Crunchy not Hippie

Sickies and the Salt Sock

2011-11-27T12:11:00.002-05:00

For at least two weeks, my little guy has been sick. Low grade fever, snurgles in his head and a cough (barely noticeable during the day unless he runs around, but terrible at night to the point of sore chest and tears from exhaustion and frustration) During the day, I dosed him with Cold Calm and some Oscillo and at night he took Chestal. Around day 10, I gave him Children's Nyquil (ugh. red40) but between the antihistamine and cough suppressant, he slept. Two nights of that got him past the worst and he's been cough free for almost a week now.

Then... last night, he mentioned that his ear had a slight ache but more frustrating was the fact that he couldn't hear out of it...

Knowing that his head had been full of nasties (had hadn't had a runny nose, only post nasal drip which in an 8 year old means that thick junk is close to the fluid of the ears), I felt it was "Salt Sock" time. I tweeted about the salt sock and got a lot of questions about it, so here's how we do it for a kiddo (for adults, we use more salt):

What you'll need:

Salt
old clean sock - thick cotton is best but an old baby sock can work!

Take about 1/2 c of course salt (totally wing it - there is no need for precision on this!) and pour into a pan on the stove. [I use a cast iron skillet though some people heat it in the microwave]
Stir or shake the salt until its very warm/hot.
Pour salt into the sock (I use my canning funnel!) and tie the top to keep salt from spilling. [I've also heard people use a rubber band]
Place the salt sock on the kiddo's pillow and lie with the ear on the sock. If you use a thinner sock, you can place a towel between the sock and the ear - but its not as effective.

That's it! Simple and effective The warm salt is comforting and the salt helps to draw out fluid which can be harboring bacteria and causing pain.

Repeat as needed during the day (and night if you're awake!)
For other recipes for salt socks, you can google it

HMN's Natural Living Conference: BE THERE!

2011-08-09T22:45:00.004-05:00

I am *so* excited for the lineup at the 2011 Natural Living Conference which will be held in Irvine, CA this year on October 1.

I've heard Robyn O'Brien's TED talks and I've seen her speak in person last spring. She is passionate about bring attention to the foods we eat and the foods we feed our children and the effects our choices have on ourselves and our children. I'm excited to hear her talk about The Unhealthy Truth About Our Food.

I'm also looking forward to hanging out with Mayim Bialik, who will be speaking on Parenting by Intuition: From Hollywood to Holistic Mom. Not just that she's amazing as Amy Farah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory (honestly, a favorite show of mine!) but that she is a *real* person who has *real* mommy issues and *real* dilemmas - like finding a holistic/green way to clean the toilet (as per her speech at the Down2Earth Festival in Boston where I was able to meet her in person.)

I am thrilled that I don't have to choose between Robyn and Mayim as speakers; both are keynote speakers at the conference in the main hall!

I do struggle though in trying to choose between the four workshops offered:

Dr. Lauren Feder - Making an Informed Vaccination Choice
Trudy Scott - Food & Mood: 9 Steps to Calm Your Anxious Mind
Jennifer Taggart - The Smart Mama's Guide to Non Toxic Living
Jennifer Waldburger - Happiness Is An Inside Job

I am also looking forward to spending the day with like-minded moms and dads, having an awesome lunch and spending time chatting and getting to know friends I only know online and... much to DH's chagrin, I'm *really* looking forward to shopping at the exhibit hall!

Learn more about the Natural Living Conference here and if you'll be in southern CA in October, do not miss this awesome event!

#HomeHer11

2011-08-05T15:19:00.000-05:00

I'm gonna be honest. I don't have time to blog right now... so I'm blogging because I'm procrastinating the other 9000 things I really *do* have to do right now.

In the interest of truth (which is the topic of choice with my Dear Son lately) I will tell you that I cannot believe I haven't posted anything since May - its odd that its been that long because I know I've composed MANY posts in the interim... I guess I need to type them, too.

I will leave you with this thought: When will she post again? What will it be about? Who else at #HomeHer11 needs a cuppa coffee at 4:15pm...?

Our pets have no names

2011-05-23T09:12:00.001-05:00

We have pets. They live in the basement. The kids love to feed them and care for them!

So, why no names? Mostly because they're hard to tell apart and because there are dozens of 'em!

We have pet worms. OK, maybe they're more like indentured servants. We do give them a nice home and all the food they can eat :) The kids did try to name a few, but then they squirmed away and we're not sure if the ones that they saw again were the same or not...

That said we're looking forward to doing a bit more gardening this summer so we can put to use all the good compost they've made for us!

Our worms came from our good friend Mary who breeds them (HA! She simply has multiple worm bins and as a Master Gardener gives seminars around the area) Our bin is filled with shredded paper from the home office, scrap food waste and some coffee grounds and filters. Definitely not as much coffee grounds and filters as we go through though... that is in another bucket on the back deck waiting to be dumped somewhere else as an outdoor compost area.

Since we're living in a townhouse without any space in which to put an outdoor composter or open pile, I'm still in a battle with myself over the desire to compost the grounds and filters and the reality of having no where to put 'em.

Garden updates to come!

Nursing Our Future... 2011

2011-01-06T11:43:00.001-05:00

It has been nearly a year since I created this video for the Holistic Moms Network.

I still get choked up listening to Catherine Marie Charlton's song Gouda and Grapes - because I can see the pictures of the moms in my head. Pictures that moms from chapters all across the country felt compelled to send in for the video in response to one email asking to help support breastfeeding mothers everywhere.

Moms who know and understand the need for breastfeeding support. Moms who know and understand that the more breastfeeding is seen for what it is - feeding and nurturing a child at the breast - the more it will become commonplace and unquestioned... at Tavern on the Green, a children's museum, a coffee shop, at the Acropolis, the Eiffel Tower!

In solitude and in solidarity - WE MUST NURSE!

Please watch the video - and share it with everyone you know - and those you don't know - because breastfeeding is the way nature intended our future generations to be nourished and comforted and it needs to be seen (in videos, in private homes, in public places and on Facebook!)

Searching for balance... coughing all the way (hack hack hack)

2010-12-04T11:57:00.001-05:00

I've been sick with an upper respiratory thing which moved lower for over 3 weeks now. ENOUGH!

While I'm very holistic in my approach most of the time, I couldn't find the right combination of homeopathic and herbal support and when I KNEW I had a sinus infection and was heading to visit relatives for Thanksgiving, I threw in the holistic towel and took antibiotics. 10 days later I'm still hacking up a lung at times and sound like I took up smoking a few packs rather than the z-pack!

What I find works best for me and my family is the balance between allopathic and homeopathic, between black and white. There *is* a gray zone (or in this case, a medium shade of green zone!) and I truly believe more people live there than is realized.

I'm not done with this... this is gonna be another post I'm sure... but I do have an invitation to a tea party in the tent under the kitchen table and I just cannot be late!

Twitter Tutorial - Lesson 1

2010-09-30T21:06:00.000-05:00

OK -- so I'm not a Twitter Professonal, but I tweet. I'm 42 and I've kinda found my way -- so when a friend in my age range asked me to help her figure it out, this is what I came up with as a first draft.

What do you think?
-------------------------

Twitter is a new animal. It is such a different thing than the rest of social networking, you simply have to let it be what it is and discover how you two get along :)

It is actually very simple. You set up an account and you say something (as long as its under 140 characters) and you hit send. Unfortunately no one sees it -- because you have to have followers to have people see what you're saying! So, in order to have people follow you, you need to go make some Twitter friends. You search for people you know, people who have similar interests to you, people who live locally to you, etc. You "follow" them -- and in turn, you hope they'll follow you back.

Now when you say something, someone sees it. Most often (99% of the time) they will not respond. Don't be offended. They may not have seen your one tweet in their long list of tweets that the hundreds of other people they follow sent. So you say more stuff more often.

Then people start to see what you're saying, comment back, have conversations, build relationships.

There are many ways to sort these conversations so you don't miss the good stuff in the midst of the banal... that's for lesson #2.

Did you take something for that?

2010-09-26T12:22:00.000-05:00

This post has been in my head for a few days but is finally going into draft mode on the computer (as opposed to in my head) so that it has a better chance of ever making it to actual blog publication! I credit the Wellness Bitch for encouraging me to get things off my chest and allow myself to publicly "bitch" about some things that bother me whether of a personal nature or something I've noticed in general.

So, here goes:

The past couple of weeks, the kids have been a bit "off" and have had the snurfles. You know... a bit of a runny nose here and there (but not like a faucet), a cough in the mornings, some sniffles and sneezes. No fevers and no aches (that they've announced) -- so I've chalked it all up to allergies.

So it wasn't much of a surprise to me when I woke up one day last week with a headache with pain in my sinuses. Its just that time of year when certain pollens, molds, humid weather alternating days with frost... its seasonal allergy time.

Now I was once a yellow pill popper. Not sure if you can buy it anymore, but I used to buy BIG bottles of ChlorTremeton (not even sure if I spelled that right - haven't seen a bottle in over 6 or more years!) I'd take the 12 hour tablets and just stop up the runny nose and sneezing. It never occurred to me to wonder how it worked or what it did to my body to shut down the process of stopping the runny nose and sneezing. It also never occurred to me to connect that with the sinus infection I often got in October... but at some point (pregnancy induced I'm sure) I started questioning everything that went into my body and I chose to spend a miserable fall without my little yellow pills.

OK that didn't last long. I was miserable and I'm not one who suffers silently. So I went to a health food store in search of help -- and found two things that changed my life: allium cepa and honey. Not the honey that comes in a bear from your local supermarket that is mass produced (which might be tainted and/or not even honey...) but the kind that comes from the most local bee keeper you can find. That honey is made with pollen from your immediate surroundings and will help you build up resistance to it.

Anyway, I gave the kids and myself a bit of allium cepa and we've been doing quite well... until last Thursday. My eyes hurt, my teeth hurt, my face hurt... I knew I needed more so I complained out loud to Mr. Mainstream (yeah, we're not necessarily at the same pace on this holistic journey... ) who asked "Did you take something for that?" by which he meant something that comes in a box that you can get at the local Rite Aid, CVS or Walgreens - something for the current complaint like Advil, Tylenol or Motrin... or even something for the bigger picture like Claritin.

WHY have we (as a general population of the USA) become accustomed to going to get a box of pills every time we feel crappy? Why is it an assumption that by taking something in pill form we'll feel better and be able to get "back in the game" faster? How did we lose the knowledge of our grandmothers where some herbs cut from the garden steeped in hot water and blended with some LOCAL honey could set us on the path to feeling better -- along with some rest (if anyone remembers what that is anymore!)

So -- I pointed out that I don't take Advil, Tylenol or Motrin (haven't in YEARS) and that I had other solutions to my headache.

