Natural Attachment

New Web Log

2008-01-04T23:44:00.000-05:00

I have started a new blog here. I will not be blogging here anymore.

Sweet Resource for Green Unschoolers

2007-11-30T23:04:00.000-05:00

So here is yet another really cool resource for Unschoolers and the like...Green Hour

There are ideas for Nature related Journals and Activities. The site even has a community forum and you can read Green Hour's blog about children and Nature.

the obligatory update post

2007-11-19T19:10:00.001-05:00

because time is of an essence or something, I am not able to 'blog' like I think I'd like to. So, here is a review of things and such.

* I have a myspace account, complete with a blog Myspace.
* we moved .9 miles north into my in-laws former house and they moved to Virginia Beach.
* I am still on my midwifery sabbatical and enjoying the time well spent with family/friends and on the new house.
* William has been at his job (Trader Joe's) for over a year, but still lacks the respect that he deserves.
* I am finding my monthly cycles harder to cope with, because I am having them and not having babies...I have renamed them from menstrual cycles to depression cycles...there is truth to the talk about an internal clock ticking away, because mine is screaming at me with all its might to just have a fucking baby already. It has been this way for a good two years.
* Elijah's godfather and his fiance and her daughter, or as I like to call them, my 'almost relatives', are coming to stay with us and visit in late January for a good week...we are all excited about this. Hopefully, this visit will be the final nudge to getting them to move out here, so we can be all one happy family.
* I have a ton of things to make for Solstice gifts and I still haven't unpacked my sewing machine or serger!
* I am feeling Winter creep in through the Autumn leaves and while it's nice, because I like Winter best, I still wanted to have an Autumn...
* Elijah opted to not be something scary for Halloween and that is wonderful...I like simple and creative expressions.
* I have managed to avoid laundry and other jobs to upload tons of new pictures to the flickr...so go and enjoy: Flickr
* I am hungry and going to go cook and eat...you should probably do the same. If you asked nicely, I would cook for you and we could do my laundry together!

Cheers and have a meaningful Thanksgiving -- it's not about Pilgrims and Indians...it's about being thankful for what we have and who we have, which we should practice every day.

Peace and Love,
Michele

Seeing Colors

2007-10-24T15:19:00.000-04:00

I've always thrown this thought out there. Each of us (just about) were taught our colors at an early age at home or at preschool/daycare. We were taught what Red, Blue and Yellow were and then onto the others.

My question was always: is the Blue I'm seeing the same Blue that you are seeing? Now there are other issues with this one, for me in particular. Though I am not 'color-blind', I do have an issue with Red and Green. Things which are Red, especially things written with a Red pigment appear fuzzy or blurry to me, the farther away or smaller the subject. If something is Red and in my peripheral field of vision, I might not even 'see' it at all -- and I have excellent peripheral vision. With the color Green, on the other hand, I see it too sharply...anything within my field of vision that is Green will stand out more, almost in a 3-D kind of way. I also can pick up even the slightest tinge of Green in another color and it seems to appear more vividly for me than for those who are around me. I have also found myself saying things were Green when those around me swore that they were not.

Now obviously, these are specific vision perceptions that maybe only myself or a few others experience; but this begs the question above: is the Blue I'm seeing the same Blue that you are seeing? How can we know that we are all seeing the same thing called Blue or Red or Green, etc.?

You might argue that light is a prism of colors and when we look at something, we are actually seeing the color that it is not -- à la 'why is the sky blue?'. But is it possible for some of us to have our brains and eyes to see colors differently than the masses; to see more colors at once (or rather, not see more colors at once)? Is it possible that I might be seeing things that are (or are not) both Blue and Yellow...this can explain my eyesight's affinity for seeing Green, when others only see Blue or Yellow.

Do you have a thought on the matter? Do you share something similar with me? Let me know.

strike is over

2007-08-28T20:35:00.000-04:00

not that I ever intended for there to be a strike and I never really made it 'official', but my 5 month long (approx. length of time) strike against the internet has ended. So for those of you who were wondering whether or not I was still alive, yes...alive and well.

However:
...now I have over 18K emails to sift through
...a hard drive with my life and life's work on it that I can't access
...I long to be out in the middle of nowhere -- where I can be free to turn janky cartwheels in native grasses, not worry that my neighbor's yard fertilizer is going to compromise all my efforts in the garden, watch chickens (that I won't eat) scatter as someone comes up the drive and where I can watch my boy puddle jump until he's bathed in mud and I don't have carpet to worry about.
...I want less consumption and alternatives to that consumption
...I'm still chasing my shadow and trying to find where I hid myself...
...I'm still longing to be free from awkward social/societal obligations
...my husband just informed me that I am an elitist -- however I am still in denial

What has this time from the computer and internet taught me? That if you leave your computer off for too long, everything you've put your heart into will dissapear, people don't change and those that really care still fucking call you.

I guess you want updates now and less bitching...

Elijah will be 4 years old (yes really!) on September 18th. He's phenomenal. The reason that I breathe everyday, besides the involuntary aspects of breathing. He signs, screams, hums, talks with a British accent a lot, and whispers. There are hugs, kisses, flips and lots of dancing. He is an Ocean of Wisdom in a Sea of Never Ending Questions. Elijah is Perfect.

I am still on Sabbatical and feel the relief of not being responsible to those that are not related in spirit or blood. I am not completely separated from the birthing world and have dabbled a little here and a little there. I must say though that it feels really good to not have to take my cell phone to the bathroom with me at 4 AM because someone might be in labor and might call. I'm regrouping, searching, seeking, thinking and living. I hear something screaming at me, but I can't really make out the words...the Universe has been testing me and trying to make sure that I am still Awake and that I know my place.

I'll let William speak for hisself (vernacular form of himself). Oh, we just celebrated six years together...isn't that radical or something?

On Monday (Labor Day), we are leaving Pittsburgh for Virginia Beach to visit William's parent's -- oh, yeah, they moved to Virginia Beach a couple of months ago and we moved into their house in PIttsburgh and are now selling our former house in PIttsburgh. If you would like our new address or to purchase our old house, please send me your request. It will be nice to see the beach again and to bathe in the Ocean.

I have lots of new pictures, but I can't get to them, because they are on my hard drive and it hates me right now.

Life is fantastic -- "today is the greatest day of my life" - Avocado

You can also read my blog over at MySpace

Cheers to you all
MIchele

Like Oh My Gosh...Look at This

2007-03-21T11:46:00.000-04:00

This was all done by the lovely and talented woman behind Colorfool

new pictures for the masses

2007-03-18T01:40:00.000-04:00

I have been hassled recently by several peoples to upload some new photos of myself onto my myspace page...so, I did just that. YOU should go and see them and if you haven't been to my myspace page yet, then you should just go and see it -- who knows, I might let you 'friend' me.

My G-d, I just said I'd let you 'friend' me...

Pittsburgh Midwife

Sweet & Bitter Part II

2007-03-16T19:58:00.000-04:00

Our friends Courtney, Nathan and their son Sonadore (Dore) welcomed another family member into their lives on Monday, March 12th, 2007 at 9:18 AM. Banyan Midnite Apple Ouldage entered this world into her fathers loving hands while friends surrounded in support. She weighted in at 9lbs 9oz and approx 21 inches long. Hip Hip Hooray for another crusty punk and feminist on this planet!!

This was another awesome unhindered homebirth that I have been privileged to be present for. Courtney was so awesome and powerful -- she's a mama who can do anything! Everybody in the family is doing well and our community of friends are making sure that they are fed well and have everything that they need.

On another note, this will probably be the last birth that I attend for awhile -- outside of sporadic attendance of births for friends. I mentioned in my last post the reason behind my sabbatical from midwifery, you can refer back to it for more information. It's odd though...I had thought that I would be depressed and unsure of what the next step would be, but I actually feel as though some weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.

Whats next for me? I don't have plans other than gaining experience points in Domestic Goddess-ness! I am really looking forward to having nothing more to shunt all my attention on other than family and life in general. I enjoy the surge of energy and newfound respect for Mother Nature with every birth that I attend, but I also get those same feelings when my son smiles at me -- and getting him to smile is easy work!

For those of you who are close and know me well, don't worry...I am really satisfied with my decisions. Besides, I need more long nights of "you, me and five bucks" than anything right now. Cheers and Namaste!

Sweet & Bitter

2007-03-05T12:45:00.000-05:00

So, another wonderful and beautiful baby journeyed here back on February 22nd, 2007. He was born at 12:35 AM, weighed all of 5lbs 12 oz, 18 inches long and will live up to his name -- Rowan Shalom Giuliano Tassone! You can read the birth story here.

I was delighted to be this single mother's midwife and to be there in support during her 19 hour labor and birth. She was strong, capable and beautiful. Both are doing well and have safely made it back home to Maryland to start their new lives together.

On another note: I have decided to take a 'radical Sabbatical' from midwifery once my friend, who is due any day, has her second baby. "Why!?", you ask...well, I need to have more time and energy for my family, home and educating/supporting/advocating unassisted childbirth. Does this mean that I will never attend another birth -- no, it's in my blood; I can't just walk away and never attend another birth. However, with the increasing number of Witch Hunt tactics from Pennsylvanian right wing zealots, such as a certain 'famous forensic pathologist' against non-nurse midwives and homebirthing parents, I have to reevaluate actions and whether or not to take an active role in birthing while here in Pittsburgh.

Part of me is even more ready and able to continue on and fight for what so many parents spend their money and time to get, when it's their G-d given right to birth when, where, why, how and with whom they damn well please, but the other parts of me are screaming that my 3 1/2 year old son needs me at home and not in a court room or jail cell. So, from the side lines, I'll continue to help families who want things done their way in accordance with the natural order of things and not be forced into the medical industry's technologically and inherently flawed baby machine.

Peace in Birth and Birth in Peace -- in one piece.

Quarter of a Century

2007-02-02T14:38:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's true...yesterday (02.01.07), I turned a Quarter of a Century -- that's 25 years old for some of you!

While this Earth imprisoned host has got me this far, it's my internal eternal self that has made me over and over and over again for the life times that I have spent trying to wake up at the end -- hoping to not wake up again.

I think I could have picked a better host this time around...She's overweight, has bad kidneys, sensitive lungs, the grace of an elephant and now a gallbladder that wants to fill her with stones and weaken her liver. Trust me, I didn't pick her for physical reasons, outside of being able to birth an army.

