The move to our new house has been hectic and busy and that just kept continuing as the months went on. We finally finished the master bedroom, and moved out of the nursery. Leaving Evelyn in her own room to sleep was almost bittersweet. She had been waking up to nurse and cuddle way too much with me right there, and I was ready to just rip the bandaid off and get on with our milestones. So one day while she napped in her carseat, I moved the big bed out of the nursery. Then after her bedtime, I moved our dressers out of the "closet room" (which I may miss even more than sleeping right next to my baby girl, if I'm being honest) and that was that. Separate rooms.
So far 2 out of 3 nights have been excellent, with only two wakings/feedings. The last two nights, I have brought her back into my room and the big bed for some snuggles. Once to get some extra sleep after a not so magical night of sleep, the second just to snuggle. Both were excellent. Though today I am reminded of a daily habit I started a while ago and I wanted to share about.
Every morning I drink a full 24 ounces of water before I eat or drink anything else. I try to make this the first thing that I do even. That's why today's snuggles reminded me about this habit; I snuggled first to the detriment of my water drinking! On the days that my water waits, I find that I feel much groggier, sluggish, and take longer to actually drink my water. Most days I am able to get myself into gear and drinking my water first thing. On those days I find myself quickly energized (yes faster than a cup of joe), refreshed, and ready to start on productive activities (making breakfast, dealing with the dishwasher, playing with Evelyn).
What I can't quite wrap my own mind around is, if I feel this good after one bottle of water in the morning why don't (or can't) I drink more throughout the day? My hunch is that my morning water is set into a routine with other cues and motivators involved. I wake up (cue) then get my water and drink it before I can eat breakfast (motivator). So I just need to find similar cues and motivators throughout the day.
The advice that I am able to solidly share is this. Yes a full bottle of water will seem like a lot the first couple of days, and yes you may need to use the facilities soon after. However, after a couple of days it will get easier (plus you've got that motivation of getting to your coffee or breakfast to help). So do what I am going to do once I find my next little set of cues and motivators, give it a try just for a week. If you're anything like me, by that time you will be feeling so good after your morning water that you won't want to give it up!
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
So you want to buy a fixer...
I have been even worse about blogging since my summer project got started. We sold our downtown condo for a house in a beautiful little town. Now we have large trees in our large yarn, an extra large 2 car garage (i.e. it will hold 2 cars and a bunch of stuff), and plenty of room for our cat to roam and leave his towns around (the baby is still mostly stationary). I also have a quick list to help you determine if buying a fixer upper is something you may be up for.
1. Are you prepared for the unexpected?
We took possession of this home on a Friday, then moved all of our belongings in on Saturday. I arrived at the property Saturday morning before the moving truck to do a little prep work. Instead of getting right to starting on the clean up, I went to the store for buckets and rags to contain/clean up a leak from our master bathroom. Now I was excited about eventually remodeling and updating this little room, so having this project moved up on the list is not the worst thing that could happen. It was certainly a surprise though.
2. How comfortable are you with unidentified messes?
In a lot of cases, houses on the market at great prices and in need of work are also in need of a lot of cleaning. My husband urged me to keep this portion of the post vague, so just know that if the walls haven't been painted recently, then the kitchen appliances and bathrooms probably haven't been kept sparkling clean either.
3. Are you willing to keep most of your possessions in the aforementioned garage for an indeterminate amount of time?
We have been bringing our belongings into the house slowly because that just makes the cleaning/painting/other work easier without the clutter around. In fact, our master bedroom was kind of gross (see #2) so we didn't even both moving anything in there. We are sleeping in another bedroom and the smallest bedroom in that bedroom cluster is our closet (because if you unpack into a closet you will never paint it!). Its really not so bad heading out to the garage to pull a fresh towel out of the linens box.
4. What is your level of comfort at learning new things?
So far we have learned about measuring for kitchen appliances, replacing electrical outlets, determining what all those wires in the electrical box are, mailbox regulations in the US, hooking up washer/dryer combos, replacing kitchen faucets, and how to decommission a leaking shower so that you don't need to dump out a bucket of water everyday. Some of this was done without internet even!
5. What is your level of comfort at thinking you've learned a new thing only to realize that you messed up in a way you couldn't have foreseen?
Luckily, most places take returns on almost everything. So we have bought and exchanged bolt cutters and electrical wire because they were the wrong size. Nothing like coming home from the store thinking you're set to work only to discover you bought the wrong thing. Similarly, there was a lot of trial and error while replacing the electrical outlet in our bathroom. Luckily, most of what we have taken on so far has worked out fairly well.
6. Do you have enough funds available to just call in a professional if you answered "low to none" for either of the last two questions?
We are kind of stubborn, so just calling in a professional is not our first choice (unless its something heavy or awkward, or something that could catch on fire). But if you are someone who just wants to have it done, you're going to end up paying a premium if you hire that work out. Part of our sale involved having an HVAC contractor come in regarding air not blowing into the bathroom from the system. We paid $80 to have a guy come and pull some foam out of the vent, apparently its very common for families to do this because AC in the living room may feel good, but AC in the bathroom is another story.
7. Does every adult in your household work full time?
I don't work full time, I stay home with our daughter (which is work, more than full time). It allows me to work on the cleaning and putting away on week days. I am also on site to just be tracking what projects are how far and what I need my husbands help doing (i.e. carrying furniture up from the garage). While I'm not home painting or rewiring the place with my daughter in my arms, I am here to manage other contractors that we are bringing in, keep a running list of what needs to happen next, and do the little things that make the bigger projects go smoother (can you say blue taping up EVERYTHING?). Its certainly not a requirement for there to be an adult not working full time, but it is important to consider the time you have available for the projects needed around the house. A fixer isn't a good deal if you are never able to get the work done to create the home of your dreams.
1. Are you prepared for the unexpected?
We took possession of this home on a Friday, then moved all of our belongings in on Saturday. I arrived at the property Saturday morning before the moving truck to do a little prep work. Instead of getting right to starting on the clean up, I went to the store for buckets and rags to contain/clean up a leak from our master bathroom. Now I was excited about eventually remodeling and updating this little room, so having this project moved up on the list is not the worst thing that could happen. It was certainly a surprise though.
2. How comfortable are you with unidentified messes?
In a lot of cases, houses on the market at great prices and in need of work are also in need of a lot of cleaning. My husband urged me to keep this portion of the post vague, so just know that if the walls haven't been painted recently, then the kitchen appliances and bathrooms probably haven't been kept sparkling clean either.
3. Are you willing to keep most of your possessions in the aforementioned garage for an indeterminate amount of time?
We have been bringing our belongings into the house slowly because that just makes the cleaning/painting/other work easier without the clutter around. In fact, our master bedroom was kind of gross (see #2) so we didn't even both moving anything in there. We are sleeping in another bedroom and the smallest bedroom in that bedroom cluster is our closet (because if you unpack into a closet you will never paint it!). Its really not so bad heading out to the garage to pull a fresh towel out of the linens box.
4. What is your level of comfort at learning new things?
So far we have learned about measuring for kitchen appliances, replacing electrical outlets, determining what all those wires in the electrical box are, mailbox regulations in the US, hooking up washer/dryer combos, replacing kitchen faucets, and how to decommission a leaking shower so that you don't need to dump out a bucket of water everyday. Some of this was done without internet even!
5. What is your level of comfort at thinking you've learned a new thing only to realize that you messed up in a way you couldn't have foreseen?
Luckily, most places take returns on almost everything. So we have bought and exchanged bolt cutters and electrical wire because they were the wrong size. Nothing like coming home from the store thinking you're set to work only to discover you bought the wrong thing. Similarly, there was a lot of trial and error while replacing the electrical outlet in our bathroom. Luckily, most of what we have taken on so far has worked out fairly well.
6. Do you have enough funds available to just call in a professional if you answered "low to none" for either of the last two questions?
We are kind of stubborn, so just calling in a professional is not our first choice (unless its something heavy or awkward, or something that could catch on fire). But if you are someone who just wants to have it done, you're going to end up paying a premium if you hire that work out. Part of our sale involved having an HVAC contractor come in regarding air not blowing into the bathroom from the system. We paid $80 to have a guy come and pull some foam out of the vent, apparently its very common for families to do this because AC in the living room may feel good, but AC in the bathroom is another story.
7. Does every adult in your household work full time?
I don't work full time, I stay home with our daughter (which is work, more than full time). It allows me to work on the cleaning and putting away on week days. I am also on site to just be tracking what projects are how far and what I need my husbands help doing (i.e. carrying furniture up from the garage). While I'm not home painting or rewiring the place with my daughter in my arms, I am here to manage other contractors that we are bringing in, keep a running list of what needs to happen next, and do the little things that make the bigger projects go smoother (can you say blue taping up EVERYTHING?). Its certainly not a requirement for there to be an adult not working full time, but it is important to consider the time you have available for the projects needed around the house. A fixer isn't a good deal if you are never able to get the work done to create the home of your dreams.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Split Pea Soup
Lunch is a hard meal as the mother of an infant. My best bet has been having leftovers, which doesn't always happen when trying out a new recipes. Enter a recent favorite of mine, Split Pea Soup. At first I followed recipes to make this dish, then I figured out which ingredients I liked at which ratios, which apparently makes it my recipe. I love this stuff!
Ingredients
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 large cloves of garlic (or more, I really like garlic)
1 cup dry lentils (any color will work)
1 cup dry split peas
1 cup brown rice (or barley)
6 cups water or the broth/bullion of your choosing, plus 1.5 cups water
Method
Saute your onion, garlic and celery until soft and fragrant over a medium-high heat
Add in 6 cups of water or broth, bring to a boil.
Once the water boils, add in split peas and lentils, bring water back to a boil. Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to a simmer. I leave this alone for a while, stirring very occasionally as the peas and lentils will fall to the bottom.
Once you have a nice split pea style mush, add in the rice or barley and another 1.5 cups of water. Now I leave it alone for about 40 minutes (think cooking rice). When I come back to it the rice has settled and there is a layer of liquid. This bit threw me off for a while, until I realized that if I take it off the heat and stir everything together it will incorporate into a nice consistency. I let the nice consistency sit for about 10 minutes (the amount of time it takes me to get boxed brownies in the oven, super helpful time right?).
Now this may come out a tough bland, but remember this is a go to lunch meal for me. So I like to have it made up, then season each bowl depending on my daily preferences. At least salt and pepper make it in, but this allows me to play with other herbs, spices, maybe even some cheese. Plus, it may be obvious that I am not great at measuring out what I do, but I know exactly how much salt and pepper to shake on one bowl of soup. I bet you do too!
Ingredients
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 large cloves of garlic (or more, I really like garlic)
1 cup dry lentils (any color will work)
1 cup dry split peas
1 cup brown rice (or barley)
6 cups water or the broth/bullion of your choosing, plus 1.5 cups water
Method
Saute your onion, garlic and celery until soft and fragrant over a medium-high heat
Add in 6 cups of water or broth, bring to a boil.
Once the water boils, add in split peas and lentils, bring water back to a boil. Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to a simmer. I leave this alone for a while, stirring very occasionally as the peas and lentils will fall to the bottom.
Once you have a nice split pea style mush, add in the rice or barley and another 1.5 cups of water. Now I leave it alone for about 40 minutes (think cooking rice). When I come back to it the rice has settled and there is a layer of liquid. This bit threw me off for a while, until I realized that if I take it off the heat and stir everything together it will incorporate into a nice consistency. I let the nice consistency sit for about 10 minutes (the amount of time it takes me to get boxed brownies in the oven, super helpful time right?).
Now this may come out a tough bland, but remember this is a go to lunch meal for me. So I like to have it made up, then season each bowl depending on my daily preferences. At least salt and pepper make it in, but this allows me to play with other herbs, spices, maybe even some cheese. Plus, it may be obvious that I am not great at measuring out what I do, but I know exactly how much salt and pepper to shake on one bowl of soup. I bet you do too!
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Determining Food Sensitivities aka Why am I so gassy?
I love experimenting. Not in the "which hair color looks best" way or in the "follow these steps" in science class way. I mean really collecting data, manipulating variables, and testing hypotheses. (Quick side note: what is that was what high school science classes were really about? In hind sight those classes were almost closer to history than the scientific method) I am sad to say that this post has been ear-marked in my blog queue for quite a while. Today I found it while scanning some documents (please don't ask me how I found it while doing that) and even though my little lady bug is awake, I really want to write about this (which is the case of almost everything on this blog, hence why I started a second blog instead of shoving all of these into my design blog).
I still do not know if my digestion is more sensitive after having my daughter, or if I am just so tired that I'm less willing to subconsciously block out the symptoms. I do know that I have more data points to use as a result of breastfeeding. So many times when chatting with other mamas I have heard things like "I never would have guessed, but I tried it and it worked" and now I have several instances of that myself. The first was detergent related (who would have thought the sensititivty rash would only show up on the babe's face?!) and then I heard it with milk specifically. I never would have thought cutting it from my diet would eliminate virtually all the spit ups. I assumed spitting up was part of baby's job. So that got me thinking, what else could I be eating that I'm not really digesting well. And if I'm not digesting something well, wouldn't that mean that my body isn't getting all the available nutrients from said food item.
So with that thought in mind and the full support of my husband (he accepted the challenge of giving up eggs at breakfast time) I went on an elimination diet. Well first I went in search of a good resource to support me. I had the general idea of what an elimination diet was, and I knew that I needed A) recipes and ideas to fill me up, B) a really clear game plan to follow not just general guidelines, and C) support for what I do after the elimination diet and challenges are complete. There are plenty of resources I found online and really didn't know how to distinguish between them all. So I found one that supported a non-profit organization my cousin is involved with (at least that's a bit rational) plus I was able to download the PDF (there is something about having to wait any amount of time to begin that really didn't work for me).
I am now in the challenge stage of the elimination diet, where I am adding in foods for a day to gauge my reaction (I will admit that I'm not testing milk, because the though of drinking 3 cups of milk in a day grosses me out). I am also able to gauge Evelyn's reactions. During the elimination period, she ONLY spit up extra breastmilk. I was amazed. I also felt great (assuming I had a plan and food ready to eat, sometimes that didn't happen). There were a few notable exceptions that made it difficult, but I think that we have found some excellent new recipes that give us greater freedom in what we eat. I honestly would not mind always eating on the elimination diet.
What I enjoy the most is being in control. I was able to set up my own experiment to test my own food sensitivities, in my own home, without any additional equipment. Just a new kind of grocery list and some new go to recipes. I didn't need to schedule a doctor appointment, deal with expensive lab tests, or defer to any expert's opinions. It was just me taking control of what I put in my body and then testing a few foods to see what happens. I feel like I have a much better sense of how my body (and my daughter's body) works now. I know that modern medicine has its place, but gosh is it empowering to be able to make these discoveries on my own!
The book I used as a resource can be found at EliminationDietRD.com
I still do not know if my digestion is more sensitive after having my daughter, or if I am just so tired that I'm less willing to subconsciously block out the symptoms. I do know that I have more data points to use as a result of breastfeeding. So many times when chatting with other mamas I have heard things like "I never would have guessed, but I tried it and it worked" and now I have several instances of that myself. The first was detergent related (who would have thought the sensititivty rash would only show up on the babe's face?!) and then I heard it with milk specifically. I never would have thought cutting it from my diet would eliminate virtually all the spit ups. I assumed spitting up was part of baby's job. So that got me thinking, what else could I be eating that I'm not really digesting well. And if I'm not digesting something well, wouldn't that mean that my body isn't getting all the available nutrients from said food item.
So with that thought in mind and the full support of my husband (he accepted the challenge of giving up eggs at breakfast time) I went on an elimination diet. Well first I went in search of a good resource to support me. I had the general idea of what an elimination diet was, and I knew that I needed A) recipes and ideas to fill me up, B) a really clear game plan to follow not just general guidelines, and C) support for what I do after the elimination diet and challenges are complete. There are plenty of resources I found online and really didn't know how to distinguish between them all. So I found one that supported a non-profit organization my cousin is involved with (at least that's a bit rational) plus I was able to download the PDF (there is something about having to wait any amount of time to begin that really didn't work for me).
I am now in the challenge stage of the elimination diet, where I am adding in foods for a day to gauge my reaction (I will admit that I'm not testing milk, because the though of drinking 3 cups of milk in a day grosses me out). I am also able to gauge Evelyn's reactions. During the elimination period, she ONLY spit up extra breastmilk. I was amazed. I also felt great (assuming I had a plan and food ready to eat, sometimes that didn't happen). There were a few notable exceptions that made it difficult, but I think that we have found some excellent new recipes that give us greater freedom in what we eat. I honestly would not mind always eating on the elimination diet.
