Transitioning Siblings to Sharing a Room + Naturepedic Love

Thank you to Naturepedic of sponsoring today's blog post 

and providing an organic crib mattress for Ruby to transition to her "big girl bed" in! 

Check out our experience below and see why Naturepedic is our #1 choice. 

Just about 2 years ago I shared my story of how we transitioned our daughter from co-sleeping to independently sleeping in her own room, in a toddler bed. Today I'm excited to share the follow up story of the transition of having the sisters share a room!

Safe bed sharing just makes life easy for us; from the first night of welcoming both of our daughters to the world we have slept with our baby in our bed. It encourages on demand night nursing and it is simply how I am the most comfortable sleeping with my children. But all great things must come to an end and shortly before Ruby's 2nd birthday we decided that it was time to transition her to a toddler bed in the same room as her 4 year old sister, Penny.

This was nerve wracking - why make changes to a well working machine? Everyone was getting *almost* a full night's rest and undoubtedly a change as dramatic no longer sleeping with mom and dad every night would turn everything on its head. What if Ruby doesn't take to sleeping in her own bed, what if she cries a lot and that also wakes up Penny? How do I coordinate putting the kids down at the same time? What if Penny isn't quiet enough for Ruby to fall asleep? All of these questions, and more, weakened my resolve. But we finally did it and let me share a few of my tips below.

Tips to make the transition smoother for moving a cosleeping toddler into sharing a room with her preschool aged sibling:

• Have a solid night time routine that includes some wind down time in the bedroom, such as getting dressed in pajamas, snuggling and reading to your children. The more time you spend with you children in their bedroom they will realize that this is comfortable and safe space. Allow the younger child to play in the room during the day and practice getting in and out of their new bed.  At night time we dim the lights in the room for about 5-10 minutes before lights out time, this also allows them to have a visual queue that it's time for bed. 
• Carrying over a few creature habits: Ruby always fell asleep to the sound of our Sleep Sheep, and recently I had introduced a classical music CD to Penny when she was having trouble falling asleep. We combined those two white noise factors for both of the girls' combined bed times so that both of them still were listening to their familiar night time noises. I also slept with her new sheets on our family bed for a few nights to help transfer the familiar scent.
• Night weaning: Ruby was night weaned for about 3 weeks. We still nursed during the day, but my gentle weaning process with both girls starts with night weaning at about 18 months and took about 2 months to have both of us fully committed to milk free nights. We helped this transition by nursing more frequently during the day and longer before bed and nap time. I chose to continue to nurse her through this transition because it's another source of comfort that helped her recognize this as a safe sleep space.
• We payed very special attention to the lighting in the bedroom; from the main bedroom light and lamp down to what electronic devices emit a small light on their power button or display. Take a piece of blue painter's tape to cover button lights if they seem to be a distraction to your child. 
• As with any childrens room, ensure that you have child safe window treatments.
• Finally - the most important thing - the bed! Am I right?

Because children can spend upwards of 16 hours a day in their bed, it's really important to be aware of what kind of mattress they are sleeping on. We have specifically chosen Naturepedic mattresses for our children because of their high level of commitment to quality and intentional sourcing of products that are the best for our bodies while adhering to safety standards. 

Why would you need or want an organic mattress? Recent studies have shown that the flame retardants in both mattresses and sleepware ending up in our bodies, and it's not good. I am already mindful of the foods and products that we use in order to lessen the impact of unnatural chemicals, so including the one product that my child will spend the most time using (her mattress) made sense to me to make sure that it didn't have those harmful chemicals in them. But there are still federal requirements for fire safety in mattresses so Naturepedic took a close look at how to still have their mattresses be fire safe but not use the harmful fire retardant chemicals that other mattress companies rely on. Organic cotton is less flammable than the traditional polyurithane foam found in most mattresses. Polyurithane foam, though inexpensive, is highly flammable and therefore needs to be treated with flame retardants. Through innovative design, Naturepedic has created mattresses that are natural and safe for our bodies and meet Federal and State flammability requirements. Naturepedic mattresses are also made in the USA!

We received Naturepedic's Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress for Ruby.  Penny has been sleeping on the Naturepedic Organic Cotton Deluxe Crib Mattress for 2 years and I was excited to see what the difference was between the two models. Ruby has been successfully transitioned for about 2 months and we have been really happy with the quality of the mattress. Unlike most other children's waterproof mattresses, Naturepedic childrens mattresses aren't NOISY! No scritchy-scratchy noises as your baby moves around at night or when you stealthily ninja out of the room. The mattress is a two-stage mattress so one side if firm enough for safe sleep for an infant and when baby gets older you can flip it to the softer toddler side. Both sides, however, are very comfortable. This is coming from the mom who has slept on the mattress with her transitioning two year old on more than one occasion! This model of mattress also includes a breathable, washable cover and is unbelievably lightweight. 

