Organically Growing

The offical blog of HappyGreenBaby.com

Assembling Our Eco-Friendly Crib January 29, 2009

Filed under: Eco-Friendly Baby Furniture, Green Nursery — happygreenbaby @ 5:28 am

After several weeks of UPS delays due to what is reportedly being called Seattle’s biggest snowstorm ever, we finally got our Baby Miro crib from Grandma & Grandpa Angelo. Add in a couple more weeks of delay due to our general laziness and personal scheduling conflicts (Flight of the Conchords is back on), and we finally got to assembling the crib last weekend!

Overall, the process was fairly painless. Here is daddy-o Marc putting together the handy storage drawer that goes underneath the crib. We are about to realize that the white front and back panels were put on too low and the drawer won’t fit underneath. This was the only part we had to re-do though (8 screws in all), so I feel like we did pretty good.

Marc assembling eco-friendly crib

One thing I noticed is the total lack of smell associated with the crib! Most new furniture products you pull out of the box have a definite odor about them … but I am happy to report that this beauty did not off-gas any noxious fumes in our basement. Not to mention it looks really fabulous.

Now we’re just waiting on the organic crib mattress and organic crib bedding to get here!

 

28-Week Belly January 23, 2009

Filed under: Pregnancy Belly Pictures — happygreenbaby @ 5:19 am

 

Wowza, this little hellcat is showing me who’s boss! He’s kicking like crazy and growing huge! We had a little ultrasound this week and found out he’s a whopping 4 lb. 4 oz. already.

28-week-belly

 

Going Green in the Delivery Room January 21, 2009

Filed under: Baby Skin Care, organic pregnancy — happygreenbaby @ 6:11 pm
Tags: , ,

Hospitals are notoriously wasteful – they have to be to a certain extent: utilizing disposable plastic everywhere, paper cups, utensils, etc. But when it comes to caring for my baby in the delivery room, nursery, etc. I’m a little concerned about the products that come in direct contact with our baby.

I’m choosing to use organic baby soap, shampoo and lotion, and chemical-free wipes, chlorine-free diapers (and cloth diapers) at home … so why shouldn’t baby’s first experiences with these items be of the same healthy caliber at the hospital?

The Daily Green published a great post today about a project called Go Baby Green at a New Jersey hospital. The program provides parents with information to keep their homes “environmentally safe for youngsters.” 

Check it out: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/green-moms-class-55012001?src=rss

While the hospital where our little guy will be entering the world doesn’t have this class yet – there are things I can do to ensure his first few days in the world are chemical free and as healthy they will be at home.

For starters, we’re going to bring our own unscented, organic-based Little Twig bath products for his first bath at the hospital. The travel set is the perfect thing to pack in your hospital bag! We’ll also be bringing our own Seventh Generation chlorine-free diapers and Nature Babycare unscented wipes.

Most hospitals are happy to use the items you bring in, as long as you make it convenient and known that this is what you want. Some people suggest including it in your birth plan. Marc will also be able to make sure our supplies are being utilized.

 

My Most Dreaded Pregnancy Test, Completed! January 20, 2009

Filed under: organic pregnancy — happygreenbaby @ 9:41 pm

When I was about 12 weeks pregnant, my sister in law told me about the “worst test” I would encounter throughout my pregnancy: The Glucose Screening at 28 weeks. She went on and on about how horrible tasting the sugary syrup was and how she could hardly choke down the stuff at the doctor’s office. So, you can imagine my dread when at last month’s checkup, my midwife gave me a bottle of orange liquid with instructions for drinking it prior to my next monthly appointment.

One hour before my appointment yesterday, I pulled the bottle out of the fridge and started to slam the beverage – hoping to get it down before I actually tasted anything. I’ve never really been good at chugging things … and fortunately for me the syrup was not too bad! It tasted like a melted orange icy pop. Sugary and strong, yet, but it didn’t give me the gag reflex and I got it down without any issues.

So now that that test is done, I have nothing to worry about, right? Oh … except for that whole labor and delivery thing.

 

Om … Pre-Natal Yoga Class January 15, 2009

Filed under: Fitness, organic pregnancy — happygreenbaby @ 10:17 pm
Tags: ,

I’ve been doing my pre-natal yoga and cardio fitness DVDs here at home (off and on) for several months, now. But this week marks my first venture out into the real world to exercise with other pregnant women. I went to my first pre-natal yoga class at Shakti yoga in Ballard last night.

There were 7 of us there, ready to bend, fold and twist our way to a stress-free pregnancy. While the workout was phenomenal (I can hardly move my arms today and the labor squat routine was intense!), probably the best thing about the class was being around other pregnant women. There’s something very comforting about hearing another woman say she is feeling a pain here, or wanting to stretch there - because I can totally relate. It was really beautiful to see all these women of different shapes and sizes, working to do something special for themselves and their baby.

Next class is on Saturday and I can’t wait.

 

Organic Homemade Babyfood Recipes January 14, 2009

Filed under: Organic Food & Cooking — happygreenbaby @ 5:17 pm
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A couple of months ago, I posted about how easy it is to make your own baby food. For a refresher, click here: http://blog.happygreenbaby.com/2008/10/06/make-your-own-organic-baby-food-really/

Today, I came across a great website chock full of delicious recipes for making babyfood, as well as food for toddlers! http://weelicious.com/

Weelicious has great photos, easy recipes and she does a lot of things based on what you can find at the farmers markets right now. Some of the food looks downright appetizing! Even better, the recipes are categorized by age group: 6-9 months, 10-12 months, toddler bites, big kids. I have it bookmarked for when our little Hellcat is ready to start munching on delights like Kiwi & Peach Puree and Mexican Beans & Rice.