What I enjoy the most is being in control. I was able to set up my own experiment to test my own food sensitivities, in my own home, without any additional equipment. Just a new kind of grocery list and some new go to recipes. I didn't need to schedule a doctor appointment, deal with expensive lab tests, or defer to any expert's opinions. It was just me taking control of what I put in my body and then testing a few foods to see what happens. I feel like I have a much better sense of how my body (and my daughter's body) works now. I know that modern medicine has its place, but gosh is it empowering to be able to make these discoveries on my own!
The book I used as a resource can be found at EliminationDietRD.com
Sunday, July 13, 2014
What is a carrier oil
If you are new to essential oils, you may have heard the term “carrier oil” and wondered what this is. Here's a quick reference for you.
What is a carrier oil? A carrier oil is just that. It is an oil that “carries” other oils. It is used to dilute essential oils before applying them to the skin.
Why use a carrier oil? Carrier oils are used for several reasons. You might use a carrier oil in order to help you cover a large part of the body. For instance, if you are massaging the back, you could add a few drops of essential oil to the carrier oil in order to apply to the entire area. Carrier oils are also used as a safety precaution. Essential oils are very powerful. When using EOs on someone with skin sensitivity or an infant or child, it is very important to dilute.
What are good carrier oils? Nearly any vegetable oil can be used as a carrier oil though some are more preferable.
- Fractionated coconut oil is very light. If you aren’t familiar with fractionated coconut oil, it is coconut oil with some of the fatty acids removed. Unlike raw, cold-pressed coconut oil, it stays liquid.
- Sweet almond oil is another preference of mine. It has a pleasant scent and is also very light. It is frequently used by massage therapists.
- Raw, cold-pressed coconut oil is a good carrier oil if you are making a salve or want the added health benefits of coconut oil (great for skin conditions). The downside is that it has a melting point of 76 degrees. Below 76 degrees, it will remain solid.
- Olive oil, jojoba oil, unscented body lotion, etc. These will also work. Olive oil is heavy and not my preference. I have been using jojoba oil in roller bottles because that's what I have on hand. doTERRA makes a fabulous unscented body lotion; there are very few lotions that I think do an amazing job and this is one of them.
How much carrier oil do I need to use? That depends on your purpose. I’ve read considerable research that indicates that an essential oil maintains its therapeutic benefits even when diluted down to 5% or 10%. This webpage is what I frequently reference when using oils with my family, they have a nice collection of good visuals.
What happens if I burn myself or get an EO in my eye? Use your carrier oil. If you apply an oil and it starts to tingle, just add on a bit of carrier oil. You will find that it immediately takes away the tingle. If an oil gets in the eye, you can also use your carrier oil around the eye area. You should always avoid getting essential oils in your eyes, so if you are applying them to your temples to soothe a headache be careful! Diluting or trying to wash off an oil with water will not work. Water will only drive it in further as oil and water do not mix. I think we learned this in third grade, didn’t we?
So, there you have it. Everything you wanted to know about carrier oils but were afraid to ask. Do you use a carrier oil? If so, what is your favorite?
Friday, July 4, 2014
Peppermint Essential Oil Uses
I have always loved a good strong cup of peppermint tea. Its refreshing, energizing, and a surefire way to cure a crummy tummy. Because essential oils are even more concentrated than the teas we make from the leaves of plants, peppermint essential oil packs a punch! I still turn to a cup of tea to settle a mildly unsettled stomach (especially since I'm breastfeeding and peppermint essential oil's concentration could reduce milk supply). There are certainly times that I have used peppermint essential oil to knock out a headache (I prefer to try using an oil to knock out a headache before I pop a pain relieving pill of some sort). Here's an extensive list of ways peppermint essential oil can be used, which strikes your fancy?
Calm a Tempest. Just one drop of peppermint oil rubbed on the stomach or taken internally can calm indigestion, an upset stomach or other internal digestive commotion. A must-have when traveling!
Restore Vitality in the Mouth. When your breath is sharp and your mouth feels furry, peppermint oil with water (and lemon oil) creates a healthy, refreshing mouth rinse that leaves a lasting crisp, clean feeling.
It’s About Air Flow. When sinuses seem to be clogged, and throats swollen and scratchy, diffuse peppermint oil (or apply topically on the chest) for almost immediate relief and revitalizing air flow. Peppermint acts as an expectorant and may provide relief for colds, cough, sinusitis, asthma, and bronchitis.
Cool the Joints. When the ravages of time wreak havoc on your joints, leaving that hot and achy feeling, peppermint oil mixed with lavender oil cools like an ice bath, but you to stay warm and dry.
Feel Full, Faster. Satiety. It’s about feeling full, and not overeating. The aroma of peppermint oil has the ability to make you feel full, faster…especially if you breathe it in during a meal!
Cool Your Tootsies. If you’ve been on your feel all day or religiously wear hard soled shoes, just add peppermint oil to a cold water compress to cool your overworked, over heated tootsies.
Perk Up. The invigorating aroma of peppermint is a wonderful, non-stimulating way to perk up on long drives, in school, during late night homework or any other time you need to “burn the midnight oil.”
Energize Your Lather. Some shampoo and conditioner combos can make you want to go back to sleep. No energy. No pep. No fun. Not good. Add peppermint to your potions to stimulate the scalp, energize and wake up! The oil is an antiseptic in nature, and can also help remove dandruff and lice.
Allergies Beware. Peppermint oil has the ability to relax smooth muscles in the body — the same muscles that line our airways and become affected in allergy season. Peppermint oil (with lemon) should certainly be another arrow in your allergy treatment quiver!
Chase Away Tension Headaches. Got a mind numbing headache? A few drops of peppermint dabbed on your temples, neck and sinuses can quickly spring into action and chase that headache away!
Help Kids Get on the Ball. The next time Junior is a little unresponsive to all that is going on with school and homework, try spritzing a little peppermint on his shirt before study time, placing drop on the tongue or under the nose for improved concentration and alertness.
Seep, Soak & Revitalize. After a long day, apply peppermint, let it seep in and then soak in a warm bath or shower. The refreshing peppermint vapor will make you feel cool, relaxed and energized again.
Add a Refreshing Kick to Your Tea. Just one drop of peppermint oil can add life to any herbal tea (without having to add lots of sugar) while also aiding in normal digestion or to relieve heartburn.
A “Should I Work Out Today?” Antidote. You ask yourself this question. It’s OK. Using peppermint oil prior to exercise immediately awakens your senses and gets you in your right mind so you can crank.
A Snack Vendor’s Nightmare. When you get that mid-morning craving, diffuse peppermint oil to reign in the urge to snack on junk food, or anything else that might appear before you.
Add Zip to All Things Chocolate. Enhance your chocolate in a gazillion ways: gourmet hot chocolate, mint brownie frosting, peppermint bark, peppermint patties, peppermint brownies, peppermint chocolate Bundt cake, red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate peppermint cream cheese, yum!
Brisk, Delightful Confections. Peppermint chiffon cake, homemade candy canes, butter mints, peppermint ice cream, peppermint glaze over pastries and cookies, homemade peppermint patties.
Unforgettable Beverages. Peppermint water on ice, peppermint mocha, peppermint tea, peppermint hot chocolate, that’s right … it’s all delish.
Wake Up Your Mind. Peppermint oil activates the limbic function in your brain. The limbic function helps control things like emotions and long-term memory and is related to olfactory structures in your nose.
An Itch Fix. If you have the after effects of a sunburn where skin is a little warm and itchy, apply a drop of peppermint oil (mixed with lavender) to cool, soothe and stop itching.
Theme Park Relief. If you’ve got that “I my gosh, I can’t believe I just went on a spinning ride” feeling, four or five drops of peppermint rubbed on the stomach can calm smooth stomach muscles and help dispel discomfort.
Travel to the Arctic, Without Traveling. When you add a few drops of peppermint to your ice water, it not only improves the taste, but also leaves you with a feeling of cool, refreshing arctic wind in your airways!
Burrow No More. If you find a tick has decided to make your skin its home, just give that tick a nice bath of peppermint oil with a cotton swab. The tick will stop burrowing, remove its head and then he’s yours.