It's been an eternity, but only 25 years so far this go...I could have asked for it to have been better in areas and at certain times, but overall I have the memories and scars to speak for a journey that I would embark on again tomorrow without changing anything.

I love my friends and am thankful for my family -- I couldn't ask for a better person to be married to; I've got my best friend at my side always, in the now and in the there. I have my son who is the reason that I have become a beautiful butterfly and that there is this huge hole in my chest, for he is my heart -- running around outside of me.

And now I have tear stained cheeks and a runny nose...for some of you, this is a very familiar sight and some of you now know that, yes it's true, I can and do cry.

Here's to another Quarter and to the End of All Things!

Michele

We had fun in the snow yesterday

2007-01-26T21:42:00.000-05:00

You can find more pictures of our day here.

We were outside for about 45 minutes. It started out sunny and with a few flurries, but ended up dark, blizzard-ly and practically a whiteout!!!

Oh and our snowman bust has pasta buttons and eyebrows, almond mouth, carrot nose, chocolate chip clusters for eyes, stick arms and half an acorn squash peel (from the compost heap) for a hat.

The current 'outcome' of the Witch Hunt

2007-01-26T16:20:00.000-05:00

the post title is the link

Here we go again

2007-01-17T23:52:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends and Supporters of Midwifery,

Thank you all for the outpouring of love and support for Diane! We are now only 11 days away from Diane's hearing with the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine in Harrisburg. I was privileged to spend some time with Diane on Saturday. I was able to look over her various documents and get answers to many of the questions you have asked.

On the 26th, Diane faces 4 separate charges in a hearing with the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine. She is charged with practicing medicine without a license, practicing Nurse-Midwifery
without a license, holding herself out the public as being authorized to practice medicine and holding herself out the public as being authorize to practice Nurse-Midwifery. She faces possible fines of $10,000 per count. (Yes, that is ten thousand dollars, not one thousand! Trust me - I read the charging documents myself. The civil penalties have increased tenfold since the Yoders case.) Also, the board is likely to issue a statement or opinion regarding an interpretation of the law, that, if left unchallenged by appeal, will likely set a precedent for future cases. I probably don't need to tell you that that opinion will probably not be favorable to the free practice of midwife-attended home birth!

This isn't going to stop with Diane. Not if they win, and not if we can't get some legislation passed. There are plenty of other midwives they can go after and I'm sure they know that. Diane's lawyer believes that this could go to the PA Supreme Court. Costs there begin at $100,000. Yes, we are talking big money here, any way you look at it!

As Diane sees it, this is a political battle that will ultimately need to be resolved with legislation. And I believe that we can help in that area! An overwhelming show of public support for Diane and homebirth and midwifery care on the 26th may or may not have any impact on the outcome of the hearing, but it will get the attention of the legislators in Harrisburg! Particularly, I am hopeful that we can stir up public interest in this issue by getting the attention of the print media and TV.

This is our opportunity to get before the public and show them happy, healthy, home birthed children. It is our chance to show them that we are intelligent, capable, responsible people who make positive contributions to our communities and have made our birth choices accordingly. I am hoping that scores of us will gather inside and outside the hearing!

The Amish of Lancaster County have chartered two buses to go to Harrisburg on the 26th and are charging only $7 per person to go. Continue to spread the word and get as many homebirth supporters to Harrisburg on the 26th of January as you can! I will follow up on Tuesday with the exact address. (Diane is not sure of that herself, right now. If you haven't heard from me by Wednesday, January 17, please e-mail me. I don't want to make the mistake of leaving anyone out who wants to come!)

Now for some stats. Diane has been practicing midwifery in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, for over 25 years. She has assisted in the births of over 5,000 babies and has trained many young women in midwifery. She is a Certified Professional Midwife with the North American Registry of Midwives, an organization which provides oversight, continuing education, and high standards of professionalism in midwifery. www.narm.org Diane's practice is largely, though not exclusively, among Amish and Mennonite women. She is well known and highly regarded by the families whom she serves and by their church leadership. In 2000 she participated in the largest study to date of the outcomes of planned home births with CPMs in North America. The study was published in the British Medical Journal in 2005. The abstract states that, "Planned home birth for low risk women in North America using certified professional midwives was associated with lower rates of medical intervention but similar intrapartum and neonatal mortality to that of low risk hospital births in the United States."
Read Article Here

Although Diane is a CPM, she recognizes the need for and respects the skill of midwives who, for whatever reasons, choose not to seek certification. From personal experience, I can tell you that she is humble, warm, highly knowledgeable, and thoroughly professional.

I hope you can be in Harrisburg on the 26th, and bring as many supporters of midwifery as you can! As I mentioned before, Diane is paying her own legal fees, and has already incurred significant legal costs. If you or anyone you know would like to help her with this, I am including her address below. Thanks for your support!

Diane Goslin
New BABI
931 Old Road
Strasburg, Pennsylvania 17579

Sincerely,
Jody Ward
sevenwards@juno.com

New Shirt

2007-01-08T21:37:00.000-05:00

I got the kiddo and his Godsister matching shirts from circular accessories

So, when can I get my playhouse?

2006-12-29T18:39:00.000-05:00

Secret Passage

Yule is upon Us

2006-12-20T21:24:00.000-05:00

though I don't share all of the author's underlying hatred, I did appreciate this article

Have Yourself a Merry Little Solstice

more to come about the holiday(s) soon.

Rest in Peace James Kim

2006-12-06T16:28:00.000-05:00

James Kim was found deceased.

I know everybody will be thinking of the Kim family this holiday season.

Life Saving Lactation

2006-12-06T11:12:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure how many of you have been following the Kim Family story and hoping for the safe rescue of the missing family, but Kati Kim and her two children have been found. Authorities, friends and family are still looking for James Kim.

This article further proves that breastfeeding is best and is life saving...as if we didn't already know and understand that -- well, some of us know it.

ABC News

Breast Milk Ensures Children's Survival
Mother Nurses Two Children, Including 4-Year-Old, Over Nine Days
By DAN CHILDS
ABC News Medical Unit

Dec. 5, 2006 - - Trapped miles from civilization in a snowbound car, in subfreezing temperatures, Kati Kim had to ensure that her children survived until search parties rescued them.

Nine days later, the helicopters came.

Remarkably, Kim's daughters, 4-year-old Penelope and 7-month-old Sabine, were reported to be in good condition after the ordeal.

The key to this fortunate ending may have been the fact that Kim breast-fed both of them to keep them alive amidst the harsh conditions. No other food was available.

Experts say the episode suggests how mother's milk, in a disastrous pinch, can make the difference in the chances of a child's survival.

"The fact that Kati Kim was able to breast-feed both of her children for the amount of time that they were stranded most likely was lifesaving for them," said Dr. Sheela Geraghty, assistant professor of pediatrics and medical director of the Center for Breastfeeding Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati.

"Breast milk not only provides the calories needed to sustain life, it also helps prevents dehydration," Geraghty said.

"I'm really, really grateful that the mother had breast milk available for the baby, as well as for her other child," said Judy Hopkinson, assistant professor at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

"This is a remarkable fluid in many ways. There is nothing better you can give a child in a disaster than breast milk."

"Lucky for these children that mom was breast-feeding," said Kathy McCoy, a lactation consultant at Clarian Health Partners Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. "No one ever expects disaster to happen, but when it does, breast milk is truly a lifesaver."

Not Just Nutrition

Breast milk is often reputed for its nutritional benefits for children, but Hopkinson says human milk confers more than just sustenance.

"These kids weren't getting, I'm sure, all of the calories they needed," she said. "So the breast milk was also giving them protection against serious illness, in addition to nutrition."

The idea that babies get an immune boost from breast milk is not a new one.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, breast-fed babies suffer fewer illnesses such as diarrhea, earache and respiratory infections.

"Breast milk is really primarily an immune booster," Hopkinson said. "We think of it as nutrition, but it is really integral to the immune system."

Breast-feeding, in this case, may also have helped Kim and her children survive in another way in the harsh conditions -- body heat.

"Breast-feeding increases a mother's body temperature," Hopkinson said. "So with the baby snuggled up against her chest, it probably actually helped them generate body heat to keep themselves warm."

Breast-Feeding Amidst Stress

The Kims' situation was nothing if not traumatic.

After the car ran out of fuel, and Kim and her husband, James, burned tires for warmth, James left her and their two young children and set off into the wilderness to seek help.

He still has not been found.

That Kim was able to continue to breast-feed her children while fearing for the survival of her family is a notable feat, Hopkinson says.

"People always talk about how stress can undermine breast-milk production. In this situation, it's very important to see that it's not about external stress, but it's about internal management of stress."

"You hear stories of mothers breast-feeding during disastrous situations, such as in the blitz on London in World War II. This was obviously a very stressful situation, but she wasn't internalizing it to the point that she could not do anything."

Experts say it is also remarkable that Kim was able to continue to breast-feed her children with little or no food for herself.

"Although the mother herself probably had a very limited food intake during this time, a lactating woman is able to produce an adequate milk supply based on the demand for the milk for a considerable amount of time even under the most extreme circumstances," Geraghty said.

"Think about running a marathon -- it takes a lot out of you, but you can do it," Hopkinson said.

"Mothers can, and often do, operate of a calorie deficit. There is no evidence that a 24-hour fast reduces milk production."

Kim's body was apparently also able to adjust to providing enough milk for both of her children to remain healthy.

"In the vast majority of cases, the baby determines how much milk it needs from the mother," Hopkinson said. "It's really quite amazing how some mothers breast-feed triplets without any help."

"Who knows what the human body is capable of."

Copyright C 2006 ABC News Internet Ventures

Michele Sullivan
cell 703-850-4505

New Goodies in the Shop

2006-12-01T22:43:00.000-05:00

Just in time for the holidays!

http://naturalattachment.etsy.com

Gallbladder News

2006-11-16T22:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went and visited a ND (Doctor of Naturopathy) and she was helpful in reaffirming my feelings about gallbladder removal surgery being fairly unnecessary. [A side note, this is not Dr. Berez that I am speaking about] She was pretty thorough in her assessment of me and my current health status. She prescribed a 28-day detoxification diet, a couple homeopathic remedies, a hormone test and a follow-up visit in a month. I like her, but now I have to rant about Naturopathy...

