"Lazy" Snow Days

Its been a long while since I have written anything. We have been on quite a journey this past year and as things settle into a new kind of routine I will get caught up and take you on that journey. But for now, on this frosty cold day off school, I think I will have some fun. I always love reading recipe blogs and getting inspired to try something new with my kids, who both LOVE to help me in the kitchen. My youngest just turned 2 and my oldest is turning 6 and they both bring so much fun and joy to cooking. Ok, and maybe a whole lot of mess, lets be real, ha ha. But that's part of the joy, their joy. I have had to learn to let go of the controls a bit and find ways for even the littlest ones to help. Small plastic measuring cups with handles so they can help pour into oversized bowls so they cant miss, wooden spoons for stirring, and of course a sturdy chair or step so they can see into the bowls while the magic happens.
So on this unexpected day at home, I managed to organize some learning/activity stations (thanks to years of ECE training, lol) that kept the littles happily busy until mid-morning. Then the inevitable happened and they started asking for snacks. That's when I realized it was 11:30am that I had very little in the way of a quick lunch for the three of us. I honestly have no idea where I saw this yummy meal idea, if I find it again I will for sure credit the source, but I might have made it up. Who knows. The important part is, we loved it! They both had seconds and cleared their plates, and as you know, when the kids are silently eating at the table, it must be yummy!

I called them Egg Muffins but you can call them whatever you like...

Start with a well oiled muffin pan and an over preheated to 350 degrees.  Add your choice of meat if so desired, this is also yummy vegetarian style. We used the allergy free smoked ham by Pillars. Lay in the bottom of each and then add chopped greens such as onion, spinach, kale etc.

Then add chopped tomatoes, mushroom or anything else yummy!

Next crack one egg on top of each...

Bake for approx 15-20 min, or until egg whites are fully cooked. VOILA!

Serve on english muffins, or with gluten free toast, with salad, or on their own. So quick to prep and bake, one pan to wash, one happy mama and two satisfied kids! 

Emma Rose~ A Redemption Birth

Emma Rose

I thought it was about time to write the birth story of our newest wee one...such a vastly different story than her brothers birth. This was the healing birth my husband and I really prayed for and needed. A redemption of sorts, restoration for the soul. After a dramatic birth with our first, and the loss of our second, this birth and this baby represented so much hope. One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". Our children represent our dreams, our hopes, and most of all our future. I can honestly say I know God had us in his hands in all three of our birthing stories and am so grateful to have two beautiful, healthy children. So here is the story of Emma Rose :)

Our daughter was "due" Dec 30th 2011, so it made for a cautious christmas, not certain how far from home we could go, with my only birthing history being that of super fast progress. But as Christmas came and went, and I felt nothing unusual (other than all the things you feel at 40 weeks!) I settled in for the wait. An internal check to determine if she was head down for sure told us that I was already almost 3 cm dilated at 38 weeks, so I had been sure she would show up early. We really wanted to celebrate new years with our friends so we decided to have everyone over to our house. There's nothing quite as festive as hanging out with friends, ringing in the New Year around the blow up birth pool in the living room! We joked about having the new years baby and would it count if its a home birth? The 1st came and went. On the morning of the 2nd, I woke up feeling great. By 10am I noticed I was feeling every so slightly a small area in my lower abdomen that was cramping, but I could hardly feel it so I ignored it (cautiously this time) and went on with our day. My aunt called and said she felt she was supposed to pray for me and baby right then...I didnt tell her I was feeling possible contractions. I hung up with bittersweet tears in my eyes, thinking of her words telling me I had two daddys watching over me when the time comes, my own and my heavenly Father. I so wished my dad could have been here to meet his newest grandaughter, but I knew he would be cheering me on.

By lunch time the cramps hadnt stopped, hadnt changed in intensity, but were almost a minute and a half long and 10 minutes apart when I timed them. I let my midwives know things seemed to be going and they said they were in town to check on another client, they would pop by and see how I was doing. They arrived around 1:30 and I still felt great, no change. At their suggestion I opted for a stretch and sweep to see if that would stimulate the contractions a bit more. Our student midwife warned me that its a very uncomfortable procedure but I said its ok, I feel good so lets try it. Amazingly enough, we were all chatting while she did the s&s until she finally said "are you feeling that at all?" and I realized it didnt hurt at all. She then said it could be because I was easily stretching to 6 cm. After they left I finished inflating the birth pool, gathered our home birth supplies, got supper prepped for Zac. Gabriel was on alert and nearby at work so I kept him up to date. Actually, I think he called me every half hour to ask what I was feeling now, lol.

We had two of our good friends on call to come when things picked up since my doula was in Florida. Gillian and Chris arrived around dinner time and were a great help. Chris took such good care of Zachariah that he still asks when auntie Chris is going to come over again and play with him, lol. By this time the contractions were getting more intense, meaning they felt like period cramps. Still about 5-7 min apart and LONG, a minute and a half to two minutes each. When I went to lay down with Zac at bedtime (8pm), I realized then it was really going to happen, and probably soon. I was so uncomfortable laying down, it was a good thing he fell asleep quickly. I had borrowed a TENS unit from my doula/friend and as gabe was filling the birth pool, I decided to give it a try just for fun. The contractions were growing in intensity but were still very manageable compared to my first labour. I was enjoying the good company, great music on the ipod, Gillian was discreetly taking photos of the whole thing. The calm and peace and joy in the house was such an opposite of my sons birth, and I am so grateful that I could have a redo of sorts. This is how birth should be.

When I had the TENS on one of the highest settings a few hours later, I decided it was about time to get into the tub and see if that helped. The midwives were now on their way. I wasnt sure at this point how much longer it might be...nothing was the same as the first time so I felt a bit lost, but in a good way. When contractions started coming about every 3-4 minutes, before I got into the pool, I felt a warm gush and assumed my water had broken. Gillian suggested I look to see (why didnt I think of that? lol) I took a peek and saw blood. Lots of it. And just then the midwives arrived. Inside I was panicking, thinking that if I tell them about the bleeding they will rush me off to the hospital. My reasoning was that as a doula, I had been at births where bleeding was present and it was always treated as a bad, scary thing. So I assumed the same. I told my primary midwife that there was a gush of blood and she said ok! Must be almost time then. I still wasnt sure so I showed her how much and she said yup, thats ok, not unusual. PHEW! I was so relieved. I jumped into the pool with the grace of a birthing hippo, and the rest is a bit of a blur after that. I had been posting updates on facebook up to that point and much later I had so many people telling me I had left them all hanging at 11pm at night, waiting to hear what happened. HA!

I remember my hubby kneeling beside the pool, runnig his nails up and down my arms. I have no idea why he thought this was a good idea but it made me want to jump out of my skin! lol. Everything was so intense at that point, I was fully dilated, I assume my water broke in the pool, and then that powerful, uncontrollable, spontaneous pushing began. The only thing that was like my first birth except this time I worked hard to keep it calm and controlled. I DID NOT want tearing like last time. I remember her head was crowning and I used everything in me to hold back the pushing for a few moments, allowing the perinium to stretch. I remember saying to myself then, "lets finish this now" and giving that one last push. I was kneeling in the pool, midwives catching from behind and allowing me to reach down and bring our baby girl up myself, onto my chest in the water. Cord was left intact. A shot of oxytocin as a precaution because I bled heavily with my first birth. And the first thing I said was "hello precious girl! You are a tiny little thing!" because I was convinced she was going to be bigger than her brother.

A few minutes after, my wonderful hubby helped us out of the pool and onto the couch beside it, where we were wrapped in a cozy housecoat and towels. Emma was still attched to me by her umbilical cord and we waited for the placenta to be delivered a few moments later before cutting the cord. It was all so peaceful and sweet. I asked what the damage report was and to my great relief and surprise they said not really any tearing at all, two small stitches for superficial tissue just to help it heal better. Wow! This was one happy mama. Our son woke up looking for mommy, and one of the most precious memories for me was when he was snuggled beside me on the couch, eyes still closed, and Emma was snuggled on my chest skin to skin...Zac finally opened his eyes when he heard Emma give a little cry, and he said Hi Baby! You came out!

We were all tucked into bed by midnight, my sweet, excited boy and my new 6lb 11oz baby girl...and I felt amazing. No pain, no trauma, just sweet joy and needing to sleep. My girl slept and ate like a champ, and we greeted the morning with awe over this new little life. Emma is now just 4 months old, weighs 14 lbs and sleeps through the night. I stand by the belief that often babies birth like their personalities, at least its proven true in our family. My fast and furious birth with my energetic, dramatic little man, and the peaceful, laid back birth of our sweet little girl, Emma Rose.

The Fast and the Furious-Zachariahs Birth Story

On this the evening of my firstborn's 4th birthday, I am again reliving the wild ride that was his birth. When he woke up beside me this moring, we snuggled with his new baby sister and I told him his story once again. And again, I found I could laugh at even more of it now, instead of the feelings of shock and denial. So here is my short/long story :)
At 10am on my due date, I went for my second accupuncture appointment in the hopes of reducing the duration of this my first labour. An hour later, while having tea with a friend in Bolton, I began having very strong but short cramps, which I chose to ignore, because I had LOTS of time I knew. My husband called me and I told him I was having mild contractions but it was nothing to worry about, things probably wouldnt pick up until that evening or into the night, if it even continued at all. Looking back now I can safely say those were strong contractions for my body's way of labouring. When I could no longer focus well on our conversation over tea, I decided I better drop in and see my sister/doula. We were planning a home birth at my sister's home in Bolton with the York Region Midwives (because at the time there were no practises that would deliver in our area) She and I walked my little niece to the school bus at noon for her half day of school and she was so excited that when she got home she might be able to see her cousin being born. While standing at the bus stop I was swaying back and forth with the cramps but still calm on the outside because of course, I had LOTS of time. I told my sister that I would drive (45 minutes) home to pick up our bags and come right back, since I probably had many hours still to go, and I still had to stop and pick up some homeopathics for labour. What I didnt tell her was that contractions were coming about every 7-10 minutes, and getting quite uncomfortable. So many details after this...On the drive home I called my dad at work to let him know his grandson would be making an appearance soon. He suggested I go to their house and get Gabe to meet me there instead so I wasnt driving further than I had to. Their house was conveniently located across the road from Headwaters Hospital. I declined and told him it was ok, I still had a long way to go for a first time labour I was sure. I stopped in orangeville to eat lunch at subway and when I realized I was audibly breathing through contractions while trying to eat, I figured I should head home. But not before I ran into Harmony Market to pick up a remedy I might need later, you know, in case labout didnt progress :) While in the store, I found myslef squatting with every contraction, carefully studying everything on the bottom shelves, until a sales person asked me if I was ok. I quickly made it out of there and into the car. Down the road was my parents house and across the street from them was the hospital. But I had LOTS of time. So I headed to Shelburne.
By the time I reached the lights 5 minutes from home, contractions were coming every 2 minutes, lasting at least a minute, and I was lifting my bottom off the seat to relieve the pressure in my bottom, while pressing the gas pedal. Once home I almost crawled into the house. Again, so many funny, small details...I took the time to heat up my rice pack to put on my lower back because with each contraction it felt like my spine was being ripped in two. I crawled up the stairs to my bed, got on all fours, and called my sister to tell her that if early labour was this painful I would surely need an epidural. She laughed and said Oh No! She suggested I try the hot shower for my back so I crawled my way there. Into the shower to try and stop the crazy back pain, my husband was driving home from a meeting in toronto, and checking in with me I assured him I was fine but that he might want to go faster since this seemed to be going a bit quicker than I had expected. I still hadnt called my midwives. Or 911. I had LOTS of time. Another call from my sister while I was in the shower crying because of the contraction pain, as soon as the cramo would release I could talk like everything was hunky-dorey and seemed fine to people on the phone. Until a contraction hit while I was talking on the phone with her and spontaneous pushing began. With two words, "I'm pushing!!" I hung up on her and paged my midwife. Then with another overwhelming contraction, my water broke with an audible gush and a rainbow of color. Then I panicked. I thought my baby was not going to be ok. Reality hit like a truck load of fear. I was praying at the top of my lungs, please let him be ok, please let him make it through this. My midwife called within 2 minutes, and the only words I could get into the phone were "I'm pushing and there's mec (meconium in the fluid) and I cant stop this!" I ended in a whimper and I remember hearing an Oh Sh*t come from the phone. She called 911 for me from another line, and at the same time started giving me instructions. Get out of the tub, on the floor, bum in the air, head to the ground. She asked me if I could check and feel where baby's head was if in the birth canal. I checked. I didnt have to go far. He was crowning. She calmly told me she would walk me through how to deliver my own baby. I told her I was about to throw up.
Within 5 minutes, 6 of our towm's finest paramedics were standing in my hallway introducing themselves to my very naked self, while on my hands and knees holding my sons head from crowning. "Nice to meet you, I'm Holly, and I'm sorry we have to meet this way" is what I managed to say in between trying not to push. Now, my hubby's last conversation with me was before pushing started. My sister, unable to get me back on the phone, called him and told him I was pushing and at home alone. Needless to say there was some panic happening, poor guy. He then called our 80+ year old neighbor Bessie to ask her if she could look outside and see if there was an ambulance in the driveway. She said there were two ambulances. She then came over to see if she could be of any help, bless her soul. So there I was, still naked, now on the living room floor, in front of my neighbor and 6 strngers who were helpful enough to keep telling me to NOT PUSH. Right. Since they couldnt imagine me finishing this birth at home or without and episiotomy, I was loaded into the ambulance as my hubby pulled into the driveway and saw our baby crowning. Hi hunny, how was your day?...Down the street, around the corner, and POP! I swear thats what I heard when my son came flying out on his own, making an entrance that to this day has his personality all over it. The ambulance pulled over on Main St. to check on baby, and Gabe took the stop as an opportunity to run over to a police car nearby and ask permission to speed. Lol. He didnt know why we stopped. In the 7 minutes it took us to get to Orangeville I noted the time, 3:10pm, and had a nice chat with the two men in the back with me. they had a good laugh when they discovered I was a doula and childbirth educator. One even said, "You must have thought you had LOTS of time..." So when we arrived at the hospital and they opened the ambulance doors, there was my sweet, anxious husband waiting for me, and I introduced him to our happy, healthy first born. They wheeled us directly into labour and delivery to save us from going through the ER, naked momy and baby swaddled in ambulance blankets. 4th degree tearing, many stitches later, and a good case of post tramautic shock, we went home a family of three the next day. In my bare feet I might add, in the snow, because I arived there without shoes and no one remembered to bring me any with my bags. It made for great coming home pictures :)

a womb with a view

We have just entered week 20. Its been a while since my last blog post, and here I am journeying through the ups and downs of pregnancy after miscarriage. It hasn’t been an easy 20 weeks, even though physically this has been a very healthy, problem free pregnancy. The emotional ride of counting down the weeks, waiting for the feeling of impending doom to finally lift, has been the difficult part.

Part of this healing journey has involved us making decisions that before we would have had no problem making, but this time found ourselves cautiously choosing differently. One of the big changes for me was in regards to my feelings and opinion of ultrasounds. With our first we had the “routine” dating ultrasound because there was much uncertainty over conception date, and again the 18 week anatomy scan. Now a few years wiser (?) and more experienced, I figured with the next baby we would only do the 18 week scan, if any at all.

So here we are, heading in tomorrow for our second ultrasound. Why? My heart and soul needed that reassurance of a little life thriving inside me before we could pick up the heartbeat externally. Not just for me, but also my husband and 3 yr old son, who asked me every morning if our baby was still in my tummy and could we please keep this one. We needed reassurance.

So what is the big deal about ultrasounds anyways? As far as interventions go, the risks are mild compared to epidurals or induction. Yet, like those interventions, it has its place. We are birthing in an intervention-heavy society in North America, while our infant and maternal mortality rates are still frightening. But that’s another topic for another day, I could talk forever about the misuse of interventions! How this ties to ultrasounds is when is it safe and a necessary precaution, and when does it cross the line into preference, convenience, and entertainment? Repeat, excessive use of ultrasounds in pregnancy is shown to cause hearing damage to the baby, heats the amniotic fluid and fetal tissue, and in essence is an invasion on baby. There are even studies showing possible links to autism and neurological issues.

So what is excessive? According to the American Medical association, "Unnecessary Exposure" includes the use of ultrasound to:

1. Confirm the sex of the baby.

2. Assess gestational age (how many weeks old the baby is).

3. Assess fetal size and growth.

4. Confirm multiple pregnancy.

5. Determine fetal presentation (the position of the baby in the womb)



Wow! How many times have we ourselves or someone we know had “routine” ultrasounds for just these reasons? If nothing else it should certainly cause us to stop and think about it, as well as do some research of our own. One thing I teach in Nurtured’s childbirth educations classes to couples, is to BRAND every decision and procedure that is presented to them in pregnancy and birth. BRAND stands for Benefits, Risks, Alternative (options), Nothing (do nothing) and Delay (the decision). The problem is, we have been so well trained to not question our prenatal care that procedures such as prenatal testing and ultrasounds pass by as normal, routine, and 100% safe. That’s not the truth. Now we see the new prenatal testing option for gender identification being offered as early as 7 weeks gestation. Raise your hand if you’d like to be the guinea pig for this one…

With the arrival of 3D and 4D ultrasound businesses comes a whole new level of risk and dilemma. Using the BRAND model, if used simply “for fun”, the risks far outweigh the entertainment benefits (I cringe to even say that). Interestingly enough, the medical field is strictly limited, by the manufacturer, in its energy level for this type of ultrasound, as well as the duration of time it takes to perform the scan. (The FDA limit for obstetrical ultrasound is 94 mW/cm².^[7]) The risk of ultrasounds would depend on the duration (length of time for each scan), the intensity (of sound waves) and the frequency ( how often). While I can see the benefit to parents with a baby needing life saving surgery while in utero, or to pinpoint a serious defect, I cannot feel good about paying a non-medical, independent company to scan my baby for up to 30 minutes simply so we can have a peek. I cringe further when I read their “packages and promotions” on websites, offering 20-30% off for your second, third, and repeat visits within your pregnancy.

The bottom line is, less is best when it comes to invading our bodies while growing another life. What we seems blissfully content to think of as wonderful medical advancements are really an abuse of interventions. How can I say all of this and yet admit that tomorrow we will be having our second and final unltrasound? Because for our family, this was our “less”. Will I probably drive the technician crazy by asking them to keep the scan at under 15 minutes of at all possible? Maybe. But its our baby, not a dolphin in there. The frequency is extremely loud, it heats fluid and tissue, and I hope it can be over as wuicjly as possible. Will we find out the gender? If, in that time frame its seen and noted, then yes. If not, that’s fine too. All that matters is, that little heart is still beating. After losing one, we need this extra view into the womb. I’m praying in the future our faith will be restored and we can say no thanks to routine.

Letting Go

To the babies who were dreamed of,

But not conceived

To the babies we carried,

But never held

To the babies we held,

But didn’t bring home

To every baby and child

that touched our lives for a moment,

But held our hearts forever.

            It has taken me a few months to actually write this. As I do, I find I have to reach back into my memory and heart to find the feelings and thoughts of that moment and this journey. I naively never thought I would have to walk through this experience personally, and grieved for anyone I supported professionally as a doula or childbirth educator who went though such a loss. In 6 years as a birth professional, I have encountered  only a few heartbreaking situations of couples losing a baby. Some early into a pregnancy and others at delivery.

            Its hard to say that I knew, but somehow even from as early as 8 weeks into my second pregnancy I had a nagging feeling something was “off”. Of course I dismissed it over and over again, even getting angry with myself for such absurd thoughts. Every pregnancy is different, right? It can be normal to not have any nausea at all, right? You’re supposed to be really tired in the first trimester…And on and on.

By week 9 in my first pregnancy with my son, we were able to find a heartbeat at the midwives, loud and clear. So I expected to be able to hear baby again at 10 weeks this time, even though my wonderful midwife reminded me that it would be completely normal not to hear anything yet. Still, when we found nothing, my heart sank all the way to my uterus I think. It seemed to confirm my worst fear. A week later was my birthday, and while at a lovely family dinner at Blue Mountain I started spotting. Again, could be completely ok, for some its normal. I freaked out. If you know me at all though, you would know that I rarely show panic or distress. But inside I was a mess.

            Another visit to the midwives, reassuring me it could be completely normal, and to wait and watch for further symptoms. Cramping, back ache, excessive bleeding etc. A week later, at 12 weeks, I suddenly came down with strep throat, something I haven’t had since I was young. The pain was excruciating! What I couldn’t explain though was the incredible low back pain I was experiencing as well. I was trying to not take any pain medications in hopes that baby would be ok. Finally when I could hardly walk I decided to take Tylenol. It helped the throat and fever, but didn’t touch the back pain. Laid out on the couch in the living room in pain, I prayed. I simply gave up my control and cried, and prayed that my body would just do whatever it was it needed to do, and I let go. An hour later, the bleeding started.

            I am so grateful to have had my mom and husband and our son there to go through the experience with me. My midwives were delivering babies but still calling me and talking me through the process. My husband cried with me and my adorable little man Zac entertained me with singing and dancing, in between lots of hugs and cuddles.The amazing thing for me was the absolute peace I felt when it was all said and done. We were overwhelmed with disappointment but I felt so relieved that my body had worked as nature intended it to. Too many times I have seen parents walk through the tragedy of carrying a baby to full term, only to find they will not survive outside the womb.

            I hope this isn’t too revealing or personal. I have been shocked in the days since to share my story with close friends who then told me they had been through it, sometimes more than once. This seems to be a “suffer in silence” topic for both women and men who go through it. My husband felt the loss deeply but didn’t quite know what to do with that feeling. I took a more practical outlook and went into Move On mode, but shared my loss with anyone who was interested in listening. After a season of so much loss in our family, I have learned you have to talk. So many times I wanted to blurt it out to the lady at the drive through, or to the teller at the bank, “Someone I love has died! How can you just go on with your life like this? The world needs to stop and be still!”

I lost my dad (my best friend) two years ago, my grandpa this year, my dog, our baby, and then our pet hampster. That may seem trivial in itself, but after having to break the news of his baby going to heaven with papa and great-papa, Zac was in denial that Chewy had died as well. We kept his hampster even after he died, in his cage in the basement, until he was ok to say goodbye. Thankfully it didn’t take too long!

            I’ve found many ways to blame myself for losing our baby. I shouldn’t have carried zac around, I shouldn’t have taken the Tylenol, I shouldn’t have been so busy and stressed with work, I shouldn’t have shovelled 5 feet of snow to get into Nurtured Family centre after a snowstorm… But in the end, this wasn’t a pregnancy that was meant to continue, according to my body. My midwives were incredible after as well. I was still in their care for 6 weeks postpartum, where they took such gentle care of me. They reminded me that it wasn’t my fault, that none of those activities will end a pregnancy. I am blessed in that I didn’t need a d&c afterwards. I am blessed that everything went back to normal by the end of the next month. I know with my next pregnancy, I will have some emotional healing still to walk through. But I’m ready for that journey. We’ve had our season of loss.

            Above all else, I was blessed to be given the hope of trying again. As spring starts to come to life, its time for a season of new life for our family. Lets just say its going to be a busy time in our house over Christmas!! ;-)

A Nurtured Community

I am just putting the final touches on my to-do list for the first annual Nurtured Baby Show & Expo. The list is 6 pages long. I still feel like I am forgetting something. Sigh.
On the other hand, I am so excited to see this coming together after a few years of dreaming it up. If you had told me even a year ago that we would have such an incredible group of (mostly) local businesses and entrepreneurial (?) mamas involved in this event, I would never have believed it possible. If you live in the Dufferin area, Orangeville to be specific, you may have started to notice a big increase in the number of "craft-ty" or small business shows around town. We are a diverse town that is seeing a boom in the small/ home business industry but like any fabulous resource, it can be tapped until exhausted. As a small business myself, I understand the temptation to run from one show to the next in an attempt to promote and bring in business. However, over the years I have learned that its all about quality, not quantity.
Our area is lucky to host some high quality vendor shows, like those put on by the Small Business Place, Bella Noche, and hopefully I can add Nurtured to the list. I have been overwhelmed by the response from vendors from all over the Dufferin area and as far away as London Ont, who offer products and services geared specifically towards expectant and new parents. They are all intent on working together to make this an exciting and successful event, and its beautiful to see businesses come together for a common goal. The $2 entry fee for the Nurtured Baby Show will be donated to the Toronto Sick Kids Hospital, a place that has touched many of our lives, and those in our community.
Each of the high quality businesses involved have such big hearts for our local and area charities, as many of them have been involved in other fundraising shows and events. They give out of their own pockets and their businesses when they donate draw prizes and gift bag items for shows and events. The Nurtured Boutique started as a space for these small businesses to display and sell their handmade products, and I am proud to say we are the only such boutique in any of the surrounding areas, but without these talented women it wouldnt exist.
Its amazing to me that a year ago I didnt know any of these women, mamas, and entrepreneurs. My life and the community is so much richer for having them be a part of it, and I am looking forward to watching them all grow and succeed. This years show has 50 vendors and sevices taking part, with a waiting list of more. Even if you arent in the category of expectant, new, or experienced parents, you need to come out and see what our community has to offer in these remarkable businesses you might not have known about otherwise. And of course support a great cause.
Now, back to my to-do list. I think I need to start page 7.

Dreamin' of a Green Christmas...

Ok, before you send me hate mail, let me explain...I am dreaming of a snowy, crisp, white Christmas. The green would be in the form of some parent friendly, earth happy, child lovin' gifts! I cant tell you how many times in the last few weeks I have been asked by a customer at our mama and baby boutique, 'how do I get my family on board for a green christmas?" The common culprits are well-meaning, child-loving Grammas and Papas and Aunties and Uncles. Even moms and dads get caught in this crazy gift giving free for all.
I remember when my husband and I were still childless and thoroughly enjoying being and auntie and uncle to my niece Isabella. My hubby especially would spoil her, bringing her a surprise every time we went to visit and buying her things when she came to see us ( which was often). Then the day came when he walked in the door at her house and she ran up to him, stopped short at his feet and asked "What did you bring me?"  As cute as she was, it hit home that he had overdone it a bit with the "stuff'"...which I am sure no one appreciated this realization more than my sister!
Now that we are parents and we find ourselves constantly purging toys and clothes and just..."stuff"...on a regular basis. I have learned to appreciate gift cards and gift certificates like never before. But the best gifts we have come to enjoy are the ones that help us make memories with our son. Memories dont crack or break or lose parts or melt (?!) ...or get lost in the wash or run out of batteries or get sucked up by the vacuum...eaten by pets, fall into the vents or get buried in the sandbox...
My mom has come up with some wonderful gifts of memories over the years. Trips to fun hotels, and shows. My mom-in-law has given some thoughtful gifts of memories saved. Now, dont get me wrong here! Before my family runs out and returns my gifts, let me say I an not a complete Scrooge. I love giving and getting thoughtful and fun gifts. Its just that as a parent now I want to teach my children the value of life over things, the value of family over money, the value of grace over greed, and the value of loving others over ourselves. As I watch sacred holidays become disgustigly commercialized more each year, I find myself almost bending backwards the other way to avoid falling prey to it. I have the most wonderful memories of Christmas...I cant remember what i got each year, but I do remember that Santa (Dad) came to visit us at our house every Christmas eve to give us one gift before bed. Its a memory I keep alive now with my son and husband as he plays santa for us.The gift is never big or important, usually new pajamas. Its the experience and the memories we are making.
I heard a story about a missionary and his family (forgive me if I get this wrong, I cant remember who told this) who every Christmas his family and himself were sent many lovely donated gifts from sponsoring churches at home. After unwrapping their gifts and playin with them, the children would choose their favorite one and wrap the rest up and take them to give to the local children who had literally nothing. Now that may seem extreme or even mean to some, but I have been there. I have had the immense pleasure of staying with a missionary family in Guatemala for almost a month during hurricane Mitch. I have seen how it changes children, to see other children without home, food, clothing or family. I let almost everything I had brought with me, I couldnt belive how much we took for granted, how much stuff we thought we needed. I gave my favorite watch away to a very grateful teacher and have never worn one since ( much to the frustration of my poor husband!) My dad went to Cuba on a missions trip once and he couldnt belive the extent and danger the local host went to in order to get meat for their dinner. Dad was exceptionally humble to begin with but he said this made him feel so humbled. When was the last time our children felt awed and humbled by generosity? When was the last time we did?
I know, every year I hear parents saying they agree, we should all be teaching it isnt about getting gifts, its about giving...but do we really? As I watch the frantic parents racing to find all the gifts on their list, watch the strained faces at the cash registers as credit cards get maxed out, I wonder. I wonder if come January and the toys have been played with and forgotten and the bills start coming in, was it worth it? If we can honestly say yes, then I am glad. I think the Wise Men had it right: they each brought one gift for the young King.
Some "Green" ideas:
Think outside the box! instead of wrapping gifts, put them in fabric santa bags you can use each year.
This year we are making a wooden treasure chest to put under the tree and put Zac's gifts in
For every gift you buy, (hypathetically)think of putting the same amount into your child's RESP or your savings...you will be amazed at how it helps you reign in the spending!
Give gifts that make memories, not more mess
Do a wish list registry for your kids! Helps grandparents stay on track and you know best what they will play with. Toys r us, Baby Safety Superstore, Sears and even our local boutique offer gift registries.
Pay with Cash! Save the heartache and stress, budget and stick to it
Wood toys are always a better investment with little guys.
Traditions can be a blessing or a strain...keep the ones that work for you family and let go of the ones that dont hold personal meaning to you anymore.

Happy Memory making!