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Friday, December 16, 2011
Natural Family Planning-- trying to conceive and prevention
Since this blog tends to be about my journey towards being more natural, I thought we could address birth control and trying to conceive.
Finn is the only one of my children that took a bit of planning and trying for. After Jackson's birth, I'd gotten a Mirena IUD that caused me a lot of problems- 3 ovarian cysts, 1 rupture, serious headaches, mild depression. I kept it until Jackson weaned himself at just over 18 months, simply because it didn't interfere with my milk supply and I was unsure of what I could use that wouldn't.
After I had the IUD removed, we decided to prevent for a bit and then try for baby #3, which would also be our last. I had been researching natural ways to prevent pregnancy and the neat thing is that the ways to keep from getting pregnant are the same ways that you can get pregnant if you want to!
i.e. If you know where you are in that month's cycle, you can determine whether or not to use abstain from sex or use a preventative like a condom in order to prevent pregnancy during your fertile days OR you will know which days you will have the best chances of conceiving! Cool, huh?
I read Taking Charge of Your Fertility! Great book about charting ovulation, reading your body's signs, and how to figure out what it all means for you if you're trying to conceive or if you're trying to prevent pregnancy.
This book will be a real encouragement for you if you're interested in learning about practicing natural family planning (NFP) or if you just want to know more about how your body works. I suggest it to every female- it's an eye opener... our bodies are so amazing!
I love the website Fertility Friend, as it keeps you from having to keep track of your cycles on paper. If you're a nerd like me, you'll love the charts! hehe
AND if it seems overwhelming, which I understand that it might... it blew my mind at first... there are electronic tools to help, such as the ones from Valley-Electronics, like Lady Comp or Lady Comp BABY! Expensive at first, yes, but so much cheaper than birth control over a period of time with absolutely no side effects.
For me, I am always looking for a sustainable option. I look for ways to produce less trash, to keep toxins out of our systems. As I learn to take a more natural approach to life, I thought that for as long as women in this country tend to take birth control pills over their lifetimes, there have to be better options than relying on taking hormones and dealing with potential side effects.
This time last year, I was absolutely going out of my mind wondering if THIS would be the cycle. I'd ovulated a couple of days prior and was waiting to test...
The picture at the top of my blog? Where Tim, Keelin, Jackson, and I are in the snow? We took that right after I'd gotten a positive pregnancy test (9 days post ovulation)... our first photo as a family of FIVE :)
Finn is the only one of my children that took a bit of planning and trying for. After Jackson's birth, I'd gotten a Mirena IUD that caused me a lot of problems- 3 ovarian cysts, 1 rupture, serious headaches, mild depression. I kept it until Jackson weaned himself at just over 18 months, simply because it didn't interfere with my milk supply and I was unsure of what I could use that wouldn't.
After I had the IUD removed, we decided to prevent for a bit and then try for baby #3, which would also be our last. I had been researching natural ways to prevent pregnancy and the neat thing is that the ways to keep from getting pregnant are the same ways that you can get pregnant if you want to!
i.e. If you know where you are in that month's cycle, you can determine whether or not to use abstain from sex or use a preventative like a condom in order to prevent pregnancy during your fertile days OR you will know which days you will have the best chances of conceiving! Cool, huh?
I read Taking Charge of Your Fertility! Great book about charting ovulation, reading your body's signs, and how to figure out what it all means for you if you're trying to conceive or if you're trying to prevent pregnancy.
This book will be a real encouragement for you if you're interested in learning about practicing natural family planning (NFP) or if you just want to know more about how your body works. I suggest it to every female- it's an eye opener... our bodies are so amazing!
I love the website Fertility Friend, as it keeps you from having to keep track of your cycles on paper. If you're a nerd like me, you'll love the charts! hehe
AND if it seems overwhelming, which I understand that it might... it blew my mind at first... there are electronic tools to help, such as the ones from Valley-Electronics, like Lady Comp or Lady Comp BABY! Expensive at first, yes, but so much cheaper than birth control over a period of time with absolutely no side effects.
For me, I am always looking for a sustainable option. I look for ways to produce less trash, to keep toxins out of our systems. As I learn to take a more natural approach to life, I thought that for as long as women in this country tend to take birth control pills over their lifetimes, there have to be better options than relying on taking hormones and dealing with potential side effects.
This time last year, I was absolutely going out of my mind wondering if THIS would be the cycle. I'd ovulated a couple of days prior and was waiting to test...
The picture at the top of my blog? Where Tim, Keelin, Jackson, and I are in the snow? We took that right after I'd gotten a positive pregnancy test (9 days post ovulation)... our first photo as a family of FIVE :)
Friday, December 9, 2011
Big Family News-- Part 1
After much discussion, we've decided that this year (kindergarten) will be Keelin's first and last year in public school. We're HOMESCHOOLING!!!
