VEGGIE CHRISTMAS (Week 2)

Our second box from Black River Organic Farm was even more bountiful than the first! Big T was a bit dubious, as he reported that the box felt pretty light this week. But inside, I found a head of red butterhead lettuce, red leaf lettuce, baby bok choy, radishes, a large ziploc of arugula, spinach, and a GIANT zucchini. The thing is bigger than my cat. Possibly bigger than Baby T. I get excited when there are veggies I can cook with (instead of just making salads). And it's important to me to make quick and easy, but healthy, dinners. So here's this week's menu:

Thursday: Pasta with Arugula and Garlic

Saturday: Stir fry with chicken, bok choi and zucchini over rice

Monday: Chicken lettuce wraps

Tuesday: Zucchini stuffed with bread crumbs, spinach, and cheese. Roasted potatoes. I'm still trying to figure out if I need a meat with this. I will probably just add some ground beef to the stuffed zucchini.

Lunches every day are salads with some avocado I have to use up. I am addicted to a new caesar vinaigrette recipe that I got from an Earthbound Farms organic cookbook that came to me free in the mail. My other favorite dressing is this honey vinaigrette, which is delicious if you like to add fruit, like orange chunks, grapes or craisins to your salads.

*By the way, I do eat on Fridays and Sundays, but we hang with the in laws on those days, so no cooking for me!

VEGGIE CHRISTMAS (Week 1)

Our Weekly CSA Delivery

Every Wednesday from April to July, we celebrate Veggie Christmas. Through our CSA at Black River Organic Farm, we get a big box of vegetables. Organic, locally grown, in-season vegetables. We don't know what we're going to get until the box comes, so opening it is like Christmas. Every week. Last year, Big T named it Veggie Christmas. And he doesn't even like vegetables that much. That's how amazing it is to get fresh, harvested-that-day vegetables. If you thought you knew vegetables, think again. This is not your grocery store organic produce. This is fresher than fresh, colorful, crisp veggies. It may be one of my favorite parts of spring.

There are times when I have no idea what to do with all of the veggies. There are times when I have to go online to research what a particular veggie is, because I've never seen it before. There are times when I have to research what recipes I can make with a turnip, or an English pea, because I've never used that veggie before. But, as you know, I love the creative process. I love making new, unique dishes. It keeps me on my toes.

It's also surprisingly affordable. I try to keep to a strict budget. I'm not made of money. We pay up front for the whole season, and it comes out to about $17 a week. For all the organic veggies you could ask for for an entire week, that's an unbeatable deal. And we're supporting a local farm--all the better.

This week we had a pretty light box. We had a relatively cold winter for NC, so the initial growth is starting off a little slow. But I'm pretty sure we have enough lettuce to last us for 2 weeks. On the day I bring home my box, I wait to open it up until I'm in the house. I usually open it, smile and squeal, and recite the contents as I pull each item out. I have a lot of work to do on Wednesdays. I like to wash all the lettuce and greens, dry it, and store it in ziplocs between paper towels to keep it fresh and to have it ready when I need it. (It's a good thing K-38 Baja Grill is across the street from the coop where I pick up the box has $1 taco night on Wednesdays, so at least I don't have to worry about cooking that night!)

This week we received:

• A huge head of green leaf lettuce
• A large head of bibb lettuce
• 2 quart sized ziplocs filled with baby spring greens
• A bunch of radishes
• 1 garlic bulb
• A bunch of cilantro

And this is my menu for the week:

Thursday:
Lunch - green leaf lettuce salad with radishes, cucumbers (store bought) and cilantro. [Cilantro really livens up a salad and adds a note of unexpected freshness to it] I had this with leftover soup from dinner earlier in the week.
Dinner - Spaghetti with Roasted Radish Greens, Garlic and Vodka Sauce, bibb lettuce salad with cucumbers. [As I was eating the bibb lettuce I thought it would be delicious with japanese carrot ginger dressing. Mmmm...note for next week.]

