My parents’ yard is just gorgeous. I love the brilliant flowers and the spreading trees. And don’t my dad’s hands look absolutely perfect holding Aveline?
Tag: baby
Guest Post: A Lash of Hope
Cancer. Oh, that this word would become no more earth-shattering than hearing “chicken-pox” or “measles”.
A single eyelash has never held so much significance before.
Our foster baby was losing all his hair as a side-effect to the chemotherapy he was receiving but this one remaining eyelash stuck tight.
For weeks and weeks that have turned into months, we’ve done everything possible to ease the suffering of our little guy.
If only I could take his place.
If only I could give him his daily injections without pain.
If only I could reduce the anxiety that comes as soon as he sees a nurse or doctor.
If only Adam and Eve had never turned their backs on God the Father, there in that perfect garden…
One single eyelash that refused to give up.
It has since fallen out, but with only two more cycles of treatment (we hope) there will soon be fresh ones to take it’s place.
Life will be sweeter again. Normal again.
But little things will still symbolize eternal meaning.
Hope; in an eyelash.
Love; in a touch.
Joy; in a smile.
Peace; in a baby’s sleepy breathing.
Faith; in the rising of each day’s sun.
God who rules Heaven sees each eyelash that falls.
And He knows the significance of little things.
And He cares.
—
Mary Margaret Gascho describes herself as “an ordinary, unremarkable woman whose broken heart was breathed back into existence by the extraordinary, incredible love of a relentless, passionate God.” She’s raised 5 kids as well as more than 2 dozen foster babies/toddlers, and has graciously allowed me to republish this piece from her archives.
You can find her at Mary Margaret Photography or at her online stock-photography business.
Letters to Aveline: Thoughts While You’re Asleep (30 Day June Photo Challenge – Day 23 – Black and White)
[Click photo to view a larger version.]
Dear Aveline,
You’re quite a character. You’ve discovered grunting, and while it may not be very ladylike, it makes me laugh. You look so seriously at your toys, swat your little hands at them, and grunt as if to warn them that they’re about to be devoured by your nomming little mouth.
You have a beautiful voice. You love to talk, and daddy and I love to listen to you. You look at us, gently reach out your hands to touch our face, and speak delicate words in a language which only you understand. What will we hear, when we can finally understand you? What of the world around you will you reinterpret to us through your words? Will you tell us of the way the light dances across your quilt in the afternoon, leaving those diamonds of sunshine you’re always trying to pick up? What names will you give to your favorite stuffed toys?
You enjoy your mealtimes so very much. I tell you God gives food to the little birdies outside, and God paints the pretty colors onto all the flowers. I tell you God gives us the food we have, and we thank him for everything He’s given us. You kick your legs excitedly when I lift you into the highchair — unless you’re feeling impatient, in which case you stiffen your legs, arch your back and let out a squawk or two or ten. Avocado is your favorite, without a doubt. Yesterday you branched out and happily ate some sweet potato, but made horrible faces at the green beans. Today was a different story. Today, you launched an all-out war against the sweet potato. As if yelling and smacking your palms against the highchair tray wasn’t dramatic enough, you pursed your lips and sprayed me with sweet potato puree. I had to laugh. You looked so indignant.
You’re always moving, always reaching for something. You’ve just discovered you can lift yourself up on your hands and knees and rock. This doesn’t satisfy you for long; you want to go places. Usually you default to your favorite method of locomotion, continuous rolling. Nothing is safe from your curiosity, really. You can roll across the living room floor at an alarming rate. Much to daddy’s chagrin, you unplug the xbox controllers on what seems to be a daily basis. The curtains have all been shortened as you can’t resist the tempting, billowing fabric. Figuring out ways to pull your books off the lowest shelf seems to be a favorite.
Lately, you and I have been going to the pool in the afternoon. I stand in the water and hold you, and you grin from ear to ear and splash the water with your feet. Sometimes you stop, your feet still and your fingers gripping me. You peek out from under your lacey sunhat hesitantly, trying to understand what the other pool-goers are doing. If someone accidentally splashes you, you scrunch your face into a wrinkly grimace and hold on to me more tightly. Today, you fell asleep on my shoulder on the walk back to the house.
You’re a treasure, beautiful girl, a gift from God. Daddy and I love you so very much.
Love,
Your Mama
Aveline’s First Swim (30 Day June Photo Challenge – Days 19 & 20 – Summertime & Water)
It’s easy to complain about the weather. Yes, even in Florida, I am ashamed to say that I complain.
It’s too hot.
It’s too humid.
Granted, the humidity is pretty suffocating (83% humidity at 9 am; forecasted high of 98° with heat index of 105°), but when you think about it? It’s actually kind of extremely ridiculous to complain. I mean, we’re living in a destination city. People pay money to come here. They pay money to experience what I take for granted.
