Bone Broth: The Down-Low and Recipe

Anytime I have heard talk of bone broth or stock, or even read about it, I instantly imagine Old Mother Hubbard.  One of the nursery rhyme books had a picture of her, with a spunky brown dog, peering into the pantry.  Now that I read the rhyme, it's not even about making food! It's about getting the dog a bone.  Funny how childhood memories can be skewed in connections.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5meCdKYVA6Jkz-Dz8bu5V2zmixGm-jKopb-WmTD563WVgnc8UjJ7obvSvyKx3k6dCmnH3qdb7fmXCrk35Xf2GnJuv_HgRM6NjVmPlQFmjnkOosOSLqUKRq9oV1wYef4Nj6ELJN9_73iw/s1600/old-mother-hubbard-image.jpg

But look at this photo! Clearly, my visual memory is still flying a full capacity!

My point is: recently I purchased the bones of local, grass-fed cattle at .50 per pound? Yes! Please! Thank you!

Then, I came home, threw the bones into the freezer and went about my week.

Only a week or so later did I work-up the courage to make my second batch (ever) of bone stock.

For some reason, I found this a daunting task, like mopping.  It's so silly, I know.  I get caught-up in feeling like I accomplish "nothing" around our house.  But I really do so much.

Disclaimer: I am NOT the house that not matter when you stop by, somehow the house is immaculately clean, a candle is burning, the throw pillows are actually on the sofa, etc.  I'm talking about accomplishing nourishing hot meals, healthy snacks, breastfeeding every two or three hours (sometimes still for 30 minute intervals!!), washing dishes, keeping abreast (sometimes) on laundry, providing clean cloth diapers, reading stories to the kiddos, singing songs, outdoors play, etc.  

AGAIN! I'm always going off on tangents.  Ok, so I read over this article at Paleo Diet Lifestyle and then got to stockin' the next morning.

If you have a crock pot this is so feasible and easy.  If you don't I'm sure it would be easy but you might have to stay home for a day.  Or maybe you are brave and leave the stove top on, idk.  Or maybe you even have (I'm gasping in awe...teenagers that you can leave home to watch the stove-top! How dreamy, from the land of babies!)  Do what works!

In order to make stock with using perfectly awesome edible veggies, here is a very frugal tip: save the onion ends and skins, the carrot tops and bottoms, etc. when you chop veggies.  Auntie Leila also says you can throw in cheese rind.  This saves from throwing perfectly delicious veggies into the stock.

Enjoy!

(Old post! Not all info (i.e. breastfeeding every 2-3 hours) doesn't apply anymore!)

Current State of Affairs: Rising From the Ashes of a Week Long Growth Spurt

Last Wednesday Jonah started what seemed to be a growth spurt, but one that continued through yesterday (Wednesday) evening.

In the midst of this my milk has been a bit scant on one side for most feedings.

I'm surviving. Though my sweet Rita gets the brunt of my impatience and frustration, which frustrates me...hmm..I'm detecting a cycle!

So sorry for the absence here.

We should, God-willing, be back on Monday with more patience, sleep and fewer laundry piles.

And I am including a snapshot of our dining/living area...makes my Type-A personality stress with such disorganization. The sofa to the right of the photo is covered with stuff. Thankfully, due to our constant efforts to keep things to a minimum and simple, it is less than 10 minutes to clean-up!

Hoping you and yours are well.

And if you are riding from the ashes too, take a breath with me! And enjoy a glass of wine with supper!

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Leaving the House With Two Babies: Let Go (Part 1)

I really had trouble imagining I would function let alone leave the house with two babies under two years old. Today was one attempt that I knew just might erupt in my face...

But I took a chance!

Winging it on much prayer for grace and good behavior from Rita we braved the park (without Tyler).

From the start it was about letting go.

Rita wanted me to hold her, which meant a 24 lb toddler in the baby carrier and 10 1/2lbs in the stroller...not ideal, but I decided to go with it. Lord knows I need the exercise!

Jonah slept while me and Rita visited the ducks, then we headed to the swings. It was obvious once Rita hit the ground running from one swing to the next that I needed to move Jonah into the carrier so I could move fast to keep up with Rita.

After putting Jonah in the carrier, he decided it would be a good time for a meal! Really Jonah?! But it wasn't bad at all! Again, I just took a breath, smiled and got him out of the carrier and latched on as fast as I could.