Friday:
Lunch - same as yesterday
Dinner - grilled chicken, grilled asparagus (store bought), big salad (possibly with grilled lettuce)

Saturday:
Lunch - Spinach Dip with Radishes, homemade bread
Dinner - Grilled eye roast, homemade bread with garlic roasted on the grill, big salad

Sunday:
Dinner - Seared Scallops with Spicy Honey-Citrus Glaze, Cilantro Rice and a bed of wilted greens

Monday:
Lunch - salad
Dinner - Open Faced Tostadas with [leftover] Eye Roast and Garlic/Cilantro Salsa

FRESH ORGANIC DELICIOUSNESS

Recipes made from our CSA Box (Week 1)

Spaghetti with Roasted Radish Greens, Garlic and Vodka Sauce
Uses garlic and radish greens from CSA box

makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 bunch radish tops, washed well and dried (save radishes for another recipe)
olive oil
1/2 box spaghetti
1 clove garlic, minced
bottled vodka sauce
sea salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, drizzle or spray radish greens with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and toss to coat. Spread on cookie sheet and roast in oven for about 10 minutes. Greens will wilt and get a little crispy.

Meanwhile, drizzle olive oil in a pan, and heat minced garlic until fragrant and golden. Remove from heat and set a side.

Boil pasta until al dente. After draining pasta, add to pan with garlic. Top with radish greens and toss while cooking over medium heat. Add vodka sauce and serve.

*Note: This is so flavorful that you could eat it without the sauce!

Spinach Dip with Radishes
Uses radishes from CSA Box

Ingredients:
1 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed (or you can use fresh when you get it in your box!)
1 bunch radishes, chopped
1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise

Mix it all together and voila!
*If using fresh spinach, chop and saute in olive oil before blending with other ingredients.
Servce with veggies, pita chips, bread, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Seared Scallops with Spicy Honey-Citrus Glaze with Cilantro Rice
Uses garlic and cilantro from CSA box
Adapted from this recipe I found when googling for ideas
2-4 servings (depending on how much of a piggy you are. We split a pound of scallops between the 2 of us.)
**This was the best recipe I have made in a long time! I poured all the remaining glaze we didn't use over the baby greens mix from the CSA and ate it the next day for lunch. Amazing.


Glaze:
½ cup local honey
¼ cup fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 ½ teaspoons hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)*

Scallops:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 large sea scallops, side muscle removed
Chopped fresh chives

Rice:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup brown basmati rice or jasmin rice
1 ½ cups chicken broth
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
zest from one lime
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. salt
For glaze:
Stir all ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat until heated through. Set aside.
Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

For scallops:
Preheat broiler. Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Cook scallops until browned on 1 side, about 1 minute. Turn scallops over and cook 1 minute. Spoon 1 teaspoon glaze atop each scallop. Place scallops in broiler until glaze browns, about 1 minute.

For Rice:
Add the oil to a sauce pan and heat on low. Add the garlic and rice to the oil and saute for 2 minutes on medium heat stirring frequently.

Add the chicken broth, salt, lime juice and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes or according to rice package directions.
When the rice is done, add lime zest and chopped cilantro and stir to mix in. Serve immediately alongside scallops. Top scallops with glaze.

*I think I'm going to try serving the scallops on a bed of baby greens and topping the whole thing with glaze. Yum!

Open Faced Gorditas with [leftover] Eye Roast and Garlic/Cilantro Salsa
Uses garlic, cilantro and lettuce from CSA Box

For gordita base:
1 1/2 c masa harina
3/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBSP chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chicken broth

Combine masa harina, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives, then roll in your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add broth, stir just until moist. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 5 or 6 times.

Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Press each ball into a 6 inch circle on a lightly floured surface (cover remaining balls to prevent drying). Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray or spray olive oil. Place 1 gordita in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove gordita from pan. Repeat with remaining spray and gorditas.

To assemble:
Top gorditas with leftover eye roast strips, avocados, tomatos, cheese, and lettuce (or whatever mexican delights you want to use). Top with salsa and sour cream and enjoy.