Because we get the rare opportunity to compare two Naturepedic mattresses side by side, I wanted to include some of the differences that you'll find between the brand new Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress versus the Organic Cotton Deluxe Crib Mattress that we've had for 2 years. 

Both are two stage mattresses with a firm "infant" side and a softer "toddler" size. They are made from the same quality organic materials and do not use harmful flame retardant chemicals.  

• The Deluxe Crib Mattress has inner springs, the Ultra Breathable uses wavesupport™ technology. I personally do not see a difference in comfort between the two though. 
• The Ultra Breathable mattress comes with a removable washable cover and weighs less (thanks to the wavesupport™ technology).

All in all, we love Naturepedic mattresses not only for their quality and commitment to healthy ingredients for the whole family, but also because they are truly comfortable mattresses that my children love to sleep on!

Find them:

Naturepedic mattresses online

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Disclosure: I received product, free of charge, in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was provided. However, I would not be giving this product 5 stars 

if I didn't absolutely love them too!

Beech-Nut Organic review and giveaway!

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Beech-Nut. I received a free coupon to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Let's face it, not all baby food is created equal.

For the most part, my kids are fed exactly what I am eating. It's called baby-led-weaning. I allow solid food to be an explorative experience rather than worrying about their calorie intake, because they will eat when they are hungry (and in Ruby's case, she is still breastfed so I can rest assured that she will still get the nutrition that she needs). But there are plenty of times where solid foods aren't as convenient as pre-made baby food. But some baby food tasted down right bad. Like, I'm not even surprised that they don't want to eat what I'm trying to feed them. So I've learned (thanks to the pickiness of my own kids) which baby foods are actually tasty.

Recently I put the Beech-Nut organic line to the test. I chose the "just apple, raspberry & avocado" flavor combination because avocado smoothies are a big hit around here.

Silly me, I tried feeding Ruby with a spoon to give her a taste. She obliged me for one try, but quickly gave me this look like "I can do this myself, mom!" and started grabbing the spoon from my hand. We played this game for a few seconds, while she furiously signed "more! more" and pointed to the jar. So I pulled out a straw and let Little Miss Independent go for it!

Do I need to say that it was a hit? Yes, it was a hit! It honestly wasn't that surprising because when I tasted it myself, it was pretty yummy!

My main priority in prepared food purchases is always the check the ingredients. Do I know and understand what's inside? No worries here - there aren't even any preservatives listed. It's just like as if I made it at home myself! They use a special technique which includes cold puree and deaeration that keeps the food looking, smelling and tasting natural.

Beech-Nut can be found at  Kroger, Babies “R” Us, Wegmans, Price Chopper, Wakefern, Walmart.com,  Winn-Dixie, BI-LO, Stop & Shop, Giant Carlisle, A&P, Pathmark, Albertsons, Hannaford, Raley’s, Meijer, Nugget Market, Diapers.com, Harris Teeter, Shaw's, ACME, Shoppers Food and Cub Foods. But that's a really long list, so you can just use this handy store locator to find a Beech-Nut retailer near you!

Want to try Beech-Nut too? Enter the giveaway below to win a coupon for free product!

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Disclosure:

Handmade merino infant hat from Öko Creations

This post was originally published as a part of 

Green Mom's Network Handmade & Eco-Friendly Holidays
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Bald babies. I got em! It wasn't until Penny was almost 2 years old before she grew a respectable amount of hair, and as a result hats are simply a part of our lives around here.

What catches my eye when it comes to shopping for a new hat for my littles?

-Anything that reminds me of an animal - it's got to be cute!
-Material; I look for high quality, alternative fibers, durable and organic where ever possible. Bamboo or wool are a favorite.
-Mode of manufacture: was it hand-made or at least ethically made?

I was so excited for Ruby to test-run an Öko Creations Merino wool baby hat! I have been a facebook fan for a while and am honored to get to share about their product and company with you.

Merino wool is highly desireable as a textile because the wool is so versatile in heat retention as well as breathability. Especially for those bald baby heads, you want something that keeps their skin warm but not causes them to overheat and sweat; because then you've got a wet hat and that's much worse than not wearing a hat at all. Best of all, organic merino wool is naturally antibacterial!