I knew if I let go of ideals of how our park visit should go we would all be happier. Not to mention go home happier!

As I was nursing Jonah and swinging Rita, it started to rain! It was off to the car, two quick diaper changes and then time to head home. What a change of weather from sunny to rainy, but it made the "time to go" talk persuasive, effective and quick.

Overall we had a fantastic time. I'm willing to try again next week!

What is your experience with leaving the house with two or more kids?

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Our First Unmedicated Birth (Rita's Birth Story)

When Tyler and I were first married I was scared. to. death. of labor and delivery or "having a baby."  It didn't help that my own birth was a near horror story for my young parents who went in for a Lamaze birth and had an emergency C-section in which the anesthesia kicked in after the section...eesh I can't even imagine!

One evening when discussing babies at my grandfather's my aunt planted a small seed in my mind when she described labor as "awesome," "amazing," and "beautiful."  Surely she MUST be joking.  I just couldn't even imagine...and unmedicated??? Whoa!  Hold the phone!  Bradley?  Birthing like animals in nature?  Envisioning your energy working to open a way for your baby to enter the world...all of this sounded so earthy and crazy!  I mean...organic food?  Check!  Natural remedies? Check!  Unmedicated childbirth?  Um...maybe tomorrow...

Needless to say, after a few months of research, reading, meeting people and prayer it became clear that unmedicated childbirth was what I wanted as a wife and mother, and my amazing husband was willing to embrace and stand behind this desire.  Even if it ended in an emergency C-section just as my mom's own birth experience with me, at least my intention was to bring my baby into this world without subjecting him/her to modern medicine for the sake of my comfort.  I know that some women really can't bear the pain for millions of reasons, but I had to believe that I could do without the pain meds.

And?

Sweet Rita on her birthday!

We did it!

That little seed blossomed and bore forth our first child unmedicated in January of 2011.

So to avoid an unnecessarily long rambling on this achievement for our entire family (it was a group effort for sure!), I'm going to try and keep this simple.  
Friday
10:30pm membranes ruptured (water broke) and NO contractions followed
took a small nap (about 90 minutes)
Saturday
2:30 AM contractions FINALLY started
Throughout the day we went for a few walks, I packed-up all of my mom's Christmas decorations, did laundry, watched a movie and just waited for labor to pick-up
Looking back, I was so exhausted and didn't feel like I should walk but so many people told me I should walk to get labor to pick-up so we tried.  From now on in labor...follow what my body feels like doing!
5:00pm After talking with two midwives (one being my own cousin!) we decided that we needed labor to get more serious since my 24 hrs of having ruptured membranes would soon be coming to an end.  We didn't want the hospital meds to speed labor until we tried natural methods.  So Tyler ran to the store and got a couple of herbs for us to use (under one of the midwives recommendation) to regulate and intensify contractions, which were sporadically coming at all intervals: two, twelve, four, five, eight, ten minutes apart. 
6:30pm Labor began to get intense and we called our friend to begin videoing our birth 
9:30pm We left for the hospital
9:50pm We arrived at the hospital
At this point I don't remember too much
Sunday
Contractions were intense, laboring in the shower and on the toilet (sitting backwards, thank you) were the best positions, although the birthing ball was a nice place at times.  
Rita turned sunny side up during a contraction (ouch!) but eventually turned back down.
I remember that labor was most intense around 5:00 am with contractions double peaking and lasting minutes at a time.  
There was a point when I was quite sure that a) the hospital would make me have a C-section because I felt that this was taking ENTIRELY too long and b) I was not going to have the baby at all and that I might as well leave.
5:30/6:00am Time to push!  I was so exhausted at the end and when I heard the doctor mention that I wasn't going to have this baby by 7:00am - I nearly gave-up (not that my body would have allowed that at this point!).  At this point I was nearly ready to ask for something to take the edge of the pain off, but it was time to push and I knew from our classes that this was the final lap.  I'm glad I allowed my will to be resolved to an unmedicated birth and SO grateful for my husband, mom and friend who supported me the entire time.  We also had an AMAZING nurse who was originally trained as a midwife in England - what a gift from God!
8:03 am Rita entered the world!  Thank you Lord for her birth!
8:10 am The afterbirth (placenta) was born and what a beautiful organ that was to see!  Amazing!

