The Swiffer Scare: Post #3.

Some months ago I posted an inquiry into the safety and all-around "greeness" of the Swiffer wet mop, here. And after being contacted by the brand's Account Executive, Chelsea Moreno, I posted a copy of her e-mail to me regarding the issues that were raised, here.

Now, I am certainly one who is just fine with letting sleeping dogs lie. Despite her defense of the product by citing it's proved safety in the laboratory, we still decided to switch to a more natural and environmentally friendly floor cleaner. But, today, I stumbled upon a fascinating interview between Swiffer designer, Gianfraco Zaccai, and green design blogger, Jennifer Van Der Meer, about the product's design and sustainability, here.

It's a tad long, but incredibly interesting and, not surprisingly, reveals the mass market design communities' lack of acknowledgment of the effects their products have on the environment.

Eight Extraordinary Months.

Today is Noah Finn's 8 month birthday, and boy, has it been a wild ride. We're two-thirds of the way to a full year and I feel as if we have already made a full revolution around the sun.

It has gone by so fast--but at the same time it seems like ages ago that we were caring for a tiny, wobbly, bobbly, gurgling newborn. I often sit back and stare at him in his play--my squawking, laughing, crawling, standing, saying "mama" boy--and I am floored that this is my son.

Being a mother is simply amazing. It is more fun than you could ever anticipate. It is more love than you could simply write a sonnet about. It is an experience unparalleled.

Happy eight month birthday, my beautiful boy.

Space Available: Saturday's "Little Foodie Feasts" Workshop!

I hate to be redundant--I guess that's the curse of having two blogs (sorry readers of both) . . .

Attention Los Angeles mommies and daddies . . . there is still space available in Saturday's "Little Foodie Feasts" workshop!

Armed with . . .

• helpful handouts
  
• hands-on demonstration
  
• your very own container of fresh food made during the workshop
  
• a sprinkle of confidence
  
• and a dash inspiration

. . . you will leave equipped to feed your little foodie--freshly, naturally and deliciously!

For details about the workshop, please visit my other blog: Feeding Little Foodies

For more information and to sign up, please contact me by e-mail at: jonisurettenelson@gmail.com.

I hope to see you all there!

Happy Feeding,
Joni

The Ever-Pleasurable Playdate.

Today was a busy day. The mid-morning was enjoyed at mama Carrie's house where we spent some quality blanket time with little Henry while his mama packed boxes and prepared for a move just a few miles east into the valley. I am not sure how much help we were, but we sure did enjoy their company.

The afternoon was lazed away at the park with our regular Wednesday "Babies On Blankets" crew followed by a frolic through the Farmer's Market at the bottom of the park hill.

I used to laugh at the idea of "playdates" before having kids. How silly, contrived and suburban, I used to mutter to childless myself. Now, they are an essential and anticipated part of each day. Mingling with mamas and bantering over beautiful babies is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. And, by gosh, I think N to the Finn enjoys them too!

All In A Good Day's Play: Weekend Edition.

We've been so busy lately, that we haven't been posting our weekly installments of "All In A Good Day's Play" for a few weeks now. So, here's a special weekend edition.

Our Sunday in pictures:

• 12:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.--A family day of fun and blissfully breezy late summer sun at Manhattan beach. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day.

You Know You're A Tired Daddy When . . .

. . . you accidentally leave the baggie of frozen prune cubes in the cupboard.

Because Noah was up nursing much of the night, Dean got up with Noah when he woke for the day at 6:30 a.m. to let me sleep in.

Later on in the morning when both of them were napping, I opened the cabinet and reached for a coffee mug. And, to my surprise what did I see? Noah's bag of prune cubes thawed and in a heap of mushy mess.

Poor, poor, sleepy Daddy. Breakfast time must have been rough going.

Midnight Mommying, Nightime Nuturing.

You don't cease being a parent just because the sun sets--so, why would you want to act like you do?

Parenting is a 24 hour job. Your child needs you during the daytime, so you go to him. Your child needs you at nighttime, so you go to him, right? You would think so, but there are more books out there on sleep training then I can shake a stick at and I think it's darn right scary.

I posted a heated rant on one of the most controversial of those sleep methods, Babywise, a few weeks ago and it sparked commenter debate mostly in my favor. But, still I feel unease at the quantity of literature, mothers and even complete strangers who try to convince me to practice crying it out methods.

This is why reading Danielle's post on Attachment Parenting's blog today called, "Adventures in Nighttime Parenting" really struck a chord with me. Choosing to be a mom who does not believe in crying it out, can be a isolating decision. And, hearing mom after mom tout their child's healthy independence as a result of their successful sleep training just doesn't sit well with me.

The needs of your child don't dissipate with the setting sun--they still may find themselves uncomfortable in a dirty or wet diaper, they still might have grumbling bellies, they possibly could be enduring pain from teething or experiencing moments of loneliness. Allowing a child to cry them self to sleep and throughout the night is essentially the equivalent to taking the night off as a parent. If you wouldn't let them cry for these reasons during the day, then why would you at night?