Don’t Make It Easy on the Critters. Many household bugs do not like peppermint oil — ants, aphids, beetles, plant lice, mice and cockroaches try to steer clear of peppermint. Just add to water in a spray bottle and spray where you think pests grace you with their presence!
Clean Naturally. Peppermint oil is a wonderful natural cleaning agent because it has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Spray on countertops and bathroom surfaces, scrub, and enjoy cleaner clean.
Sleep Like a Baby. If you find you are having a hard time sleeping, peppermint oil helps activate cold-sensitive receptors in the skin and mucosal tissues. When used this way, it may help with insomnia.
Quell Apathy. When you’re with someone who feels gloomy or like they “just don’t care”, ask them to try peppermint oil (aromatically, topically, or internally) to stimulate their mental sharpness and focus.
It’s About a State of Mind. Someone’s mental outlook can be a game changer. If they are shocked, stressed out or nervous, peppermint oil may help restore feelings of normalcy and balance.
Tame a Toothache. Peppermint oil can act as a concentrated natural pain killer and muscle relaxant, especially with painful gums, teething or recent dental work.
Alleviate Internal Strife. When used topically or internally, peppermint is a favorite for fresh relief from cramping, indigestion to diarrhea. Skip the antacids and go with peppermint oil!
For That “Marathon in Clogs” Feeling. When you feel like you’ve just run a marathon in clogs, and your feet are a hot mess of ouch, massage peppermint oil onto aching feet, joints, and strained muscles.
Leap from Lethargic. Feeling lethargic or in a brain fog? Peppermint has been known to improve blood circulation and awareness, leaving you with an energized, awake feeling.
Go Eight-Leg Free. When you diffuse peppermint into the room, you’ll notice fewer spiders. Why? They don’t like it. It’s safe, contains no harsh chemicals or pesticides. It doesn’t kill the spiders, but forces them out.
Calm a Tempest. Just one drop of peppermint oil rubbed on the stomach or taken internally can calm indigestion, an upset stomach or other internal digestive commotion. A must-have when traveling!
Restore Vitality in the Mouth. When your breath is sharp and your mouth feels furry, peppermint oil with water (and lemon oil) creates a healthy, refreshing mouth rinse that leaves a lasting crisp, clean feeling.
It’s About Air Flow. When sinuses seem to be clogged, and throats swollen and scratchy, diffuse peppermint oil (or apply topically on the chest) for almost immediate relief and revitalizing air flow. Peppermint acts as an expectorant and may provide relief for colds, cough, sinusitis, asthma, and bronchitis.
Cool the Joints. When the ravages of time wreak havoc on your joints, leaving that hot and achy feeling, peppermint oil mixed with lavender oil cools like an ice bath, but you to stay warm and dry.
Feel Full, Faster. Satiety. It’s about feeling full, and not overeating. The aroma of peppermint oil has the ability to make you feel full, faster…especially if you breathe it in during a meal!
Cool Your Tootsies. If you’ve been on your feel all day or religiously wear hard soled shoes, just add peppermint oil to a cold water compress to cool your overworked, over heated tootsies.
Perk Up. The invigorating aroma of peppermint is a wonderful, non-stimulating way to perk up on long drives, in school, during late night homework or any other time you need to “burn the midnight oil.”
Energize Your Lather. Some shampoo and conditioner combos can make you want to go back to sleep. No energy. No pep. No fun. Not good. Add peppermint to your potions to stimulate the scalp, energize and wake up! The oil is an antiseptic in nature, and can also help remove dandruff and lice.
Allergies Beware. Peppermint oil has the ability to relax smooth muscles in the body — the same muscles that line our airways and become affected in allergy season. Peppermint oil (with lemon) should certainly be another arrow in your allergy treatment quiver!
Chase Away Tension Headaches. Got a mind numbing headache? A few drops of peppermint dabbed on your temples, neck and sinuses can quickly spring into action and chase that headache away!
Help Kids Get on the Ball. The next time Junior is a little unresponsive to all that is going on with school and homework, try spritzing a little peppermint on his shirt before study time, placing drop on the tongue or under the nose for improved concentration and alertness.
Seep, Soak & Revitalize. After a long day, apply peppermint, let it seep in and then soak in a warm bath or shower. The refreshing peppermint vapor will make you feel cool, relaxed and energized again.
Add a Refreshing Kick to Your Tea. Just one drop of peppermint oil can add life to any herbal tea (without having to add lots of sugar) while also aiding in normal digestion or to relieve heartburn.
A “Should I Work Out Today?” Antidote. You ask yourself this question. It’s OK. Using peppermint oil prior to exercise immediately awakens your senses and gets you in your right mind so you can crank.
A Snack Vendor’s Nightmare. When you get that mid-morning craving, diffuse peppermint oil to reign in the urge to snack on junk food, or anything else that might appear before you.
Add Zip to All Things Chocolate. Enhance your chocolate in a gazillion ways: gourmet hot chocolate, mint brownie frosting, peppermint bark, peppermint patties, peppermint brownies, peppermint chocolate Bundt cake, red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate peppermint cream cheese, yum!
Brisk, Delightful Confections. Peppermint chiffon cake, homemade candy canes, butter mints, peppermint ice cream, peppermint glaze over pastries and cookies, homemade peppermint patties.
Unforgettable Beverages. Peppermint water on ice, peppermint mocha, peppermint tea, peppermint hot chocolate, that’s right … it’s all delish.
Wake Up Your Mind. Peppermint oil activates the limbic function in your brain. The limbic function helps control things like emotions and long-term memory and is related to olfactory structures in your nose.
An Itch Fix. If you have the after effects of a sunburn where skin is a little warm and itchy, apply a drop of peppermint oil (mixed with lavender) to cool, soothe and stop itching.
Theme Park Relief. If you’ve got that “I my gosh, I can’t believe I just went on a spinning ride” feeling, four or five drops of peppermint rubbed on the stomach can calm smooth stomach muscles and help dispel discomfort.
Travel to the Arctic, Without Traveling. When you add a few drops of peppermint to your ice water, it not only improves the taste, but also leaves you with a feeling of cool, refreshing arctic wind in your airways!
Burrow No More. If you find a tick has decided to make your skin its home, just give that tick a nice bath of peppermint oil with a cotton swab. The tick will stop burrowing, remove its head and then he’s yours.
Don’t Make It Easy on the Critters. Many household bugs do not like peppermint oil — ants, aphids, beetles, plant lice, mice and cockroaches try to steer clear of peppermint. Just add to water in a spray bottle and spray where you think pests grace you with their presence!
Clean Naturally. Peppermint oil is a wonderful natural cleaning agent because it has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Spray on countertops and bathroom surfaces, scrub, and enjoy cleaner clean.
Sleep Like a Baby. If you find you are having a hard time sleeping, peppermint oil helps activate cold-sensitive receptors in the skin and mucosal tissues. When used this way, it may help with insomnia.
Quell Apathy. When you’re with someone who feels gloomy or like they “just don’t care”, ask them to try peppermint oil (aromatically, topically, or internally) to stimulate their mental sharpness and focus.
It’s About a State of Mind. Someone’s mental outlook can be a game changer. If they are shocked, stressed out or nervous, peppermint oil may help restore feelings of normalcy and balance.
Tame a Toothache. Peppermint oil can act as a concentrated natural pain killer and muscle relaxant, especially with painful gums, teething or recent dental work.
Alleviate Internal Strife. When used topically or internally, peppermint is a favorite for fresh relief from cramping, indigestion to diarrhea. Skip the antacids and go with peppermint oil!
For That “Marathon in Clogs” Feeling. When you feel like you’ve just run a marathon in clogs, and your feet are a hot mess of ouch, massage peppermint oil onto aching feet, joints, and strained muscles.
Leap from Lethargic. Feeling lethargic or in a brain fog? Peppermint has been known to improve blood circulation and awareness, leaving you with an energized, awake feeling.
Go Eight-Leg Free. When you diffuse peppermint into the room, you’ll notice fewer spiders. Why? They don’t like it. It’s safe, contains no harsh chemicals or pesticides. It doesn’t kill the spiders, but forces them out.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Lemon Essential Oils Uses
I am and always have been a citrus girl. Oranges, limes, lemons just speak to me in the way they smell, taste and look. So its no surprise that the second bottle of essential oils I ran out of was lemon. I wasn't even using it to clean around the house. I ran out of it mainly because I was adding it to my water. Here is an extensive list, which of these would you use lemon essential oil for?