I proceeded to use the neti pot into which I added my saline water, some zinc tincture as well as some xylitol. Went both directions. Later in the day when I didn't have time to gather my supplies and neti again, I did two quick squirts up each nostril with the Xlear saline spray with xylitol.

WOW it was like flipping a switch! I felt better a short while later and it has lasted all through the weekend (even though it was 90^ yesterday and a high of 58^ today!)

Holistic and natural solutions and remedies have been around for centuries and I'm hoping to learn many more wise wisdom techniques to prevent and treat what ails us... rather than what comes in a box of pills from one of the many mass marketing retailers.

HAPPY NEW (school) YEAR!

2010-09-06T20:09:00.000-05:00

My 7yo cannot WAIT to get to school tomorrow morning! He will be in a blended 1st/2nd classroom and he's really excited about it. He met his teacher on the last day of school last year and came home and was so excited that the woman that he "thought was just some nice lady at school is [his] teacher!"

How cool that he's known his teacher from seeing her and having positive encounters with her at various times during the past school year and is jumping around with excitement to be in her class this year.

I'm less overjoyed at the idea of my daughter going off to school. I wish I was more excited about the school I'd chosen - wait, I never chose a school. I was in denial that she was going to be going to school and I actually thought I'd homeschool/unschool this year and not commit to a program. Then life intervened and we need money.

I'm in the process of debating job opportunities (one work from home and one seasonal at a retail store) I need childcare if I work out of the house, I need childcare if I work from home... two different jobs with different pay opportunities with different needs for childcare.

I haven't made any decisions and will be spending the next few days meditating and praying a lot!

Shoes + Formula = Sense? oh, wait. Cents... ugh!

2010-08-09T08:56:00.003-05:00

Now, I wasn't at BlogHer10, therefore I have no idea what's in any of the swag bags so I was interested to see @phdinparenting posting about the bags she heard about:

@phdinparenting So...anyone from @robeez or @striderite around this morning? Would love to know why they put formula samples in their swag bags. Ugh.

and my head spun once again with questions... but more, frustration, because unfortunately I totally understand why Robeez and Striderite gave out formula samples in their SHOE swag bags...

@CrunchyMom: @phdinparenting wait. no. seriously? how does shoes + formula = sense? oh! wait, I get it... cents... ugh.

I cannot stand that it always comes back to money. Money for an individual corporation which has individuals at the helm. Money some individual(s) are pocketing and living well at the expense of the health of a future generation of Americans.

They can't pass the buck and say "it wasn't our intention..." or anything of the sort. The health of a child is undermined with each bag created. Every sample of formula that is "out there" for a new mom to have on hand "in case" she has breastfeeding difficulties undermines her belief in her body and encourages her to question whether or not she is doing it right, making enough, making quality milk, etc. Rather than call in a lactation consultant, a LLL leader, a friend from her Holistic Moms chapter, she grabs the sample of formula and bottle feeds her infant. Bottles, being easier to drink from than the breast, empty quickly and the mom now is certain that her baby was starving... and the cycle of weaning begins. and another baby is raised on the fourth best optimal food source.

Yes, the fourth. First is mom's breastmilk straight from mom's breast. Second is mom's milk from another source (syringe, cup, bottle, dropper). Third is breast milk from another human mother and LASTLY is formula. I do know there are women that cannot breastfeed for one reason or another, but the percentage is much smaller than we're led to believe. My opinion on that will have to wait for another post... ;)

I'm simply tired of the companies that have little or no integrity towards a sustainable life for others because they are so forward focused on their funding and personal financial gains.

(Edited to add that @phdinparenting didn't receive the bag, she simply was made aware of them)

HomeHer10

2010-08-07T11:03:00.001-05:00

I'm not a biggie blogger... I wasn't invited to BlogHer10 and I won't be invited to BlogHer11, but I am participating at HomeHer10 and it has revived me more than any Mom's Night Out I've had in... well, ever!

Why? Because I'm sitting here in my shirt that I wore yesterday and slept in last night, drinking my coffee and laughing hysterically. My kids think I'm off my rocker, I'm offering Easy Bake Oven quesadillas to a mama in Montana who is ok with the fact that my 7yo son is delivering them and won't get there until Wednesday!

The mamas participating in MomHer10 are *my* kinda mamas -- the ones whose houses are decorated with Lego, Duplo, and playdoh all over the floor and whose kitchens aren't clean right now because THIS is more important :right now:

I thank @backpackingdad for setting this in motion (though I'm sure when you tossed it out to the universe you had no clue what you'd birthed!) and EVERY blogger who uses the hashtag #HomeHer10, as it has brought a group of mamas together who otherwise may never have met, and it has provided my laptop keyboard more coffee showers/cleanings than its had in a long time!

My month long vacation from the real world.

2010-07-10T19:37:00.000-05:00

I'm still processing all that took place in the last 5 weeks, but suffice to say that though it was a vacation from life it was also life exponentially enhanced...

I took four trips to the ER (wait, I only went three times as my sister took a turn on the 3rd of July) but there were 4 visits to the ER in my month. My mom has a newly recurring obsession with going to see docs in different parts of the country. That's all I can think of -- since she's a very healthy 72 year old and the idea of her being sick scares me, so I'd rather just think of it as her wanting to meet new doctors and check out ER response to cardiac episodes in Maine and Wisconsin. (end results: she's got a-fib but is doing well, thanks!)

Two of the trips were for my daughter who had scary nasty red welts that oozed a golden liquid that crusted over like amber... yeah. gross. Doc at the ER in Elyria, OH thought it was a bug bite and/or cellulitus and/or a recurrence of Lyme with a twist. I was afraid it was some horrific systemic infection that was erupting with these odd puss pockets and I was kinda freaked out. My cousin, a house call doc in Chicago, hadn't seen anything like them either (which added to my freak out). I am *not* an abx lover, but the idea of a horrible systemic infection or recurrence of Lyme had me really upset - so we went with a 10 day regimen. I figured I could rebuild gut health and we can watch our sugars intake - since we're working towards a more traditional diet, we'll go all out with the Candida Free diet, etc and rebuild her and our family's immunity.

Six days on the antibiotics however and her ankle swelled and bruised and looked just nasty - very quickly. The doc at that pediatric ER in Fargo was very nonplussed about it and said quite calmly: "your daughter is allergic to mosquito bites." She said that there are parents who are quite upset about the diagnosis. I hugged her. I can handle a mosquito allergy. I couldn't handle the idea of an unknown systemic infection that didn't respond to abx!

A near tornado experience, a night sleeping in the car, nasty hotel front desk clerks, and way too many steps off my holistic path, but I'm home and making plans to move back towards my center... and to keep my family close!

I have people to contact to let them know that I didn't actually drop off the face of the Earth and that I'm still very much alive and well and planning to participate in whatever it was I was participating in prior to heading for points west. I thank everyone for holding out for my return! :)

The Natural Child Project

2010-06-13T21:11:00.001-05:00

I love what this site is all about -

I'm proud to be a member of HMN!!

2010-06-08T15:07:00.002-05:00

HMN chapter in Portland, ME

2010-05-11T12:23:00.001-05:00

Our Open House is upon us and I'm in a panic. There are still things to be done and not enough time to do them as well as all the other things in life I need to do. Oh well... the hands of the clock will keep spinning and tomorrow night will arrive ready or not!

I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal and I'm sure that whatever happens tomorrow will be fantastic and people will come together in community and it'll all be good. My kids may not have clean clothes and we may be eating canned soup for dinner, but... Thursday will come soon enough and we'll start making plans for where we go from there!

So -- if you're in the Portland, ME area tomorrow night (Wednesday 5/12/2010) at 6:30pm come on out to the R.O.O.T.S. Enrichment Center at 76 Noyes to check out the new Portland Chapter of the Holistic Moms Network!

See ya there!

HMN - Join Us!

2010-03-13T16:24:00.005-05:00

I'm working on adding some buttons to the HMN website where you can come and take buttons for your own site to spread the word about HMN to your readers and followers.

Choose the banner/badge that speaks to you the most and easily add it to your site by copying the code and inserting it into the HTML of your blog or website.

Pretty easy, huh?! COOL! Give me a few more hours and I'll let you know where to go on the HMN site to get your own cool banners and badges like these!

This?

The assertion of independence... whoa Nellie!

2010-03-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

I forgot. I really did. I forgot somewhere after my son turned four and left three in his quickly forgotten past. I forgot the flip flop of the life of the three year old.

Terrible twos? HA! I laugh at those people who use that term! There is *nothing* terrible about two! Two year olds want to be part of their own world and want to make choices that affect them. If you let them make choices between two or three predetermined appropriate options, they'll *always* choose something you'll be happy with!

Three? oh all bets are OFF man! With three, you can offer two or three predetermined appropriate options and a three year old will demand a fourth option! The fourth option is most often not appropriate. So... if you, like I, try to be an empathetic parent and are working to raise a thinking child, you'll say "you know what my darling (ok, maybe different word there...) that is an interesting choice - I think we can give that a try" ----- to which your darling three year old will FLIP OUT AT YOU for approving that choice.

Why you ask? Why is that choice now not acceptable to this angelic cherub? Why? Why? WHY?!

Who the bleep knows! She most certainly doesn't know why she chooses or doesn't choose this or that or the other... she is happy with oatmeal on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday but NOT Thursday. why? because. just because. and then once you make her scrambled eggs (because that's what she asked for and was excited to help you make...) she refuses to eat them because, she's just not in the mood for eggs anymore.

Why? She has no idea -- she's three!

This scenario in one form or another will play out day after day after day after day... until she figures out what she needs to figure out. That she *is* a decision maker in her own world, that she *is* a separate entity from me and that she *is* ok and she *is* and will always be supported in this new role she'll be playing in her life for a LONG time to come.

If I survive this developmental phase.

Nursing Our Future - an amazing HMN project: The Video

2010-02-12T21:44:00.001-05:00

Nursing Our Future - an amazing HMN project!

2010-02-12T20:56:00.005-05:00

I am so blessed to be a part of the amazing movement of mothers, the Holistic Moms Network. This is an empowering, supportive community of women who are interested in many facets of holistic living and have passions that may differ from that of mine, but who all believe in the importance of education on the issues that affect our families and our communities and our planet.

I am honored to have played the role of video editor this past week as the Holistic Moms Network came together to show the world that Holistic Moms breastfeed in public for our babies, ourselves, our future and our Earth.

