Teres Kids

I am thrilled to share a fabulous children’s clothing find with you.

A friend recently told me about a wonderful company called Teres Kids. I checked out their website and was very impressed. The clothes are all 100% organic, and made in the USA. From their website:

“Our clothing is sourced and manufactured entirely in the United States, keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum.

We started Teres Kids to create simple beautiful clothes for active kids. By eliminating all the things that make kids uncomfortable, like itchy seams, tags and rough fabrics, we can help all children be comfy and stay active.”

They sent me an outfit for my son for review, and these clothes are really outstanding. The material is soft, comfortable, and perfect for a toddler’s active lifestyle. They are also great for sensitive children, as there are no tags to cut out.

My son wore his shorts and t-shirt the day after we received them, and has worn the shorts almost every day since. We love them because they are nice and long, so they protect his knees from the many trips he has throughout the day.

The shirt is great too- he gets lots of compliments on the fish design, and I absolutely love that color on him. They have many other adorable graphics you have to see. The girls clothes are also super cute!

One issue I always have with organic t-shirts is how thin the material is, so we end up with lots of holes. Not so with Teres Kids! They fabric is thick and durable and “woven in a family-owned mill in South Carolina that dates back to the early 1900s and is dedicated to organic, sustainable operations.”

The other test with organic clothes is how well they hold up in the washing machine. Well, we’ve washed the shorts 3 times and they still look as great as they did the day we received them. He dripped a chocolate popsicle all over the front of them one day and sat in white paint another, and both stains washed out completely.

Need some great new clothes for your kids for summer? You’re in for a treat- head over to Teres Kids to check out their amazing line!

Prevention

Happy Mother’s Day

Holly Leave a comment

Before I was a Mom
Author: Unknown

Before I was a Mom –
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.
Before I was a Mom –
I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom –
I had never been puked on – Pooped on – Spit on – Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom –
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests…or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom –
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life
so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom –
I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important.
Before I was a Mom –
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Especially to my Mom and my Mother-in-law who are the two best moms any girl or boy could EVER imagine.

Prevention

Vitamin d3

Holly 3 Comments

I took my two year old to my most recent prenatal doctor visit. He was very interested to watch her weigh me, take my blood pressure, and listen to the baby’s heartbeat.

Since we aren’t finding out the sex of our baby until he or she is born, my doctor asked my son if he knew if he was having a brother or a sister. “A sister. It’s a girl and her name is Goldilocks.” He very positively responded.

She turned to me and said, “well, he might know!” and recounted a story about a patient of hers. She was very pregnant and playing with her three year old daughter when the daughter suddenly turned to her and said, “Mommy, the baby is all done growing.” She immediately went into labor and had the baby later that evening.

Another very cool thing my doctor told us that day was that we should get some sun! This is the very reason I go to a holistic ob/gyn…a doctor telling me to catch some rays! I love it.

Of course the reason behind her recommendation is for the vitamin d3 that we all need more of, since so many people avoid the sun and slather on sunscreen.

Vitamin d3 is not actually a vitamin but a hormone that our bodies manufacture when sunlight touches our skin. It is now known to protect us from cancer, reduce inflammation, protect the body from microbial invaders, regulate proper mineral balance in the bloodstream, etc. etc. etc.

It is especially important during pregnancy for the formation of healthy bones and teeth, and for the immune system, and also because breastmilk is naturally low in vitamin d. So the baby stores up what it can from the mother during the last months of pregnancy and depends on this store (and sun exposure) until solid foods are introduced.

Well, I had to take my doctor’s advice. I’ve spent 4 of the last 5 afternoons lounging by the pool with my son!

Resources, Websites

Music Notes

Holly Leave a comment

My husband and I both love music- listening to it, going to live shows, playing instruments, the list goes on. He plays guitar and the djembe very well and I play piano, we both toy with the ukulele, and I try to play the guitar. We also have exposed our son to as much live music as possible, and he’s been fortunate enough to go to three private sound checks, two music festivals and even hung out on a tour bus.

So far his musical genre preference is quite varied:

When the train passes our house, you can hear him belting out some Johnny Cash- “I hear the train coming, coming round the bend. I ain’t seen the sunshine in I don’t know when.” We’re just glad he doesn’t know the rest of the lyrics.

Recently while at breakfast with some friends, he randomly started rapping, “Hi, my name is, my name is, my name is Slim Shady.”

And he has a music box that plays Fur Elise by Beethoven which he calls Curly Leaves. When he hears that song while out in public he always says, “Curly Leaves, Mommy- this song is my favorite.”

This has special significance to me, since I read in From First Kicks to First Steps that while pregnant, if you read your child the same story every day, or sing or play the same song, when your child is born and is fussy hearing that story or song will calm them down. So I played Fur Elise for him on the piano every single day from the time I was 20 weeks pregnant (since that’s when babies in utero develop sense of sound) until he was born.

We also have tons of instruments for him to play whenever he feels the impulse- egg shakers, rattles, cymbals, maracas, harmonicas, and his own ukulele. He plays these often, and either dances, sings, or asks one of us to accompany him with another instrument. I’m sure our neighbors LOVE us.

