I love using coconut oil in the kitchen.  I use it all the time in place of butter or vegetable oil to make delights like scrambled eggs, mac and cheese and grilled cheese.  At first when I started to substitute coconut oil for butter, John thought I was a little crazy (maybe I am!) but after telling him about all the benefits of coconut oil he was convinced.  He still doesn’t always like the subtle taste it imparts in our food so I alternate using it and other oils and butter for cooking.  Outside the kitchen, coconut oil has many uses and benefits.  I came across this great resource that listed 80 uses for coconut oil – don’t worry I won’t bore you with all 80 uses!  I did learn that coconut oil has properties that are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and antimicrobial.  Here are great ways to uses coconut oil outside the kitchen!

1. Moisturizer – great to use during the cold, dry winter to give you nature’s best moisturizer.
2. Conditioner – I use coconut oil once a week as a deep conditioner. It gives me such great shine!
3. Cradle cap – I love to put some of Lillian’s scalp when I give her a bath to help with her dry scalp
4. Nipple cream – I loved using coconut oil in the beginning days of nursing! I also used it recently when Lillian decided to bite me during a nursing session- Ouch those little bottom teeth are sharp!
5. Make up remover – Great to use for mascara removal
6. Diaper rash – great to use for cloth diapers and great on the little bums to soothe rashes
7. Body scrub – Mix coconut oil with sugar and I like to add some essential oils (for the smell) or sometimes I add a drop of lemon juice or orange juice.  Makes a great scrub for a nightly bath!
8. Healing minor scrapes and bruises – great for the kids and adults with scraps and bruises.  As I learned recently, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer that seals the cut and keeps out bacterial and dust
9. Stress relief – apply coconut oil to your forehead and massage.  The natural aroma is soothing and will help to relieve stress
10. 10. Digestion and fitness – The fats in coconut oil help to aid in the uptake of minerals and vitamins and help to stimulate your metabolism.  The saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties.

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One of our favorite books is: Olivia and the Missing Toy! I just love Ian Falconer and all his Olivia themed books.  When we first took the book out of the library last winter (we have since purchased the book), Charlotte asked me to read it to her every night before bed and some nights I read it two to three times. Ah the joys of reading a book multiple times when you only have one child ; )  When we reached our renewal limit at the library we went out to purchase the book because Charlotte loved it so.  I was amazed at how the book transformed her play.  She would hid her own toys and recite some of the book as she was looking for her toys

“WHERE’s MY TOY MAMA” charlotte would say in a very declarative voice “It was my best toy” she would say with emphasis followed by checking under the sofa (a place Olivia looks in the book) After checking around the kitchen she would recite more of the book and then find Macie our dog and begin to act out the last part “It was the dog! And he chewed her toy to bit” “Mommy, daddy, it was Perry! He took my toy and chewed it to bits…” Fortunately for us, Macie played along with this game and luckily didn’t chew any of her toys, but instead was happy watch as Charlotte blamed!  I loved hearing Charlotte on car rides out of the blue recite parts of “Olivia and the Missing Toy” On a few occasions, I was able to capture the magic a book can have in a child’s life.

Charlotte reciting Olivia and the Missing Toy 

Running for me is more than just exercise; it is therapeutic and spiritual.  Anyone in my immediate family knows this about me and for others they think I’m just plain obsessive about the sport!  Running to me is as important as eating and sleeping – a basic necessity in my life.  Having two little ones has made it really difficult to fit in the sport and hobby I’m most passionate about. I’m lucky I have my husband that recognizes the importance of running in my life and encourages me to work it into our busy schedule.  With the chaos of having two little ones comes relinquishing control over my schedule and ability to run everyday.  While this has been an adjustment, I know that it is a short-term change and soon enough the kids will be older and I’ll be able to lace up my running shoes daily.  Putting things into perspective helps to not feel empty each day when I may or may not get a run in (and most days I’m not able to get a run in!)

In a couple of months I’ll be running my first half marathon in over a year and I know that I need to clock a few good runs beforehand so I’m not totally exhausted during the race! For now, I’ve decided to try and work out a schedule that will allow me to get in the distance without sacrificing too much family time.  John is so very supportive of my commitment and dedication to running and makes it possible for me to get out running.  It is all too easy in the winter to make excuses for reasons not to run and even as devoted as I am to running in the dead of winter I can also find a reason not to put on my running shoes and stay inside my warm house!  Training to run a half marathon with two kids is a family decision.  I realized when I decided to take this on I needed to set up a schedule with my wonderful husband about when I can fit in runs.  I fit in three runs during the week and two on the weekends. I either get up early (5am) to run on our home treadmill before John leaves for work or go late to the gym when he gets home.  If Mother Nature is cooperative I’ll take the girls with me in the double jogging stroller.  This January has been relatively mild in MA, which has allowed me the flexibility to take the girls during the day out for a run.  I try to time the runs to coincide with nap time! Charlotte loves the jogging stroller and Lillian usually falls asleep under the warmth of the snow bunting. I love knowing that my girls are helping me train to run the half marathon! Charlotte is very encouraging and even yells for me to “go faster” “run mommy, run” she says!

On the weekends John and I both try to get a run in and it is pretty funny to watch it play out!  We run back to back in the morning while the other watches the girls. It doesn’t give us much time together during the weekend mornings but at least we are able to get in some much needed exercise.  And if the weather cooperates we take out the girls together on a family run, which is what I love!  Coordinating exercise with two little ones isn’t always easy, but I have found that if I can plan out a schedule a week in advance it helps.  The moment when my feet hit the pavement and I start running I’m eternally grateful!

How do you fit in exercise with your family?

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We, moms, are healers, supports, music makers, storytellers, composers, artists, cooks, laundry experts, teachers and givers of the warmest hugs.  We love unconditionally our children and give every ounce of ourselves to them each and every day.  We are also human and despite all our superwomen powers we sometimes need a hug!

One of my favorite parts of the day during the winter is waking up after nap.  Most days the girls take a nap in my bed with me in between the two of them sometimes resting, sometimes blogging or catching up on the news.  As nap time nears the end, my room becomes filled with the soft golden light of the setting sun and under my patchwork quilt that my mother and I made together year ago we are all snuggly.  Lillian usually wakes up first and I’ll tell her a story in a whisper while we wait for Charlotte to awake.  Once she has, we sometimes play or read in my bed before heading down stairs.  A few days ago while we were reading Jan Brett’s The Mitten, I had this moment of sadness realizing that these beautiful moments with my girls are fleeting.  The three of us reading under my patchwork quilt on a cold winter afternoon is a moment to cherish. I must have paused for just long enough to catch Charlotte’s attention. She turned to me and asked why I had stopped reading the book.  I told her I was just thinking about something started to finish reading.  She interrupted and said “Mommy, I think you just need a hug.  I have one for you,” and she reached over and gave a big hug!  It was one of the sweetest moments that I will hold dear to my heart.  After giving me a hug she said, “sometimes mommy you just need a hug” The truth and honesty of my three year old stunned me for a moment.  She was right sometimes I just need a hug and who better to give me one than my beautiful three-year-old daughter.  The moments when our children catch us off guard with their astute understanding of what we need is truly amazing.

You turned seven months on Thursday and with the excitement of your Auntie Abbie’s move to Rochester, I didn’t write my letter to you until today – sunday! Happy seven months my little bundle of joy.  Every morning I wake up to your bright green eyes and beautiful smile that lights up your face and mine.  You are almost crawling now and sitting up all by yourself!  You are starting to pull yourself up onto things such as our activity cube and coffee table and with my help when you are able to get up you are so very proud.  You are one of the happiest babies I’ve ever seen, smiling and laughing all the time.  If I’ve been out for a walk or run with the dog during the weekend or left the house to grocery shop, when I return you are so thrilled to see you give me the biggest smile I’ve ever seen!  Your sister is so very thoughtful and attentive to you, helping me by giving you toys, singing to you in the car and at home and playing with you during the day.  You are so lucky to have her.  One of my favorite Lillian moments is when you stare up at me with you big green eyes while you are nursing.  Your eyes are so expressive and when you look at me while you nurse you seem to say that you love me so – it is such a beautiful moment that I cherish.  You bring such happiness and joy into my life every day and make me smile and laugh.  You are simply wonderful just like your sister and I’m so blessed each and every day to have my girls.  I love you, I love you, I love you my dear Lillian.

