Nakita Baby

What’s not to love about a Saturday? I think it is becoming my absolute favorite day of the week. Never used to be as I used to have a class to cart someone to, or errands to run, or meetings to attend. And as of late I have nix’d all of that. The classes must all be during the week, the errands get done during that time too, and meetings can be held on Sundays or weeknights. No need to interrupt a perfectly nice Saturday!

So today I got to sleep in till about 9a or 9:30a which is always bliss for me. Since I flip and flop a lot all night trying to get comfortable, it’s nice to grab extra zzzz’s. When I woke I had my bi-weekly (slowly becoming about a 10 day cycle) of my waffle marathon. Those boys sure to pack away them waffles and they just aren’t quite making it for a full 2 weeks any more. But it’s fun to make them and everyone loves the super fresh ones. They become most of the meals of the day (today’s breakfast, lunch and snacks!).

I delved into a book I had just gotten from Amazon, and I’m so in love so far… hooked. I just wish there were was more alert time in a day to read it so I could get through it more quickly. But today, got lots in…. 60-something pages with S and D… that’s a feat. ; ) After my late afternoon shower D and I wander over the thrift store and dollar store to pick up a couple essentials, and SBJ took the boys to Devon to pick up some beef. He had been craving some red meat (seems to an annual thing for us), and so he cruised there to get some fresh cut. He made an amazing domoda which I don’t think I could have gotten enough of tonight! All the while, poor K is saying, “so are we vegetarian or not???!!!” The boy just needs to know. It’s one or the other and no in between for him. I explained to him, that yes, we are mostly vegetarian, but if the meat is coming from a source we feel comfortable with, we’re not all that opposed. Funny thing, the kids did not even like the meat this evening, so it really was not even an issue after all, but still kinda funny, the whole dinner-time discussion.

This week each of the bigger kids had a date with G’ma which they had not had for a very very long time. Well, for D even, this was her first time alone on an adventure with G’ma. Tuesday K traveled down to MSI with her to see the new storm exhibit. Funny though, his big report about the day was about the poop exhibit and the large (imax) movie screen. He had a really nice time! D went to see Toy Story 3 with her on Friday and then they went to her place to garden and make pizza. She seemed to have a blast (after her initial paranoia really). She was too worried about something the evening before, but I think once they got to the theater, she was OK. And at G’mas she was really having fun.

S was pretty upset both times that G’ma did not take him. It was really cute to see that even cared and wanted to be along on the adventure as well. It was nice for me both days to have a combination of 2, which really never happens. I had a really nice time with each on both days.

We had a day where we ventured to our garden to check on things and water, and surprisingly we had a yummy 3 snap peas to munch on. We have tomatoes starting and lettuce still growing. Hopefully more will come up. Oh, and peppers as well, starting to bloom. It’s nice to have some things come up and be edible! ; ) We got an email from the Evanston Eco Center that they have a half plot for us starting right now. I am not sure I have it in me to give another plot a whirl at this point. I hate to let it go as well. Maybe we’d have better growth there!? Our GV plot really does not get enough sun, so it will be iffy on what’s really going to come up for us and not. If we tried again in EV, maybe we’d have a bit more success…. need to chat that one over with SBJ.

I made another sling this week! That was so cool. My sister-in-law has a client that is a recovering addict and trying hard to get back on track with her kids. She wanted to give her a sling as a gift to help with attachment with her newest baby and so I made one for cost. So that was super duper special and going to such a fabulous cause. I’m thrilled she wanted to share that special gift with her, and hope that other therapist in her office will want to do the same. (We had chatted about me doing them for cost for this reason, and I hope it blooms! I would love to help!)

Hmm…. Oh, the EHE yearbook pages were completed this week! Thank goodness too. I had so procrastinated that project it was painful to get done really. I am thrilled it is done and that the kids will be a part of it. I think they will love the final product/keepsake. But man…. I guess I’m just not a fan of photo editing and such. Especially online. I do love to photo collage things, but seeing as we are cutting where possible, I was not going to print out a ton of photos to then cut up and butcher to collage. So I had to wing it on the computer, which I’m just not all the familiar with, so it was quite painful. But it’s done and I think, not to shabby : )

The hot topic of the last couple of days has been to fireworks or not to fireworks this year. I sorta said we were not going to attempt it this year, and as soon as I did there were gripes about not going. For all of the years (except the last) we had traipsed all the way down to the lake on foot, and then there was whining, tired, cold, sleepy, bored, not that excited children that wanted to go home. So there’d we go before finale to get everyone to their beds. Last year we were in Kenosha checking it out as a potential new home…. and really just enjoying a long weekend getaway. So they did really enjoy them last year b/c we had beached the whole day and picnicked right before, and there was far more entertainment going on aside from fireworks. We did make it through the whole night, but also had an excruciating attempt of driving out of there (back to the hotel) that night. One I don’t think I could forget! Poor S was SO tired and trying to nurse him to sleep, get him back in the car seat (asleep) and keep driving was just not working out for us. Ugh.

At any rate, we shall see. SBJ has an interview tomorrow, which to me, just has to be good if they are asking him to come in on a holiday. Fingers and toes crossed on this one. But what this means is a trip to the parade for a little bit, and then drive him down to Lakeview for his interview. Back home for us, but we’ll see if this wears them out for the evening. My thought was to try James Park this year and climb to the top of the hill. I know you can see the Sears Tower from up there, and so must be able to see a few other city fireworks as well as Evanstons?! (At least I would hope!!) Then my fear is we attempt that one, and they don’t see any fireworks at all and then I’m in just as much trouble : )

Oh…. off to see if I can muster a few pages of my book. Noticing the time it may have to wait till tomorrow…. Happy 4th of July!!!

