I’m a Natural Parent, but …

I am so behind on a mountain of things these days! Not the end of the world, but so not like me and it drives me crazy missing deadlines and having my to-do list grow instead of shrink!

Anyways, this awesome carnival went on the other week and I didn’t have a chance to contribute in time, but still wanted to share :)

This carnival focused on the prompt, “I’m a Natural Parent, but …” so here’s what makes me more brownies-with-extra-chocolate than crunchy granola!

• I don’t take our cloth diapers out of town. When we travel I no longer pack cloth diapers; in the beginning I did, but it turned out to be too much extra bulk and our schedule is always different leaving no time for laundry. Now, I order a pack of Seventh Generation disposables from Amazon (about $7/pack) before any long weekends.
• I don’t eat alot of the healthy things I fix for Jemma. Her green smoothies? I just can’t do it. Funky veggies, just not my thing.
• I own a fancy stroller, crib, pack ‘n play, bouncer, and swing. All of them were purchased second-hand while I was still pregnant and unsure what we would really need. We definitely use the stroller, and the bouncer was a lifesaver when Jemma was small, but everything else … not necessary.
• Jemma has a stash of 100% plastic toys. I haven’t bought many, if any of them, but they have found there way into our home and are definitely favorites. Especially the ones that play music.
• Jemma knows and loves TV, especially Sprout Network. This accidentally happened during my 1st trimester and I’m left picking up the pieces. We’re hoping to cut back, but right now, my toddler knows and loves the remote and the world it opens.
• We drink cow’s milk. Usually it’s organic or at least local. So far, Jemma has stuck with coconut, almond, rice, or hemp and seems to love those.
• I had an epidural. Once I transferred to the hospital from the birth center I had an epidural to take a few hours to rest and relax before pushing. It was just what I needed after no sleep, crazy contractions, and a long labor that wasn’t quite over.

I think that about wraps it up! At the bottom of this post, you can see all the other blogs that participated in the initial carnival. I highly recommend checking them out!