Saige's First Demonstration

My family had the opportunity to walk for Farm Sanctuary in the local pumpkin parade this year. My little babe went as a veal calf. Of course, there were some people yelling out rude things like "Eat More Meat" to contradict our "GO VEG" signs. My husband keeps telling me that it is to be expected, but it still aggravates me none the less.

We have been having fun celebrating Halloween with Saige. She "hosted" her first party for the people in our playgroup and she went as a pumpkin. We are going to stay home tomorrow and pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters. I think we are all going to be vampires.

Walk for Farm Animals....

We are getting ready to participate in this Farm Sanctuary fundraiser. I was so excited to see that someone is organizing one in the next town over. If you are interested, check out my fundraising website.

The babe is getting her first tooth.....

Okay...you really can't see it very well in this picture. But trust me, it is there and it is causing all sorts of pain for her and for me. She is attacking my fingers and my poor nipples feel like they are being clamped. I am excited though for her, even though I can't believe that she is going to be 6 months old in a week or so.

Which brings me to the subject of introducing solids to your babe. There are so many moms that I know that have already been shoveling cereal and other mushy things down their kids throat since they were 4 months or so. I recently discovered a way to introduce food to your babe and skip that whole mushy baby food making step. Here is a great link about child-led weaning and introducing whole foods to your babe. I also attended a class offered by my awesome doctor on this. Saige isn't ready yet for solids, but she can have fun playing with it until she discovered the wonderful world of tasty vegan food.

I am wearing a sweatshirt....

AND HATING IT. Where the heck did summer go to? I guess we were having too much fun and it just flew by. Now....it is a mad rush to get all the fall planting done before winter comes (and I heard it is going to be a nasty one).

But, the good thing about the cooler weather is that it puts me in the mood to make crafts. I have been working on some hemp necklaces with recycled glass beads and I just finished an organic cotton knit hat for Saige. I made something that sort of looked like this:

I bought all the stuff from http://www.ecobutterfly.com/

Summertime Fun...

Saige is 4 1/2 months now and I have been having one of the best summer of my life with her. We have been busy meeting new moms in the area and going on mini-trips. This picture was taken at Devil's Lake, Wisconsin, where we took Saige on her first camping trip.

Pushing the limits....

Sometimes I wonder if I am doing things right with Saige. I try to listen to her complains and concerns (in baby babble and fussing), but of course there is a communication gap. I always attribute fussiness to either gas, hunger, or boredom, and if all else fails I just throw her in the wrap for a nap.

Yesterday, I took her to her first wedding. Unforunately, she wasn't happy there. What scared her first is when my friend (who I haven't seen for a LONG time) gave me a big hug. Saige was in her dad's arms at the time and she just stuck out her little bottom lip and tears started welling up in her eyes. Poor thing. Then, between all the people, the music, and the lights, she was a bit of a wreck. Twice, she cried and it took me a while to console her (something that never normally happens). I guess I just pushed her too far.

Today she is better and back to her old ways ;-)

World Breastfeeding Week

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I have been thinking about donating some of my milk to Milk Share. One of the biggest complaints I often here from my friends with babies is that they really wanted to breastfeed, but they couldn't produce enough. Regardless of the reason that this occurred, I feel sorry for them. Even though my nipples are sometimes sore from Saige clamping down on them and I have to be more diligent about what I eat (no alcohol and I am trying to cut out the coffee...we have gas problems), I would never want to replace this experience. I love being able to feed her on the go and nurse her while laying in bed.

No Time to Blog because....

I am too busy dorking around on Facebook and TBW (The BabyWearer's site). I just bought this awesome wrap today and I am very excited. You will just have to wait to see it on me :-) It should be here in a few days.

Other than that, Saige and I have been busy going places and meeting new people. I found a SAHM group in my area, so we have been having weekly get togethers at the parks around town. I was SO shocked, because two other people that came were cloth diapering their babes. I almost fell over, because I NEVER meet anyone who cloth diapers. I also heard that I have been giving the other women in my neighborhood a complex, because I carry my baby everywhere and co-sleep...hee..hee. Hey, I can't see it any other way. I take her cues and go with it.

Also...I really can't see how people let their babes "cry it out," especially when they are very little. Saige has been a wreck in the car lately and it just gets totally under my skin when she is crying (granted...I try to console her and stop like a zillion times, but it usually never works and she just falls asleep...she also won't take a paci). I feel so bad for her and I wish I could ditch the car altogether. I also hate how it makes me feel towards here. I eventually get to the point where I want to be disconnected from her, because I can't stand the crying. I almost have to shut down a bit to just get us home in one piece. It is so horrible. So...I am going to really try to limit our solo car rides for a bit. She is usually okay when I am riding in the back with her, but does terrible when she is alone. I have all sorts of toys/mirror for her for entertainment, but she just eventually doesn't want to be sitting there anymore and she is forced too.