As many of you know, I have taken and will continue to take some distance learning classes for eternity that in theory will all lead up to a ND degree for myself one day! Upon leaving my appointment with my ND, I was a bit underwhelmed and slightly miffed at the cost and more upset at the higher costs of other professionals in her building, who are not less qualified, but haven't spent the time and money on their education as said ND. It's bad enough that NDs aren't licensed here in PA; so they can't bill insurance companies, but they all seem to charge like they can. I just want to know who is paying and can pay these prices and on a regular basis? The particular ND I went to was reasonably priced, but I can't afford to see her on a regular basis and I won't be able to send the kiddo to her too, like I had wanted to do.

The underwhelming part of the experience was the fact that I could have done and prescribed exactly what she did, if I had just taken the time to do so. I have the same case file scenario books and folders that she does and most of the books on her bookshelf...if I had taken the time, I could have saved myself some serious money. She looked over and discussed my intake forms, talked with me about my diet, life, stress and such. Then she went over and picked a couple books and folders off the books shelf, looked up gallbladder disease/issues and then started to narrow down, based on my history, a plan of action. The same damn thing I was going to sit and do in my own home for free...but alas, I wanted to go to a professional.

It might sound like I am unhappy with the care I am receiving, but that's not the case...I just wish that I had walked away from the experience with something to ponder over and to justify the cost. At any rate, I will continue to see her until the money runs dry.

Second Opinion and a Hair Cut

2006-11-11T23:36:00.001-05:00

I went to speak with the man who is assumed to be my surgeon if I have surgery. He was for all intensive purposes, an asshole. I hate to say it, but it's true -- he's plagued with the "I know I'm G-d, because I'm a surgeon" disease. He would have no business with me asking about alternatives to surgery and dismissed any and all of my valid concerns for what the impact on my body and other organs would be once my gallbladder was removed. When I questioned him about things, he actually pulled out and used the "I've been doing this longer than you've been alive" card...I wanted to reach across and slap him, but alas, I contained myself.

I am going to make an appointment with Dr. Franne Berez, MD, ND in Squirrel Hill and see if she will support my desire to avoid surgery and use her Naturopathic background to help me help myself. In the meantime, I am flushing my liver and gallbladder in the best way I know how, olive oil and lemon juice with apple juice fasts...obviously not every day!!!

On another note, I cut my son's hair. This will officially be the third time hair has been cut from his head. The first time when he was 6 weeks old...the infant mullet was killing me! The second time was around 20 months and it was just to even out the growth in the back -- again with the mullet!! And the other day (Wednesday 11.08.06 to be exact), I looked at Elijah's hair and thought, "my G-d, is his hair really that long and nappy?" So, out came the scissors. It was fairly easy, because 3/4 of his hair is dreaded up, so it was only a matter of cutting them all even to one another -- which was good, because he couldn't stand still to save his own life that day :) It's short for him, but hey it will all grow back in no time.

The first picture is Elijah on Halloween/Samhain as a Pirate and pre hair cut and the second picture is the day after the hair cut; sorry no picture of the back, but it tappers up to about 2 inches shorter than in the front -- isn't that robot bear applique on his shirt cute...I made that!!

Vegan Trick or Treating

2006-10-31T12:40:00.000-05:00

yes, it can be done! Oh and happy Halloween or Samhain to you all.

Here's the guide from Peta Kids on mainstream goodies

TRICK-OR-TREAT CANDIES
that are vegan
> Airheads taffy
> Atkins peanut butter bars
> Blow Pops
> Brach's Cinnamon Hard Candy
> Charms lollipops
> Chick-o-Sticks
> Cracker Jack
> Cry Babies
> Dem Bones
> Dots
> Dum-Dums
> Fireballs
> Goldenberg's Peanut Chews
> Hubba Bubba bubblegum
> Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)
> Jujubees
> Jujyfruits
> Lemonheads
> Mambas
> Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses)
> Now and Later
> Pez
> Ring Pop lollipops
> Smarties (U.S. Brand)
> Sour Patch Kids
> Starburst (jelly beans and hard candy)
> Super Bubble
> Swedish Fish
> Sweet Tarts
> Tropical Source mini chocolate bags
> Twizzlers
> Zotz
Source: Peta Kids

You can also choose to pass out candy and chocolate that is fair trade and vegan or like so many families are opting, why not pass out non-edible things. Small toys/pocket games bought from the dollar store, coupons to restuarants/toy shops/etc., quarters, and or other small holiday or child related items! Whatever you do, have fun and be safe!

That thing near my liver

2006-10-30T09:48:00.000-05:00

...my gallbladder -- it's coming out.

So after spending the last couple of weeks in and out of pain, my hubby made me go see a doctor on Friday. After she looked at me for about 5 mins, she told me to go straight to the ER. To my surprise, Upon a rather speed registration and check-in at the ER, I was peed, bleed and ultrasounded (for like 45mins --eek!). The results of the dipping, swirling, centrifuging, probing and list of questions -- gallbladder disease. Here's what was on my release papers:

Gallbladder Disease: Your exam shows that you have gallbladder disease. This means that there are stones and/or inflammation in your gallbladder and bile duct system. The symptoms of this disease are: heartburn, nausea, belching, vomiting, and an intolerance to certain foods (fatty foods mainly).

Gallbladder symptoms may improve with a proper low-fat diet and weight loss (if you are overweight). Medications to relieve pain and reduce spasms in the bile duct may be quite helpful. Usually the diseased gallbladder needs to be removed by surgery. Please see your doctor or go to the ER at once for further evaluation is you have: more severe or persistent pain that lasts for more than one day, fever, repeated vomiting, or jaundice (yellow skin/eyes).

So, on Tuesday, November 7th, I am meeting with my soon to be surgeon to schedule my gallbladder removal. I'll keep you updated as things move along. Oh and if you feel so inclined to donate money for my medical bills my paypal addy is paypal at naturalattachment dot com.

Another Good Birth

2006-10-10T00:10:00.000-04:00

Caden James Stephens was born on Saturday, October 7th, 2006. He weighed 9lbs & 8oz and was 18 & 1/8 inches long. His mother is doing well and getting used to being a mum! The whole family was happy the birth was at home. Time from active labor to birth of the placenta was 12 hrs & 5 mins for this first time mum. Happy birthday Caden!

Elder Gods are teaching Doula Classes

2006-09-29T16:54:00.000-04:00

The Doula School
http://www.cthulhuforpresident.com/

It appears that an elder god (or one of The Great Old Ones) is teaching women how to become doulas. Just read the URL for yourself...here it is all spelled out for you "www dot cthulhu for president
dot com". WOW! I'm impressed and just might have to sign up for the course! Aside from the obviously funny URL, the site looks to be factual and legitimate...I would consider taking the course if I had a desire to be certified.

We know that Cthulhu (kutulu in Sumerian) cares about helping women become pregnant through some odd manner that I won't discuss here, but who knew that he cared about seeing women have peaceful labors and childbirths?!?!?! For my mere amusement, I went and dug up actual background for
Kutulu's presidency campaign and it just so happens that people are trying to elect an elder god for president -- isn't that cute :)

Happy Birthday Elijah Uriel Parham

2006-09-18T12:32:00.000-04:00

Elijah at 14 months

Three years ago today, I gave birth to one of the best things this world has going for it. After a short labor (~ 4.5 hrs) and a couple pushes, out came 10.2 lb Elijah with a full head of hair. I was relieved that I was no longer pregnant, but saddened by the feeling of having lost something from within me. What I didn't realize then was that my heart was no longer inside my body, but was now in my arms and suckling at my breast, which it continued to do until 27 months old.

We have been through a lot I guess...I mean three years is really a long time, I would assume most people would agree. I am thankful that I have been able to be there for my son through everything. I have been able to successfully fight off the daycare monster and not have to expose Elijah to it's filth, despair and the bad habits of other misfortunate and innocent souls who are left there either because it was seen as necessary or because it was convenient. I have been able to stick by my 'parenting goals' and hopefully have done a smash up job at laying the ground work for my son to grow up as a compassionate, just and productive person. There's been teeth coming in, cold toes, bad tempers, arguments, doubts and shamefully and regretfully some spanking in the past. There's been piles upon piles of smiles, laughs and giggles, tickle fights, kisses and hugs and nuzzles, waking up with feet in my face, hours spent reading, splashing in baths, numerous 'firsts', very little refined sugar, additives or preservatives, explorations in art, stone collecting, people watching, popcorn eating, singing and drumming and miles and miles of trains chugging along.

I have watched a baby grow up into a spirited toddler and then into a hungry for life little boy. It gives me the greatest joy to know that I have played the biggest part that I could possibly play in that growing. I plan to play just as much as a part in his life while he grows on. These three years spent at home by my son's side have helped me grow into the mother I want to be and heal wounds of my past, while protecting and sheltering my heart that goes running around learning to climb, jump, stand on one foot, share with others, gently stroke babies, build towers of leaning, smell flowers, sing in the shower, dictate letters and stories, count to 15 and hold hands at every opportunity.

The years ahead will be yet another journey as William and I continue to build the foundation for Elijah's love of life and his love of learning. There will be more books and reading, abacuses, cuisine rods, paints, nature walks, journals, documentaries, vacations, field trips, baking and cooking, learning to read and write, castle battles reenacted, mysteries solved and history debated. Most of all there will be more playing. Making the decision to stay home and help Elijah learn all that he can in an environment that he is familiar with while surrounded by his family, friends and community was an easy one. I'll have the joy to report back to the world in another three years what it will be like when I'm there and Elijah learns to read, do simple math, tell fantasy stories, point out places on a map, understand how seeds sprout and plants grow, why the sun is our foe and friend, how to love all the different people of the world and why the sky is blue.

I still can't believe it's been three years. It was just yesterday that....Funny, I'm sure my mother will be saying the same thing when I turn 25 next year! Here's to many more fun filled years with my heart, my son Elijah and to watching him grow into an awesome free thinking man. Hopefully his future sister will decide to join us along the path.

Elijah at the Beach September 02, 2006

Elijah at South Side Works Fountain August 27, 2006

Elijah's Birthday Party

2006-09-06T10:31:00.000-04:00

You are all welcome to join the bash! We are gathering in the park on September 23rd to celebrate Elijah's 3rd Birthday (which is on the 18th), but also to get together all of the alternative parents in the community for a huge vegan potluck and play date. If you are in the area on the day of the event and would like to celebrate with us, please feel free to do so.

You can download a flyer and a map here:
Flyer
Map

Have fun!