We're so excited, but to be honest, I am a little nervous! There are SO many tools out there in books, games, and the TONS of curriculi. Where do you even start?! I've picked up things here and there that I thought looked like something we might enjoy. I have 6 months before her school year is over (she's at an extended year magnet school, so we won't switch to full time homeschooling until June) and I am reading tons of books, blogs, and articles until then.
Homeschooling parents, what is your favorite resource? Tell me about the books you read, curriculum you prefer, activities you do with your kids- how do you do it!? :)
I want to hear the voice of experience... impart your wisdom, mamas!
 |
| Keelin and Jackson playing Bingo |
We're so excited, but to be honest, I am a little nervous! There are SO many tools out there in books, games, and the TONS of curriculi. Where do you even start?! I've picked up things here and there that I thought looked like something we might enjoy. I have 6 months before her school year is over (she's at an extended year magnet school, so we won't switch to full time homeschooling until June) and I am reading tons of books, blogs, and articles until then.
Homeschooling parents, what is your favorite resource? Tell me about the books you read, curriculum you prefer, activities you do with your kids- how do you do it!? :)
I want to hear the voice of experience... impart your wisdom, mamas!
Update and Upcoming--
I'm looking forward to the holidays and a new year! Can you believe that 2012 is right around the corner? I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by!
I've had a bit of a rough week this week. I narrowly escaped mastitis! I had a raging headache for two days. And to be totally honest, I'm a little worn down and have enjoyed allowing myself time to lay on the couch with my little ones. We cuddled, we watched Wheel of Fortune every night, and while I'm still not quite 100%, I can tell that the rest is something I have missed!
Y'all, give yourselves permission to rest. I know that our lives are busy. There is a lot to do! But slow down, if only once in a while, and just let yourself rest. I'm not talking about at night, when you're expected to rest. I'm talking about allowing yourself a sweet afternoon of stretchy pants and a good book, or the closest to a break that you can manage.
I have a few blog posts planned for the next couple of weeks, then I'll be MIA until after the end of the year. We will have holiday craziness and lots of family gatherings, so my brain will be elsewhere and I'm sure you will be way too busy enjoying yourselves to read my ramblings!
Coming soon:
- Super EASY Cloth Diapering (two kids at once!)
- Eco-conscious Holidays (including our family traditions!)
- Jackson's 3rd Birthday plans ( so excited!)
- BIG family news (the times, they are a-changin'!)
- Plans for 2012
Since it's after midnight, it's officially Friday! Enjoy your weekend, friends!
I've had a bit of a rough week this week. I narrowly escaped mastitis! I had a raging headache for two days. And to be totally honest, I'm a little worn down and have enjoyed allowing myself time to lay on the couch with my little ones. We cuddled, we watched Wheel of Fortune every night, and while I'm still not quite 100%, I can tell that the rest is something I have missed!
Y'all, give yourselves permission to rest. I know that our lives are busy. There is a lot to do! But slow down, if only once in a while, and just let yourself rest. I'm not talking about at night, when you're expected to rest. I'm talking about allowing yourself a sweet afternoon of stretchy pants and a good book, or the closest to a break that you can manage.
I have a few blog posts planned for the next couple of weeks, then I'll be MIA until after the end of the year. We will have holiday craziness and lots of family gatherings, so my brain will be elsewhere and I'm sure you will be way too busy enjoying yourselves to read my ramblings!
Coming soon:
- Super EASY Cloth Diapering (two kids at once!)
- Eco-conscious Holidays (including our family traditions!)
- Jackson's 3rd Birthday plans ( so excited!)
- BIG family news (the times, they are a-changin'!)
- Plans for 2012
Since it's after midnight, it's officially Friday! Enjoy your weekend, friends!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Why we don't "do Santa"--
Hey, Everybody!
'Tis the season for people to ask my children if they're behaving so Santa will leave them lots of presents... so I felt it was time to blog about Santa.
We do not participate in the whole Santa thing. I had a photo taken of Keelin with Santa for her first two Christmases (6 months and 18 months old), neither of which she remembers! I'd always been sort of iffy about whether or not I wanted to tell my children the usual things that parents tell their children about Santa this time of year. Sure, it's a fun game... but convincing my children that it is real doesn't sit right with me.
Tim and I (and Keelin's dad) decided that we would not do Santa with Keelin. Since Jackson's birth, we don't do it with him, either. Same with Finn. We do stockings, because they're cute and hold the small gifts really well. We have told the kids since they were old enough to understand that Santa is a fun game that people play, but some children's parents choose to not tell them that it is just a game. They know what other people say about Santa just through interactions with other kids. They know that some parents encourage their kids to write Santa letters, that some parents tell their kids he will put them on a Naughty list and withhold their gifts if they misbehave... sometimes going with the Elf on the Shelf thing that seems really popular. It really disturbs me a bit, actually, that my friends tell their children the elf will report their behavior back to Santa. BUT I'm not raising their children :)
Not judging parents that do those things, but we won't be playing Santa. I'm sure finding out we lied to them about it wouldn't destroy them, but I am not going to lie to my kids about Santa. We don't have Santa stuff in our house. We don't read Santa books (we passed on the Santa storybooks that my Mother-in-law bought our kids a couple of Christmases ago...) or sing Santa songs.