Oko Creations hand makes all of their products; has an intense focus on responsibility for the environment and to their customer (by providing the best quality materials as well as limiting environmental impact) and based on their awesome facebook and instagram feed it's fun to work there too! :)

It's important to me to support and share about businesses just like Öko Creations. Hand-made products are so special because you can just imagine the dreams and inspiration that went into the product that you hold in your hand; in this case, I know that someone lovingly made this hat with the idea of my little girl in mind. It was important to Marie-Noël and Melanie Beetz, the owners, and their seamstresses that Ruby and other babies are kept warm and healthy by making the commitment of higher quality materials and sustainable practices. And that, instead of the ease of picking up a $5 hat at a local chain, is why I will continue to support hand-made, small businesses like Öko Creations. And I hope you will too! 

And let's face it, this hat is adorbs. So adorbs, in fact, that Penny has dubbed it as Ruby's "snail hat," because the two peaks remind her of snail antennae. And snails are kind of her current obsession.

Isn't she a stinker?

In addition to the very cute snail antennae, I like that it covers her ears and back of her neck appropriately. She just looks so cozy and squishy. And that little tongue - well, that's kind of her signature expression right now.

These hats come in two sizes (NB-3 months, 4-12 months) and Ruby is in the larger size. The material is stretchy and forgiving, I can see her using this hat well past her first birthday. It doesn't feel like wool either, it feels like an interesting mix between bamboo and wool to me. It's well sewn and even when Ruby is done, I can see using this for another baby down the road. ;)

Öko Creations is offering a Pierogie Mama reader one too! Öko Creations is based in Canada, however if you are in the US and want to place an order, send an email to info@okocreations.ca and they will take your order and arrange for US shipping.  They are working to make US ordering easier. 

This giveaway is over - thanks to all for entering! 

Keep an eye out for more Pierogie Mama Giveaways.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review, but as always, all opinions are my own and I only share what I love! 

Thankful for YOU! / Smiling Tree Toys Giveaway

This post was originally part of the Thankful for our Followers Giveaway Hop

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2 years ago, I began the journey of taking my blog to the next level. When I started this blog in February of 2012, my goal was to keep an online journal / baby book for Penny. After a few months of writing about topics that were important to me, I saw my stats and numbers increasing!  As an attachment and natural parent, I found that my parenting style was supported and influenced by bloggers sharing their experiences and I wanted to be a part of that. There were so many occasions where I doubted my gut and instincts because what I was doing wasn't always the way my friends and family did. I never got harsh judgement, mind you, but I would get such relief when I'd find a blog post, written by another blogger, talking about and justifying some of the choices I was making.  This experience drove me to also become a source for moms in their journey.

One of the first businesses that I worked with was Smiling Tree Toys! I approached Kathleen because I loved the esthetic of wooden toys and their approach to providing all natural, safe products for families. We worked together on my first review and giveaway - Penny's first Christmas ornament! It was only fitting to work together again on Ruby's first Christmas ornament too.

I'm happy to see that even after two years, the quality and craftsmanship with Smiling Tree Toys remains the same, even though the popularity of the business grows! The ornaments (as well as any of the other wooden products in their shop) are created from sustainably harvested American Maple trees and finished with their homegrown Camelina oil and beeswax. These ornaments will be heirloom pieces for my girls; that will be hung on Christmas trees for many decades past my time and enjoyed by future generations of my family. And I think that's root of Smiling Trees Toys goal too - to create products that will be enjoyed for years and years while being respectful to our Earth and honoring the gifts it gives.

Smiling Tree Toys is expanding their product line this season - in addition to ornaments, rattles, balancing toys, wooden blocks, wooden musical instruments(and so much more!), they are launching Smiling Tree Home. Keep an eye on their facebook for more teasers and information!

Keep up with Smiling Tree Toys 

Facebook// Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter// Google+

And don't forget all the ways you can be social with
The Pierogie Mama!

Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // Pinterest // Bloglovin'

This giveaway is over - thanks to all for entering! 

Keep an eye out for more Pierogie Mama Giveaways.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review, no other compensation was provided.