Update on Etsy

2006-09-06T09:42:00.001-04:00

So, I now have about 2 dozen items listed and a handful of people have 'hearted' me, but alas, no sales! I'm just blaming it on end of the month and Labor Day weekend...we'll see how this month goes. Send blessings my way and oh, BUY SOMETHING! Not to be too demanding or anything :)

apology

2006-09-05T09:57:00.000-04:00

sorry for anyone who subscribes to my blog feed; when I switched to the new beta version of blogger, it republished my entire blog and well, you got every post I've made in the last 10 years!!! Sorry!

Turbans Up!

2006-08-26T21:26:00.000-04:00

So I thought that maybe you needed to see something cute! Elijah with our friend's baby sling wrapped up turban style.

Etsy

2006-08-24T16:44:00.000-04:00

Natural Attachment at Etsy

Well, I opened up my Etsy shop last night and have listed the beginnings of my wares. I hope you all will visit and think about buying something. There is more to come...Just takes time taking all of these pictures and writing descriptions and tagging merchandise and and and...

More news on this and other things later...

Store Update

2006-07-31T19:16:00.000-04:00

Good and bad...No, I'm not giving up! I am just placing things on hold temporarily. I think I will be temporarily opening up an eBay store to sell my wares until I can get all the HTML lined out for my online store. I know you are saying but, it's just code and we don't really care, but I care and I HATE HATE HATE non compliant sites. My own website still has issues and if it weren't for the fact that it's my main source of advertisement for midwifery and source for client information, then it wouldn't even be seeing the light of day until it was 100% or at least 98% compliant.

More information to come when I figure out my next move.

Unschooling

2006-07-31T12:20:00.000-04:00

So, even though we have been 'unschooling' or homeschooling ever since Elijah's birth, it's hard to explain that to 'The Man' and have him understand; this month we are testing out journal methods, field trip protocol and other things before we start our homeschooling adventure in September after Elijah's 3rd birthday. Obviously, we don't have to report to 'The Man' until he is like 8 years old, but we would like to start recording what we are doing and accomplishing now, so that we have an idea of where we are when 'judgment day' comes!

We are not really changing anything in our lives as far as daily living, but we will be actively noting what it is that we do and then trying to apply those things to academic categories, so that we have the hang of it by the time it's required and we'll be old pros!

For those that care, our approach to homeschooling is loose. We like to think of it as unschooling or child-directed learning. Though we do like and utilized many aspects of both Montessori and Waldorf, we don't really set up many 'lessons' or specific activities with the purpose of 'learning'. We just do everyday things, lots of reading, arts & crafts, trips to museums and shop at the co-op, farmers market and on the strip. Many trips to the library and children's museum are taken as well as participating at the Warhol art workshops and Art Lab at The Mattress Factory. We try to expose Elijah to many different people of all ages and in all sorts of environments as well. Oh, and not to mention the exposure he gets from visiting clients with me and attending most births too! You know the typical stuff!

I'll try to check in here and let you know how this new step in our learning adventure is going.

Beautiful Birth

2006-07-31T12:11:00.000-04:00

Well, sorry it's been awhile, but I was busy with a birth and life...You know things happen.

On Sunday, July 23rd, 2006 Miss Keira Lee Gibson was born at 4:18 PM into her parent's loving arms at home -- after almost 44 hours of labor! She was 7.6 pounds and 20 inches. Her mother was a first time mum and did an amazing job, especially considering that she had very little sleep for several days. Both mother and baby are doing well and enjoying one another.

This was yet another great birth for myself. I pretty much got to 'sit on my hands', which I prefer and most clients do as well. It was long and tiring, but awesome to see a new mother that determined and supported that she could go the extra mile and harness the strength inside her to bring her daughter into the world.

I thank Erin and Scott for letting me be part of that special and intimate moment. May they have more awesome births like this one in the future!

Why????

2006-07-17T21:59:00.000-04:00

Amazon.com: Vegetarian Scottish Haggis: Gourmet Food

Could someone explain why we need vegan/vegetarian HAGGIS!!!!!!!!! You would only appreciate this if you used to eat haggis and for some odd reason missed the taste of its nasty-mcnastiness. Really folks, it's ok to be vegan and not eat things that taste like crap in their 'non-vegan' forms.

Elijah at the Park 2

2006-07-17T13:13:00.000-04:00

We went to the park the other day and took the liberty of enjoying the wonderful July weather here in Pittsburgh...

See more pictures of our day at the park here

Time for an update

2006-07-11T21:44:00.000-04:00

So, let's just admit that I am a terrible blogger and get over it. I can not seem to actually click on my tool bar short cut and post to my blog...it's not like I don't spend a considerable amount of time on the damn computer any way. But, alas, I'll just give you guys an update on life and such.

Business for me has picked up with new clients and all. This also means less time in front of the sewing machine and serger, which means less time making stuff for the store...at this point I'm not sure when she'll open up to the public. I'm not giving up though.

Elijah will be 3 in a bit over 2 months...wow! Three years since I squatted him out into a jacuzzi bath tub! Oh, how the time flies and it's not like he's just turning 3, it's more like he's turning 5 or 6, because well, that's about how old he acts -- unless he's tired or extremely hungry and then you know that he's much younger :)

William and I are trying to put together a plan to open up a business around the corner from our house. Once upon a time it used to be called the "thrift gift" and has since been abandoned and for sale for at least as long as we have lived here. We would like to call it "Rockers Refuge", as in Reggae Rockers; it would be a sort of cafe, book store and possible small venue on the North Side of town, where there isn't anything! It's located in the bastard-child neighborhood of Brightwood -- smashed between Brighton Heights and Perry South and apparently part of Marshall-Shadeland. It's about smack dab in the middle of a decrepit commerce strip, next to a beer, wine and spirits distributor.

ok, I need to interrupt this update for family time...the kid is upset and I'm hungry...be back soon.

...so much for getting back to this update...man am I terrible or what!?!?!?! I'm going to just give up on this for now. You can enjoy pictures of our trip to the park in the next post :)

Self Portrait Tuesday

2006-07-01T23:06:00.000-04:00

Me and my eye pictures...
Originally uploaded by Natural Attachment.

So, it's not Tuesday, but I just uploaded several SPT pictures for you peoples who always ask for pictures of me. Here you go...love 'em or leave 'em.

"A Tale of Two Nursing Moms"

2006-06-30T11:46:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 29, 2006

“A Tale of Two Nursing Moms”

Racine, WI – This Saturday, two moms are organizing a nationwide nurse-in of the popular lingerie store, Victoria’s Secret. Prompted by run-ins with Victoria’s Secret employees, Rebecca Cook, of Burlington, WI and Jessie Chandler, of Quincy, MA have decided to do something about state and federal laws that do not protect nursing mothers.

On June 21, 2006, Rebecca Cook entered a Victoria’s Secret store with a friend to browse through the sales racks. While in the store, Mrs. Cook’s daughter wanted to nurse, so she went to the dressing room and asked for one. When a dressing room wasn’t available, she said that she’d sit out of the way and nurse her daughter, and was told that she wasn’t allowed to by a store employee, that she would have to use a restroom. After she refused to use a restroom to nurse her daughter, a dressing room opened up, and while she was in it, the two store employees were heard loudly discussing, right outside her dressing room, to make sure if there’s an occupied sign that the dressing room is truly occupied and to get customers in and out of the dressing rooms as soon as possible. Mrs. Cook left the dressing room because of their rudeness, nursing her daughter on her way out of the store. When she called to complain to the store manager, she was told that the employee probably asked her to nurse in the restroom because the sight of her breasts might offend a customer. Taking the complaint of the treatment by the store manager to the corporate customer service wasn’t any further help, because she was told that women are not allowed to try on clothing in the middle of the store, therefore they are not allowed to nurse in the middle of the sales floor.

In a similar incident, Jessie Chandler entered a Victoria’s Secret store on June 22, 2006 to browse the sales racks as well. A saleswoman approached her to welcome her to Victoria’s Secret, and Mrs. Chandler asked to use a changing room. When asked by the sales associate if she was going to change her daughter’s diaper, Mrs. Chandler said that she was going to nurse her, to which the sales associate replied with giving directions to the bathroom outside the store. Mrs. Chandler refused to use the bathroom, and the attendant said that it was unsanitary for her to nurse in the dressing room because people change in them. When Mrs. Chandler called the store manager, she received an apology. Mrs. Chandler called Victoria’s Secret’s corporate office after hearing of Mrs. Cook’s experience with corporate’s customer service, and was told that Mrs. Chandler’s experience was an isolated experience and that she would have a letter of apology sent out to her.

This nurse-in is not about Victoria’s Secret’s lack of enforcing their company policy; the company only prompted the awareness for a need for state and federal protection for nursing mothers. The federal government has invested a lot of time and money into advertising about breastfeeding being the best nutrition for babies, but without federal protection, some moms might give up when they’re told that breast milk is dirty and unsanitary. To make those federal dollars most effective, we have to protect and educate; protect a mother’s right to nurse in public, and educate those that work with the public on the proper way to handle nursing in public and those that might complain about it.

“A Tale of Two Nursing Moms” seeks to bring recognition to the need for a federal law that protects a nursing mother's right to feed her baby anywhere that she and her baby would otherwise be allowed to be. We’re urging moms [and anyone supportive of breastfeeding] to go to their local Victoria’s Secret on July 1 at 1 pm to nurse their babies and be a part of this important movement.

Spread the word and show up! You can track the discussions and progress here

Happy Midsummer

2006-06-21T10:42:00.000-04:00

Today is the Summer Solstice. Happy Solstice! Go and eat something good outside and enjoy all the vitamin D you are getting from being out in the sun.

New Veg*n Forum for Women

2006-06-08T21:19:00.000-04:00

Yes, Harmonia
has started a new forum for veg*n women and I am moderating the boards for Veg*n Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.

Hope you all can join us there.

**Update (07.17.06)** I am no longer moderating these boards...I just have too much on my plate to sit and contribute to a forum all day long; however, you SHOULD go and look around there -- great source of information and support for women vegans and vegetarians.

Absent

2006-05-25T16:35:00.000-04:00

Sorry that I have been absent...I just haven't felt like blogging.

I am happy to say that I have two more clients waiting in the wings...meaning to say that I am very sure that they will hire me! Speaking of which, I finally set up a simple calendar template so that I can keep prenatal visits with these women straight.