So what would it look like if I stopped comparing Florida to California and started treating Florida as if I was on vacation here? Well, it would probably look a little bit like this:
Beautiful, isn’t it?
This weekend was Aveline’s first time swimming.It was so beautiful to watch as the uncertain look on her face faded away and was replaced with a contented smile.
As she happily splashed, I thought, Lord, let me jump in to Florida. Wash away my uncertainty and let me trust your arms to hold me up so I will not sink.
30 Day June Photo Challenge – Day 18 – Eyes
Part 2 | Frequently Asked Questions about Cloth Diapers | Best Practices for Laundering and Care
Last time, I talked about various types of cloth diapers. This installment, we’re looking at —
Best Practices for Laundering and Care
What Detergent do You Use?
You can’t just use any old laundry soap for washing cloth diapers. You need one free of fabric softeners, fragrances, dyes, optical whiteners, and enzymes. Washing in the wrong detergent will result in fabric which repels instead of absorbs liquid, leaving you with leaky diapers. It will also allow ammonia to build up in the fabric’s fibers, causing an awful smell and leading to diaper rash. Basically, improper laundering is the root cause for most of the problems that give cloth diapering a bad rap. The right detergent, on the other hand, will transform cloth diapers from yucky to honestly enjoyable.
So how do you know which detergent to choose? Thankfully, there’s a fantastic cloth diaper detergent chart over at Diaper Jungle. This convenient resource ranks dozens of detergents on a scale of 1 to 4, letting you know which ones to avoid at all costs and which ones are ideal for diaper laundering. (Tide? Don’t even think about!)
Personally, I use Rockin’ Green*, a wonderful powdered detergent naturally scented with essential oils. Rockin’ Green comes in different formulations, depending on whether you have hard or soft water. I first tried Rockin’ Green by using a small sample, and I’ve never looked back.
Another note about detergents. It seems counterintuitive, but less is actually more. A lot of times a lingering smell is actually caused by using too much soap. If you’re switching to using a cloth-diaper safe detergent after using a less-than-ideal one, you’ll probably encounter stink as well. This FAQ has a lot of pointers on stripping/soaking to eliminate build-up.
How do You Wash Cloth Diapers?
The basic procedure for laundering cloth diapers is three-fold: an initial rinse in as much water as your washer will hold, a soapy wash in hot water, and a final rinse. (If your baby hasn’t started solids yet, you just put the diapers in the wash as-is.)
How this plays out in reality really depends on your individual water type and what kind of washer you have. Through trial and error, I’ve discovered that for my washing machine, the initial and final rinses need to be actual full wash cycles san soap, not just quick rinse cycles. Because I have hard water, I often soak the diapers in the soapy hot water — for an hour or so, or even overnight — as well.
Another note about the initial rinse: use warm water. Most guidelines tell you to use cold water, which I was doing faithfully until I realized that most of the diapers had gotten stained. Since I live in an second-story apartment with no balcony (and thus no yard), hanging the diapers in the sun wasn’t an option for stain removal. I contacted Rockin’ Green and asked them for advice. They told me to try an initial warm rinse instead of cold, and wouldn’t you know it? No more stains.
Still want to read more? I recommend this PDF from Rockin’ Green, which explains five different variables impacting the laundering process.
Do You Use a Diaper Pail?
No. In lieu of a pail, I use a water-proof laundry bag called a wet bag. Made of laminated polyester (PUL), the beauty of a wet bag is that no separate cleaning process is needed! On laundry day, you just toss it right in the washer along with the cloth diapers.
I keep a large bag near the changing table, and a smaller one in my diaper bag for use when we’re out and about. Most wetbags have either a zipper or drawstring closure. Obviously, a zipper closure is preferable for use away from home.
How Often do You do Laundry?
I wash cloth diapers every other day. My stash is big enough that I could probably get away with waiting a longer period of time between loads, but this schedule works out perfectly for me.
Also on Frequently Asked Questions about Cloth Diapers,
A Review of Pocket Diapers and Diaper Covers
Cloth Diapering on a Budget / Reasons to Buy Used Cloth Diapers
Have a question you’d like to see addressed in this series? Leave me a comment!
*I was not asked to include this link or to mention Rockin’ Green, and I was not compensated or rewarded in any way for doing so. They are not a blog sponsor; but I’ve included them because they’re a really company that I love!
Aveline meets Sophie the Giraffe
Yesterday, Aveline received a great little package in the mail from her great-great uncle and aunt back in Michigan. (Thank you!) I think it’s safe to say she’s smitten!
The Oaxacaborn Blog 