Kid's Toys and Saige's Motor Skills

Today, Saige and I participated in a class where we looked at primitive motor skills and development. I am happy to report that Saige is ahead for her age. I figured since she is a "chubby" baby, doesn't really like tummy time, and still isn't rolling over that maybe she is a little behind. The instructor said that she was a strong baby and that she is doing great. So..in the end, it was fun thing to do (even though Saige did get mad after awhile). The instructor gave us a certificate and a toy. Which brings me to the topic of kid's toys.

I AM SUPER PARANOID ABOUT TOXIC TOYS!! She gave Saige a Sassy brand toy that is called "bumble bites". The good news is that I found it to be a safe toy here. Anyhow...I feel like a lot of mothers that I talk to don't even questions the toys out there and just assume that the companies aren't putting toxic material in toys that little babies use. Am I just being extra paranoid?

The Power of the Sun

I just had to post about the sun and how it works wonders on clothing stains. Saige has had some pretty scary cloth diaper stains. So...just recently I started hanging the washed diapers up on the line and instantly they are SO WHITE again. And....the sun also naturally disinfects them. CRAZZZZYYYYY

Slow Days of Summer

I am having a blast this summer. I feel like my life is so great right now and I want to shout it from the roof top. The last couple of years have been very hard and emotionally draining, but I feel like now I can recharge. Saige is also helping me to move on. We have been spending our summer days going for lots of walks (some with our dogs or our friends or just to the grocery store) and playing. We are starting to meet other moms, which is cool. I feel so old though compared to some of these other moms. I am going to be 34....YIKES....in a few months. One good thing is that I don't feel 34 and I have lots of things to contribute to make Saige's life more interesting.

Here are some pictures of us:

BTW: The pup Skeeter was taken to an animal rescue place, so he should be up for adoption in a couple weeks. My other dog Jack is going to a German Shepherd rescue group on Saturday. I feel bad giving him up, but he needs a better home. I should have given him to this group when I first rescued him from the Nebraska shelter. Oh well. Anyhow, it will be very quiet around here with just my one dog, but I need some peace from naughty canines for a little while.

Babywearing Contest!!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Dog Rescue

Over the weekend, we took in a dog that was tied to a tree near my home. This just angers me so much, that someone would do this to their dog. He is a sweet little pup and he is currently camped out in my garage and backyard. My psycho Shepherd even likes him and they are constantly playing.

So...now I am spending my days looking for a home for him. I am trying to work with my local animal shelter, but they are really horrible at returning phone calls. Another thing that annoys me is that my neighbors actually called me (at 9pm at night) to help this dog, but they are no where to be found when I ask them for their help with him. Some people are so annoying.

WARNING: Fussy Baby On Board

Poor Saige. She has been so fussy lately. I feel bad for her. She is trying to tell me something and I have no clue what she wants. So...like her momma, when her message isn't getting through, she just gets louder. By the end of the day, I am wiped out and we are both in bed by 8pm (not like I really have a choice, but maybe it is good that she forces me to go to bed early too). I think she may be going through a growth spurt again on top of it.

Also...I was planning on taking her on a camping trip on Friday, but I think I am going to bail. First off, almost everyone bailed on me, but now I have one friend that wants to go now. I gave her a million excuses that I didn't want to bother them with Saige's fussiness, but truthfully her and her boyfriend are big time smokers and I don't feel like dealing with that. I don't want Saige around any sort of air pollution (well....what I can help) and I feel bad for telling them to get away from her. So...I can't image it making the experience pretty annoying and we would spend a lot of time by ourselves anyhow.

La Leche League, Vaccinations, Weddings, Camping, and SEX...

I just want to start out saying that having Saige in my life is the best thing that has happened to me in a long while. For those that have known me for a few years, those were some of my darkest. But...now, I can see the sun shining again and I am enjoying my summer experiencing new things.

Yesterday, we attended our local La Leche League meeting. For those mom's-to-be out there that want to breastfeed...FIND A LOCAL CHAPTER. I credit them with my continued success. Plus, I have met so many awesome women that are into raising their kids like myself. I have never seen so many babywearers in one place before yesterday. What is also cool is that my baby's doctor attends these meetings as well. Which brings me to vaccinations....

I feel that vaccinations are important and Saige received her first two last Friday (more on that in a bit). However, I am working with a doctor that is working with me on an alternative schedule. I have also been following Dr. Sears recommendations for vaccinating. Poor Saige though...it broke my heart when they gave her those shots. She was hysterical for half the day. She had the DtaP and the PC vaccination. My doctor (who I think is so cool) suggested not giving her the rotovirus, because she is breastfeeding and not going to daycare.

Another thing that is going on is that a good friend of mine is getting married in a couple months. This however is stressing me out a bit. They prefer not to have babies at their reception. Saige hasn't taken a bottle or been out of my site for more than an hour (and she was with my husband), so I am a bit nervous about how she will do. First, I am going to try to get my husband to work on the bottle thing with her (with pumped milk). Then, I think I will try to leave her with my sister-in-law (who I prefer to babysit her) for an hour or two to begin with.