For Garlic/Cilantro Salsa:
1 can Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chilies
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic
2 TBSP cilantro
1-2 TBSP lime juice
Olive Oil

Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Mix with Ro-Tel, cilantro and lime juice in a small bowl. This tasted a lot like the salsa at K-38 Baja Grill. Delicious!

Tips for Traveling with Baby

Airplane travel with baby is a lot more fun than traveling alone

You would think that traveling with a baby is a nightmare. I thought it would be. But I have taken 4 round trip flights with Baby T, and it’s surprisingly easy. Traveling with baby definitely keeps you busy, but it makes the time go by faster and you’re at your destination before you know it.

The first time I traveled with Baby T, he was about 3 and a half months old. I was nauseous for about two days before the flight because I was so nervous. We were traveling alone. Just the two of us. No one to help us out. I was freaking out. Well, it ended up going without a hitch. He nursed a lot--for most takeoffs and landings. And slept the rest of the time. And the layovers were simple. Getting through security was a little crazy, but when is it not? These days, you practically have to strip naked and remove everything from your bags anyways, so what’s an extra baby, stroller, car seat, and quart sized Ziploc bag filled with meds thrown in the mix?

We flew again for Thanksgiving, when Baby T was 6 months old. This time, I had Big T with me. Which helped, because Baby T was turning into a squirmy little worm. Everything went well, except for a few freakouts on Baby T's part. On the plane. Which wasn't fun, but what can you do? That was the start of one of Baby T's nursing strikes, and I think one of the main issues was that I was so paranoid about Baby T’s ears that I forced him to nurse during every takeoff and landing. And I think he was like, “Mom, quit it! I’m so not hungry. Get your damn boob out of my face!” (And just in case you’re doubting this, Baby T probably really does talk like that. He gets it from his mom. We have to work on that.)

We traveled again at the beginning of March, and then for our big vacation at the end of March. This time, Baby T was crawling and pulling up on things. This made him extra squirmy, but also let him get out his extra energy at the airport between flights. Yes, I was the mom letting her baby crawl all over the filthy floor, kicking muffin crumbs out of the way and pulling used water bottles out of Baby T’s hands, and apologizing when he went crawling like a maniac, giggling the whole time, towards a man using a laptop. (Computers are an obsession of his).

It’s actually fun and exciting traveling with Baby T, and he is a people watcher, so airports and airplanes are his favorite places. And I have to admit--it’s really fun to be Baby T’s mom and watch him melt strangers’ hearts with his sweet smile. His favorite thing to do on the airplane is stand in my lap and peek at the people in the rows behind me. If someone smiles or waves at him, he puts on the charm. If nobody pays attention to him, watch out—crankopottamus!

Here are some tips from my travels that have helped me immensely.

Entertaining Baby:

• Bring a variety of toys and books to keep baby busy--but know that baby's favorite toy will probably be a water bottle or the safety card in the seat in front of you, and you will probably never pull out any of the toys you brought.
• Keep in mind that a new toy will probably last a little longer than one your baby has played with over and over again--even if it's a favorite. This is where my Quiet Book came in handy!
• If you do end up pulling out a toy, be prepared to learn new tricks and make a fool of yourself in public. One of Baby T’s new games [certain to invoke hilarity] is when Big T puts Baby T’s toy in his mouth, shakes it around, and growls like a dog.
• If your baby eats solids, bring a snack trap filled with puffs or cereal. Even if your baby has not quite mastered the snack trap yet. This provides hours--literally HOURS--of quiet determination as baby fishes for snacks.
• If you have ever been that person who, when your airplane seat is continually kicked by the child behind you, has turned around repeatedly and given that child/parent dirty looks, sincerely send out a karmic apology to that family. Realize that your child will now be the one kicking and patting the seat in front of you and there’s not much you can do to stop it. Offer a weak apologetic smile to the passenger in the seat in front of you.

