The Life of a Mom

It's been a while since I had time to really blog.  Between kids, sewing, and life, I haven't spent much more than 20 min a day on the computer in the last two weeks. My fabulous husband is home for a bit, so we've been enjoying some much needed family time.  Today I posted on my fanpage that I needed a topic to blog about.  The overwhelming response through comments, emails, and messages was how I balanced my full plate.

So many moms ask me daily "how do you do it?!"--three kids under 4, a full time business, and a husband that works out of town or long hours.  My simple reply is "coffee"!  My tiger babe wakes up between 5 and 5:30 every single morning, without fail.  As long as I get my one cup mug of coffee every morning, I'm easy going about life.  I pity whoever is around me though on the days I don't have caffeine in my system!

The not so simple answer? It's just a constant juggling and balancing act.  Over the last year, I've stopped doing the bulk of my work during the day.  I simply cannot be a productive worker and a good mom at the same time.  Sure, I'll answer emails and phone calls and putter around on the light work during the day while they're napping.  But the majority of my sewing and computer work happen during bedtime hours.  Come 8 pm, my machines come out, the fabric gets dyed, and the laptop goes into high gear.

My kids like to be kids. We go out most mornings for a playdate or class or just some goof off time and errands, come home for lunch and naps, then head to the park or have some quiet painting time, crafts, baking, or movies in the afternoons.  There would be no way I could do that if I hadn't stopped doing work during the day.

As for my husband, he's been a great support through this whole adventure! We got married, had kids, and started the company, all knowing that there would be times he would have to work out of town.  It's nothing new to us, just a way of life.  Babywearing and attachment style parenting have greatly helped me manage the psuedo-single parenting life.  I also have a fantastic support system of friends and family who I can turn to at anytime for advice, help, or just a day of fun with our kids.  I have some serious respect for single parents!  I atleast get a few days break every few weeks!

There are weeks where I am way ahead with work, but those are the weeks where you will see my housework suffer.  My laundry will go a couple weeks days without being folded and the rooms are not their tidiest.  Then there are weeks where my house looks pretty good, but my work has suffered from the time spent elsewhere.

Like every other mom out there, it's just how things get done.  I love my kids and my husband, I love my family and friends, I love my job, and I love how we've chosen to make it all work together :o)

Happy Babywearing!

~Erin~

Hip and Back Carries

My intention today was to film a few short videos to show you how to do hip and back carries.  However, my 2 yr old is feeling a little under the weather today and decided naptime was to be had on my back in a simple ruck carry. So my "quiet time" has been exchanged for blogging while she sleeps on my back :)  How I love baby snuggles, no matter how old they are!

So, what I will do is put up some links for some decent videos.  If you have any questions about them (or are local and need help), let me know.  Next month we are filming professional instructional dvds for the carriers, so I'll put those videos up once they are edited.  I will try to film short clips this week for you guys.

Before I put up links I will preface them all by saying this: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR BABY! When trying new carries, practice over a sofa, bed, or other soft surface, and get as low as possible.  If possible, practice with a baby doll first.  That being said, it is best to have another person spot you and baby.  *When I first started doing back carries, it took me about a dozen times with a 5mo old before I was comfortable.  And even then, some babies are more mobile or wiggly than others.* Another note, baby and you are adjusting to this new carry; so go for a walk or dance or sing a little to show baby that this a good carry and you can both enjoy it.

Another safety note (lots of safety notes today!) : STRETCHY WRAPS ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR BACK CARRIES! The only two exceptions are the Bali Stretch and the Calin Bleu Fleece(they are considered hybrid carriers between true stretchy and wovens).

I really like the videos and instructions that are provided on wearyourbaby.  Also, youtube can be a great resource for learning new carries as long as you are smart about knowing which ones look safe. If you are a member of TBW, then this page is awesome for carries!  The Baby Wearer dot com is essentially an online babywearing forum with fantastic information, resources, videos, and more!  Moby wrap also has some great instructions for stretchy wraps.

I hope that helps all of you with learning new carries (now that I've sent you to every other site but mine! LOL) Practice, practice practice! And now my two year old is starting to wake up, so I'll film what I can while the other two are napping!

ETA: BACK AND HIP CARRY VIDEOS! Go see our channel on youtube.com to watch videos of ruck carry, wiggleproof back carry, secure back carry, getting baby down, and hip carry.

Happy Babywearing!
~Erin