people look at me with amazement sometimes when im carrying Lucy in a sling (or a knotted scalf) . They often comment on what a good idea it is or how its a new thing that they've never seen before.

Well it's not a new thing at all, and Lucy and i love it.
sprockets of words from http://www.babaslings.com/babyslingsart_wisdom.asp


A pram or a cot can separate; a baby sling unites, as baby snuggles close to your body. Our western material values separate individuals from each other. Much education neglects the heart; our troubled bodies and minds separate the spirit. Likewise, we separate ourselves from some of the deepest human bonding needs between parent and infant. For a baby in a sling, mother's breastmilk is easy to seek and find. A parent (including fast-growing numbers of fathers) is all the more likely to hold baby, because her or his hands are free for other activities.
In our own culture's non-wearing of babies, are we, then, missing some of the deeper joys of bonding? For example it is known that babywearing stimulates levels of the mothering hormone prolactin. In not following the babywearing practice of so many old cultures, are we seriously depriving our children of one of the greatest of benefits to childhood development?

other benefits mentioned

"Many scientific studies now show how a carried baby receives the exact essentials of pressure, motion, pleasure, warmth, security, sound.

Baby-carrying stimulates optimal development of the cerebellum of the brain.

Sling use tones muscles, increases cardiac output which increases circulation, promotes respiration and digestion. Infants experience reduced rate of wind and colic. Neck and shoulder muscles are stronger, there is less head lag

Sling-worn infants are at the center of activity - a precondition for the development of empathy, and esteem of both self and other, rather than a laying of foundations for lifelong egocentricity.

The development of mutual reading of cues is encouraged and speeded."

friendly discussion and debate regarding Ezzo parenting philosophies.
http://www.awareparent.net

something i read today is that seventh day adventists live longer (on average 8 years) longer than every one else, Time magazine
Why?
Vegetarian diet ?
they have a rest day?

i found this here on seventh day adventist dietetic association website

Seventh-day Adventists saw the body, mind and soul as organs that responded favorably to fresh air, sanitary and hygienic principles. Further, they saw a balance between work and conditioning exercise. A special emphasis had been placed on self control (temperance) issues i.e.. abstaining from injurious tobacco practices, alcohol, the avoidance of patent remedies of the day in favor of natural remedies, the increased care for hygiene and sanitation, and a strong emphasis on plain and simply prepared foods, all of which came to fuller appreciation in the later 20th century.
The last quarter of the 20th century has witnessed the introduction of health principles for reducing fat and adding high fiber to the diet leading to a light or moderate use of meat and dairy products as preferable. This very teaching is basic to the Adventist teaching of abstaining from flesh food, the greater daily use of fruits and vegetables, and light to moderate use of dairy products, which in the nutrition world would be advocacy for a Lacto - ovo- vegetarian diet.

here are thier "Good Eating" Guidelines

A significant body of population-based research documents the health benefits of a vegetarian diet. For example, a paper published in 1999 summarized the results of a study associating diet with chronic disease in a group of nearly 35,000 Seventh day Adventists living in California. The members of the group who followed a vegetarian diet (defined as eating no red meat, poultry, or fish)had lower incidences of many diseases, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease than the nonvegetarians (Fraser, 1999). Also in 1999, Key, et al., analyzed the combined results from five studies involving a total of more than 76,000 people that compared the incidence of disease among vegetarians (defined as eating no red meat, poultry or fish) to that of nonvegetarians with similar lifestyles. Mortality from ischemic heart disease was 24% lower in vegetarians than nonvegetarians (Key, et al).

And finally, heart disease and cancer of the breast, prostate, and colon are far less common among adults who grew up as vegetarian children. http://www.vegsource.com/attwood/vegkid.htm

another interesting artical on vegetarian diet http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=diet&dbid=6

So what ever it is the SDA look like they've got something right.

sorry this is so scattered (format wise ) but i got a bubby to feed

so little 

my little bro with his new neice 

David and i have been discussing for a (couple of years now) about travalling , (or more learning and experiencing a differnt culture) i'm not keen on being a spectator style traveler, some sort of volinteer missiom work looks like the way to go, So we are searching and praying that the perfect oppurtunity will arrise,

a couple of interesting site i found ;
Christian World Service action against poverty

The Global Volunteer Network offers volunteer opportunities in community projects throughout the world.

http://www.interserve.org.nz/ You just might be surprised to find a you-shaped opportunity in Christian service.

i got to go Lucy has had a bit of a poo misshap

warning that the following story may contain graphic scenes that may disturb some readers ok this isn't that graphic "(it's just how it was)

Lucy Aurora’s Birth Story

On Saturday Night I had some achey period like cramps which I thought nothing of ‘cause I had been having these off and on for about 2 weeks. I didn’t sleep to good and woke up and relised that David was listening to the Rugby with headphones which for some reason was really annoying. I felt great on Sunday morning and we went to church. Had more crampy feeling that came and went (now I realise they must have been contractions) . After church we went round to a friends house “(I was liking the idea of not having to prepare my own lunch at home,(hehe being tired from the night before”) any way we left before lunch was even ready, ‘cos I had some bloody show and more intense cramp feelings.

