First food!

So,  baby Avi is about to hit 6 months old, and it's time to start feeding her "solid" food. At the grocery store last week I was perusing the baby section, and got her a couple of little spoons and some cereal. There were two options for starting: oat based or rice based cereal.  Both had about the same nutritional value, so I decided on the oat based one simply because I personally prefer the taste of oats to rice. (Never been a huge fan of rice). For second step foods there were different flavours; most of them were rice based, and I'm sure we'll end up getting those too at some point.

So proud of my little sweetie pea; today she ate the whole bowl of food! Yesterday we tried some and she wasn't very interested. I mixed the cereal powder with just water, as per the directions on the box, and I think it was just too different for her; she didn't recognize that it was food. So today I used some formula to mix it instead, and sure enough, she ate it all. I was very surprised. It was a small amount, only about 3 tablespoons total, but she kept looking at me and opening her mouth and then eating the food when I spooned it in for her. I think we'll keep mixing the cereal with formula for a few days while she gets the hang of it before we switch back to making it with water.

I'm really excited. She's going to get so many new taste and texture experiences over the next few months as we try different foods. Food is such an integral part of our lives, and really, she's just starting to be introduced to it. Formula is all we'll and good, but it's pretty much strictly for nourishment. Food has other joys. She'll get to discover what she likes and what she doesn't, try all kinds of new things...So exciting! I'm almost jealous.

I'm sure we'll have plenty of times where I miss when she was just drinking formula, after the novelty wears off and we end up with mashed banana everywhere and strained peas in my hair, but for now I'm so glad for my baby that she gets this new experience.

Best wishes!

Teeth! And teething necklaces...

So, I'm super excited; yesterday Avi's first two teeth started to poke through her gums! She's been teething, at least a little, on and off, since she was about 8 weeks old, but it's gotten much more serious the last couple of weeks, and yesterday the very tips of her lower incisors started to poke through!

Teething so far hasn't been too hard on my baby. She gets the hot rosy cheeks, drools like a faucet, gets some red patches under her diaper (I wouldn't really call it a rash, but there are some irritated looking spots). She is perhaps, mildly more irritable, but she's such a happy and easy going baby that its hard to tell. All in all, I wouldn't say is causing her a lot of pain or distress. That may change as she gets more teeth, but for now I'm not too concerned.

In my husband's family amber teething necklaces area big thing. His sister used them on both her kids (her daughter still wears hers, at 18 months old), and his cousin's wife, who is a doula, gives them to all the new babies in the family. (If you're not familiar with what a doula is, they're a sort of birth coach; quite handy during labor, actually). Everyone in the family swears by these necklaces, says they're the best things and work amazingly. Except me.


If you're not familiar with amber teething necklaces, here is the basics: baby sized necklaces, made of baltic amber, which are said to help soothe the pain of teething. Baltic amber contains succinic acid, and when the amber beads come in contact with the skin, supposedly the succinic acid is absorbed by the skin and has an analgesic effect. For safety, there is a special clasp that the baby cannot undo, but will break if it gets caught, and each bead is individually knotted, so if the string breaks only one will come loose. The necklaces generally look like this:

Note the screw-clasp and individually knotted beads

I received one shortly after Avi was born just like everyone else in the family. I was told to put it on at the first sign of teething and never take it off until she outgrew it. This immediately raised some red flags. She was even supposed to wear it to bed? Was that safe? How was it supposed to work?

I didn't mention that I had seen a poster in the health nurses' office that had warned against exactly this thing. Strangulation danger, it said, not recommended. And I especially didn't mention that I had every intention of following that poster's advice.  I don't want to offend anyone; I sometimes feel like I walk a very thin line with my in-laws.

So I did what any sensible person my age would do; I consulted the internet. Now, obviously the internet abounds with false information, and one must be very careful about who to trust. I was specifically looking for evidence of the effectiveness of the necklaces, and any incidences of actual injury or death caused by one of these necklaces.

A brief google search did not return any incidences of children dying from these necklaces, thank goodness, but there was one of a child whose necklace had become twisted around her neck and arm (you can read it here).

Something else that I didn't find was any solid evidence that the necklaces actually do what they're supposed to. Tons of anecdotal evidence, but nothing solid and scientific. One site, Science or Not? had an excellent breakdown of why the necklaces don't work. Firstly, succinic acid doesn't melt at body temperature. Secondly, there is no evidence to suggest that succinic acid has any sort of pain relieving effect. In large doses, it is considered an eye and skin irritant.

