FUZZY CLIPS ARE HERE!

My girl has very little hair and I wanted to find some barrettes that were super cute and would stay put.  After searching high and low for something special, I realized I could make my own! 

Introducing Fuzzy Clips for little fuzzy heads!

One of a kind barrettes with velvet to stay in all hair types.

Support a WAHM!

Only $5.00 each or 3 for $12.00

plus actual shipping

For more photos and ordering:  info@myhealingsource.com

Our Eczema Solution!

I keep forgeting to post this!  Baby had some horrible eczema for a couple months.  At one point she even broke out in blisters!  We tried very hard to figure out the cause, but never did.  I tried changing her diet and using many kinds of creams and natural remedies and finally resorted to Aquaphor which I used once.  I really didn't feel comfortable using a chemical laden petroleum product on her, but the concept made sense.  We needed something to create a barrier to keep moisture in.  Then it occured to me that Lansinoh is very similar to Aquaphor!  I applied it with a bandage covering for three days in a row and it completely cleared up!  Since then (two months ago), I apply regular moisturizer every other day and it's never come back.  I hope this helps someone!

P.S.  Lansinoh is is pure lanolin ointment used for sore nipples and can be found in most pharmacies with the breastfeeding supplies.

My not-so-baby girl

I'm sitting in the living room, listening to my daughter's favorite music and watching as she walks confidently across the room.  She stops in front of the stereo and does a bouncy little dance before walking on.  She's clutching one of her pink and white flowered shoes and she seems to be on a very deliberate mission.  Sure enough she gets to the dvd cabinet, opens the door, puts the shoe on a shelf and closes it again.  Then she turns around to check in with me, giving me a sweet grin and pointing at me, but then it's time to get back to her important work of opening and closing the cabinet door over and over.....

My baby girl will turn one year old in a few short days and I'm trying not feel sad!  There's really nothing to be sad about, I'm really enjoying watching her grow up and I love the increasing interaction that we have.  It's just that every moment is so precious and I'm so in love with her that I don't want to miss anything!

Eating Animals

I just finished reading (most of) Eating Animals by Jonathan Foer.  I grew up vegetarian, but have eaten meat for most of the last twenty years.  I've heard and read about factory farming before, but as a busy new mom I've given myself permission to put it out of my mind in the name of convinence.  Well, after reading that book I am thoroughly convinced that I don't want to eat meat from factory farms and I'm adopting a primarily vegetarian diet, this time with some committment!  Eating Animals is a very uncomfortable book to read and some parts I skipped because they were just too much reality for me to take.  I had no idea of the severity and extensiveness of damage that is caused by factory farming and industrial fishing.  There are so many issues that I hadn't thought of:  animal cruelty and corporate greed, of course, but I had never considered the extreme wastfulness, human rights abuses, environmental damage, increasing inefectiveness of antibiotics, flu pandemics and simply the overwhelming, disgusting absurdity of it all!

I am very impressed with the author who spent three years researching factory farming.  I wouldn't have lasted nearly that long!  To think that he started this project as a result of having a baby and wanting to know what was in the food he ate before he gave it to his son, inspires me to never again put these issues out of my mind when I make decisions about food for my family.

What Busy Days!

Baby has a book called Oh What Busy Days! and that's a perfect description of my life!  Things may have been more intense when she was a newborn, due to the newness of it all, but since she's become so mobile, I am more scattered than ever.  I have to say that it has been improving lately because I'm getting used to running after her.  When she first started crawling and cruising I was not expecting her to be able to go so fast!  Now I have babyproofed most areas of the house and I can anticipate what she's going to do.

This is a very exciting time!  Baby is nine and a half months and she's starting to stand on her own and take her first steps.  I went out the other day to buy some soft sole shoes and ended up finding a pair of Stride Rites for less than half price.  These are "walking shoes" and it really hit me when I put them on her and held her hands while she marched around, that my baby girl is growing up fast!

Overdue Update

Too much time has passed since I wrote last!  June was an extremely busy month, with birthdays, our  wedding anniversary, Father's Day and a very mobile baby to keep up with.  Baby is crawling and cruising like crazy and I'm barely one step ahead of her.  I worked for one week in June for two hours a day while daddy stayed home with baby.  It felt good to work and make a little money for us.  Next week I'll be working with the same student again, this time for four hours a day for one month (I teach Aviation English to pilots- http://www.aviaenglish.com/).  Daddy will be at home again with her, otherwise I don't think I'd be able do it! 

With all the business, I haven't been exercising and it really has taken a toll.  I get short of breath from going non-stop and getting stressed out.  I'm determined to make time to do yoga or belly dance at home at least three times a week and my husband is encouraging me to commit to it.  It makes such a difference!  We've been having so much fun with baby, watching her learn and grow so fast!  I'll post a video of her eighth month, I hope you enjoy it!

Baby Dishes

We met some friends on Saturday and ended up going out for dinner.  I was totally unprepared for a meal out with Baby because since she's started solids, we haven't eaten out.  I brought no food, spoon, bib or water!  So, yesterday I got on a roll and went to buy her some eating supplies:  two baby food freezer trays, an insulated lunch bag, a couple more spoons, a divided plate, four little bowls and (I couldn't resist!) the cutest Hello Kitty water bottle with snack compartment in the bottom.  Of course before she started eating solids and throwing things from her high chair, I swore I'd never buy plastic dishes!  When I got home my mommy instinct started to kick in again and I was worried about the plastic so I searched for BPA info on the internet.  What I found was that the dishes I bought weren't even regular plastic, but melamine, which has its own set of issues.  I won't go into them here, but there are just too many unanswered questions about the safety of melamine and plastics (even BPA-free plastics), so I'll be returning them afterall!

What I did find is that there are inexpensive alternatives such as "plastic" dishes made of corn or rice husks.  I'm very interested in these and I want to find out more.  They seem better because they're not made of petroleum, but who knows what chemicals are used to make the dishes.  If anyone knows more about this, please let me know!  If money weren't a object I would probably buy beautiful urushi lacquer dishes for my girl, but I want to be practical.  I'd love to hear what plastic alternative you've found!