My Father's father past away on Monday and his service was yesterday. It's been kind of rough on my father; now both of his parents are gone and he lost a really good friend a couple months back from a surgery complication. I think he'll be fine, because he has a large support system from friends and his siblings are there too. It's kind of weird being 1200 miles away from it all.

I talked to my grandfather a few weeks before he passed away and he was completely fine with knowing he was going to die somewhat soon. He basically said he couldn't complain, because he had wonderful kids, a handful of grandkids and he lived to see the first great-grandkid (my son). I accepted his death the day I talked to him and have been fairly fine since. However, I am not a very emotional person when it comes to death and I see as a relief and that whatever their doing after death and where ever they may or may not be, is better than dealing with the trials and tribulations of life on Earth, most days.

On a happier note, I have found some more inspiration for my store; which yes, I am opening up really soon! I just can't stop making stuff and I'm having a slight problem with the html code, but it's getting worked out.

That's about all for now. Take care all you 4 readers out there!

Happy May Day!!

2006-05-01T09:58:00.000-04:00

Beltane

Wow! I can't believe we are almost to Summer already! I had almost forgotten about today! Looks like I'll be making some cakes and ale for later on. Don't know if my neighbors would appreciate a May Pole...there is that telephone pole at the corner of our yard though...

enjoy your May Day, however you celebrate :)

Caught up by Spring

2006-04-30T18:29:00.000-04:00

I've been slacking off lately...I've been caught up in Spring time! I know it sounds cheezy, but I have been enjoying the time spent outside and out and about doing things with my hubby and son.

We've picnicked at the park twice, once while visiting The Blue Slide Play Ground at Frick Park (it's like the United Nations of playgrounds!) and once over by the National Aviary

We've gone to the Zoo & Aquarium

Finally joined the East End Food Co-Op

Finally went to The Quiet Storm

Did some thrifting at Red, White and Blue

...and some other little things here and there.

We are going to Harrisburg next weekend. For the moment, we are just enjoying life as it comes! I know, I have to get back to work on sewing more goodies for the store. I am almost done formatting and setting up the store; not online yet, but I'm saving that for once all the first swath of inventory is finished.

Enjoy Spring...

Sewing Machine...

2006-04-09T20:15:00.000-04:00

...That's what I am. I have been sewing like crazy to stock my boutique that I am about to open. It never amazes me just how time consuming sewing for little people can be! I thought that the less material you needed, the less time you would need as well; hahaha, I was wrong!

So far I have:

48 simple 'grow with me' messenger/tote/purse bags
18 pair of 'free size' loungy-pyjama pants
12 toddler/child aprons
25 cloth wrist bands
8 child sized baby slings
6 assorted softies
4 'studio floor scrap' pillows with covers (pillows stuffed with serger scraps and other material and yarn scraps from my work space.)
12 cloth diapers
4 fleece diaper cover longies

and much more to go

must go sew some more

Vegan Easter...

2006-04-06T19:08:00.000-04:00

I just got done reading Rethinking the Easter Egg

Now, while I wouldn't paint such a grim picture like the author, I do agree that there must be healthier and more humane ways of celebrating Easter for whatever reason that you celebrate it.

There's always the plastic egg, but as many of you know, plastic isn't the best thing for little people to be mouthing and playing with, so what are other options?

I have put together a list of ideas here pointing my readers to alternative Easter Eggs and Easter Egg alternatives:

Petas' No-Bake Clay, Papier-MÃ¢chÃ© and Chocolate eggs
Painted Wooden Easter Eggs
Paper Eggs
"Egg Hunt" without eggs or chocolate

I'm in favor of not hunting any kind of egg, but finding small treats and trinkets. I do believe that's what we will be doing this Eostre -- I mean Easter ;)

Baby Emaline is Here!

2006-04-01T18:30:00.000-05:00

Go and look at how beautiful Miriam and Todd's newborn daughter is...

Knocked Up Vegan

NEW WEBSITE

2006-03-24T16:31:00.000-05:00

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Natural Attachment releases it's new website. The shop is being constructed as we speak and things are being made to stock it. I'm also working on replacing this blog with a new one, but that might take some time.

So go and check it out already!!!!!

Natural Attachment

Neglect

2006-03-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

Don't worry, I don't neglect my child like I neglect my blog readers! I've just been too busy to sit at the computer. With that said...I got my computer moved from the bedroom down to my office, so now my office is complete!!! YEAH! I have my space all together :)

Unfortunately, my digital camera is not functioning, so no great and wonderful pictures to go along with the happiness :(

I have two new clients, one due in July and one due end of September. I have actually made a few midwife 'friends' here in town and I think things are looking up for me.

I have been working on sewing messenger bags and pants for my children's clothing boutique and working on my new website. I believe the website will be up at the end of this month and the boutique will open towards the end of next month.

We've had a few warm days here and I think Winter is finally giving way for Spring...We went to the Children's Museum the other day to celebrate. I know, we went inside to celebrate what was happening outside...Hey, it's what the kid wanted to do :)

Well, I must get back to working on the website.

No, I'm not antifeminist because I'm a stay at home mum and neither is this woman.

2006-03-02T19:08:00.000-05:00

dooce: Celebrating Five Years of Public Stupidity, The Post

1 great post

2006-03-02T00:26:00.000-05:00

sweet juniper!: the poison and the remedy

I meant to blog this the other day, but I got sidetracked, so here you go. Warning, it might make you cry.

The Boy is Learning

2006-02-25T13:24:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention a few evenings ago what happened at snack time.

Here's the setting, about an hour and half before dinner was to be eaten and my little man says, 'mum, I'm hungry.' and we go into the kitchen. So there we are both staring blankly at the kitchen food pantry and looking longingly back at the fridge. For the life of me I couldn't think of a snack!

Then it happened. Elijah looked up at me with those huge brown-black eyes and said, 'know what I want?' 'No, what would you like to eat?' I asked. Then he paused for a minute as if he was solidifying his answer or searching for just the right words (he's 28 months old - you know). And, then he says with much conviction and confidence, 'I want vegan popcorn.'

I paused for a moment, speechless and trying to internalize what had just happened and also trying to understand exactly why he asked for vegan popcorn and not just popcorn. Then it hit me. We had been having this on going dialogue about what vegan is and what we eat and why we can't eat certain things that look like some things that we can eat at home and why sometimes we can't eat what daddy eats (William is more of a macrobiotic diet person and shares the opinion with Buddhist that fish are neither animal nor plant and so he eats cooked fish and sashimi from time to time) and why we eat what we eat and don't eat what we don't.

The boy wanted to make sure that I made us vegan popcorn for a snack! I then explained to him that in our house, except for when daddy eats fish, all of our food is vegan. I also said that unless popcorn has butter on it from somewhere other than our house or a few of our friends houses that it would always be vegan!!!

Oh how they learn!

My Space

2006-02-24T16:05:00.000-05:00

that's right, I almost have my space back. My office is livable, not complete, but I can go in there and get things done.

I got to finally set up my serger that I got back in December for my Solstice gift from my hubby. I have never really used one before and I just winged it. So far I have made a few pairs of pants for Elijah and about a dozen cloth wipes. I have played around with it and learned the hard way how to thread it and that you don't want to use wooly nylon thread for either needle thread, but for the loop threads it's fine (at least on my machine). An you don't want to use invisible thread for the needle thread either, but then it would make more sense to use it for loop thread anyways, since that's the thread that is seen the most! Alas, I am learning :)

Elijah had really been enjoying the Art Centre portion of my office, because I moved his easel in there and he is in heaven. I still need to do a bit more organization in there and we need to do some fun crafty things to get it all messy and broken in!! What use is an Art Centre when it's clean and tidy?!?!

I'm longing for some warmer weather, only so that I can open up all the windows and air out the house. All I'm asking for is a day or two and then it can get cold again.

Can someone please tell me why our room has become our son's toy box?! Our rooms are kind of connected...Our bedrooms are on the third floor (converted attic) and as you come up the stairs you are in Elijah's room, which is to your left and to the right you walk through a door way (we've yet to put the door up, but there is a curtain!) and you are in our room. Well, over the last week for some reason Elijah has dragged everything but his furniture into our room to play with it. I keep taking things back into his room and he sneaks things back in. I'm not sure why, but I figure it's just another one of his phases and he'll be over it by or before the time comes when I've had enough and want to throttle him...Not that I would ever actually lay a hand on him, but you know what I mean :)

Oh yeah, back to that serging thing...I am so out of practice sewing!! I have decided that a sewing machine should have as much pressure on fabric as it is fed across the machine as it does in the serger. I couldn't sew a straight line to save my ass the other day and I'm supposed to be sewing clothes and other goodies for my store!! HAHAHAHA! No, I am just a bit rusty since it's been 3/4 of a year since I touched a sewing machine.

Well, that's that for now and I have more pictures to load in a day or two for your viewing pleasure.

ciao

Playing in the Snow

2006-02-17T01:08:00.000-05:00

Pictures of us playing in the snow the day before Valentine's Day can be found here.

Yes, I am alive!

2006-02-10T18:15:00.000-05:00

I am alive, just not much to actually warrant a blogging...I am almost done with my office and the craft centre. I am excited about that and excited that I get to have my own space back.

I have finalized all my designs for my up coming new website version and my new children's boutique that I am opening online. I will mostly be creating and selling reversible pants (lounge-y style), reversible skirts, aprons and accessories like simple toddler sized bags, totes, backpacks, hooded towels and some other things. I have a great stash of vintage fabric to use as well as other great finds. I'll be posting sneak preview pictures here and there starting in about two weeks.

Hope all is well with everyone else out there. And yes, I did have a nice and quiet birthday for those of you who were wondering.

Happy Birthday

2006-02-01T17:52:00.000-05:00

That's right, today is my birthday. I am a happy and young 24 years old today.

YAY Snow!! And moving to Maine!

2006-01-26T00:26:00.000-05:00

I know I am crazy, but I am so damn happy that there is more snow. We haven't really had any since Thanksgiving and I was upset that I moved to a place that is supposed to have several feet of snow per year and we hadn't had any. There is only like 4 to 5 inches on the ground, but it's snow!!!

Well we decided on eating at our favorite Indian restaurant for my birthday. I will be all of 24 years old on the first day of February. I know I am only a baby, but I feel so old from all that I have seen and done in my life up to this point -- and having a child isn't really the main factor in this either.

