Carry Me, Mama - A babywearing blog

On Wearing Number 3

2011-03-17T11:30:00.012-04:00

I've been meaning to update forever, but I discovered something when I had Baby L : Life can quickly descend into chaos when you have two young children in the house! But I learned something about babywearing, too when L came along. My babywearing experience was totally different with L than it was with E and not just because I knew what I was doing and had about 80 baby carriers in the house. L had preferences when it came to carriers! E just wanted to be held constantly and I only had one carrier until he was about 5 months old and then he took to new carriers without any protest. So, this was all I knew: little babies love to be held all the time in any carrier.

Well, I was wrong about that! L didn't need to be held constantly (though, he did like it and I did wear him most of the time anyway!). And he much preferred ring slings over all other carriers! He hated mei tais when he was little and wasn't a huge fan of wraps. So, I mostly wore him in various ring slings until about 4 months old. (The fact that he was born in June in the south had something to do with this, too!) Then we began to branch out a bit more. He would protest new types of carriers and new positions at first but would eventually get over it. I began putting him on my back at 3 - 4 months, which he really hated, but I kept at it because it was really necessary since I also have E to take care of and he's a handful! L eventually got used to back carries and even became very attached to being worn that way. I would often need to put him on my back to calm him when he was upset.

My Favorite Back Carry with a Wrap (video)

2008-08-19T13:57:00.003-04:00

Here's my favorite back carry with a wrap. I made a couple different versions of this video and am not really happy with any of them, but Little E is NOT patient, so I give up!!

As you may notice, I had to bribe him with a NewmanO cookie to get him to cooperate!

"What do you eat?"

2008-04-30T10:27:00.007-04:00

I don't feel like I have much more to say about babywearing right now! And Little E doesn't have enough patience for me make any more how-to videos. I'm still wearing E everyday, but there is nothing new to report. (Well, I do wish he was more into back carries, he's getting really heavy to carry in the front while napping. Argh.)

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to address this question I often get when people find out I'm vegan: "What do you eat?" Last week I decided to take a couple of photos of our groceries, since I was actually organized enough to do a week's shopping all at once. (That is very rare!) These are not great pictures, but they were the best I could do on the fly.

Here's what you're looking at in the top photo: soy milk, various soy yogurts, bottled water, spinach pasta, ground flax seed, avocados, cashews, spinach, asparagus, seitan, garlic, a taco kit, garlic stuffed olives (E loves these!), brussel sprouts, swiss chard, fruit & nut granola, lettuce, cucumbers, oranges, apples, sunflower bread, Italian bread, crystalized ginger, sliced coconut and plantains.

Second photo: jasmine pearl tea, onion powder, popcorn, miso paste, lentils, mushrooms, arugula, baby spinach, broccoli, peppers and tomatoes.

(All this was bought at Your DeKalb Farmer's Market. Not a real "farmer's market", but still the best store on the planet! Just my opinion!)

Some of the dishes we made using some of this food were mock fried chicken (made with the seitan), TVP tacos, black-eyed peas & swiss chard, chick peas & spinach and lentils & rice. I try to keep dry ingredients like TVP (textured vegetable protein), various beans and oatmeal, etc. as staples in the "pantry"( I don't actually have one of these, but you know what I mean).

Our "menu" really varies from week to week, season to season and year to year. Dad and I will really get into a certain food and want to eat it all the time, then we'll want to move on. In the winter we do more soups and food made in the oven. With Summer right around the corner we'll be grilling a lot and making salads and pasta. When Big Sis is with us we eat out a lot, since she's not a veggie and really doesn't like any of the food we make!

That's about it! Any other questions? It can be a challenge, but I like to answer questions about being vegan.

Now I'm off to get lunch together. On the menu today is leftovers : lentils & rice, spinach soup and tomato & cucumber salad. Little E really liked the spinach last night, I'm crossing my fingers that he'll like it for lunch today!

A month of babywearing in pictures

2008-03-26T13:56:00.019-04:00

I thought it might be fun to go through the photos I've taken since I last posted and share our past month in babywearing. Here we are in our new Pfau wrap by Didymos dyed sky blue.

The back side of Pfau.

Little E likes to nurse in the cradle position, so I've taken to wrapping him in a cradle hold. This is our Ellaroo wrap. Little E chose it that day.

Being silly in Pfau.

Little E with his baby, "Anna" in his sock monkey doll pouch.

I think this is hilarious. This started out as a nursing cradle and ended up some kind of swing position! (This is a Storchenwiege wrap.)

Here's Little E carrying Anna in a Didymos wrap.

This is a torso carry with a wide blanket podaegi made by Ellaroo. I love this carry and carrier, just wish E was more into it. He's never been a fan of the torso back carry.

That's it! We still babywear every day, but I don't take as many photos as I once did. Little E will often be in a wrap for only a couple of minutes before getting down now. He will nurse in a wrap and I usually wear him for walks, but I find myself wearing him less and less. Just a natural progression, I know, but it still makes me a bit sad.

The Versatile 3.6 meter Wrap

2008-02-11T16:07:00.001-05:00

Here is the wrap that I'm using the most right now. It's another Girasol and it's great. Soft and cuddly, sutble, yet pretty colors. I think this one is called "mokka" and is 3.6 meters long. I bought it from another mama on the FSOT board at the babywearer.com back in December when I was desperate for a 3.6 wrap, but didn't want to spend a lot of money. I've been taking it everywhere with me lately. The reason this size is so great is you can do so many different carries with it and it's not super long.

Here are the three types of carries I've been using with this wrap (see photos): the kangaroo carry, a hip carry tied under the bum and a rucksack carry (this is the same as the kangaroo, but on the back). I learned these carries from the DVD: Tummy 2 Tummy, thebabywearer.com and by going to local babywearing group meetings.

Little E will walk for quite a distance while holding my or Daddy's hand now. The other day we took a walk around the block and he did great. But I still carry him a fair amount. I don't let him walk unless I'm in a situation where I can be totally patient with him. A toddler under 2 years old can't be expected to keep up with me if I'm in hurry! There are countless situations in which it's better to carry a toddler rather than letting him run around. Lately there's been a ton of "up and down" while we're out and about. A little walking while holding hands, a bit of running around in a safe child-friendly place and then back in the wrap for some nursing and a nap.

I could rave on and on about the handiness of the 3.6m wrap at this stage of toddlerhood, but Little E is losing patience with me. Maybe I'll get around to making and posting some videos of these carries soon!

My Favorite Wrap

2008-01-14T08:06:00.000-05:00

Here's my favorite wrap in action! It's a Girasol and the color is called "Earthy Rainbow"(ER). I got this beauty for Christmas. I love it! It came to me brand new and so soft right out of the package! I decided to get this in a 4.2 meter size because I didn't have a nice woven wrap that size. I can do every carry with it. I prefer my 4.9 meter wraps for the front wrap cross carry (FWCC), but I can pull it off with this size alright. This carry in the picture is the back wrap cross carry (BWCC). I find this really comfy with the ER . This wrap has a little "cush" to it. I think it would be a fabulous wrap for a newborn baby.

About five minutes after I took this pic Little E fell asleep. What a sweety.

I got a few more wraps (all different sizes) for Christmas, so I'll be posting about those, too. I love them all for different reasons. I think now that the weather is a little cooler I've become a wrap girl. I have to remind myself that for most of the year it's too hot to wrap! Well, I do have some lightweight wraps that would be good for a smaller baby in the hot weather.

But whatever, I know my days of wrapping my sweet Little E are numbered, so I'm going to enjoy it while I can! We get less and less cuddle time during the day, but at least we can snuggle at night. So, thank goodness for co-sleeping.

