Para-what?

Parabens.

I've been hearing some talk about parabens recently and wanted to do a little research to find out what all the hoopla was about. This is what I have found in a nutshell...

What the heck are parabens?

Parabens are synthetic preservatives used in lots of products; most commonly cosmetics such as moisturizers, shampoos and deodorants. Several types of parabens exist: butylparaben, ethylparaben and methylparaben, to name a few. If some type of preservative wasn't used in a any given product that contains water, then it would mold and grow bacteria over time. Typically, the amount of preservative used in a product is very low. There are natural preservatives, such as some essential oils, that have anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, however they often require high concentrations, don't last as long and are only useful against some bacteria/molds/etc. Parabens have been used for over 50 years, only require minimal amounts to be effective and are cheap.

So, what's the problem with using parabens?

Studies have shown that parabens have weak estrogen-like properties. Since this female hormone is  known to cause breast cells to grow and divide, the concern is that parabens may be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Unfortunately, only one small study on this was conducted back in 2004 and the findings were basically inconclusive because of several factors that were overlooked. Larger studies must be done to find out if parabens really have any effect on breast cancer risks.

You want my personal opinion? I'll wait to see some solid study results before jumping to conclusions. It seems like there is always something new that people are worried about and I would just rather not live my life worrying about things unless I have to! You decide for yourself, do what you want, and we'll all be happy. :)

Big Changes

When Kevin and I were dating, I told him that I wasn't so sure I wanted children... yup, I didn't think I wanted any kids. He in turn said that he knew he wanted kids one day. We left it at that and didn't talk much more about it until after we got married. Then, the tables turned... my biological clock started ticking like crazy and I wanted babies! However, Kevin wasn't so sure.

Fast forward a few years (including a really hard year of struggling with infertility issues) and little Lea joined our family. :)

I always knew that I wanted to be a "stay-at-home mommy" but I didn't know if it would ever be possible. I was fortunate enough to have my mom stay at home with me and I always knew that I wanted my children to have the same experiences. Obviously, there are pros and cons for every situation... one of which being finances, so when little Lea was just over three months old, I returned to work part-time.

On the outside, it seemed as though I had the best of both worlds. I was home with Lea all day Friday through Sunday and worked about five to six hours a day Monday through Thursday. But, on the inside I was not happy. Every morning was a huge internal struggle for me...I felt so incredibly guilty leaving my baby (even though I was leaving her with my own mother and mother-in-law... that helped lots!), something inside me just didn't feel right.

After almost eleven months of long, procrastinating breakfasts with Lea, we have decided that it's time for me to stay home!!! I am beyond excited about this new adventure. It's been a long time coming and something I have always dreamed about. My last day working will be November 23rd, the day before Thanksgiving. Now, I won't lie... I am a little nervous, too. It will be strange not having somewhere to go each day, no deadlines and no time sheets. I know it will take some time to get used to it. I have no doubts that Lea and I will make a great team, though.

I've already started to get play dates and activities on the calendar for us. I think it will be important to keep a little busy. Luckily, we live in a great area with lots of children around. There's fun things to do at the local cultural center and even a nice play ground two blocks down from our house. I'm determined not to let the cold weather keep us in... we'll just have to bundle up!

Here's some adorable pictures of Lea testing out her winter wear...

I just got Lea some new hats and dug out some more of her winter clothes so I'll have plenty more "bundled up" pictures to come. :)

Happy Halloween!

This is Lea's second Halloween... but the first Halloween she has gone trick-or-treating! I wasn't really sure what to expect from a 13 month old and wasn't actually planning on trick-or-treating. The plan was just to walk around the block and check out all the other kids trick-or-treating....

After the first house, though (saying hi to the neighbors) and seeing all the other kids, Lea was so excited and ready go. She carried her little pumpkin bucket and walked (almost) the entire time. She really had a blast... knocking on doors and waving at everyone. We all had a great time! I can only imagine how much fun next Halloween will be. :)

Lea also helped me carve a pumpkin today.

Yesterday we had fun at a fall festival with Lea's friend, Josh.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fun at the Fair!

Yesterday we spent the day at the state fair. I mean.... the. day. We got there a few minutes before 9am and didn't leave until a few minutes after 2pm! Kevin's parents met us there and we had a blast. Lea was great, riding on my back in our lillebaby EveryWear carrier for the first half. Then, she walked... a lot. She loves being around the action and hustle & bustle. When we walked through the rides and games section she loved it. All the loud music, huge rides spinning around and people yelling didn't scare her one bit. She just watched and danced! I was amazed at how much energy she had. Even after a nap in the car on the way home she kept her energy up for the rest of the day. Here are some highlights from the trip...

Sharing a ham biscuit for breakfast.



Checking out some big pumpkins.

 

It was cold!



Carving some wood w/ Roy Underhill from Woodwright's Shop.



Hanging w/ Roy



YUM!

 

Having Lea's silhouette made. It turned out beautifully!

 

YUM, again!

 

Playing w/ mommy



Riding on daddy's shoulder's back to the car.



Wee!



Sleeping on the way home. :)



Like mother, like daughter

I found these old pictures of myself when I was a baby... I think it's safe to say that Lea has my eyes!


Me at 3 months

 

Lea at 3 months










Me at 6 months



Lea at 6 months



Me at 1 year



Lea at 1 year

So, what do think... See any resemblance? My mom wants me to try and get a picture of Lea wearing my blue dress (above)... that's just like my picture. Um... it's kind of hard to 'pose' a one year old! But, I'll try.