DIY Soap Bits for cloth wipes

This post was originally part of the Accessorize Your Stash in August Giveaway Hop

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If you're a cloth diapering parent, at one point or another you may have been lured further into the deep dark underworld of going against the grain by learning about cloth wipes. Cloth wipes, in the long run, probably don't save you that much money, but they certainly mean you have 100% control over the ingredients that come into contact with your baby's skin. They're also super convenient because they go into the wash with your cloth diapers and can be used for a plethora of other things; like dish rags or wash cloths. They can also be made from a plethora of different things; such as dish rags or wash cloths or re-purposed old sheets/t-shirts/left over fabric, and if you're not the crafty type you can certainly buy them pre-made. 

Same goes for the solution that you pour over the cloth wipes. You can buy a pre-made solution (though I can't recommend any because I've never tried it) or you can make it yourself! And it's super easy - it's all done in less than an hour and it'll last you probably for the entire duration of your diapering of a child. My first batch lasted me almost 20 months, and that's with diapering 2 kids for 5 of those months! So it goes a loooooooooooong way! Read below on how to make it yourself!

A special shout out to Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil for sponsoring the giveaway prize in this post.  Enter to win a jar of your own after the recipe! I love coconut oil, it has so many uses (check out my recipe for banana bread using coconut oil) and it has many health benefits. Coconut oil, in the cloth diapering application, is extremely useful to keep on hand as a rash cream 

and I love using it in my soap bits recipe. 

You will need:

1 bar of Dr. Bonner's Castille Soap (I like the lavender scented)
1/4 c of Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil
6 drops of Melaleuca Essential Oil (also known a Tea Tree Oil)
water



Directions:
1. Using a cheese shredder, grate the bar of soap into a bowl. Transfer into a medium sized pot. 
2. Add coconut oil and Melaleuca.
3. Add water until the soap is covered.
4. Heat at medium-low and stir occasionally. It will begin to clump, but as the water evaporates and the soap heats up it will all become one big lump.
5. Pour into a parchment paper lined baking dish. Allow to slightly cool at room temperature and cut into small pieces (about the size of your thumb nail). Finish it off by cooling it quickly in the freezer until it is completely solid. They'll break apart easily. Store in tupperware or ziplock baggie a cool, dry place.

To make soap solution for your cloth wipes, you will use 4 cups of boiling water to one bit. Boil the water, pour into your desired container (I have a 4 cup Pyrex cup that I reserve for this) and add the bit. Stir a little to help incorporate it. It will not bubble, it will just become slightly soapy water. Pour this mixture over your cloth wipes until they are as wet as you'd like them to be. I like to keep about a day's worth of cloth wipes (about 8-10) in my wipes warmer and refill in the early morning so that we don't have issues with mildew.

Learn more what what is coconut oil, 

more uses for coconut oil and 

buy coconut oil.

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Your clicking on these links helps support my family & this blog - purchasing through these links is no additional cost to you but if you purchase something then I get a little kickback. Makes sense, I'm telling you about how awesome it is, right? So thanks for stopping by :)  I am a Tropical Traditions customer, and while they are providing a free product to giveaway, I was under no obligation to write a positive review. 

So I guess I'm Mother Gothel, she's a princess and princesses only eat princess food.

Two big things have been going on around here.

1. I have a very independent two and a half year old. She is fearless, bold, adventurous, feisty and just an all around kick in the pants. Every day she surprises me. These days dinner tends to get in the way of these imaginary adventures and she's been opting for on the go foods. 

2. Princesses. 24/7.

So more often than not we encounter days where the only food she wants to eat is "princess food." Does anyone have any idea what "princess food" means to a toddler? My best guess as to the most basic requirement of "princess food" is that it needs to be pink. What is a mama to do?

So like the wicked Mother Gothel, I've figured out how to sneakily disguise her essential nutrients, with the help of a my Cuisinart Baby Food Maker and Yummi Pouches. Mother knows best!

The first part of my master plan is to create an easy to eat, yet very "princessy" puree that even the pickiest toddler won't be able to resist. One of our standard recipes that I have created is Apple, Strawberry and Butternut Squash with a touch of cinnamon. Butternut squash is an excellent source of Vitamin A, fiber, potassium and magnesium. Apples are an additional fiber source, and pack some Vitamin C. Strawberries have lots of Vitamin K and are an antioxidant powerhouse. Combine all of those and you've got the makings of a healthy snack! Mwwaaaa hahahaha! 

The second part of my evil plan involves one of my henchmen, the Cuisinart Baby Food Maker.  It's an all-in-one appliance, meaning I can steam my apples and squash, then add my strawberries and puree, without pulling out tons of gadgets or adapters. That leaves enough time to meddle in my daughter's affairs, boil some toads and worry about my waning beauty while talking to magical mirrors or tending to a mysterious fountain of youth plant.