A press release went out this morning from the Executive Director Nancy Massotto -- http://www.holisticmoms.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/2010-nursing-our-future.pdf

and the video can be seen on the Holistic Moms website http://www.holisticmoms.org/category/news-events/nursing-our-future/ and also on the Holistic Moms YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/HMNNational

As for me and my breastfeeding journey, I was one who never really thought long about it past "of course I'll breastfeed." and then my son was tiny and had a REALLY hard time latching on. I can remember being so scared and afraid that we'd never get it "right". I thank God that my mom was with us so soon after Andrew's birth and I am so blessed that she is such a believer in the power of mothering and the importance of breastmilk. I knew I didn't want my son to have formula or sugar water, but I was also scared that he'd die if he didn't eat (I was a new mom... I didn't *know* that it was natural for my milk to not come in for a few days...) What was the BEST is that my mother created a funny lactation device out of a piece of the tubing from my hand pump I got from the hospital and a syringe. I pumped what I could and then we filled the syringe and put Andrew to the breast and squirted breast milk along my nipple to encourage him to latch and suckle. It worked... sort of. Not well enough though and I found a lactation center when he was 7 days old that gave me a nipple shield. That changed everything! He could latch on and though I feared we'd never wean from the shield, somewhere between 3 and 4 months we were nipple shield free and on our way!

Never in a MILLION years would I have thought I'd breastfeed a toddler... let alone a preschooler... and as Andrew approached his 5th birthday, I was surprised that he was still nursing but I truly understood what it meant to him. Somewhere within days of his 5th birthday he tried to nurse and couldn't. He had forgotten how. He had weaned. and we both cried.

I am passionate about the importance of human milk for human babies and am so proud to be nursing my three year old daughter and plan to allow her to nurse until she no longer needs to do so. Could be next week, or next year -- but what I do know is that our relationship will last as long as it is mutually agreed upon.

Having been part of this Nursing Our Future video project has brought me closer to my feelings about nursing and it has helped me with my night nursing frustrations. Knowing that our time is closer to the end than the beginning makes me appreciate it all the more and I am thankful that I am able to do this for her.

Thank you HMN for bringing out the video editing passion in me -- and for renewing my passion for breastfeeding my daughter!

Happy New Year! 2010

2010-01-25T09:38:00.001-05:00

Hey, I think I only posted once in 2009 -- so I might as well get going in 2010 if I plan to post more frequently! LOL

Here's to January's post...

I do plan to do a "catch up" post in a bit -- and I plan to share more frequently on this blog... (heard that before? LOL)

Why is blogging so difficult...

2009-03-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

What's with the logging in and typing something fascinating for the so very few people that ever read my blog can have something new to read... what's so hard about that?? and yet... I have a hard time doing it...

perhaps it will be my new months' resolution. (forget new year... I need lots of do-overs! LOL)

until the next post (or next month...) .... have a good one!

What your baby needs!

2008-12-08T20:49:00.003-05:00

So - my friend Adrienne just launched her new website and it's FANTASTIC! She's a nutrition guru and I glean information from her every chance I get -- though her primary focus right now is on preconception nutrition and I am NO in a preconception place in my life... If YOU are though... you seriously MUST check out her website and consider her new teleclass which is a 12 week course jam packed with nutritional information, advice, support and encouragement that is worth much more than what she's asking -- check it out... go... I'll wait...

Click here to view the details of the site and telecourse

So -- pretty cool site, huh? Now --- sign up! or... tell your preconception stage friends to check it out -- really -- they'll be healthier and happier for it. Did you know you can set the course of your child's health PRIOR to conception? Um.. if not, you NEED this telecourse! I'll tell ya more later when I have more time!

Insert wise and witty writing here...

2008-10-24T07:46:00.004-05:00

As I lie in bed at night with my daughter nursing and/or encouraging her to sleep, I write such awesome articles in my head. Witty and wise, deep and inspiring. and then I fall to sleep and wake an hour later in a stupor - stumbling out of the pitch black room into the dimly lit hallway down to the living room where I watch something that was dvr'd long ago or back to my computer where I read emails and surf... no brain activity to post nor read anything inspiring or challenging.

I dream now of the days to come where I kiss her cute little forehead and say "night night, I love you!" and walk out of the room ~ off to enjoy a full evening of intellectual enlightenment from books, meeting friends out, having friends over... ah - but this time with her is fleeting -- already my first "baby" is 5 and rolls his eyes at mommy's gushy loving sometimes. :::sigh::: time really *is* flying...

High heels...??

2008-09-17T10:15:00.003-05:00

Is this the craziest thing you've ever seen?? Though... I do have some friends (and family) who think owning certain shoes are the closest to nirvana you can get... but... babies?!

Peace Corps or Kindergarten?

2008-09-13T12:11:00.002-05:00

Dear Andrew is off to kindergarten at Kumbaya Academy. No, that's not REALLY the name of his school... just what my more mainstream friends lovingly refer to his new (environmentally focused, experiential learning) charter school.

His back to school list had no pencils and pens, no paper, no notebooks, no crayons, markers, no glue. His list included woolens, rain pants, hat, jacket, muck boots to the knee, snow pants, parka, two hats (wool and fleece), two sets of mittens/gloves, sun hat, water bottle, water bottle carrier...

We didn't back to school shop at Staples... we went back to school shopping at Campmor!

Happy Birthday Andrew!

2008-06-27T12:01:00.002-05:00

Here's one of the only pictures of our entire family that we have. THANKS to my friend Jeana for taking it and for spending Andrew's birthday with our family!!

Elizabeth is wearing a size 6 leotard given to her by Jeana's daughter - though a bit big (Elizabeth typically wears 18m) she LOVED the flouncies at the waist and on the arms (though she did need them rolled up a bit... just a bit... LOL)

Happy Graduation Day!

2008-06-20T20:48:00.007-05:00

Andrew graduated from pre-K today! He had a cute ceremony followed by a party hosted by a "real alive" DJ who played songs from High School Musical 2 and had Andrew dancing and singing like a "high school kid!"

Here are a few pics of the joyful event!

SAYING THE PLEDGE

DURING THE HULA HOOP DANCE

*VERY* SAD NOT TO HAVE WON A RED PEANUT PRIZE...

She's thrilled though to have found a peanut at all!

With his teacher, Miss Rachel

And once again... we failed to ask anyone to take our family picture...

Check out the music on the right side there...

2008-06-20T20:37:00.001-05:00

My SILIL (that's a sister-in-law-in-law aka my brother's wife's brother's wife) is in the bluegrass/acoustical/gospel band Sorghum Hill -- and you can listen to a song if you just hit play!

They're FANTASTIC -- seriously - go listen while you hang out here!

2008-05-20T13:30:00.004-05:00

Standing at the edge of the woods after being told not to go in... shhhhh secret plans being made... oh well... not worth getting in trouble!

Lying on the grass making wishes in a FIELD full of wishes!

Running around like crazy kids... oh, wait -- they ARE crazy kids!

Weeding at Genesis

2008-05-20T13:26:00.004-05:00

Went to Genesis Farms yesterday to help weed their memorial garden prior to a gathering this weekend -- was fun to be out in the dirt.

Our littlest weeders!

She's so done...

G.U.E.S.S. Homeschool Science Fair Sponsors: Please Steal This Post

2008-05-12T12:17:00.001-05:00

The G.U.E.S.S. Homeschool Science Fair took place on May 5th in Norfolk VA, where smart young scientists shared their research and conclusions with their peers, their families, and the judges. Fun was had, friends were made, hypotheses were proven, and prizes were awarded! Thank you to all the sponsors of the G.U.E.S.S. Homeschool Science Fair!

If you would like to help thank these generous sponsors by boosting their links on key search words, please steal this post, links and all, and republish it to your blog. When you’ve done this, email guess@littleblueschool.com and let us know, so that we can add you to our “Science Fair Bloggers” and give you some links and traffic too! You’ll get a link on Little Blue School, Homeschooled Twins, and on the homeschool science fair web site. Need the code? Click here to get the .txt file with all the links in place.

Moore Expressions is a homeschool bookstore in Virginia Beach, VA. They sell used and new homeschooling curriculum, host a support group, and publish a newsletter called the Bayith Educator. They are the premier source for homeschooling books in the Hampton Roads area.

Art of Dance Academy is a dance and theater school on the border of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. They offer “Tiny Tots” toddler dance classes, youth classes for ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop, and adult classes too. Most importantly, the host the famous summer princess dance camp.

Norfolk Karate Academy offers classes in Tang Soo Do (Korean karate) and Gracie Jiu Jitsu (Brazilian grappling and self-defense). With classes for children, teens, and adults, it’s a great way for anyone to get in shape and kick things in a socially acceptable way!

Nauticus is Norfolk’s maritime museum and home of the USS Wisconsin battleship. The hot new exhibit is Seabots: Pilots of the Deep! Have you seen it? Nauticus is in the process of setting up a Homeschool Advisory Group to talk about homeschool science programs at the museum.

Mariner’s Museum has amazing programs for homeschoolers learning about maritime science, history, and even pirates! Their next homeschool open house is on May 15th and features a class in pirate lore. Visit Mariner’s Museum for historical exhibits and educational programming.

Homeschoolingbooks.com offers homeschool curriculum packages to take the guesswork out of selecting materials that compliment each other to create a whole year of learning for your homeschooler. Three collections are available for each level, and individual books are for sale too.

Brooks Systems offers standalone software and web applications that check legal compliance in all municipalities in all fifty states, and create truth-in-lending documents for residential lenders. Using Brooks for your automated mortgage compliance, you can be sure your loans are safe.

Dr. Bernard Nebel has written two books to help homeschool teachers integrate learning in different areas of the curricula into one living breathing learning experience. His new book, Building the Foundations for Scientific Understanding, is a science curriculum for K-2.

Young Chef’s Academy is a marvelous kitchen classroom with amazing cooking classes for kids. Go ahead - cover yourself in flour! Most amazing of all: their summer camp offerings are themed around the Olympic Games. Cook for the Gold with Camp Can-I-Cook in Norfolk this summer.

Mad Science is Hampton Roads’ premier provider of science enrichment classes for children. Summer classes include “Crazy Chemistry” and a space camp developed with NASA! New homeschool science classes are being offered in Norfolk and VA Beach, with more planned for fall.

eScienceLabs creates boxes of joy for science loving homeschoolers. In each kit is a complete science experience — from individual lessons to full years of high school labs. Hands-on science kits are the answer to your laboratory woes. Everything is in there: test tubes, goggles, and fun.

Folkmanis Puppets makes the most delightful animal puppets available outside Santa’s workshop. Meet their most unusual creations like llamas, Chinese dragons, ostriches, flying squirrels. Unusual materials create realistic textures, and they all move in very realistic ways. Irresistible.

Book Exchange is the largest used bookstore in Eastern Virginia. Unlike most musty and confusing used stores, this one is clean, bright, inviting, and has a huge selection of used homeschool books.

Thank you for your help in promoting these homeschool-friendly sites. They took a risk on sponsoring us in the first year of our science fair, and we appreciate their support.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2008-03-12T12:13:00.004-05:00

My mom is 70 years young today! She's celebrating and living it up large down in AZ where I believe she confirmed that she HAS thawed out from the long MN winter :)

I hope your day is FANTASTIC just like you and that you have a wonderful 70th year!

9-1-1. 9-1-1, 9-1-1... anyone?

2008-03-11T18:08:00.002-05:00

Guess what happens when your child calls 9-1-1 three times? THANKFULLY there are no fines for the first violation (well, the first three but in short succession)

I was on the phone making plans to surprise Eric with a really clean house (read: The Maids) when he comes home... and Andrew had asked "can I call you from your cell phone?" I said "yes - let me finish this call and you can call me! It'll be fun to practice calling"

He's so proud that he knows our home number by heart...

Well, I was taking WAY TOO LONG (obviously) so he dialed the only other number he knew by heart. 9-1-1

So... he walked into the kitchen with my cell phone where I am standing in front of my calendar making a date with the Maids guy and he hands me my cell phone and says "the lady wants to talk to you - mommy, she's REALLY nice!"

I thought "yeah, right, this is another game of 'lets pretend'" and then I looked at the phone and there is a bright red siren/light flashing in the center of my phone screen... and I hesitantly put it to my ear and said... "hello?"

To which I hear "Is this Andrew's mother? and is everything really all right there?"

After dying of embarrassment, I replied that yes I was his mother and that yes, he'd taken my phone to call me but I didn't realized he'd made an executive decision to call someone who wasn't busy (you know... on the phone trying to get someone ELSE to clean the house...) It turns out, she really WAS very nice - but she suggested that I put the phones up and away because that was his third call. Wonderful.

So -- we now have a NO KIDS CAN TOUCH ANY PHONE rule in our house...and I'm just waiting for the bill for wasting the nice lady's time.

Does everyone have a brain?

2008-03-10T19:30:00.002-05:00

On the way to school today, Andrew and Elizabeth were giggling in the back seat. I asked what was so funny and Andrew replied "I don't know!" but they kept on laughing. This is not surprising since he, at 4.5 and she, at 15m, laugh at pretty much nothing together quite often.

But then, he asked her a question... and she nodded. He stopped laughing and got VERY serious. "Mommy!!! Mommy! Lizzie nodded! She knows what I asked and she said YES!" I said "yes, it does look that way - she nods to me quite often lately" I reminded him that she's been communicating by signing "milk", "more" and most recently "bird" -- and he said "Mommy, does everyone have a brain?" to which I replied in the affirmative... and to which he responded with "Whoa... even BABIES?!" again to which I responded in the affirmative.

I guess he thought that the brain came later? That one needed to grow a brain? and that it appeared much later in life... like when you're, say... 3 or 4?

Oh, what a wondrous revelation to know that his sister has a brain and can even THINK and RESPOND to him! Life is miraculous, no?

Pop is doing well

2008-03-06T12:19:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are in the know -- my FIL had surgery on Tuesday to remove the upper lobe of one of his lungs to removed a cancerous tumor. He's in ICU and his heart was enlarged from the surgical trauma, but he's doing well. He'll be in ICU longer than they anticipated and he'll be in the hospital longer than they'd hoped, but he's recovering well.

Thanks for all the prayers and positive thoughts and healing intentions!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

2008-03-06T12:16:00.002-05:00

So - today for Dr. Seuss' birthday, I got a gift. My son chose to go to school ALL DAY rather than just after lunch for the pre-k party. YES -- I had a FREE day today and hadn't expected it!

I quick threw together a lunch... hmmm... I think he got some pretzels, baby carrots, a squeeze yogurt, a container of applesauce, a string cheese and a banana. LOL We're out of bread and he can't have the peanut butter balls on T or Th...

So - I quick ran to Panera where I met up with my raw milk dealer and was handed a half gallon. Mmmmm goodness! (oh, and I had a french toast bagel and a cuppa joe -- NOT so healthy!)

Now the little one is sleeping (40 minutes to fall to sleep as she was SO far past the "window" of naptime -- but I was NOT letting her miss it all together!) and so I'm going to shower for the first time this week (ok, really, since Tuesday morning) and get some things accomplished!

I am NOT a mainstream Mama!

2008-03-02T13:12:00.003-05:00

Wow - I've been so remiss at posting...

I think of great things to post and then I don't post 'em. I'm hesitant sometimes to let the core me show - because I'm such a chameleon that perhaps the hippie me and the mainstream me will clash somewhere out there...

BUT I think its time to let the battle for the "real" me commence.

I was offended recently when I was told that I come across as very mainstream. Why that bothered me, I don't know ~~ but it did. I need to work on showing the inner me more on the outside because I don't like that I come across mainstream!

What's wrong with mainstream, you ask? Nothing... really... but I'm not. I don't feel that I am following along the crowd (floating along the stream) without concern for asking questions and forcing the issue. I feel I walk more on the hippie side... or the crunchy side if that suits your phrasing better --- either way, I'm NOT a soccer mom driving a minivan and taking my kids to the local elementary school and going about living an unquestioned life.

Perhaps that's the crux. I feel that I'm living a life of questions whereas I see mainstream as living without questioning. The Spankies once used the phrase "Sheeple" to refer to people who just follow along like sheep... I don't want to ever be associated with Sheeple... and perhaps that's why I was so offended to be referred to as "mainstream" even just in my appearance!

Now - to go find the "What Not to Wear" success story hippie me...

The twins in that belly...

2008-02-09T13:22:00.000-05:00

are here!

I am so thrilled that Elisa's babies are here and doing so well. A boy and a girl - just like my son and her daughter predicted!

YEAH and Congrats Elisa!

Elisa's belly... whoa, what's IN there?!

2008-01-18T19:43:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Elisa is in her 8th month and though they (who the hell are "they" anyway!?) say that the later in a twin pregnancy, there will be less movement and less room.. um... yeah, right!

You Tube video posting... trying to see if I can get videos here....

2008-01-12T21:11:00.001-05:00

Life is Good

2008-01-12T21:02:00.000-05:00

Life's been so wonderful, I've had no time to sit and post... BUT I do plan on an update soon!

Some videos for you :)

2007-12-24T09:46:00.002-05:00

I know I'm REALLY bad at keeping up here... but here are a few videos of the kids (and hubby) that I've put up on YouTube the past few days...

enjoy! --- Videos of the new wagon and the sledding hill

The holidays are here, the holidays are here!

2007-12-24T09:46:00.001-05:00

Why has there been no time to post?! The holidays are here! We've been busy getting a tree, protecting said tree with a fence from a one year old cruiser, baking cookies (well, actually making dough but not many cookies), and out visiting friends.

We went to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (pictures will be added later!) and had a blast in NYC.

More on lots of stuff later... it's nearly 10am and my "sleep in time" is coming to an end!

The simple things of joy!

2007-12-08T21:13:00.000-05:00

Love the simple things that can make a child so giddy...

Like my son shopping at Home Town Hardware earlier today. We went in for a few Christmas things and he saw a box of candy canes. He'd just confiscated change from where my husband empties his pockets when he comes in from work and it was burning a hole in his pocket. He knew he had "about $2" (which was $1.92 to be exact...) Anyway, we set the things we were going to buy on the counter and I realized my money was in the car. I said "we're going to the car to get money" to which he replied excitedly "Mommy! *I* have money!" I explained that it wasn't going to cover our purchases but thanked him - and then - he looked at the nice cashier and said "whatever you do, don't beep the candy canes. I'm going to buy them with *my* money when we get back!" and he did! When we got back to the register, all my items had been rung up and I paid. He took his box of candy canes and his pocket full of change and went to a different register to buy them. He was over the top with glee that he was doing it all by himself!

As he was going to bed tonight, he recounted the joy we'd had today and what topped his list? Buying candy canes ALL by himself with HIS own money! and you know what? He even got a receipt! THAT was the highlight - who wudda thunk?!

The snowman

2007-12-06T13:57:00.000-05:00

Halloween

2007-11-04T19:37:00.000-05:00

These are the only pics I have as the camera is dead and I couldnt' take any pics at school because Eric had the old camera at work. I'll post pics from his school costume parade when I get some from the other moms :)

Andrew out ready to trick or treat with a buddy -

Elizabeth at Eric's office -- this is the only pics I got of her looking in my direction!

The rest of the MN vacation story - simplified

2007-10-30T19:20:00.000-05:00

So - here's the rest of the MN vacation... (pics to follow once I get the camera battery that I left on mom's kitchen counter)

Trip to Fergus Falls was a blast - great to see Donna and Stan again. Andrew had fun running around at a farm implement dealership.

Packing to go to Mpls and then home took an entire day - yes, an ENTIRE day. We thought we'd leave around noonish... we got on the road at 5:15. Stopped at Subway for drive-through dinner, then at Ann's for a quick goodbye which then included Jolinda, Allison, Kya, Kallie, Owen, Emma and later a wave to Angie!

Got into Mpls (Joel and Erika's place) much later than expected -- big bummer.

Got up and entertained Markus and Luther in addition to my two whilst Mom and Joel went to take care of the flat tire on mom's van. The place (Tires Plus in Maple Grove, MN) tried to con mom with the "your front brakes are 90% gone and really need to be done before you go very much farther" but since she'd had the car into the shop back home just a day ago, she called them and they confirmed that she is NOT in danger of death due to lack of brakes and that she was being scammed. the nerve of some people!

Friday went to Fairbault to see the Burkhartzmeyer clan. WHAT fun to see Dave and Shirley, their three girls and their hubbies and the 10 grandkids. Andrew was in his glory with so many kids to play with - it was hard to pull him away to get back to Mpls and get to bed that night.

Saturday was supposed to be the Como Zoo but that fell through so Jodi and the kids and I went to the MOA (that's Mall of America to those not in the know) and had a BLAST at the Park at MOA (formerly Camp Snoopy) Andrew rode all the rides his heart desired and then we gave away 25 tickets at least. There was a Halloween themed evening planned but we didn't know about it in advance or we'd have bought a different ticket package - so there was no trick or treating for Andrew in the Park after Dark -- but he had a great time anyway... Auntie Jodi took him to Ridemakerz (www.ridemakerz.com) where he designed his own race car and had a BLAST.

Sunday was the Como Zoo where we saw a new baby giraffe! That was followed by dinner at ChuckECheeses - Andrew again was in heaven over the pizza, kids and general running around like a mad man. You'd think his mother never takes him out to such places... oh, wait - we don't! LOL

Monday we drove out to Joel's house where we made home made icecream (you know... where mommy turns for awhile and then Uncle Joel comes in and cranks til his arms are shaking!) Yummy ice cream for lunch!

We had to leave there by 12:30 to get back to Jodi's to get our bags and head to the airport - the flight was fairly uneventful except for the fact that Andrew held one ear for awhile exclaiming that he had to keep his hand over his ear because it was bleeding and he had to keep the blood in. Poor kiddo!

Daddy met us at the airport and it was so much fun to see Andrew's face when he saw Daddy - and Elizabeth too was all smiles for the big man in her life!

and now we're home... and back in the swing of things... oh joy!

Relatives, Relatives, everywhere we look, RELATIVES!

2007-10-24T12:38:00.000-05:00

Andrew has seen SO many cousins and Aunts and Uncles and great cousins and great aunts and uncles that his head is swimming with names!

I am so excited that he's had this awesome experience in meeting his relatives again now that he's older and will remember them better... more on this whole experience when there's more time... we're off to Fergus Falls to see another set of great aunt and uncles

Hello from MN!

2007-10-18T21:34:00.001-05:00

Yes, just a quick note to let you know that the long awaited trip to MN has taken place! We'll be here for a few more days and then return to some nice weather back home. It has done nothing but rain for the past few days here... and the weather.com site says more of the same in our future. Andrew may never want to come visit Grandma ever again! LOL

Push Me - Pull You in the Fwing

2007-10-09T21:17:00.001-05:00

At the park last Sunday night... hey, when you're young, you can share a "fwing" with a boy! The little boy's big sister kept yelling that she wanted to "fwing" too... meanwhile, Andrew was ALL over the park, up and down ladders, slides, across bridges, in the sand, to the top of the castle, um... yeah - ALL OVER (hence no pictures of him!)
Oh, and yes, those are my cool birkclad feet and my cool blue solarveil sling :)

an Andrew retrospective

2007-10-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

(sorry blogger only does landscape pics... turn your head to see the two verticle pics better)

At the Ort Farm corn maze with the "big" guys

Running the corn maze

My big boy seems so little in the corn!

Posing on the hay with the scarecrows

King of the Hay Mountain (at Alstede Farms Fall Festival)

Corn Maze success at the children's maze

Pony ride - at dusk... fitting in as much fun as we could before we lost the sun!

Out in the pumpkin field after dark... the sun has set... time to go home!

an Elizabeth photo montage

2007-10-07T10:10:00.000-05:00

"Kissing the baby doll"

"Is that a camera? Did you just take my picture?"

"It *IS* a camera! I LOVE cameras! Can I see your camera?!"

"Oh, that's a pretty nice camera..."

"Oh, and it has a FLASH!"

"My turn!"

The plastic dilema

2007-10-04T19:28:00.000-05:00

I've read too many places about the hideous nature of plastic and not just what it does to the animals and birds of our planet but what it does to us at a cellular level as well. The endocrine disruption, the hormonal alteration, etc.

So... yesterday I'm talking with my funniest mommy friend - you know who you are - and she starts in on how she's purging more items from her home. Now - this comes as a shock to me because she already lives a purged life. We joke about my efforts to declutter and eliminate unnecessary things from my home... because its a never ending joke as things come in faster than I can get them out. Her home though has been purged of excess and to hear her talk of going on a purging rampage makes me giggle... but then I realize she's purging plastic and I am so on board with her when she describes the need as such: (and I cannot even begin to do her humor justice... this is paraphrased from our conversation)

So, my friend was watching a show on HBO about how a mother was concerned about her 10 year old daughter and was discussing with the pediatrician the fact that this CHILD has started menstruating. Yes, her period has arrived at a ridiculously early age. and the pediatrician is talking about the dangers of plastic and how baby bottles and sippy cups and teething toys and pacifiers and holy crap the variety of things that are made for babies and children out of plastics that leach and disrupt the hormones of growing children - not to mention the water bottles and other items that were used by pregnant mothers unaware of the long term effects of the simple act of rehydration... and so my dear friend begins more purging. The pitcher that they use to make juices and teas (she's got a nice ceramic one available collecting dust, it is now in use!), little things here and there and what is going through her mind as she purges? Hm... daughter DOES love this pink plastic sippy cup... do I keep it or toss it and explain that it was lost or damaged or whatever needs to be said to explain its disappearance and then... hmmm daughter getting her period at 10?? PLOP the sippy goes.

So - tonight as I'm emptying the dishwasher, I realize that I have a nice metal colander that I use very infrequently and that I always grab for the bright yellow Tupperware one... and yet though I won't nuke a single food in plastic nor put hot foods in plastic, etc I routinely pour boiling hot water into the colander and let pasta sit in that bright heated up beacon of plastic nastiness while I make a cheese sauce. So? PLOP into the donation pile it goes.

Ah - to donate or to trash, that is the question. THAT is a sucky question. no, seriously it is. Do I send it off into the landfill to never break down, or to break down very slowly leaching chemicals into the water tables, etc --- or send it out into the world where it may be accepted willingly by someone who doesn't have a colander at all and who is thrilled at the serendipitous discovery of something in really good condition at their time of need. And what if this discovery brings the colander into the home of a little girl who one day starts her period at the age of 10... oh, the moral dilemma.

So, I pray that my daughter doesn't menstruate at a frightfully early age, I pray that neither my daughter nor my son have fertility issues that could have been predetermined to them by my water bottle use while they were in utero (my son more than my daughter on that one...) but really, for ALL the plastic usage in my life before the age of awareness.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss, but truly ignorance is just scary - all the things that you don't know yet which can hurt or at least make life less beautiful. Sometimes its just a lot to bear.

So --- I'm going to stop typing on my plastic keyboard, using my plastic mouse, sitting in my plastic chair, and put my plastic glasses on the WOODEN stand and call it a night. I'm going to snuggle up with my little girl and pray that I make good choices going forward with the knowledge that I have at the time that I have it...

Maya Angelou said (paraphrasing here) that when you know better, you do better. I hope that I do.

Please don't hold it against Andrew...

2007-10-02T12:45:00.000-05:00

yeah - I got the application up to the school. I even had the self addressed envelope with it. Forgot the stamp. yup, I forgot the stamp on the self addressed STAMPED envelope that I was supposed to bring with me to the school. So I called today and asked if I could have a friend whose child attends the school deliver a stamp to the office for my envelope. The secretary laughed and said not to worry about it - but I will. I also said "please don't hold it against Andrew! We were busy bringing organic produce for one mom, a pack and play that we were loaning to another mom and meeting another mom to pass on some other things. So - Andrew's mom is busy and forgot the stamp... please don't hold him out of the class because of that!!

And now we wait... who the heck knows when the announce the class for next year. Guess I'll just have to suffer until they announce it and worry if the stamp is what keeps him out...

OR.. what about simply WHEN to school?

2007-10-01T19:37:00.000-05:00

Another thing about school that's been on my mind is that there is a homeschool group with a few moms of kids who will be at Ridge and Valley next year. They're already "in" because they all have older siblings in the school and so they're slotted in spaces even before "in district" kids who are interested. So - I have the opportunity to do a fun homeschool/playgroup with these kids and some others... and it is on Tuesdays.

Andrew is in "school" on Tuesdays. He goes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Did I mention that before? Did I also mention that he likes it there? We had a talk today and I asked if he wants to keep going to that school - he said "ok" - I asked if he likes it or if he does not. He said "I like it when we have lunch (he stays once every few weeks to eat lunch AFTER the regular school is over) and I like it when we play on the playground and when I'm not in trouble" I asked if he's in trouble a lot to which he replied "no, not a lot - like no time outs today... but some days... and some days I get in trouble for not listening - that's what I get in trouble for most" :) yes - my child who is in his own world and who can't hear through the space-time continuum... ugh.

So my only other thought for the day was to talk to the teacher/director and suggest that Andrew go on M, W, F. He'll get two days of the "academic" work and one day which is more of a daycare day with less structured academic time. He'll still recite the pledge twice a week (which he does remarkably well for the second week of school!) and he'll have some time there more focused on play and less on following directions.

HOWEVER - if Andrew goes on Fridays, then he'll NEVER see his bestest friend Keira during the week again --- apart from those weeks that we make plans to see Keira on a Friday when Andrew will go to school M, T, W that week... wait - we don't see her EVERY Friday now... maybe we can work this out to some degree... ok.. thanks for listening :)

to school or not to school... um.. no... WHICH school...

2007-10-01T10:22:00.000-05:00

Andrew is back at school today. He goes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday... and he loves it. It's a pre-k "curriculum" and the school is about 2 minutes from my house. It seriously could not be any easier for me. The only trouble with it right now is that Elizabeth naps in the mornings and is transitioning to a later morning nap and noon comes quickly when there's a baby sleeping. I hate to wake her to go get him, but it is inevitable. Poor, poor second child. :)

Back to the school "issue"... I have, for the past few years, felt like a mom who would home educate her children. I joined homeschooling yahoo groups, homeschooling local playgroups, etc. and then... with the pregnancy and my exhaustion, etc. I sent him off to preschool. where he thrived. he absolutely loves being with lots of other kids on a very regular basis. So - now that I'm "over myself" and realizing that what ANDREW needs is not what I envisioned for him, we're on our way to enjoying this new school year.

BUT - what was it about homeschooling that appealed to me? what was it about the idea made me feel that I was doing something better for him than sending him to be with the masses? Well... that. Andrew is an energetic young lad. He is creative and is ALWAYS coming up with a new "greatest invention" to share with us. When he's in his inventive mode, he doesn't hear. he has "creative deafness" and he can simply *be* in his own world and then return to Earth and our universe when he needs assistance or needs to show off what he's created. This is not perceived as creative genius in the mainstream public schools. it is seen as ADHD or a behavior issue. Hmmm... is this what I'd like for my son? Do I want him labeled? Do I want him to curtail his exhuberance and learn to sit at a table with 5 other children and color along the dotted lines like a good little boy? Hell no!

So --- today, after I pick him up from his pre-k (where he is learning the letter B this week and following the dotted lines...) we're heading up to Blairstown to drop off his application for kindergarten. Please send positive vibes that he makes the cut. It is a public school - a charter school - and though we're not "in district" we have a shot at one of the 14 spaces. a long shot, but a shot nonetheless! If he doesn't get into the kindergarten... I think we'll have to reevaluate the idea of home education.

I *did* need him to be at "school" when I was pregnant and last spring when Elizabeth had just arrived and I was EXHAUSTED and needed those three hours twice a week break. I saw that school as a supervised playdate with other kids. I was not interested in the educational aspect of the program. We do plenty of educating here at home - he's doing fantastic in that arena. I don't see him *needing* "school" at this point. With Elizabeth napping and sleeping well at night, I'm well rested and in a really good place to make a plan for next year.

But --- we're off to drop off the application to the school today... he has LOTS of friends from HMN that attend the school already and the philosophy of the school meshes SO well with my own ideas of what a school really truly should be. So, once again, I ask for all the vibes you can send this way that his name is pulled for admittance into the kindergarten class of 2008-2009!

Oktoberfest Success!

2007-09-30T09:19:00.000-05:00

We had our "Third Annual Oktoberfest" this past weekend... and though it was our first one ever, we figured that since its our third October in our home, we'll mark time with our "annual" party now!

I have no pictures... not sure why we never got the camera out, but it could be the fact that Eric was in Boston for the four days preceding the party, it POURED rain the morning of the party and all of our outdoor final preparations were put on hold until about 1pm... which was the start time for the party.

We did have about 50 people (adults and kids) and it was so much fun! The keg wasn't quite finished (yeah - like about half was drunk) but the bounce house was SO worth every penny. The kids were in and out of the bounce house all day/evening and we finally shut it down around 8:45 so we could get Andrew into the bath and into bed!

Other than the mud pit under the new deck and the wet grass from all the rain, there were no real "glitches" - just lots of little ways in which we can improve the party for next year! and you're all invited! send me your email address and I'll make sure you get on the evite next year :)

Keeping up...

2007-09-30T09:14:00.000-05:00

I've been having trouble keeping up with my blog... spending time doing other things like.. reading other people's blogs and caring for my chilluns, the house, playdates, showering, drinking coffee, making lists... you know ~~ other things!

I promise I'll be better at keeping up - there's so much to share!

ok - gotta go run get some batteries before my mighty mouse quits working!

Because I Said So

2007-09-10T14:27:00.000-05:00

Check her out.. Dawn, a mama to 6 is hilarious. She's got it all going on and actually finds time to update her blog daily. Yeah... not so much like me.

The link is over there on the side - or maybe this will work: http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com

Anyway... quick update:

old deck got torn down
new deck is going up as I type
big 12' square dirt hole in our back yard - as you step down from the back door...
Oktoberfest party here on the 22nd
HUGE mess in every room of the house
downstairs powder room is torn apart with fresh sheetrocked walls... not taped yet
Andrew's calm dial broke and he's only got "on" and "off" and runs faster and faster all day til the offswitch is flipped
Elizabeth started crawling last Friday

Yup, that about sums it ALL up!

Cinch is seriously a cinch!

2007-08-28T08:53:00.000-05:00

Yes, at the risk of sounding like an infomercial... I did Cinch yesterday for the first time and... it was honestly pretty darn easy! And there were temptations!

I had a shake for breakfast (along with a cup of coffee... which I drank my typical 1/4 of...) and then we packed up for a day out. I brought my shaker with a pack of shake, a tea, and a bar - oh - and a boost tablet. We went to the dentist, the chiropractor and then a florist. We went to Babies R Us and then at noon almost exactly, we drove through Wendy's. I got a pint of milk! I poured that into my shaker and made my shake - taking my boost tablet at that time.

We took the flowers to my friend Diana - where we stayed for an impromptu 2 hour playdate. I ate a plate of heirloom tomatoes (mmmmm!) and she had some too --- and then she and the kids all had chili dogs. I wasn't even hungry and it didn't sound good.

Went to the grocery store and had my chocolate decadance bar on the way - at the store, got lots of lean meat and that's about it --- since Diana gave us a box of goodies from her bountifly overflowing garden! On the way home, I added the tea pack to what was left of my bottle of water (from Wendy's) and drank that down -- and that got me through cleaning the fridge and putting away groceries when we got home.

Cleaning the fridge?! Yes - typically at 5pm I want to lie down and nap... but I know I need to feed the kids and make dinner... yesterday on Cinch, I had energy to clean the fridge AS I was cooking dinner and putting away groceries. I think I'm gonna love this Cinch plan!

Oh... and when I weighed in yesterday, I started the plan at 158.5 (nakey) and this morning I was 157. These are numbers I haven't seen in YEARS! At the beginning of July (pre-stone and hospitalization) I was 168 -- so I'm starting Cinch on a downward trend anyway... but that was not healthy weight loss (though really... much of it was simply smaller portions. Have you ever EATEN hospital food? You'd do smaller portions too!)

My new Shaklee website!

2007-08-22T18:55:00.000-05:00

I am such a believer in Shaklee ~ I've been using supplements, meal shakes and cleaning products for literally 20 years or more (off and on). I finally decided to get a bigger discount on what I'm already using and signed on as a distributor. Along with that, I have my own personal Shaklee website! http://shaklee.net/julie_wagner Hey, go check it out... I'll wait...

So - now that you've seen the products, let me know what you think! I can't think of a product I've tried that let me down - and to know that there's a 100% satisfaction guarantee behind it makes it easy to try something! Not happy with it? Doesn't do what you expected? Return it for a full refund! But... I betcha you don't --- you'll love everything you try!

My newest product... haven't tried it yet, but I just ordered Cinch. My mom had such AMAZING results that I needed to give it a try. I lost nearly 10 pounds in the last month on the kidney stone/septicemia diet (don't recommend that one to anyone). I don't want to gain it back - and even more, I'd love to lose another 10 (or more!) So, I'm going with the "keep the muscle, lose the weight" Cinch plan which should arrive in a few days! I'll keep you posted as I get going.

Urologist's Report

2007-08-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

So - it seems that my stone is of the calcium-oxylate variety. 80% of all stones fall into this category. Not sure if I should be thrilled or sad that I'm so "normal" and just like 80% of others...

Anyway, seems I don't have to adjust my calcium intake, just be wary of calcium supplements. I need to adjust to the oxilate intake though... and guess what... that means limiting or avoiding some favorite foods. Spinach, berries, wheat germ, beets, Butterfinger candy bars (yes - it was listed by name!?) though... its a Nestle' product and REALLY, I should be avoiding/boycotting them anyway!

The urologist even offered me a supplement that has extra magnesium and potassium to prevent the bonding of the calcium and the oxylate. Supposedly, I need to take two supplements twice a day with meals. At $40 for a 60 day supply, that's $20 a month... hmmm $5 a week.

The recommended daily dosage (4 tablets) provides the following nutrients-

Magnesium (from Oxide and Citrate) 360 mg
Magnesium Oxide 180 mg
Magnesium Citrate 180 mg
Potassium (Citrate) 198 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 15 mg

OR -- I suggested to the doctore that I eat a banana with my meals that contain both calcium and oxilate foods...

He sort of rolled his eyes and said "hey, you're the one who would suffer with another stone..."

BUT I figure the stone was the result of my TWO pregnancies (no way this stone this size was from Elizabeth alone - even the doc said this stone has been there a long time) and since I am not planning any more pregnancies (THAT'S another blog entry for another time) I think with conscientious water intake and watching oxilate intake as a whole (and everything I've read so far even says that a glass of water prior to and following a high oxilate meal can help flush excess oxilate) I think I'll chance it and not take supplements. I will continue to take my Shaklee supplements that contain magnesium and potassium both - along with a more balanced group of B vitamins -- no sense stopping something that I KNOW works and is SO well researched and created! and so Shaklee will be yet another blog entry I'll need to write!

Finding my groove

2007-08-22T12:34:00.000-05:00

Can't believe its been so long since an update... guess I've been busy.

I've written many blog posts in my head while putting the kids to bed at night... but unless I get them written here... you have no idea what's going on in my head (and life!)

It has been harder than I expected to get back into the groove of things. Both kids are needy (as can very well be expected after a week long absence from their previously ever present mother!) and so there's been a lot of snuggling and reassurance time. Unfortunately, Elizabeth is the most needy and I have yet to master wearing her on my back and so very little is accomplished around here. I can only do so much wearing her on my hip.

I've been on the antibiotics now for two weeks - well, more when you consider the 5 days in the hospital too. I think that has really affected my appetite. Can't think of what else it could be... but I have none. I get hungry periodically because my stomach is empty, but to think of food and what I'd like to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner... nothing sounds good. Now... this is sort of a good thing. I stepped on the scale this morning (AFTER a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal) and the scale read "159" --- yeah. me. under the 160 mark! I was shocked - since the Sunday before I went into the hospital, I was 161 that night as I was weighing my bags (to ensure they were under the 50 pound mark) and after a week in the hospital eating REALLY terrible food and actually craving red jello, I was 163. huh?

So - here I am today. August 22, 2007. 159 pounds! I swear I wasn't this low at my wedding nearly 9 years ago! The only difference is the belly... I've always carried weight in my gut, but after two kids it is only that much more... um... flabby! So, though I'm down in weight, I'm still not quite a size 10. Give me a few weeks of sit ups and other exercises and I betcha I'll be more comfortably in the 10s -- and if not... at least I'm doing something healthy for me!

My MN Vacation... I mean... Hospital stay

2007-08-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

Really no time to post but I'm going to try to see if I can get the short version here for ya (yeah... me.... short version! LOL) I'll do a more detailed version later (cause there are lots of little fun details left out of this...)

Super Short Version:

Monday August 6th - woke at 3am with chills and fever (102.4) calls to mom and doc and decided not to fly (on the 6:20am flight to MN on my fourth changed ticket). lots of tears. called doc's office at 9am but first apt was 11:45. called friend Julie to have playdate so I could rest and she could take me to doctor's apt. BUT by 10am I couldn't wait - headed to the ER. Fever of 103.2 blood work, CT scan, x-rays of the kidney - admitted up to a room at 1pm

Urologist came and announced I had only one 2mm piece of stone left to pass and it was already out of the kidney. Was unsure of why I had fever as I presented with no kidney pain (therefore no kidney infection?) Referred in an Infectious Diseases doc. Later that evening, I passed that little stone (have about 5 at home bigger)

Tuesday -total blur of roller coaster temps with chills and hot flashes. Dr. Marsh of infectious diseases came by and switched abx fevers still cycling, but not as high and lows are lower

Wednesday -wait... this day was a blur too... BUT starting to feel better. back pain and headaches - pain relief for back pain... NOT kidney pain, but pain along the spine and in my butt and head from pulled muscles from the seizure like chills However... at 3am woke in a wet bed - fever had finally broken and I had sweat it all out. needed new gown, pillow cases, sheets, the works!

Thursday - was thinking I'd go home but had another horrific headache around noon. Dr. Marsh came in around 1:30 and I was sobbing. pain. ice on my forehead and another pack on the back of my head/neck. was going to discharge today or tomorrow and decided I needed more time fever free --- and hoped to get a handle on the headaches.

Friday -slept the BEST overnight and woke at 4am for vitals (97.7 woo hoo) and went back to bed - woke at 6 to "donate" blood to my favorite phlebotomist, Adele. went back to sleep until a little after 8. doc came by with discharge instructions. nurse Kimmy came in with forms. I called Eric, got dressed and was outta there by 11

Since arriving home, I've had a "babysitter" playdate ~ Eric HAD to go in to work on Friday afternoon for a meeting and didn't want me home alone with the kids so the HMN arranged for a playdate to babysit me and the kids! :) ~ she left around 3 and I was absolutely fine. Had a knockout of a headache around 4 but took some Motrin and then later Tylenol for it.

