sling will calm her. If we are in public and she is hungry I can quickly change her position and latch her on before she starts to get upset or cry. I can even walk while nursing and no one notices.

Babywearing puts my mind at ease. I never have to worry about carting a stroller up and down our stairs or whether or not a place is stroller accessible or easy to maneuver. It makes shopping & running errands much easier. I also love that I can feel productive around the house while wearing her. I can cook, clean & fold laundry with her in the sling and she's just as content as can be.

I love knowing that she sees what I see and that I am helping her learn about the world. I know that she is safe in the sling & she is so happy being face to face with everyone and greets them all with big smiles.

Babywearing makes for a happy baby & an incredibly happy mama. I have no idea what we would do without it. I hope she will continue to love being worn as much as I love wearing her for a very long time.

Thanks Desiree!! What a great post!

Eat Real Food: Milk

2009-06-17T13:50:00.004-04:00

Unpasteurized, unprocessed, untreated, unhomogenized straight off the teet milk.

That's all we drink. And sometimes when I pick it up, it's so fresh that it's not even cold yet!

But five years ago, even 3 years ago, if you would have told me that raw milk was the stuff to buy, I would have scrunched up my nose and groaned. That's disgusting right? Why in the world would anyone want to drink real milk? Why would we want to drink it as God provided?

Let me tell you why I think Raw/Organic milk is the best:

Umm...it's how God gave it to us. And you can do so many things with real milk. Like make yogurt, kefir, whey, cheese, butter, cream cheese,and on and on.
The cows are not injected with rBGH, a growth hormone. Milk that comes from cows that are treated with rBGH have higher levels of an insulin like hormone which causes your body's cells to proliferate and it's been linked to cancer. Plus, it shorten the milking life for the poor cows and causes mastitis which causes them to be given antibiotics.
Pasteurizing actually causes much of the healthy part of milk to be killed off. Say goodbye to the healthy good bacteria (it acts like a probiotic and keeps your immune system healthy). Say goodbye to vital nutrients like folic acid and vitamins A, B6, B12, and C. Also say goodbye to the enzymes that are actually required to help digest milk and absorb it's nutrients! (did you know, a lot of folks who think they are lactose intolerant are really just pasteurized milk intolerant?) Some of the enzymes lost include: lipase (helps digest fats) lactase (you need to digest lactose. And since it's lacking in the pasteurized stuff, that's why most people have a problem with it) and phosphatase (helps absorb calcium. Hmmm osteoporosis is on the rise why?) Hetaing the milk also changes the protiens of the milk and damages the much needed omega 3 fats.
From my experience, ususally raw milk farms have very earth and health conscience farmers. They treat their animals well, allowing the cows/goats/sheep to freely wander the pasture. Which in turn makes for healthier milk that contains more omega-3 fats and vitamin E than purely grain fed industrial animals.
It doesn't include any extra whey protiens to disguise the actual color. Skim milk has these added protiens and it actually has shown to change a persons hormone balance. Unfortunatly, this balance seems to add more male hormones like androgen. And excess androgens have been shown to cause things like PCOS and ovulatory problems.

Now I would love to tell each one of you to go right now and look up your area on www.RealMilk.com and purchase some. But what I'd rather have you do, is go research it for yourself. (personally, it took me months to decide if this was something we wanted to do. Mostly for the fact that I was buying it because my 2 year old sone could not tolerate store bought cows milk and I had to find a local source for goats milk. I needed to make sure it was safe for him) Go google 'benefits of raw milk', check out real milk.com or Raw Milk Facts.

And lots of folks would try to tell me that it is now easier to buy organic milk and that's healthier than the conventional stuff. But is it? Most organic milk I've seen is pasteurized using a process called ultrahigh temperature (UHT) in which the milk is briefly heated to 280 degrees fahrenheit. This renders it completely sterile. Sterile and dead. Basically every major nutrient is damaged in this process. While the cows may be fed organic grain instead of non organic grain, is it really worth drinking something that has no benefits to you? This is also the type of milk that also has a shelf life of months!