Staying Organized and Managing Your Way Through Security and the Airport:

• I find that having a big tote bag with dividers and a simple closure is convenient. I don’t want to use a bag that zips completely shut, because it’s a pain to have to pull out toys when baby is screaming in your lap and you only have one hand, and are trying to bend over and keep baby’s hand out of the hair of the person sitting in front of you all at the same time. But you don’t want a bag with NO closures at all, because then all your stuff can fall out. I use a giant tote bag (handmade, of course) with 3 compartments: one for diapers, wipes, and wetones (I stick my quart sized containers in this compartment), one for books, and another for toys, blankets, etc. It has one giant button so I can button the top together but still reach in and grab what I need.
• Pack a lot more extra diapers than you think you’ll need, wipes, a change of clothes for yourself and baby, and an extra blanket in your carry on. If baby spits up (read: pukes) all over you, you can change your shirt and use a blanket to clean it up with. If baby poops all over himself, you can change him. If you miss your connection and get screwed by the airline and have to stay in a hotel for the night (take it from me, this does happen), you have extra diapers and wipes for the night and the next day.
• I bring my biggest stroller and the car seat with me. I’m still using the bucket car seat, and even though I don’t have a travel system, it lays in the stroller. The reason I bring my biggest stroller is because I’m going to gate check it anyway, so I might as well be able to use it to carry as much as possible right up until I board the plane. I carry Baby T in a baby carrier. This way, he’s right on my chest where I know he’s safe. I don’t have to worry about him being knocked around by passengers rushing by, and he’s right where I can see and feel him. Then, I use the stroller as a luggage cart. When I board the plane (I try to be the first one on), I just fold up the stroller and leave it and the car seat at the end of the jetway (unless I’m bringing my car seat on board.) 
• Wear your easiest slip on shoes, and no belt. You will have a ton of crap getting through security. Bending over to tie your shoes would just be a hassle.
• Wear your baby if possible, especially through security. I have used both a wrap and an Ergo. Wrap is easy for popping baby in and out, but the Ergo is more versatile for me right now because I can easily pop him in a back or front carry. Most airports won’t ask you to take baby off to go through security. Just ask right before you step through the scanner: “Can I wear my baby through?” Usually they’ll motion you right through. NOTE: In the 4 round trip flights I have taken, I have never been asked to take baby out of the carrier. However, Baby T and I usually get an extra pat down. One of these pat downs took an extra 10 minutes, as I had to wait for a female attendant, and then she asked if I could undo the waist strap of my Ergo. Um, if I do that, my baby will fall out. So I had to pretty much undo the whole thing anyway. But that was once out of 8 security lines I have been through with Baby T. Wearing baby makes it much easier to grab your things on the other side. Also, Baby T stays calm and less squirmy in a carrier on my chest, so I try to wear him for as long as possible once on the plane.
• You can bring an extra quart sized bag for baby. What I have usually done is filled this with meds. (I like to be prepared when traveling, so always have various infant Tylenols, saline drops, children’s benadryl just in case of an emergency, etc.) If you have meds, they don’t have to be in an actual Ziploc, so I carry mine in a zippered clear makeup pouch. If you do have meds larger than 3 oz (or bottles or baby food), they will make you open the container so they can test it. You need your hands free for this. Another reason to wear baby.

On the Plane:

• When you get to the gate, ask if there are any empty seats near you. If possible, arrange to bring your car seat on board. Usually, they can work with you. This was huge for us. Baby T is not a fan of being strapped in the car seat, but he was able to sit in it for a while (while busy with the snack trap), which was a nice break from having him strapped to my chest. He also liked to stand up in it while holding onto the handle. Extra entertainment at your fingertips!
• If you’re on a small plane, there may not be changing tables in the bathrooms. To prepare for possible emergencies, dress baby in multiple layers, and for pete’s sake, put something over his onesie. If he has explosive poop that leaks out the side of his diaper, you want as much fabric in between you and baby as possible! NOTE: a baby carrier hides any leaks from disgusted eyes in the airport. I dressed Baby T in pants that had a quick drying outer layer (like track pants) and an inner layer that felt like sweatpant material. Believe me, it helped hold in the explosive poop and dried quickly when the pee leaked. On my next flight though, I got wise. I used an overnight disposable diaper with a cloth diaper cover over that. Genius. No leaks. If your flight is not full, you can use an empty row and an airplane blanket to change baby’s diaper. If you do have a changing table in the restroom of your plane, don’t bring your whole diaper bag in there. Grab a diaper, the wipes, and go.
• Try to give baby something to suck on during takeoff and landing. Swallowing will help prevent baby’s ears from popping. But relax. If baby won’t suck, he won’t suck. Forcing him will suck a lot more. Trust me on this one.
• If baby starts screaming bloody murder, you can try these tricks. I have tried them, in this order. a). Try a new toy. b). Offer baby food or the breast. c). Put baby in the baby carrier and walk up and down the aisles. d). Look at your spouse or partner with desperation in your eyes. e). Realize that baby is probably just exhausted from all the stimulation and know that sometimes, there is nothing you can do. Relax. The sounds of the plane are drowning out most of your baby's cries. Who cares about what everyone else thinks? The calmer you are, the calmer baby will be. Sing, hold baby close to your heart, and know that you will be landing soon.

Making a Quiet Book

Before our trip to Punta Cana, I knew I wanted to make Baby T a quiet book to keep him busy on the plane. A quiet book is a soft activity book made of fabric. The possibilities are endless. You can make lift-the-flap pages, pages with buttons, snaps, zippers, buckles and shoelaces, pages where you match shapes, etc. I had been meaning to make one for quite some time.

But of course, I started the Saturday before our trip. It took me a week to make these 8 pages. I worked every night until midnight or so. Nothing like a little procrastination to get me going!

The book is held together with ribbons, and more pages can be added as I make them. It definitely kept Baby T occupied on the plane ride, and I love looking at it myself! Knowing I can make something this special for my baby and keep adding to it with developmentally appropriate pages as he gets older is amazing. This is something he will hopefully be able to pass down to his children.

A Break From Reality

Our Trip to Punta Cana

Baby T, Big T and I spent last week in the Dominican Republic for some much needed R&R. I think it goes without saying that it was amazing. I didn't think about work until Tuesday, when all I thought was, "Wow--people are working right now, and I'm not. Ha!" And then I continued to down my pina colada and bask in the sunlight.

We met up with my parents, and my sister and her kids. It was a blast. I don't think I have ever seen Baby T happier. He loved everything: the water, the beach, his cousins, his aunt and grandparents.

Our little guy is quite the swimmer. The pools at the resort were the kind you could wade into, with a sloping bottom. Perfect for Baby T. He would crawl around in the shallow end, and when he got too deep and his face went under, well, he would try to keep going. He never inhaled any water or choked. He knew that he needed to hold his breath. And the best part was, he didn't care that his face was in the water! I think we have the next Michael Phelps on our hands (only better looking). And with more of a potbelly.

On the beach, Baby T was so independent. He loved playing with the sand toys and smashing sand castles. He didn't care that he had sand up to (and in) his ears. When his cousin A gave him a great big hug (i.e. tackled him and pushed him face down into the sand), he came up smiling.

He grew up a lot on this trip, too. The baby who was barely eating solids before we left ate just about everything I offered him at every meal. Since it was buffet style dining, and we sat down to 3 meals a day together (ok, we pretty much spent the entire time eating if we weren't at the pool or on the beach), I think Baby T got used to seeing people eat. And he wanted to eat too. The little man is still a huge fan of bananas, but tried beans, grilled chicken, lamb (loved it), plantains - fried sweet ones and mashed savory ones, mashed potatoes, carrots... He also became a big fan of the snack trap. So did I, for that matter. Did you know that a snack trap and some cheerios can keep your baby entertained for hours at a time?

Baby T also perfected his waving and pointing skills.

