Just Because....

Why I Want To Be An #EarthMama Ambassador with #Mamavation

I have to admit, I rolled my eyes when Leah Segedie took Mamavation from a purely weight loss/healthy living initiative to a food activism, organic, no GMO, home and life detox lifestyle initiative. My first response was "Great. Where the EFF am I going to find the money to be a part of this? That kind of lifestyle transformation is EXPENSIVE!" And I kind of dropped out of the Mamavation loop as a result.

But the summer of 2012 was a game changer for me. As most of you know, I'm one of the youngest moms in Mamavation clocking in at the ripe age of 28. So when I started experiencing what the doctors thought was Menopause, I freaked, and began trying to figure out what all was going on with my body.

My hair was brittle and falling out by the handfuls, my facial skin was dry, but I had the worst back acne I've ever had, sometimes making it impossible to lay on my back without being in pain, I kept trying to lose weight, but nothing would work, and then the worst part was the night sweats. As a rule, I didn't sweat. I'm not a "sweaty" girl, but I would wake up drenched so badly that I had to peel myself off the sheets in the morning. Not to mention I had to wash the sheets practically every day or they would smell-horribly. Oh, and I didn't have periods for months at a time. Something that is kind of a problem when you're thinking about having another baby.

After months of doctors not being able to "figure me out", they gave me a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, coupled with Metabolic Syndrome X, and told me to lose weight. Which was laughable, because we all knew that was going to be an impossibility with that combo of diagnoses. So after much investigation, I realized that I was being tampered with against my will.

I didn't realize all of the synthetic hormones I was ingesting, through non-organic dairy, meat, and produce. Or even through my plastic water bottles and plastic containers I was heating my food in. Or all of the toxins present in my makeup, skincare, or other toiletries. Re-enter Mamavation. Maybe Leah and her crazy new soapbox platform was on to something.

I immediately made a better effort to read labels, tried and buy local/organic when I could afford it, and switched entirely from plastic to glass. And guess what? I ovulated in the Fall of 2013, and fell pregnant with our second child. Amazing what simple changes to what you put in and on your body can do!

Now it's July, and I'm eight, almost nine months pregnant, with a little girl. And I have to say, I'm scared. PCOs and Metabolic Syndrome can be passed from mothers to female fetuses in utero because females are born with all of the eggs they will ever have. Needless to say, I've been trying to be extra diligent about my weight gain, what I eat, and what I put on my skin, so when I found out that Earth Mama Angel Baby was partnering with Mamavation for an Ambassadorship, I was over the moon.

I had heard of Earth Mama Angel Baby in the past, but hadn't tried much of their line. That is one thing about becoming an ambassador I am most excited about. I'm currently drinking Earth Mama's Third Trimester Tea, and it's wonderfully delish, and organic. BONUS! I've added a grip of products to my baby registry too, Nipple Butter (lanolin fee and non-GMO: Good thing because I despise both) and Milkmaid Tea (I've got supply issues because of the PCOs). But I'd love to try not only product for me, but on the baby when she gets here by her eviction date of August 8th.

Despite my story and how much I think this Ambassadorship could help me, I can't help but be impressed with the Earth Mama Angel Baby company as a whole. I would never sign up to be an Ambassador if I weren't versed in a company's philosophy, and despite being natural and organic and non-GMO and all of these good things, one other thing stuck out in my mind.

On EarthMamaAngelBaby.com there was a tab that took me by surprise, "Baby Loss". No pregnant woman ever wants to see those words. They are heartbreaking. But I clicked the link, and what did it hold? Gifts for Moms that have lost babies with the quote,

"Women who have suffered the loss of a baby are postpartum mothers too. Miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death leave women requiring not just emotional but also physical support. The Healing Hearts line was created to help comfort the specific physical postpartum needs of baby loss, as well as the aching hearts of grieving mamas."

Not only is that AMAZING, that is INTEGRITY, and true care for women. They also offer free e-cards to bereaved mothers. I have known so many mothers that have lost their children lately, that I only wish I knew about Earth Mama Angel Baby's wonderful resource before now.

Lastly, because I'm a librarian, I also feel it's important that Earth Mama Angel Baby also offers a FREE e-book! Who doesn't love FREE?! But more importantly, it's on an important subject, Herbs and Breastfeeding, something that most new moms know nothing about but really should. You can download your copy here.

You impress me Earth Mama Angel Baby, and I would love to impress you as one of your newest Ambassadors.

Oh Where, Oh Where Have I Been?

Yes, there has been a serious case of blog neglect going on over here lately. Let me fill you in on all of the many excuses that has been the case. :)

1. I started my MLIS at Wayne State in the Fall of 2012. I'm currently wrapping up my degree and things are all coming together.

2. I "beat" Metabolic Syndrome X, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and became pregnant with baby number two this past November. She's due to arrive pretty much any time now. Really, take a peek.

3. We're closing on our first home in the next 2 weeks! So we're packing, packing, packing.

4. I'm still working, and parenting my beloved 4 year old, and trying to be a "good wife" and not a grumpy, whiny, pregnant one.

So there you have it. The many aspects of blog neglect. :)

Bubble Guppies Library Song

So this isn't the best video, someone shot it off their TV, but when I saw this on Bubble Guppies tonight, I couldn't help but jam along. Enjoy!

#MLA13AC Highlights-Building Library Community Through Social Media

Kate Snyder of Piper & Gold Public Relations spoke about the importance of libraries using social media platforms to engage their readers online. She encouraged libraries not only to have social media sites but to do them well, by engaging their audiences with questions and posting fresh content daily. Here's why:

#MLA13AC Highlights- James Kane's: Loyalty

How do make make librarians loyal to you for at least the duration of your speech? Show them a video about a little kid obsessing over their profession. Hysterical.

Investing in Children, an investment in community

As we all know, children grow into adults. And what kind of adults they turn into, oftentimes has a lot to do with how they were raised. Children that are neglected often act out, and find other less than stellar ways to occupy their time. However, in our pleasure and pressure driven world, parents are often spend more time at the office making money, or worse, seeking out their own pleasure to the detriment of their children. I get it. I work. I go to school. I have a kid. But you can bet that I try my damnedest when I am home, to spend time with my child and instill values in him. Things as simple as respect and courtesy go miles! But parents aren't teaching respect and courtesy any more, and I can only assume that it's because they are just too busy. Because I just can't conceive the alternative--that they just don't care. Horrifying.

The Heidelberg Project: "Obstruction of Justice" Fall 2012

We're seeing the repercussions of children left to their own devices, in a world losing respect, more and more often. The Boston Bombings for example, where are the parents of these kids (using "kids" loosely), oh yeah, over in Russia. Sandy Hook? Mommy was too busy at the gun range or wherever, not to realize that her child was crazy. Then, there's the crime rate that is skyrocketing in my neighborhood, most crimes committed by teens, or early twenties. Where the hell are their parents? Why aren't they at home in the middle of the night? I'm SURE they aren't living on their own. Then this morning, one of my favorite local artist's work "Obstruction of Justice" of the Heidelberg Project was burned to the ground by arson (insert irony here). In variably by a kid that wasn't being watched or a scorned adult. Why otherwise, would someone demolish a project dedicated to the re-birth of the blighted Detroit? That hundreds of volunteers give of their time to try and make a gem, in an otherwise decaying city, giving back to the community.

I just don't understand. The only solution I can see is to start investing in our children. Teach your children to "love others as themselves" and have a general respect for those and the world around them. Stop worrying about high-tax rates, and whining about teachers getting paid too much, and start caring about the education of our children. There are TONS of statistics correlating the more educated the community, the lower the crime rate. The higher performing the schools, the lower the crime rate. And it's no secret that to achieve that, money is needed, and spent. It's time we start asking our lawmakers to invest in our children, before we start investing in non-essentials and overseas. Our children here at home need to come first, and sadly, they are being forgotten. It's time for change. Now. Otherwise, we're going to continue to see the deterioration of society.

Dollar Store Finds- Bingo Dotters.

If you homeschool, or teach preschool, you may have heard of Do-A-Dot Markers. These markers are great for dot art and little hands that are developing gross motor skills. However, they can be pretty expensive.

Recently, at the suggestion of another mom, I decided to check my local dollar store for Bingo daubers. And guess what? They had them! I was able pick up 4 dotters for $4.24! Granted, the color range wasn't nearly a wonderful as the Do-A-Dot, but to be honest, the colors really don't matter to a 2 to 3 year old. They just love the fun!

If you've never used the dotters before, you may be wondering just what the heck you do with them! There are several great sites that offer print-out bingo dauber coloring pages. Two of my favorites are:

DLTK kids - Dauber Pages 
Making Learning Fun - Bingo Marker Pages



So check your local dollar store for Bingo daubers, your child will have a blast using them!

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!

Let me ask you a few questions...

Do you know where your local library is?

Do you have a library card?

But most importantly, 

Do you use it?

It's a well known fact that the best way to encourage early literacy in children is to read to them. One of the best resources for parents and caregivers encouraging early literacy is their local library. And the best part, the library is FREE! Well, you pay for it with your tax dollars, so you might as well use it! :) So this month, I challenge you to stop by your local library, apply for a library card, and chat-up your local librarians. I guarantee you'll be surprised by how much your library has to offer. From books, music, DVDs, computers, toys and puppets, to story times - there is something for everyone in your family!

Check out this slideshow demonstrating 60 ways your library card can work for you! 

List of Educational Free Apps!

I'm not very app savvy--I don't own an iPhone or an iPad (Apple, if you're listening, I'd be happy to test-drive one for you. Hehe! :)), but for those of you that are, here's a great listing of educational apps!

Free apps list from Gary Toews

Fingerplay Fridays-The Watermelon Song/Fingerplay

Image from Wikipedia

Summer's right around the corner, I can tell by the amount of watermelons at my local fruit market (There's a TON!)! In honor of buying my first of the season, and just in time for your Memorial Day cookout, here's the Watermelon Song! Enjoy!

(To the tune of Are You Sleeping?)

Watermelon,  Watermelon, (Make a circle with your arms)
On the vine, On the vine, (Cure hands and arms beside body)
Sweet, red, and juicy, Sweet, red, and juicy, (Rub your tummy)

Image from maine.gov

Please be mine! Please be mine! (Palms together as though pleading)

Watermelon, Watermelon,  (Make a circle with your arms)
Thump, Thump, Thump, (Make a knocking motion with your hand)
Thump, Thump, Thump, " "
I think you are ready, I think you are ready, (Point, resting finger on temple)
Big and Plump! Big and Plump! (Make a circle with your arms)

Wordless Wednesday- I Must REALLY Want To Be A Librarian

Yesterday I showed up to work, and without warning was dressed darn near the same as one of the librarians. Apparently, I want to be a librarian so badly, I subconsciously dress like them. Oh, and I started work on my grad school application last night--for Library Science.

I apologize for the camera phone graininess...

Early Lit Tip Tuesday-Encouraging a Love of Reading in Your Infant

A common question among parents is "I know that I'm supposed to encourage my child to read, but just HOW do I do it?"

I'm here to tell you that the answer is a lot more simple than you think.

Read Aloud.

You're probably thinking, really Lisa? That's it?

Yep. That's it.

Reading aloud to your child is THE best way to encourage a love of reading, and you should start reading aloud to your baby from birth-though it's never too late to start.

Reading aloud to an infant soothes them. They love the sound of their parent's voice, and the more that they hear it, the stronger the bond between parent and child. This simple act of soothing by talking and reading to your child evolves as your child grows older.

As your infant become a toddler, hearing your voice and exposing  your child to the varied word sounds that are delivered through books, your child becomes aware of speech patterns, and is acquainted with specific speech sounds, even if they cannot yet speak themselves. This is people that don't learn their second language from birth will always have an accent.

As your child becomes aware of the speech patterns of the written word. Though they cannot read, they are becoming aware of the writing on the page. They are beginning to identify the letters on the page, and the sounds that go along with them. This identification, that your child isn't giving you much clue that it's going on, is actually laying the foundation for learning to read. You may find that your child actually learns to read much faster than other children in their age group once the concept of reading is actually taught in school, all because of hearing stories read aloud to them.

But you're still might be thinking, Yeah, that's great Lisa. I get it, reading to your child is great. But my kid won't sit still for a story.

Sitting still for a story is a learned ability. I.e. it becomes part of a routine-Mommy or Daddy reads to me, I sit still and listen. And as with any routine, the best way to create one, is to practice.

I would suggest starting with a bedtime story, put on PJ's get all ready for bed, and then sit down somewhere quiet together, with as few distractions as possible. Start to read. If baby only wants to sit still for a few minutes, good job, praise him or her, and move on. Keep at this routine every day/night, and before you know it, your child will be sitting through an entire story! But don't confine yourself to just one time of day to read! Once your child gets the hang of sitting still, any time is a good time to read. According to Mem Fox, your goal should be to read three books with your child a day:

• One old "favorite"
• One familiar book
• One new book

Another way to encourage reading is to provide your child with lots of books that they can "read" on their own. Boardbooks and cloth books are quite sturdy, and can easily be put in a bin for baby to browse and play with. You don't have to spend money to provide your child with these books either. Most public libraries loan out boardbooks free of charge, and you'll even be able to provide your child with a new selection every time the ones your currently have checked out are due!

Now that you have a plan for how to get your child to sit still, and books from your library to read, when you're reading, BE ANIMATED! Though you may feel like the biggest dork in the entire world, your child will think you are the coolest, funniest, person ever! Don't be afraid to be boisterous, silly, and make funny faces, you're just enhancing the story, and enhancing your child's learning!

Now that you know how to read to your baby, what are you waiting for? Get reading!

Fingerplay Fridays- You Are My Sunshine

Image from lovecommakelley.buzznet.com

The sun is shining where I am and I hope it is where you are as well- Enjoy this fingerplay based on the classic song

YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
(point to others, then circle arms over head)
You make me happy when skies are gray.
(hug yourself)
You’ll never know, dear
(shake finger and head, “NO”)
How much I love you
(spread arms far apart)
Please don’t take my sunshine away.
(circle arms over head and sway)

Children's Book Week- Farm Day!

Yesterday, we had the privilege of kicking off our family's celebration of Children's Book Week with a bang! We took a family field trip to Kensington Metropark's Farm Center.

Before we went, DH and I shared books about what happens on a farm with Little Man. We talked about:

• The animals that live on the farm and the sounds they make
• The machines that farmers use on the farm
• That farms give us food: fruits and veggies, milk and eggs. (We choose not to go beyond a G rating when it came to the meat process)

Some of the books we read are (in no particular order):

• The Cow Loves Cookies* by Karma Wilson
• Senses on the Farm by Shelly Rotner
• What the Ladybug Heard* by Julia Donaldson
• Farm* by Elisha Cooper
• Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
• The Farm by Gail Saunders-Smith
• Cows to the Rescue by John Himmelman
• Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
• My Day at the Farm by Jory Randall
• Grandpa's Tractor by Michael Garland
• Moo, Moo, Brown Cow, Have You Any Milk? by Phillis Gershator

*Some of my personal favorites. :)

Once at the Farm, it was a trip to remember. Little Man LOVED looking at the animals and hearing all of the different sounds on the farm, but he wasn't too hot on actually touching the animals. I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to get too close to a cow that's almost 5 times as tall as me!

I hope you enjoy some of the photos we took!

Little Lamb

Donkey

These little piggies were only two days old! Born 5-4-12

Goats have really strange eyes

The Grass is Always Greener

An old gear....

Old Farm Equipment

Down by the water

Walking with Daddy

My Little Man

"Mumma! I picked you a flower!"

Through the grill of the wooden tractor

Driving the tractor

Fingerplay Fridays (Double Play!)- Rain and Rainbows

It seems like there's storms across the Midwest today, and it's definitely raining here, so why not do a little fingerplay about the weather with your kids? These come from ChildFun.com

image from blog.chron.com

Rain
Tune: Row Row Row Your Boat
Rain, rain falling down, (Flutter fingers up and down.)
Landing all around. (Move arms out to sides.)
What a lovely sound you make (Cup hands behind ears.)
Splashing on the ground. (Wiggle fingers up and down.)


And after the rain, everyone hopes to see a rainbow!

image from planetpals.com

Rainbow Song 
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
When the rain falls from the sky, (Flutter fingers downward.)
Don't forget to look up high. (Cup hand above eyes and look up.)
If the sun is shining there, (Make a circle with arms above head.)
You may find a rainbow fair. (Sweep arms in an arc above head.)
Red orange, yellow, green and blue.
And you'll see there's purple, too

What Are You Reading? Thursdays - Shaggy Dogs, Waggy Dogs

Since Tuesday, I was being begged and pleaded with -- "Mumma, Pwetty pwease can we go the library?" And while I love that my child loves to the library, sometimes it doesn't always immediately fit in the schedule. Nevertheless, we went yesterday and picked up a couple new books, giving us our "What Are You Reading? Thursdays" post! Here's this week's read:

Little Man really enjoyed this one (as he does with almost any dog book):

What are you reading? Don't forget to link up, and leave a comment!

Wordless Wednesday-Birthday Flowers

My husband and son got me some beautiful flowers for my birthday last Monday. This morning I noticed water or nectar on the pistol of the flower and attempted to capture it. 

I apologize for the graininess, I shot it with my phone.

Early Lit Tip Tuesday- Make It A "Something" Kind of Day

Magnets for purchase on Etsy.com
by artist Jen Skelley

Every day is an opportunity for your child (and you, believe it or not) to learn something new. So why not make every day a "something" kind of day?
How to you make a "something" kind of day? It's easy!

• Pick a topic. Letters, Sounds, Numbers, Colors, Shapes, etc.
• Then break it down even further.
• Pick a letter of the alphabet, pick a sound (ck, ch, long a, long e, etc.), pick a number, pick a color, pick a shape.
• Then, focus on that one topic for the rest of the day, the rest of the week, the rest of the month. However long you and your child choose to do so.
• Make it fun! Wake your child up, and declare, "It's "circle day today! Let's find circles today!" Maybe dress them in a corresponding color, or a shirt that has a matching shape on it. Print off a coloring page, and color it in the color of the day, or cut the shape of the day out of construction paper, or trace/color the letter or number of the day. The options are endless!

For example, Little Man and I are currently working on his colors (he has his letters and numbers pretty down pat). And colors for him, like the can be with other children, are hard to learn. With so many different shades and hues, it's hard to know what is green, and what is yellow sometimes.

So today, at our house, it's green day. Little Man is wearing a green shirt. So any time that I see green today, I'll ask Little Man if he sees any green and give him the opportunity to identify it (we might even play an actual game of iSpy). If he can't find it, I'll point it out to him. It is through every day activities such as this that children learn and retain information.

What something are you and your child going to focus on today?

Review: Mayim Bialik's Beyond the Sling

As promised, I started Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way by Blossom and  Big Bang Theory's beloved Mayim Bialik (she's got her Ph D. in neuroscience now, if you haven't heard, the woman is SMART!).

Anywhoo, Bialik is a self-proclaimed "green" and "granola" mama. So I knew what I was getting into when I picked up her book. I say this because, I'm typically an "eye-roller" when is comes to the Granolas. I am the opposite of a Granola, at least by most measures of the term. I had a scheduled c-section, I breastfed until my lady bits just couldn't take it anymore--and couldn't establish a supply (read stopped for my convenience), fed organic baby food until we just couldn't afford it anymore (WIC only provided non-organic for us while my DH was unemployed), we eat a standard American diet including beef, I use disposable diapers, and my son plays with gasp, PLASTIC toys--some of which are even from China, double gasp. 

Image from treehugger.com

But, after reading Bialik's book, she (almost) has me as an "Attachment Parenting (AP)" convert, at least I feel a little more "crunchy" after some shifting of my thoughts on certain topics. What is attachment parenting? From what I glean from Bialik's book, attachment parenting is a form of parenting naturally, where you use your primal instincts to raise your child, providing the ideal attachment to the mother, and sense of security for the child. Some of the things that AP parents practice are:

• "Natural, drug-free birth
• Breastfeeding
• Sensitivity to your children and their needs
• Bonding through touch
• Co-sleeping
• Be an available parent
• Positive discipline, i.e. no spanking or other forms if corporal punishment
• Balance of the child's needs and your own" (Beyond the Sling, p.10)

Bialik goes on to back up all of these practices with scientific evidence from reputable sources like the AAP.  But all of the beliefs are rooted in the fact that these are all practices that our "cave people" ancestors did, and most Non-Western communities still do as the norm.

Her argument for natural childbirth, and VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean) has me really considering establishing a natural birth plan for when I have my next child. And her honest approach to breast feeding and her tips for establishing breast feeding support, have given me the power to actually WANT to breastfeed, where as before, I viewed it as an obligation to my baby.

With my next child, I also hopeful to be an avid "babywearer". My son, was diagnosed with colic, but it is evident to me in hind-sight that he was just a "high-needs" baby
\ that wanted to be held a lot. I was of the school of thought that you can hold a baby too much, and that the only way to establish independence is to put them down. Bialik's emphasis on a baby's "wants are their needs" for at least their first year of life, really changed my mind on this. I truly believe that if I just would have worn my son, and kept him close, that he would not have been such a screamer and I wouldn't have ended up with post-partum depression.

I also endorse Bialik's take on buying limited amounts of "baby-stuff", and staying away from "unnecessary medical intervention". However, there are some portions of her book that I disagree with.

For starters, Bialik does not let her children watch TV or movies. The book seems to illustrate that her main reasoning for this is because it encourages consumerism in children. I.e. they see Dora on T.V., so they are going to want the Dora doll at the store. Though the AAP doesn't approve of limited T.V. watching until after age 2, my son has been "watching" T.V. since about 3 months. I view the T.V. as a learning tool. My son ONLY watches educational television, with no commercials, with one exception. Disney movies, specifically Cars. It was evident in my son's ability to sign around 9 months that the Baby Signing Time DVDs encouraged his signing. It is also evident in his ability to count to 10 and name all of the letters of the alphabet before the age of two, that watching shows like Team UmiZoomi and SuperWhy are encouraging his alphanumeric skills. Does he point out all of the stuff in the store that has Lightening McQueen and Dora on it? Sure he does, but do I buy all of it for him? No. Because that is part of effective parenting too, that is, teaching kids that they can't always get what they want.

I'm also not totally on board with Bialik's takes on pressure and discipline. 

Overall, Bialik's Beyond the Sling is a great book, and well argued. It really got me, a not so crunchy mama, thinking, and provided me with a very well-reasoned, and honest approach to this alternative way of parenting. To be honest, I couldn't put the book down, in part because I find this style of parenting so fascinating (Bialik's second son being "potty-trained from birth" and the topic of Elimination Communication was a jaw dropper.), and because I now wish that I could parent in such a fashion (I think I would have to develop a WHOLE new idea of patience). Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for it's honest, real-life application and it's ability to open my eyes, and leave my judgement behind.