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Having a baby is the best event of my life, in particular because it is not a static moment wherein an event occurs, but rather a transcendental perpetual new existence that is forever changing, developing, and growing. When SuperBoy was born I could not have believed how profoundly our lives would change, inside and out. Looking back on this last year, here are five specific ways in which our lives have changed. 1) Selflessness. Much like our beloved dog pictured here, Nina, we as parents have learned to put ourselves second to SuperBoy’s needs, desires, and irrationalities. I’m sure Nina didn’t think she’d ever be anyone’s pony 🙂 Nor did I think that I’d ever be capable of getting over my own needs, desires, and…
READ MOREThis is a post by my husband and avid coffee lover, AA. He learned a few years back from a dear friend (and philosophy professor) all about roasting coffee beans and now has his own style to do so. After J was born, my appreciation for coffee took on a new form. Sure, caffeine can be a plus, particularly when you’re taking care of a newborn. But there is a goodness to coffee that is unique. Cradling a warm cup of java in the wee hours of the morning can lead to epiphanies previously unknown. In an attempt to economize, I purchased some cheap coffee. It tasted like sawdust. I wasn’t thrilled with the alternative of opting for (settling for) purchasing coffee beans from one…
READ MORETwo articles came out recently discussing the need for women to prepare more for childbirth. One article in the L.A. Times discusses a recent study’s finding that fewer than 30% of expecting mothers attended a prenatal birth class with their first pregnancy. Whew! The article and research point out that women receive less information from OBs instead of midwives about their options. Additionally, it demonstrated that younger OBs considered epidurals routine and expressed more concern about vaginal birth than older OBs. A scary trend! The second article is on Babble.com and it’s an interview with one of my heros, Erica Lyon. She is the author of “The Big Book of Birth” and founder of Realbirth Center in NYC and a veteran of 20 years in childbirth…
READ MOREWe have a family tradition of homemade pizzas on Fridays. The dough is so easy to make in the mid-afternoon and the toppings take no time at all to prep. The recipe we go off is from Farmgirl Fare (Susan runs an AWESOME blog!) with a little variation based on my sister’s significant other’s kitchen genius. Here’s photos from what we made this past week. 1) Dough. 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon yeast 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt 1 1/3 cup water, about 90 degrees Blend the flour, salt, and yeast. Then add water. 2) Prepping. Knead the dough for a few minutes and then place it in the a clean bowl, lightly oiled. Cover it with a damp cloth and let it sit for two…
READ MOREThere is composting, and then there is vermiculture. Composting for us means a large pile down below our house in our hilly backyard that is a) fenced in, b) a menagerie of veggie & fruit & other compostables + yard cuttings, and c) free to compost at its own rate with periodic turning. Vermiculture is using a container + worms to get that rich, wonderful black dirt. Two of my sisters do it this way as they have smaller space considerations than we do. It goes to show that you can compost regardless of your home/yard size! 1) Getting started. Brush up on composting basics. The internet is your playground and guidebook. The EPA’s info: here. How To Compost: here. The Green Man on Home Composting: here. First…
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From my sister in New York, boxing trainer & mommy-to-be, Molly W: My experience as a boxer (both as a practitioner and a trainer) never prepared me for prenatal exercise. When I began feeling sluggish during my workouts about 6 months ago, I thought it was on account of all the holiday goodies I had indulged in. But when I discovered I was going to become a mommy, I turned all my energy on discovering how to build on my knowledge of fitness in the prenatal realm. I read everything I could find, talked to my doctor, consulted with my own trainer, watched videos, and began to try things out for myself. 1) Conflicting information. First of all, there’s a ton of conflicting information out…
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