Rita breastfed immediately and had a beautiful latch!  We were so blessed with her being a pro nurser from the start.  We would have never believed that we would sleep with our baby, but at the hospital we couldn't imagine putting her in that plastic box that they called a bassinet!  So cosleeping was the natural choice that started the day Rita was born and continued through 11 months.  At 18 months she still climbs into bed with us some nights, but it usually isn't until around 3am and we are really ok having snuggle time with her for a few hours before Tyler leaves for work.

We are so glad that we chose to take Bradley birth classes, which empowered us to believe in our ability to birth naturally and unmedicated.  

Our prayer is that all of our children will enter the world naturally and unmedicated!

What's your story?

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Jonah's Adventures in Nursing: A Reflection on Tandem Nursing

Jonah's sleepy smile at two weeks old.  Gentian Violet at its best!
A simple cell phone picture, but his cuteness makes up for the photo quality!!

Nursing is going GREAT! Jonah is a champ and so patient with me.  We did a small course of gentian violet, but it was before the yeast got out of hand.  Transitioning from toddler nursing to newborn nursing is very do-able but makes a refresher course practical.  The lactation consultant visited us in the hospital and it was so wonderful to talk to a professional schooled in the knowledge of nursing!

About three weeks before Jonah arrived I weaned Rita. The pain was unbearable, she didn't fit in my lap due to my baby belly, and she was chewing on my breasts rather than suckling.  

I wasn't happy about this decision, but it was necessary for me to be able to function and be pleasant with my daughter.  I spent more time in the kitchen with her and I think she really enjoyed being my helper!  We also planned more outings and tried to stay busy.  Inside I was struggling with the decision every day, but we made it work so that I could remain a functioning momma!

Nearly an hour after Jonah's birth Rita saw me nursing her baby brother.  At first Rita only commented that Jonah was having "sides" (coming from saying, "Ok, let's switch sides").  She never seemed jealous, just intrigued by the baby nursing.  Then, one day about a week after Jonah's birth, as I was switching Jonah from one side to the next Rita tipy-toed up quick as a wink, said "Sides!" and latched herself onto the vacant side.  What?!! I tried to relax and remain calm...and it wasn't terrible! 

Since then I nurse Rita about once a day.  I usually choose the timing, as her timing is often at crazy moments or smack in the middle of Jonah's cluster feedings.  I haven't told anyone other than Tyler that we are tandem nursing.  There's no need to.  It doesn't change anything and I'm the happier for not feeling like I need to explain anything!

Rita's suckle is WAY stronger than Jonah's and sometimes her front teeth seem to get in the way of a pleasant latch, but overall tandem nursing is much more natural and far less intimidating than I had it in my mind to be.

A few times a week I nurse the babies simultaneously.  I've noticed that afterward I am totally zapped of my energy, patience and I feel like a raisin!  Tandem nursing necessitates me taking a B-Complex in addition to my prenatal, but the times I nurse simultaneously mean a long water break and meal shortly after.  This means that I usually cuddle on the couch with my two babies about 20 minutes before Tyler comes home.  He finds everyone cozy and then we feast as soon as he is cleaned-up for supper.  

Of course there have been days that Tyler gets home and I'm at my wits ends, but overall tandem nursing has forced me to embrace resting - and I love that!

Do you have nursing adventures?  Share please!

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Weaning During Pregnancy

Oh how rough it has been nursing Rita!  Everything that I read assured me that the third trimester would be easier, but it has become exponentially harder.


So last Thursday night I threw in the towel.  I told Tyler that it wasn't worth it for both me and Rita to be miserable.  On Friday morning when my sweet little Rita climbed in bed and began signing for milk (as usual) I quickly offered to get her some yogurt.  I tried to use yogurt, her most favorite food next to cheese, as the "supplement" to nursing.  After Thursday, I did not consent to nursing her.  I couldn't take it anymore.  Since about six or eight weeks pregnant I have had this strange feeling of repulsion when she nurses, horrid pain that makes me want to remove my nursing anatomy among other strange and extremely strong emotions.  Never have I felt so primal before.  Of course, there have been stretches of time (3-5 days) where suddenly all is well, but it has most consistently been so very difficult.


On Tuesday night, we started our bedtime routine and Rita was in the crankiest mood and totally anti-sleep.  She would ask for Tyler if I was rocking her and vice versa.  She was begging to have books read to her.  When we would hold the book she would throw it on the floor or refuse to hear the story once we started reading - it was a torrent of emotions coming from a 20 pound toddler.  None of these behaviors were in her character.


As I rocked her in my lap she wailed and wailed, pushing herself away from lying on my chest.  It was then I realized why her nap schedule has gone out the window, why she is suddenly attached to the sippy-cup that most resembles a breast, among other "sudden" clingy behaviors.  I had forced Rita to wean because it hurt me and because it frustrated me and because it was hard for me.  Yes, I had considered her feelings, but ultimately I am an adult who is able to express myself in writing and speech.  Rita is able to sign and speaks well, but she is not able to have a conversation with me about why she feels like she should be able to keep nursing.  I can't explain to her that she is nursing too strongly.  I can't explain that my milk is gone but only temporarily.  I can tell her and yes she may understand some, but we can't openly communicate about whether to wean or not to wean.


So after talking it over with Tyler, amidst Rita's wailing, flipping, kicking and flailing, we decided to continue nursing.  Now I know the grass isn't greener on the other side.  Now I know even after five days of not nursing, my Rita still knows how to latch on.  


The same emotions and problems that have accompanied this pregnancy from the beginning are still there, but I'm willing to try again every day.  Making the sacrifice to nurse my sweet girl is a hard one, but I pray that I will be refined and molded into a better mother.


Have you nursed through pregnancy?  Did you experience the soreness, tenderness and extreme emotions?  Do you find yourself considering nursing through pregnancy as well as tandem nursing?  

Today's post makes the 100th post on jambalaya (formerly Cajun Newlyweds)!  

14 Months

A Look Back at the Month of March

I could look at this picture all day.  This little girl lights-up each day and fills it with lots of of excitement.

At 14 months Rita is:

• nursing
• walking with confidence
• cloth diapered (with a bit of EC at home)
• sleeping in her crib all night long for the past 10 days!
• dancing
• loving music
• drawing with colored pencils (her favorite medium so far)
• singing "ABCs" and "Twinkle Twinkle" or "Up A Bove" as she says
• talking all the time!  She says: Moma, Dada, bye-bye, hi, outside, bird, ball, Jesus, cheese, all done, bite, eat, do-do (pronounced "dough-dough" = to sleep), no, stop it, poo-poo, thank you, nose
• signing: milk (she wants to nurse), all done, more, water, please, 
• understands the signs for the above that she signs as well as bath, thank you, drink
• loving to eat raisins, kumquats from Mamzie and Gramp's tree, cheese (a sometimes generic name she uses for any type of food), strawberries and blueberries, celery, carrots, bell peppers and she even likes the taste of vinegar - most assuredly that comes from Tyler!
• giving us "sweet eyes"
• giving kisses and hugs
• waving bye-bye
• hugging, kissing and cuddling Jonah since we were six weeks pregnant (and are now 24 weeks along!)
• loving to swing outside and look at birds
• collecting leaves and playing in the dirt - she has always been drawn to leaves
• curious about everything! every door must be opened and closed, cabinet explored and crawled into if possible, drawer emptied, box overturned, potted plant uprooted, leaf collected (we find them all about the house, in her bed and in her car seat)
• making us smile and laugh until our hearts nearly burst with love

Tandem Nursing

Jonah is now 28 1/2 weeks old in utero!  Time is passing so quickly as I chase after a giggling and talking toddler.  Rita continues to nurse, mainly upon waking, before nap and before bed.  If we are having a play date with a nursing friend then I usually will nurse her too.

So is it hard you wonder?  Yes. A tumbling kicking baby boy who is so excited to be rocked while his sister is resting on top of him can cause me to feel a bit like a human jungle gym!  Tender nipples, breasts that supply little to no milk for my little girl all take their toll on me.  Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Rita LOVES LOVES LOVES to nurse.  It is the only time my sweet girl rests, stops and relaxes.  It is such a precious blessing when she isn't feeling well to supply her with what little help I can.  She is too young to clearly articulate how she is feeling and too young for me to have a conversation with her about a new baby coming.

Our decision to tandem nurse is made daily.  Some days are easier than others.  Sometimes I wonder about nursing two babies beneath two years old.  Most days I sigh, breathe deep, thank God that I can nurse and remind myself to take one day at a time.

