Lots of Fun Stuff to Come

We have so much fun stuff to come in the next week and change! I was thinking the other day that one of my favorite feelings from my childhood is always feeling included in what my parents did. I never felt like I cramped their style or held them back from living their life. I always got the feeling that their lives were more full with me in it. I remember going to concerts and on hiking trips. We went camping and to festivals. We even got to go to the races a couple of times which was their favorite activity pre-child (although this was expensive and one of the things they had to give up once we came along). I want Turtle to grow up feeling like this. I don't ever want her to feel like she got in the way of my life, instead I want her to feel like I was excited to include her in my life. So, here's what she'll be included in over the next week and change.

Friday: Tonight we are going to dinner for my brother's birthday! Birthdays are a big deal to me. I think it's because I came from a big family and also from having a low self esteem. Birthdays are the only time where I feel validated in asking for exactly what I want and expecting people to be willing to go out of their way to give it to me. So I feel the same way about other people. I'm not a big drinker but if that's what you want to do for your birthday then it's the one night of the year that I will gladly hold your hair back while you throw up. (All the other nights I'll tell you to hold your own hair back because you did this to yourself. ;-) ) So, the birthday person always gets to pick what we do and where we go and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or wants! Uncle Lukey wants to go to Red Lobster tonight so that's where we are going. I'm so glad that Turtle gets to celebrate with us this year. 

Saturday: Tomorrow our friend Dave is coming over to the house to help Jay with the home security system he's putting in. So, his wife Lauren and I are going to the fabric store and buying some light muslin to make woven wraps for ourselves. Woven wraps are similar to the bekaboo wrap I already have but they aren't stretchy. Because they aren't stretchy you can do back wraps with them which is what I'm really excited about! Turtle is getting more and more interested in the outside world. She loves to look around and takes in everything around her. Because of this, she's not as content to just stay snuggled in my bekaboo against my chest. Some popular carriers like the famous Bjorn have the option of turning the babies around to face outward but I've read some negative things about this option that seem to make sense. First the way the baby dangles by their crotch (like sitting on a bicycle) isn't supposed to be good for them. Second it puts your center of gravity in an odd place and puts a strain on the parents back. Third, if they get overwhelmed they don't have any where to go when they are dangling out there like that. (This should not be interpreted as a judgement of anyone who uses these carriers. This is just what I've read and the reasons why we are going a different route. I do not think using one of these carriers makes anyone a bad parent in any way!)

So, the alternative is to put them on your back in a non-stretchy, woven wrap. This allows them to put their weight on their tush and legs, like sitting in a swing instead of riding a bike, and it allows them to snuggle into your back if they get overwhelmed. I'm really excited to make one and try it out. I've been watching YouTube videos on how to wrap them. It's going to be a challenge at first, but so are a lot of things that are worth wild. I'll be practicing with Jay as my spotter or over the bed until I am very confident but the nice thing is that even toddlers can be carried in a woven wrap so this will be very useful for a long time. Here you can see one of the bloggers I follow The Maiden Metallurgist carrying her new son on her back.

How beautiful is she?!? And how comfortable does her son look! Her posts have really inspired me to try this with Turtle. I'm a little intimidated because I'll have to balance Turtle between my shoulder blades while I wrap her but I feel it's doable once I get the hang of it. I try to keep in mind that women in other countries have been doing this for millinia before the invention of strollers, so it must be doable. I'll keep you all updated!

Sunday: Sunday will be spent resting because next weekend will be a C.R.A.Z.Y!

Next Saturday: Next Saturday we are heading to Raleigh for Maker Faire NC. Woohoo!

The faire is put on by Make: Magazine and it's sister publication Craft: Magazine. Here's the description from the website.

"Makers, Crafters, Inventors, Evil Geniuses, Scientists and Artists will come together for a day of family-friendly fun and inspiration. From home-made cookies to home-made robots, Maker faire NC promises something for everyone in a showcase of the American creative spirit."

I'm so excited! My brother, Luke, went last year and I was supposed to go, but got too busy helping a friend with her wedding. I have been looking forward to this year's event for a while after hearing all the awesome stories my brother told me from last year. This is another reason I want to have the wrap finished so that I can carry Turtle on my back so she can see. Strollers are just such a pain for festivals and such and if I put her in the wrap I have now she can't really see anything.

Next Sunday: Next Sunday is going to be awesome! I so wish it were this Sunday! Next Sunday is Father's Day and it is going to be EPIC! I don't want to give too much away but I hope Jay walks away feeling very loved and appreciated!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Any fun excursions planned?

Here's your moment of cuteness before I go: