Bleach Baths Relieve Eczema

Apparently taking a series of diluted bleach water baths will relieve Eczema for children. A recent study was done on children ranging in age from 6 months to 17 years showing

"such rapid improvement in eczema and infection symptoms that the researchers stopped the study early, so that children in the placebo group could get the same amount of relief."

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm never a big fan of using chemicals on skin, especially my child's. While it's great these kids are getting some relief, I wonder what side effects or problems down the road will sprout from these chemical baths.

You definitely won't catch my kids in a study like this.

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Best Saturday Ever

Yesterday was an awesome start to our weekend. Jackson, Archer, and I spent most of the day outside enjoying the breezy 80 degree weather. I got some yard work done, hung blankets out to dry (one of my favorite things), and brought all the plants crowding my kitchen counters out for some well deserved sun and rain. The evening was also wonderful with the breeze picking up and coming through our OPEN windows. Archer and I made a late run to the grocers to grab the essentials:

strawberries (for my first attempt at making a pie: strawberry rhubarb)
eggs
juice
bread
cornstarch

and ... !!!

fudge pops!

When we got home John was grilling chicken legs. So, with my appetite that so closely resembles that of a pregnant woman, I went ahead and gave in to my cravings and thoroughly enjoyed a fudge pop, 3 chicken legs, and another fudge pop for good measure.

Today, is said to be (by me) the best Saturday ever. We have plans to finish prettying our yard, clean house, and then go over to some friends' house for gardening and probably some wine.

Yay for warm weather!

Spitting Crickets

Last Saturday we woke up WAY too early for my taste, and went to an Easter celebration at John's place of work. It was really nice. There was a catered breakfast, games, an egg hunt, an art station, and time to spend with the Easter bunny. Fun was had by all. *smirk*

After that we came home to get ready for the bug bowl at Purdue. Archer took his first stroller ride and Jackson spit his first cricket! Of course I didn't get a picture of the actual spitting of the cricket; only pictures of before and after--thanks to slow cameras. Jackson also had the chance to try out fencing with his daddy. It was a fun Saturday.

EC

Today I went to a seminar about elimination communication at the local natural food market. I had been planning to start 'EC' with Archer after doing some reading and seeing a friend successfully go diaper free with her little girl. For us, it seems like a natural option. After the talk today, I decided that we are ready to start. Hearing this mother's experience about going diaper free with her 3 children, helped me to realize that Archer and I have already been on our way to being diaper free. I've been picking up on his cues, and have now found other signs that I didn't see as cues before, but now am aware. I have had the 'phantom pee' sensation, I have experienced him being fussy in the evenings and not becoming satisfied with eating, sleeping, rocking, walking, or anything, and I have also been experiencing a sort of 'disturbed nursing' where he nurses, stops, nurses some more, but never really settles down to enjoy his meal. All these signs have been Archer trying to tell me he needs to potty. So, tonight I successfully picked up on a few cues, and have pottied him 3 times already!

One thing that encouraged me today was when the speaker was talking about the 3 things that young babies do--eat, sleep, poop. So, if they aren't satisfied with eating or sleeping, your next option is the potty. Babies are born with the ability to voluntarily eliminate, and they naturally do not enjoy sitting in their own pee and poop. What we do is train babies to get used to sitting in their pee, and then at the age society has chosen to be the time to start using the potty, we are essentially telling them to un-learn what we have been teaching them since they were born. I think it will be easier using EC than potty training my 2 year old. And, after becoming aware of the fact that babies can control their bowels and would prefer to not sit in them, I don't feel right about letting Archer sit in his wet diaper. I would much rather respond to his needs by letting him potty somewhere other than in his pants.

In other cultures using EC is the norm. Our 3 and 4 year olds running around in pull-ups is ridiculous to mothers in many other counties. Of course, in third world countries this is what they do and have always done. They wear their babies and are close enough with them to pick up on their cues for when they need to eat or potty. Fortunately, I am able to stay at home with Archer. I'll have the time to bond with him and respond to his elimination needs.

To me, this is just another way to give my son everything he needs to be happy and healthy.

farmer's market

I turned in the contract to be a temporary vendor at the downtown market this year! I couldn't imagine not vending a few times. I had such a fun time last year.

Cool Cat

This was Jackson's Easter attire this year. The jacket was his daddy's when he was little.

Have you ever seen such a cool cat?