Everyone at the resort--employees and guests alike--would stop in their tracks when they saw him. They would wave to him and say hello, hug him, kiss him. It was unbelievable. So he figured out that he could sit by the edge of the pool and wave to everyone that walked by. He would raise his hand and yell "AH!" (which means "hi" in  Baby T speak). If someone walked by and didn't say hello (which happened rarely), he would keep his eye on them, wondering what their freaking problem was. "Um, hello? I'm cute over here?" The little man loves attention. It's possible that he's practicing for a future in politics. Or as a religious leader.

TANGENT--When T was 3 months old, I brought him to my friend's wedding shower. A 3 year old there kept calling Baby T "Baby Jesus". I have no idea why.Then, a few weeks ago, at a restaurant, a woman stopped in her tracks and commented on "What a little angel" Baby T was. At the resort in the DR, one of the employees called him "An angel from God". And when we got back, when my neighbor was watching Baby T on Tuesday, I guess he was talking up a storm and waving his arms around, and her 4 year old son said, "He's preaching!" Is someone trying to tell me something? Maybe my little guy is just going to be quite influential. Maybe he'll be the next Stephen Gaskin. I always wanted to live on The Farm.../TANGENT

Now that we're back from our vacay, reality has hit us like a ton of bricks. I'm not a fan. The boogers are back, laundry and dishes are piling up, idiots keep calling complaining about their free stuff, and I keep forgetting to buy cat food. Bring me some sun and sand and a pina colada, though, and I'll be fine.

Babywearers - Misunderstood and Mad about it

What is with all the babywearing bashers lately? First, the CPSC is coming out with a statement regarding the safety (well, regarding the hazard) of some slings. I’m not going to get into babywearing safety today. That is a topic for another day. (That said, if you wear your baby, PLEASE heed the warnings that come with your carrier and wear your baby safely. Check that your baby’s airway is not obstructed. Make sure they are being carried securely. Practice with help until you are confident that you are carrying baby correctly and securely. It is easy to be unsafe with baby carriers. Take the time to show others how safe it can actually be). There are also some baby carriers that don’t hold your baby properly. I’m not advocating those here.

I’m here to vent. To top off all the negative press about babywearing recently, I have had two negative reactions from daycares regarding baby carriers.
Baby T is currently in a larger daycare. They have 10 babies and 2 providers in the infant room. With that many babies, things can get—chaotic. To say the least. Some days when I am in there nursing Baby T, my eyes are bugging out of my head and I want to run screaming into the parking lot. Those 2 providers don’t just get to come to work and cuddle babies. At least half the time, they are busy filling out paperwork, warming bottles, washing bottles, washing their hands… They really have their hands full. There are usually at least 2 crying babies who can’t be held at the moment because someone has to record every little poop. So one day, I casually asked why they don’t use baby carriers. There is no state law saying they can’t use them, it’s a policy of the daycare center.

This was the response I got: “Well, if we have a baby in one of those things on our backs, then we can’t get anything done.”
????

I responded a little confused: “….buuuuuut…. if the baby is on your back, you can get ANYTHING done. Your hands are free, and the fussy baby that was crying is now being held close to you and is happy.”

I just got confused looks back from them.

Then again today… at another, smaller daycare. I was asking if they would, by chance, use a baby carrier.

The response I got: “Well, it’s just not feasible. Babies need to be down on the floor, exercising their muscles.”

Me: “But what about those times when a baby is really fussy and just wants to be held?”

Provider: “It’s just not feasible here.”

Me (feeling like my point is totally not coming across here): “But say, for example, you are warming up bottles for another baby and have one baby fussing and wanting to be held, and you just can’t do it all at once.”

Provider: “Well, the babies can’t come in the kitchen, and we warm up bottles in the kitchen.”

Me (????? Ok, let’s try again): “Ok, but for example, I do this at home when I’m cooking dinner and my baby cries if he’s not held. I just stick him on my back for a little while in the carrier.”

Provider: “Well, that’s neglectful. We interact with the babies and will be on the floor playing with them if they are being fussy.”

Me (!!!!!!): “It’s not neglectful. You can see and talk to the baby over your shoulder the whole time.”

Mind you, I really had to keep my cool with this one. This is actually the daycare Baby T will be going to in 2 weeks. And I get it; I think the point that the provider was trying to make was that if they have a fussy baby, they will give that baby attention, so there is no need for a carrier. But sometimes I get the impression that the general public thinks that people who use carriers just pop their baby in after they wake up and go about their business for the day, ignoring them all the while and taking them out when it’s time to go to bed.

I also recently heard a story about a girl who was at a store with her baby in a carrier, and another shopper’s daughter said to her mom, “Awww! Why don’t we carry my baby sister like that?” And the mother said, “Because that’s for moms who don’t want to hold their babies.”

Again, ?????. And !!!!!!!!!!!. And &*(!&?!

Ok people. Let’s get something straight. Responsible babywearers do not just tuck their kids into their pockets and go about their days. They do not use babywearing as an excuse to go about their business the way they did before they had babies, oblivious to the needs of their child. They use it as a bonding experience, to hold their children close to their bodies and their faces, where they can kiss, talk to, and interact with their babies. And although, as mothers, our babies are our first priority, there are other things that need to get done. We need to eat. We need to buy food to eat. Sometimes are hands our full and we CAN’T get down on the floor and play with our babies. Also, I know that when Baby T was first born, my arms were not strong enough to hold him all day. And when he was tiny and took 5 naps a day, needing to be rocked and bounced for each nap, I didn’t have the strength to hold him that entire time. My sling let me bounce with him in my arms without feeling like I was carrying an ever-increasing ton of bricks. I would put him in the sling, wrap my arms around him and hold him close to my chest, patting his little bottom and singing to him as I bounced. I could do this for hours. Had I not had the sling, I would have been able to do it for maybe five minutes.

There have been studies done that show that carrying your baby throughout the day (not just in response to their crying or fussiness) can decrease the amount of their crying when they ARE fussy. Studies show that babywearing can increase the attachment between mother and baby and mothers who carry their babies in soft carriers may be more responsive to their babies’ needs and cries. Babies who are worn may become more independent earlier in life because they feel more secure. I am not just pulling this stuff out of my ass, people. Studies have been done. Use your google.

From a personal perspective, I know that babywearing doesn’t restrict your baby from getting exercise or using his muscles. I wore Baby T quite a bit when he was a tiny baby. He was quite fussy and was easily soothed when held. He didn’t nap well unless he was held. And to avoid becoming a cavewoman, to be able to use the bathroom, to be able to wash dishes and feed the dog, I held Baby T in my sling or wrap a lot. Yes, we spent a lot of time with Baby T in my lap, giggling and talking to each other, but when I had other things to do, into the carrier he went. And Baby T was holding his head up before he was 3 months old. He was strong. He was pulling himself around on the floor army style at maybe 5 months, and crawling at 7. Now, at 9 and a half months, he can get around quite well on his feet as long as he’s holding onto something. My baby is strong. He has good muscle tone. He gets his exercise.

I guess I am just confused. I don’t understand how parking your baby on the playmat with stuffed octopi dangling in their faces all day is better than wearing your baby. I don’t understand how parking your kid in a stroller facing the world, not being able to see you or hear you, is better than walking with them held close to your chest or back, being able to feel the vibrations of your heart and voice. I don’t understand why having your hands free periodically to get some things done, while still being able to hold your baby, is such a bad thing. I am all about moderation with a lot of things in my life. I like to do all of this. Baby T has his Baby Einstein under the sea playmat. He loves it. We have a stroller. And an exersaucer. And a Jolly Jumper. But when he needs to be held and my arms are tired, or I need to make dinner or clean the house (which believe me, does not happen all day long) I wear my baby.

**Oh, and I am coming back to add: on my recent trip to Boston, you can bet that the 147 people on my flight were LOVING my Ergo. When Baby T started screaming uncontrollably for no apparent reason, kicking the seat in front of me, and writhing in my arms, I strapped him on my chest and bounced him down the aisle. By the time I got to the back of the plane, he was quiet. By the time I got back up to my seat, he was asleep. So give us babywearers a break. This stuff works.