Weekend Warriors: November 30-December 2

Apologies for the delay in getting the Weekend Warriors not out on Wednesday.  Our resident WW-mama (Olivia) is out-of-town this week.  There's so much to do this weekend especially those looking to connect with other fellow mamas.  There's the Lotus Pod Playgroup in Sellwood, urbanMamas Support at Twisted, and Family First Sunday at Jamison Square.  Here are the details of these and some of the other events happening this weekend:

Lotus Pod Playgroup. At this time of rapid change on the planet, more and more children are remembering their true nature. Come join other mamas/papas for this children’s playcircle. Many of us know our children to be highly awake, indigo/crystal/star beings. Contact Jeannine Brown at 503.287.4278 or Shannon Raybold at Shannon@raybold.com. Where? Spirit Feathers 7704 SE 13th in Sellwood When? Fridays, beginning Oct. 5, 2007 11:00-12:30 Cost: $3 love donation

urbanMamas Support. Come meet Sarah (aka Cafemama) at around 12:30 pm on Sunday, December 2nd at Twisted on 2301 NE Broadway to figure out a way to create support groups that would help all kinds of mamas!  She recently wrote: "While you all might be organizing groups offline, it's  likely many of you haven't the time or energy to coordinate. And putting together a bunch of groups individually (while it's certainly a goal) seems daunting. So what about just setting a time and a place and having those who can come, come, and separate into little groups?" Makes sense to us.

Family First Sundays.  Join other River District Families, Sunday, December 2nd at 3 pm for our first-ever Family First Sunday, a chance to meet other families with children living, working and playing in the River District. The theme is Holiday Lights and Bouncing Balls. Kids are invited to come accompanied by parents, grandparents and special people. Each child should also bring: 1) a light-- flashing, colored, spinning, stationary--the funnest one you've got! 2) a ball to play with (one that can possibly get wet). We'll meet rain or shine so make sure to dress for the weather. Questions? Contact the River District Families team at riverdistrictfamily@gmail.com

Holiday Ale Festival.  It's happening Thursday through Sunday at Pioneer Square.  The Holiday Ale Festival is outed as the only beer festival in the Northwest to be held outdoors in the dark, cold and often wet month of December. More than three dozen potent winter ales are featured at the event, all of which are created specifically to bring warmth and cheer to the holiday season. The beers are rich, robust and full of complex flavors. Cheers to the Season! Pioneer Courthouse Square 701 SW Sixth Ave. Thursday: 11am to 10:00 p.m. Friday: 11am to 10:00 p.m. Saturday: 11am to 10:00 p.m. Sunday: 11am to 6 p.m.

Yoga for Women: Free Workshop. Emma Balnaves will be giving an The introductory lecture will be used for discussion about menstruation, pregnancy, menopause and irregularities occurring during these times in a woman's life. Practical information will be given on how to generate and increase the creative principle in women through the proper practice and use of yogasanas, bandhas, mudras and pranayamas. Friday, November 30, 6:00 – 8:00PM at Yoga Shala on N. Williams.

The Children’s Nutcracker.  This abbreviated version of The Nutcracker features all of our Pre-ballet and Standard Ballet students. Please join us to celebrate all of their accomplishments in this children's version of The Nutcracker. For many of the performers it will be their first time on the stage; please come and enjoy these young dancers!  November 30th at 6:00 PM; December 1st at 11:00 AM $10 Youth and Adults; $5 Children under 9; $ 5 Seniors over 65. It's happening at St. Mary’s Academy on 1615 SW 5th Avenue.

Sunnyside Holiday Bazaar.  The Sunnyside Environmental School Holiday Bazaar is a great way to support local parent-artists/crafters and shop for the holidays. Vendors will be offering jewelry, soy candles, pottery, baby items, massage oils, perfumes, zines, photography, crocheted items, scarves, purses, handmade toys, journals, dolls, soap and much more! Saturday, December 1, 11am-4pm at Sunnyside Environmental School SE Salmon and 34th St.

Ornament Making: Green Frog. Our first event is this Saturday, December 1st,  from 11:30-1:00 pm.  We are having a little get together to make Candy CaneTree Ornaments that look like cute little reindeer.  Please call the store and sign up if you are interested, or feel free to email me back.  It is a FREE event. Check it out at Green Frog Toys, 1031 NW 11th Ave.

