Category Archives: Cuteness

London

Serious jet lag haze obscured our entire first day in London.  We basically walked around a lot, trying not to fall asleep anytime we sat down.  I also spent some time walking around with tears streaming down my face, because the day would not have been complete without a fatigue and low blood sugar induced breakdown.

Fortunately, even in our haze, we avoided being hit by one of those crazy drivers driving on the wrong side of the road, and our remaining two-and-a-half days in London were enjoyable.  We spent a fabulous (though foot killing) day at the Kew Botanic Gardens, visited a number of parks, and found some decent food.

I particularly enjoyed the preferred mode of transportation for the 3-8 year-old crowd – the scooter.  Perfect for helping little legs keep up with big legs in a pedestrian environment.

Mama-to-be’s reading list

It was over a year ago that I made this reading list, and a few of the books were on the, “I want to read eventually, but not relevant right now,” list.  Well, times have changed 😉

Your Best Birth, by Rikki Lake and Abby Epstein, was the first book I read post finding out that I was pregnant, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.  Even if you are not pregnant, have no plans to become pregnant, and can’t see any way this subject applies to you, I encourage you to read it, because current maternity practice in our country does affect us all in some way, and you may know someone who will be making choices about childbirth and could directly benefit from the information in this book.

I just finished reading The Diaper-Free Baby by Christine Gross-Loh, and I’m totally intrigued by the idea of Elimination Communication (EC).  Loh’s book makes the concept very accessible and straightforward.  Whether you’re using cloth or disposable diapers, using fewer diapers will be greener!

I also enjoyed Labor of Love: A Midwife’s Memoir, by Cara Muhlhahn, and I’m currently reading HypnoBirthing — The Mongan Method.

So, what’s still on my list?

  • The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp
  • Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin
  • Diaper Free!: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene, by Ingrid Bauer
  • The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, La Leche League

I think this represents a decent balance between total information overload and being completely unprepared, although I’m sure there will be many moments for which I feel completely unprepared.  Now, if someone could just tell us what you do with that little flap on the corner of receiving blankets  — we’re split among it being a spot for baby’s head, baby’s feet, or neither (just decorative) 😉



Dose of cute

We saw the legendary band of wild donkeys in the mountains outside of Ft. Davis, TX.  Of course, the highlight was Baby Donkey.  Isn’t he just the cutest little guy?  I wanted to cuddle him, but, alas, he was too skittish.

Garden helpers

Matthew worked on our raised bed at the community garden . . .

. . . while I photographed our furry friends.

I wielded a tool other than the camera at some point, but there is no photographic evidence.

Bed prepared and ready to plant.  It looked so pretty with the soil all turned — no gross gasoline-powered tiller required!  We planted carrot and beet seeds.  The before and after planting pictures look the same.  If all goes well, we will see evidence of life soon.