Finally, to ensure the assimilation of said wicked potion, Yummi Pouches make normally messy purees portable, so that was a no-brainer in my evil plot to ensure Penny eats healthy. We love Yummi Pouch because...

• The shape - it's a rectangle and super easy to clean. 
• Dishwasher and freezer safe. 
• BPA free, PVC free and phthalate free. 

In addition to pureed food, I like to prepare packs of yogurt, applesauce or smoothies thickened up with ground oats for quick on the go snacks.

Does this sound like a truly evil plan or what? Let me tell you, the unknowing princess surely fell victim to my tricks and walked away satiated.

Want to win a Cuisinart Baby Food Maker along with a 4 pack of Yummi Pouch Brights to put your dubious potions delicious creations in? Enter to win this fabulous prize pack by commenting below:

1. Visit Cuisinart's baby food recipe site and tell me which recipe you think your little one will go "goo goo" for. Please leave your best contact email address so that I can email you if you win. (See full rules below)

2. Gain an additional entry point by visiting Yummi Pouch's recipe page and leaving a comment here with a recipe that you'd  like from there too!

This giveaway has ended. Thank you to all who entered!

Rules: Entering this giveaway is completely optional; however in order to qualify to enter you will need to leave a comment answering question #1, and for an additional entry option you may also answer question #2 in separate comments. The winning entry will be validated. Open to the US only, aged 18 years or older. The contest ends at 6:00pm PST 7/25/2014. The winner has until 6:00pm PST 7/26/2014 to respond to the email notification. The Pierogie Mama is not responsible for prize fulfillment. The winner will be contacted at the end of the giveaway and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. 

3 reasons keeping backyard chickens is good for my toddler

Welcome to the June 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids and Animals

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly 

Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. 

This month our participants have shared stories and wisdom about kids and pets.

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About 6 weeks before my second daughter was born we adopted 5 laying hens. My initial expectation for the level of interaction with them was to get eggs from them and that's it. I didn't anticipate viewing them as pets (like we view our dog). I expected ornery, crabby little beasts that made weird noises, pooped a lot and gave me an egg every once in a while. What I wasn't prepared for was my toddler's reaction to them.

Penny, who is now 2 years old, loved these strange birds from the very start. 

So what is it about keeping chickens that makes it worth it to me? After all, I'm a mom with two kids under the age of two. Why would I sign up to add 5 more creatures to keep under my wing (no pun intended)? Ain't nobody got time for that, right?!

1. Plain and simple, she enjoys the heck out of them. She loves talking about them, chasing them when we let them into the yard, and they seem to enjoy her. In their own chicken way. There's been several times where we're out in the backyard finger painting or whatever and they come over to her to check out what's going on. They've always been gentle, docile and friendly and that simply amazes me. I never expected chickens to be sweet. 

2. She's beginning to learn about animal care. We've had at least one dog for her entire life but caring for Squirt is a little bit above her right now. However, taking care of the chickens is a perfect introduction because there's several levels of participation. 

• Observation: As we got accustomed to being chicken owners, we first kept them inside their pen to learn about their behavior and what we can expect from them. Because these weren't chicks that I had raised myself, I wasn't sure what their temperament would be. So the start of our relationship began through chicken wire. I started by pointing out to Penny that we have 3 colors of chickens, that we have two pairs and one single and we are working on naming each one as she discovers the differences between the two black and two brown hens we have (I'm going to admit it - I still have a very hard time!).
• Egg collection: This is the fun part! Several times a day we go out to the chicken coop and open our special egg collection door. This door is on the outside of the pen so we don't have to put on our "muck boots" in preparation for possible contact with chicken poop. Depending on the time of day, there could be an egg or two waiting for us or a lady sitting in the nest box working on one. I have a running joke that once the girls have met their "quota," meaning at least 4/5 of the hens have laid an egg they are allowed to free range for the rest of the afternoon! Otherwise they are in "chicken jail" until the following afternoon. Penny's favorite thing to do is "count eggies" when we get back inside. It's been the biggest help in getting her to learn her numbers 1-12. As she grows older she'll learn more and more about the process of creating an egg and gaining an appreciation of where her food comes from. Every time that we get to take an egg we say "Thank you chickens!" 
• Food: The chickens are fed their own special pellets that normally account for most of their nutrition. Our hens also benefit from the many kitchen scraps that I make throughout the day. Over 75% of what my family eats is fresh so I have tons of veggie or fruit scraps that were previously going to the yard waste bin that are now being very happily munched up by our chickens. Once or twice a day we take our scrap bin to the pen and toss it in for the birds to have some treats. This is another one of Penny's new responsibilities; she carries the little bucket from our kitchen to the pen door, and I'll toss the contents into the pen. If the chickens have met their aforementioned "quota" they are allowed to run around the yard and eat tender grasses and bugs, and are obligated to allowing Penny to pet them. My intention in showing her that we can pass our scraps on to the chickens is so that she can learn that not everything "unworthy" of the kitchen table needs to go in the trash or compost. Now that the weather is warmer and weeds abound in my yard, we've spent many an afternoon weeding and collecting those weeds for the chickens to eat too. I tell ya, my yard waste bin has been pretty empty these last few weeks!    
• "Chicken chores" are done a couple times a week and are still above Penny's level but she still gets to participate. If Ruby is down for a nap and I'm not currently wearing her, Penny gets to ride on my back in our Boba. She gets to watch mama do chicken chores with a bird's eye view (pun totally intended). These chores range from fluffing up the pine shavings in the nesting boxes for a cozy place to lay eggs, raking the pen to move around scraps or weeds, filling their food canister or water canteen, to finally the OH SO GLAMOROUS mucking of the chicken coop. Typically the last one I let Penny run around in the yard so that I have more freedom to move around in the coop without worrying about if Penny will accidentally touch or reach for a poopy roost. Again, this teaches her about caring for our animals responsibly and all the work that goes into them.   

3. Finally, and not to down play this point in the least bit, my toddler and the entire family benefit from all the nutritional amazingness of the eggs! DUH! Fresh, free range eggs are astronomically more nutritious than store bought eggs. We call them "happy eggs" because they come from happy chickens. Free range eggs have:
• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene
source 
The yolks are a healthy orange color and taste so much better than commercially harvested eggs. I am also 100% positive that they are the reason why Penny has enough hair for a pony tail right now :) Eggs are chock full of protein, and hair is protein, so it makes sense to me that if she's getting a ton of extra protein daily that her hair and nails would grow faster. Am I right? Whether or not there's true science behind it, I believe it.

Keeping backyard chickens is just the beginning of teaching my children about honoring and respecting our food. Our culture of excess glosses over where food comes from and it comes to no surprise that many children have no idea where food comes from or how it magically appeared on grocery shelves. Even something as simple as an egg, which many of us take for granted, is a precious gift given by nature. Laying an egg isn't an easy feat for a chicken, it's uncomfortable but she still does it every day for us. It's a simple start, but hopefully will foster an understanding of the greater world beyond our pantry shelves.




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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!


Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• What Animal Rescue is Teaching My Children
• Tips on Picking the Perfect Kid-friendly Dog — Lactating Girl at The Adventures of Lactating Girl shares some tips she's learned on how to find the perfect child-friendly dog for your family.
• All New Animals Are "Woof" — Baby Boy is still learning animals. Life Breath Present doesn't yet have any at home, but he still believes that all animals are "woof." Here's the proof.
• Dude, where's my Horse? — Adora loves horses, but Erin at And Now, for Something Completely Different really doesn't. However, Adora's longing wins out; learn about their interactions with horses here.
• Weighing the Pros and Cons of a Family Pet — When is a family ready for a pet? Donna at Eco-Mothering discusses her worries as well as the benefits of adopting a dog, including how it will affect her seven-year-old daughter.
• Parenting Challenge--Learning from Animals--running the emotional gammut — Survivor at Surviving Mexico writes about the emotional learning her family has experienced through sharing their lives with animals.
• Puppy Love for our Family — In case you didn't catch it from the blog title, Pug in the Kitchen, the family pet is an integral part of Laura's family and home life!
• Vegetarianism and Animal Rights: Explaining to Children — Becca at The Earthling's Handbook is mostly vegetarian...not 100%, and not because of animal rights...yet she has found that the idea of not hurting animals is the aspect of vegetarianism most easily understood by a young child. She explains what her son has learned about not eating meat and how it has affected his social life.
• Pets & kids: The realities — Lauren at Hobo Mama lays out the benefits and drawbacks of pet ownership when young kids are involved.
• HOW PETS CONNECT WITH EMOTIONS: KIDS & PETS AFTER 9-11 — Parenting Expert Laurie Hollman at Parental Intelligence discusses the importance of pets in lowering stress after traumatic situations, why children choose certain pets, the loss of a pet, and the role of parents in teaching care-giving to animals in a warm, gentle way.
• It's not our house without a dog! — Amy at Me, Mothering, and Making it All Work describes why giving a loving and disciplined home to at least one shelter dog at a time enriches the life of her family, and has become a vivid memory in the minds of her children.
• Canine Haikus —
  
  Kids, dog, haikus, at
  
  Dionna (Code Name: Mama).
  