Grieving the Loss of a Pet

Our condolences go out to Debby as she navigates helping explain the loss of her dear cat to her daughter.  Can you help her with explaining this serious topic to her daughter? She writes:

This Thanksgiving morning, unfortunately, was spent in my friends' back yard, with a ceremony to say goodbye to my beloved friend and companion of 11 years, my dear 18 year old cat Heidi. She was 7 when I adopted her and was a pure joy in my life, in the life of my other 3 cats, and most recently, my 2.3 year old daughter grew to adore her. Every morning, she would wake up and say, "where is Heidi? I want to see her!" So when she became blind last month, I had to take a step back and examine the quality of her life. She did not seem able to hear, and her runny nose, which was a constant over the past few years, seemed to hinder her sense of smell. She bumped into things, and I had to place small litter boxes all over the downstairs so she could find them and not have accidents, which she still did. Through all this, my daughter loved on her, kissed her, and generally harassed her, but cared for her deeply.

Least Non-Toxic Mattress Option

We've previously talked about organic baby mattresses, but Anne was particularly interested in finding a mattress for a big girl bed.  According to one of our favorite resources (we love Sarah and OEC), you can find mattresses not treated with flame retardants at:

• Naturepedic
• Baby Works
• Organic Mattress Store
• Green Home

Is an IKEA really an option?  Any others for Anne?  She writes:

We are trying to figure out what the least toxic, non-futon type mattress is out there to buy for a new big girl bed. Has anyone done any research on this, bought anything, happy with anything that they could recommend?

All I Want for Christmas Is My...

Since there are no kids in our house this year with missing teeth (we're still teething), the list is wide open.  Well, not quite.  If you remove the drum set and pink play fridge, that is.  Anyway.  I hope you'll help us fill in the top five slots on the Activistas wish list this year. 

Try this on: If you could tell Very Important People at the state level just what your family needs for Christmas (from them, claro, not Santa), what would it be?  If we don't put it on our list, mamas, the politicelves might just fulfill someone else's list, 'cause as you know, there is no shortage. 

Where's Your Tree?

Every year, there's lots of options for Christmas trees from fake, going to your neighborhood lot, to the "living tree" option to getting a permit to cut down one in the woods or at a tree farm.  Debi has a specific request for suggestions on farms.  But where you typically get yours?  Do you make it a tradition and go back to the same place each year?

My family and I want to go to a Christmas tree farm this year where we can pick out and cut our tree. We live in NE Portland/almost Gresham and would like to know if anyone knows of a good place to go for this. I figure we might have to go out to outer Gresham, Boring or Sandy but would love any suggestions.

Time-Saving Tips: Got Any?

Jess recently posted this comment over at our Exchange forum.  We liked it so much that we thought that we would share it with the rest of you.  She shares her 7 top time-saving tips to make life more sane.  How about you?:

I have only been in the dual working parent trap--I mean situation--for the past two months. Previously, my wonderhubby worked nights, took a nap in the morning, and spent his afternoon cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. For a decade I came home every night to a home-cooked meal and freshly laundered clothing (neatly put away, of course).

Now that we are both working outside the home during the day my life looks a lot--worse. I mean different. Here are a few time saving tips I learned over the past two months:

1) Make a double batch of "crockpot" food on the weekends. One meal for Saturday night. Another for a weekday night: Wednesday, say.

2) Don't make the beds. I have completely let go of the idea of making the bed everyday. That definitely saves time, even though my grandmother would be appalled.

3) Go grocery shopping on-line.  Saves a good 30 minutes right there.

4) Pay bills on-line.  The first time is the scariest.

Could it be the weather?

Before I moved to Portland four years ago, I braced myself.  I had heard about grey skies and neverending winters.  Rain, showers, and clouds.  I recalled when I had moved from the West Coast to the East Coast for college: I sulked and sat in a depressed slump for over a day when I went through my first blizzard.  I suspected that Portland's grey skies would similarly send me into a dampened state.  I'm surprised that it didn't.  Until now.

Four years later, as I look at the blank backdrop of a sky, I have this deep-down feeling of plain old yuck.  I feel grey.  blue.  black.  Whatever the color is, it isn't bright.  Surely it could just be the circumstances of my autumn this year - the loss of a friend, the endless juggle (thereby resulting in the mama lush = mush phenomenon), the constant question of work vs. life, the loss of my grandfather.

But, then again, could it be the weather?  Seasonal affective disorder maybe?  Is the condition real?  Have you had it?  How have you handled it?

Support one, support all: Mama groups

I've written a lot on my personal blog about mamas' groups, and how much I love them. How they've been my lifeline many a time. It's hard, you know? Being a mama. It's simultaneously isolating and stifling; it brings all your hiddenmost issues to the surface, changing your skin from calloused to transparent in an instant.

Though I have all you, and we get together a lot, and I have my friends to hang out with on holidays and birthdays and knitting days, I don't really have a group right now. And I feel like I need one -- and I know lots of you need one too.