Saw a chiropractor for the headaches at 9:30am today (Saturday) and though I did have one more headache (at 1ish) it was nowhere NEAR the others in magnitude. I still have a pinched nerve of sorts in my neck, but I think time will heal that (and a few more chiro sessions :) )

My local HMN chapter has been bringing us dinners (quiche, zucchini casserole, homemade mac and cheese, and stuffed cabbage leaves) and its overwhelming once again to be on the receiving end of such generosity.

I do hope to make it to MN but we're not tempting karma or the fates or anything right now... we're waiting for me to be stronger before adding any ambitious outings to our calendar...

more later!!
THANKS for the love and support!!

Stone Update...

2007-08-01T20:29:00.000-05:00

I'll be yelled at if Eric comes and finds me sitting here... I'm
supposed to be on the couch with my legs up for the next few days.
The stone should pass with little fanfare if the stars are all
aligned. This evening I had the stent removed. I danced into the
waiting room and Eric looked at me with disbelief. For those who
have seen me in the past two weeks... you'd not believe the bounce in
my steps either. It was SO free -- I hadn't realized that I had been
walking THAT slowly though I did know that I was trying to be
cautious. My pelvic floor burned with each step and that stopped the
moment the stent was removed! When the doc said that some people
tolerate the stent better than others, I definitely knew which side
of that statistic I was on. The removal was SO much easier than I'd
expected. I was doing lamaze breathing and mentally preparing myself
for the stent's travel down and out - much like my mental preparation
for birth. I was shocked to learn that when the doc said "I'll count
1-2-3 and then pull... 1-2-3" and then he chuckled... 'cause he'd
pulled it out on the first counting... and it had gone unnoticed by
me. phew. I thought I was done!!

We got home and I laid with Elizabeth to nurse her to sleep. It was
late - almost 7:30 and she'd last eaten at 2:30. With all the car
rides, x-ray, stent appointment, etc, I'd not taken the time to pause
and nurse - and she'd been content until the final leg of the way
home when she reminded us that we'd ignored her too long... as I
laid to nurse her, I started having bladder spasms. I nursed as long
as I could hang on and then got up in tears and filled the bath with
hot water. I could only think to get in a hot tub and soak. I took
another vicodin and three advil to ease the pain and hope to calm the
muscle spasms. I got up out of the tub at one point and nursed her
until she pulled off and rolled over - I thought she was asleep but
when I got up, she got mad... but I had to get back into the tub.
The worst was laying in the water trying to relax the spasms away
while hearing Elizabeth scream and Andrew cry while Eric calmed them
down (beautifully I might add)

I was going to see if I could get a flight out of here tomorrow
morning at 6am to MN... but my sister called and with the bridge
collapse (she lives a mile from there and crosses to work every day)
she's unable to pick me up tomorrow and really, I need to day to rest
anyway! The next "cheap flight" isn't until next week - so I'll be
around for another few days :) Now to get my car towed to the shop
so we can figure out if its truly a broken axle or not --- and then
if it is that expense... we'll car shop for something new (or new to
us!) Looking for something a bit greener and gas friendly -- now
that I got my HMN bumper sticker put on the Jeep! LOL Guess I'll
have to order a new one :)

I want to give a shout out to my Holistic Moms Network chapter... my community... my "family" away from family. They provided me with dinners Monday through Friday and even some impromptu rides to school for Andrew - this community truly has been a blessing to me and our family. THANKS!!

Kidney Stone Update -- the saga continues

2007-07-21T21:09:00.000-05:00

Here's an update on what's happening here...

I was to fly to MN for 4 weeks on Wednesday but after spending the
day at the ER on Sunday and then meeting with a urologist on Monday,
plans changed.

The stone that I had stuck in my ureter (the tube between kidney and
bladder) was quite stuck and quite large (nearly 2cm). It had made
it out of my kidney but was blocking urine flow and backing up in my
kidney and there was concern for infection and whatever is worse than
that. I had surgery at Hackettstown on Thursday and they pushed that
stone back up into my kidney using a stent and then left it in (the
stone and the stent). There is a curly end in the kidney so the
stone cannot get back down but urine can flow freely down the stent
into the bladder and out. My doctor had suggested that I could fly
on Friday - that I'd be uncomfortable, but that there was a long wait
to get into the lithotripsy (stone blasting) at the Stone Center down
in Newark and that I may as well be with family and have a vacation
in MN.

After much sobbing and gnashing of teeth while dealing with Northwest
Airlines (and still not quite understanding how an outbound flight is
ALL that much different than a return flight...) we declined to fly
on our tickets on Wednesday and declined to purchase new tickets (for
$1600) to be able to fly on Monday and we used Eric's business travel
points to schedule a new flight on Monday with Continental.
However, I am hoping that reward travel is more flexible because
plans have changed again already.

[as a side note and as an example of my pain threshold... my babies
were both born with no pain relief measures (apart from focus,
breathing, and in Elizabeth's case, warm water) -- to think I had no
pain would be ridiculous!]

However, I was in so much pain on Friday that I went to the doctor
and explained that I was completely ok with the idea of being
uncomfortable for a month... I was NOT ok with being on double dose
of pain medication and having a pain level of 6 or 7. I told him
that I'd been ok with a pebble in my shoe (uncomfortable) but I
couldn't live with a thumb tack (pain) ~~ I couldn't drive, I
couldn't eat, I couldn't care for the kids, I couldn't function. He
explained that if we removed the stent that the pain would subside
but the stone could go back to where it was (or in a worse position)
and we'd just have to do it all over again. or we could up the drugs
to a higher narcotic that had possibly given me hives (which I think
was just sand flea bites --- 'cause why not add that to the week's
events, right?) While in his office, they got word that there was a
cancellation for the Stone Center on Saturday the 28th. I opted to
keep the stent in place, take a higher level of narcotics and pray to
get through this next week quickly.

So, that is where things stand. I am on round the clock narcotics
(though what I'm taking now don't quite make me feel as "stoned" as I
was the other night) and I need to "get through" this week until
Saturday afternoon when they do the blasting. Oh, just to top things
off, my Jeep has a flat tire, a cracked axle and Eric and I (and
Elizabeth) were hit on Friday on our way home from the doctor's
office (but before we could get the Vicodin!) so Eric's car is
cracked up (and we're all in a bit more pain than just what we
already had going on!)

I certainly hope this doesn't come off as a sob story - it really
isn't as bad as it sounds as I re-read it... or maybe it is --- maybe
it will make a nice novel some day!

Thanks again for all your support and well wishes and prayers!!

Surgery - ugh

2007-07-19T18:29:00.000-05:00

So - this is going to be the extremely short version... long story to come when I dont' feel so stoned.

Spent the day at the ER on Sunday to find that I have a stone stuck in my ureter. Today surgery was to push the stone back into the kidney to be held there until I get back from MN and can arrange to have it blasted to smithereens whcih I can pee.

Surgery went well and I'm hnome and on drugs - there isn't much "pain" just a really awful spot when I want to pee where the catheter was shoved in and all the work was done through this area --- no surprise that its sore.

going to bed now - long day...

Happy Birthday Andrew!

2007-06-27T07:09:00.000-05:00

I laid in bed last night with tears flowing down my face. I put my head up against the soft haired head of my little boy who was on the precipice of turning four. What memories this brings up for me - but what it brings up in him has been rough. This past week, he has been alternating emotions like trying on clothes... joyful, sad, angry, giddy, silly, frustrated, sullen, happy, excited, bummed... its been an amazing roller coaster - and it wasn't until some time late in the week that he verbally expressed his turmoil.
He is scared to be four.

Four must symbolize "big kid"-ness to him and with that comes responsibilty and expectations that he isn't sure about. He has no words to define the anxiety that he feels because it is so abstract and so full of the unexpected and unknown. I think he thought there would be some magical transformation from three to four that would render him a completey different person and he wasn't prepared for that.

We spent a lot of time after his confession - just Andrew and mommy - just sitting and being. No words, just hugs. and dee dee. Yes, my then three year old ramped up his need for mommy milk during the week before he turned four. I think he needed to know that he will always be my baby and that I will always be there.

So this morning, we woke up and it has already been a phenomenal day (and we've had dee dee four times so far). He cannot wait for his surprise party (you know, where all the kids come and he welcomes them and then he goes into the house so they can hide and when he comes out, they'll all jump out from their hiding places and yell "SURPRISE!") He has been uber helpful and excited about what is to come today.

So here I sit - taking a break from the stress and chaos that is to come - pondering life... I am the mommy of a 4 year old. Well, technically, he wasn't born until 8:43am and its only 8:16 right now... but time keeps ticking and now that HE professes to be 4 - and is thrilled to be 4 - that's all that really matters.

Oh, he DID go running into his room and want to be measured now that he's four. He was quite frustrated at first about the fac that he isn't 4 on his chart. I said that 4' and 4 years old are two different things and that we can celebrate 4' when he gets there no matter when it is! He liked the idea of another party (in a little bit) when he is 4' tall. At his growth rate, we'll have a 5th party and maybe a 6th before hitting 4' --- but hey, there's always the "almost 4'" party!!

The Birth Story - Daddy's Version

2007-06-17T09:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day to my love - here's our most recent birth story --- all from Daddy's perspective :)

10:30PM The previous night: Hey, the new Heros episode on TV just got recorded on our DVR. It's late but what the heck, I don't have to wake up until 6:15AM to go to work.

11:30PM Go to sleep after downing some Nyquil for the cold I have. Ah, a pleasant sleep comes quickly.

2:30AM Julie: "Pssst, Eric...I think my water just broke." Eric: "Say what? Are you sure? We still have #*&%ing 3 weeks to go!" Julie: "Yes, I'm sure" Eric: "Contractions?" Julie: "No." Eric: "Good, then call the midwife and ask her opinion. Doesn't sound like labor to me!" I roll over and start snoring again

2:30AM Julie wakes up Cindy, the midwife on call, and Cindy agrees with my assessment. Ha! Waste of a phone call if you ask me.

2:31 AM Jules can't go back to sleep knowing she hasn't even begun to think of packing. I, knowing we still have plenty of time, fall blissfully back to sleep as she leaves to room to go pack.

3:00AM Andrew is stirring so I head into his room and fall asleep next to him in his bed.

5:05AM I realize I fell asleep in Andrew's bed and get up to head back to my bed for the last hour. Hmm, funny...I think I hear Julie on the phone.

