10th Annual Houston B.I.R.T.H. Fair!

Mark your calendars for this year's 10th annual Houston B.I.R.T.H. Fair!  This free event will take place Saturday, October 1, 2011, at the United Way Center.  It's a jam-packed fair for all things related to pregnancy, birth, babies, children, and family.  It's name stands for "Bringing Information and Resources To Houston". You'll see midwives, obstetricians, nurses, doulas, chiropractors, child-birth educators, lacation consultants, and all kinds of cool people involved in the ever-growing Houston natural birth community.  This is far from the average information most women receive about birth in this country.  This fair will provide families with new information and the resources they need to make their childbearing years some of the most joyous. Speakers, discussion forums, children's activities, and lots of shopping will fill the day.  Don't miss it! 

This is also the first year I will be volunteering for the Fair, a true labor of love for me.  No other event in Houston brings all of my favorite mommy things together like this one.  And, don't assume it's just for mothers.  Bring the husbands and granparents, too. 

Find out how to use cloth diapers, where to buy them, and check out all the cute styles that are available on the market.  It's far from the typical fold-and-pin-and-cover days.  Save money, save the earth, and save your child from diaper rash. 

Check out different baby carriers and slings.  Not all baby carriers work for every body type and size.  If one baby carrier was uncomfortable or hurt your back, come out and try a different style.  I used my Moby Wrap the entire first year of my daughter's life, but now use the Dr. Sears-recommended Baby Balboa ring sling.  I plan to shop for a mei tei carrier and see what other ring slings are available.  Houston boasts several area Baby Wearing clubs where caregivers can learn how to safely and comfortably carry their baby. 

Did you know that there are plenty of midwives practicing in the Houston area?  Giving birth does not always necessitate hiring an OBGYN.  Healthy patients might want to check out their options by meeting some of the most impressive women in health care today.  Some work in a hospital birth setting, others in birth centers, and some perform home births.  Come discover what a difference a midwife makes at your birth.  Personally, I fired my OBGYN and switched to a certified nurse midwife during my 28th week of pregnancy after it became clear that the local hospital was not capable of giving me the birth I wanted.  But, that's another post entirely. 

Come out to shop all the spectacular vendors with quality products aimed at enhancing your parenting years.  The variety at the B.I.R.T.H. Fair is usually more health-conscious than one would find in the typical big-chain baby stores.  Find that unique baby shower gift, birthday present, or "push" present.  If you have kids, this is the shopping day for you. 

What on earth is a doula?!  In a nutshell, a doula is a trained and certified birth attendant that one hires to help during the labor process and birth.  Some might have a medical background but they are primarily there to help the mother and father through their birth and ensure that they get the birth that they wanted.  I hired a doula for my birth with my daughter and it was the best decision I ever made.  They typically cost around $300 to $600 (mine was $500) and she was the biggest help during my physically challenging home birth.  If you're having a hospital birth, I think they are even a greater asset as an advocate in a hospital setting where laboring mothers often have to fight for their rights.  Come out and and see why women love them!

I guarantee you will leave with the most positive outlook on birth than you've ever had.  Prepare to be uplifted and inspired.  Find out more at http://www.houbirth.org/

The Great Oak School sharing some Waldorf fun at the BIRTH Fair kids area

Good, clean felted soap!

Felted soap is another craft I learned how to make at my daughter's Waldorf school.  I never knew such a thing existed until another mother told me you can buy a bars of the stuff at Anthropologie...for a lot more.   It's basically a bar of soap in a decorative wool cover.  You take your favorite bar of soap, wrap it in wool roving, and aggitate the heck out of it until it mats down.  The end result is a gorgeous soap that comes with its own washcloth. They make great gifts and it is a fun activity to do with children.  I recently taught some other moms how to make felted soap at a playdate I hosted.  Check out our pretty soap below. 

FELTED SOAP

You will need:
-Bar of soap (one that lathers well, rounded shape works best)
-Wool Roving in different colors (sold at craft stores by the yarn section or order online for better quality)
-Bucket or container filled with hot water
-Rubber gloves (if the water is too hot for your hands)
-Ziploc sandwich bags

How to make:
1.  Cut the bar of soap in half if it's too big.  Smaller halves work better in smaller hands. 
2.  Wrap the bar of soap with pieces of wool in any color combination you like.  Wrap it in several layers, alternating directions. 
3.  After the soap is wrapped and you can no longer see the soap bar, submerge it in a tub of hot water and start rubbing the soap to make it sudsy.   Keep scrubbing the soap for a while.
4.  Transfer the bar of soap into the Ziploc bag, seal it, and continue rubbing the bar.  Rubbing it inside the plastic bag helps keep your house cleaner if you're making this craft indoors. 
5.  After several minutes of aggitating the bar of soap, remove it and let it dry. 