While you all might be organizing groups offline, it's  likely many of you haven't the time or energy to coordinate. And putting together a bunch of groups individually (while it's certainly a goal) seems daunting. So what about just setting a time and a place and having those who can come, come, and separate into little groups? As I see it we need:

• Book group (yay!)
• Single mamas support
• Careers for mamas returning to work
• Partners of alcoholics (etc.)
• New mamas
• Challenged mamas (whose children are difficult or developmentally delayed or diagnosed with SID ill or...)
• Lonely mamas (that probably defines most of us!)

Favorite Must-Do Holiday Event

If there is one "must see" or "must do" event this holiday season, what would it be?  What would you recommend?  Sara wants to know! She writes:

I'd like to take my 3-year-old to one splurge-y holiday-season event this year, like a dance, music, or theater performance. My budget is tight, so I'm hoping Urban Mamas will help me identify the single Very Best Event! She loves music and dancing and stories, and will sit through engaging performances for an hour or so, but obviously it can't be too long or too boring-for-kids.

Where to donate barely used/new nursing bras?

Donations of lingerie are probably atypical, but what do you do with items that could go to good use?  Jessie asks:

I am wondering if anyone knows of a place where clean, seldom (or never) worn bras can be donated? I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of my pregnancy last year and have just finished reconstruction. As a result of this, I have some-never worn nursing bras (that I took out of the package to wash) and a number of seldom worn regular bras that fit only late in pregnancy or while going through reconstruction. I think that donations of lingerie are generally frowned-upon, but gosh, I do hate to through these away. Any suggestions?

Happy Thanksgiving 2007!

We are a turkey eating family.  By now, the bird is stuffed & in the oven.  The sun is shining and we'll go toss a football outside in the street.  We will cross fingers that we have all we need for this evening's feast.  We will make mental lists of what we will share tonight, when we go around the table and say what we are thankful for.

What are some of your Thanksgiving traditions?  What are your family's plans for today?

And Speaking of Recalls...

A customer let us know about this latest lead risk:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Boppy® Slipcovers

Hazard: The zipper pull on the slipcovers can break, posing a choking hazard to young children. In addition, paint on the zippers contains excess levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard.

Description: This recall involves velvet and boa slipcovers intended for use with the Boppy® Bare Naked nursing and support pillow.

Slipcovers recalled due to a choking hazard were sold in three color combinations and have the following UPC and date codes found on the California Flammability Law tag. Slipcovers sold in clear vinyl packages are labeled Boppy® Luxe.

Color Combination UPC Code Date Code
Blue/Green Velvet 769662 30802 1 05/2006 and 06/2006
Pink/ Orange Velvet 769662 30801 4 05/2006 and 06/2006
Pastel Blue Velvet 769662 30705 5 05/2006

More info and pictures may be found here.

Will your Friday be Black?

I was just over at Activistas, where they ask: Will your Friday be Black?  Will it, will it?

Another Toy Recall: When Will the Madness End?

Enough already.  Are you tired of all the toy recalls?  We sure are.  Sarah writes about the recent Mattel medical kit recall on Blogging Stocks.  It appears that the blood pressure cuff has "lead in worrisome amounts", according to the consumer reports press release.  As you do your holiday shopping, you can refer to the recall list put together by notinmycart.org ( Lisa the Activista breaks it down for us busy parents over on Activistas).  Has the recent stint of recalls effected your approach to gift-giving this season?

Starting a Workplace Daycare

If you can't find childcare that meets your needs, why not pool resources and start your own?  Mary is in search of advice from others that have been successful in working with their co-workers in creating a workplace-based daycare.  She writes:

My husband and I are both teachers struggling with the issue of childcare. Is the amount paid worth being away from our two beautiful children? Are we able to find a quality daycare that would meet up to the standards of two idealistic teachers? What happens when the children are in separate schools? How do we get them to two places when we have to be at work by 7:15 am? In our hopes to solve some of these dilemmas, we are working with a committee of teachers from my husband's school district to try and open a district daycare. We are wondering if any others out there have a similar experience. Does anyone have a workplace daycare they are involved with, or has anyone started a workplace daycare? Tell us about your experiences.

Thimerosol-Free Flu Shots: Where to Get Them?

It's not really of whether or not to get a flu shot, but who provides the thimerosol-free option.  Lauralye in an older post mentioned that the option is available at The Children's Clinic.  Or perhaps FluMist is another low-mercury option?  Sarah asks:

I am looking for places to get mercury-free flu shots in PDX. My understanding is that there's a version that comes in single-dose portions (as opposed to one big bottle that they draw many shots out of) that lacks any mercury preservative. I am looking into getting this for my 2-year-old and for myself. I'm five months pregnant, but my midwives' office only had the mercury-laced kind. I know the question of whether to get the flu shot at all is another debate, but I'm just wondering if and where this alternative is available.

