To Each His Own...DIAPER.

DEFINITION
to each his own:
One has a right to one's personal preferences, as in "I'd never pick that color, but to each his own."  Versions of this maxim appeared in the late 1500s but the modern wording was first recorded in 1713.

Thank goodness for the freedom to choose what we feel is best for our families, right?  As with all decisions one makes (in regards to parenting and life in general), it all comes down to personal preference and belief.  Luckily, my family and friends all support our decision to use cloth diapers and many have even thought about making the switch.  I have always considered myself a bit of a "rebel".  I do not do things simply because others are doing it.  I do not believe things simply because someone says it is true.  Daily, I make observations of the world around me, do the research, and then make educated choices based on what is best for ME (and my family).
Am I doing it because it is trendy?  no.  Am I doing it to impress others or fit in? no.
Aaron and I have chosen to use cloth diapers for three reasons:
1. Financial (it saves money!!  I have a friend who has only spent approximately $50-100 on a cloth diapering system for 2 kids).
2. The environment (plastic. landfill.  need I say more?  well, I will...

Last year alone, 18-23 billion diapers went into landfills across America. That works out to be approximately 38,000 every minute and adds up to about 3.5 million tons of waste!  Not to mention it takes 500 years for each one to biodegrade.  We don't want to have any part in that!).

3.  For baby (Plastic or Paper?  Uh, neither. There are no harsh chemicals in cloth and cloth is softer on baby's skin than plastic.  Stay-dry liners keep baby's skin dry and breathable covers keep baby cool.)

 

There are lots of great options out there but we have chosen to start with these 2 brands based on friend recommendations;

 

http://www.gdiapers.com/  (I already have a stash of 12 or more of these covers in medium and large sizes, TONS of liners and biodegradeable inserts to try---thanks to my mom who purchased them "like new" from a coworker).

http://www.thirstiesbaby.com/  (my friend highly recommends these...I have one small so far thanks to a friend who purchased one off of my registry.  I'm already eyeing some new/used ones on ebay to start my stock).
The great thing is that you can reuse on future children and SELL when done.

If you are skeptical, check out these sites and read more about why cloth diapering is making a come-back!  Regardless of what type of diaper you use, it is interesting to learn about what types of innovative products are out there nowadays.  We've come a long way since cotton and pins (ouch!).  Remember, we all have the right to choose what is best for our families.  We do not (or should not) however, have the freedom to judge what others are doing.  We must respect one another's personal choices. Whatever it is you choose, be passionate about it and stick to it.  At the end of the day, we are all just doing the best we can do and making choices that we feel are the best for our little ones and our family.

My Girl

From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew that a hospital birth was not for me.  I HATE hospitals.  I hate blood, guts and the sight of needles.  Maybe it is because I sort of grew up in hospitals being that my mom is a nurse (oh yeah, and my aunt is a nurse, my uncle is a doctor and now both my brother and sister are nurses as well).  I like to think of it as the "My Girl" disease.  Remember how Vada grew up in a home that was also her father's funeral home business so she was a hypochondriac and was very freaked out by death?  yeah, well, I grew up in "the medical field", frequenting the local hospital and hearing stories about the people my mother would care for.  So, I too have become somewhat of a hypochondriac or "worry wart".
p.s. it doesn't help that you can now google just about ANYTHING these days--hee hee
of course, I do this AFTER consulting with all the nurses and doctors in the family. :)

So, our baby girl will be delivered at a local birth center.  The atmosphere is amazing!  And, I just love my two midwifes...it has been so great getting to know them on a personal level.  It is comforting to know that they will be there supporting me on the biggest day of my life. 
Going to try the all natural route...no epidural or pain meds for me!  There is a lovely birthing tub that I plan on taking advantage of though.  With some candles and music it'll be like a spa day! ha ha TOTALLY kidding. 
I am excited about this though.  No fear or worry!  I know that it will be the most challenging thing I'll ever do, but I can't wait to feel empowered and know that my body is doing what it was designed to do.  Women were meant to give birth and babies were made to be born!!!  I do know that medical intervention is sometimes needed and that some women choose to have epidurals/pain meds...and that's okay.  That is their personal choice and freedom to do so.  And, this is mine.  I'm owning it.  I believe in it.
Let's do this!!!! 

Check it out:
http://eastsidebirthcenter.com/

Protein Dilemma: To eat fried chicken or not? ;)

My students are appalled that I don't eat fried chicken so I thought that was a suitable title. ;)

"Are you going to start eating meat again now that you're pregnant?"  Yup.  Someone had the nerve to actually ask that question.  REALLY?!?!?!  Yes, you do have to make sure that you are getting enough protein, especially while pregnant, but do people STILL believe that you can only get protein from meat sources?  I will admit that it does take some research and careful planning to ensure that you are getting enough to meet both your needs and the babies' needs.
Plant or grain sources of protein take longer to add up as they don't have as much protein as oh let's say, a bucket of fried chicken, but I have found that if you are eating a well balanced diet you meet the requirements naturally and very rarely need to supplement.

Let me illustrate with a typical daily menu of mine;

BREAKFAST
Main course:
Better Oats oatmeal (best oatmeal ever! http://www.betteroats.com/) = 4 grams protein
add some walnuts/pecans = 3ish grams of protein
add banana=1 gram of protein
cinnamon raisin whole grain english muffin or bagel= 5ish grams of protein
glass of orange juice or 100% fruit juice=1 gram of protein  (my favorite juice is Santa Cruz Organic: http://scojuice.com/)

**other favorite main course breakfast go-to's of mine:
Van's waffles http://www.vansfoods.com/The_Goods/#/Waffles or Nature's Path Organic waffles or cereal(http://www.naturespath.com/products/waffles?tid=9&brand=All&nutri=All) = 2-8 grams of protein

Paired with Morning Star sausage patties=10 grams for one patty!
add fruit or nuts too!

Glass of  chocolate soy milk (Pearl soy milk is the best as it has MORE protein and is organic...8 grams of protein for one glass!)

GRAND TOTAL: 14-25 grams of protein (might I add no cholesterol or heavy fats either :) )

LUNCH
Our favorite bread-Dave's Killer Bread (it really is KILLER and so good for you! http://www.daveskillerbread.com/) = 6 grams, 12 grams for 2 slices!

Tofurkey deli slices (http://www.tofurky.com/tofurkyproducts/deli_slices.html)=13 grams (for 5 slices which is a good amount for sandwich)

add a slice of cheese= 7 grams
add spring mix, tomato, condiments of choice

I usually have an apple, orange, or strawberries and a bag of carrots (these have minimal amounts of protein--like 1ish grams--but I often have hummus or peanut butter with them to add some protein)

GRAND TOTAL: 34-40 grams of protein

mid-day snack: fruit/nut/protein bar = 9 + grams of protein
Luna bar (http://www.lunabar.com/products/bars/)
Mrs. Mays (http://www.mrsmays.com/)
Pro bars (http://theprobar.com/products/)
KIND bars--some of these seriously taste like candy bars! (http://www.kindsnacks.com/kind-store/buy-kind-bars)

DINNER
lots of dinner options but I'll throw out a few of our staples

Pasta (whole grain spaghetti or lasagna, cheese rainbow tortellini's) = 10ish grams of protein
Brown rice/quinoa (aaron makes an awesome kale and quinoa soup)=6-10ish grams of protein
add veggies and sauce to any of these and VOILA...
you can add beans for protein too!

veggie burgers/veggie dogs
My personal favorite for chicken patties or chicken "tenders" for cooking/baking (http://www.quorn.us/Home/)= =10+ grams of protein

GRAND TOTAL: 20-40 grams of protein

As you can see, vegetarians can get PLENTY of healthy protein from whole grains, dairy and/or plant sources.
So it turns out I do not need to head to the nearest KFC in order to meet my daily requirements of protein!
My students will be so disappointed. ;)

Baby XX: Bump progression

It is amazing how your body stretches and changes so much during pregnancy!

16 weeks

20 weeks

22/23 weeks (Hawaii Babymoon pics)

From Honeymoon to Babymoon (I was curious, so I went back and pulled up a "before" photo--I would've never posted this before but I feel entitled to now since I don't look like this anymore and may never look like this again! ha ha)

2008 Kauai Honeymoon trip

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine." ~Anthony J. D'Angelo

I love this quote and I try to live by it each and every day.  And, no, it has nothing to do with living in the dreary Seattle area (well,  maybe a little :) ).  Really it boils down to this: Life is what we make of it!
I'd consider myself more of a realist than an optimist.  Life is not easy.  Life is not perfect.  Life sometimes has just as many downs as it has ups.  But, if I've learned anything in my young adult life it is this: Even in the midst of a storm, there is always something to be grateful for.  Don't they say something about dancing in the rain?  Well, I wouldn't go that far, but I do believe that we have to find our own ways to "turn that frown upside down" (as my daddy would say). ;)  I've had to learn to let go and give control to God.  It is on His time not ours.  Looking back, I realize that He has had a plan for my life all along. 
I AM RIGHT WHERE I BELONG.  LIFE IS JUST AS IT SHOULD BE.
  Life is good!  Aaron and I love living in beautiful Washington state, we have careers that we love (Aaron-Staff/field Scientist for Golder Associates Inc., Me-Special Ed. teacher in the Bellevue School District), we bought our first home last June (2010) and we have a baby girl on the way (due August 11th, 2011).  We feel very blessed!  Every bump along the way has been worth it...
Remember: No matter what the weather, come prepared...always bring your own sunshine!