Make your own toys!

I made my first hand-made Waldorf doll last fall at my daughter's school.  The moms sewed together little doll bodies and stuffed them with wool. It's much harder than it looks.  Waldorf dolls are purposely unfinished so that children can use their own creativity in how they play with them.  The doll's emotions and what it represents is more open-ended than, say, a Barbie. 

 I am not a crafty person by any means, but this was a project that inspired other activities in our home.  For one, I actually started sewing on buttons and repairing little tears in seams.  Nothing huge, but hubby was impressed.   From this, I started making little dolls out of socks.  My toddler enjoys carrying around heavy socks stuffed with rice.  I plan to add more detail to the dolls as I have time.  It's a great idea for summer activities.  For the kitty below, I stuffed one of my husband's ankle socks with lentils, covered it with the other sock, and sewed the ears down.  The fish is one of her newborn mittens and the yarn is a leftover scrap.  The heel portion makes a good "face" for the doll. 

Flying with a toddler-- what I've learned.

As the summer vacation season approaches, our family will be getting ready for overseas travel with a two-year-old.  This will be her third transatlantic flight and, hopefully, the easiest one so far.  It will also mark a major milestone in her young life-- the first time she will have her very own seat.  Contrary to the online advice I read about purchasing your baby their own ticket,  I found that she did well as a lap child.  In fact, I wonder if she'll even sit in her own seat at all during the flight.  She certainly prefers sitting in our laps or standing in the aisles. 

I've read some more online advice about traveling with toddlers that I wanted to share.  Not to mention, I've seen some really great toddlers on flights and I've sat in front of some really rowdy ones, too.  This is what we've learned:
1.  My baby sling was the most useful tool in flying with a baby/toddler.  I still use it and plan to use it for this trip.  (I use the Dr. Sear's recommended adjustable Baby Balboa Sling.) I feel more secure having her sleep connected to me so that I know she won't fall if we hit turbulence.  This makes it possible for mommy to get some rest, too.  Don't forget the travel neck pillow!
2.  New gifts and small treasures go a long way in entertaining little kids on a flight.  They get the thrill of seeing something new.  I've heard of wrapping them as gifts so that the child can unwrap them. 
3.  Plan some activities for the flight.  Coloring books, sticker books, picture books, small DVD players, finger puppets, play-doh and little dolls are great fun. Set aside some time to sing songs with your child, especially songs with motion or finger plays. 
4.  Visit other children on the plane.  We did this last time and it was delightful!  Several of the other small kids all gathered together and sang little songs, played together and shared toys.  It was like an impromptu play date and made the trip more enjoyable. 
5.  Eat in shifts.  If you are travelling with your spouse or another adult, have them entertain the baby while you eat and then take turns.  This reduces the mess involved with eating in a crowded space with wild toddler hands.  Eat the messiest items on your tray first so they don't have a chance to get all over you.  Save the packaged items on your tray for later snacks. Even the child-size meals are too large for a toddler at one time and chances are they will get hungry as soon as the trays are taken away. 
6.  Drink clear liquids on the flight such as water, club soda, Sprite, etc. that will not stain your clothes. Just say no to the cranberry juice! You WILL get food on yourself.  Yes, the cup on your tray WILL spill. Yes, your toddler will bump your arm as you try to sip that hot coffee. Think about this when packing snacks for the trip, too.  Stay away from snacks that will stain (note: red suckers equal red drool).  Pack one of those Tide stain pens in your bag along with plenty of wipes. 
7.  Take your child for a walk around the plane.  If they are restless, please do not force them to sit down and kick the seat in front of them.  Allow them to walk around and use up some of that energy. (My daughter can usually charm the other passengers into giving her candy as she tries to chat with them. It kills time.)
8.  The same idea should be applied to walking around the airport.  Use up that energy before the flight by letting your kids walk around and wiggle before they have to sit down in a small space.  Some airports even have indoor playgrounds for kids.  For instance, Chicago's O'Hare Airport has a fabulous play area for kiddos that's free of charge.  Take advantage of it! 
9.  Limit sugar and caffeine.  Don't make their restlessness any worse by stuffing them with chocolate and Pepsi.  Water-down their juice and offer snacks without sugar. 
10.  I've heard different advice regarding ear pain from the pressure.  I have suffered from severe "barotrauma" on flights for years.  Have the child drink something, eat something, chew gum, suck on a sucker, and get them to swallow.  Try to have them yawn by having them watch you yawn.  If the child is old enough, show them how to blow through their nose while they shut their mouth (the Vasalva maneauver).  I have tried ear inserts called "Ear Planes" sold at drugstores with mixed results.  They make some in an adult and children's size.  It's worth trying if you anticipate ear pain.  In my experience, I've had to repeatedly try a Vasalva if I couldn't yawn just right to pop my ears.  However, our toddler has never had a problem with ear pain.
11.  Dress in layers.  This goes for mom, dad, baby, and everyone else in your party.  Not only are airplanes usually cold, but if something stains the top layer it is much easier to remove it and still look presentable.  Pack an extra sweater or shawl in the carry-on to throw over a top if needed. 
12. Wear dark patterns that camoflauge spills.  Avoid wearing white at all costs since this will certainly get dirty.  Make your trip easier with wrinkle-free, quick-drying fabrics.