Personally, if I could no longer buy raw milk (the government has actually made it illegal to purchase in most states and we currently have to buy through a "goat share") I would purchase pasteurized non homogenized whole milk that comes from cows not treated with growth hormones or antibiotics. I have seen 2 different brands in my local health food stores, so I know it's out there. After that, honestly, I would go for the regular 'ol whole milk (w/ no rBGH) and turn it into either yogurt or kefir and consume that way.

But I can't ever imagine myself drinking 'normal/conventional' milk again. And I know I wouldn't feed it to my kids as is. It's really something we started on where I just did it to save money. (goats milk at the store is ultra heated, plus it cost me 16$ a gallon. Raw milk costs me the farm share plus 7$ a gallon) And now that I've done my research, I'm completely passionate about Raw Milk. My son has no problems digesting raw cow or goats milk whereas he previously experienced major constipation and horrible/blistery diaper rashes with conventioanl stuff. My husband can eat raw milk ice cream and raw milk and yogurt smoothies where before he could not.

So if you've made it to the end of this post, do you already drink raw milk? I'd love to hear all your thoughts on the subject, pro or con. But let's be nice! I have a handy dandy delete comment button if your not!

*and as one small question for those on the fence about it: You know eating raw fruits and veggies is healthier than eating them cooked right? That an actual apple is healthier than applesauce which is healthier than apple juice? Why is that logic not applied to milk. Why is it not ok to consume raw milk, but rather it's heated version?

crossposted at Naturally Knocked Up

Natural Cures for Mastitis

2009-06-16T21:53:00.003-04:00

Well, the two rounds of antibiotics I took within a months time, plus the fact that I don't get near enough sleep (a.k.a. naps) has caused me to come down with mastitis again. But this time I beat it without broad spectrum antibiotics!

Didn't know that was possible, huh?

Yup. And this time I was ready at the first sign.

I actually woke up last week at 4am with just a touch of pain and knew it was coming. So I woke baby up and had her nurse right away. Then pumped. Then drank a ton of water and took a mega dose of vitamin C (5000mgs in 24 hours) I also took some ibuprofen to help with inflammation. Then nursed and drank water and pumped and drank water. My temp went up just slightly, but within 24 hours I was feeling much better!

There are actually a few more things you can do naturally but I didn't need to take any more measures to kick it this time. KellyMom.com is a great reference for all things breastfeeding and it's where I got the idea for the vitamin C, which seemed to be the extra I needed this time around. I also started to take apple cider vinegar which is supposed to help fight bacterial infections.

And I'm so glad I didn't have to resort to antibiotics again. Taking those 2 doses has really ruined my immune system and seems to have caused a Candida overgrowth. Not only am I craving sugar like crazy (feeds the yeast, and they want more!) I'm more tired than I think I should be, and my eczema seems to be trying to come back. So another round of antibiotics would have caused more of that good bacteria to die off and put me at greater risk for more infections.

So as long as your symptoms aren't severe or your fever to high, check out some natural cures before resorting to meds! And while we're on the topic, let's talk a bit about how to prevent it.

Take probiotics and eat plenty of yogurt/kefir (builds immune system)
Get plenty of rest (sometimes mastitis is your bodies way of telling you to rest)
Don't wear wired bras
Drink lots of water
Eat good "real" food
Don't let baby fall asleep while feeding
Make sure baby is latched and suckling well
Go bra-less when possible

(and if you don't know what it is, or it's symptoms, check out this link)

So if you've suffered from mastitis, how did you get over it?
Natural cures have really Worked for Me!

The things they say

2009-06-16T14:14:00.002-04:00

So with our little tot getting close to the big number 3, he's been telling us all sorts of crazy things. Last night was a great one. See, we took his crib sides off and replaced it with a railing so he can get in and out by himself now. *ugh* Bedtime takes awhile now as he seems to think he can get up multiple times, open the door and tell me he needs something. Normally, it's a drink or to use the potty. Not last night. Oh no, far from it.

