Sharky & Bones.

When Felix was first born, I had a list of my own parenting rules mapped out...

1.)  No fast-food, soda, or sugared cereals.  Not ever.  Not from me.  Not from Grandma.  Not from the coolest kid in the play group. 

2.)  There will be no television or movie character themed room decorating or birthday parties.  Not Mickey.  Not Sponge Bob.  Not Winnie the Pooh.  (Super heroes and Star Wars are the exceptions).

3.)  Television will be a rarely watched treat and it will not "babysit" our boy.

There were more... some of which have already fallen by the wayside (thank you, Dr. Ferber).  I'm still steadfast on these top 3...  However, I'm beginning to find an affinity for some of the programming on the Disney Channel in the wee hours of the morning.  In fact, I actually find myself flicking on the television at around 7:30am hoping for a Sharky & Bones sighting while I make the coffee. 

Watch this video if you don't mind humming "drink your tea, crocodile" all day long.

Wait... do I even know how to "self" soothe?

A three day old Felix, sleeping "like a baby."

Up until this moment, I'd consider myself the kind of mom that puts the HIP in hippie.  I did an all natural childbirth.  And sure, I breastfeed...  and yeah, we "co-sleep" and "wear" the baby.  I even make a lot of Felix's food from scratch and we only use whole grain rice cereals.  However, I do break out a jar of Gerber every now and again (mind you, it's the "all naturals" kind).  I traded in the cloth diapering for good ol' fashion Huggies at about 4 months (after he outgrew the first batch of hemp prefolds).  I wear makeup in public if I get the thirty seconds to apply and I am pretty much hooked on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

Happy Independence Day, Ya' Loon!

For twenty years now, my family and I have visited a magical place in the Adirondacks called Fernloch.  Our dear friends, The Roe Family, have so graciously shared this space with us and made it feel like a second home.  This weekend, I brought Felix to Fernloch for the first time.  It was so amazing to have Felix in a place that has built so many wonderful memories.  Caroga Lake was where I first waterskied, where my Mom and I spent girls weekends weaving baskets, where my Dad danced to Delbert McClinton while drinking Cactus Juice, where I shoveled snow off of a make shift ice rink, where Eden broke his leg, where I picked blueberries in to a coffee can, where I partied with my girlfriends during my hen weekend, and now - where Felix rode on a boat for the first time and we saved a loon.

Did you know loons mate for life and share nesting duties?
Think about how much those two facts are really connected... hmmm.
This is a momma loon and her baby.  I did not take this picture,
but I have equally amazing shots on the way.  Stay tuned.

UPDATE:  More pictures and the story of the loon are now on my facebook page.