I also believe that if anything were being "excreted" from these beads, there would a) be some evidence of it on the skin (color,oily feeling, etc), and b) the beads would eventually wear away or dissolve, and they don't, as far as I know.

So, to sum it all up: no real evidence to suggest that the necklaces actually do anything, and a potential strangulation/choking hazard. This was a real easy decision for me; that thing is not going anywhere near my baby.

But, any time teeth or teething are mentioned in conversation with my mother-in-law, she asks me why Avi doesn't wear her necklace. So far, I haven't had the courage to stand up and say why. I lie, and say I can't find it. Because if I say I don't believe they actually work, I'll get an onslaught of stories about how well they have worked for her daughter and the other cousins' children. If I say I think they're dangerous, I'm also saying that I believe her daughter and all the other cousins are endangering their children. A very tough spot to be in.

However, this is the internet, and there's a level of anonymity here that doesn't often exist in the rest of the world.  So I can tell you, dear reader: I believe that teething necklaces are not only useless, but pose an inherent danger to children who wear them. You can disagree with me if you like; I have explained my reasoning. I am somewhat ashamed that  don't have the courage to tell my family that these things are dangerous, and if anything were to happen to one of their children because of one of these things and I didn't say anything, I would feel terrible.

So, if you're reading this and haven't made up your mind about teething necklaces, I urge you to stay away from them. Even if no babies have died from one yet, there's a first time for everything, and it is a very real possibility.

Best wishes

README

Cinnamon Candied Almonds

One of the very first things I ever saved on Pinterest was a recipe for cinnamon candied almonds. They were easy to make and tasted awesome, and I've made the recipe at Christmas for several years now. However, much to my dismay, when I went to follow the link this year, the website was no longer available. This will not do! So, I have cobbled together the recipe partly from other similar recipes and partly from memory.

Place in a large frying pan:

3 cups almonds
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)

Stir everything together until the nuts are coated in the sugar mixture. Cook on high. Once the sugar mixture starts to simmer, you'll want to stir continuously to ensure both even coverage of the nuts and prevent sticking. Keep stirring, basically until all the water has boiled off. You'll be able to tell when they're done; they go from being sticky to being dry and crystallized. Remove them from the pan, and let them cool for a few minutes before eating.

They're delicious, I promise!

Best Wishes

Bath Salt Recipe

Hello again!
For Christmas, I like to make as many gifts as I can. My sister-in-law requested bath salts this year, and I happen to have an excellent method for making them, so I thought I'd share. Bits and pieces come from books or Pinterest, and I'll try to reference them where I can.

The first step is to make your salt base. The original recipe I found was in Scott Cunningham's "Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews", though I left out the table salt. To this base can be added nearly any essential oils that you like, or a combination of a few. (It is important to know your oils, as some can cause skin irritation or photo-toxicity, but in this small amount, diluted in a whole bathtub of water, I don't think it would cause too many problems.)

So, after you've made your base, you want to add your liquid parts. I like to add a drop or two of food coloring, for two reasons: one, it makes the finished product look prettier, and two, it helps you know when all your liquid is evenly mixed in. When you're adding such tiny amounts, it takes a lot of stirring to get everything evenly mixed, and the food dye is a good indicator of when it's done. Adding this tiny amount of food dye should not stain the tub, but don't use too much, or in a tub with a damaged finish.

After everything is mixed, your going to bake the salt. Yes, bake it. At a very low temperature, for about 15 minutes. This will help keep the oils from separating from the salts and settling at the bottom of the jar. Don't ask me how it works, but it seems to.

So, here is the recipe:

1. Make the base
 - 3 parts epsom salt
 - 2 parts baking soda
 (where a part is any size container you choose. I like to do cups,  but it could be anything from a teaspoon up, really. Also, I measure by volume, not by weight.)

2. Use this base to make smaller batches of different "flavors":
To every half cup of salt base, add 10-15 drops essential oil

3. Bake
Place the salt in an oven safe container, and place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (this low of a temperature should not damage the volatile essential oils). Bake the salt for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes

When the salt mix has cooled (at least an hour), you can spoon it into jars. I like to use little jars that hold between 1/2 cup and 1 cup of salt, so they are essentially pre measured; just add the whole jar to the bathtub! Something interesting to note, however, is that you will end up with more salt than you started with. I'm not entirely sure why.