I am still working on cleaning up my office and the art centre. These rooms became the catch-all dump crap here rooms when we were unpacking and now they must be excavated. I have uncovered a fabric stash that would put many of you to shame. Most of it was in storage for so long I had forgotten all about it.

But finding this fabric is ok by me; as I plan on sewing some children's clothing and accessories as soon as my space is cleaned and organized. I am in the process of completely overhauling my website and a new blog, so opening up an online Boutique for hand made children's goods will be exciting and no trouble at all. Besides, we could use a few extra dollars -- who couldn't these days?

We have decided that we are moving to Maine. Now I know, we just moved 1200 miles to Pittsburgh. PA from Oklahoma City, OK, but this wasn't a permanent move by any means. This was only an opportunity for my hubby to finish school and for a change of pace -- not to mention to get the Hell out of Oklahoma! We plan on being here as long as we need to be. I know that sounds vague, but it's the truth -- something like three to four years unless we win the lottery or something extraordinary like such happens to us ( or to someone who loves us a lot!).

We plan on buying some land near Portland, ME. We are wanting to settle down with some distance between us and our neighbors. Neither of us have been to Maine (with an short exception when I was in Massachusetts one summer), we both like snow, we're kind of survivalists (but not in the scary 'we-have-an-end-times-arsenal-cached-somewhere' kind of way), we both want to built an environmentally sound and friendly home and why not Maine...It has tons of unincorporated land for sale and is old as hell. There is a real history in the land, but it's not dependent upon it like say, New Orleans or Boston or New York etc.

We are going to contact a real estate agent here soon. I figure we will actually apply for some kind of forgiveness loan or homestead like thing to acquire our land. If any of you readers are from Maine (like Amanda, if you are reading), what are your thoughts on Maine and is there anything special that we should consider when planning our move? William and I would love the input.

Well, goodnight moon...

Look What Mum Made Me!

2006-01-20T00:22:00.000-05:00

Look What Mum Made Me!
Originally uploaded by Natural Attachment.

Here Elijah is proudly displaying his new necklace that was lovingly made by mum.

Elijah's New Necklace

2006-01-20T00:18:00.000-05:00

Elijah's New Necklace
Originally uploaded by Natural Attachment.

This is the replacement necklace. I know, it's wooden beads and not shells, but it's all I had at the moment. The book you see in the picture on the floor was being used as a 'tunnel' for one of Elijah's trains to go through, while I made the necklace. A thousand apologies for the horrible image quality...

Mum's Necklace

2006-01-20T00:14:00.000-05:00

Mum's Necklace
Originally uploaded by Natural Attachment.

Elijah used to have a matching necklace like mine pictured here...his had slightly smaller shells and used to be one of my anklets (sp?), but it broke the other day, so I had to make a quick replacement...see following pictures for replacement necklace.

same old same old

2006-01-13T04:41:00.000-05:00

That's about it...nothing very impressive going on at the Parham house these days. I am about to embark on unpacking and setting up my office. This will prove to be very therapeutic, and I will get MY SPACE back. Don't get me wrong, really, I enjoy my husband, but I am tired of sharing our bedroom with him, his two computers and my 'office space'! I want my desk, my sewing machine and brand new, never out of the box serger...all set up and ready for me to get to work.

Elijah is going stir crazy, we need to go to the Children's Museum and run around and do some art. I will be so glad when my office is set up and the adjoining kitchenette is set up. It will serve as an 'art centre' for Elijah and I. I can move his new easel in there and he can paint away!

William and I decided tonight that we will officially start keeping a record of what we do with Elijah on a daily basis starting with his third birthday this September. We figure he will be at a 'kindergarten' level and that will be a good time to start collecting things for his portfolio and getting down the details of keeping a daily unschooling journal; so that when the time comes to actually have to deal with the powers that be, we will be prepared and old pros at presenting a comprehensive representation of what we do and how well we are doing it.

On that note, E can currently count to eight no problem and can stumble to 15. He almost has the ABCs down and has memorized a few other simple repetitive songs. He knows his full name (Elijah Uriel Parham) and how old he is, as well as all the colors of the rainbow and his shapes (including diamonds, hexagons and trapezoids). He can eat with utensils and use a napkin by himself. He knows most of the basic opposites (on/off, up/down etc). He can identify every animal and object in the 1000 baby and toddler books we have strewn about the house. His favorite words/phases currently are marsupial, possibilities, "that's awesome", read to me mum-ee, and my favorite (when getting on the cat for sleeping on the kitchen table), "Lain, NO babies on the table, mama said!" -- of all the places high and low for the cat to curl up on in our huge-ass house, he insists on sleeping in the one place I don't want him -- my kitchen table with his big tom cat head resting in my fruit bowl!!!!!

Well, It's 5:00 AM and I have no good reason for not going to bed yet, so I guess I should head that way. Goodnight or Goodmorning, depending on your side of the globe and/or level of responsibility for being awake at this time of day.

Happy new Year!

2006-01-02T16:17:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a great year and that an even better one awaits them. I have been blessed this past year with a fairly seamless move of over 1200 miles from my birth city (Oklahoma City, OK) and home to a whole new experience in a completely different place (Pittsburgh, PA). I hope that as we finish the last of unpacking and fixing up, we find our niche here and can be truly happy until the next adventurous chapter in our lives.

I know I promised pictures, so here they are...Christmas 2005
If this link doesn't work for you, then I am sorry that I can't figure out flickr! I will try to figure it out soon and make things more coherent.

aahhh

2005-12-27T00:02:00.000-05:00

well, I don't know about you, but I'm glad it's all over! That is unless you have major plans for the New Year, which we don't -- YAY!!!

I will get those pictures that I promised up in the next day or two. For now, I am going to relax with some real hot cocoa, fair trade and vegan!!!

Have a great day!

Christmas

2005-12-23T23:54:00.000-05:00

Well, we convinced my MIL to split up the holiday madness over two days for the sake of Elijah. So, tomorrow evening after his nap we will drive over to my MIL's house and order take out and exchange gifts (mostly for Elijah) and hang out for awhile. Then on Sunday, we will meet at some hotel for dinner at 5:30pm. I know it sounds stunning to be eating Xmas dinner at a hotel, but my MIL doesn't have the time for cooking and we didn't feel like cooking meat for them :)!!!!!!

This makes them happy since they are big holiday people and she says it's for Elijah, but I tried to explain to her that he doesn't have a clue what's going on. He doesn't know what Christmas is and won't be offended by if we don't have a huge fancy dinner of which he will only be eating what is sutible for him to eat, which is what I would cook at home and bring to it!!!

I hope over the next few years we can convince them that he's not being deprived by not having a tree, Santa and fancy dinners he can't eat!

I'll post some pictures from this weekend after it's all over. Take care and everyone have a wonderful weekend.

Happy Solstice

2005-12-21T19:15:00.000-05:00

Happy late Solstice to everyone! I was so busy yesterday, I had no time to pass on a hap-hap-happy day to everyone. I won't be able to blog too much until Monday/Tuesday...I'll miss everyone!

Hoping everyone's weekend is wonderful whether you do Christmas or not.

Take care

1 degree and a holiday rant

2005-12-20T00:33:00.000-05:00

Yes, that is our windchill right now! You could lose your nose if you stood outside long enough...gone are the days/nights of just running outside to grab something, I have to actually wear more than a t-shirt or light sweater and pj bottoms!

Well, we ordered some things for Elijah's ChrismaRamaHanuSolstiYuleKwanzakah gifts. He's getting a wooden easel, various non-toxic earth friendly art supplies, Band in a box, Bjorn Potty Chair and a storage bin cabinet thingy.

He's also getting a handmade in Pakistan wall rug tapestry thing with the alphabet on it and a large wooden rocking horse from my MIL. As well as, some clothing and some other things from my mum. I think he's been more than 'taken care of' and he doesn't even understand any of the hustle and bustle. He just knows that he likes snow :)

Ahhhh, to be a kid again! Which is why we aren't perpetuating the mythological lie of Santa Clause around this house. Yes, I know I might be a grinch with this one, but I don't want Elijah actually believing that some short fat tubby white guy sails around the world with flying reindeer and delivers toys to boys and girls. It will be obvious as he's older that not ever girl and boy get visited from Santa and we might not always be in a place where we are able to gift him from Santa. Yes, he will know and understand the myth of Santa, but that's where it ends - at mythology. We want our son believing in as few myths as possible until he's his own person and can analyze for himself which myths to buy into and which to study purely as a cultural perspective.

And Heavens no, I don't feel like I am robbing him of some holiday wonderment. I feel no less horrible for him not believing in Santa than the fact that he will never be served a Happy Meal from Mickey D's from me or in my house until he's old enough to decide that rotting animal flesh and additives is really what he wants to consume and why. I feel like I am saving this time of year for him by making it all about family and sharing the season together. I want him to know that the guy at the mall dressed in red is only trying to make a living for his family by making children smile and helping to perpetuate the consumerist wheel that turns in us all.

I want him to remember garlands, soynog, family, huge snowflakes on his face and tongue, lights, the mennorah, reggae music, carolling, festivus poles, Yule logs, solstice dinner and advent calendars. Not that make believe tubby guys brought him toys, BC Clark's theme song, the weekend after Thanksgiving shopping madness and crap tons of plastic and battery operated toys that don't spark creativity and only cause headaches and break after a few uses.

If only I could remember those positive and wholesome things it would make it so much easier on me and I would actually enjoy this time of year. Maybe having many years to come to share this time of year with my child(ren) will make it all magical for myself.

Stalled Labor

2005-12-16T22:31:00.000-05:00

yep, that's right...my client called this morning at about 11:00AM with leaking fluid and pretty good rushes every 3 mins. I arrived at her home at 12:00PM and stayed there until 6:00PM. She was having pretty good rushes and some queasiness, but her labor began to stall around 4:00PM.

I called her back around 9:30PM and the rushes are still intense, but not consistent and her water still hasn't 'officially' broken. I'll call her back around 10:00AM if I haven't heard from her. I have a feeling this is going to be a long labor for this first time mum.

It's cold and wintry here. Hope everyone else is warm and safe.

huh who knew...

2005-12-15T23:49:00.000-05:00

Ok, so for those of you who don't know, I have a website and on that website I have a store. An old store which I thought was under construction and wouldn't be up and running until I rolled out the new version of this said website!

