How did I become such a "hippie"??

I had a baby that's how! I was just reflecting on the last year of my life and realized that I'm what my friend Kelley would call a "hippie mom". How did I get this way!? When I was pregnant I skipped over all of the sections of baby books that talked about attachment parenting and co-sleeping because I was positive my baby would be sleeping in her crib, and I probably would just push her around in her stroller more than I would wear her. I probably wouldn't have time to make my own baby food, and I would try to breast feed but if it didn't work..then there was always formula. So what happened? Ava got here and changed me for life! These are the things that I realized make me a "hippie mom":

I now co-sleep with my child and think it's the best thing ever. It wasn't my intention but she quickly taught us that if we were going to ever sleep it was going to be with her in the bed. From the moment she was born, she would only sleep if she was right next to her mommy all snuggled to me. I love sleeping next to her and seeing that smiling face first thing in the morning. I feel like it's my quiet cuddle time with her and best of all, the entire family sleeps! The crib didn't even see Ava until she was 4 months old and I had to sleep train her to nap in it. Nighttime is still for mommy though :) Even Steve likes having our little wee one in the bed with us. We had to take our featherbed off of the bed to allow her to sleep safely in our bed and I now wake up with a stiff back and sore hips but it's all worth it to me. Has just reminded us how old this mattress is and that it's time to invest in a new one! The poor pups also got the boot and have to sleep in their kennels at night now. The plan is to move her to her crib between 9-12 months....Be strong Kelley, you can do it! Steve said I must mention that I did actually get her to sleep in her bassinett at 3-4 months but after an hour or two I couldn't stand it any longer and as soon as she made a peep I scooped her up and brought her to bed with me. Not to mention I checked to see if she was breathing about 52 times. Every morning we can tell when she's starting to wake up and we watch her open her eyes, stretch her arms and legs, toot, and then give us a big ole toothless grin before the baby babbling begins. We get the biggest kick out of it. It just fills my heart so full it could burst.

I'm a stickler about breastfeeding her and making sure I don't do anything to jeapordize that. So much so that I've been more than willing to cut my favorite things out of my own diet to make sure she is healthy and happy (I sure do miss a big tall glass of milk, cheese, butter, alcohol and caffeinated beverages) One of my biggest fears is declining milk supply or early weaning. And to think I used to get creeped out by breastfeeding and wasn't sure I'd ever do it. I never knew what an emotional thing it is. I have no shame now. If she's hungry and someone has a problem with it, that's their problem. The hooter hider was the greatest thing ever invented (next to the epidural of course!)

Now that she's starting solids I'm going to try making my own baby food! Steve and I started eating organic as much as we could a year ago when we realized how much junk was used to preserve and grow non-organic foods. Not only will we know exactly what she's eating (minus the preservatives and ingredients you can't pronounce), but it's much cheaper than buying jars of baby food! Not to say I won't ever feed her jarred baby food because I surely will.

We both wear our baby a lot and not because we have a weird idea about attachment parenting but because she loves it! I ended up having to go out and buy a baby sling so that I could still get things done while she napped. She also gets a baby massage after her bath every night.

We are going to start teaching Ava sign language. I'm ordering the book and CD on it and should start working with her soon. Several of my girlfriends have done this and I'm amazed at their children and what they can do.

The only thing I have not done yet is cloth diapers. I think it's a fabulous idea and may do it one day but as of right now I don't do laundry enough to justify it. I can just see it now...last poopy diapers and no clean diapers left!! That's what would happen. Not only that but the washing machine is in our bedroom so we don't need our bedroom smelling like baby poop or Magnum eating poop sandwiches for dinner until I can get around to doing laundry.

I'm some think I'm a little overboard about the things I'm most passionate about (like breastfeeding), but it's amazing how having someone you've created in your life can change your way of thinking. I've never been a mom who freaks when the pacifier falls on the floor, the dog licks her, she has a dog hair on her face, or about taking her out in public, but I am a freak about what she eats and her sleep routine & schedule. I'm the mom who rocks and nurses her baby to sleep, holds her when she wants to be held, but lets her cry sometimes too, and breaks out the video camera everytime she does something only a mom would think was cute and sends it out to all of her friends . I like changing diapers and spit up doesn't phase me. Like I told my friend today (who was feeling embarrassed that her toddler still takes a paci at night) you read & hear a lot of things you should never do like "don't let them sleep in the bed with you", "don't let them nurse to sleep", "don't let them have a pacifier after 6 months", "don't spoil them by holding them too much", "give them formula at night because they are hungry and they'll sleep better", "crying it out is cruel", "crying it out is the only way" and someone will always be judging you and your parenting choices, but I just try take all of the information in (and it's a LOT of information because I read a LOT of stuff and ask a ton of questions of my mom friends) and use my instinct and a little guidance from Ava to determine what works best for her. That's all we can do as moms. What a lifechanging experience it is to be a mom and learn new things about your baby as well as yourself along the way.

I'm so fortunate to have other mommies (gotta give a shout out to Erin, Christine, my sisters, Julie, Tiffany, Desta, Kelley, Amanda and Rhonda) to get advice from, bounce ideas off of and to make me feel better when I'm not sure I've made the right choice or which route to take.

By the way this post was just to share some of the funny things I realized about myself and not in response to anyone or anything, so don't worry if you think you've offended me because you most likely have not :)

Merry Christmas Everyone from Ava, Steve, Kelley, Casper, Biscuit & Alligator Head (Magnum) Hendrickson!!!!