When people randomly come up to my kids in grocery stores and ask them if they're being good so Santa will bring them toys, I correct them. Not rudely, but I just say that we don't do Santa. I've had people say that I'm depriving them, but we enjoy the holiday season just fine without Santa ;)
The big issue for us is that the whole farce- insisting that kids behave so an obese man will come down their chimney and bring them toys- is so outrageous... We lie to our kids to get them to behave? Really? Not in our house. I'm trying to raise my children to have respect for me- that includes being honest with them and respecting them right back. I know that most people disagree with me (people are shocked when you tell them your kids have never been encouraged to believe in Santa), but understand that I don't think parents that do Santa are doing anything wrong- my own parents did it with us on a relaxed level and I enjoyed the make believe- I don't believe that it is right for our family and we're foregoing it. It just feels wrong to me to be dishonest with my kids to encourage good behavior during the winter in order to get gifts.
But regardless of what you believe, I hope this winter finds you well and you enjoy whatever traditions bring joy to your households!
'Tis the season for people to ask my children if they're behaving so Santa will leave them lots of presents... so I felt it was time to blog about Santa.
We do not participate in the whole Santa thing. I had a photo taken of Keelin with Santa for her first two Christmases (6 months and 18 months old), neither of which she remembers! I'd always been sort of iffy about whether or not I wanted to tell my children the usual things that parents tell their children about Santa this time of year. Sure, it's a fun game... but convincing my children that it is real doesn't sit right with me.
Tim and I (and Keelin's dad) decided that we would not do Santa with Keelin. Since Jackson's birth, we don't do it with him, either. Same with Finn. We do stockings, because they're cute and hold the small gifts really well. We have told the kids since they were old enough to understand that Santa is a fun game that people play, but some children's parents choose to not tell them that it is just a game. They know what other people say about Santa just through interactions with other kids. They know that some parents encourage their kids to write Santa letters, that some parents tell their kids he will put them on a Naughty list and withhold their gifts if they misbehave... sometimes going with the Elf on the Shelf thing that seems really popular. It really disturbs me a bit, actually, that my friends tell their children the elf will report their behavior back to Santa. BUT I'm not raising their children :)
Not judging parents that do those things, but we won't be playing Santa. I'm sure finding out we lied to them about it wouldn't destroy them, but I am not going to lie to my kids about Santa. We don't have Santa stuff in our house. We don't read Santa books (we passed on the Santa storybooks that my Mother-in-law bought our kids a couple of Christmases ago...) or sing Santa songs.
When people randomly come up to my kids in grocery stores and ask them if they're being good so Santa will bring them toys, I correct them. Not rudely, but I just say that we don't do Santa. I've had people say that I'm depriving them, but we enjoy the holiday season just fine without Santa ;)
The big issue for us is that the whole farce- insisting that kids behave so an obese man will come down their chimney and bring them toys- is so outrageous... We lie to our kids to get them to behave? Really? Not in our house. I'm trying to raise my children to have respect for me- that includes being honest with them and respecting them right back. I know that most people disagree with me (people are shocked when you tell them your kids have never been encouraged to believe in Santa), but understand that I don't think parents that do Santa are doing anything wrong- my own parents did it with us on a relaxed level and I enjoyed the make believe- I don't believe that it is right for our family and we're foregoing it. It just feels wrong to me to be dishonest with my kids to encourage good behavior during the winter in order to get gifts.
But regardless of what you believe, I hope this winter finds you well and you enjoy whatever traditions bring joy to your households!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Christmas Crafts-- Pt. 1
'Tis the season for crafting!
We decided that since Finn was here and we aren't planning on anymore babies, it was time to really get on the ball with starting some family traditions... no excuses! I purchased the supplies to do these a couple of weeks ago, but as it goes with three kids, it got put off and put off.
Tim helped my wrangle kids as we got down and dirty today! Here is what we came up with, most of the ideas found on Pinterest!
We decided that since Finn was here and we aren't planning on anymore babies, it was time to really get on the ball with starting some family traditions... no excuses! I purchased the supplies to do these a couple of weeks ago, but as it goes with three kids, it got put off and put off.
Tim helped my wrangle kids as we got down and dirty today! Here is what we came up with, most of the ideas found on Pinterest!
A rag wreath!
Handprint ornaments!
A footprint in Finn's case :)
And a sneak peak at gifts for the kid's friends.
Personalized art aprons!
(but there is more... just can't share the rest)
A tree on canvas-
Keelin's hand is on the bottom.
Jackson's hand is in the middle.
Finn's feet are on top!
I did the star and the ornaments are the kid's fingerprints.
Are you doing any crafts?
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