"Mommy? I need something!"

"Go back to bed." as I begin to walk over.

"But mommy, I neeeed something!"

"What do you need?" I ask.

"Ummm........ I need to dance!" and then he proceeds to do so.

Children. So hard to discipline when you're laughing.

Menu Plan: June 14

2009-06-14T22:49:00.003-04:00

As I rearranged our deep freeze this week, I noticed that we were down to only 1 pound of ground beef! We still have some roasts, but the ground, I guess, we use quite a bit. So this will be our "still trying to save some $ and not buy meat" menu. Plus, I'm going to try and get back into more soaking of our grains again. Something that I haven't done to much of since the baby was born. Other than that, I'll be using as much as I do have in the freezer and pantry right now to save as much as I can off our grocery bill. See, strawberries just started ripening around here and I'd like to be able to stock up our freezer with those for smoothies and what not. And to do so, the money has got to come from somewhere!

Monday:

breakfast - soaked oatmeal, oranges
lunch - pb&j on spelt bread, cut veggies and dip
snack - granola bar
dinner - roast chicken (done in the crockpot outside so as not to heat the house!), brown rice, steamed veggies
snack - smoothies

to do - make bread, make popsicles, make yogurt, make 2 batches of granola bars

Tuesday:

breakfast - eggs, fruit
lunch - salad
snack - fruit
dinner - chicken fajitas (leftover chicken from roast) mexi-millet

Wednesday:

breakfast - green smoothies, spelt toast
lunch - hard boiled eggs, cheese cubes, veggies and dip, fruit
snack - granola bar
dinner - beef roast w/ veggies (done in the crockpot outside so as not to heat the house!)

to do - soak peanuts and sunflower seeds, make kefir

Thursday:

breakfast - soaked oatmeal, fruit
lunch - tuna sandwiches, cut veggies
snack - fruit
dinner - omelets, roasted potatoes, fruit salad
snack - popcorn

Friday:

breakfast - eggs, toast
lunch - salad
snack - fruit, granola bar
dinner - pizza, salad

Saturday:

breakfast - GF pancakes, fruit
lunch - soup/sandwiches
snack - dried fruit, cheese
dinner - possible eat out otherwise it'll be burgers and sweet potatoes

What are you cooking this week? Anything I need to try?

Babywearing Review: A Kangaroobabe Ring Sling

2009-06-12T15:42:00.007-04:00

To finish up my week of babywearing I did just a couple weeks ago, (I know, a little late huh?) I figured I had to do a ring sling! And Jennifer from kangaroobabe sent me the perfect one to try out for you!!

Here's just a little ditty about Jennifer and kangaroobabe:

My name is Jennifer and I live in Northwest Arkansas with my husband Grant and our 13 month old son Elliott. I became interested in babywearing after my son was born. Like a lot of babies he wanted to be held all the time and I found it hard to do much of anything since he was always in my arms. When I was pregnant I came across an original style padded ring sling at a thrift store for only $5. I tried it out with Elliott but it was awkward and hard to adjust so I set it aside and forgot about it. I began doing some research on babywearing and the different types of carriers. I started out by making a simple wrap out of a long piece of stretchy fabric. Elliott loved it and so did I; but I found it a bit inconvenient to get all wrapped up when we went out. I went back and studied the thrift store ring sling. I decided to cut the rings out of it and proceeded to use them to make my own sling. I had so much fun doing it I haven’t stopped since! Now I sell my slings, along with a few other things like baby leg warmers, tutus, onesies and bibs with ties on them in my etsy shop, www.kangaroobabe.etsy.com.