Some other really fabulous things to help make homemade babyfood a snap you should check out:

So Easy! Babyfood Making Kit by FreshBaby, on sale at HappyGreenBaby.com for just $29.99 (was $37.95)
http://www.happygreenbaby.com/freshbaby-so-easy-baby-food-kit.html

Babycook Baby Food Maker by Beaba – $149.99
http://www.happygreenbaby.com/beaba-babycook-baby-food-maker.html

Squirt BPA-free Babyfood Dispenser Spoon by Boon – $8.50
http://www.happygreenbaby.com/boon-bpa-free-squirt-baby-food-dispenser.html

Baby Food Maker by Beaba, $149.99 at HappyGreenBaby.com

 

First Meal in the Freezer January 12, 2009

Filed under: Organic Food & Cooking, Pregnancy Nutrition — happygreenbaby @ 2:02 am

Following the advice of fellow new mom, Molly, I’m starting to compile an assortment of delicious, quick and healthful meals that can be stored in our freezer for those hectic days (weeks … months?) once baby boy arrives home.

First on the menu: Kale & Sweet Pea Stuffed Shells.

Our friend Steve, who visited over New Year’s Eve, made the suggestion of freezing manicotti. He said he does it pretty often because you can just pull out 2-3 manicotti and bake them off with some sauce. He even went so far as to say you could microwave it. Whoa … slow down there Steve.

This recipe is one of Giada’s, courtesy of the FoodNetwork.com.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/swiss-chard-and-sweet-pea-manicotti-winter-recipe/index.html

I made mine with kale instead of swiss chard, because that’s what Marc happened to pick up at the Ballard Farmers Market today. And I used large shells because they are easier to stuff than traditional manicotti or cannelloni shells. I put the shells on the cookie sheet to freeze, and once that’s done, I’ll transfer them to a big zip top bag for storage.

From start to clean up, it took me about an hour – but now we have 35, what I assume to be delicious, stuffed shells in the freezer, ready to baked to a melty goodness come April.

Next up … I’m thinking of doing a tofu teriyaki bowl with brown rice. I buy the Amy’s ones all the time … seems like I could recreate it at home in mass quanitity.

Kale & Sweet Pea Stuffed Shells

Kale & Sweet Pea Stuffed Shells

 

My “Ah-ha” Moment Today January 7, 2009

Filed under: Fitness, Pregnancy Nutrition, organic pregnancy — happygreenbaby @ 5:39 am

I was watching Oprah’s first episode in this week’s “Best Life” series in which she and trainer Bob Greene are talking about “getting on the wagon.” While I’m obviously not trying to lose weight today, there were two great points they brought up that struck me as important to how I’m living right now.

I have to admit that I’ve been feeling a bit … frustrated, shall we say? about my level of physical activity these days. Before I got pregnant, I had visions of continuing my 3-day-a-week weight routine, swimming and cardio. I saw myself as being one of those incredibly fit, fabulously energetic pregnant women. Then we moved. I didn’t get a gym membership and I resigned myself to walking the dogs and doing yoga tapes at home. It’s not like a turned into a pastry-eating sloth, but it hasn’t been the sweat-busting workouts I had penciled for myself.

Now with “just” 15 weeks to go in my pregnancy, I’m starting to feel like “it’s too late” to be this healthy vision I had. Bob Greene said today that once we determine it’s too late for something, we’ve given up. There’s no hope. I don’t want to have no hope. 15 weeks is a long time! I have time to take longer walks – trek up the stairs at the beach park – do more  yoga tapes! I can still be the athletic, healthy woman I know I am!

Second item of note: Oprah made comment about how regardless of how poorly she had treated her body in the past year – it still performed for her, still carried her through her daily life. And she was grateful for that. That struck me.

I might have thickening thighs and a jiggly butt … but my body is growing a healthy baby boy. It is performing  a task like none other – and doing a damn fine job of it, I might add. I’m grateful for this body and all it’s strength and wellness. Cellulite and all.

 

Time Flies When Your Growing a Baby January 5, 2009

Filed under: organic pregnancy — happygreenbaby @ 7:03 pm

I can’t believe we’re already at week 25 of this pregnancy! We are more than half-way done cooking up our little boy, and while April 20 still seems like a long ways off, I have to believe it’s going to come faster than I ever could imagine … and there’s lots to do!

On our list of prenatal organizational To-Dos:

  1. Register for various birthing, breastfeeding, fathering, newborn care, CPR-type classes at our hospital. Once you start looking at the calendar in terms of 6-week long classes that have to be taken … April is sooner than later!
  2. Assemble crib (which was lost in transit thanks to snow storm that had UPS all sorts of screwed up for two weeks)
  3. Acquire various other baby acoutramontes such as mattress, changing table, stroller
  4. Have a baby shower!
  5. Finish reading “Birthing from Within”
  6. Start making freezer meals for when baby comes

And then there’s that whole working, traveling, enjoying Seattle, meeting new people, working out thing that needs to be handled! Whew … and there’s not even a baby here yet.