MAP March 2013 Part Two - 5 In A House Built For 4: Adding In All That Baby Gear

5 In A House Built For 4: Adding In All That Baby Gear

March 8, 2013 By   Malissa   |   Uncategorized  |   Comments: 1

If you’ve already read, 5 in a House Built for 4: Maximizing Your Room’s Space with Baby, you know that my husband and I have decided to share our room with our new baby. Already a co-sleeping family, he would have been sleeping with us anyway. However, with our lack of available bedrooms for a baby room, his furniture will also be sharing a room with us, rather than being in a separate nursery. To see how we prepared our room for all the baby stuff, read 5 in a House Built for 4: Maximizing Your Room’s Space with Baby.

Adding In All That Baby Gear

We brought in all of the stuff that baby boy would need at first- the bassinet with changing table, the glider, and the bin ofdiapers. We assembled the bassinet and placed it on the wall next to my desk. We placed the glider in the corner by the window on other side of the bassinet. We then evaluated space to see what else would fit.

Read on, HERE!

MAH March 2013 - Nettle- A Natural Antihistamine

Image by James Bowe

It's March already and with the changing calendar comes the changing weather. This year the temperatures have been all over the map in our area. We can go from a 70 degree sunny day to a forecast of 6 inches of snow in less than 4 days. With such fluctuations in temperatures and weather patterns, the plants and animals are clueless as to what is going on. Buds are forming in our yard. And allergies are starting to pop up all around.

I've Heard About Nettle

One of the herbs I've heard about in the past regarding allergies is Nettle. I've always been curious but just haven't taken the time to educate myself. With the impending arrival of another person in our home, I've been trying to broaden my knowledge of holistic and natural healing. I knew that there was nettle in my pregnancy tea blend, but I had no idea why.  So, I decided to dig further.

Read the rest of the article HERE!

MAP March 2013 - Part One - Maximizing Your Room's Space with Baby

By Malissa, Contributing Writer

Our family is truly blessed. We have two great girls and a little Boy on the way. We have a house that has 4 bedrooms in a good neighborhood in our city. My parents are willing to visit often to help with the girls as I grow larger and slow down. Andrew's job has changed since our move in 2010 and he works from home 100% of the time now. Our children are surrounded daily by the adults that love them.

However, a 4-bedroom house with a Daddy that needs an office and a NanaPop that need a guest room presents a problem for Baby Boy. Where will he go once he arrives? The girls share a room and are waiting on the arrival on a set of bunk beds to replace the twin they share most of the time. The addition of a twin over full bed severely limits our space for furniture in their room. After much discussing, we decided to put Baby Boy the only logical place  - our room.

Read the rest of the article HERE!

MAM March 6, 2013 - Simple Ways to Play at Home

By Malissa McClintock, Contributing Writer

I can hardly believe that when I look at the calendar the word March stares back at me. March means spring is coming, and with it even crazier weather than the winter brought. With two very active little girls and the impending birth of a little boy, I am compiling a list of ways to entertain my girls in the house. I am trying to create simple ideas that we can enjoy without buying anything extra or expensive. I'm also trying to prevent creating any extra work for myself -- I'll have plenty with the kids.  So here's a small list of what we are planning on doing as I grow bigger, the spring rains fall, and a little boy is born.

Read the rest of the article HERE!

MAM March 1, 2013 - Women's History Month: Homeschool Edition

Women’s History Month: Homeschool Edition

Reading together during school time.

By Malissa McClintock, Contributing Writer

I’m a Women’s Studies junkie. It was one of my three minors as an undergraduate and the emphasis of my Master’s. I love learning about women from the past and the fabulous women around the world who strive daily to make the lives of their mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, and future generations better. I love to see women who are from completely different backgrounds pull together to support one another in the face of adversity and struggle together to overcome obstacles.  I love women who are strong in their careers. I love women who fight for political rights. I love women who stay home to raise their children. Women are amazing.

To continue reading, visit MAM HERE!!

Catching Up- Modern Alternative Health February 2013

Heart Healthy Kids

February 20, 2013 By   Malissa   |   /  |   Comments: 0

Miss Roo and Drew on a family hike.

February celebrates two major heart events -Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month. Signs are present on our outings encouraging us to wear red and make heart healthy decisions. As a parent, there are so many recommendations thrown at you regarding children’s health and nutrition that it becomes overwhelming. As I’ve educated myself about my girls and my health this pregnancy, I’ve looked at the Hearth Healthy recommendations (low calorie, low fat, etc.) with extremem caution. As a Real Food family, we have come to make our own decisions regarding children’s heart health. Here are the guidelines we follow.

Please, read the whole article by clicking HERE.

Catching Up- Modern Alternative Pregnancy Post February 2013

Focus On The “Two Of Us”: Maintaining Intimacy During Pregnancy

February 8, 2013 By   Malissa   |   Uncategorized  |   Comments: 0

Image by NaturegirlJolieツ

By Malissa, Contributing Writer

Intimacy in any relationship can be tricky. Let’s be honest- life happens. Jobs cause stress, schedules are full, families can be demanding, and we all have times when we just struggle with one thing or another. Add a pregnancy into the equation and it can make the idea of intimacy overwhelming with all the changes going on in your body, your mind, and your life.  I can honestly say on pregnancy 3 for us, it isn’t any easier and it’s not a topic that you can always talk to your friends and family about.

I wanted to share a few ideas that Drew and I use to makes sure that the “two of us” in this house stays as strong and happy as the ever growing “US” of our family.

I'm a Contributing Writer!!

I'm very excited to announce that I have joined a fantastic group of women and am now serving as a contributing writer at Modern Alternative Mama!  If you haven't checked out her page, you should! Here's a little teaser of what I wrote. Head on over and check her out!!  (If you wanted to know about my beeswax wood polish, you'll find out there ;) )



 Rainbows and Reuse: DIY Birthday Ideas


In less than a month, my youngest daughter turns one. While my mind is spinning with the thought of my baby leaving babyhood, I am slowing charging into full party planning mode. As with every party or holiday, there will be gifts for the birthday girl. Frankly, I'm terrified of more plastic junk entering our house. We are trying to move towards having less (which in itself is a chore with two under 3), natural and green living, and using up before getting new.
This concept paired with Miss Roo's love of color has driven the direction of the birthday theme -- Rainbows! How simple and natural is a rainbow?  She will play with anything wooden or airy for hours at a time which has been an immense help in trying to plan a party for a wee girl that won't cost a ton and will help us be earth friendly.  We are planning to celebrate Miss Roo's party at a local park. It is our hope that our location will encourage outdoor play in all our guests, provide a connection to nature that a lot of us simply are not enjoying, and will support our locality rather than some big business and all their waste.  While I will be purchasing invitations due to my severely lacking Graphic Design skills, there are plenty of things that we can make at home to make the day color and bright.  So here are some DIY idea for decorations, gifts, and the favors to create a great party while reducing, reusing, and buying less!