'Tis the Season for Thanks & Giving

We briefly discussed volunteer opportunities earlier this year, but the holidays are a good time to introduce your kids to giving back.  Shayne recently wrote to us inquiring about volunteering with young kids.  She writes:

Our family has been trying to come up with a way to volunteer our time this holiday break.  We were thinking something along the lines of driving gifts or food to home bound seniors.  Does anyone know of a program or church that facilitates this sort of thing.  Any other ideas for local volunteering with young kids?

New Twist on an old Treat: Candy Sushi

This weekend we were feeling crafty in the kitchen and I'd like to share our results!

I had seen "candy sushi" before but thought some of it was a little silly with twinkies or powdered doughnuts as the rice.  To me, it seemed perfectly clear that candy sushi should be made with rice Krispie treats.  From there I decided fruit leather and fruit roll-ups are the perfect substitute for the fish.  Andrew (4.5 yrs) had fun helping me "cut" the shapes with a pizza cutter and was good at helping pour when making the rice krispie treats.  So, without further ado, here is my "how to" make candy sushi:

Ingredients list:
Rice Krispies Cereal
4 cups (or 10 oz) marshmallows
3 tbsp butter
Variety of Fruit Rollups / Fruit leathers (For the nori or seaweed, I used the "mariani" brand fruit roll-ups which are located in the produce section, not the snack aisle.  Sour apple has that dark green color).

Tools list:
Pot and spoon for mixing Rice Krispie treats
Saran Wrap/cellophane
Sushi Mat
Pizza cutter
Spray Oil (helps when working with the rice krispie mix)

1)  Start by unpacking the fruit bits and cutting them to the sizes you like with the rolling pizza cutter.  Rectangles for the nigiri toppers, long slices for stuffing the roll, strips for the outside of a roll, and 1/2" thick strips of the sour green apple to imitate the nori (Seaweed)
2)  Melt the butter and marshmallows in the pot and make a recipe of rice krispie treat per the recipe on the box of cereal
3)  While the butter and marshmallows are melting, lay out the cellophane on the sushi mat, and then arrange pieces of fruit leather for the outside of your roll.  This way it's ready for the warm rice krispie treat to be layered on top.
4)  After mixing the cereal into the melted marshmallow, you will need to work fast.  Using an oiled spoon and oiled hands (a light spray of olive oil should be fine), layer a thin (1/2-3/4") amount of rice krispie treat onto the prepped roll.  Flatten this (be brutal, it'll work into shape) and then place the thin strips of fruit inside.  Once it's ready, use the cellophane to roll it over, and then use the mat to tighten the roll down into shape.  One recipe of rice krispie treat will get you at least 2 rolls, and several nigiri too.
5)  Form the bases for the nigiri sushi.  Try to work while the rice krispie mix is still warm, using lightly oiled hands.  Kids can help with this part but be sure the mix isn't too hot to handle for them.  Work the treats into approx 1" X 2" ovals and set them aside to cool completely.  If you have any left form it into traditional rice krispie treats in a small dish.
6)  Now assemble your nigiri sushi by placing a rectangle of fruit leather on top, and wrapping with the nori (sour apple fruit rollup).  Store in sealed containers where possible.  They get really sticky and probably shouldn't be stored for more than a couple of days.  But who could resist eating them before then???

Work vs. life: Do you regret giving up work stuff for kids?

I love my job, and I know deep down that I would never be fulfilled as a mama who didn't work outside the home. My ability to work from home, my great bosses who totally get my juggle, and the fact that I'm the primary breadwinner, seal the deal.

But today I'm feeling especially angst-y. Everyone in my division, everyone, even the administrative staff, is attending a big meeting at the feet of the big boss in New York. Due to the relatively last-minute nature of the trip and the fact I have a very small baby, I negotiated with my very understanding immediate supervisors to sit this one out; we have a big launch coming up in a couple of weeks, and putting me on two red-eyes in order to listen to a couple of PowerPoint presentations seemed silly.

I've been to New York plenty of times, I've shaken hands with the big boss, I know I'm not about to get laid off or marginalized. But somehow this is (mentally) just one too many times I've had to miss an important meeting because of children. I love my children, and I've had no real desire to endure the stress of travel in the last two months of my pregnancy and the first four months of Monroe's babyhood. But I love the thrill of getting together with remote colleagues IRL, I love New York, I'm feeling like I'm missing out on more than just a meeting. I'm missing the vibrancy and connected-ness of shaking hands and getting coffee and brainstorming with my co-workers.

