Community Mother Art Tree Project: Collaborative Mural part 9

Last but not least, the lovely Lena Wood's piece to wrap-up the 9 piece mural. The next post will have a picture of the completed mural.

Lena Wood is a labor and postpartum doula, and soon to be a infant massage instructor. Lena is also soon off on an adventure to finish her Master's degree in Montessori Elementary Education. Go Lena!

When I am not working with clients, I can be found at home with my husband, working in the vegetable garden, delighting in new recipes in the kitchen, or hiking around our NE neighborhood. I also train in an Indonesian martial art form, Poekoelan Tjimindi Tulen, and have served as an assistant instructor in the after school and summer youth programs at One With Heart Tulen Center in SE Portland.

(as you will soon see, this picture is not upside down!)

Stay tuned for the unveiling of the complete mural...

Give the Gift of a Doula

Cross-posted at: http://cascadiabirth.com/2010/12/01/holiday-special-2010/

Cascadia Birth Services is pleased to offer a special holiday gift certificate for new or soon-to-be new mamas. While new baby clothes, diapers, and wraps are all lovely, sometimes the best gift is simply another compassionate, competent person to lend a hand and offer encouraging support. At Cascadia Birth Services we offer the best in postpartum care: lactation support, newborn and sibling care, meal preparation, and light housekeeping, all delivered with compassion and non-judgmental support.

For the month of December, we are offering gift certificates for a three-hour postpartum session, for only $40. Certificates can be printed at home, or we can print and mail them to the special mama in your life for no extra charge. Certificates have no expiration date, so they can be saved as long as you like! The certificates may also be applied towards an 8-hour overnight session.

If you would like to purchase a certificate for a friend, please contact us [www.cascadiabirth.com/contact] and we will email you directions on how to make a payment.

Less is More

Cross-posted at: http://cascadiabirth.com/2010/08/30/less-is-more/

This is a lesson I continue to learn, in various ways. Sometimes it might mean going through my closet or bookshelf and letting go of things I no longer use. Sometimes it means looking at my various commitments and deciding to cut back a bit, creating more time for myself and my family. I think it's a common goal for many, especially parents who are already overwhelmed with so many expectations.

Over the next few blog posts I'd like to explore this idea of less being more, and how it might help your family regain a little balance. My first offering is actually a blog post by a fellow Montessori teacher, Marcy Hogan, down in California, who wrote a wonderful post about cutting back on the number of toys she has available for her young son. Marcy writes:

I know I've noticed a difference in the quality of play in my toddler when I keep the number of available toys low versus the days when I try to buy myself "extra time" by bringing out more toys. If he only has a few toys out, he'll choose one or two and play with them for much longer periods of time. When I bring out a boxful of toys, he'll get excited about all those toys to play with… but then quickly tires of them and looks for something else to do.

photo by Marcy Hogan

I notice the same thing for myself. My husband sighs knowingly when I come home from the library with a stack of twenty books. Although I'm a voracious reader, it's inevitable that I will start reading three at a time…and maybe, if I'm lucky, finish one. Paring down on the options makes decision-making much easier, allowing for a deeper level of engagement. It's a process for sure (as anyone who comes over right now to see my night stand will tell you), but definitely something to work towards.

Check out Marcy's article, then come back and tell me what you think. Share your ideas for simple toys, or strategies for cutting back when the toy box starts overflowing. If you're in Portland, you might consider participating in this toy and clothing swap at the Green Sprouts Family Fest on September 26th.

Lena Wood, labor & postpartum doula

Cascadia Birth Services, LLC
lena@cascadiabirth.com

www.cascadiabirth.com

503.307.8614