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Penelope's Birth Story

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:34:33 GMT

P's Birth Story - March 2020

***Trigger warning - hemorrhage/traumatic after birth

I said from the beginning I wanted to be transparent about homebirth, and I think it's even more important now to share with homebirth gaining in popularity due to COVID-19, but also because things did not go as perfectly as they did for us last time.

-I woke up from a contraction at 3:24am, and puttered around cleaning up for about an hour making sure it was "real" labor, because I'd been having prodromal labor for about a week. I texted my midwife to let her know labor was starting and also downloaded an app to track my contractions - they were 4 minutes apart and about 45 seconds each and definitely gaining in intensity.

-Justin woke up and came downstairs a little after 5am carrying his work clothes, at which point I laughed and told him he wasn't going to work that day. He blew up and filled the pool around 6am, and Brynn woke up around 6:30. He and she watched Bolt while I coped through contractions, each time Brynn asking me, "You kay Mommy?"

-I told my midwife to head over and she got here a little after 8am, walking in to me in the pool already, actually exactly like I was for Brynn's birth. We joked and talked between contractions and she told the other midwife and our photographer to make their way over, both of them arriving around 9am.

-I real ly wasn't set on having a water birth, and in fact, I loved the feeling of both of my feet on the ground when I had Brynn, but the water helped sooooo much with my back labor that I couldn't bring myself to get out. It was incredible being able to focus and be completely in control and be aware of everything that was happening with my body and my baby - being able to tell exactly where she was and how close her head was by her movements and also by the crease under my belly. My midwife encouraged me to feel inside to see if I could feel her head, and I held her head in my palm the entire time she crowned.

-Penny was born into my hands at 10:42am, although she did need some help with her shoulders (I'm 2/2 for sideways babies��), and it seemed like a lifetime before I actually pulled her from the water! I remember asking if she was okay hanging out in the water before the contraction pushing her body out, and seeing her face as it broke the surface, all squishy and wrinkly and covered in vernix and her letting out a scream almost instantaneously. That was a huge relief for me because Brynn took a while to breathe and I realized at that moment that I was worried Penny would need help too.

-She was absolutely perfect, scoring a 9/10 immediately, and she looked SO different than anything we expected! Big sis reached her arms out and asked to hold her the second Penny broke the water, making us all laugh with relief and joy and love.

-My pla centa needed some help coming out too as it was massive, but also crooked coming out, and the contraction to get it out was extremely weak. I climbed out of the tub holding onto my new baby and walked over and laid on the couch (my "landing pad" lol!) and my midwife did all the regular checks, also drawing blood from the cord to check Penny's blood type.

-About 25 minutes after her birth, I started losing clots and blood, and the midwives gave me Cotton Root - again exactly like Brynn's birth, so we all expected that to be enough. 4 minutes later I was still losing more than average, and they gave me a shot of Pitocin to get my uterus contracting. 3 minutes later I was not bleeding and my midwife massaged my uterus, which felt totally perfect at that point, but a lot more blood gushed out, so they gave me all the Misoprostol we had. A few minutes after that, I consented to my midwife checking inside me to see if there was any placenta being retained even though she'd already checked my placenta and it was full although slightly torn. She manually removed a sizeable clot and more blood followed, prompting another shot of Pitocin. 3 minutes later and more of the same, so they gave me a shot of Methergine. My midwife asked to check internally again, which I consented to, and she checked for uterine prolapse and also noted more clots. Everything seemed to be working by then, although I became extremely cold and started having horrible back contractions from the medicine, to the point that I asked if we were sure there wasn't another baby about to be born!

-An hour and a half passed, and in that time they estimated that I'd lost ~1600mL of blood, and we discussed my needing to take it extra easy and focus on nutrition and continuation of my iron supplement to have an optimal recovery. They suggested I try getting up and to the bathroom, of course extremely slowly since I'd lost so much blood.

-I don't remember all of what happened next, but I do remember trying to sit up and my vision going blurry and not being able to hear anything all of a sudden, and coming to to the smell of peppermint. We waited to try again, this time only getting up on my arm, and needing to lay down again even from there. One of my midwives suggested leaning against her at increments, which we tried, and I vomited into a nearby mixing bowl, which caused a huge rush of blood as well. They laid me back down and I vaguely remember discussing the need to go to the hospital at the very least for fluids, and who I wanted to go with me, and the need to be able to get to the car or else having to call an ambulance, and my pulse being higher every time it was checked.