Love,

Mama

Mom and Shi sleeping

“One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is teaching them to listen to their intuition by learning to listen to our own”

I really look forward to getting the mail each day during the winter months.  It give me a reason to take the girls outside each day even if it is just for a few moments. This week Natural Life magazine arrived and I was delighted by the headline articles.  One of the past issues highlighted the importance of trusting our mothering intuition, something which I had struggled with myself as a new mom.  As the article mentions ” Women are often torn between their intuition and the societal messages they receive about how to care for their children.”  I couldn’t agree more.  When I had Charlotte prematurely, I was inundated with the procedures and protocol of the NICU, which is in stark contrast of many of my thoughts about mothering.  Charlotte came home after two weeks and I felt lost, helpless and struggled to find my own mothering instincts to help guide me in caring for her.  I felt like I was drowning in a sea of societal messages about what I should and shouldn’t do with her and eventually Mothering Magazine became by life jacket.  So often, I didn’t know whether to trust my heart or turn to the internet for an answer to my questions.  Some of the basic questions after a baby is born such as: How often to feed her? where should she sleep? how often should I wear her? what vaccines should she get? can cause any new mom to feel anxious and overwhelmed. And what I learned is to Trust Yourself!

“The fact that we are constantly being reminded to ‘ask the expert’ or to make sure every choice we make has been cleared by our doctor does not serve our children well” While in the NICU we were discouraged to sleep with our new and tiny daughter, Charlotte.  I hadn’t make up my mind about cosleeping but something about the idea of sleeping with Charlotte just felt right. When we brought her home that first night in January, I was so worried about sleeping with her because of the advice from the ‘experts’ not to that I tried to put her in a co-sleeper with my hand on her chest.  After about an hour of sleeping Charlotte woke up and I pulled her into bed and curled up next to her for the rest of the night.  After that night I never looked back and we co-slept with her for a year.  Many night she would start out in her crib and then by the first wake up we would gladly bring her into our bed. My co-sleeping experience with Charlotte is just one of the many things I struggled with as a new mom – do I go with my “gut feeling” which said to co-sleep or go with the expert advice and keep her out of my bed? I chose the former. I do turn to experts and doctors for many questions but I also look deep into my own soul and heart to help guide me as a mother. In our society of instant answer and expert options, it is so easy to think we always have to turn to others for answers to our mothering questions.  In fact, some of the best decisions and advice we can get from trusting ourselves, our intuition and the advice and help from our mommy friends!

I would love to hear your stories of when you trusted your own mothering intuition to help guide you as a mom!

When I picked up with book I couldn’t put it down! I would get excited when Lillian was taking a long time to fall asleep so that I could sit in her warm room and rock her while I continued reading Baby Catcher.  I fell in love with Peggy Vincent’s account of the women whose babies she delivered.  I am a birth story junkie! I love to hear my friends recount their birth stories.  The wonder, amazement and pure joy birth can only be best told by a midwife or mother.  In the past two weeks I have stayed up way past my bedtime watching Lillian asleep next to me in our king bed just so I could read another page of this wonderful book. Birth stories have a way of bringing people together, even bringing complete strangers together in conversation, laughs and tears.  When I was in Berkeley, I met a wonderful mom at the playground just days before her second daughter arrived.  We started talking and immediately jumped into sharing our birth stories and not long afterwards email address and phone numbers were exchanged.  I cherish the birth stories of my friends and find strength and inspiration in stories in Baby Catcher.  Peggy Vincent’s account of her midwife birth stories are like beautiful squares on a tapestry, woven together with a common thread.