I know "they" say you'll never lie on your deathbed wishing you'd spent more time at the office; I know my inner struggle is a rich woman's dilemma (note: I mean rich in life, not money ;). But still: do you ever wish you were more like the stereotypical 50s daddy, kissing baby goodbye in the morning and sailing off into the rewarding world of work without a second thought? Do you ever wish you could turn a switch and be childless just for a day or two, flipping the switch again when you were ready?

As I type this, Monroe gurgles and goos and whoa-oohs downstairs, and I know I'm happy I'm here. But... what the heck am I missing?

To TV or Not To TV?

My daughter came home one day and taught me a playground patty-cake rhyme:  "coca cola....  pepsi....  lemonade...  iced tea...."  I stopped her.  I asked, "What's 'pepsi'?"  She shrugged.  Slowly, she said, "You know.  Pepsi is when you shake some liquid and it explodes."   I was amused.  She had no idea what Pepsi was!  She knew what 'coca cola' was; her daddy drinks it maybe a few times a year.  We have since changed the rhyme to "coca cola.... izze...."  She knows and loves the fizzy izze drink.

Anyway, what spurred this anecdote is an email from Sarah who asks about how other urbanMamas and urbanPapas are dealing with TV and videos in their homes:

We have two boys (an almost 3 year old and a 5 month old) who have never watched TV or videos. I really wanted to get them excited about reading and in the habit of amusing themselves with active and imaginative play. My husband and I gave up TV in early 2005 and frankly don’t miss it (we’re not totally pure – we do get our movie fix from Netflix).

I love that my son doesn’t recognize a Coke logo and doesn’t ask for silly toys and sugar cereals that are so heavily marketed to young children. I realize, however, that TV is ubiquitous and I am wondering when (if?) to introduce our older son to TV or DVDs.  Do other parents have this dilemma?  When and how do I delve into this and what TV or DVDs do other urbanmamas recommend?

Adopt-A-Family Holiday Party: Save the Date!

Activistas invites you to celebrate the season together by providing food and gifts for a local family through Salvation Army's Adopt-A-Family program.  We'll have more details in early December, but for now, we sure hope you'll save the afternoon of Sunday, 12.16.07 to come together for a little holiday fun with a purpose.  Kids, partners & friends welcome, of course!  'Til then, mamas.

Green Bathtub Resurfacing

We're certain that many of you may be knowledgeable about remodeling, but Amy poses an interesting question about bathtub resurfacing.  She writes:

The bottom of the clawfoot tub in our 1901 house is peeling badly! I hate the thought of soaking my daughter in it every night (she outgrew the baby tub long ago). But I am also leery of having it refinished because, from what I understand, all the finishes are basically paint ... and then she's soaking in whatever leaches from freshly applied paint ... what about off-gassing? How do I know what's safe? We can't afford a brand new tub, nor can we afford to have the old one hauled away for an all-new ceramic coating ... on-site refinishing seems to be our only option. (Right now, I have a non-slip tub mat over the peeling area, but that won't last for long.) What's a bathtime mama to do? I did a google search for "low voc bathtub refinishing" but came up with nothing substantial. Any ideas out there??

Mama Lush = Mush?

I am here to tell you what we already know -- yup, motherhood is mutha-freakin' hard.  It is an endless juggle for sure.  Sometimes I don't know where it will end.  I know we are all different with different circumstances.  Some of us work long days away from the family.  Some of us work at home and try to juggle baby-duty with work-duty.  Some of us study long and hard all day to finish degrees.  Some of us are home all day caring for our babes, growing them into healthy, happy individuals.

Whatever our situation, it sure is hard.

As evidenced by the wild success of the Mommies Who Drink mother chat (back in August 2006) and our penchant for w[h]ine nights as our preferred urbanMama gathering (having had almost a dozen or so urbanMamas wine nights over the past two years!), there are mamas who love to have a drink.  I am one of them.  Lately, I have just been so spent, that all I can think about is enjoying a glass of wine in silence at the end of my day.  The past few weeks have been met by grief (dealing with the death of a friend), work woes and stressors, love-and-marriage-not-going-together-like-a-horse-and-carriage, and four no-school days spent doing the work-at-home-while-still-spending-QT-with-the-kids.  Wine has been abundant and a daily calling.  The other day, even, when life just felt like it got too carried away, I mixed myself and another mama a hot toddy.  Yum yum.  It dulled my hypersensitive nerves (at all the noise of stomping and "mommy!!!"-calling) while some of my irritations (at stepping on endless hairclips or legos) were muted.

So, if I'm a mama lush, does that make me a "mush"?  Are you a "mush" too?  Or do you have another wonderful daily outlet that offers some relief from the craziness?  Please, lend some of your best suggestions on acheiving daily serenity now.

Let's hear it: Best Playgrounds in PDX?

