Toys For Tots.

With the holidays ever-so-rapidly approaching and Black Friday just a sneeze away, it's never too early to start pondering what's going to adorn the underside of your tree come Christmas Eve. Since we are going to be celebrating both Noah's first birthday and Christmas 3,000 miles away in North Carolina, I have had to start buying and shipping any presents we'd like to give him already--we leave in just under two weeks--oie!

When you are shopping for your kiddo this holiday season, here are a few things to keep in mind while strolling the toy aisle:

• Try and seek out natural, wooden and green toys --they are good for kids and for the planet. Not only do they promote positive childhood development but they are made under sustainable practices.
• Buy toys that are made of reclaimed or recycled plastic using environmentally-sound practices--toys that are finished with vegetable or other natural dyes, polished with beeswax, painted with water-based and non-toxic paints, or retain their natural, unfinished beauty.
• Avoid toys overloaded with sounds, gadgets, etc. Natural, simple toys promote positive childhood development through play. They encourage children to think and use their imagination -- thereby stimulating their intelligence and natural curiosity.

While pregnant with Noah I did some research on why selecting natural toys is so important and I, of course, wrote a blog about it here. My photography skills weren't quite what they are now, but sans the photo, the info. is compelling enough.

Here are a few sites that has made finding beautiful natural toys on the internet a whole lot easier:

• Enfant Terrible: Incredibly French and oh-so-hip
  
• Oompa Toys: huge selection of green and wood toys, as well as, free shipping over $65.00
• Wild Dill: achingly cute organic and fair trade dolls and animals and a large selection of toys that encourage imaginative play
• Child Trek: large selection of wooden Haba and Plan toys
• The Little Seed: a local Los Angeles haunt of mine that has a great online selection too--and it's owned and operated by none other than Punky Brewster herself
  
• Plan Toys: a Thai-based company with incredibly made wooden toy instruments--the drum and xylophone are household favorites
• The Playstore: great selection of Waldorf toys
  
• MiYim: great for your littlest one--beautiful plush animals
• Camden Rose: incredible hand carved wooden toys--Noah has a rattle that remains a favorite teether
• Little Wonderland: large selection of wooden toys made in the USA
• Etsy: don't forget about this little gem--it's an internet marketplace for all things (not just toys) handmade right here in the USA by crafty people just like you and me
  

Happy shopping--and remember, less is more. Giving from the hands and heart is always more meaningful than from the wallet.

It Ain't Easy Being Green.

I muttered these words like a manic mantra under my breath today during the two hours and change that I wasted trying to find a store that sold cloth diapers in the "great" metropolis of Los Angeles. And, guess what? I came up bare bottomed.

It ain't easy being green . . . in L.A., anyway. That's right, a city of almost 10 million people hasn't managed to muster up a few square feet of floor space devoted to moms who are making a concerted effort at ridding the world's landfills of chemical coated and synthetic gel filled poo pants. Yet, there are more farmer's markets and biodiesel peace bugs than I can shake my diaper pail at.

This past weekend, we lazed away our Sunday afternoon in a snugly lush valley just an hour northeast of here . . . among burning sage, drum circles and barefooted dred daddies bouncing vegan tots on their naked knees. So why, in a west coast city of this size and "perceived" embracement of everything natural and eco, is finding cloth diapers sans the internet so hard to do?

We had been ordering all of our cloth diapering supplies from a mom and pop venture out of Portland, Oregon called Babyworks, since Noah was born. The Owner, Pauline, walked me through the daunting dance of being a new parent and cloth diaper doer with gentle skill. Just the mere thought of venturing out into the world to discern one colorful all-in-one from a waterproof pocket diaper was simply too much to bear during those early months. We had many a long telechat. But now those supplies of early are growing much too tight for the buns and tummy of our sprouting little greenie and we yearn for fresh dooty duty gear.

I, too, am finally ready to physically branch out into the wide expansive universe of reusables and want to peruse the many varieties there are for the pickins'--with my hands, my fingers, my eyes--with all of my five senses, I want to shop. One of the many reasons we chose cloth diapering was to circumvent the wasted energy and resources used for the production, packaging, shipping, etc. of disposables. We longed to buy local. After all, we figured, how hard would it be to find cloth diaper supplies in a city where plenty is it's middle name? But, discovering only one diaper cleaning service in the suburb of Pasadena that was so sub par we decided to scrub our own hemp prefolds should have been more than a subtle clue.

As my search dismally dead ended today at a few wrong numbers of bygone baby stores, I once again had to turn to my trusty mouse and keyboard to quell my cloth diaper yearning. So, Heather and Shannon at the Cloth Diaper Outlet in Springfield Oregon, thank you for making cloth diapering supplies readily available to us lowly residents here in the city of Angels. Apparently, this city's little angels poop in plastic.

Feeding Our Little Foodie.

We've been spicing it up . . . in the kitchen that is. That's right, over vats of puréed baby food.

We make all of Noah's organic baby food from scratch--and so far, so good. Though I consider myself to be more "the baker" of the house and Dean "the gourmand", it seems that I have a newly-found knack for puréeing too . . . though it's honestly not that hard.

Last night I whipped a few weeks worth of the following:

• Apricots
• Zucchini with fresh garlic
• Asparagus with fresh garlic
• Apples with a dash of cinnamon
• Mixed fruit surprise! (Nectarines, Apples, Mangoes & Bananas)
• Sweet Potatoes
• Curried Butternut Squash
• Mangoes

Our baby food cookbooks suggest several ways to cook the fruit and veggies before puréeing them, and though they say baking preserves more flavor, I think that it is a less energy efficient method for us. For example, in the time that it takes to preheat our oven and then bake the food, I could have already prepared several batches of steamed food using less resources. I have found that using a steamer basket placed in a pot on the stove top with just a small amount of water in the bottom produces quite yummy and perfectly softened fresh fruits and veggies--the only key is not to over steam.

The best part is the vitamin-packed juices that have drained from the fruit and veggies during the steaming process and fallen to the bottom of the pot. Though we think that we are going to avoid giving Noah juice more than just once or twice a week . . . we think that this is a perfect substitute to sugary store-bought juices. We just dilute the juice with a little bit of water and . . . voila . . . a refreshing treat!

Noah Finn is, unfortunately, still not too keen on avocados which greatly disappoints me because I love, love, love them--and they are oh so super nutritious! I continue to offer them once a week hoping he might cease to gag and spit them out the second they hit his little pink wagging tongue. Other than that, he is a super great eater and has no problem packing down two square meals a day plus plenty of mommy milk in between.

If you haven't already given making your own baby food a thought or two, I strongly encourage you to try it . . . just once. I truly take pleasure in the process--it's just a ton of fun. Plus, knowing EXACTLY what goes in to my little guy's tummy and knowing that it was prepared with love is the most fulfilling feeling in all of the land. The website wholesomebabyfood.com has been an incredible and indispensable resource for all things baby food. They even have a search feature that allows you to type in the name of any fruit or veggie to get detailed nutritional information, cooking directions and tasty recipe suggestions.

Solid Waste.

::This blog is dedicated to Kristen--thanks Kristen!::

We have finally started Noah on solid foods and as the title indicates there has been lots of waste . . . on the bib, on the floor, on his clothes, left in the bottom of the bowl and *sigh* on mom. I know, I know, that it's part and partial of the learning curve--the transition from a purely liquid booby diet to one of color, texture and fun new flavors. But the waste part matters when it takes a whole morning when I could be um . . . showering, pooping or *sigh* sleeping . . . to whip up a batch of yum.

I think the key is preparing large batches at once instead of just a measly few portions. That way there are no hard feelings when half a morning's hard work ends up in the folds of his feeding chair and outer ear. Nevertheless, whipping out the collection of organic bamboo spoons that I purchased before we even began to ponder baby names has been loads of fun. And it has been incredibly rewarding knowing that I am filling my little guy's tummy with fresh, wholesome, pesticide-free and incredibly pronounceable ingredients.

So far, avocados, pears, bananas and peaches have been the first on our ever expanding menu and sweet potatoes are on tomorrow morning's list of "to liquefy". In the meantime, I am just going to have to find a way to make room in our euro-sized fridge for the coming loads of peas and butternut squash. Move over frosty beer steins and forlorn ice cream pint (neither of which we ever get the moment to indulge in anymore) and make room for the peach purée!

Why Wood Does A Baby Good.

We are asked the question, "Paper or plastic?" every time we go to the grocery store. And while paper may be the clear environmentally-sound option in this situation, foregoing plastic products in other aspects of your life may not be as obvious a choice.

One of the many reasons that we have not had a microwave for nearly eight years now, for example, is partly due to the way in which plastic breaks down during the heating process. Overtime, the chemical compounds used in the manufacturing of most all plastic products are released into the food you eat.

Now, think of the world of baby. Plastic rules the day--most highchairs, bottles, car seats, teethers, strollers and toys are constructed out of some form of plastic. While these products may be the more convenient and affordable option over "greener" choices, are the risks worth it? We considered the following information when choosing products for little Noah and thought we'd take this time to share what we've learned about the way most modern toys are made today, the materials that are commonly used, and the dangers that they impose upon the little growing bodies that use them.

What a child learns from a toy, though essential, is far from the only thing parents must consider when choosing toys for their children. Many toys on the market are manufactured with environmentally unsafe materials.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a highly toxic plastic used in many cheaply manufactured infant and children’s toys.

• From the time it is produced, PVC never stops releasing toxins, including dioxin, which studies have linked to learning disabilities and cancer.
• PVC also releases phthalates—chemical compounds that make PVC plastic softer and more pliable.

These toxic chemicals leach out of the plastic when children suck or chew on the toys that contain them. Health authorities express grave concern that exposure to PVC plastic may put children at risk for serious and irreparable damage.

What other toxic chemicals might be lurking in little Noah’s toybox? VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are commonly found in the paint used on children’s toys, but these days you can find a wide variety of manufacturers that use water-based and low-VOC or no-VOC paints.

We can also avoid exposing him to the residues of pesticides and fertilizers sprayed onto the fibers many toys (and clothes) are made of–or stuffed with–by choosing products made with:

• organic unbleached cotton
• bamboo
• tencel (an eco-friendly man-made fiber)
• wool

So, if you're pondering a welcome home gift for our, or any other little bundle of dimpled joy, please keep these facts in mind as you peruse the store shelves stocked with those brightly beckoning plastic puppy dogs and robots!