A little bit about my slings:

My slings are made with two layers of 100% cotton. I use aluminum sling rings from SlingRings.com. These sling rings are non-toxic. They are not welded so they have no weak points and they are tested to hold up to 250 pounds. I do multiple stitching at the weight bearing seams for added strength and durability. Ring slings are great because they are fully adjustable; no sizing is necessary. They are convenient to throw over your shoulder and slide your baby in. They can be used from newborns to toddlers in several different positions. The different carries are the cradle carry or the newborn carry, tummy to tummy, front facing or kangaroo hold, hip carry, and back carry. When worn properly the fabric will spread out across your back and shoulder to distribute your child's weight.

Babywearing takes practice so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time. YouTube has tons of great videos on how to use a ring sling; that’s how I learned. Stop by my blog, www.kangaroobabe.blogspot.com, to read about the benefits of babywearing.

Now Jennifer asked me if I had a preference on fabric before she sent me one, and from looking through her etsy store, I could tell anything she sent me I would love. She uses some pretty cute stuff! And let me tell you, the blue and green paisley she sent was right up my alley! So pretty.

But the rings.

Oh those rings.

For some reason they just looked confusing to me.

So I set it down in my office for a few days before giving it a go. And Jennifer must have somehow sensed I needed help, because I got an e-mail with all sorts of links to you tube videos showing how to put it on and put baby in. After watching a couple short clips, I was ready to go!

It did take me a couple times to figure out the best way to put the baby in, but once we got it, we got it! I've used it while making dinner and of course, I've used it while out shopping. And the one thing that always struck me as being in the way (the tail that hangs down) isn't in the way at all! Plus it can be very useful to use as a nursing cover while nursing them in the sling! Cool huh?

Now, all ring slings are used in the same manner. It's fabric and rings. But let me tell you, this one is easy to use, and the quality is fabulous! This woman can sew. Seriously, I am constantly impressed by what these crafty work at home mama's can do! This definitely doesn't look like something I made, the stitching is perfect, and it feels like it could last wash after wash.(the only reason I'm holding her was because right when I went to take a photo she started bobbing her head all around and moving like crazy!)

So, if you're in the mood or looking for a ring sling, check out kangaroobabe! You won't be disappointed!

*oh - plus she has some other cute stuff in her shop too, like tutus! And I soooo hope my little girl is into tutus, cause she's gonna have one as soon as she can walk!

Review: Neela Bags

2009-06-12T10:26:00.005-04:00

I love using my reusable bags when I go shopping. I've had them around for a year or more and find them so convenient - even when garage sale-ing and going to farmers markets! But the ones I have and normally see in the grocery stores are all boring store colors with the supermarket name plastered on it. Like mine. They're blue and all say Meijer. And you know...sometimes I just don't feel like advertising for stores. And sometimes I need a bit of flavor in my life.

Enter Neela Bags.

When I first opened the package I was really unimpressed by the size of the bag. I mean, it was about as big as a lunch tote. Seriously? But as I started to check it out, I actually opened it up. Yea. There were actually FIVE bags, folded up inside it. That makes sense. Duh.

So the sent me the Market Pack, which is really cool. One smaller bag (that could totally double as a lunch tote) hold 5 grocery sized bags all rolled up and neat like.So yesterday I went out shopping at our local Natural/Bulk food store and decided to bring these along. For one, the fact that they fold up so small and have a separate carrying case was awesome. Because I go out shopping with a toddler and an infant and all their stuff plus my purse. Sometimes the extra bags just get in the way. This time I just pushed them into the diaper bag.

I was a bit concerned when I took them out of the bag to start loading groceries into them. Since they do fold up so small, they don't have that plastic bottom piece in them and I was worried it might not be sturdy enough once I got all my stuff in them. And I had stuff! Multiple 5 pound bags of stuff!

But they did a great job of holding it all together! No sagging and they were very sturdy! I think there was about 15 pounds or more in each one by the time I finished loading them.And all of this was packed in them:
And all of those bags on the table were at least 5 pounds a piece. Plus the jars and what not.