We are playground junkies, roaming 'round the streets of Portland, hopping off the bike or bus to go an play at a playground we'd never noticed before.  What playgrounds - parks and schoolyards - do you love?  Where are they - N, NE, SE?  NW or SW? An urbanMama emailed recently and would love to get the conversation going.

Hi- I'm Kathleen and I live in SE Portland in the Woodstock neighborhood.  I recently read saw a story somewhere about an amazing new playground that was built at a school in Lake Oswego.  Anyone remember what school that was?  I have a 5 yr old son who is obsessed with swinging on bars/rings and I am trying to get some new ideas for fun, challenging playgrounds around Portland.  We have been to almost all the playgrounds in SE Portland Parks and some schools in SE, but we are looking for something new and interesting.  We need something new and difficult to work on in a new place .  Any ideas?

Wednesday's Weekend Warriors: November 16-18

Thanks to your suggestions, we're going to try to issue the Weekend Warriors a bit earlier in the week so we can plan ahead!  Welcome to the first edition of the Wednesday Weekend Warriors.  Keep in mind that this is just a snipet of some fun goings on around town.  Be sure to check the urbanMamas calendar for up-to-date info and more ideas.  There are more than 20 events on the calendar for Saturday alone!

El Carnaval del Caribe.   Matt Dishman & Peninsula Park Community Centers collaborate with PP&R's Latino Outreach Program to host a very special fall event! Live music with the Cuban band, Cana Son, crafts, games, face painting, raffle prizes &; family swim. A great way to spend quality time together! Food booths will be available for families to purchase dinner. Admission is free with two cans of food. Tickets for games &; crafts are 4 for $1.  Friday from 6:30PM to 8:30PM at Dishman Community Center, 77 NE Knott. 

Date Night at Mimosa Studios  Enjoy a night of painting with your favorite date: dad, mom, sister, friend, significant other! Food &; beverages welcome. Reserve your space by calling the studio.  Friday November 16, 6PM to 9PM.

Portland Grows A Cure Shop & Dine for Histiocytosis  Local businesses from St. Johns to Multnomah Village are banding together to launch Portland Grows a Cure, a city-wide shopping and dining event with proceeds benefiting Histiocytosis research. Histiocytosis is a rare, life-threatening blood disease affecting mostly children. Histiocytosis is an ““orphan disease,” meaning it has not been “adopted” for research by the government or pharmaceutical companies. This will be a true Portland event with vendors spanning women’’s boutiques, toy stores, baby stores, restaurants, and even a tattoo parlor. Pambiche, PedX, Junior’s Café, Bella Stella, Tickled Pink, Thinker Toys, Spielwerk Toys, Pin Me Apparel, Baby to Baby, Polliwog and Black Wagon are all confirmed vendors. A significant percentage of proceeds from the day’s sales will be donated to the HAA (Histiocytosis Association of America) whose aim is to establish better treatments, a cure and prevention of Histiocytosis.  Event runs all day Saturday, November 17

Hands On Portland Give Thanks Volunteer Weekend This Weekend is November 17th &; 18th! Hands On Greater Portland has organized a pre-Thaksgiving Give Thanks weekend. Here's a chance for volunteers to express their thankfulness by giving back. Paint a local school or plant a tree! What better way to kick-off the holiday season than with the greatest gift you can offer: volunteering your time. Sign up for our projects on Give Thanks weekend.

Fix-It Fair  The Fix-It Fairs are free events designed to save you money and connect you to resources. Join your neighbors and talk to the experts about how to spend less and stay healthy! Fix-It Fairs are packed with resources for helping you to create a healthy home, including: - How-to classes on various home and garden topics - Money-saving, cost effective tips - Free giveaways Ongoing Exhibits &; Hourly Workshops * weatherization tips * water and energy savings * community resources * recycling and yard care * lead testing * simple, affordable ways to improve your home! Free Professional Childcare Provided Great Giveaways and Hourly Door Prizes! Saturday 8:30AM to 2:00PM, Self Enhancement Inc, 3920 N Kerby Ave.

Thanksgiving Festival: Portland Farmer's Market  This pre-holiday market has become the premier shopping destination for all the ingredients for a homemade holiday feast. In addition to shopping for all the Thanksgiving meal necessities– from turkeys to cranberries to the sweetest pumpkin for pie–customers enjoy an entire day of chef demonstrations offering holiday cooking tips and seasonal recipes. The Feastival makes a festive beginning to the holiday season. Saturday 9:30AM to 2PM in the South Park Blocks Between SW Harrison &; Montgomery. 