Ideas for Nursing an Active Toddler

Nursing a toddler is so fun, sweet and sometimes a bit testing, but the fruits are incredible!  Here's a quick reflection on how to make nursing that active sweet baby/toddler a bit easier.

1. Patience. Patience. Patience.  Our Lord is so gracious in bestowing this virtue, but I find it most abundant when I have at least five minutes of quiet, personal prayer time with Jesus. Daily exercise also helps tremendously!


2. Nurse in a quiet place.  Quiet and dark, and if not dark at least dim, helps your active little joy to focus and not be distracted.

3. Make a chunky wooden bead necklace and wear the heck out of  it!  We used our Melissa and Doug stringing beads and made a lifesaver.  This has been the best tool, even now, for church.  Rita loves to hit them together, chew on them, spin them, and just have a blast!  This is especially great if number two is not a option.

4. My sweet Rita has six teeth and I have to tell you, don't fear those chompers!  We have had biting incidents, but it has never ever outweighed the positives of nursing.

5.  A friend and I talked about how when our babies started to demand to nurse that's when we would wean our babies - ha!  Rita's "demanding" (which is really just her saying, "Mommy I'm hungry!") started at three months, so we have never had any deciding factor as to when Rita will stop nursing.

6. Relax!  Realize that nursing is now about fun, comfy time with Mommy!  Rita has made nursing my time with her and bedtime her time with Daddy - it works out great!


Please post any questions or experience you have nursing about toddler nursing!

Nursing an Active Toddler

Rita is nonstop these days!  She is crawling, standing, climbing up and down steps, standing in her high chair, bending over backwards in the shopping cart, etc.  All of you mommas with busy bodies know what I mean!

The only time my sweet girl begins to slow down is when she nurses.  Don't be fooled!  10 seconds (literally) into the feeding she is twisting, turning, climbing, and eventually sliding out of my lap still latched on!  It is truly amazing and intensely painful.  The hormones from my second pregnancy have made nursing quite uncomfortable at times, but we persist!  The health benefits are amazing and we so enjoy our cuddly nursing time.

Even still, when Rita is tired and ready for a nap, I invite her to nurse and she quickly climbs into my lap.  After nursing 5-10 minutes I put her down into her crib to go "do-do" (pronounced dough-dough) and she usually has settled herself down into a nap within 15 to 20 minutes.

I am so grateful that I have been able to nurse Rita a year and two weeks.  Lately there have been a few times I chose not to nurse her because it is uncomfortable and there was nowhere quiet to retreat to (without quiet my acrobatic baby increases her limber activity tenfold); four out of five times though we do nurse!  Thank you Lord for the gift of nursing!

To all you moms who, like my own mom, were unable to nurse your children be assured that God has blessed your children in His own special way!

One Year!

Rita has just celebrated her first birthday.  It is so wonderful to look back on a year of photos and see the incredible changes and milestones!  Rita is a beautiful, healthy, joyful child and we are so blessed to guide her through this life to Heaven.  On her birthday a dear friend commented that it was also an accomplishment for me...and as I thought back on the year, I realized that God has used me to accomplish so many great things.  Looking back...

> it has been a year since an unmedicated natural birth

> it has been a year of breastfeeding

> it has been a year of cosleeping

> it has been a year of learning life with a baby

> it has been a year of cloth diapering


But more importantly, Rita is no longer sleeping swaddled, thriving on breastmilk alone; she is...

> eating all sorts of food!  She especially enjoys sweet peas, gumbo, strawberries, blueberries, celery and carrots.

> crawling all over the place

> furniture walking

> standing unassisted for a few seconds

> saying some words: Momma, DaDa, Jesus, book, oh wow!, num-num, baby Riri (ree-ree), no


> signing "milk" while she nurses


> saying "na" when she wants to nurse


> pointing and gesturing when she wants to eat, drink, play with something she can't reach, etc.

> clapping

>swaying to the rhythm of songs


We are looking forward to another unmedicated natural childbirth in July, as well as nursing another sweet baby.  Rita is still nursing, she is no longer cosleeping (except for a few hours just before Tyler leaves for work) and we are surely no where near finished learning about our sweet girl who is a gift from Heaven!
Overall our sweet girl is so much more a toddler than a baby!  She brightens each day and fills our hearts with breathless joy.  Rita, we love you!  Happy Birthday!