So when all was said and done, I really liked these bags. They performed much better than I expected and because they're so cute and compactable, they'll be my first choice form when I head out shopping!

And it's such a great and easy way to be a bit more environmentally thoughtful. Using and wasting those plastic bags that only hold a few items, is not only bad for the environment, but such a pain as well. I can normally put 3x more in reusable bags, than I can in plastic bags from the store. As an added benefit, I can also put these over my shoulder, which means less trips out to the car brining my groceries in!

Need some yourself? Head on over to Neela Bags and check them out. They have all sorts of super chic colors and styles to choose from. And thanks to MomFuse for setting up the review for me!

Horizon Eggs Giveaway

2009-06-12T09:59:00.002-04:00

A couple months ago I was asked by MomFuse to review some Horizon Organic Eggs. Now I've talked about eggs before and the fact that I buy farm fresh through my farm share whenever possible. But there are times I don't get there soon enough and someone else grabs them up before I do. And we can't go without eggs as I use at least a dozen a week. So when I can't get farm fresh, I go for organic eggs from the store.

Now, I'm not gonna talk about any farm practices at all, cause goodness knows someone will find fault with something. What I am going to say is that I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that the egg I choose to buy from the store is both free of antibiotics and growth hormones. Because those are 2 things I'd rather my children not ingest.

What I'm not going to talk about is how we actually liked the eggs. Why? Well, the one store that used to carry them around here, just doesn't anymore! So here I sit with 2 coupons, each good for one dozen, and I can't do a thing with them. But really, it'll work out well for one of you!

Just leave a comment on this post to enter to win 2 Horizon Organic Egg coupons! (and I think they run almost 5$ a dz too) The only rules are that

One: you have to check to see if they offer them in your area. (if you don't know whether or not you've seen them, you can check out their product locator)
and Two: you make sure an e-mail is either in your comment or in your blogger profile. I'm not about to search around forever to find out how to get a hold of you. :-)
Oh, and Three: that you enter by Sunday June 14th at midnight!

I'm actually able to sit down today!

2009-06-12T09:52:00.002-04:00

The last few weeks sure have been crazy ones! This week I've been busy planting my garden before it got to late into the growing season. Plus I had to run some errands, plus I had to go buy Todd a birthday gift, and then had a friend and her daughter over for a bit. And then I spent a day with a friend while we went down to a Natural Foods store with all 8 of our kids (only 2 are mine!!) plus my younger sister. It's a good thing they have a 12 passenger van!! So today...I'm not going anywhere. And I'm even down one kid! Yup, grandma just came over and picked him up. So now I sit. And breath.

And because I haven't put up a real post in like 2 weeks, be prepared. I've got a few things to say. And a lot of reviews to do! Sorry to bombard you with them all as I really don't like to do more than one a week normally, but I'm supposed to put them up within a week or so of receiving the product. And I'm late on my end. So we'll just call today, review day. :-) K?

Life

2009-06-08T10:20:00.002-04:00

You know...that thing that happens every once in awhile that stops you from doing certain things. It happened to me last week and it's happening to me this very moment as I type one handed while holding my very tired and crabby little babe.

Life.

Gotta love it.

Momnesia Monday : Bring a list :-)

2009-06-01T10:11:00.003-04:00

So I'm out garage sale-ing a couple weeks ago and see some cute shoes for Cody. They're a size six, and I know he's a size six, and even though it's his current size (I normally only buy one or two up) I pick them up because the price is right.
Cody was all excited about them and wanted to wear them the next day. So we put them on and tied them up. As soon as he stood up, he hollered "Mommy, hurt!" and sits right back down.

Hmmm. They should fit just fine, they're a size 6!

But whatever, he wanted to wear his other shoes now, so we pull them out of the closet and...

A size 7.

Oh.

So this is why I normally bring a list of sizes needed when I go garage sale-ing.

Winner of the temporal scanner

2009-05-30T14:27:00.001-04:00

Was # 32 - Sylvia

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-05-30 18:24:50 UTC

An e-mail is on it's way to you! And for those of you interested in one, you can find them at local pharmacies!!