Danielle and the 12 commenters on her blog have given me the gift of confidence in the fact that I am not alone on those long dark nights of sleeplessness--those nights of constant nursing, fussing, fidgeting and waking. I find comfort in knowing that there are other mothers facing the same challenges at night as I am and responding in the same way--being there no matter what.

Some nights I feel desperate. Some days I feel exhausted. But, the most important thing for me to remember is that these first years are fleeting. Noah will one day, when he's ready, sleep on his own in his own way and on his own terms. I look forward to looking back at these long, weary, foggy nights of little sleep with no regrets. I find peace in knowing that my son never cried for me in the night when I did not appear--that when he reached for me I was there.

These moments in our dark moonlit room are special. Time briefly pauses long enough for me to watch him grow, feel his breath against my breast and know that he is comforted by my nearness.

My role of mommy continues even with the setting sun. And, with a little nighttime help from daddy, I know that I can make it, albeit sleepily, to see it set and rise again.

Life's A Beach.

Spending a Thursday in Malibu is never half bad--even if it's overcast.

Many people don't realize that Southern California beaches are not always toasty warm and sunshiny like Hollywood so inaccurately depicts. Frankly, during our nearly 10 years beaching here in the sunshine state, our water's edge lounge fests are usually more overcast than sun soaked. It's the cities that are always sunny and bright--the dense ocean fog just has a hard time burning off on most days. And due to the lack of humidity--even at the beach (compared to the east coast)--the lack of sunshine leaves seaside visitors with very cool and windy days. Combine that with the frosty frigid Pacific and you have an image of L.A.'s sandy retreats that is quite different from that depicted in Baywatch.

But listen to me, all doom and beach gloom. I honestly, love the beach that way. I mean don't get me wrong I do take pleasure in pulling out my sunglasses and soaking in a bit of vitamin D, but a cloudy day at the beach in a city that perpetually shines is a welcome day indeed.

The salty air. The rusty kelp. The greedy seagulls. The playful dolphins. The crashing waves. I just can't get enough of any beach no matter it's flaws.

Noah and his trusty mate, Kai, had a thrilling time taking in the sensory feast that the ocean has to offer while Asami, Dean and I picnicked and snapped shots of them wallowing on the sandy shore.

Before I put Noah into the bath tonight, I took a long deep breath with my nose buried in his silky hair. I wanted to breathe in the beach before I washed it all away. So as not to soon forget our beautiful day.

Announcing My First Guest Post: "Pooptastic, Pooperiffic: The Adventures Of Solid Wastes"

Greetings loyal readers and blog followers . . . this is a week of firsts for m a m a :: m i l i e u. Not only have I received my first blogger award, but today I am announcing my first guest blog post!

My dear friend and fellow blogger, Domestic Dork, has gone on vacation. While she is gone, she will be posting several guest's postings in her absence and I am the first one--she has just posted it today! Please pay her blog a visit this week to check out her lineup of great guests!

The guest post that I wrote for her is called, "Pooptastic, Pooperiffic: The Adventures Of Solid Wastes". You can find it below and at her blog at www.DomesticDork.com. Enjoy and happy Monday!

Pooptastic, Pooperiffic! The Adventures Of Solid Wastes.

You know you're a mom when you begin to obsess about poop--that's right, the color, the texture, the frequency, the smell, the consistency.

Bringing your wee bundle home from the hospital means that you, as a freshly squeezed parent, must begin the many tasks of your baby's care--bathing, feeding, soothing and, of course, changing. And, interestingly enough, it's the changing part--the poop part--that often gets the most attention from pediatricians and therefore, moms too.

Why all of this poop quandary? Well, because changes in your baby's poop can be an important signal, not to be missed, that something has gone awry with your baby's well being.

So, the parental poop-i-scope focuses it's lens on every diaper removed from your baby's buns throughout infancy . . . and then the feeding of solid food begins and everything changes. Radically. Every sign of hazard you had been trained to spot becomes the new norm--green poop, speckled poop, stiff poop, dry poop, and the most worrisome . . . no poop.

My little Noah Finn was a regular pooper--he pooped three to four times a day when he was strictly breast feeding. But the recent introduction of solids has given his digestive system a run for it's a money, a kink in the cords, a cog in it's wheel. And the result? Poop has once again become a household fascination and dinnertime talk topic as my husband and I frequently ask one another, "Has Noah pooped today?", "What did it look like?", and so on.

Now, the poor little guy has harrowing three and sometimes four day lapses between those blessed movements of the bowels. And when those moments of relief finally come, it aint' pretty. It's a day full of grunting, straining and red-faced pushing that results in many, many dirty diapers. Needless to say, on those days we are scrubbing diapers until sunrise.

We have increased his water intake and have introduced plum and prune puree and flax seed oil into his diet--just until his plumbing acclimates. It seems to help so far, and so has feeding solids with regularity--the more solids he eats, the more "regular" he becomes.

So the lesson here is, beware new parents and parents who are slated to soon be experimenting with solids. They're lots of fun going in, it's just the coming out part that really stinks.

Drum Roll, Please . . .

m a m a :: m i l i e u has been given its first blogger award, and I must say it feels pretty darn good!

I really enjoy blogging. Not only does m a m a :: m i l i e u keep our family and friends both near and far informed about everything Noah Finn, it also provides me with an outlet for writing (which I do so much enjoy), a place for venting, ranting and seeking baby advice, and hopefully it provides a helpful and insightful forum where other mothers can come for the same types of things. To receive an award for all of it, is just icing on the bloggy cake.

Fellow super mommy blogger, former early childhood teacher and Aussie mom Christie, over at Childhood 101, included me on a list seven mommy blogs that she admires. As part of receiving the award, I must do the following: 1) List seven interesting tid bits about me, the author of m a m a :: m i l i e u and, 2) name seven other blogs/bloggers that I admire.

So here we go . . .

Seven Non-Mommy Related Tids Bits About Me:

1. I ran the San Diego Marathon when I was 24 years old. My father has run more than 5 marathons in his mid 50's--he beats my finish line time every single time he runs one . . . without even trying.
2. I didn't truly fully understand English grammar until I was in grad school receiving my M.A. in Literature--English, essentially--and teaching composition at the University. And, this is of course is after receiving a B.A. in English. I still struggle at times. To compensate, I have simply stylized my flaws so that I do not have learn how to correct them.
3. I studied in Sundsvall, Sweden as an undergrad. When I arrived, I thought that the soft boiled egg cups that the University had furnished my apartment kitchen with were shot glasses (hey, give me a break--I was coming from North Carolina where they drink moonshine out of boots). My roommates and fellow students have never let me forget it.
4. Before pregnancy, despite my healthful eating and living habits, I could not go a single weekday morning without a cup of coffee--with no sugar and lots of half and half.
5. As a child, I played the french horn, the trumpet, the flute and the guitar. Unfortunately, I never stuck with any one long enough to become really good.
6. If I had to choose another profession aside from teaching, I would choose to be an Archeologist. I love history. I love digging around in the mud. I love old finds. I love traveling.
   
7. The topic of my Master's Thesis was based upon two books by two authors. One of which was a late 17th and early 18th century controversial French pornographer, novelist, activist, politician and philosopher, and the other, a controversial and revolutionary 19th century gay French activist, philosopher, linguist, historian and sociologist who died of AIDS in 1984 . . . and my degree was in English Literature. This will be a must-read on Noah's childhood bookshelf for sure. Tee, hee, hee.

Seven Mommy Blogs I Admire:
(This was an incredibly hard list to put together--as there are so many incredible mommy blogs that I follow. I hope that I have not hurt anyoe's feelings by leaving anyone out . . .)

1. Salt and Chocolate--Mary Beth over at Salt and Chocolate writes an amazingly inspirational blog for any mom interested in natural parenting. She includes recipes for everything from making your own natural deodorant to delicious homemade desserts, as well as, inspirations for crafts, activities, and design. This was one of my first mommy blog finds and I have been an avid reader ever since.
2. Our Unschooled Family--Earth mama Gina and her nest of three keep a beautiful blog detailing their life and times in the UK. Gina writes a great once-a-week post called, "Book Sharing Mondays", where she features great children books that they are currently reading.
   
3. DosFamily--This stunning visually captivating family blog is run by Jenny, Steffan and Isabelle--a sort of Swedish collective. Their life capturing photos are absolutely enviable and the places where they capture them at is the stuff that fairytales are made of. This blog will make your aesthetic senses salivate.
4. HeartFelt--A New Zealand based mama blog that truly captures the beauty of raising a family in a truly beautiful place. Nature abounds in this mama of two's blog--and one more is on the way! Congratulations mama!
   
5. JJustKidding--Friend and fellow Los Angeles mommy of beautiful baby Bea, blogs about everything that you've always wanted to ask, say, complain, or rejoice about as a mom but just haven't. She's blunt, honest and astutely on the mark with all issues baby. She's certainly one of the best of my blogging nest.
6. Domestic Dork--Meet my blogging neighbor to the north, Holly Noelle, mother of little Lucy. Holly is a Canadian super mom and a super blogger--she's a motivational inspiration for me as a fellow blogging mom. She has her stuff together and it shows in her own custom detailed blog design. She offers tips, tricks and advice for moms looking to start their own blogs, and she very recently has launched her own graphic design "business" just for blogs called Coffee Graphic Design. Check it out!
7. Of Grateful Praise--As most of my closet friends know, I am not a religious person. But, fellow Los Angeles mama Jennifer's blog provides a beautiful glimpse of the spiritual side of mommying that I cannot help but seek inspiration from. She is a spiritual mom who embraces the natural way of living in the big city with her amazing little guys, Ezra and Isaak.

So, there it is . . . if the mommies above choose to play along, they will need to . . .

• Post the logo of the blog love token
• Thank and link to the person who passed it on to them
• List seven things about themselves
• Pass the token on to seven other bloggers (and leave comments on their blogs to let them know they have been loved)

Happy Blogging,
Joni, at m a m a :: m i l i e u