5:06AM As I stumble down the hall trying REAL hard not to shake off the semi-sleep state I'm in, I realize all the lights are on, and she's in the middle of the living room rotating her hips on our big bouncy ball. Men: this is never a good sign.

3:12AM Yes, note the time. This is when the first contraction hit. I was deep into REM, and I reckon this insignificant event didn't, in Julie's mind, warrant the waking of me.

5:11AM Contractions 3 minutes apart. Hmm, I remember Andrew's being a bit further out when I was first told of the situation we faced. As I see it, I've already lost 2 hours of prep and packing time. Lips dry, yet forehead sweaty. Stomach drops to my toes. Queasy feeling everywhere. This can't be happening. Let me explain...

Andrew came 1 week early. Due to our advanced preparation skills, we were packed weeks before. I even had a list of what to bring. And again, I expected to be prepared once again in the event she came a week early, by packing everything this coming weekend!!! This coming weekend was "the" prep weekend. Crib was being assembled. Diapers stacked up. Bags packed. Taxi services written on fridge with an envelope of cash in case I was at work and Julie needed to get to the hospital ASAP. I was even planning out the planning weekend. This was going to be run like a well oiled machine. Dang...I had the green light and I felt like someone ran their red at 80 MPH. S L A M!

5:14AM Another contraction. So much for my hoping that Julie couldn't time her own contractions correctly. Adreneline rush. Full crisis mode.

Some where between then and 6:35 when we arrived at the hospital the following events transpired:

* Julie had breakfast. I had some flat Diet Coke.

* She didn't shower and shave like she had done last time. "This" worried me since I began to see in her eyes that she wasn't in her calm "we get to the hospital when we get there" frame of mind. My stomach drops below the floor.

* Seeing I haven't packed a damn thing I collect my cell phone (hmm, why oh why when I looked at my phone last night and saw that my battery was running low and though to myself "self, you should charge that phone" did I ignore myself), my wallet (hmm, no cash), and my camcorder. Now where is that camcorder battery charger?

* I spend roughly 15 minutes looking for the dang camcorder charger since the battery was dead. No, I never found it. No, I have no video of the birth. Yes, another thing to torment myself over. Joy.

* Wake Carrie (my sister) up and tell her to head on over to take care of Andrew. (She lives an hour away. Plenty of time I think to myself.)

* I boot up the work laptop, cancel today’s meetings, and send out an email to Frank my commuting buddy that he best drive himself to work. While I drop to him that we are having the baby, I don’t even call my boss in the event this is a false labor.

6:35AM We arrive at the hospital and hand Andrew over to Carrie. I know, we couldn't wait at the house long enough. Julie was getting strong contractions now. We head in, sign forms, and head up to the "baby floor". Meeting the nurse that's going to handle us, she asks which room would we prefer. Ummm, I kid you not when I say the tour of the hospital was going to be during this coming "prep" weekend. Uggg. She shows us the rooms and we pick the one with the huge Jacuzzi tub.

(While I'll write another post about the differences between Hackettstown Regional and Hackensack Hospital, where Andrew was born, let's just say the room was fancier than most hotels I've stayed at. Hardwood floors, cherry wood everywhere (cabinets, dresser, crown molding, chair rail molding, baby carts, every cart), natural lighting. It rocked!)

6:45AM 3" dialated. Dang, it’s not a false labor. I email my boss I won’t be in today. (It’s great to be able to email from your cell phone.)

7:00AM Julie's on the hospital's bouncy ball. Cindy the midwife (the same midwife who agreed with my initial assessment early this morning) was already there helping Julie with everything. I was strickly a spectator. Hmm, maybe not going nuts planning everything was working out after all.

7:30AM Julie gets into the tub. Ahh, yes. I didn't mention we were doing a water birth yet, did I. Yes, there will be another post on that later as well. Anyway, I guess now is a good time to mention that the class wherein we were to learn all about water births was... go ahead guess. Bingo, this coming “prep” weekend.

7:43AM Baby is born. (Post on this to follow.)

7:45AM Dr Chi, Andrew's pediatrician, happens to be in the hospital and stops by. He's never seen a water birth before and was quite excited. (We later heard that he was telling everyone how great he thought our birth had gone.) He was equally excited to see that momma was holding the baby, while still in the tub, and the umbilical cord was still attached. Thumbs up from Dr Chi! (His thumbs up is worth more than gold in our opinion. If you live near Hackettstown and are not using him, umm, why not?!)

7:57AM I have flashbacks to Biology class as I cut the cord. Sort of like the frog…nevermind.

8:10AM Dr Chi stops in again and checks the baby and all is well. Placenta is delivered sometime around here and examined. Parts of this are permanently etched out of my memory. I'll never look at liver again.

8:20AM Momma is all stitched up (two small stitches) and baby latches on the first time for her first feeding. While Andrew was a challenge to get started with breastfeeding, our daughter has no problems what-so-ever.

9:52AM Moved out of resort-ish delivery room into a nicely furnished room.

2:ooPM-ish Aunt Carrie and Uncle Nappy bring Andrew to the hospital. He sneaks up to the baby sleeping in my arms and I ask what her name is. He replies “Elizabeth”. Later on when Carrie was holding the baby Andrew whispers to her “Hi Elizabeth, I’m your big brother Andrew.” The name Elizabeth is set in stone.

Not too bad I must say. Being a spectator for this one was kind of cool, especially since the trauma and stress of delivery was somewhat alleviated by the water birth. And having the mid-wife run the show… (Men: this is brilliant. I didn’t even have to remember a single Lamaze tactic.)

For not having planned a single thing, nor packed a single thing in advance, I swear this went easier than the first birth. What matters: a hospital that is equipped to do the kind of birth you want, and a midwife to handle it all. Earlier today I equated it to Disney World. All you need to do is show up, and they’ll handle the rest. You can plan it for months, or just show up and roll with it. Either way, you’re going to enjoy it.

Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

2007-06-11T13:00:00.001-05:00

OK - I'm a few days late... imagine this was actually posted on June 5th!

6 months have passed since the amazing event that was Elizabeth Adele's entrance into this world. I am so blessed!

I'll be back later (days I am sure!) to post my version of her birth story - and that of her daddy!

June 11

2007-06-11T11:28:00.000-05:00

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

Elizabeth fell to sleep for her morning nap around 9:15 -- I took a shower and went in for clothes around 10 and woke her (BAD MOMMY!) but nursed her back to sleep. I proceeded to make phone calls to the insurance company and two different doctor's offices to clarify billing errors, made a snack for Andrew, toast for myself, two personal phone calls, lunch for Andrew and throw in a load of laundry --- all before she woke sometime around 12:25. Not sure exactly when she woke, but when I went in to see if she was still breathing (hey, even after the nursing back to sleep, 2.5 hours is a REALLY long time for this little one!) I held a flashlight and shone it near her to see if she was breathing and she started to giggle at me! What a great mommy morning and what a great nap for a tired little girl!!

June 5th --- Scatergories

2007-06-05T14:56:00.000-05:00

Thanks Kristen, I'll play!! Here's my Scatergories... J

Your Name: Julie
Famous Artist/Band/Musician: Jennifer Lopez
4 letter word: just
Vehicle: Jeep
TV Show: Jeopardy!
City: Jericho
Boy Name: Jonathan
Girl Name: Jodi
Alcoholic drink: jello shooter
Occupation: judge
Flower: Jacob's Ladder
Something you wear: jeans
Celebrity: Julia Roberts
Something found in a kitchen: Juicer
Cartoon Character: Jetsons (Judy Jetson to be most accurate!)
Something You Shout: JUMP!!!

By the way, I had no idea what flower started with a J and so I searched and came up with this one... here it is: the Jacob's Ladder!

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Crunchy not Hippie

2007-06-03T08:24:00.000-05:00

I've been Hippie Mom Julie ever since I dropped ChefJulie as my user name of choice following my short career as a Pampered Chef sales consultant. There's a whole website out there (quite un-updatd) at www.hipandhippiemoms.com where I became Hippie Mom Julie - and where I may return one day... but for now, I've shifted over to Crunchy since my husband informed me I am just not a hippie. I am more granola eating than patchouli wearing. Well... I really DO like patchouli and DO wear it periodically, but I guess when it comes down to it, I just don't "fit" the "hippie" look... I'm "just" crunchy.

So, here is where I will wax poetic about my strugles as a crunchy mom in a soft world. (thinking bread here.. I prefer 12 grain with nuts and berries over Wonder...)

More later - little one is waking and she takes priority over computers...

Crunchy not Hippie

Sickies and the Salt Sock

HMN's Natural Living Conference: BE THERE!

#HomeHer11

Our pets have no names

Nursing Our Future... 2011

Searching for balance... coughing all the way (hack hack hack)

Twitter Tutorial - Lesson 1

Did you take something for that?

HAPPY NEW (school) YEAR!

Shoes + Formula = Sense? oh, wait. Cents... ugh!

HomeHer10

My month long vacation from the real world.

The Natural Child Project

I'm proud to be a member of HMN!!

HMN chapter in Portland, ME

HMN - Join Us!

The assertion of independence... whoa Nellie!

Nursing Our Future - an amazing HMN project: The Video

Nursing Our Future - an amazing HMN project!

Happy New Year! 2010

Why is blogging so difficult...

What your baby needs!

Insert wise and witty writing here...

High heels...??

Peace Corps or Kindergarten?

Happy Birthday Andrew!

Happy Graduation Day!

Check out the music on the right side there...

Weeding at Genesis

G.U.E.S.S. Homeschool Science Fair Sponsors: Please Steal This Post

Happy Birthday, Mom!

9-1-1. 9-1-1, 9-1-1... anyone?

Does everyone have a brain?

Pop is doing well

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

I am *NOT* a mainstream Mama!

The twins in that belly...

Elisa's belly... whoa, what's IN there?!

You Tube video posting... trying to see if I can get videos here....

Life is Good

Some videos for you :)

The holidays are here, the holidays are here!

The simple things of joy!

The snowman

Halloween

The rest of the MN vacation story - simplified

Relatives, Relatives, everywhere we look, RELATIVES!

Hello from MN!

Push Me - Pull You in the Fwing

an Andrew retrospective

an Elizabeth photo montage

The plastic dilema

Please don't hold it against Andrew...

OR.. what about simply WHEN to school?

to school or not to school... um.. no... WHICH school...

Oktoberfest Success!

Keeping up...

Because I Said So

Cinch is seriously a cinch!

My new Shaklee website!

Urologist's Report

Finding my groove

My MN Vacation... I mean... Hospital stay

Stone Update...

Kidney Stone Update -- the saga continues

Surgery - ugh

Happy Birthday Andrew!

The Birth Story - Daddy's Version

Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

June 11

June 5th --- Scatergories

Crunchy not Hippie

I am NOT a mainstream Mama!