Babywearing Review: A Mei Tai from Jeliie Babies

2009-05-29T09:46:00.007-04:00

Ever try a Mei Tai? I hadn't until just recently when Michelle from Jellie Babies sent me one to review. Michelle has a great little Etsy shop where she sells her handmade Mei Tais as well as little mini Mei Tais for those little ones that want to carry their dolls. (How cute is that, right? How I would love to get one of those when my little girl is a bit older!) Plus her prices are pretty awesome too.

Here's a little ditty from Michelle:
My parents named me Michelle and I became Lloyd when I married my husband nine years ago! I married an Australian and had the privileged of living in South Australia for the first 5 years of marriage. We had 2 boys there, now 7 and 5, then we moved to the states. We've lived in my hometown of Spokane, Washington for 4 1/2 years now and are surviving the winters.....barely! We have since had 2 baby girls, now 3 and 20 months.

It was after the birth of my 3rd child that I discovered the benefits of "baby wearing". She was an extremely fussy baby. I felt that my whole life was spent on the couch nursing, and I was struggling to find a way to keep her happy and get anything else done in my day (including meaningful interaction with my boys) That is when I happened upon a sling and I never looked back. I researched other carriers and eventually landed on the Mei Tai. One of the things that attracted me to it was that I could easily make one myself and thereby change the look as much as I wanted. I loved it at first for the convenience, but have come to appreciate the wonderful benefits of having your baby so close so much of the time.

It was with the birth of my last child that I started making the carriers for other people. First, as gifts, and then I started selling them to friends who had one and wanted to give them to someone else. I never imagined I'd be selling them to people I didn't know, let alone people all over the country! I named the company Jellie Babies after my daughters - Josephine and Ellie - and chose the butterfly symbol simply because of it's beauty. I work out of my basement, mostly in the evenings when the kids are in bed and my husband is working on the computer.

The Mei Tai is something I love, but I realize there are many carriers out there and people have their own favorites. That is why I get so excited when someone else shares my enthusiasm for this carrier. I try to use designer fabrics, patterns that I love or imagine someone else will really love. I make all my carriers with sturdy, breathable, cotton twill and line them with Minky or twill, depending on your preference. I triple reinforce the stitching where straps attach to the carrier, which makes it durable. I have a carrier I used for both my girls and it's still going strong. It does take a few times practicing to get it all down, but now it's fun to put my toddler on my back, secure her with the straps, and head off down the grocery aisle. I hope you like the Jellie Babies Mei Tai as much as I do!

When I first got this in the mail, I was immediately impressed by the quality of the fabric and construction. And the fact that it had lightly padded shoulder straps! I wasn't expecting that and was very pleased to see it. I also loved the fact that it's lined with super soft Minky fabric. How awesome is that?

The instructions she sent me were easy to follow, though she's right - it took me just a couple times to really get it right. Sophia seemed very comfortable in it and proceeded to fall asleep right away. Something about being carried right up against me knocks her out every time! The carrier keeps her very secure and I never once felt as if she would fall out. It's also light weight enough to where neither one of us get to hot. I do normally put her in it while sitting down though. Makes it easier for me at this point, but I'm sure one day it'll be so second nature that I could put it on in just a couple seconds standing up. I had it tied under her bum for awhile, but have since noticed that she stays put better (doesn't slouch) if I tie it at her back.

I've since used it around the house during the day and also at the grocery store. And I'm actually able to get this review because she's in it! It's been easy to put on and it's also nice that I can take it off while she's sleeping without disturbing her to much. The only downside I've noticed with this type of carrier (each type has it's own!) is that again, the straps are long and I worry about getting them dirty when I put it on out in public. :-)

All in all it's a great carrier and really good quality. So if you're looking for a Mei Tai for yourself or as a gift for someone else, check out Jellie Babies and support handmade!