1. A Cure for Laundry Neglect. Lemon essential oil takes out ALL odor when you forget and leave your load of laundry in the washer way too long!
2. Tame Oozy, Sappy Trees. Whether the sap is on your carpet, clothes or seeped into your skin, lemon oil is excellent for removing pine gum and tree sap.
3. Stop Grease in its Tracks. You just fixed your bike. Your hands are black and greasy. Soap alone won’t remove the grease, but lemon oil mixed with your soap will. Lemon oil is a great de-greaser!
4. Disinfect the Disgusting. You can add lemon oil to a spray bottle of water and attack what may be living in your range hood, on your tables, countertops and other surfaces. For some extra chemical-free firepower, a little vinegar is a traditional favorite.
5. Lose the Gas Mask. When you clean the gunky build up in your shower, do you practically have to wear a gas mask to survive the fumes? Go gas mask free and clean with lemon oil. Just a small amount of lemon oil will go a long way in removing hard water build up.
6. Nourish Your Leathers. Whether you ride a Harley in style or cherish the patina of your leather sofa at home, your leathers are not maintenance free. Use a lemon oil soaked cloth to preserve them, and prevent leather from splitting.
7. High Ho Silver. A lemon oil treated cloth is a great remedy for the early stages of tarnish on silver or other metals. You may not eat on silver every day, but bracelets, earrings, necklaces often need some love.
8. Deactivate the Sticky. Lemon oil can help you avert a hair cutting crisis the next time you deal with gum in hair. Got kids with obsessive addictions to stickers or temporary tattoos? Works for those too. Not for wide receivers.
9. Love Your Luster. Bring your furniture back to life with lemon oil! Just add a few drops of lemon oil to olive oil for a non-toxic furniture polish. Lemon oil leaves a beautiful shine, prevents fine wood finishes from drying out, and replaces lost moisture in antique woods as it penetrates worn finishes.
10. De-Smudge Your Stainless. You don’t need to hunt down that “single use” stainless steel cleaner anymore. Multi-use lemon oil is great for cleaning stainless steel appliances. You’ll love the way stainless looks and smells!
11. Clean Granite or Porous Stone. What is living in the pores of your natural stone counters or floors? Lemon oil cleans deeply, seeps into stone and leaves you with a “real fresh lemons” aroma, rather than that fake lemon chemical smell.
12. Energize your Brush. If your toothbrush seems a bit tired, add a drop of lemon and peppermint oils to chase away that run-down feeling.
13. Quarantine Pungencies. Moldy kid’s sneakers, a baby’s blowout, potty training … it all adds up to an less than desirable aroma. Diffuse or spray lemon oil and neutralize odors at their source!
14. Take the Spine Out of Scuffs. Got a scuff mark that just won’t go away? Lemon oil lifts scuff marks in remarkable ways!
15. Curtail the Dank, Musty or Mildewed. Things get stored away. Things get old. Things don’t see the light of day. Chase away that “old smell” and inject new energy with a good lemon oil wipe down.
16.Stop Cutting Board Bacteria Palooza. Cutting boards can harbor bacteria in your kitchen. Nobody wants to taste the chemicals you have in your cleaning closet, yet most people love the taste of lemon!
17. Control an Aphid Invasion, Naturally. Aphids — those pesky little bugs that dine on your roses and other plants. Lemon oil (or peppermint) with water in a garden spray bottle are a natural pesticide that kills aphids and their larvae on contact, but leave your plants looking lovely.
18. Spot-Free Dishes. Add a few drops of lemon oil to your dishwasher soap container with each load. Your dishes will come out looking like new… spot-free!
19. Refresh Bad Smelling Washcloths. When your kitchen washcloths smell foul and could use a boost, add lemon oil to your detergent, soak overnight, wash, dry and your kitchen will smell so much better! Cooking & Food
20. Energy Boost. For a quick, refreshing energy boost, combine a couple drops each of lemon essential oil and peppermint essential oil in a glass of water and drink up. Add a lemony taste to your bottled water.
21. Zest Up Your Sugary Indulgences. There are an infinite number of ways lemon oil can add a bit of freshness to your sugary savors: Lemon frosting • Lemon meringue • Sour cream lemon pie • Lemon cakes • Lemon tart glaze • Lemon squares • Lemon cookies • Breathtaking, awe-inspiring lemonade
23. Pep Up Your Entrees. With lemon oil, there are countless ways to make the bland zippy, or the blah peppy: Roasted salmon & asparagus with lemon oil, Linguine & shrimp with lemon oil, Lemon oil drizzled over vegetables (especially broccoli), Lemon garlic shrimp … or to add a fresh kick to an already great salad.
24. Preserve What You’ve Got. Use lemon oil in a spray to keep your cut fruit fresh until serving.
25. Ease Respiratory Gunkity Goop. When used with a humidifier, it’s a great way to slow wheezing, colds, cough, and other upper respiratory problems.
26. De-scratch Your Scratchy Throat. Adding a couple drops of lemon essential oil to warm water & honey can change that yucky sore throat feeling, slow a nasty cough, and douse a fever. Lemon oil fights bacteria, as well as viruses.
27. Honeylicious Hair Highlights …Chemical Free. Skip the expensive salon highlight treatment, and use lemon oil to create your own hair highlights. Just go in the sun after using with your hair product, and it will lighten your hair. Be careful, it works well!
28. Fight the Fungus Among Us. Tired of seeing that unsightly nail fungus? Lemon oil is great for nails, and can help fight against nail fungus.
29. Halt the Nervous Nellie, In You. When combined with lavender oil and diffused into a room, you’ll find you feel less anxious, a better mood, more even keel, and well … linear.
30. Clear Thinking & Clear Focus, Made Visible. A clear mind, a clean slate, a fresh outlook. It’s all good. Real good. Diffuse lemon oil and you got it.
31. Take the Heat Out of Cold Sores. When you have a gnarly cold sore that’s just begging for attention, douse it with a few drops of lemon oil and you’ll have a new best friend.
32. Nice Mood … No Really. Chase away the moody blues (not the band), with a bit of blah-reducing lemon oil. Whether you choose to diffuse it or apply topically, it’s hard to not improve your outlook with lemon oil around!
33. Was That a Crusty? Next time you notice hard, crusty skin on your feet, (e.g. corns, calluses or bunions) regularly add a few drops of lemon oil and you’ll soon have softened skin!
34. A Brighter Complexion. Lemon oil can help remove dead skin cells and exfoliate. For a homemade exfoliant, add 4-5 drops to a small amount of oatmeal and water for a homemade scrub. Feels great!
Monday, June 30, 2014
Lavender Essential Oil Uses
Lavender is such a beautiful plant. I love how the silvery green mounds form a base for the spiky flowers. Those pictures of lavender fields in France are just unbelievable. But the look of this plant is nothing compared to its signature scent. Who can help running the spiky flowers through their hands to release the potent scent into the air? I know that I can't.
Lavender was one of the first essential oils that I began to play with when I received my Family Physicians Kit from doTERRA. The very first night, I opened the little vial and dropped a single drop of essential oil onto my pillow. What a delightful treat! Honestly, I use my essential oils mainly for my own luxurious indulgences, and the other benefits they provide are kind of secondary.
For many months lavender was my go to for facilitating relaxation, its much easier to relax when a delightful scent to breathe. The list of actual uses for lavender essential oil is crazy long, quite frankly many of the popular essential oils have huge lists of uses and I get lost in those lists. Its not until I have an ailment that I discover some of the great uses for many of these oils.
Most recently I got some gnarly blisters on my heels (I don't know why I keep trying to wear Converse tennis shoes, they just don't seem to work with my anatomy). These were beastly blisters about an inch across! My normal care for such an ailment is usually nothing. Maybe a bandage to reduce further friction or some Tiger Balm depending on where the blister is. So I decided to look up what essential oils could combat a blister. Believe it or not, lavender was one of the recommended oils! These big blusters were gone within a couple of days without losing the top layer and exposing the fresh skin.
Plus, lavender is gentle enough for me to use with Evelyn. Not that she's getting blusters or burns, but sometimes she does need a bit more help settling down. Lavender has worked almost instantly to calm this little lady down so that she can focus on eating or going to sleep.