  Pet-centric poems.
• Beanie's Bunnies — Our Mindful Life's Sofi Bean has gotten her first pets!
• Montessori Care of Pets — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now tells about her experiences with kids and pets and shares Montessori resources for pet care.
• How to Nurture Your Child's Awareness of Spirit Guides — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama hosts a post from her regular contributor Lauren of SpiralElixir.com. Lauren looks at the concept of animals as spirit guides and how deeply children are connected to this realm. She also encourages us to open ourselves up as parents to the reality that children are naturally more connected to the animal world, giving us ideas on how to nurture their relationships with their Spirit Guides.
• No Puppy! — Meg at the Boho Mama shares her tips for dealing with toddlers and the (very real) fear of animals.
• Year of the Pets — Jorje of Momma Jorje wasn't sure she ever wanted pets again, but things have changed a lot this year!
• 3 Reasons Why Keeping Backyard Chickens is Good for my Toddler — Bianca, The Pierogie Mama, started keeping backyard chickens for the benefit of their eggs, but what she wasn't prepared for was what they would teach her two year old daughter too.

Strawberry Picking #WordlessWednesday

Pssst.... Here's my Strawberry Pierogie Recipe, just for you :)

Boba 4G carrier with a newborn

Oh, it's been a month of craziness up in this house for sure.. Miss Penny turning 2 and seriously blossoming into this adventerous, talkative, sassy girl, and then there's the new addition - little Ruby!

Having 2 kids within 2 years means that a lot of our methods have stayed the same (such as bed sharing, cloth diapering, daily routines) but quite a few things have changed. Namely our babywearing techniques.

Babywearing was sort of a novel idea to me when Penny was a newborn - I was perfectly happy to sit and snuggle all day. It wasn't until she was 4 months old and summer hit when we pulled out our soft carrier (the Ergo) and took her along on hikes and other outdoor excursions.

This time around - babywearing is a necessity. Can I say it again? Babywearing is a necessity with 2 under 2. 

I have been experimenting with different methods depending on what our activity is, but my favorite carrier for our daily family walks or when I'm getting work done around the house is the Boba 4G carrier. I struggled with our Ergo for the newborn stage (and the newborn insert was just plain silly and useless) so I was very interested to see how the Boba held up.

From the first time that I put Ruby into our Boba (around 2 weeks old) I felt like it was a great fit. She was about 9lbs and 21 inches and fit into the carrier well. I didn't feel like she was too small and would flop around like Penny did in our other soft carrier. Her little bottom slid perfectly onto the integrated infant insert.

Another favorite feature of the Boba 4g carrier is just how adjustable it is. It has 5 ways to adjust the fit to you - across the hips, across the chest, adjusting the height of the chest strap, and 2 shoulder adjustments. The extra shoulder adjustment is a big seller for me because my husband has a really wide chest so he's able to bring the fit closer to him.

source

Our carrier is made from their optional organic cotton. It is free of chemicals or dyes. The fabric is must softer and more pliable than our other carrier, which is perfect for against especially a newborn's skin.

This carrier is rated from 7 - 45 lbs. There's a lot of carriers out there who claim that, but I feel like the Boba 4g can honestly meet that claim. As I mentioned before, Ruby was probably between 8 1/2 - 9 lbs when I first started wearing her in it and it was a comfortable fit from the get-go. In comparison it wasn't until Penny was closer to 11-12 lbs (even with the infant insert) that I was able to somewhat comfortably carry her around and not feel like she was sloshing around in the other carrier. I've also worn Penny, now 25 months old and 23 lbs (Yep, she's a petite lady), in the Boba 4g carrier and absolutely love her in it as well because the panel rises up several inches higher and I can tell that she is much more comfortable in it because she's not craning to get out or look around. My favorite part about the back carry for this carrier is that the chest strap can be slid up and down (in addition to being tightened or loosened).

The Boba 4G is definitely a new favorite around these parts and I can whole heatedly recommend it to anyone!

Enter for your chance to win a Boba Baby Carrier, a Boba Wrap or a Boba Air! All products can be seen at www.boba.com. With Boba products it is easier than ever to enjoy Freedom Together as a family and Boba wants YOU to get a chance to use their products. To enter to win, follow the Rafflecopter instructions.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monthly Its: February (oops! A little late!)