(1;30pm) While driving they started coming on stronger so we rung the midwife who said that labours often go on for awhile (24 hours +) and to ring her when things get full on. (which was only bout half an hour later)
The car decided to overheat at this point, and we had to ring some friend who lived near by to give us a ride home. (I really felt I needed to be at home now not trying to fix the car beside the road).

We got home and I started doing the dishes, every now and the having to stop and lean on the bench, and David and Kathy (a friend who was staying with us) got to work setting up the birth pool in the lounge.
No longer feeling comfortable doing the dishes I went to hang out on the bed leaning on a Swiss ball, (having a hard time accepting that I was in labour and that it had ruined my plans for an afternoon nap) David rang the midwife at this point and I threw up. And went to have a shower, which was sooo good, I remember trying to get out then having another contraction and stepping back in , I did this about 4 times knowing that I didn’t want to be in there when the hot water run out.
(2;15pm)Suzanne the midwife turned up just as I was getting out of the semi cold shower.
The pool was still being assembled and excruciatingly slowly being filled with water (the hot water coming from stock pots on the stove)
David stayed with me rubbing my back almost constantly now as I laboured in the bedroom, (much better now that I had accepted that this was gonna happen now and no longer fighting the contractions but visulising my body opening up as it was designed to do) I remember the afternoon sun streaming trough the windows between breaks in the clouds.
(2;55pm)Fiona the other midwife turned up and helped Kathy with the pool filling, At one stage Suzanne mentioned that I may have this baby on dry land, But I made it to the pool (4;20pm)(the pool was up to my belly button when I got in). but it was so good.
It was amazing going from the bedroom to the lounge and seeing that Kathy had brought in some of my pots of flowers from out side and placed them around the room also evening had fallen and the lamps where dimly lighting the room. I remember noticing it starting to rain as well as I got into the water.
I laboured in there for an hour before David decided to get it with me (which was much easier for rubbing my back and belly and talking me through relaxation). Which he did amazingly during each contraction he would tell me to relax my forhead, my shoulders, my feet , I concentrated mentally on doing this and remember floating my hands on the surface of the water and staring intensely into Davids eyes of at my artwork on the walls. the completely becoming a rag doll between contractions and having David support me completely,
I cant pinpoint transition but I remember Suzanne mentioning that it seemed to be getting more intense, I just nodded .
I didn’t really mentally register an overwhelming urge to push I just started doing it I remember Suzanne mentioning that I could properly feel the bulging head, I feel it and automatically (instinctively I guess )scraped my finger nail against it and my waters broke, (7;15 pm) then I could feel Lucy’s hair which was amazing.(7;30pm)
Suzanne said that either David or I could catch her and bring her to the surface (I was in a squatting position grasping my heels) and Suzanne armed her self with our camera, David brought Lucy to the surface and gave her to me and we all cuddled in the pool for awhile. David cut the cord
Lucy was born at 7;52 pm just as a mighty storm started raging outside. 10 minute later the placenta came.
I got out of the pool and snuggled with Lucy on the couch she breast feed beautifully for awhile. At (9;15pm) Fiona took her to do the newborn checks and I had 2 tiny tears checked out.
(9;25) David’s parent turn up and midwifes leave. I snuggle on couch with Lucy and David. While David parents make them selves a coffee ,heat some leftover soup (I was hungry), and put some clean sheets on the bed. They didn’t stay long and soon we were alone still cuddling on the couch in our lounge, David ,Me and Lucy.

david will most likly edit this a bit 'cos he's better at documentation than me.

over 2 weeks into this new beginning well what can i say, i smell like a baby almost constantly (which is lovely) i do a load of nappies everyday (yep we do cloth but cool homemade fitted rainbow cloth) i sit around and feed/cuddle Lucy lots (this is all going well with no problems) and i take a nap in the middle of the day (which is nothing new :) )