I used to start my day with this
and now I start it with this!
Celebrating SIX WEEKS of being coffee-free!! Yahoo! Now instead of brewing coffee, I brew Kefir water (more info coming soon!)
How do you like to start your morning?
-Sarah
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Helping Children Say Goodbye to a Family Pet
We recently had to say goodbye to our dog, Rex. As those of you who have been through this before know, it is a rather emotional experience. After doing some research we decided to have a vet come to the home so Rex could take his final breaths in a familiar place surrounded in love by his family. For us this included having our young children present. While I understand not everyone would feel comfortable or want to involve their children, it felt like the right choice for us (just as allowing them to be present at their younger sibling’s birth felt like a natural choice to us). Here is how we helped our children say goodbye to a beloved family pet:
Photographs- Once we realized Rex’s days were numbered, we asked a dear friend if she would take some family photos of us with Rex. These photos have become important mementos to us. We are working on framing some in a shadow box along with Rex’s collar.
Special Dinner – We felt Rex’s final meal should be something special that he would really enjoy. Therefore we bought a steak for him and my oldest son hand fed it to him.
Letters - Each of us wrote a letter to Rex to read to him shortly before he passed away. I helped the kids write their letters and read them to Rex. This was a very special time of sharing for us.
Memories - The days leading up to Rex’s death, I told the kids many of my favorite Rex memories. Mostly I shared some of the funny, silly things that happened when Rex first became a part of our family. The kids really enjoyed these stories and will often ask me to tell them over and over again.
Honesty – Simply being honest was probably the most important way we helped our children cope with the loss of a pet. Prior to the vet arriving at our home, I gently explained to the kids what the process would entail in terms they could understand (ie- a doctor would come to our home and give Rex a special medicine that would stop his heart). I said it was up to them if they wanted to watch or not. I told them they didn’t have to decide right away and could change their minds at any time if they wanted to look away or leave the room. I also told them that mommy and daddy would probably cry and it was okay if they needed to cry. When the kids asked questions about the euthanasia process we answered in a very direct and honest way. For example we did not say that Rex was going to sleep. We were cautioned against using the word “sleep” because this can be confusing to children. Sometimes children will then become fearful about going to sleep themselves or about a parent/loved one going to sleep. Instead we explained in developmentally appropriate terms what happened to Rex’s body when the vet gave him the medicine. We encouraged very open communication by welcoming questions and accepting emotions.
The hidden benefit of making an extra effort to involve the kids in the process, was that it also granted me some additional closure in saying goodbye. Being mindful of the children’s needs and emotions helped me be more in-tune with my own emotions during the process. While saying goodbye to a pet is never easy, I felt as though Rex’s life was well honored in the process. And I hope that because of this experience my children now have a deeper understanding and respect for the cycle of life.
-Sarah
*Photos courtesy of Jazmin.V Photography.
Breastfeeding in Public: Know Your Rights!
When my second son was about 3 months old a dear childhood friend of mine asked if I would stand up in her summer wedding. Of course I was honored and excited. Being the unconventional woman that she is, she wanted us to pick out our own bridesmaids dresses. While most friends might appreciate this freedom, I almost preferred being assigned a poofy, lacey, hot pink, over-priced bridesmaid dress that would surely be ordered 3 sizes too big so the store could make additional money on alternations. Honestly that seemed easier to me than picking out my own dress. I’m terrible when it comes to fashion and not a fan of shopping at.all However I am willing to do most things in the name of friendship, even if it includes braving the mall in search of a nondescript bridesmaid dress.
I brought my 3 month old with me on this mission since he was exclusively breastfed at the time and I had no idea how long this mission would take to complete. Upon entering the department store I felt lost among the sea of choices not knowing what was in style, what would fit my newly postpartum body, or what size I might be in a few months. One additional criteria was I had to be able to nurse in the dress. After some browsing I realized finding a breastfeeding accessible dress might prove to be my biggest challenge. Many of the dresses inspired visions of myself half naked in the reception hall bathroom trying to nurse my son who would be completely distracted by all the loud, tipsy wedding guests coming and going.
About an hour into the shopping trip my son began to fuss. He was hungry. I looked around scoping out a comfortable place for us to sit and nurse. I was in an upscale department store and there happened to be a nice, plush bench in the middle of the women’s section. It looked like the perfect place to park ourselves so he could nurse. By three months of age we were pretty adept at breastfeeding. He was able to latch on quickly and I was able to be discreet. After he had been nursing a few minutes a saleslady approached me suggesting that I “finish doing that in the dressing room”. It was actually a request disguised as a suggestion. I replied with a direct “No thank you. We are comfortable here.” A silent stare down ensued for what felt like an eternity before she finally walked away, huffing loudly. As soon as she left my heart started to beat fast. Please, oh please don’t get a manager and make this into a bigger confrontation, I thought to myself. See the thing is I knew my right to breastfeed my son in public and was prepared to exercise it as needed, however I simply wanted to nurse my son in peace and continue shopping. Thankfully she resumed her position behind the counter and resorted to shooting me occasional cold, angry glances. No big deal. I could cope with that especially because my son was fast and efficient when it came to nursing. He finished fairly quickly and we were ready to move away from the negative energy in that store.
