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Saturday 22 August 2009

How Crunchy are You?

I found this quiz on this mamas blog,
http://slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com/2007/11/as-crunchy-as-i-wanna-be.html
and just had to give it a go and share it here!


How crunchy are you?

Do you have homebirths?
15 points for “yes” (unassisted)
10 points for “yes” (with a midwife in attendance)
5 points for alternative birthing center
2 points for “thinking about/would like homebirth”
0 for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).
----Yes, Tristan is planned to be a homebirth with a midwife in attendance. I wanted one with Oliver, but the pregnancy was difficult and i ended up being induced anyway. 10pts

Will you circumcise future sons?
5 points for “no”
-5 points for “yes”.
---NO. I feel it is unnecessary trauma for the poor lil guys. Let em keep what they were born with! 5 pts

Do you use cloth diapers?
20 point if you do Elimination Communication (no diapers)
15 points if “yes” (wash and make your own)
10 points if “yes” (wash your own)
5 points if “yes” (diaper service)
2 points if “thinking about it”
0 points if “no” (wouldn’t consider it).
----Yes, We use cloth, and are going to use cloth again with this little one. I have even made a couple of them myself! Do i get a 12?

Do you observe your fertility signals using Natural Family Planning/Fertility Awareness and use that for birth control/trying to conceive?
10 points for “yes” (observe and use for birth control/ttc) or you use ecological breastfeeding/lactational amnorrhea
5 points for “yes” (observe for trying to conceive)
2 points “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it). ---
---Yes, i used NFP when trying to conceive Oliver, and prevention afterwards ( I obviously missed a few signs as i got pg again anyway) 10pts

Do you breastfeed exclusively for the first 6+ months?
10 points if “yes”
5 points for “no” (use occasional bottles of expressed breastmilk)
2 points for “no” (use occasional bottles of formula)
0 for “no” (don’t breastfeed by choice).
---2 points here, we almost made it to 6 months, but supplemented around the 5 and a half month mark

Do you co-sleep/family bed?
10 points for “yes” (all night every night)
5 points for “yes” (part/all of most nights)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no”.
---- Yes, all night every night for the first 3 years with Keira, and the first 5 months with Oliver ( until he no longer wanted to sleep in our bed) 10 pts

Do you use a sling/soft carrier?
5 points for “yes”
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).
----Yes, a recent development with my toddler, but am really looking forward to wearing my newborn! 5 pts

Do you believe in/practice child-led weaning (even if that means breastfeeding for several years)?
15 points for “yes” (complete child-led weaning)
10 points for “yes” (up to 3 years)
5 points for “yes” (up to 2 years)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (you’ll wean the baby at 1 year or earlier).
--- I'm definitely going to with this baby. I weaned Oliver early, and Keira was formula fed. 2 points

Do you tandem nurse/nurse during your pregnancy?
10 points for “yes” (nurse during pgcy and tandem nurse)
5 points for “yes” (nurse during pgcy, but wean before birth)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no”(wouldn’t consider it).
---I cant comment, or accept points for this one as i wasnt breastfeeding anyway by the time i fell pregnant again so 0 points for me on this one!

Do you eat organic/whole/natural foods and limit your meat?
15 points for “yes” (grow own/buy organic, shop only at health food store, grind own wheat, vegetarian, etc.)
10 points for “yes” (grow some of own food, buy organic, use whole wheat flour, bake own bread, eat some meat occasionally)
5 points for “yes” (try to buy natural, whole grain foods, etc.)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).
--- I'm gonna go for a 2 here. My diet is atrocious, but i try to make sure the kids eat healthily. I grow a few veggies, but am a pure ameteur and very little actually makes it to the table lol

Do you use herbal/homeopathic remedies?
10 points if “yes” (very rarely see a regular doctor)
5 points if “yes” (but use a doctor occasionally)
2 points if “thinking about it” (see a doc for now)
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).
---- 5 points here, I am a qualified holistic therapist, but i know when my knowledge of alternative medicine needs to be taken over by a western medical professional. I will treat minor ailments at home with herbs and poultices before heading to the GP. 5 points

.Do you homeschool?
10 points if “yes” (currently homeschool)
5 points for “yes” (will homeschool)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).
---No, i like my child to be a part of the school system. I believe it helps them prepare for the adult world by experiencing all of human nature (even the bad bits) for themselves. I am there to guide and advise my chldren, but from a distance, to promote independance. 0pts


What's your take on childhood vaccinations?
15 points for no vaccines
10 for delayed, selective vaccination
5 points for selective, on schedule vaccination
2 points for thinking about not vaccinating
0 points for vaxing on schedule.
---0 points again, we vax on schedule, but the UK scedule is not as intensive as the US schedule.

Would you/have you ever breastfeed/fed someone else's baby or have someone else bf your child?
10 points if yes (have or someone has bf your baby)
5 points if yes (would)
2 points if maybe
0 if no (wouldn't consider it).
---In an emergency situation, such as mom was incapacitated or no access to food, the i would bf someones baby, and hope that womeone would do the same for mine. I have never had to, and probably wouldnt do it as an everyday thing, so i am gonna go for 2 points here.


Do you use cloth/re-usable products for mom?
10 points if yes (make own)
5 points if yes (buy own)
2 points if thinking about it
0 points if no.
---10 points for me here. I use and make my own san pro. Much nicer than the disposable kind.

Ratings:
120 – 140 Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy Granola Earth Mama
90 – 119 Mmm! Love that whole-grain crunch!
60 – 89 Pretty Crispy
20 – 59 Sprinkled with Granola
5 – 19 Instant Oatmeal
0 - 4 Jell-O

My score? 75! Pretty crispy! I've surprised myself, i didnt think i'd score higher than instant oatmeal!

Monday 20 July 2009

The Summer Holidays are Here!!!!...........

Now what?
Well, i have a few projects in the works to do with the kiddies, some they will enjoy, some they wont. Hehe.
Yarn Dyeing with food colouring
Gardening (ok, mild slavery)
Cookie and cake baking
Pizza making
and of course the obligatory bedroom sorting :)

Couple this with picnics at the park, playing in the garden and the oh so kind use of Nanny Coles swimming pool, I think we may be in for a nice holiday :)

And what does Keira want to do today?........... Watch TV. Hmmmmm.

Saturday 16 May 2009

My garden!
















Its taken a while, but our garden is finally safe for the children to play in! All the junk has been taken away, and dare i say it, it looks rather pleasant!
We just have to plant up the bed now and all will be right with the world!

Sunday 10 May 2009

We are having another blue one!

We had our scan on Wednesday (I know, i know, i'm slow at this) and it showed a healthy, happy baby boy!
We are thrilled, and i am looking forward to being a boy mummy again.
Keira however was more than a little put out.
She has been bugging me for a little sister since she learned to talk, and found out on Wednesday that she was never going to get one. It was a bitersweet moment for her.
She came around quite quickly though. I think she is intending on trying to turn them into her personal bodyguards! Lol
How much she has to learn!

Keiras birthday Weekend.




Well I had to work. But only until 3pm, but she still had to wait until i got home before the fun could begin, because i am a mean mommy like that!

She opened her presents, and we headed to my parents house for a BBQ to make the most of the beautiful weather. Oliver was feeling a little snuffly ( which later turned into hospitalisation, but thats a whole other post!) but he seemed to enjoy the sunshine too.


Wednesday 22 April 2009

What Am I Doing? Why Am I here?

Ok, Please be patient and kind to me. I have never even entertained the thought of bloging before, but my life has changed so dramatically over the past three years that i feel the need to document somewhere the monumental changes that are taking place in not only my life, but my psyche.

I'm not a particularly organised person tho, so please dont be surprised if i completely forget about the existance of this page in favour of much more interesting things to do.

What changes? I hear you ask! (or maybe you didnt, but i am going to tell anyway)

Three years ago i met the love of my life. We started dating, and our relationship progressed, as these things do. I already had my beautiful DD from a previous relatioship and she also got along well with my new man

In May 2007 i fell pregnant with our son Oliver, and this is where i started changing. I had been quite materialistic and dare i say it very selfish.
Oliver has brought out in me a desire to live more simply, and some would say more old fashioned than i had been. He brought out in me the desire to be more "green" and natural in my approach to childcare.

I discovered a lovely group of ladies online who have also been an absolute inspiration to me whilst trying to find my feet in a whole new world of parenting.

In August 2008 My love and I got married. I will endeavour to add pics later for those that are interested. It was the most amazing day of my life.

We hired an old Edwardian theatre and were married on the stage in front of all our friends and family. It was magical!

I went back to university to finish my nursing diploma in Sept 2008, which i have found really hard going. I am having real trouble getting back into it. I love the work, but the workload is a lot more difficult to manage with a larger family.

Which brings me to my next point, our family is growing again! Baby #3 is on its way! The new Jellybean is due on the 15th Sept 2009!

There is soo much i want to do for this bubba! Breastfeed, cloth nappy, babywear, baby led weaning, the list goes on!! am so excited to be doing this again!

I hope you enjoy following this blog and peeking into our lives :)