Well, I got an email from paypal telling me that a certain someone has purchased something from me and that they have paid etc... I'm thinking, "I don't have anything for sale on eBay...nor do I own this said purchased item...OMG, they purchased this from ME, from Natural Attachment!" So, I then go to my website and figure out that the store is indeed active and you can put things in your cart and buy them!!!!!!!!

I don't have any stock of most of the items on my website since the move and such, so, I go to amazon.com and see if I can order the item from there; I can, but with a shipping delay of four to six weeks--ouch!

I emailed my customer and told her that my 'supplier' couldn't ship the CD she ordered any sooner than four weeks and that if it was meant as a Christmas gift or if she needed it soon, I didn't think it would make it in time. I offered to either go ahead and finish her order or to refund her the money!

Is that not funny? I can't believe it, these kind of things happen to me all the time! And the more funny thing is that I can't even close down the store because the software to do it is not unpacked yet and I an terrible at blind FTP uploads without a graphical interface. So, hopefully this is a one time thing until after the holidays!!

hahaha what a night!

Happy ChrismaRamaHanuSolstiYuleKwanzakah!

2005-12-15T16:50:00.000-05:00

I think the only people I really left out were the Buddhist and their Bodhi Day...

If I left you out, then I do apologise!

Perplexed

2005-12-14T00:38:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm perplexed. I don't know what to do as far as where to draw the line between privacy for my son and my husband concerning my blog and online life...

Recently and in the past several bloggers that I read have decided to omit their children from their blogs all together or have limited exposing the world to them or them to the world...

Though I haven't displayed much of my son and nothing of my husband on here, I had planned to; especially as he gets older and we are more involved with unschooling. Now I am wavering on these ideas of sharing with the word all about those who are near and dear to me...

I really don't know where to go with this one. I would appreciate some insight from others who have decided to include and exclude their families when blogging.

I hope all is well with everyone. We are still weeding through stuff and no, it's not that we have that much stuff, just that we are rottenly lazy people!!

Jen Jen, if you're out there, I miss you terribly.

Well, I'll be back after a while and let you know our progress with unpacking and how this holiday is going.

Take Care :)

Just Something to...

2005-12-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

get you in the holiday spirit!

Make-a-Flake - A snowflake maker by Lookandfeel new media

I thought that this was about the coolest thing ever, but then again, I am easy to amuse :)

Falling Behind

2005-11-30T15:43:00.000-05:00

yep...Is it really this hard to unpack? Remember that whole one week per room idea/plan I had...hahaha, well we've managed to build the platform for our bed, arranged the livingroom furniture around all the boxes and unpacked the kitchen. And that's it!!

I swear, it is going to be February before this is all said and done. I wish I could hire someone to do all of this for me!!

Today is kind of cold and they promise snow the next few days. I have no excuse but to unpack...

Wish me luck!

Oh yeah, Thanksgiving was well, in one word tiresome. Extremely tiresome, rushed and not well thought out. My FIL took it upon himself to arrange some crazy crammed into short amount of time holiday get together without even consulting my MIL, much less William and I. I had a miserable time as did Elijah and William is sick from the exhaustion and catching something from the unwashed masses on the train. Don't get me wrong I 'enjoyed' getting to meet William's family for the first time, but things could have been planned infinitely better and consideration for a very particular two year old (Elijah) could have been thought about when planning this extravaganza.

We aren't doing Consumer Christmas with them and to be honest, I'd like Christmas/Advent/Solstice to only be the three of us plus the kitty.

Ok, off to eat something and put away our Door to Door Organic Produce box. I'll be back this weekend, I'm almost positive.

Cold

2005-11-19T17:50:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's cold here in Pgh. We've actually had snow, nothing that has stuck around or accumulated, but nonetheless -- we've had snow.

We're still busy unpacking and doing little things here and there around the house. I'm dying to start sewing some stuff, but I know that if I don't wait to get my machine out until the rest of the house is unpacked, I'll never get the house done.

We'll I thought my client who is due in December was going into labor Thursday night...But it was only false labor brought on by her over doing it with the nesting thing. Her husband and she have been remodeling and fixing up a foreclosed home and she's done more hard labor on that house than I would ever recommend a pregnant woman do, but I can't physically stop her :)

We are going to Philly and New Jersey for Thanksgiving to spend some time with William's family. This will prove interesting...

Hope everyone is well.

Blessed Be

Furniture

2005-11-04T13:46:00.000-05:00

Well, we got our furniture and other such belongings delivered from storage on Wednesday!! It has been a little crazy around here. My son is a little overwhelmed, but happily running around all the boxes stacked up.

We've worked out a plan: one week per room and the kitchen when we're in it or when I need to work off stress -- yes, I know you are thinking I'm mad for unpacking a kitchen to 'work off stress'. If rooms take less time to unpack than a week, then good and if they take more than a week...Well it proves we have too much crap :)

We are purging as we unpack too. Boxes are getting divided into Freecycle, eBay, Trash and oh Keeping!! So, I hope it all works out. If you've got ideals to make it easier or tips, send them my way please.

Winter Plans

2005-10-30T21:07:00.000-05:00

Just an FYI, I will be spending the Winter months completely redoing my website. It's time for a complete overhaul. It will have a better layout, be more user friendly, have more informational fluff, have new improved and much much larger than previous versions of an online store, more resources for work at home mums like me and not so like me and a new, improved and yes up-to-date BLOG!!

I am planning on spending my snowed-in months doing constructive, useful and lucrative projects! One of which being to roll out version 3.0 of Natural Attachment. Another one is too spend all winter knitting, crocheting and sewing...hopefully all that craftiness will land me a good sized load of money-making goods. The third thing that will be occupying my winter will be household organization. Yes, a huge-ass calendar, files and anything else to make a place for everything and to have everything in it's place.

Hmmm...I guess I must go do something about dinner.

Ok, so I am bad at this whole...

2005-10-30T04:51:00.000-05:00

keeping up with a blog thing!

Yes, we moved and yes we got the house - YAY and big YAY!!

This is My Life: to answer your question about clientel...in OKlahoma City, it was great and wonerful with people beating my door down! :) Here in Pittsburgh, it is/will be fairly easy; no one can find a lay midwife to attend their homebirth, because of the sketchy legal status of non-nurse midwives in the state. You are welcome to take a look at http://www.friendsofjudy.com and/or http://www.friendsofjudy.org to hear and read all about a dear Traditional Midwife in Pittsburgh, who mainly served the common people (Amish/Mennonite) here and how she is battling the system.

http://www.pahomebirth.com also has REALLY good info on the status of homebirth and all 'her' midwifery dealings.

Jen: I miss you too honey :) LOVE YOU MUCHES

We are finally done with the house and get to have our things in storage (well, everything we own) delivered to us...starting Tuesday, November 1st! After almost 6 months of sleeping on a futon mattress and pillow bed of doom (much to my 2yr old's delight), I am longing for a bed!!!

Haven't really done much in the way of knitting or other craftiness since I've been busy working on the house and making it habitable and pretty. I will be updating the website with before and after style pictures once I get a little unpacked.

Well, I guess since it is 3:48 am here and I am a HORRIBLE mum for letting my son be up with me...I should go to bed -- if not at least for his sake :)

I will promise the four of you who read this blog to update at least once a week - really!

P.S. I have my first client and she is due early December!! Yay for me. And there's another one in the works who is due next June...possiblities

Thank you and Goodnight

Michele

Life Update

2005-06-16T01:03:00.000-04:00

I just thought that I would update for those four people who actually read this blog!
We are leaving for Pittsburgh on July 9th. We close on our new house on July 15th and I can't wait to move in!!

I am completely done with all my midwifery business here in Oklahoma and I'm still not sure what I will do concerning midwifery once we are in Pennsylvania. There will be more on this at a later date.

I am currently still knitting scarves for all three of us and I am about to start knitting or crocheting another Tam-like hat for Elijah and make him some little 'oven mitts' for helping me in the kitchen!

We are currently staying at my MIL's house while our old house gets painted and put on the market...Oh the joys!

Well, I will get back to all this and more...Take care.

Just an update on move and life

2005-05-26T02:21:00.000-04:00

We close on our house the 15th of July.

I am still currently working on a new scarf for all three of us.

I officially caught my last baby in Oklahoma on Mother's Day!! :( There will be others in the future, I am sure...

Still trying to find a home for one of our kitties, email me for more info.

I'll get back later...

We're Moving to Pittsburgh!!!!

2005-04-23T18:16:00.000-04:00

That's right, we are moving to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! For the sake of brevity, you can read more about our big move and see a few photos of our new house here!

Now this is what I'm talking about!

2005-02-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

Birth Day

Which TV Mum am I?

2005-01-29T17:46:00.000-05:00

Oh, I am so happy I got Lorelai!!! I feel like this will be me. My own mum and I have a 'Gilmore' relationship.

Lorelai Gilmore: You are Lorelai Gilmore from
Gilmore Girls. A traditional mama you aren't,
but that doesn't mean you don't love your kids
or aren't great in this role. You like to put a
modern twist on things no need to become your
mother, after all although sometimes you might
wonder if that wouldn't be all bad.

You probably believe in being friends with your
child, and you try your best to be open and
honest about your choices, good or bad, past or
present. You like being known as the cool mom
in the neighborhood that your kids' friends can
come to if they need an ear to listen or a
shoulder to cry on. Sometimes your children may
wish they had a mom that acted like everyone
else's or at least one who didn't raid their
closets and acted her age. But most of the
time, they think you're pretty cool. And that's
fine by you, because the feeling is mutual

Which TV Mom are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

What Stereotype Am I?

2005-01-29T17:26:00.000-05:00

You scored as Punk/Rebel.

Punk/Rebel

81%

Loner

56%

Goth

44%

Drama nerd

44%

Stoner

38%

Geek

31%

Ghetto gangsta

13%

Prep/Jock/Cheerleader

created with QuizFarm.com

2005-01-27T22:18:00.000-05:00

Latest picture of my little man making a mess and having fun!

Knitting

2005-01-27T22:10:00.000-05:00

Hello World! I have can't believe it's been so long since I last posted...

I am so glad the holidays are over! Now my time can be spent on more, well, let's just say less stressful/depressing things!

I really want to get a child friendly Stich n Bitch going. I have recently learned to knit and relearned to crochet and I am looking for other people in the Metro to get together with. I hope I find some folks.

Family life is good and business could be better! I know, however that after the cold weather is gone, I'll be busy with more babies and mums than I will know what to do with!