It’s amazing…. nearly a full year later, it is finally published! Low and behold…. it took a few dragging feet, kicking and screaming and then just a few clicks of a button and there it was! Pretty excited but also petrified. Putting something out there for the world to critique is never a fun thing in my mind. We shall see how this rolls!

There was a new order for a ring sling during this past week. It was very exciting for me because I had not had an order in quite some time. I always find it funny how much I fall in love with the carriers! It’s hard to give them up and only hope that the mama and baby receiving it will enjoy it thoroughly, enjoying all of that attachment and bonding that can come of a beautiful carrier!

Always looking for more orders! If you know of someone having a baby soon, they make wonderful baby gifts! Keep Nakita Baby in mind!

Congrats Tamara, comment #20 on Dec. 18, 2008!!!! You have been randomly drawn from a cooking pot ; ) as our lucky winner of the beautiful cross-cultural Mei Tai!!!

I don’t see your email address in your comment, so please email me with your contact information! I’ll send it off in the mail this week!

mommy@nakitababy.com

CONGRATS!!!

So the Nakita Baby Prize Giveaway winner has not come forth and we still have this beautiful mei tai to share with a loving family! The new contest deadline is Jan. 31st! Scroll down to the Dec. 11th entry and check out the contest giveaway rules! (Comments can be submitted anywhere on this site for an entry to win!)

Look forward to finding a nice home for this intercultural mei tai!

We have a winner for the Nakita Baby Mei Tai Giveaway!!! We took each of the comments and created a tag for each person who submitted, hosting a random drawing from a hat!

And the winner is…… drum roll please…..
Melissa! Comment entry #17!

Congrats Melissa!

This is my latest item for sale! The winter-time babywearing poncho! It’s so warm n’ toasty, stylish and convenient for mama and adds an extra layer of warmth for baby! Great to wear with all front a back carriers as poncho could be flipped around, though I find it easier to have baby on front for in-out of car, home, shops, errands, etc. But with a rounded neck, it could easily be reversed for a back carry position as well.

If interested, email me for details! (mommmy@nakitababy.com) and don’t forget to check out the Mei Tai Giveaway happening in just 4 days!!!

So we are in the final week of the Nakita Baby Mei Tai Giveaway!

It’s been so great to receive all of the feedback, comments and stories! I have even exchanged an email or two with some of you regarding your posts! Receiving a new post always puts a smile on my face. Not only am I thrilled that people are interested in this beauty of a Mei Tai, but there are so many great parents out there wearing their kiddos! It’s really awesome to see.

I am so excited to see who will win the giveaway! I am pretty certain that we will tape the random drawing and post the video for all to see!

Happy Holidays to all!
Keep those posts coming in!

Regards,
Nakita Baby

In my opinion, the way we choose to parent our child(ren) is largely based on if we are brave enough to follow our intuition. But in each our lives, someone or something has given us added gumption to truly follow our deep-seated instincts. Experiences in our lives show us the beauty of what evolves from parenting peacefully and respectfully with our child(ren).

For me, I’d have to say that the time I spent in the Gambia was more inspirational than I would have even known at the time that I had experienced it. My life there was no other than I had ever imagined I’d ever personally experience, and yet I don’t think I truly knew the impact that it would have on me lifelong.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I truly thought I knew exactly what I was doing and what I’d expect to happen, but after the birth of our first son, ALL of that was thrown out the window. What truly felt instinctively right for us was not how I had been raised, and not even how I had helped raise other children I nannied for years! It was that of how mothers in the Gambia raised their babies, and the beauty of true culture and tradition… attachment… that is impossible to alter in this amazing country.

Babywearing was most heavily introduced to me in the Gambia, and so I saw it only fit to create a set of Mei Tai’s made of batiks from an artisan in the Gambia, depicting mothers carrying their precious babes. I want to share this cross-cultural gift with a lucky winner/reader of Nakita Baby!

So here’s the deal….

I’m looking for readers to submit a comment about something special about their parenting. It could be how attachment parenting has impacted your lives, how you chose this parenting path for your family, what are some of your most special aspects of parenting peacefully, and/or anything else you’d like to add in your comment posting!

Be the lucky comment poster who will win this beautiful Mei Tai!

- In the spirit of the season and the nature of this post, I WILL accept International submissions and send this carrier out to you!

- Please include your email address so I may contact you for mailing information!

- Lucky winner will be randomly chosen on New Year’s Eve! (and shipped out to you as soon as I receive your contact information… so please add: mommy@nakitababy.com to your address book so I don’t default to spam).

I’m eager to hear from all of you lovely families out there!

Happy Holidays!

When you have a moment, kick back, relax and take this in:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/ethnicbabycarriers/pool/show/

I find it hard not to get totally engrossed in the amazing beauty of the world around us. It’s mind-blowing to me, the differences and uniqueness of so many amazing cultures out there, yet really… we are all one. We all want the same for our families, our children. Love, peace, happiness and good health. We all struggle to find ways to nurture this, and more, into our busy day-to-day lives. Beauty is in every moment of each day and taking the time to absorb it is what makes life really worth it.

I can’t help but absorb the natural beauty in babywearing around the world, and wonder, “why is it so ‘hard’ for Americans to embrace this natural part of life?” There are not many of us out there who will ‘seize these cherished moments’… who will hold baby close for as long as he/she desires… who will answer to their needs with out fear of “spoiling them”… who respect them as true unique individuals with feelings and thoughts… who want to create a loving, secure and attached bond that will last a lifetime (and with much hope for generations on end)…

Babywearing is a gift to us as parents. Seize this time and enjoy that closeness you will long for years from now! You can never spoil your child from holding him/her so close that love is penetrating! Babywearing…. comes with a money back guarantee in my book!