Blessing Way

I was recently invited to my midwife's Blessing Way. I had never heard of this, so I looked it up. It's an alternative to a baby shower that was originally a Navajo ceremony for women's rite of passage into motherhood. The modern version is a celebration of the the upcoming birth, a new mother, and/or a mother having another child. I am so excited to be a part of this. At this particular Blessing Way, there will be a belly dancer teaching about the long time tradition of using belly dancing during labor. How cool! Another activity that you might see at a Blessing Way is this:

Prayer Flags: Inspired by Tibetan prayer flags, these are strips of cloth that are cut about 3" X 18" (or any other size you choose). They are handed to each guest to write a birth blessing or positive message on it. When the guests are through the mother is given the flags to read and take with her to her place of birth. Messages can be anything. Some examples include: "You are a strong woman." "You can do all things through God." "Your baby will be born at the right time."

I love it!

An aside:

When John and I were talking about this, we could not resist referring to it as 'A blessing, wey!' As if we were Mexicans casually discussing a blessing. We are silly.

Rainy Day

Have you ever had one of those days when you are at work, it's raining, and all you want to do is go home and crawl under the covers? Well, guess where I am right now? ... In my bed under the covers! We are having a lazy day at home.

Pepper

This will make you pee a little...

Happy 8 Weeks!

Archer is now 8 weeks or 2 months old today! He is smiling like a champ these days. He has made it to the 10 pound mark and is getting cuter every time I look at him. Check this guy out!

Discovery at 2 a.m.

During one of the many nightly feedings for Archer I saw this. Beautiful song.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Feeding from the Breast

Every morning I wake up to feed Archer. So, while I'm waking up I watch TV for a bit before I start the day. I've been stuck on watching a couple of shows on TLC--Bringing Home Baby and A Baby Story. My Bradley Method teacher always told me to stay away from these shows, but I can't help watching. The shows are getting better. I'm seeing less of the births with interventions and more natural drug free births. Hopefully this is a sign that American women are waking up.

One thing that drives me crazy in these shows is the mothers' efforts to breastfeed and the insane amount of misinformation they are all getting about it. Most of the moms desire to breastfeed, but the first few days they are feeding the babies formula because they think either they should wait for their own milk to come in or that they don't have enough milk for the baby. Each show is then concluded with mothers of 10 week old babies being fed with formula and mothers who are disappointed they couldn't breastfeed due to lack of milk. I am one of these moms that was misinformed as well. With my first son the lactation nurse never told me actually how big the baby's stomach is the first few days and that the baby will get what he needs with persistent feeding. I was never told that the first 6 weeks you will be breastfeeding ALL THE TIME. I was told the baby will eat every 2-3 hours for about half an hour per feeding. This was way off! I think that moms assume they don't have a sufficient milk supply because the babies aren't as quickly satisfied as with feeding with a bottle. Nursing takes much longer. And also, a newborn is used to being fed constantly in the womb; a switch to only eating every 2-3 hours is quite drastic.

Women need better information and truth about breastfeeding. It usually will start out with struggles. We need to get the message out that we as mothers really do have EVERYTHING our babies need, including enough breast milk. We need not get so discouraged. While breastfeeding is natural, it may not come to the moms and babies naturally. It takes some work, but after the feeding has been established, it is more than rewarding and very easy.

PostSecret

After doing my normal internet 'rounds', I looked at John's bookmark folder and found a really cool blog.

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people
mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.

I loved this particular confession:

I work in a college admissions office at a preppy private college as a student worker. Whenever I stuff the rejection letter envelopes, I slip in a piece of paper while my co-workers aren't looking that says, "you will be amazing wherever you go. I believe in you." I hope that the people who get them know I mean it.

Awesome.

Guilt Free Clothing

I recently sent an e-mail to the organizer of the INDIEana Handicraft Exchange to make sure it was alright to add a few items to what I plan to sell at the show. She suggested that if it would be clothing, to make sure the clothing I am altering was not made in a sweatshop. So, I found that the brand that the cute little shirts I got are Carter's. I searched through the internet for a bit to see if I could find this company on any list of 'offenders' for having their products made in a sweatshop and/or by children. I couldn't find anything, so I went straight to the source. I sent Carter's an e-mail asking where their clothing is made, and could they assure me that the clothes aren't made in sweatshops. Their response:

Dear Katie,


Thank you for emailing us. Carter's has an active social compliance function that regularly audits the factories we contract with. We do not own any of these factories, but we do review the audit results of all factories we contract with. We also ask that these factories comply with the legal requirements set by their governments.


Thank you,

Mary

Consumer Affairs

Carter's / Oshkosh B'Gosh

Nice. Not only did they avoid telling me where the clothes are made, the only regulations they have for the production of these clothes are made by these mystery countries. Sounds a little fishy to me. And if a company did have clothing made fairly, I think they would take pride in this and give a much less vague response.