There are well over 80 common primary uses listed in the Modern Essentials Usage Guide that I use as my primary reference. That is so many that looking at the list really doesn't give me any real guidance as to when I would use it. Plus there are so many little household uses that keep popping up in my Pinterest feed (using it with baking soda to freshen a mattress, putting a drop in the cardboard roll of the toilet paper, simply misting a room with a diluted solution). I can tell you it was the first oil that I ran out of, and there was no doubt in my mind that I needed to buy more.
Lavender was one of the first essential oils that I began to play with when I received my Family Physicians Kit from doTERRA. The very first night, I opened the little vial and dropped a single drop of essential oil onto my pillow. What a delightful treat! Honestly, I use my essential oils mainly for my own luxurious indulgences, and the other benefits they provide are kind of secondary.
For many months lavender was my go to for facilitating relaxation, its much easier to relax when a delightful scent to breathe. The list of actual uses for lavender essential oil is crazy long, quite frankly many of the popular essential oils have huge lists of uses and I get lost in those lists. Its not until I have an ailment that I discover some of the great uses for many of these oils.
Most recently I got some gnarly blisters on my heels (I don't know why I keep trying to wear Converse tennis shoes, they just don't seem to work with my anatomy). These were beastly blisters about an inch across! My normal care for such an ailment is usually nothing. Maybe a bandage to reduce further friction or some Tiger Balm depending on where the blister is. So I decided to look up what essential oils could combat a blister. Believe it or not, lavender was one of the recommended oils! These big blusters were gone within a couple of days without losing the top layer and exposing the fresh skin.
Plus, lavender is gentle enough for me to use with Evelyn. Not that she's getting blusters or burns, but sometimes she does need a bit more help settling down. Lavender has worked almost instantly to calm this little lady down so that she can focus on eating or going to sleep.
There are well over 80 common primary uses listed in the Modern Essentials Usage Guide that I use as my primary reference. That is so many that looking at the list really doesn't give me any real guidance as to when I would use it. Plus there are so many little household uses that keep popping up in my Pinterest feed (using it with baking soda to freshen a mattress, putting a drop in the cardboard roll of the toilet paper, simply misting a room with a diluted solution). I can tell you it was the first oil that I ran out of, and there was no doubt in my mind that I needed to buy more.
Monday, June 16, 2014
My Journey to Essential Oils
As these herbs grew, I decided I should find out if I could use them for tea. It turns out that not only can they be dried and used for tea, but lemon balm has proven anti-viral properties. So the next time I started to feel a cold sore coming on, I drank lemon balm tea by the gallon. Whether that particular cold sore was just a small one, or the tea worked, I was happy.
Fast forward quite a while to the autumn of 2013, I was pregnant and working in a public school. This resulted in cold after cold, I was miserable. Mostly because I couldn't just take nyquill and get a good night's sleep, so the colds seemed to linger. A friend of mine had just started using essential oils and had some recommendations for me. I decided to dive in since there are many more essential oils that are safe for pregnant women to use than common pharmaceuticals. Plus, I figured in the worst case scenario, I would end up with some lovely scented options for lotions, lip balms, etc.
I started using lavender essential oil in the bedroom at bedtime, peppermint essential oil to knock out headaches, lemon essential oils as a refreshing addition to my water (and as cuticle oil since it was winter), and melaleuca essential oils if I got a scratch from the kitty. All of these were wonderful additions to my day to day activities, so I decided to order more to see what other joyful concoctions I could come up with.
Stay tuned for more of my personal favorites, and if you would like to learn more please check out the Intro to Essential Oils section of my essential wellness store!
Friday, June 13, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
The Challenging Dairy Days
I do not think any breastfeeding couple starts out without a single challenge. Sure their challenge may be more about elimination challenges, but those are still challenges (just look up the elimination diets to figure out food sensitivities). So here is the nitty gritty of our first week breastfeeding.
Right when Evelyn was born, we were just so ecstatic. I vaguely remember offering her the breast, but she wasn't interested right away. So we went back to doting on her. I honestly cannot remember when we first tried to feed her. I just remember the nurse helping with position and latch, then saying that she was going to refer us to the lactation consultant. She was really hopeful that the lactation consultant would be able to work us in (because we wanted to leave "early" seriously, if we had stayed 48 hours, we would have been released at 5 am on Monday morning. So that was BS).
I remember the lactation consultant showing me how to express the colostrum into a cup. She showed us other ways to feed our precious tiny girl, and encouraged us to keep trying her on the breast. Not terrible, and honestly with the relatively tiny amount of colostrum it was manageable. I thought it was odd, because all the nurses kept having her suck their fingers and commented on her strong suck (gosh, the things we do to kids!). Even then it seemed a little odd that she had a great suck, but wasn't seeming to get much to eat.
We went for a weight check with our doctor early in the week, so I believe mentioned something about tongue tie. But I couldn't quite recall. So we did what we could until our appointment at the lactation clinic on Thursday. When I described what I thought was going on (it seemed like Evelyn was just slipping off of the breast without getting much to eat) I could sweat the woman had a spark of recognition in her eyes. We got started with weighing our tiny baby to get a baseline, then I tried to feed her for a while. Trying different positions, compressing the breast, trying to soothe and calm Evelyn so she could eat more effectively before weighing her again to calculate how much food was being transferred from me to her.
After a while, the lactation consultant went into pure assessment mode. She had evaluation tools that she used to determine that our baby girl had a tongue tie. Finally, someone was telling us the whole story (I'm sure those nurses and lactation consultant in the hospital had an idea that something was going on). Not only was she telling us the whole story, but she had a solution for us (the only thing she could have done differently was tell us that tongue and lip ties are congenital, because I immediately had the irrational worry that I had done something wrong, not enough, or who knows).
During this visit, I also received a breast pump. This was amazing, because I was finally able to reduce the pressure. It also gave us an easy way for Paul to feed our daughter for a while. The best description of how I felt was "gun shy." I just needed a little bit of distance from our poor breastfeeding relationship. I was able to take a little space, know that she was being fed, and process my feelings (any woman who has breastfed with any emotions other than love for your baby knows that it is just plain weird).
In those first weeks, Paul was calling to make all our appointments. He called the ENT who specialized in tongue tie in the Portland area, only to find out that the next appointment was weeks away. I don't remember what I was feeling, but I logically was thinking "better late than never." I remember him on the phone expressing how much we need to be able to feed our daughter (and obviously getting told that there wasn't anything yet, but they would do their best). That afternoon I took a nap, when I woke up Paul gave me the best news. We had an appointment the next afternoon!
I have to say that was one of the strangest appointments. Dr. Ghaheri was so knowledgeable that he looked at Paul and I, announced that Paul's genetic code was the culprit, then had us each lift our tongues to confirm his hypothesis. It still strikes me as odd that in a fifteen minute appointment, he evaluated our daughter, confirmed the diagnosis, taught us the aftercare, joked with us, encouraged us by his family's story, and preformed the actual procedure. The procedure only took about 2 minutes (including their walk to the procedure room), but that was the longest few minutes of our lives as parents (still is for me). When she came back to us, we first tried nursing her, but she was so upset that it didn't work. So Paul gave her a bottle.
We continued bottle-feeding her throughout Friday and Saturday. I can remember feeding her a bottle in the middle of the night, while pumping at the same time. Now I know I was feeding her all wrong, but whatever, she was eating. I honestly don't know how often I offered her the breast in those two days. I was still feeling a little raw from the experiences; I can remember telling Paul that I thought I saw her looking at the bottle longingly (totally projecting) and feeling terrible about it. Through all of this, Paul kept encouraging us to keep trying (yes, he was encouraging Evelyn too, I'm sure of it).
On Sunday morning, we went to church and brought a bottle with us (a public place really didn't seem like a good first place to try to re-establish our breastfeeding relationship). She fussed a little, and I offered her the bottle, she took a little bit. When we got home that day we stopped the bottle. I wish I could remember that first feeding where she latched on and effectively ate. I cannot. I just know that since that day she has not taken a bottle.
The next week, we went to the lactation consultant. We still weren't getting as much milk transferred as she hoped to see, and she suggested that Evelyn and I "bed-in" for a day or so to see if she would eat more. I tried that for a couple of hours and HATED it. Luckily, my in-laws were with us, and my mother-in-law gave us the advice to ignore advice that didn't work for us (between that piece of advice and all the grandmothers at church telling me all their babies were 5 lbs, I felt totally on top of the motherhood instinct thing). So that Sunday, we went to the mall with her for hours, haha.