Well, I better run Little E is asleep in the bed and I got up for a cup of decaf and some uninterrupted computer time. Better publish BEFORE he wakes up!!

I'm back, kind of.

2008-01-03T17:52:00.000-05:00

Well, I disappeared for a while! I was in bed last night wondering why I suddenly have even less time than before. There are the obvious suspects : The Holidays, an ever more demanding toddler, a sudden dip in my energy level. But then I realized that I've been spending every moment I can (as in: when Little E is sleeping and I'm not) READING. I love to read and I had missed it for a long time after Little E came along. It's been slow going since I have so little time, but I'm glad to have it back in my life.

So, any writing I do from now on will be cutting into my reading time! I can't write when Little E is awake. It took me 20 minutes to write this much, since I keep having to stop and attend to my little monkey! (He is determined to remove everything from our book shelves and it's really driving me nuts!)

I'll be back, um, "soon". We're still babywearing, though, it continues to evolve. In the mean time here are a few pictures from the holidays: Big Sis wearing Little E in an old Hotsling I bought on FSOT on thebabywearer.com and one of Little E looking very modelesque, taken by Big Sis. (Notice there are no ornaments on our tree! Ornaments and a crazy toddler DO NOT mix!!)

Thanksgiving Happiness!

2007-11-25T13:27:00.001-05:00

Here is Little E enjoying Dad's homemade cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving. He cracks me up, a lot of times when he tries something new he'll make the most horrible face. Then he'll try another bite and love it! This was the case with The Sauce. Hideous shocked pucker face. Then scarfing it down! (This photo is definitive proof that we don't believe in bibs! Ha, ha.)

Our day was peaceful and our dinner was yummy. Dad cleaned up some tables around here that had become overrun with papers and such. I made a substantial dent in our mountain of laundry. Dad put Little E in our minkee-lined Baby Hawk mei tai for his afternoon nap (see pic, that's Ludwig the Cat sharing Dad's lap!) and I started dinner.
And here's our vegan Thanksgiving meal: a vegan "celebration roast" (we got this at Whole Foods), roasted asparagus, Dad's cranberry sauce, Dad's mashed potatoes and gravy, of course! And for dessert... vegan pumpkin "cheese" cake!!! (Thanks to The Joy of Vegan Baking! Yum!) A very simple meal, but full of those warm Thanksgiving-y feelings for us!

Dad made the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, here's what he did :

DAD'S MASHED POTATOES
5 pounds organic red potatoes (no need to peel these! yay!!)
160z Tofutti "sour cream"
1 stick (1/2 cup) Earth Balance buttery sticks
soy milk (use as much as you need to reach your desired consistency)
salt & pepper to taste

Wash those potatoes, cut them up and boil them until they're soft enough to mash
Mash 'em up with all the above ingredients
Use an electric beater to make 'em extra smooth

DAD'S CRANBERRY SAUCE
2 cups fresh organic cranberries (we used a 7.5 oz pack)
juice of one large orange
3 tbsp water
3/4 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized pot
Bring to a boil
then simmer until the cranberries pop open
Sauce will thicken as it cools

Happy Vegan Thanksgiving!!

2007-11-21T15:01:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I have mixed feelings about this holiday, but I do observe it and take it as an opportunity to remember all that I have to be thankful for.

I mentioned in my last post that I'm thankful that I live somewhere that makes it easy to be vegan. Thanksgiving and Christmas are really the only holidays we make special meals for. I am so happy that these are vegan holiday meals! I can't tell you how fabulous it is just to enjoy a vegan holiday meal. No meat. No animal anything, anywhere! And no one giving me a hard time while I'm trying to enjoy a freakin' holiday!!

I like peace. A holiday should be peaceful, in my opinion. My holidays are finally peaceful and I couldn't be more grateful! I hope Little E will always remember our holidays as special times of peace and joy, where we enjoy healthy, cruelty-free goodies and each other's company.

Now, it should go without saying (but I'm gonna say it!) that what I'm most thankful for is my family! As far as I can tell, I have the most fabulous husband ever! My daughter is smart, beautiful and funny. Really, she's quite entertaining at times! And she's an awesome big sister. Little E is almost unbearably wonderful. He is joy and light and love. As far as I'm concerned my only purpose in being here is to love these amazing people. And I'm SO VERY THANKFUL for them. The Universe has given me the most precious gift : LOVE.

Fall Glorious Fall!

2007-11-15T17:09:00.001-05:00

We've been very busy lately out and about enjoying this beautiful season! Autumn is my favorite time of year. It's a nice drawn-out season here in Georgia. I want to be outside everyday right now. Here are pics from our visit to Cloudland Canyon in north Georgia this past weekend.

It is so beautiful, especially with all the Fall colors! I won't be going back with children again, though! It's a deep canyon and potentially dangerous. I was holding on to Little E for dear life! I had a few moments of vertigo looking into the canyon. Ugh.

Yet, ANOTHER, reason to babywear! Don't let your toddler run around trails with steep drops!

It was interesting being in such a rural area, especially when it came time to eat! We've definitely been spoiled as vegetarians living in an urban area! We stopped at this little place near the park. The menu was completely void of nutritional value. Fries, burgers. I ordered a salad and some fries. The salad was iceburg lettuce, tomatoes and shredded cheese! I can't remember the last time I've seen such a thing!

Anyway, my point is that I'm very thankful that I live in a place and time where being a vegetarian and even a near-vegan is so EASY!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord! I shall not take it for granted! It means a lot to me to be able to eat an animal-free diet. But I really don't feel deprived at all. Not in the least. (But I won't speak for Dad!)

And with Thanksgiving coming up I think that's a good thing to remember and be thankful for!

Hip carry with a pouch-style baby sling

2007-11-02T18:17:00.000-04:00

Here's a sweet little video of how to use a baby pouch. I used to hate pouches, but now I'm a total pouch convert! Actually, it's pretty high on my list of favorite baby carriers, at this point. It's just sooooooo EASY! That is, IF-IF-IF you get the correct size. I don't understand how it works out, but in my experience, if you find the right size pouch, it's a wonderful, comfy, super easy way to carry your baby!

Well, I haven't posted since last Friday and here's the reason why: blogging has made me realize that my life is BORING!!!!!!!!! I seriously had no idea! I've been sad about it all week. I just said to my husband, "what am I going to write? That I chased my toddler around the house today and yelled a lot??"

Because, I swear, that's what this past week has been like. Why oh WHY does Little E INSIST on turning on the dishwasher CONSTANTLY?? Or grab the cat all day long? Or take out all his nicely folded clothes from his drawer? I had this fantasy that being a stay-at-home mama meant I'd have the time (and inclination) to have a somewhat clean home. The laundry would be done and put away. Dinner would be ready when Dad got home. Little E and I would go to the park or the pool every day. I'd have all this TIME on my hands, you know, because I wouldn't have a "REAL JOB"!

Wow, I feel like some kind of crazy person for thinking that now. I know some people can do that. I just KNOW it's possible...for someone, somewhere. But NOT here and NOT me. Not that that would be exciting or anything! But it would be the SAHM fantasy and I could be an inspiration to other aspiring SAHMs! Ha, ha. Don't get me wrong, I NEVER thought I'd be some kind of super mom going full speed from morning to night, have a spotless house, cooking gourmet meals and signing Little E up for a million activities. I'm just not that ambitious! AND I really believe that being a Mom has nothing to do with being a maid. I mean I don't think Dad should work 9-6 and I should work 24/7! (And either does he, by the way. Which is one of the many reasons I love him SO MUCH and think he's one of the best people ever.)