To more exciting news....I am taking Saige on her first camping trip next weekend. We are actually going to a caving convention. I expect it to be hot and buggy, so I bought us a screened house to hideout in when the weather gets bad. I also bought a Solarveil ring sling, which is supposed to be the lightest material out there and offers 80% UV protection (since she is too little for sunscreen still). Now, I need to get used to wearing her in a sling instead of the wrap.

And lastly, I posted recently about co-sleeping and it ruining my sex life. Well, we have turned a corner. After Saige falls asleep at night, I can actually lay her on my bed and she stays asleep without me (sometimes this takes a few tries). So...the other day, my husband and I had SEX (on the floor). I am so happy that she feels comfortable enough to sleep and not be right on top of me all the time.

Asparagus...

On of the things that I enjoy during this time of year is the asparagus crop (here is a picture of the plant). It only grows for a short time in late Spring around these parts and I try to buy it locally.

Here is my favorite recipe:

Throw the asparagus in a casserole dish with a couple cloves of chopped garlic. Coat with olive oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees or until the ends are slightly crispy.

Co-sleeping

My dear friend Isil from Veggie Way responded to someone's question about co-sleeping and I thought I would add my limited experience to the mix.


I have been co-sleeping with my baby at home since she was born. We started out with this Snuggle Nest in the center of our bed. We used it for about 1.5 months, and then she started sleeping curled up next to me at night. What I like about the Snuggle Nest is that it was inclined and had the side bumpers. She also was close enough to us to hear her and to comfort her when she awoke. I did have nightmares almost every night that I was nursing her and then I couldn't find her, only to discover that she was still in her little bed. I think most of that was because I was trying to make sure that she got fed every 2-3 hours. And...only once did she manage to wiggle down below her flannel cover and I thought for sure she was suffocated. Of course, she was all toasty and sound asleep.

After we got more comfortable with the side-laying nursing position, she started just sleeping by my side....all curled up next to me. I really liked it because I actually got better sleep and she was nice and warm. I wish I was more comfortable with this position originally, because we did have issues with keeping her body temp up that first week.

My original intention was for her to sleep in the co-sleeper next to my bed, but it was too difficult for me to get in and out of bed right about childbirth. When I did try her in it a little over a month later, she didn't want to have anything to do with it. She won't let me put her down to sleep by herself. She truly is a "velcro" baby.

Now that she is 2 months, I think co-sleeping is for us and I really can't see it any other way. It does have it drawbacks though that I am trying to work out (and maybe these will resolve themselves with time). First off, it sucks not being able to toss and turn anymore. I usually have to force myself to stay in one position until she gets up, because I don't want to deal with a crying baby that was disturbed. Secondly, I can usually sneak out of bed for a total of five seconds before she realizes that I am gone and wakes up. This really kills my sex life (which I still haven't had any since she was born because she is always by my side). She has been taking a liking to this vibrating rocker that a friend of mine let me borrow, so maybe someday she will stay in it long enough to let us "get it on." Lastly....humm...I can't think of another drawback. I truly enjoy cuddling with her as we drift off to sleep. I also love hearing her breathing and not having to get up to nurse. I also love that she sleeps so soundly next to me, nestled by her food source, and most days we can hang out in bed for a 12 hour stretch. Although, my sleep gets disturbed, I definitely sleep much better too with no more nightmares.

Personally, I am not really worried about how to get her out of the bed. I figured she will definitely want her own bed someday, but in the meantime we have plenty of room (I have a king-size bed). I remember wanting to sleep with my parents when I was little and they never let me (unless I threw up in the bed...which I did sometime on purpose). Instead, I was forced to sleep in my own scary bedroom in the attic, across the hallway from my sister.

And...as far as the cover issue goes, I am so aware of her presence that she never gets the cover higher than her shoulders.

Daddy Dearest

I don't have a relationship with my father, because I think he isn't a nice person and we had a very unhealthy relationship. What basically caused the complete disintegration of our relationship was terrible stuff he said about me during my pregnancy losses (almost 2 years ago). So...now since I have his first and probably only grandchild, he wants to move back into my life. He left a message on my phone (which I deleted and didn't listen to) and sent a present for Saige. Of course, I had to accept it or I would look like the bitch. Today, I made out a very simple Thank You from Saige and decided to include a picture of her along with it. Is this a stupid thing to do? I really don't want this jerk calling my house, but I also feel sorry for him. People keep telling me that maybe he will be a better grandfather than father, but I really don't want him to cause my daughter the same grief he has caused me over the years. The thing that really sucks is that he is her only living grandfather.

Welcome to my new blog....

I used to be an avid blogger and then I lost my motivation. I think the reason why I blogged so frequently was because I had a thesis to write. Now....I have lots of other things that I need to work on, in addition to taking care of baby Saige, so we will see how this works.

For those that don't know me, I am a crazy vegan that loves to travel, loves animals, and has a "velcro" baby. My goal in life is to continue learning and growing, and to help my baby become a very eco-minded individual.

Here is a picture of us: