Jaxen's First Airplane Ride!

Jaxen's First Trip To The Beach!

Last week we got to travel to Florida with my mom to visit my grandparents, soak up some sun, baste in the ocean and eat sea critters! It was a great trip! Unfortunately, the Gulf was a not-so-lovely 68 degrees this year and too cold to get into so I didn't but Jaxen just loved the sun the and the sound of the waves! Even though he is not usually active during the afternoon, he really perked up when he heard the crashing waves. Grandma, Mom and I also took a day to go shopping and found some cute things.
 

22 Wks: Sghetti Squash

25 Wks: Cauliflower

Inching ever closer to the third trimester! I'm having a hard time believing I'm going to fit 5-6 more pounds of baby in here. Recently I've met a few ladies who tell me they just absolutely loved being pregnant. I caaaaaaan noooootttt fathom why. I now feel like my rib cage is going to explode to make room for my soccer ball sized uterus and all the other parts and pieces that still have to fit in there as well. Oh well, at least I'm sleeping slightly better! But I can feel the fatigue of the first trimester coming back for me this week and I'm just no good at this taking it easy thing. For example, I hiked up a canyon partially covered in snow to do THIS for my birthday party:

  MUST READ(S)! 

These books/articles (along with the end quotes I've been posting with each blog entry) compose the backbone of our parenting philosophy. Reading them might help you unravel our mysteries.

• "Trees Make The Best Mobiles" - Jessica Teich
• "Respecting Babies" - Magda Gerber 
• Online article: Why I Took All My Kids Toys Away

     Keeping it simple is of extreme importance to us. The reason we've registered online is because we are super specific about what we want and what we don't want. I have put A LOT of time and  research into the things we're registered for. There is also a lot we DO NOT want. Buying this gadget and that gizmo for your child every time a new one hits the shelves is inane. Not only does the child learn to rely on adults and material things for stimulation (which makes the adults job harder, more stressful and extra costly) but they do little to teach the child to just be content to be with themselves. It seems to me that sometimes there are times in life when all you have is yourself and the better you are at being content that way, the easier it is to get through life.
     In the olden days, people got by with a lot less than kids get today and there's something really important to be said for that. Plus, a cluttered house translates to a cluttered mind and thus a cluttered body. I can't do that. It also makes for a nightmarish situation for the planet. Dumps all over the world with garbage mountains majesty of brightly colored, cheap chinese-made signing, dancing and lighting up toys. Batteries leaking toxic chemicals into the soil and water we are eating and drinking out of...white peaks of disposable diapers piled abominably high flapping their incredibly fetid stench into the wind...

New gear courtesy of Grandma & Great Grandma!

Had another check up with Melissa today! Again, nothing but good news! Next month we'll have one last monthly check up before we switch to bi-monthly check ups.

Quote:

"RIE emphasizes the benefits of infants' spending peaceful, uninterrupted time following their biological rhythms of falling asleep when sleepy and eating when hungry, rather than their having to adjust too soon to external schedules and unrealistic expectations. First, we have to let the child develop his own rhythm; and then later he can adjust more into adult life."

~ Magda Gerber