No, my vision seemed very humble to me. But maybe I need to let go of it. Maybe I need to focus on the moment. Focus on what I have right now, before it's gone. God, that is SO HARD to remember. We only get to live today ONE time. And as frustrating as Little E can be, he is also TOTAL MAGIC. Sometimes I look at him and feel a happiness I can only describe as UNBRIDLED JOY.

Oh, I needed to remember that! I feel better.

Tummy to Tummy Hold with a Mei Tai

2007-10-26T11:14:00.000-04:00

I'm finally posting a mei tai video! (I made this video first thing this morning and it shows! Sorry!) I think the mei tai (otherwise known as an Asian-style baby carrier or ABC) is the easiest to learn and use. Personally, I don't use it for hip carries (I prefer a selendang or rebozo for that), but it's great for carrying your little one on your back, tummy to tummy and for nursing.

I put a few pictures up of Little E in the Mei tai after I tied it in the back. Just to give you a better look of how it looks in the front and back.

Well, our babywearing journey continues. I think if someone had told me I would still be doing this on a daily basis when Little E was almost a year and a half old I would have been shocked! I remember talking to a babywearing mama at the farmer's market one day who had her 19 month-old in a ring-sling when E was only 4 or 5 months old. I was amazed and pretty much speechless! I think I was impressed, but also thinking I wouldn't be carrying Little E in a sling at that age! Ha, ha! Well, here I am so many months later STILL carrying him.

Now, that I'm here it seems like the most natural thing! The main thing is I love the closeness of it. Little E is asleep right now in our Storchenwiege wrap. This time I have with him is fleeting. I intend it enjoy it while I can! It's inevitable that he will grow up and become his own independent person. I feel that being so close now is laying a strong foundation for his future. I've said it before, but I'll keep saying it: babywearing is all about love!

Another thing that I didn't think about when Little E was tiny is that toddlers often need to be contained or ,um, restrained. So, your choices usually are holding them in-arms, using a stroller or wearing them. Well, I'm so used to wearing Little E that using a stroller now seems kind of silly for us!

So, we've done lots of babywearing this week. I'm trying to use the Storchenwiege as much as I can to soften it up more, so E's been taking some naps in that. I've been using my new Kozy mei tai, too. A selendang is always handy for hip carries. And I've been using the Mexican rebozo. Little E fell asleep in it yesterday and slept for 3 hours! Wow.

I Got a Kozy!

2007-10-22T13:07:00.000-04:00

It's Monday! And it's rainy and dreary, but I'm so thankful the weekend was beautiful! I'm in a better mood than when I last posted. Thank goodness for that, too! Damn PMS! Anyway, Friday was a great day because I got a Kozy! (See pics.) The Kozy carrier is a mei tai or Asian-style carrier. It ROCKS! I can't believe I waited so long to get one. Luckily, I recently met a lovely babywearing mama who sells them. Once I got to try one out at a babywearing meeting and fell in love I was so glad I knew someone, personally, who sells them. She was nice enough to meet me at the mall so I could have it right away! And no shipping!

I give the Kozy an A+. I was always worried that it might be too big in the body for me, but that didn't turn out to be the case. I really like the curved, padded, top that works as a head rest and can be folded down, too. (see 2nd pic) I still love my Baby Hawks, but the Kozy is just really different. It's nice to have a variety. I've been wanting a neutral, light colored mei tai, so this new Kozy fits that.

Saturday the whole family went to a pumpkin patch and a corn maze. I've been wanting to go to a corn maze for about 5 years! Big Sis and I past one on our way to Amicalola Falls way back when and every year since I've been wanting to go and haven't made it until now. First we went to get a pumpkin at Burt's Farm. (see picture below!) I can't believe how huge these pumpkins were! Seventy-five dollar giant pumpkins! What-on earth-are people doing with these pumpkins? We had fun trying to figure that out and we bought a nice round (normal-sized) one for $8. We also picked up a cute little one and a couple colorful squashes to bake in the oven with butter (vegan buttery spread,actually) and brown sugar. We let Little E run around and check out the big pumpkins, but when it was time to get some things and pay for them Dad put him in the Mexican rebozo. Very handy.

Then we had to drive a few miles to the corn maze. Back into the rebozo Little E went, but once we got going in the maze we let him run around. (Pics below!) He fell about a million times, but he seemed totally ok with it! I actually think he was the one who got us out of there! I'm so glad we finally went because it was fun. And it was so nice to get out to the country. The north Georgia mountains are beautiful, too.

Yesterday, we stayed home. Little E took his nap in the Kozy and I did laundry all day. Dad worked and Sis played Sims on her computer. Not a super fun Sunday, oh well. I took a picture of the kids in their Halloween costumes (& there's our pumpkin), since Big Sis won't be here on Halloween.

Random Ramblings

2007-10-16T11:29:00.000-04:00

Oops! I missed a few days! Well, Monday Little E and I went food shopping. I put E in the cart, in the seat, but brought along our Mexican rebozo, just in case. Near the end of our shopping he started getting fussy and reaching his arms up to me. So, into the rebozo he went. He was happier and I finished up and checked out.

Tuesday I didn't feel so great and we didn't go anywhere, unfortunately. I've been missing my HUGS selendangs, since I've been using the rebozo so much, trying to "break it in". So, I pulled out my favorite selendang and started using that again. The HUGS selendang is definitely my favorite baby carrier, followed by the Traditional Mexican rebozo. They are simple, comfortable, inexpensive and they WORK. They get the job done: hold baby, be close, get stuff done!

Yesterday, I just HAD to get out of the house! So, I got up EARLY and took a shower and got dressed before Dad left for work (that was a first!). But we were still late for the La Leche League meeting later! We did get there, I guess that's what matters. It was nice to be around all the other nursing mamas and future nursing expectant mamas who came. Such a nice atmosphere there. We discussed benefits of breastfeeding, but not the obvious ones your doctor will tell you about.

I have to say I am SO glad I'm still nursing Little E through this toddler stage. He's changing so much and so fast and it is wonderful, but also a big adjustment. We're going through growing pains and fighting a lot. Nursing gives us a chance to reconnect and continue to build the bond. It helps both of us calm down. It's so sad to me that our culture is so misinformed about breastfeeding in general and especially about nursing toddlers. I wonder if people in the US don't understand that nursing into the toddler years is the norm for our species or just maybe think that the way we do things here (in this culture) is always the best way. (A great book that discusses such things is Our Babies, Ourselves.)

Well, on that note...I have to wrap this up for today because this has taken me forever to write, since I'm trying to write and take care of E at the same time! I just want to share these photos (I uploaded these & started this post on Tuesday) comparing Dad wearing Little E a year ago to a few shots from last week:

Ditch Your Stroller and Be Free

2007-10-15T09:17:00.001-04:00

Friday afternoon/evening Little E and I met Dad at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Here's a picture of Dad carrying Little E in the traditional Mexican rebozo. They are the two cutest fellas I've ever seen! We checked out all the scarecrows and let E run around the children's section of the garden. Then we had dinner at The Green Sprout, which is right up the street. I highly recommend this vegetarian Chinese restaurant! It's one of our favorites.

Saturday I worked. I think that night I got Little E to sleep in the Storchenwiege wrap. I've been using it a lot more recently, since the weather is getting cooler. I washed it last week and it's a bit stiff, so I'm really trying to break it in again. I like the extra support of a two-shoulder carrier,too.

