March 2010
First of all, I am going to put the disclaimer on this video that I am not responsible for the messed up aspect ratio. That is YouTube's fault. I got this video in an email several weeks ago. I think it is a real testament to what one person can do for a cause that they care about. Secondly, I don't have a lawn but this stuff is crazy town. Daily I think to myself, "Here is another thing that in fifty years will go the way of the lobotomy and lead paint."
"Oh tomato-ketchup? I know that one."
The kiddo is about to hit the three month mark and has just begun to outgrow his first round of clothes and diapers. I will probably keep the best of the best clothing around for future offspring but in an effort to keep my tiny LA apartment clutter free I am thinking that I don't need to hold on to the several cases of newoborn diapers.
After talking to a friend who works with the Department of Child and Family Services she suggested that I donate the extras to St. Anne's, a local women's shelter for pregnant and parenting teens here in LA, which I will be doing later this week. They actually take all sorts of baby products including clothing, blankets, baby soaps and wipes, as well as feminine hygiene products... For me it was important to find a local Org that will actually distribute the baby goods to needy mothers and children as opposed to selling the items to raise money for another cause or just posting the stuff on a website like Freecycle.org or the free section of CraigsList. But no matter what, the most important thing is getting these items that would otherwise collect dust in my storage unit into the hands of moms and babies that really need them.
So I had a baby at the first of the year and gave no deference to the age old tradition of making new years resolutions. Now that we are solidly through the first part of the year, the kiddo is firmly in this world and I don't wake up in a cold sweat , fearing for his life anymore. I feel like I can reset and refocus on a few goals I have for the remainder of 2010.
Corinne at Threadbanger.com helped start a charity in Haiti almost six years ago. In the wake of the Hati earthquake she has joined back up with her friend and founder of Planting Peace, Aaron Jackson to help. They've put out this call to crafters. Specifically, they are asking you to donate handmade blankets, washcloths, and plushies for kids. If you have other ideas for useful items, contact Corinne at tips@threadbanger.com.
"Unable to speak, the baby telepathically plead with the man not to put him back in the green-plastic-pod bassinet."
My kiddo is about to hit the three month mark and is in desperate need of some visual stimulation crib-side. I thought I was going to make a mobile for him but I found these that are just as good as anything I could do and a great way to support independent artists and moms!
So I wanted to buy some fair trade coffee as a present for my OB's nurse. When I asked Mr. Google: "Coffee, Fair Trade" this Starbucks website was the first one to come up. It is really pretty and says a lot of great things, one of which is that you get a 10 cent credit toward your drink if you bring in your own reusable mug. But it didn't tell me any names or specific information for buying a bag of fair trade coffee. So I asked Mr. Google: "Starbucks, Fair Trade, Buy" and my nifty little autofill suggested the word "controversy". Now my curiosity was peeked.
Now I know what it feels like to be an overfilled water balloon.
The standard in stretch mark cream ointments, Palmer's was the first product I bought in anticipation of my expanding belly. I found this stuff to be smelly, feel creepy on my skin and not very absorbent. Once the product was absorbed (or more accurately, wiped off on my clothes or bed sheets) my skin immdeatly felt chalky and dry where it hadn't pre-application... Anyone who purports that this stuff has kept them from getting stretch marks is falling victim to a very successful marketing campaign and a happy coincidence of heredity.
