So, I was watching tv the other night and an ad for this ‘lovely’ came on. Once I pulled my jaw off of the floor and recovered my ability to speak… Fisher Price Smart Cycle Presents like this make me want to send a letter of condolence to the poor, poor children.

my recurring thought was, “What the Hell ever happened to childhood”? Whatever happened to riding down the street with the wind blowing through your hair and the cards stuck in your spokes going click click click as you speed along behind your best friend with your backpack full of snacks, off to spend the glorious day in an empty lot, or tree, or behind a bush on the side of the road, ANYWHERE that you can find that makes you feel away from the world? Whatever happened to disappearing for the whole day, and coming home at night, because your mama calls you for dinner? What ever happened to that? I mean, I know, deep down what happened to that, I suspect, but really, can’t we bring that back? Work together?
Love,
Heather

The bathtub taboo was pointed out to me by a Hathor reader (thanks Jess R.!) who found that her more mainsteam friends could approve of breastfeeding and co-sleeping (within reason!) but could not at all accept the idea of climbing into the tub with baby. That was entirely too much. hee hee.

Here’s my bathtime story: With my first child I used a plastic tub on the kitchen counter, and burt’s bees baby soap, and cottonballs to wash, and the Dr. Sears Baby Book open to read the ‘how-to’. It took me months until I ‘figured out’ that I could just get into the bathtub with her and wash her in my arms. With my second baby I figured out that the kitchen sink would easily work as I had long since gotten rid of my plastic tub, so if I didn’t want to take a bath, then the kitchen sink would do. Finally with my third I would use a mesh sling and take baby right into the shower with me (can’t be too hot though!)

Keep in mind that I was ever, always gentle and respectful and I’m so sorry to do this, but here’s ANOTHER reason to homebirth (thanks Helene S!) Please do not watch if you are feeling faint of heart, will haunt your dreams, I’m not kidding (I’m not going to embed it in my post because I’m totally serious, don’t watch if you don’t want to freak. But, the baby is OK in the end.) How NOT to bathe the baby the comments after the video seem to focus on the nurse and how badly she needs to be fired, but I can easily imagine this is not the first baby to be bathed in this manner. And asking at the local labor and delivery hospital how they bathe babies might be a good idea.

Love,
Heather

This is a lovely album of lullabye-ish songs…I especially LOVE ‘welcome to this world’ (thanks Melissa! it’s playing on her myspace page ;o) and you can go here: Renee’s Myspace profile to download any/all of the songs. I really really wanted Welcome to the World to play on my blog, but I couldn’t figure out how…so go to their page, download the song (come on! it’s only .99!) and play it while you check out my site ;o) Go on, it’ll be fun!

Love,
Heather

Order this Cartoon as a 8.5 x 11 print on glossy photo paper and signed for only $10!

Dear Mamas,
I sent this letter to some friends the other day, and then it inspired a comic, so here you go!

Gwynnie came to me yesterday and asked me to fill her purse with money, which I did, and then told me she was going to go give the money to the neighbors. I said ‘okay’ and went back to working on the health insurance forms, you know filling them out, looking for more information. I don’t know if you’ve seen my filing system but it’s atrocious! and it always seems like there’s things you need to know that you don’t, so I called Kevin to ask him for a number and as the phone is dialing I see Isobel and Fiona. So I walk upstairs and say “gwynnie?” and come downstairs, ask Kevin the question and go into the living room and say “gwynnie?” and then it dawns on me that I can’t find gwynnie and panic ensues! We hang up on Kevin, run outside calling for her, I go back upstairs, we look up and down the street, check the garage, the car, the laundry room. I go back through the house. I tell you I am having a frickin heart attack! We go back out front, then I start looking for my phone to call 911. Finally Fiona yells there she is and there she is walking casually up the street with her purse jauntily swinging. She went to give money to the neighbors! No kidding!

I asked her to show me where she had been and she walks me down the street and at every house is a little pile of change at the end of the walk, down around the corner, every house there, and then up the next street. She crossed an alley road, but told me that she didn’t get to cross the street and do the other side, yet ;o 0 She visited the front doorstep of about 18 houses.

phew!
Always listen to your kids!
Peace,
Heather

Yep. I’m so proud. And terrified ;o)

Love,
Heather