Yesterday afternoon we when to the Candler Park Fall Festival to see our good friend, who was selling her art there. It was crowded and we parked about a half-mile away. We put E on Dad's back in the Patapum. I brought along the rebozo, anticipating the need for quick up-n-downs when we got to the park. When met up with our friends and visited, then Dad took the Little One to play and I browsed the art vendors for a bit. After a few minutes of that it was time to find something to eat. I put Little E in the rebozo and off we went. We didn't find anything vegan, but we did find some veggie tamales that were vegetarian. They were tiny and really only a snack, but definitely better than nothing!

While we were there we saw a mom wearing a baby in a Baby Hawk mei tai and pushing a stroller and another mom wearing a baby in either a Patapum or an Ergo (she was too far away for me to be sure of which), the dad was standing there with a stroller. I couldn't tell if these moms had older kids in the strollers or not, but it it was great to see them wearing their babies! I also saw a bunch of Baby Bjorns and, of course, a ton of strollers. I noticed a fair amount of people pushing empty strollers while they carried their babies and toddlers in-arms. I think it would be pretty cool if all these folks just ditched their strollers and grabbed a sling! Or a mei tai, Patapum, Ergo, etc! It's so good to be free, People!! Join us on The Other Side!

OK, I jest, but, obviously, I do feel passionate about this! One the the moms at thebabywearer.com pointed out that her toddler walks more because she doesn't use a stroller. It's a lot easier to chase after a wily toddler sans stroller! I imagine I'd be more motivated to keep Little E strapped into the stroller rather than let him walk while I tried to push the stroller AND somehow keep him out of trouble and safe all at the same time! The rebozo is SO handy because it's very, very easy to put him in when I need to and to get him out and let him run around when he wants.

Well, after we left the festival, we needed dinner. We walked to The Flying Biscuit, which was on the way to the car. I really like that place and we haven't been there in forever. I got the fried green tomatoes and the love cakes, which are black bean and cornmeal cakes. Yum! Dad got a spicy veggie burger, I think. We tried to share with Little E, but he just wasn't having it. They were playing loud rock music (The Who, for instance) and E was in rare form! Actually, he was acting totally nuts. But it was super cute, at least to us! Sometimes I think we may have a future rock star on our hands--nothing would please Dad more! Anyway, we left a huge tip in hopes for making up for our wild little man.

Little E and I fell asleep on the early side last night, which was so nice. We woke up about 8:30 this morning and E was all sweetness and smiles, cuddling and nursing until we got up. I changed his diaper and put him in the Storch wrap and I had my morning coffee. More about today tomorrow...

Just because I love my guys so much and want to show them off, here are some more pics of them at the Botanical Garden:

Out and About & a Storch Hat

2007-10-12T12:47:00.000-04:00

Miracles of miracles! We actually got out of the house yesterday! I was forced to put Little E in the Patapum on my back while I got ready in the morning. That was the only way I could brush my teeth and put some make-up on. He just refuses to stay out of trouble! Then we went to the park for about an hour and a half. The weather is finally cooling down a bit and it's comfortable outside instead of baking! This is my favorite time of year and I really want to get outside and enjoy it! E had a good time. He even played nicely with another little boy for a few minutes.

After the park I bribed Little E into his car seat by giving him my phone, then took it away when he was all strapped in. I was desperate! I cannot physically force him into the seat if he refuses, so I have to be creative! Then we were off to the fabric store, where I bought some discounted linen fabric to make a DIY rebozo/shawl-style carrier! I'm very excited about this. I don't actually know how to sew, but I got a sewing machine for Christmas last year. I'm finally going to make something! Actually I did make an all-in-one cloth diaper a while back and it is hideous! But maybe this will be easier. I am wishing I had a serger, though. Then I could just serge the edges instead of hem, which would be easier than hemming and more comfortable to wear, I think. Well, that might be something to look into.

Oh, I meant to mention that I had to park a little way from the entrance to the park so I just put Little E in our Mexican rebozo until we really got inside. Gotta love a nice fenced park with a toddler! Then just to shake things up I wore E in my Ellaroo ring-sling at the fabric store. Also, I wanted to be able to compare the Ellaroo fabric with the fabrics in the store. Little E was napping on the way there but woke up when we got inside. He did well, though. He was very interested in all the fabrics. I noticed it was very easy in get him in his car seat after wearing him around the store, too. That was very nice.

Then we were off to go to Target. I brought along the rebozo, just in case, but decided to put E in the cart. We were there FOREVER and he did great! He never got fussy or antsy and I had a great time just wandering around with him. I got him a Yoda costume for Halloween. It is too cute. Dad and I are major Star Wars geeks, so it seems perfect! Then it was time to go home. We had left-over vegan "meat" and potatoes stew for dinner, but I also mad some fresh spinach with garlic and lemon juice to go along with it. I really didn't want to force Little E into a carrier so I let him play in the kitchen and kept a close eye on him.

E fell asleep in one of my Bara Barn shawls last night around...maybe 10ish. I think he was really cranky because he only had one short nap yesterday! Which actually made it difficult to get him to calm down and go to sleep. He slept passed 9 this morning. He's napping now (in the Bara Barn, again!) and I'm hoping this will be his only nap since we're meeting Dad out later!

By the way, here's a photo of Little E using our Storchenwiege baby wrap as a hat! (He, he!)

Babywearing vs. Toddlerwearing

2007-10-11T09:01:00.000-04:00

I really don't think I was aware of what a challenge adjusting to Little E becoming a toddler would be. It's just hitting me that this is pretty difficult! My baby is gone! Seriously. Our home has been invaded by a monkey. A very tenacious, curious and determined monkey. And as far as babywearing goes...well, toddlerwearing and babywearing are 2 completely different things. I wore E as a baby primarily because if I put him down he screamed, turned red and coughed like he couldn't breath. So, I discovered babywearing! Then I discovered that babywearing is actually really convenient. So now I can't imagine life as a parent without being able to strap my little one to me so I can get stuff done!

Babywearing is convenient, but mostly it's about connecting with our babies. Toddlerwearing seems to be all about convenience to me! Half the time when I pick E up (not necessarily to put him in a carrier) he hollers because I'm taking him away from what he's doing at that moment. Well, I guess that would piss me off, too! Come to think of it, if I was just sitting here typing away and some giant just picked me up and took me to another room, I'd holler, too. Anyway, my point is that I mostly wear Little E now because it's convenient for me. He'd much rather run around and get into everything every minute of the day! But that's just not going to work for me because I have other things to do. Cooking dinner, for instance. Of course, there are still moments when he's perfectly happy in a carrier. They are just few and far between compared to the nearly constant carrying when he was a baby.

So, here's how our day went yesterday and what carriers we used: I got up before E, so when he woke up alone I heard him crying and went and got him-changed his diaper-and put him in the Mexican rebozo for a few minutes, just to reconnect. Then he played on the floor while I wrote here, then we ate a late breakfast,then we played and worked on laundry until E was sleepy. I put him in the Ellaroo wrap and he fell asleep. For some reason it felt like I had wrapped myself up with a hot potato! And I was getting a headache so I laid down with him. The good news is he only took one nap, the bad news is that nap lasted about 3.5 hours! So, we finally got up and had a very late lunch, played, did more laundry. Then I really had to start dinner (vegan "meat & potatoes" stew from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook).

I let Little E play in the kitchen as much as I could, but I really do find that it's impossible to really cook while he's running around getting into everything. So I pretty much had to force him on my back in the mei tai. He was so pissed! But, amazingly, once I got him back there and started bouncing and talking about what I was doing (chopping veggies) he really calmed down and was fine! By the time he started to fuss again Dad was just about home! Yay!

After dinner Dad gave E a bath, which was awesome, because it gave me a chance to deal with the laundry. Then I took a shower while Dad and E played. Then I tried putting Little E in my Storch wrap, but he wasn't having it! So, it was back in the Mexican rebozo, where he started his day that E fell asleep around 9:30. He woke up this morning about 8:30. I'm really hoping it'll be another one nap day today!

Toddlerwearing

2007-10-10T09:26:00.000-04:00

I've been using my traditional Mexican rebozo for the past 5 days, so I can say this is a great baby carrier! It's really softening up nicely. And it is easy to use. I tie it with a sailor's knot about once a day and then just pop Little E in and out of it through out the day. Since entering official "toddlerhood" E would rather play than do anything else. So, there is a lot of up and down going on. And a lot of chasing. I can't believe how fast this kid can move! It's really quite nerve racking! Luckily, he still has his moments went he's feeling cuddly.

Anyway, I love the rebozo and I highly recommend it! Dad says it's his favorite! That makes me happy because I was hoping it would appeal to him. Oh, another thing I like about it is that it's so thin and short that when I have it on and E's not in it I don't find it in my way. I've been trying to keep it on in anticipation for when E will want to be picked up, you know, to minimize crying. Also, I've had this problem in the recent past where I would pick him up, sans carrier, then he'd want to nurse. I'd find myself holding this heavy nursing toddler with out a carrier! Neck pain! Tired arms! Why do I have all these carriers? So, I finally learned to just have a carrier already tied and handy or ON all the time.

Yesterday morning Little E and I went to a babywearing meeting. That was so fun. I just love to try out other carriers! Once I actually see and try on different slings, wraps, mei tais, etc, I totally change my mind about what I want next. Actually, I'm feeling really good about what I have at this point. There are just a few holes I'd like to fill. So, I figure...that's what Christmas is for! And my birthday!

A lot of the moms at the meeting yesterday have toddlers. It seems that we all have a similar "problem". Our toddlers don't want to be carried that much. And some not at all! Well, I'm glad it's not just me! I do find it ironic and funny, though. I mean it's sad in a way for us moms, but it's also gratifying to see our children "growing up", being curious and independent. Oh, and it's also scary and frustrating, but that's a toddler thing. Little E is into EVERYTHING! And he thinks "NO!!!!!!" is HILARIOUS and does whatever he's doing FASTER! I'm YELLING for a reason...it seems I'm yelling all the time these days. So, it's nice to spend some time with other moms with toddlers because they get it, they understand it's hard, they're dealing with the same challenges. Well, unless they happen to have a super docile toddler. I guess I've heard they exist! But that's not the norm.

I'm working on that yelling thing, by the way. It doesn't help and just makes me feel more frustrated! I just have to adjust to this new stage in E's development. And learn patience on a whole new level. And I have to point out this is also a fabulous stage! For instance, right now Little E is playing with one of our cats. This is one of his favorite activities. He's got a fabric measuring tape he's running around with and the cat is chancing it. Then he shakes it in the cat's face and giggles hysterically! It's just about the cutest thing ever.

Well, I've decided I'm going to try to write every week day. I'll just start writing about our day and what carriers we're using. Yesterday I used the Mexican rebozo at the babywearing meeting and I also tried out a Freehand mei tai, a Kozy mei tai and an octi mei tai, which is a mei tai with wide unpadded straps. Now, I need a Kozy in my life! And a octi mei tai, but I'll probably settle for a Maya Tie, which is the same concept, kind of a cross between a mei tai and a wrap.

Inspired by seeing the other baby wraps at the meeting I decided to give my nice German wrap another try. It's a beautiful yellow Storchenwiege and I love it, but given how hot it tends to be here I haven't used it too much. So, I wrapped E in it on my front and he took his afternoon nap! That was so nice and cuddly and peaceful. Then we went grocery shopping and I put E in the Hotsling pouch, which I've decided to keep in the car. When we got home I needed to get all the groceries inside so I put Little E on my back, in one of our Baby Hawk mei tais. Got all the groceries in, in 3 or 4 trips, put them away and started dinner (vegan "BLTs" and salad). Then Dad got home and E was able to get down and play for a bit before we ate.

After dinner E got some more time to play and then it was the nightly torture of teeth brushing and nighttime diaper putting on! No fun for any of us. As usual, Little E was pretty upset after those nighttime rituals and I distracted him by reading his favorite book: Where is Baby's Pumpkin. He also loves Good Night, Gorilla. He thinks it's hilarious when the zoo keeper's wife wakes up and finds a gorilla in the bed! When he was good n' tired I got myself ready for bed and wrapped him back up in the Storch on my front. I think he was asleep by 9pm, which was awesome! And what's amazing is he didn't wake up until after 9 this morning!

The Traditional Mexican Rebozo

2007-10-05T10:24:00.001-04:00

I've been thinking about ordering a Mexican rebozo for a while, mostly, I think, because I'm fascinated by traditional babywearing. Also, I like the simplicity of the rebozos and thought they might appeal to my hubby. So, I finally ordered one this past weekend and it arrived 2 days ago. And here are some photos of Little E and I trying it out for the first time!

I really like it. It definitely needs some breaking in since it came out of the package a bit rough. But it feels great on my shoulder and I like the fact that it doesn't have long tails. It's super thin, you can see E's shirt through it in the pics. Dad tried it out and he said he really liked the blue stripes because they shimmer. (He really likes stripes!) Even though it's thin, it seems really supportive, especially considering how big Little E is!

Yesterday I washed it by hand and hung it to dry. Then last night I ironed it and tried it out again. Still loved it! This morning I braided it to help soften it up. Then I stuck Little E in it while I got my coffee and checked my email. Now he's back in it (enjoying a tofu "fish stick") while I'm heating up some food. I feel confident in saying this rebozo rocks! It's already a lot softer, after a few more days of use I think it'll be perfect!

All and all I think it's a decent sling at a decent price, it's a great way to carry your baby (or toddler!) and it's a way to keep traditional babywearing alive!

Holy Hotsling, Batman! I've Been Converted!

2007-10-02T09:36:00.002-04:00

I stopped by a local baby store (called "New Baby Products", I think) yesterday, just because I happened to be near by. I thought I'd just see if they had any slings, you know, since the only place to find slings is usually online. Well, they had a ton of Hotslings! Hotslings are pouch-style slings. This brand of baby sling is actually the first carrier I ever tried. Originally I had a size 2 Hotsling and even though their chart said that was my size it seemed way too big and I hated it.

Well, since I was there with Little E and a bizillion Hotslings I decided to see if a size 1 would actually fit or if pouches just really suck! I searched through all the solid colors and could only find one size 1 in the bunch. It was an organic hemp/cotton. Beautiful butter color and soft. I threw it on and popped Little E in it and.......I had a totally "AH HA" moment, complete with a Heavenly choir in my head! It was like I had wrapped us up in butter! And it fit perfectly! So, now it's mine. And I love it.

I do have to say though, it's on the thick side, it's a bit hot. I'm sure I won't be able to use it in July and August! Given that, I wouldn't recommend it as a main carrier. But if you have a bunch of carriers and you want to add to your collection, go for it! And, of course if you live in a cool climate, then the heat won't be an issue. Anyone buying a pouch-style sling really needs to be careful about the sizing. I still don't understand how I can possibly be a size 1 (or xs/petite) I'm not petite! I'm 5'6"! So, if you can try some one before you buy, definitely do that.

Well, the reason I happen to be near that store yesterday is that I met up with a bunch of other babywearing moms at the mall! It was so fun! We tried each other's slings, wraps, mei tais and soft structured carriers and got tips on how to use them. It was so cool to see the different carriers in real life and try them out, as opposed to only seeing them online. I have been wondering for months what certain carriers feel like. It's so hard to choose what to buy when you've never even seen or touched any of the choices! So, it was very educational.

It was also just nice to be out with some other babywearing moms and their little ones. It's always good to chat about the joys and challenges of being moms. And it's great to be with folks who just love to carry their kids. We wondered together how parents without slings do it! (And some of us like strollers to haul around our stash of carriers to the babywearing meeting!)

Ring-Slings aren't All Bad

2007-09-27T11:38:00.000-04:00

So, I've been reminded that it's all about whatever works! Whatever gets people holding their babies and toddlers is a good thing. OK, I have a definite prejudice for traditional babywearing. I'd love to see every parent using a selendang or a rebozo to carry their babies and toddlers. And I generally hate the rings on ring-slings, but I have a confession to make. Last Friday night we went to an art show and I carried Little E in my Ellaroo ring-sling! And it wasn't horrible! I wrapped the tail of the sling around the rings and that made it way more comfortable for me. Right now I don't have a selendang, shawl or rebozo that's subtle. My Ellaroo sling is dark brown with white flowers. It's so pretty and understated and that's just what I wanted in a carrier that evening.

The other day I was transferring my phone pictures when I discover a photo of Little E in the Maya Wrap ring-sling when he was one month and 9 days old! Here I've been thinking I wasn't using the Maya until much later. Seeing that picture gave me a new appreciation for my ring-slings. I was reminded that my first ring-sling saved me! It gave me a way to hold Little E without my hands going numb. It helped me feel comfortable enough to nurse my baby in public.

Yeah, I've moved on to "better" things (better for me), but I'm so thankful that I discovered babywearing, no matter how I discovered it! ( And my ring-slings still get some use!)

Newborn Tummy to Tummy Hold using Woven and Stretchy Wraps

2007-09-26T15:42:00.000-04:00

I was inspired to make these videos by a lovely mom I met today at a La Leche League meeting. She was looking for help with using a Didymos baby wrap for a tummy to tummy carry with a tiny baby. She didn't have the wrap with her and I told her she could probably find videos online, but when I got home and checked I couldn't find any! So, hey, I've got something to post about! Yay for me!

This first video is me attempting to show how to do a tummy to tummy carry with a German-style woven wrap. I'm using a doll since I don't have a newborn baby. I do still sometimes use this with Little E,who is about 16 months old, but for instructional purposes I thought a doll would be better.

Now, I have to say: BE CAREFUL!!!! Please use common sense when learning a new carry, especially with a newborn baby!! If you feel at all unsure, practice with a doll first.

I think this is a great way to use a wrap. Little E HATED to be held in the cradle position, so he was always held tummy to tummy, but really it was more like chest to chest, than tummy to tummy! And with his head resting on my (or Dad's, or Grandma's) shoulder. Geez, those were the days... This second video is of me showing how to do a tummy to tummy carry with a stretchy baby wrap, also with a doll instead of a newborn. Stretchy wraps rock! I can't wait to have an actual newborn baby to put in mine!

Here are some wrapping TIPS: Do this in front of a mirror, I find this really helps me. Practice, practice, practice (this is where a doll really comes in handy!). Don't give up, this can take time to learn and become comfortable with. Talk to your baby while wrapping her/him. Once your baby is in the carrier you'll probably need to keep moving to keep them happy (unless, of course, you have a super easy-going baby!).

Good luck! And check out thebabywearer.com for more (much, much more) babywrapping info!!

PS A helpful person at thebabywearer.com just sent me this link for doing a newborn cradle hold with a woven wrap, where you fold the wrap in half lengthwise, so there's not so much fabric! This will also work with tummy to tummy. Thanks so much fellow babywearer!

Afternoon at the Botanical Garden

2007-09-24T12:28:00.001-04:00

Thursday afternoon I took Little E and his Big Sis to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. We love that place. We love the flowers and the children's area is rockin'. I brought along a HUGS selendang and a Baby Hawk mei tai and we had a little discussion about which would be more convenient to use. I went with the Baby Hawk. I put Little E on my back and off we went. We explored the green house and the orchids and the Japanese garden with E on my back. I figured I'd leave him back there until we got to the children's area where I could let him down to play for a while, then we'd leave. That worked out nicely. Big Sis and I were able to walk around and see what we wanted without getting held up by Little E playing with wood chips!

We took these photos with my camera phone. Everything was just gorgeous and we had a great time. Little E had fun playing in the kid's area. It's nice that he's now at a stage where he can start getting down and playing some when we go out to places like this. Of course, he didn't want to leave, but we did eventually have to go! He made a fuss, but I quickly strapped him to me on the front and he chilled out.

After we left it was about time for dinner so we headed for The Green Sprout, a vegetarian Chinese restaurant right down the street from the botanical garden. That place rocks! We don't eat out a whole lot, but when we do this place is our favorite. Dad met us there. We got veggie "beef" with broccoli and sweet and sour "chicken". Oh, and "chicken drum sticks", which even Big Sis likes! I'm not big on fake meat stuff in general, but I grew up going to Chinese restaurants, so I think it's a sentimental thing for me. Dad just likes it because it's like meat, which he misses, I think!

All and all it was a great day. Dad even offered to take Little E home with him so Big Sis and I could go to Borders. Yay!

Ah, Life with a Toddler

2007-09-20T10:26:00.000-04:00

So, in the past week I've made 3 videos of how I do a back carry with a wrap. They all suck. I now have an even deeper respect for all the people online that have taught me how to do back carries! Babywearing is easy, but having all the stars align to make a half way decent babywearing video is challenging! I'll keep trying, but I haven't posted in a week so I figured I'd better put that aside for now.

Yesterday I took Little E to a nice little park we'd never been to before. There's lots of toys there for toddlers and he had a great time. We had to walk about a block from the car to the park entrance so I put him on my back in one of our Baby Hawk mei tais. I know my son and we wouldn't have made it 5 feet from the car if I let him walk on his own. (You see, there are cars and their tires, pine cones, pine needles, trash, etc to examine along the way!)

Unfortunately, we did eventually have to leave. That's when the drama began. Little E has begun throwing tantrums at the drop of a hat these days. You you can well imagine his demeanor when it was time to leave the park when he didn't want to go! I decided I would just put him on my front in the Baby Hawk, since the back wasn't going to be a possibility with him being so upset. So, he's screaming and thrashing and hits me in the chin with his head. (Ouch!) And I couldn't help wondering if all the other people around were thinking he was throwing a fit because I was putting him in a carrier.

That was the first time I've been in a situation like that. The tantrums are pretty new. Little E has always been high need, but now as a toddler he's incredibly strong-willed. Those traits go hand in hand, so I'm not at all surprised by the tantrums. I'm, for the most part, fine with them. Little E is a toddler. He's mega strong-willed. I get it. But yesterday was the first time I actually became conscious that other people might be judging us. And for the wrong reasons. I found myself thinking: well, if I was using a stroller he wouldn't be any happier and I certainly couldn't force him into it! AND I can't force him to walk to the car when he doesn't want to leave! AND we have to leave because it's past his nap time and his day is off because his big sister is with us because she's off from school this week!

Of course, after Little E was in the carrier he calmed down considerably and I calmly explained to him that I was sorry we had to leave but we really had no choice because we have other things we have to do. I'm thinking it may be time to implement the use of the Happiest Toddler on the Block techniques. At least the empathy part! In Happiest Toddler on the Block, Dr Harvey Karp explains that if you mirror back to your child their feeling you can cut down on tantrums.

I don't see my son as a series of problems I have to solve. He is a totally normal and healthy individual. It's my job to know him. To know what he needs and provide that. Right now, as a toddler, life is super frustrating. So, he needs patience and understanding. I need to figure out how I can really demonstrate my patience and understanding to him. I do empathize with him (most of the time!). I need to make sure he knows that.

I love much of what Dr Karp has to say about toddlers and I am definitely going to use the mirroring with Little E. But I must I add that I do not agree with the use of praise and rewards. To me that's simply manipulation and will backfire in the end. A great book about unconditional love and parenting is Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn. If you'd rather not raise a child who requires praise and rewards in order to be motivated, read this book.

Oh, and I'm going to nip in the bud this "worrying about what other people are thinking when Little E has a tantrum in public" thing!!

How to do a Back Carry with a Selendang

2007-09-12T09:03:00.000-04:00

In my first post I mentioned that I use my HUGS selendangs to do back carries. I use them to do short carries. Sometimes I'm just trying to do a quick chore, like put some clothes in the washer, and Little E won't be in the mood to be put down. I rather just quickly put him on my back than listen to him cry while I do laundry! That's not fun, in my opinion! Usually when E's on my back he'll look around me and I talk to him and explain what I'm doing.

I find this carry surprisingly comfortable considering it's a one shoulder back carry! But I haven't ever tried it for more than 15 minutes at a time, or while doing anything strenuous, like mopping the whole house. Of course many people in the world do use the one shoulder back carry for longer periods and while doing all sorts of chores! Maybe I should give it a longer try. Who knows it might be the answer to my back carry issues!

The Journey Continues: My Evolution as a Babywearer - Part 2

2007-09-11T11:43:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in my last post that I was searching for a good back carrier and found the Baby Hawk mei tai. I have 2 and they're awesome, but now that Little E is bigger, I feel they're not ideal. This is just a personal thing, I think I probably have back issues. I started thinking a soft-structured carrier would be better for a toddler. Again, after much research and deliberation, we got a Patapum. (See the pic of Little E and I checking out the penguins.) This is a great carrier and it's very reasonably priced. I like it for walks, hikes, sight-seeing. You get the idea. If we're out having a family day we use it and I also bring a sling for hip carries and nursing (a selendang or rebozo folds up compactly). Now that Little E is walking well he'll be running around some when we're out and about, too.

It's nice to be able to contain the little guy when necessary without the bulk of a stroller. We have a few strollers, but I'm really not a fan of the big one. When Little E was younger I tried using it a few times and I kept getting really frustrated with how bulky and inconvenient it was. If I just wanted to take a little walk around town with the stroller forget about popping in to one of the cute little shops! It's a nightmare trying to navigate in tight places. And there is the stairs issue. Once at the mall at Christmas time I was about ready to have a tantrum trying to figure out where the elevators were and then kept ending up on the wrong floor from where I wanted to be. The other, and most important to me, drawback of a stroller is that Little E likes to be held! So, when I did try using it I spent half the time pushing an empty stroller and carrying him in my arms.

I actually see other parents doing this A LOT! All parents carry their babies at least a little bit. I wish more parents in this culture knew how easy and practical using a baby carrier, like a sling or a mei tai, really is. I think most people realize babies need to have physical contact and touch to thrive. Well, the baby sling is not only practical and convenient, it's also a great way for our babies to feel loved. And that's really the point: LOVE.

That's where my evolution as led me. This is what all this holding and carrying has taught me: I know the greatest gift I can give my children is Love. Of course, my job as a mother is to keep them alive, fed, clothed, all that practical stuff. But love is practical, too. If we don't feel loved we won't find happiness. Love is acceptance, affection, trust, faith. Knowing you're loved is knowing you're OK. Knowing the universe has order. This is what I believe. This is why I nurse Little E, why we co-sleep, why we carry him when we can. And it's why I feel so passionately about babywearing and letting others know how easy it is.

The time we have with our babies is so fleeting (I know what I'm talking about I also have an almost-13-year-old)! I want to enjoy every minute I get to hold Little E because I know this precious time in his life is so short. I know we'll move on to new stages and challenges and joys and we'll enjoy those, too. But we want to build a very solid foundation for our future relationship with Little E. And when he's all grown up I want my son to be feel confident and to treat others with kindness and compassion. I try to keep these goals in mind as I go about my days being a mom. And I'm still evolving.

My Evolution as a Babywearer - Part 1

2007-09-09T11:23:00.000-04:00

So, I've been reflecting on my evolution as a babywearer this morning. It occurred to me when I got up with Little E today that no matter what room in the house I"m in I have a number of carriers to pick from. I think at this point I'm reaching for a HUGS selendang 90% of the time. But sometimes I grab something else just to "catch-up" with some of my old friends. (And to compare them with my new true love.) This always results in confirming how much I adore my selendangs (my new purplish-pink one being my favorite baby sling of all time!!).

Oh, how I wish I had known about the glorious selendang before Little E was born. But, I am so thankful that I discovered babywearing and was able to make it work for us despite not knowing a single thing about it pre-Little E! I've mentioned in a previous post that I first tried carrying Little E as a tiny baby in a pouch-style baby sling. That didn't work out for us and said pouch as moved on to another expectant mom in search of usefulness. Babywearing attempt #2 was with a Maya Wrap ring-sling. I have a picture here with Little E and I using it about a year ago, it's a very pretty blue color. Boy, I struggled with this, but I did eventually "get" it. Maybe it's just me, but there is something confusing about ring-slings at first. I just remember thinking : what am I supposed to DO with this THING??

Next in my quest for the perfect baby sling I purchased a beautiful green Ellaroo baby wrap. Oh, how I love this wrap. (See pic of Little E on my back). This is when I really started to love babywearing. My dear hubby took to it immediately, too. (Let me tell you, there is nothing as sweet as a babywearing daddy!) This baby wrap is a long rectangle of fabric woven in Guatemala. It arrives a little stiff and scratchy but really softens up with use. The fabric is pretty light weight and very breathable which is awesome in hot weather. I started wearing Little E in the wrap tummy to tummy, which is how he liked to be carried for a long time. (Now that he's a toddler he much prefers to be carried on the hip.) The wrap was so easy to use and so cuddly we started using it as our main carrier.

Around that time I got this wonderful babywearing instructional dvd called Tummy 2 Tummy. I highly recommend this dvd. To this day I re-watch parts of it to help me with different carries. It doesn't cover everything, but it almost does! It has 4 sections : ring-slings, pouches, mei tais and simple pieces of cloth.

So, this brings me to mei tais! Back when I was first using the wrap when Little E was about 5-6 months old, I just couldn't figure out how to do a comfortable back wrap. (I have recently learned to use the Ellaroo for a back carry, I'll post about that later!) I really wanted to get Little E on my back in a comfortable carrier so I could do more while wearing him (like cook dinner, vacuum, do laundry, etc...). After much research and deliberation we ordered a Baby Hawk mei tai. Let me just say, Baby Hawks ROCK! This became the carrier I grabbed most for a while. (See the picture of us enjoying a beautiful November day with Little E sleeping in the Baby Hawk on my front.) I liked it for both back and front carries.

Fast forward to Little E approaching his first birthday. As he got older and bigger we were both starting to prefer a hip carry. I found myself using my ring-sling most of the time again. But oh, how I hate the rings! And I never found the Maya Wrap sling very comfortable on my shoulder. The search began for something better for hip carries. Searching online I discovered the Bara Barn shawl. This carrier is from Sweden and is basically a short wrap (it is also sometimes referred to as a "rebozo"). It works like a ring-sling or pouch. (See the picture of us in front of the orchids!) I learned to tie it with a sailor's knot from a video clip I found on online. I much prefer this to the ring-sling. The shoulder is more comfortable because the fabric can be spread out so well. The simplicity of the shawl appeals to me, as well.

I will post Part 2 tomorrow!

Tying the Selendang while holding the baby

2007-09-07T21:25:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I find myself holding an unhappy Little E who does not want to be put down, not even long enough for me to tie a sling! What to do? In those moments I grab my selendang baby sling and tie it around both of us. Then I pull it open and put Little E's bottom down into the pouch or pocket of the sling. I think this would be a really handy tying method with an infant, as well.

Oh Happy Day! 2 more HUGS Selendangs to love!

2007-09-06T08:38:00.001-04:00

My new HUGS selendang baby slings arrived yesterday! And I love them, they are BEAUTIFUL!! I think it's the best $47 I've ever spent. (Yes, that is $47 total, with shipping for TWO slings!) Now that I have 3 I have one to go with any mood or outfit! So, here are Little E and I trying them out. I think he likes them, too.

I've washed them separately and put them through a couple extra rinse cycles. I like to do that with my new carriers. Then I let them air dry. They dry incredibly fast because the fabric is very thin. I've mentioned before, but it is worth repeating, that even though the selendangs are thin and lightweight they are also extremely supportive. I find them much more supportive then some of my other slings. I've noticed that the fabric is also pretty breathable. I held the selendang up to my face and I could see right through it.

I ironed the blue one in an attempt to help soften the fabric a little. I'm not sure it had any affect. I guess like any new piece of fabric the selendang arrives a little on the stiff side. I got my first one about a month ago and it's really nice and soft now. I had forgotten that it was a little stiff at first. I also noticed that the sailor's knot tends to slip a little with the new fabric, another thing I had forgotten. Since I broke in my first selendang it holds the sailor's knot VERY tight and I have no problem with Little E sagging down. I think all new baby slings need some breaking in.

So, it has been suggested to me that new moms might have a harder time learning to use a sling in which they have to tie a knot then, say, a ring-sling. I don't know about that. It seems to me that using a simple piece of cloth as a baby sling is more intuitive than any other option. I've had plenty of moms tell me they just couldn't figure out their ring-sling and gave up on carriers all together. The first sling I bought was a pouch, which is often sold as the "simplest" and "easiest" starter sling. I know some people love them and I think anything that gets parents carrying their babies is great, but the pouch didn't work for me. I didn't find it easy and even though I got an extra-small, it still seemed too big and was very uncomfortable. That kind of sucked because it was 50 bucks down the drain! And I still didn't have a baby sling I could use!

Then I got a ring-sling. It has such a learning curve that it was about 2 weeks before I could really take the time to figure it out. (That was 2 more weeks of having numb hands from holding my very high-need baby all day.) Well, I'm a determined person (yeah, that means "stubborn") and I eventually figured out the ring-sling and was pretty happy with it. Those darned rings always bothered me, though. I kept thinking that there must be a better way.

The simple piece of cloth is the traditional baby sling used by women all over the world for thousands of years. If you can tie a knot, you can use a simple piece of cloth as a baby sling. It's a pouch that is always the right size! If you tie it with a sailor's knot it's adjustable after the baby is in it, like a ring-sling. (I have a video showing how to tie the sailor's knot in a previous post.) Since, we don't generally learn to babywear from an early age in this culture, it does take a little effort to learn this new skill. But once we get the hang of it, it truly is SO easy! I find it much, much easier than struggling with a bulky stroller. And I love the closeness of it. Now that Little E is a toddler he is very independent, so I cherish our time with the sling even more.

My advice to any expectant mom (this is what I wish I had done) is to buy a sling (or 2 or 3) that appeals to you and practice with it BEFORE the baby comes! And, in my opinion, everyone needs a HUGS!

Babywearing's going to make me buff

2007-09-04T10:44:00.001-04:00

So, to be quite honest, I'm an exercisephobe. I wish I could say I'm the poster girl for vegan health, but that would be a lie. Like many moms with toddlers, I'm just struggling to get through the day. But babywearing might save me!

Here's a picture of Little E on my back wrapped up in our Storchenwiege baby wrap. (The color is called "Vicky" and I love it! It's like a ray of sunshine!) I discovered if I put Little E on my back I can keep him happy while I get things done around the house. This morning it was vacuuming and mopping our hardwood floors. Now that's a work out! While singing the "Let's mop the floors so E can play song"! Oh, life is so good.

Yesterday was Labor Day and it was so nice to have an extra day together with my family. My dear hubby suggested we go to Ikea, so off we went. I carried Little E in my HUGS selendang and even though Ikea was wicked crowded, we were quite happy. We let E run around a few of the rooms and play with the toys for a bit. That place is a playground for young and old alike! Well, they were "oversold" on three of the things we wanted, but we still managed to get a some things, mainly toys for Little E.

We saw a mom there with a little baby in a pouch. I think it was a Peanut Shell, a pretty chocolate brown one. The baby was cozy, sleeping in there and the mom looked really comfortable, just shopping away. I love to see other babywearers when we're out and about, it gives me a nice warm feeling.

After Ikea we decided to go to the mall and check out the Apple Store. We're Mac-crazy in this house and my husband's been wanting to take me there to play with the i-phone. I think he's in love! (Too bad we do not love at&t.) I'll admit it was fun. I do look forward to when we'll get one in a few years. But I think I had almost just as much fun watching all the people in the Apple Store playing with everything. Another "playground" for all! I sometimes can't believe how things have changed since I was a kid. Wow.

Anyway, it was a long babywearing afternoon! But my selendang hasn't let me down!
It's easy, comfortable and supportive. It's great. Everyone should have one (or 2 or3...).

So, I carried Little E a LOT this holiday weekend (Sunday was the Book Festival). I was really feeling it last night in the form of leg cramps! But I'm taking that as a sign that this is good exercise! I'm just so pleased that I've discovered something that not only makes my sweet Little E happy, but may also make this workout-averse mom buff!

Hip Carry with a Selendang, tied with a sailor's knot

2007-09-03T12:28:00.000-04:00

I'm posting a video of how I use my HUGS selendang to carry my toddler because I've found that watching someone else always helps me learn a new carry. I generally use a sailor's knot to tie the sling when doing a front or hip carry. I like the sailor's knot because it makes the sling adjustable, similar to a ring sling.

So, we were out yesterday at our town's annual Book Festival for a few hours. I carried Little E in the selendang most of the time. Dad carried him in-arms off and on (our selendang is rather,um, not masculine). We got a veggie corn dog! That made my vegan day! While waiting in line we saw a woman carrying a baby on her back in an African kanga. Her baby looked very happy back there, so sweet.

I was pretty comfortable carrying Little E in the selendang. It's still pretty hot here but the fabric is really thin. And though it's thin I find it surprisingly supportive! Yay! It is the best of both worlds. I just wish I could find one that my husband would feel comfortable using. Like, one with out flowers!

The HUGS Selendang baby sling

2007-09-01T19:59:00.000-04:00

This baby sling is my new obsession. How did I ever live without one before? If I could only have one sling, this would be the one. The Indonesian selendang is a traditional baby carrier, a simple piece of cloth tied around the wearer to make a pocket for the baby.

In this picture I put Little E on my back with the sling over his back, pulled one end of the fabric over my right shoulder, the other end under my left arm and tied it in front.

This is a handy way to carry Little E when I'm trying to get dinner together and he's demanding attention. He peeks around my back, I explain what I'm doing and he's not so bored.

HUGS is a non-profit organization. The money raised by selling the slings are used to donate slings to mothers still living in IDP camps in tsunami and earthquake affected regions of Indonesia.