Milagros Holiday Craft Bazaar  Shop for a Cure at Milagros on November 17th, 11AM to 3PM! A portion of all sales during at this fund-raising event will help find a cure for a rare and deadly disease: Langerhans Cell Histiocitosis (LCH). LCH afflicts only five in one million people, seventy five percent of whom are children. Milagros will be donating 20 percent of all sales on November 17th to LCH research and the craft vendors are all donating at least 10 percent of their sales to the cause. In addition if you sign up for Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program at this event, $5 will be donated to LCH research. More than a dozen local vendors will be selling a wide variety of great gifts for the little miracle and mamas in your life! Clothes, carries, jewelry, toys and more! All locally made and unique.

Portland Fruit Tree Project's Year-End Celebration  Saturday, Nov 17th, 6-9pm at 1209 NE Knott St. Join the PFTP, our wonderful volunteers, friends, participants and supporters in celebrating a fabulous year! Live music by Pachi Pamwe &; Alia Farah Delicious food and drinks &; a small silent auction! What to bring: Yourself, your friends and family. A little cash to cover food and drinks. Any photos, preserves, recipes, or stories you';d like to share from your participation in the PFTP! Your checkbook, if you';d like to participate in the silent auction or make a donation. We hope to see you there! "empowering neighbors to share in the bounty and care of urban fruit trees."

Philippine Paper Lanterns  Learn to make Philippine parols, paper lanterns traditionally made during the holiday season.  Saturday 11AM to 1PM at the North Portland Library.

Tapestry of Tales: Family Matinees   This year marks the eighth annual Tapestry of Tales Storytelling Festival, presented by The Library Foundation and Multnomah County Library. When storytellers share their tales, they do more than entertain. Just as a painter creates a scene with a paint brush, a storyteller uses words to stimulate the imagination and create worlds that come alive in the listener's mind. Like a finely written poem or piece of literature, the oral tradition of storytelling forges an emotional connection between the storyteller and the audience.  Check out FREE family Matinees this weekend at various libraries and check the website for times and location.

Kid'N Around Song Circles Join local children's musicians on Sunday from 1PM to 2:30PM at Artichoke Music (3130 SE Hawthorn Blvd., Portland, OR 97214).  Sliding Scale, $5 - $12 per family at the door // Bring: Your voices, a song to share, instruments optional. The evenit is hosted by the Children's Music Network, -- a nonprofit association that now has members across the United States and Canada. "Who We Are We are diverse in age, ethnicity, and geographic reach. Our membership includes full-time and part-time performers, professional and amateur songwriters, classroom teachers, music educators, record producers, distributors, broadcasters, parents, grandparents, and children."

After Kids: Returning to Work

The tough decision deciding to stay-at-home is a dilemma  most of us face.  And those that chose to do so are oftentimes very happy with their decision.  But what about when it comes time to return to the workplace?  What's a mama's who's taken an extended leave of absence to do?  Monica asks:

The question I'd like to put out to the uM community is this...  After having had a 10 year career in apparel merchandising and production, we decided upon my becoming pregnant that this uMama would stay at home with our kids for the first several years.  I thought I'd go back to work when I was ready, no biggie.  While I liked my line of worked, I can't say I loved it.  I was and am open to doing something entirely different.  I have two degrees, in Marketing and one in Journalism.  I want to go back in the next year or so.  I want to enjoy, to have passion for my work, life's too short.  We have relocated from Portland to CA and aren't located near any apparel companies.  My options are pretty wide open which is great, but also daunting.

How have you found that career (at 38 years old in my case...) that you love and fits the needs of a young family?

Is there a great book to read on this?  Is there a strategy/methodology to organize and plan this?   Career counselor?  Life counselor (not sure what/who that is)?    Any websites that support Mom's re-entering the work place? 

Seeking General Practitioner

Here's a request for your recommendations for a general practitioner.  We just know you'll be generous with your thoughts!  Betsy emails:

I think urbanMamas has gotten me every doctor / hairdresser / school that I like and use, but I don't think we have covered the basic general practitioner category yet.  I need your basic doc that listens, focuses, and has good ideas.  My current one falls short on 3 out of 3 of those.  I live in NW/SW Portland.  Anybody have anyone they are willing to share?   Thanks for this great community.  You have made living here with children easier and certainly more fun.

Seeking Baby-Friendly Restaurants

Mamas, where have you gone with the little itty-bitty baby to enjoy dinner out?  Liz emails:

I have an 11 week old and the husband and I are trying to take advantage of this time when she is still portable to eat out – what are some baby friendly restaurants around town? We have been to Screen Door a few times and since it is very noisy in there, no one ever seems to notice if she cries – BUT no changing table in the bathrooms so I improvised and changed her on the benches outside. Any other favorites for urbanMamas that get sick of being cooped up in the house?

Do you vitamin? Which ones?