I’ve taken him to music classes since he was 3 months old, and they are not his cup of tea. For some reason the big class atmosphere really bothers him and he holds onto the door for dear life every time we’ve gone. Though I wanted him to enjoy going, when I saw the music class scene in Babies, I didn’t mind that we were no longer going.

I am really trying to find a way to expose him to music and learn to play it while still keeping it fun. I found a great reference online about music appreciation and listening skills, and learning perfect pitch, They recommend buying your newborn a nice xylophone (this is the one we bought)and pick 3 notes, name them and play them 10 times the first day, naming them each time. The next day pick three new notes until you’ve taught all that you have available. Keep cycling through this sequence for 3-4 weeks or even longer. They also have tips for older children.

I also consulted my childhood piano teacher to ask her opinion since she was the greatest/no pressure/keep it fun but learn it really well teacher anyone could have every asked for. (Because of her, I could read music before I could read!) I LOVED the advice she gave me.

She reminded me that every child is different and some moms may not be comfortable teaching their own child. Partner lessons with only 2 students would be better than one-on-one for others because both children can learn from each other. She also recommended her favorite books, and some great tips such as: “Since he’s learning his letters, he could learn the names on the piano, but take your time going to staff notes. Your idea about keeping it fun is right on target.”

“Make it a game like “2 black keys (pause) where’s my D? (and C and E). Once he gets D, then you can add CDE if he is into it.”

“Clapping, copying what you do rhythm wise making up his own songs and playing his story books all are great.”

This is so exciting to me! I always wanted to be a teacher, and now I’m fulfilling that dream…and hopefully with the outcome of a little music lover!

Do you have any tips to share?

Nutrition, Prevention, Products, Recommendations

Raspberry Leaf Tea

Holly 3 Comments

Red Raspberry Leaf is present in almost every pregnancy tea out there, and every midwife and natural remedy book I have consulted has recommended it for each stage of pregnancy.

In the first trimester is is said to reduce morning sickness. Drinking it in the second and third trimesters will relieve constipation and heartburn. It is also full of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and calcium and enriches breastmilk for your newborn.

The main reason I drink it is because it tones the uterus, improves contractions and strengthens the pelvic and uterine muscles and is thought to shorten the second (aka harder) stage of labor. I’m a believer because I drank red raspberry leaf tea every day during the last trimester of my last pregnancy, and my baby was born three hours after I got to the hospital after a very quick transition and only 15 minutes of pushing.

I know there are many factors that contribute to all the aspects of labor and delivery, but I will do anything I can to make it as safe and quick as possible. I recently came across an entry in the Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Natural Home Remedies: Hundreds of Simple Healing Techniques for Everyday Illness and Emergencies that really intrigued me.

“My mother was born and raised in Scotland, coming to America at the age of 26. Whenever a member of her family became ill or had a health problem, her mother had consulted an herbalist or herb doctor. As a result of this, I was treated with herbs as a child.
“Mother had always told me that red raspberry leaf tea would prevent miscarriage and was excellent for pregnancy and childbirth. When I became pregnant, I immediately sent for some raspberry leaf tea and began taking one cup of it each day, made from one teaspoon of dried leaves added to one cup of boiling water and steeped for 15 minutes. I had a very normal pregnancy. Then I went into labor, I truly expected to have an easy labor and delivery because I had faithfully taken the tea. While it is true that I did not have a complicated or extremely difficult time, it was not by any means easy. The tea had not lived up to my expectations.

“It was not until sometimes after the birth of my daughter that I read a book my mother had brought with her from Scotland entitled Dragged to Light by W.H. Box of Plymouth, England. In it I found the secret of just how to take the tea so it would truly work wonders during labor and delivery. Box said, ‘On one ounce of raspberry leaves pour one pint of boiling water, cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain, and when the time for delivery is approaching drink the whole as hot as possible.’

“There were a number of testimonials in the book written by women who had used this herb. Several took the strong solution over a period of time before going into labor. They were instructed in that case to take a wine glass full three times a day. They had ‘only two stiff pains and it was all over’ or ‘no after pains and very slight before.’ They never made it out of the house. Box’s instructions were, ‘But those who take the tea considerably before the time should not leave the house when the time is approaching as many mothers are delivered almost suddenly when at their work, to the great vexation of doctors and nurses.’

“When I became pregnant again I was determined to try it that way. I still took a cup a day as I had before. but this time when I went into labor I made a strong solution of it as I had read in the book. I put it in a container and took it to the hospital with me. I wasn’t sure how quickly it would work and I didn’t want to have the baby in the car. I didn’t think they’d allow me to drink it in the hospital so I drank half of it in the parking lot. I was afraid to drink all of it as it was so strong and I didn’t personally know anyone who had taken it this strong before. I had been having strong contractions but by the time I registered and was taken up to the labor room the contractions were so mild I hardly felt them. Upon examination they said I was ready to deliver and would not even give me an enema. In the delivery room I was quite comfortable and hardly felt anything. One hour after entering the hospital my son was born.”

Sounds good to me! I definitely plan to do this when I feel labor progressing. I will let you know how it worked!

Here’s a tea I love: Organic Third Trimester Tea (16 tea bags / box)

If this has worked for any of you, please leave a comment and tell me about it!