A photo of our daughter sleeping in between us.  On this flight she preferred to lay out on the seats instead of sleep in the sling. 

Living TV-free!

Just as I wrote that title, I realized I was typing in front of our giant, old-school, big screen monster sitting center-stage in our living room. ( I shouldn't say "our" as this television came along with my husband when we got married. I've never been too into TV or movies and, golly, I would never bring that kind of baggage into a marriage.) It's been collecting dust for the past several months but it does fill up this awkward space in the layout of the room.  To give my hubby some credit, he has been trying to sell it.  The only problem is that nobody wants to buy it since it's one of the pre-flatscreen models and we can't get anyone to take it.

So, here it sits.  I can't remember the last time I turned it on.  It has already disappeared as a habit in our home. Therefore, why don't we just become a TV-free family altogether?  Doesn't that sound refreshing? I never thought of formally labeling our family a "television-free family" until a mom in our school described her children that way.  Wow! How wholesome and crunchy that sounds!  Sign me up for that club!  Yes, we don't drink, we don't smoke and now we don't watch TV.  Ahhh...this is definitely what I want for my little nest. 

Here's a very inspirational article from Mothering Magazine about one family's transformation after they stopped the TV habit.  I love it!
http://mothering.com/green-living/whole-again-our-family-after-television

If you're interested in school lunches...

I found this gem of a blog featured in the Houston Chronicle called "The Lunch Tray" written by Bettina Elias Siegel.  Her articles cover issues about "kids and food, in school and out".  Child nutrition is one of the top issues on my mind these days and she gets the dialogue going on our nation's childhood obesity problem and outrageously poor eating habits.  Have you seen what most kids eat for lunch at their school?  Not to mention, I've noticed more and more obese children-- very young children, mind you-- on the playgrounds when I've taken my toddler out.  It's worth a read!
http://blogs.chron.com/thelunchtray/

The Value of "Playing Pretend"

As I type this, my toddler is chatting away in our master bathroom.  She's taken a pillow from the bed, a random doll with a Crayola "make-over", and a Kool-Aid dyed play silk we made at her Waldorf school, and she is making her own little pretend world inside the hardly-ever-used whirlpool tub.  Who knew those things made great play houses!  And, this  is what she's been doing for the past few months.  A part of that is due to this stage in her child development and another part comes from having a bit of unstructued play time so she has that space to make up her own stories, characters, and events.  No doubt, much of her creativity is a result from attending her Waldorf school where children have intentional, unstructured play time as part of the "work" of childhood. 

I'm hoping for more of this creative play on her own, if not for the fact that it frees up my hands for other tasks around the house.  Plus, don't you love listening-in on their inner thoughts?  It's absolutely darling. It also gives me insight into what goes on in her little toddler brain and what words and events stick out in her mind.  Related to the whole argument for unstructured play and encouraging imaginative play, there were a few articles that came out recently with scientific support for this.  Here are some links below:

"The Seriousness of Play"
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-serious-need-for-play
"Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514

I've Been Waldorfed!

Being a first time mom to a toddler, I am currently learning the in's and out's of local school options, play dates, and children's activities.  I originally planned to keep my daughter home and to start school at the pre-school level.  Oh, how soon did I discover that toddlers get bored with Mommy on occassion.  Sure, we're fond of the local library with its plethora of kids programs, tiny tables and chairs, and huge selectio of board books.  And, yes, we have more parks around us than any one person could ever use.  But, I felt that my daughter was giving me cues to branch out a bit.  So, a friend told me about a school that offered Parent-Child Classes.  The parent attends the class along with the child.  (Let me also say that you know you've got a kindred spirit on your hands when the first conversation we ever had involded "Waldorf" education...and she knew exactly what I meant.) This was the perfect "in-between" option for us.  I'm strongly opposed to shoving my kids into daycare and I wasn't ready to start at one of the many full-time Montessori schools around us.  What was so great about this option is that it was a Waldorf school offering this program.  Of course it would be!  And, what is so special about Waldorf education you ask? Oh, let me tell you. 

The first thing you'll notice about a Waldorf school is the entire aesthetic.  It has a certain look with it's color palette, it's natural materials, the soft curves to the classroom and supplies.  It's a far cry from the jail-like institutions some public schools resemble.  Then, you notice the children and teachers.  No one is yelling and screaming, kids aren't acting out violent movie scenes, the teachers speak softly and sing little verses to signal a transition in activities.  For instance, I remember when my husband and I toured our first Waldorf school after I convinced him we needed to enroll our daughter.  We were observing the kindergarteners outside (Waldorf kiddos spend lots of time outdoors) and this lovely Dutch lady, their teacher, started singing and the children happily followed her indoors.  It was almost out of Rogers & Hammerstein.  Ahh..this is where I want my daughter.  This is where I want my self. 

After starting last fall, we are even more involved in this wonderful school.  The Parent-Child Classes were even more magical than I anticipated.  Not only do the children play with natural toys that are designed to stimulate their imagination and creative play, but the mothers get to participate in the neatest craft projects.  Last fall, we made our own Waldorf dolls by sewing and stuffing it of wool, embroidering the face, and making it just so. This term we have learned how to knit and we've increased our knitting capabilities.  Knitting is something I've always wanted to learn and now I can scratch it off my life's to-do list!  I can now cast on, cast off, knit, purl, and use double pointed needles for knitting in the round.  My current project in the class is knitting a pair of baby legs/momma arm warmers out of this lovely Turkish wool/silk rainbow yarn.  During class the children have painted with water colors in the Waldorf style, colored with beeswax crayons, felted wool, modeled with natural playdough and gotten their hands on modeling beeswax.  There is a focus during this age with dexterity and creativity development, hence the emphasis on certain art forms.

However, it is the regular rhythm of the class that my daugher loves.  After intentional creative play, the teacher and then the parents and then the children start singing the "Wash Your Hands" song.  One by one, the children have their hands washed with lavender water.  We then start to "Knead the Dough" and begin kneading little balls of bread dough that will be cooked for our snack.  We have our circle time with finger plays and songs that engage the children and change with each of the four seasons.  After our fresh baked bread comes out of the oven, we gather around the table and eat our bread with honey, real china cups filled with chamomile tea, and wipe our mouths with real cloth napkins.  I didn't know how such breakable plates and cups would work with toddlers, but it does in this setting.  We end our class with a nature walk around the wooded campus with the children collecting little rose petals, pinecones, leaves and sticks.  We mothers stop and smell the roses. 

And, for me, I try to take this special Waldorf world back into my home.  After class you can't help but want to eat something organic.  There is a wholesomeness that rubs off onto you.  The last thing you want after this class is to watch TV and eat junk food.  Since starting Waldorf, our family doesn't even watch television anymore, we spend more time outdoors, I buy organic whenever possible, and I am in the process of ridding the playroom of all those plastic noisy toys and switching to wooden and more natural ones.  I am a convert and my family is better off because of it.

This is the season of my life's mothering years

I started this blog with the objective of sharing all of the wonderful ideas I get from other mindful, conscientious mothers in my circle of friends.  This blog is meant to...

         Celebrate this time of womanhood marked by birth, babies, and children

     Share ideas from other mindful mothers

  Promote mothering as an art

Explore more natural ways of family living

and

Provide a place of solace and inspiration