My daughter, running a fever for the second day today, started screaming at one point this morning: "Mammmmaa!  Mammmaaa!"  There was an urgency in her voice, and I knew it was bound to be bad.  I swooped her up and ran with her in my arms.  She was crying.  Before we made it to the bathroom, she vomited all over me.  Not a drop hit the floor.  It was all on me.

I ask myself, "Could I have prevented this?"  Another mama and I were talking about this recently: Do you give your infants vitamins?  Do you give you toddlers vitamins?  I remember being prescribed some TriViSol vitamin stuff for the girls when they were babies.  (I now recall that the pediatrician recommended TriViSol as a Vitamin D supplement because breastmilk doesn't contain Vitamin D.)  I never did give them the stuff.  I figured that nursing (strictly for the first 6 months then supplementally until 24 months) would provide the best source of immunity.  I also figured that most essential vitamins (here's a reference on vitamin guidelines *pdf) are best obtained from naturally occuring foods (5-a-day!).  So, I habitually offer well-balanced food choices.  Of course, pickiness can make a diet very carb-heavy and low on fresh fruits and vegetables.  (Please tell me I don't have the only child who lives on carbs alone alone and who thinks a Fruit Leather is a vegetable.)

We're also not big juice consumers.  Once, our pediatrician asked us, "Do you offer lots of juice?"  And, we said, "Sometimes."  She said some sort of strange "Oh" and was beginning to launch into this long schpeil on sugary juices when we assured her that we try to be good about 100% juices.  She said, "you'd be surprised how many juices aren't 100% juice."

So, during cold season, I offer vitamins more frequently.  I choose the gummi vitamins from Trader Joe's.  We've also tried gummis with just Vitamin C or Echinecea to boost immunity and antioxidants, and there are also some Winnie-the-Pooh multivitamins that they like.  They think it's more of a treat than anything.  How else can I ramp up immunity for the girls?  Make them rest well, well-balanced diets, nurse them through toddlerhood....  What else?

It's only inevitable that they'll get sick at least once during the winter.  One pediatrician friend once told me to even expect wee ones to be sick every month.  But, gosh, once they're sick, how can I make it better?

Mary recently emailed and is wondering if anyone has suggestions for natural vitamins for infants:

At our 4mo appointment, our pediatrician (from Metropolitan Pediatrics) advised us to begin a vitamin called Tri Vi Sol.  After the visit, we went home and I did some research and discovered it is made by a formula company.  I am exclusively breast-feeding my son, and I do everything I can NOT to support or put money into the pockets of formula companies.  Needless to say, I didn't buy the vitamin.  I should also mention that I believe that breast milk has everything in it that my child needs, so I'm a bit perplexed about giving him a vitamin at such a young  age. Anyone else have this experience? Do any mamas here have any recommendations for a  natural/organic infant vitamin that is NOT manufactured by a formula company? Thanks for your feedback!

urbanMama book club: The Other Mother

From time to time, I harbor fantasies of having a regular Sunday literary review on urbanMamas, in which we get together virtually and talk about an important book. Sure, I've read a lot of the books I want to include in that review, but I haven't yet found time to give this project its due.

However, I finally got a chance to give Gwendolyn Gross' The Other Mother a nice, thorough review. I recommend this book, with the caveat that (as Mara at Oleoptene pointed out) the main characters, two mothers locked in the "Mommy Wars," aren't that likeable; that it's located in New Jersey, where everyone has more money than they need; and that there is a lot of judgment going on. Still, it's very well-written with lots of moments that would be great for a book group to discuss -- and I'd love to hear others' thoughts about it here.

Infant Swimming Lessons

Beyond the toddler swimming lessons, can other mamas and papas share experiences with toddler swimming lessons?

I am looking for input on peoples experience with infant swim programs in the Portland area. My little guy is 6 mos old and I would like to get him involved in a swim program but feel a bit overwealmed by the different options out there. Any anecdotes or recommendations?

IKEA is PBDE-Free

We love IKEA for their famously delicious Swedish meatballs, Smaland, eco-friendliness and the fact that they have 90 bike racks at their Portland location.  Now, we can also love them because all their products are PBDE (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers)-free. PBDE is not only found in furniture, but electronics, cell phones and carpet padding. Who knew that taking off your shoes could help prevent the dust from collecting in your house (glad that EWG can break it down for this busy mama)?  I thought it was a way to help keep the floors cleaner, and to not spread other yucky stuff (like dog poop) that you invariably step on in your day to day excursions.  Lastly, since we've been on a wallet guide kick of as of late, download your PDBE-free wallet guide at The Green Guide.   It'll  make a great stocking stuffer this holiday season! (Photo courtesy of Cafemama)

Weekend Warriors: November 9-12

Don