That's all for now...I'll write more later

What Social Status Are You?

2004-12-12T17:06:00.000-05:00

You scored as alternative. You're partially respected for being an individual in a conformist world yet others take you as a radical. You have no place in society because you choose not to belong there - you're the luckiest of them all, even if your parents are completely ashamed of you. Just don't take drugs ok?

What Social Status are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Damn Cold and Money Issues

2004-11-24T17:45:00.000-05:00

It crept up on me yesterday. I woke up with a slightly enlarged tonsil and then about an hour before I went to sleep it all hit me at once...I woke this morning with a sore throat, drainage, slightly runny nose and an overall feeling of blah.

I don't think it has really hit my son...miracle of breastmilk! I am however, giving him a homeopathic immune booster along with the 'booby juice'! So, I figure I will be the only one 'dying' in my house.

It would also be nice if I could collect some money from a few clients...A couple are behind on payments and we need some pricey things around here and I need to replace some defunct equipment. Unfortunately, the outlook on this doesn't seem too good...I was warned about a few clients, but I have tried to make it easy on all involved and offer various modes of compensation, but it doesn't look good.

I wish that people wouldn't commit to things that they aren't capable of fulfilling or that they have no intention of fulfilling. But this is a LONG discussion for another day.

As much as I enjoy my work and seeing miracles happen, I am not a missionary, nor did I ever sign up to be one. I love working with my single, teen and low-income mothers, so that they have a chance to have a birth that they deserve, but I also don't appreciate being taken advantage of, nor do I have the patients or time to put up with it.

After talking to another midwife, out of state, I might be better off just writing off my losses and not pursuing people and trying to collect debts. And in the future make it VERY clear that I won't/can't take on clients who have no means of payment or who won't make the necessary sacrifices to compensate their midwife.

When Medicaid starts paying for homebirth and domiciliary midwifery care, I might be able to be a 'missionary', but until then I have to eat, put gas in my car, buy supplies and offer proper care -- this takes money!!

The only problem with Medicaid paying for these things is that then they will be regulated by the state...And lord knows, I and others can not have that. It will mean 'rule and regulations' and other limiting factors on the way we care for our clients.

I guess no one can have his cake and eat it too!

Well, have a 'happy' Tofurkey Holiday!

Late Nights...

2004-11-20T00:45:00.000-05:00

always get me thinking. I really think we might be moving to Canada. We just don't want to live in a country where the majority actually elects people like Bush...Not to mention that Canada has her act together when it comes to social services, health care and education.

My son turned 14 months yesterday (11.18.04)...Man is he big, smart and fast! He is so grown-up. Each day he is learning more and more words; he doesn't talk unless he wants to.

I got to listen to Melissa's baby's heart tones with my fetoscope on Tuesday. It was in the 130s and strong. I also measured her at between 20 & 21 weeks preggers. She is doing good. Her first appointment with Ann Stewart (her CNM) is on the 23rd of this month. I'm still going to try and convince her to have a homebirth and let me attend.

Well...that's it for now...I'll be back later or tomorrow.

2004-11-20T00:02:00.000-05:00

Me and Hubby William Yule 2003

I just thought I'd post a picture of us...although this is almost a year old. This is what we look like, well I have dread locks now, but I still look like this. I'll post more pics as I get them on my computer.

What Kind of Politician are You?

2004-11-19T14:41:00.000-05:00

You Are a New School Democrat

You like partying and politics - and are likely to be young and affluent.

You're less religious, traditional, and uptight than most Democrats.

Smoking pot, homosexuality, and gambling are all okay in your book.

You prefer that the government help people take care of themselves.

What political persuasion are you?

In a slump

2004-11-14T21:48:00.000-05:00

blahh blahh blahh.

I hate the holidays.

My client in Foster, OK renigged on me...She says she can't come up with money for the deposit on her homebirth...

I've been cleaning my house...hate that...It really needs it!

I will get back to this post later, my son needs me!

Blogging Mommies

2004-11-04T22:53:00.000-05:00

< ? Blogging Mommies # >

Matthew Gilbert Gleeson's Birth Story

2004-10-13T23:53:00.000-04:00

Matthew Gilbert Gleeson

Friday, October 8^th, 2004 @ 7:57 PM

9lbs. 10.4oz. & 22inches

Unassisted Birth by

Phoebe & Sean Gleeson

I was woken up by a phone call Friday morning, October 8^th, 2004. It was Phoebe, she was in labor with her forth child and seeking my assistance. Though I was not Phoebe's midwife and had only spoken with her once over the phone briefly about an unrelated matter, I gathered myself out of bed and started preparing for another baby to enter into this world.

I checked back in via phone a few more times before heading out. I kept up with Phoebe's progress and discussed the details of my involvement. The last time I talked to Phoebe was around 1:00 PM, she was an estimated 6 centimeters dilated and her rushes were around five minutes apart and lasting approximately one minute. Before my next scheduled check-in, I got a call from Sean, Phoebe's husband, he said it was time! I looked at the clock: 3:34 PM.

I packed up myself, my son and headed out. On the way, I was accosted by every red traffic light and slow driver. I finally got to Albertson's grocery store to purchase orange Gatorade, per Phoebe's request, water and some snacks for my son and I.

I arrived at Sean and Phoebe's apartment about 4:00 PM. I was greeted by Anette, Phoebe's mother, Sean and the Gleeson children. Phoebe was in the shower trying to relax during her labor. While Phoebe finished up her shower, I got to visit with Anette and Sean and my son, Elijah was able to play with Faith, Abby and Bede.

I got to meet Phoebe and visit for awhile. I took some notes and filled out some paper work. After resting with Sean in their bedroom, Phoebe wanted me to check her dilation. I believe it was about 5:30 PM when I checked her dilation. Phoebe was about 8 centimeters and almost fully effaced. Her rushes were getting a bit closer together and more uncomfortable.

Phoebe spent her time laboring off and on the computer; checking emails and updating her online blog. When her rushes came on she looked to Sean for support. He offered deep neck rubs and constant eye contact. Sean and Phoebe also spent time resting and praying together. I checked Phoebe's cervical dilation again between 6:30 PM and 6:45 PM. She was fully dilated (aside from a cervical lip) and effaced. I could feel baby Gil's head pressing down and knew he would be here in his mother's arms soon. Phoebe was feeling 'pushy' and started to use little pushes to get through intense rushes.

Phoebe's rushes became more and more intense and closer together. She started to enter transition at about 7:00 PM or so. She took a short nap and her water broke at 7:30 PM. Gil's journey into this world was almost coming to an end. Then instincts took over and Phoebe was on her hands and knees starting to push. I caught a glance at the clock; it was 7:46 PM. Gil's head had crowned and was out in about two pushes. Phoebe took a little break after Gil's head was birthed. Sean kept talking to Phoebe, encouraging her and letting her know her progress.

Sean had his hands out ready to catch little Gilbert. After a another push I saw the cord wrapped around Gil's neck and quickly moved it. After a couple more pushes, I realized little Gil had broad shoulders and suggested that Phoebe get more onto her knees and lift up her shoulders to help aide in freeing Gil's shoulders. Both Sean and I helped guide Gilbert's shoulders out.

Once his shoulders were free, Gilbert's body was out in another 2 pushes. Matthew Gilbert Gleeson was birthed into his fathers hands and mother's heart, unassisted at 7:57 PM. He was a bit blue, but started to pinken up shortly after birth and once in his mother's arms. Gil's life line, his placenta was birthed, unhindered at 8:07 PM.

This was a wonderful birth from my eyes. The whole family took it very well and Phoebe did a great job helping Gil make his arrival. Sean was a wonderful supportive husband and the Gleeson's other children were great babysitters for my little Elijah. I hope to be there to witness Sean and Phoebe's future births.

Blessed Birth, Blessed Be!

Michele James-Parham NCBE, TM, Doula

Natural Childbirth Educator

Traditional Lay Midwife

Labor and Birth Doula

Proud Breastfeeding & Attached Mum to

Elijah Uriel Parham 09.18.03

Matthew Gilbert Gleeson

2004-10-09T12:58:00.000-04:00

Phoebe Gleeson's Blog

Born October 8th, 2004 @ 7:57/19:57 PM! It was a lovely UC for fourth time parents! I was their Doula/Montrice/Midwife.

Everyone is doing nicely!!

Elijah's First B-Day

2004-09-30T18:20:00.000-04:00

Well my son had his first birthday the other day! His big day was on September 18, 2004. We got together with friends and family at Galileo's in the Paseo. I made vegan carrot cup cakes to eat. Elijah had fun opening the gifts that he got and running around the place!

Vegetarians of Oklahoma

2004-09-03T00:01:00.000-04:00

Vegetarians of Oklahoma

All you veg*ns in Oklahoma should check out the new VegOK website. They have monthly meetings and a playgroup, VegPAK that meets monthly too. Vegetarians, Vegans, Raw Foodists and everyone else are welcome.

No need to bring anything but the kids and sun screen, but vegan snacks are nice!!

Version 2.0 of Website

2004-09-02T23:53:00.000-04:00

It's here...version 2.0 of my website...check it out.

http://www.naturalattachment.com/

Elijah's First B-Day

2004-09-02T23:40:00.000-04:00

My baby boy is going to be one year old September 18th. Mister Elijah Uriel Parham, is almost three feet tall, approx 20 lbs, has eight teeth, can walk/run, says about 15 or so words and knows signs for many more words, is a breastfeeder, loves all three of his kitties, has seen several live births, is a wonderful assistant doula/midwife, loves snuggling up with mum & dad and most of all, he is the reason I smile every day, even on those really BAD days.

Wikipedia: Articles I Wrote

2004-08-13T23:17:00.000-04:00

Babywearing

Baby Sling

The Cost of Working

2004-07-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

The Cost of Working

This blurb has a link to a 'cost calculator'; it is pretty good...might scare some mums when they realize just how little they make when working or worse, like most mums they find out how much it actually costs them to work outside of the home.

Study Supports At-Home Parents

2004-07-06T13:15:00.000-04:00

Study Supports At-Home Parents

Interesting report; although, I am still confused as to why we NEED these studies...don't we already know that our number one priority when having children is to raise them? This means being there for them at such an early and impressionable age...right and not sending them to germy day cares? Call me old fashioned, but I like/love my son and don't feel the need to DUMP him off at grandma's or Kiddy College.