Play around with different scents and colors. You can even layer the colors for a neat effect. I've also used baking extracts like vanilla and orange to "flavour" my salt recipes; you'll want to use more than the essential oils though, as they are not as concentrated (about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon).

Some finished salts; grapefruit and mint mojito

Hope you enjoy this recipe, and the  baths that follow!

Best Wishes

Let sleeping babies lie...

So, I'm currently stuck sitting on my couch, with a napping baby sitting in my lap. I don't like to let her fall asleep on me; I don't want her to get dependant on me being near for her to be able to fall asleep. But she's been so tired this morning, and just cries and cries when I put her down. I thought maybe she was hungry, and she drank the first half of the bottle quite readily... and then passed out cold. So here we are.

Sleep is one of the hardest things with my dear baby. She's been sleeping in her crib in her own room (instead of a bassinet in our room) for just over a week now, and that has been going great. She falls asleep almost immediately after I put her down, and sleeps for 5-6 hour stretches. But naps are harder. There's still light, and activity going on around her, and so she fights and fights to stay awake and stay involved in what's going on. She wants to be included, doesn't want to miss out. Even something as mundane as cleaning the kitchen seems vastly interesting to her.

So, I let her sleep on my lap this morning. She's just woken up now, and seems quite happy, so I think we'll get up and get motivated.

A reprieve for the chickens

We have five hens: Pam, Isabella, Jubilina, Jacinthe, and Susie. They live in a little red hen house that my dad and unmade for them a few summers ago. We got them when they were a couple months old, past the fragile chick stage, but not quite old enough to start laying. This coming spring they will be three years old.

But the problem with laying hens is that eventually, they stop laying. For some it happens faster than others, but you don't usually expect too many years out of them. Our hens are a battery breed, meaning they're bred to produce an egg almost every day, which I believe means they "burn out" a little faster too. A chicken can only produce so many eggs in its lifetime. Ours appear to have hit that limit.

They tend to slow down their laying in the fall, but this year they slowed down way more than usual, eventually stopping completely. The last egg we had was small, and wasn't well formed on the inside.  Typically, even in winter we get a few eggs every couple of days or so, but we haven't had a single one in nearly three weeks now.

I'm not bothered by having to buy eggs from the store for a while. We don't actually eat a ton of eggs in our house, we give  most of them away to family and friends. I'll wait until spring to find new laying hens. But if these  hens have stopped laying, they're no longer useful. They become, essentially, messy, unfriendly  pets. Pets that could go on for another 5-7 years. I want hens that lay, that serve a purpose, not pets.  And so, the thing to do is to butcher them, and start fresh with new hens in the spring.

My inlaws used to raise chickens for meat and eggs, so they are experienced in the killing, plucking, and butchering of birds. They readily agreed to come and help us with these ones, once I had made the announcement to my husband that they seemed to be done laying. So, we were trying to plan a day for it to be done. Hens  that have been layers are usually not very good for meat; they're lean and tough compared to meat birds which are typically butchered at only a few months old. But they still are okay for soup or stew.

My mother happened to mention to my brother that the hens were done laying; likely he had asked her if she had any spare eggs, as she often does. Now, his wife is a vegetarian, and loves to rescue all sorts of animals. They live  on 20 acres, so they have lots of room, and she works part time, so has lots of time to spend with her critters. So, he mentions to her that the hens' days are numbered, and she immediately asks if she can have them instead, to live out their days at their place. He agrees, and phones to ask me.

Now, it was always part of the deal with my husband that the chickens would be useful, and when the time came, I would help, if not with the killing, at least with the plucking and butchering. So, I have been trying to prepare myself for this ever since they came. Despite giving them names, and sort of having a favourite (Pam), I have tried very hard to not get too attached to them. I remember bs myself constantly that they are mean, not only to me (pecking my hands sometimes when I go to feed them), but also to each other (feather picking and fighting. The others all pick on Susie too). I remind myself that they have had a pretty good life, as far as chickens go, and longer than most. But when my brother asked if they could take them, to keep as pets until they died of natural causes, I immediately said yes. For one, it will make my sister-in-law very happy to rescue them from the axe. For another, it's a lot less work for me. But, secretly (my husband mustn't know, he'll think I'm too soft to handle it and not allow me to get new birds), I'm glad they don't have to die. They're not bad, as far as psychotic cannibals go (seriously, Chickens will eat each other), and I've know them for quite a while.

And so, Pam, Isabella,  Jubilina, Jacinthe, and Susie are granted a reprieve. They won't go the the headsman's axe, to be made into soup, but live out their days in relative chicken comfort on my brother's dime (not that they're very expensive to feed, but it does add up over time). And I am happy for them.

In the spring we'll get some new chickens. I think only three or four this time, we had too many eggs to deal with sometimes with five. When Avi gets older, i want the chickens to be her responsibility. To feed them, care for them, and yes, even help with the butchering and plucking when the time comes. It is important for her to understand where her food comes from, that meat doesn't just miraculously show up in the grocery store, but has to come from somewhere. I think that maybe from now on, we won't give them names though. I didn't think it would affect me, but it could affect her, being just a child. Who knows, maybe it will be easier for her.

Roots of Empathy

Today was a Roots of empathy visit day for baby and I. Roots of empathy is a program that aims to teach children empathy and emotional literacy, using a baby as the "teacher". (For more information, check out www.rootsofempathy.org ). It's really cool program, I'm quite enjoying it, and baby seems to be as well. 

Basically, we visit a classroom once a month or so; our particular class is grade three. The children sing a greeting song, and baby and I go around the circle and each child gets about 3 seconds of one on one with baby; usually they rub her foot and smile at her. Being her cheerful little self, she usually smiles right back. Then everybody sits down on the floor around the Green Blanket. The children discuss what new things they notice about baby; this week they commented on how much her hair has grown, as well as how she seems to have gotten bigger (certain visits we weigh and measure her too). Baby gets put down on the Blanket, to do whatever she pleases, and the children watch. There is a roots of empathy educator there too; our is named Kathy. She helps lead the children through the day's theme by asking them questions and making suggestions. 

For example, I was asked what sort of new things Avi has started doing since our last visit. The biggest one is lifting herself up on her arms. So we put her face down on the Blanket to see if she would do it. She immediately rolled onto her back. So, Kathy asks the children why they think she might have done that. There's a few different answers, but most lean towards the same idea; she doesn't want to be on her tummy. So we try again, and she immediately flips back onto her back. So, Kathy asks the children "is she telling us she doesn't want to be on her tummy?", and of course the children answer yes. Because babies this age  are non-verbal, (well, not in an understandable way), the children learn to interpret her feelings based on her actions and body language. This helps them to interpret non-verbal cues from others later (this is how I understand it, at least).

So, we continued on with the themes for the day, talking about preparedness by going through my diaper bag to see all the things I need to carry around in case baby might need them (I was warned in advance that this was going to happen, so I made sure I had everything). We also talked about teething; how I could tell baby was teething, what the signs are, how baby might be feeling (sad, in pain, etc), and what were some ways I might comfort her. All the while, baby is rolling about on the Blanket and "talking" away to all the children. Kathy and the teacher had a hard time keeping them calm, they were so excited by it. We moved her to the farther end of the Blanket so she could visit with those children too, and she rolled around by them as well. She was a very mobile baby today! When our time is up, we go around the circle to each child again as they sing the goodbye song. 

One of the things I like about roots of empathy is that the children's questions and suggestions are alway treated as valid, and not just dismissed, even if they seem silly. Even a suggestion of something that might harm the baby not "punished"; instead, the ROE educator will ask "what do you think would happen?", and help the child to see the possible negative consequences of such an action. The children never need to feel nervous or embarrassed about asking questions  or making comments. This really strikes home with me because during my entire school career I was afraid to offer answers when the teacher asked, even if I knew the answer, because I was so scared I'd be wrong and embarrass myself. 

Kathy also showed me today a book the children had made, about Why Babies Cry. Each child had a page, where they had written their answer and drawn a picture. By far the most common reason given was a dirty diaper, but there were also: injury, hunger, loneliness, tiredness, nightmares, and others. It was cool to see that they were thinking about the reasons behind behaviours, not just the behaviours themselves. I think this is a big part of what the program is about; putting yourself in others' shoes (hence the name, Roots of Empathy). 

After the classroom visit, we had lunch and did a little  Christmas shopping with my mum, met dad at Costco, then went home. I finally convinced baby to take a nap, albeit by cuddling her until she went to sleep (so much for sleep training...). Then dinner, a bath for baby, and off to bed. Now I'm snuggling with my dogs before I too, head off to sleep.

Best wishes

P.S. Did I mention we dressed baby in a Santa suit and hat for her visit today? So cute! The kids loved it.