The month of February flew by and I'm very guilty of completely forgetting to post this! I've been on baby-watch for the last two weeks, busy preparing the house for our addition, battled the crud for the entire family, adjusted to becoming a 'backyard chicken family' and fitting in last minute one-on-one snuggles with Penny. Lord only knows just how busy March will be - with Penny graduating to being a 2 year old today and I'm dying to know when her little sister is planning on making her arrival, as tomorrow is her estimated due date.

This month's premier Pierogie Mama sponsor is Heather's Green Home Goods. Heather has been kind enough to send over some newborn cloth diapers that I will be reviewing next month for Ruby, but in the meantime check out her really unique and extremely quick drying design on fitted cloth diapers. She offers custom color combinations too! A few other items that you'll find dispersed throughout her Etsy and website are cloth Swiffer style replacements (what an AWESOME idea!), wool dryer balls, and un-paper towels with super cute designs. She also shares a ton of tutorials on her blog so be sure to bookmark her for fun projects. If you click on the Heather's Green Home Goods ad on my sidebar you'll get an automatic 15% discount, or just send her a message and let her know The Pierogie Mama sent ya ;)

Sankofa Diapers has brought back unrefined organic shea butter onto their site! Yum. I've cruised around and found a pretty easy recipe for a body butter recipe that uses shea butter and coconut oil and am pretty positive that in a couple weeks this mama could definitely use a delicious foot rub after the marathon of birth and nursing a newborn (hint hint hubby!). Don't forget to get 15% off with the code PIEROGIEMAMA for any of Sankofa Diaper's cloth diapers!

Pssst, if you are a Stargazer Soaps fan on facebook, you probably already know...but if not...she is coming out with lip balms, lotion bars, bath bombs (!!!) and sugar scrubs in addition to her already amazing line of soaps. They're not available on her store just yet but that was just a little insider information from me to you. Her scent combinations in her soaps (like teakwood + cardamom or vegan lemon basil) are always a winner so I can't wait to see what else I can smear on my body that comes from Stargazer Soaps! ;) Promocode PIER10 will get you 10% off your order!

"Mama - Penny Moster Shuuuuuuuuuuurt?"
"Mama - Penny Moster Sweeeeeeeeat Shuuuuuuuuuuuurt?" (in increasingly distressed tone)
That's been the main request when it's time to get dressed around here. Penny LOVES her Pink Monster coordinating outfit from Doodle Pants and I can't keep it cycled through the wash fast enough, lol! The great news is that even though her Doodle Pants leggings have been washed numerous times we have yet to get any runs or bare threads. I seriously can't keep up with all the new designs that are rolling out so be sure to take advantage of another really awesome Pierogie Mama sponsor discount of 15% with the code PIEROGIE15

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Jonboy Caramels Review & Giveaway! #seattle #bmnlove

This post was originally part of the Feel the Love Giveaway Hop.

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Pictures speak a thousand words, don't they?

We recently had the opportunity to try Jonboy Caramels, a Seattle based company.

I pretty much got my first taste without Penny really understanding what was going on. But as soon as she saw the really pleased look on my face, my little girl looked up at me (with her hands outstretched) and said "mama - have?"

Yes baby, you may have one too.

Normally I keep sugary sweets out of my little tyke's hands, but what mama can resist such a sweet request?

It's also a major plus to me that Jonboy Caramels sources local ingredients, down to the cream and butter used as the base. They've opted for organic brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup; and their seasonal flavors, such as Balsamic Berry, uses raspberry and blackberry juice from local farms too.

We sampled a box of their Fleur de Sel Caramels and my initial hope was for them to last us through Valentine's Day - hah. Fat chance! These babies were gone in less than a couple days, between a snatch here and a grab there, and a 'well, I just have to have another one..' incident or two.

The texture was creamy and they melted in your mouth just like a good caramel should. These aren't the sticky, chewy caramels that make you worry about your dental health - my fillings remained intact after several samples of these. :)

Have I got you drooling at all? Well lucky you, Jonboy wants to share the love and give one Pierogie Mama a sweet sampler of their Fleur de Sel, Molasses Ginger, and Absinthe caramels. Oh boy!

Enter to win below!
This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all who entered!

Disclosure: Thank you Jonboy Caramels for hooking me up with this sweet treat! 

I love supporting a local Seattle company. All opinions expressed are my own.