Do you know that there are laws to protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers? Breastfeeding laws, like car seat laws, vary from state to state. As a breastfeeding mother it is important to be familiar with your state’s laws should you need to exercise your right to nurse in public. In AZ (where I reside) the law allows mothers to breastfeed any age child in any public domain without needing to cover up or risk being cited for “indecent exposure”. My local La Leche League group suggests that if you are breastfeeding in public and asked to move, respond by asking “am I allowed to be here with my child if I was not breastfeeding?” If the answer is yes, then you have every right to be there while breastfeeding. I find having a clear response such as this tucked away to use if needed helps me feel more confident in knowing how to handle such a situation. Your response might vary per state so be sure to understand your state’s specific language regarding breastfeeding in public.
I encourage you to confidently nurse your baby wherever YOU feel comfortable knowing that the law supports a baby’s RIGHT to acess mother’s milk in public!
Have you ever had a confrontation regarding breastfeeding in public? If so how did you repsond?
-Sarah
By the way in case you were curious here is the bridesmaid dress I ended up getting. That’s my two year old with a ridiculously forced smile and my nursling who wanted nothing to do with the photographer. And me…pre-dreads and *gasp* with makeup on!
Tasty Tuesday: Summer Salad
I made this salad the other day for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed each colorful bite! It is filling enough to be light meal all on its own or could be a nice companion salad to a heartier dish. I love the addition of fruit in a green salad, especially berries! Berries are a powerful source of antioxidants. With berry season just starting, you hopefully have access to deliciously sweet, organic berries at a decent price.
Ingredients:
3 large handfuls of mixed baby greens
small handful of mixed micro greens (optional/if available)
8 sliced strawberries
1/3 cup blueberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecans
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons hemp seed
Serve with a light and easy homemade honey mustard dressing by whisking together the following ingredients:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
juice from half a lemon
salt to taste
Berry season is my favorite! So many tasty foods can be derived from a mixture of berries and this salad is no exception. Enjoy!
-Sarah
Creative Pregnancy Announcements!
Announcing a pregnancy can be a really exciting time for a couple. Often couples want to share their exciting baby news in a fun and special way. Here are a few ideas to get those creative juices flowing regarding unique ways to publicly announce your pregnancy.
Bun in the Oven - This is how I told my hubby we were pregnant with baby #3. I put the positive pregnancy test inside a hot dog bun and placed it in the oven. I asked him to check the oven for me and when he did he found a “bun in the oven” with the pregnancy test inside.
Photo Announcement – There are many adorable photo announcements floating around on Facebook. Pictures of positive pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, or growing bellies are common ways to say “baby on the way”. You might remember Jessica Simpson’s Halloween announcement where she dressed like a mummy with the caption “It’s true! I’m going to be a mummy!” while holding her adorable little baby bump. Another fun photo idea might be to depict a symptom associated with pregnancy such as unusual cravings. For example posting a picture of pickles and ice cream with a caption such as “here’s what I’m eating for breakfast for the next nine months” may be a clever way to tell others your are preggers. Or a spin-off of the “bun in the oven” is to post a picture of actual buns in the oven to your facebook page and see if people get the message.
Gift Announcements – Any type of gift that indicates a new baby is on the way can be a fun surprise for others to open. For example when pregnant with my first son I gave my father a birthday gift that included a onesie that said “World’s Best Grandpa” on it. Since none of my other siblings had children at the time, he had never been called Grandpa before and immediately knew the significance of the gift. With my second pregnancy I gave my parents a frame that held two photos. On one side I put a photo of my first son and on the other side I put a note that said “insert picture of baby #2 coming Dec. 2010″.
Big Brother/Big Sister Shirts - A fun way to involve an older child in a pregnancy announcement is to have them wear a “Big Brother/Sister” shirt to a family gathering. There are several cute ones available from Cafepress.
Family Gatherings – Family gatherings can be an opportune time to share to a large group of family members all at once that you are expecting. It can be done in the traditional way such as a toast before dinner or in a fun way such as playing a game. Maybe a game of charades where you where you act out being pregnant or a game pictionary where you draw a picture of pregnant woman. Or wheel of fortune with the phrase “we’re pregnant”.
There are many different, clever fun ways to share pregnancy news with others. I would love to hear ideas from readers. How did you publicly announce your pregnancy to friends and family?
-Sarah