After bucking the advice of the lactation consultant and just figuring out our own flow, I went to the lactation consultant. Since she had been up front with me, I returned the favor. Luckily, that mother gene of mine had really kicked in. Evelyn was finally where she needed to be weight-wise. The funny thing about lactation consultation is that you are supposed to bring your baby hungry; yeah right! On this particular morning, she was hungry so I tried to feed her a little bit. I don't remember the interval I limited her to, but she wasn't very hungry at all once we got to the appointment.
Regardless, she and I decided that Evelyn and I had finally established our breastfeeding relationship. After the tears, the lasers, the wet shirts, the bottles, and tossing out the extra breast milk in the fridge we had made it. It can still be a bit frustrating; she has a favorite side, my strong let down bums her out, and breastmilk makes excellent baby hair gel. In the end, if Paul hadn't supported our breastfeeding relationship I may have given up on the whole thing (which in hindsight sounds ridiculous because it was only really trouble for 3 days).
I do my best to breastfeed in public, but that's another story. I think that there are certainly reasons a woman can't breastfeed, and I can completely understand that. In those first few weeks, everything is so special that our experiences tend not to be shared beyond our closest friends. Those first early weeks are also spent at home, where we are most comfortable. I still find that I am the only first time mom with a baby as little as Evelyn in most places. I wonder if more women share about those early days that aren't all adorable smiles and working rhythms, then maybe more new mothers will be encouraged to push through the challenging times.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Cloth Diapers and Their Far-reaching Impact
I decided while pregnant that we were going to cloth diaper. Not for the environment, not for any reduction in chemicals that may interact with my baby. But simply because running out of something that I have to go out and pay money to buy more of sounds TERRIBLE. We did run out of diapers while out at the mall once, and we were able to buy some basic cheap prefolds (which we have found a million uses for).
So we cloth diaper, in short, because we are cheap and lazy. And I am totally fine with that. Because of cloth diapers, we do laundry regularly. That's fine, we may end up buying more laundry soap this year. But you know what else we are buying less of? Baby clothes that Evelyn is growing out of like a weed. She lasted in the newborn size for about 6 weeks, but the 0-3 month size only lasted 4. Hopefully her 3-6 month clothes last a little longer. Well maybe not hopefully since her only responsibility right now is to grow. Thank goodness I learned early on that with diapers being washed every other day we only need five onsies in each size.
You know what else we are saving, money. I conceptually knew this going in, but it wasn't until we started having professional photographs taken of her that this really sunk in (yes the hospital photographer is just a sales pitch, but they keep you there for so freaking long its nice to have something else to do). Several months later, I am glad that I know we have a bit of theoretical budgeting wiggle room thanks to the savings on diapers and clothes that I can spend on pictures of my beautiful girl.
Plus, they are so flipping cute. I didn't even buy diapers with prints or mink fabric. I bought simple solid colors. One of each color that the company I ordered from carries. Sometimes I have fun matching the diapers to her outfit, sometimes I don't. They just look so cute!
Mostly, I am glad that I get to spend money on pictures of my beautiful little girl with slightly less guilt than if we were going to Target regularly to pick up diapers (note: even if you are doing disposable diapers don't go to Target, we all know you can't just buy one thing there!)
So we cloth diaper, in short, because we are cheap and lazy. And I am totally fine with that. Because of cloth diapers, we do laundry regularly. That's fine, we may end up buying more laundry soap this year. But you know what else we are buying less of? Baby clothes that Evelyn is growing out of like a weed. She lasted in the newborn size for about 6 weeks, but the 0-3 month size only lasted 4. Hopefully her 3-6 month clothes last a little longer. Well maybe not hopefully since her only responsibility right now is to grow. Thank goodness I learned early on that with diapers being washed every other day we only need five onsies in each size.
You know what else we are saving, money. I conceptually knew this going in, but it wasn't until we started having professional photographs taken of her that this really sunk in (yes the hospital photographer is just a sales pitch, but they keep you there for so freaking long its nice to have something else to do). Several months later, I am glad that I know we have a bit of theoretical budgeting wiggle room thanks to the savings on diapers and clothes that I can spend on pictures of my beautiful girl.
Plus, they are so flipping cute. I didn't even buy diapers with prints or mink fabric. I bought simple solid colors. One of each color that the company I ordered from carries. Sometimes I have fun matching the diapers to her outfit, sometimes I don't. They just look so cute!
Mostly, I am glad that I get to spend money on pictures of my beautiful little girl with slightly less guilt than if we were going to Target regularly to pick up diapers (note: even if you are doing disposable diapers don't go to Target, we all know you can't just buy one thing there!)
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Bedtime Rituals
I have never been a huge routine person, at least not at bedtime. I do like them in the mornings, but that's certainly not happening anytime soon. Well, not in the make coffee, read something I will enjoy, then start my day type of routine. Now it looks more like good morning laughter, change diaper (and clothes and sheets if needed), breastfeed, then I get to take a trip to the bathroom and maybe get some coffee (if my husband was a delight and made me some).
Several weeks ago, we instituted a bedtime routine for Evelyn. It starts with us walking downstairs to the bedroom; if she has been telling us she is ready for bed (meaning: if she is fussy) and we carry her downstairs she will just be delighted with us.
Then we close the curtains together (she also loves this if she isn't too frustrated with our lack of interpretation of her language).
She then gets to spend some time on our bed while I turn on the lights of our essential oil diffuser (again, if she is fussy I may take more time to fill the diffuser and add some oils to it).
Finally, with a nighttime diaper, sleeping outfit, and some baby lotion in my hand I join her on our big bed. This is when we do the majority of our actual bedtime preparation. I take off her daytime clothes, change her into a nighttime diaper, then do a bit of baby massage.
The massage is insanely simple, some gentle hands on her chest to calm her, then basically rubbing lotion down her arms and legs. When the massage is over, she gets her nighttime clothes (we call them ghost costumes, but they are just sleeping gowns).
To end the routine (read: put her to sleep) she gets all the milk she will take, then swaddled and laid into her baby bed.
Now what my bedtime routine looks like is a bit different. I fall into bed as carefully as I can so as not to wake up the baby after adding a cloth diaper to my bra in the dark room. Then if I am tired enough I just knock out. Lately, I have been intentionally heading down a tad early to read.
I have never been one for a nighttime routine. What are your bedtime rituals? Right now I am loving diffusing cedarwood and wild orange essential oils.
Several weeks ago, we instituted a bedtime routine for Evelyn. It starts with us walking downstairs to the bedroom; if she has been telling us she is ready for bed (meaning: if she is fussy) and we carry her downstairs she will just be delighted with us.
Then we close the curtains together (she also loves this if she isn't too frustrated with our lack of interpretation of her language).
She then gets to spend some time on our bed while I turn on the lights of our essential oil diffuser (again, if she is fussy I may take more time to fill the diffuser and add some oils to it).
Finally, with a nighttime diaper, sleeping outfit, and some baby lotion in my hand I join her on our big bed. This is when we do the majority of our actual bedtime preparation. I take off her daytime clothes, change her into a nighttime diaper, then do a bit of baby massage.
The massage is insanely simple, some gentle hands on her chest to calm her, then basically rubbing lotion down her arms and legs. When the massage is over, she gets her nighttime clothes (we call them ghost costumes, but they are just sleeping gowns).
To end the routine (read: put her to sleep) she gets all the milk she will take, then swaddled and laid into her baby bed.
Now what my bedtime routine looks like is a bit different. I fall into bed as carefully as I can so as not to wake up the baby after adding a cloth diaper to my bra in the dark room. Then if I am tired enough I just knock out. Lately, I have been intentionally heading down a tad early to read.
I have never been one for a nighttime routine. What are your bedtime rituals? Right now I am loving diffusing cedarwood and wild orange essential oils.
Monday, June 9, 2014
The Surprise of Attachment
In my graduate studies, we briefly covered some various parenting styles or theories. I remember thinking that attachment parenting sounded nice, but wondering if anyone actually lived that way.
Fast forward to my pregnancy, where I read books on breastfeeding, elimination communication, and natural childbirth. I bought cloth diapers and set up a crib next to my side of the bed. Logically I knew I liked to curl my blankets up around me, so pure co-sleeping was out.
Then, she arrived. In the hospital, my husband and I couldn't really imagine her sleeping in the hard bassinet that the hospital provided. All alone, elevated up to a comfortable level for the nurses to check the baby, but not designed to sleep next to either of us. So we sort of took shifts sleeping and holding her. It just felt natural. Mind you, I at least was still high on the oxytocin from delivery. I am not sure what my husband's explanation is.
On the drive home, I sat in the back seat with her. She did not like being unwrapped from her swaddle and buckled into the lightly disguised plastic carseat. So it seemed natural to sit next to her and provide my finger for suckling comfort and my familiar smell.
At bedtime, we initially set her down in her baby bed, and looked over at her. She just seemed to tiny and alone. So we brought her into our bed and she slept between our pillows for the first couple of nights. It just felt like that natural thing for us to do. A few nights of this, and it felt natural to give her a bit more room in her baby bed next to ours.
Evelyn was very small at birth (5 pounds, 8 ounces) and we needed to take her for weight checks and lactation consultations and even to the ENT for a procedure. I remember the first of these appointments was a sunny day, so we just pulled her from the car seat and carried her in. I thought nothing of this until it was drizzly for the next appointment, so we carried her in the car seat into the office. Boy was that weird! Carrying the clunky plastic car seat instead of my soft, cuddly daughter. What was I thinking? Plus, the thing I never noticed before was that no exam rooms at doctor's offices are that large. So there is not really anywhere for the car seat to go once you are there. Since then, the only times I have carried the car seat in are if I am the one with the appointment and the first time I did Costco by myself (since the first time I have put her in some sort of wrap or carrier). Even for most walks, we choose to wear (me) or carry (her dad) our little girl with us. For longer walks or walks that may include jogging, we do take a stroller, but its not terribly often.
Now for the real surprise to most folks. Our daughter lets us know when she needs to go potty. Mind you she is currently 10 weeks old, so she's not using words or texting us. But when we are listening to her fussing and paying full attention to her, we end up opening a dry diaper. Elimination communication was probably the only part of attachment parenting that I knew I wanted to try solely because I taught baby swimming and if those babies can figure out that when I tell them they're going underwater they need to get ready to hold their breath, then I'm sure a baby can figure out how to handle a natural bodily function. The real surprise was how much my husband enjoys communicating with her about her potties when he catches them.
Needless to say, we started this journey with some ideas of how we would parent, and none of them were quite as inline with attachment parenting as we have turned out to be practicing. Its such an interesting journey, but as so many advice-givers say you have to just trust your instincts and this is where our instincts have led us.
Fast forward to my pregnancy, where I read books on breastfeeding, elimination communication, and natural childbirth. I bought cloth diapers and set up a crib next to my side of the bed. Logically I knew I liked to curl my blankets up around me, so pure co-sleeping was out.
Then, she arrived. In the hospital, my husband and I couldn't really imagine her sleeping in the hard bassinet that the hospital provided. All alone, elevated up to a comfortable level for the nurses to check the baby, but not designed to sleep next to either of us. So we sort of took shifts sleeping and holding her. It just felt natural. Mind you, I at least was still high on the oxytocin from delivery. I am not sure what my husband's explanation is.
On the drive home, I sat in the back seat with her. She did not like being unwrapped from her swaddle and buckled into the lightly disguised plastic carseat. So it seemed natural to sit next to her and provide my finger for suckling comfort and my familiar smell.
At bedtime, we initially set her down in her baby bed, and looked over at her. She just seemed to tiny and alone. So we brought her into our bed and she slept between our pillows for the first couple of nights. It just felt like that natural thing for us to do. A few nights of this, and it felt natural to give her a bit more room in her baby bed next to ours.
Evelyn was very small at birth (5 pounds, 8 ounces) and we needed to take her for weight checks and lactation consultations and even to the ENT for a procedure. I remember the first of these appointments was a sunny day, so we just pulled her from the car seat and carried her in. I thought nothing of this until it was drizzly for the next appointment, so we carried her in the car seat into the office. Boy was that weird! Carrying the clunky plastic car seat instead of my soft, cuddly daughter. What was I thinking? Plus, the thing I never noticed before was that no exam rooms at doctor's offices are that large. So there is not really anywhere for the car seat to go once you are there. Since then, the only times I have carried the car seat in are if I am the one with the appointment and the first time I did Costco by myself (since the first time I have put her in some sort of wrap or carrier). Even for most walks, we choose to wear (me) or carry (her dad) our little girl with us. For longer walks or walks that may include jogging, we do take a stroller, but its not terribly often.
Now for the real surprise to most folks. Our daughter lets us know when she needs to go potty. Mind you she is currently 10 weeks old, so she's not using words or texting us. But when we are listening to her fussing and paying full attention to her, we end up opening a dry diaper. Elimination communication was probably the only part of attachment parenting that I knew I wanted to try solely because I taught baby swimming and if those babies can figure out that when I tell them they're going underwater they need to get ready to hold their breath, then I'm sure a baby can figure out how to handle a natural bodily function. The real surprise was how much my husband enjoys communicating with her about her potties when he catches them.
Needless to say, we started this journey with some ideas of how we would parent, and none of them were quite as inline with attachment parenting as we have turned out to be practicing. Its such an interesting journey, but as so many advice-givers say you have to just trust your instincts and this is where our instincts have led us.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Adventures of a Milk Maiden
With the arrival of my daughter, many things in our household have changed. The cat has to sleep on his own. We have much more laundry than before. The two of us parents are excellent at forgetting to eat and sleep because she is just so adorable to look at. And I have a new job as a full time exclusive dairy. Here are some of my observations from the first month of motherhood.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Essential Solutions, Surprise Attachements and Kitchen Adventures
At the end of last year I was feeling a bit like I had lost some parts of myself. I was ending a job I thought was a great opportunity that turned into a huge pain. I was pregnant with my first child. I had lost that spark of creativity in the kitchen and with my knitting needles, and beyond those areas I wasn't even sure where I could be creative. I wrote the following excerpt to re-kick-start my blog and hopefully a bit more than just that.
Do you remember being a kid and thinking that every day, week, month, year seemed to take forever? I remember thinking summer vacation was almost un-ending. Oh what I would give to get that feeling back. Over the last year of working full time, I have noticed getting lost in work and forgetting to enjoy the good times.
Weekends
Cooking Delicious Dinner
Creating Original Knitting Projects
Hiking In and Around the Beautiful Portland Area
October was a month full of weddings for my husband and I. You know what we realized attending all of these events filled with friends? That we have not been taking full advantage of our lives. In fact, we found ourselves attempting to fill every minute we had with them with excitement. Consequently, we both came home and promptly caught colds.
Its time for a change, and what better way to help remember how to track the beautiful moments of life than with the whole world on the internet? Please join me in this adventure!
Now, several months later, that blog has become dedicated to knitwear design. But there are so many more thoughts and projects and ideas that I want to document. Not the least of which is the adventure of becoming a parent and watching my little girl grow and learn and discover the world around her. It seemed as if a new blog dedicated to my adventures mothering, housekeeping, and wellbeing was in order. And with that I begin this new blogging adventure.
Do you remember being a kid and thinking that every day, week, month, year seemed to take forever? I remember thinking summer vacation was almost un-ending. Oh what I would give to get that feeling back. Over the last year of working full time, I have noticed getting lost in work and forgetting to enjoy the good times.
Weekends
Cooking Delicious Dinner
Creating Original Knitting Projects
Hiking In and Around the Beautiful Portland Area
October was a month full of weddings for my husband and I. You know what we realized attending all of these events filled with friends? That we have not been taking full advantage of our lives. In fact, we found ourselves attempting to fill every minute we had with them with excitement. Consequently, we both came home and promptly caught colds.
Its time for a change, and what better way to help remember how to track the beautiful moments of life than with the whole world on the internet? Please join me in this adventure!
Now, several months later, that blog has become dedicated to knitwear design. But there are so many more thoughts and projects and ideas that I want to document. Not the least of which is the adventure of becoming a parent and watching my little girl grow and learn and discover the world around her. It seemed as if a new blog dedicated to my adventures mothering, housekeeping, and wellbeing was in order. And with that I begin this new blogging adventure.
enjoying our morning coffee
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