-Justin cu t Penny's cord at 3 hours post birth, and the ambulance arrived at 2:15pm. I watched as the EMTs stomped in in their boots, noting the sunlight coming in the front door, but also feeling a moment of panic over their boots on my carpet during COVID and having the obviously irrational thought of needing to vacuum.

-Anthony, Lance, and Jacob transferred me, giving me a bag of saline during the ride to the hospital and keeping me talking at increments, being extremely friendly and positive. Justin drove behind, although he told me that at some point he passed them up and flew to make sure he'd get there before them, because he was told it would be nearly impossible to get to me if we went in without him with all the extra precautions the hospital was taking.

-I ended up needing two bags of saline, plus a ton of manual clot removal (the WORST part of the transfer), and after passing out again trying to sit up, the doctor gave me the choice for a blood transfusion as well, which I agreed to in order to get back to our children as quickly as possible.

- Overall I feel fine emotionally about the transfer, although I suspect the guilt over leaving my hours old infant her first day of life will always be there to a certain extent, however, birth nerd that I am, it was incredible to me to see first-hand how seamless the transfer was. Everyone did their absolute best work for their individual parts of our story, and the whole experience also confirmed what I've always known - that home birth is a safe alternative for low-risk mothers for several reasons, but two being that cases like mine very rarely happen (I was the first maternal ambulance transfer for my midwife in well over a decade) and even with the transfer, they obviously knew when to make the call for extra help, and that help came quickly and efficiently.

- The memory of being in the hospital will also always be sacred to me for the time between myself and my husband. We spent the first couple hours coming up with a name for our daughter now that we had seen her. We both individually came up with the same name, but I didn't actually want to name her it, so we looked up similar ones and when we heard the name Penelope and added it to Justin's family name Gray, it was perfect. It wasn't until later that our midwife and our photographer pointed out that she was born to the Beatles playing on our Alexa - a very happy coincidence, as I adore the Beatles! We talked everything over, we joked, we shared snacks that our amazing nurse snuck in for us, we watched Harry Potter on the hospital tv. There was an overwhelming feeling of relief that our children were perfectly safe where they were, I was okay, we were together, and everything was over and we had getting home to our new baby bubble to look forward to.

- Penny is perfect, Brynn is a perfect big sister, and of course we could not be any happier with the completion of our little family.

Things to Do in Ohio in the Spring

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 20:30:49 GMT

Celebrating Spring in Ohio!

This post is sponsored by Ohio. Find It Here. Be sure to check out their breakdown of all things spring in Ohio as well!

Spring in Ohio is something extra special; maybe because we get teased with nice weather anywhere from two to five times before it's actually here to stay, or maybe because everyone is coming together again really for the first time since the holidays! No matter the reason, spring in Ohio is reason to celebrate, and here are some of our favourite ways to dust off those winter blues.

Reds Opening Day Parade and Game

Get yourself down to Findlay Market for the biggest parade of the year, before the first game of the season starts!

Creamy Whip Openings

Sprinkles Creamy Whip in Cleves

Loveland Dairy Whip in Loveland

Johnny's Creamy Whip in Cincinnati

Whipty-Do in Maineville

Legen-Dairy in Bethel

Flub's in Ross

Pat's Creamery in Akron

Nature Trails and State Parks

Get out, enjoy the fresh spring air, listen to the birds, forage (sustainably) if that interests you! Ohio is chock full of incredible places to hike, like East Fork State Park, Cincinnati Nature Preserve, Hocking Hills, Mohican State Park, and Mt. Gilead State Park to name only a few.

Easter egg hunts and rolls

Around Cincinnati you can find an Easter egg hunt around every corner, with some taking place at various churches, YMCA's, and larger community ones at places like the Fire Museum and Washington Park.

Craft and market season starts!

Vintage Market Days in Dayton

Rustic Grains Mustard Seed Market

Spring at the Round Barn

Jarman's Spring Market

Celebrate Earth Day

Columbus goes hard for Earth Day, with the largest volunteer driven service event in the entire country! There's a huge family friendly celebration with food, music, and vendors of all kinds, in addition to neighborhood litter sweeps, community garden up keeping, river cleanups, tree planting, and invasive species removals.

Tunes and Blooms at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

If you didn't know, the Cincinnati Zoo has been ranked the greenest zoo in the country as well as the number one zoo AND botanical garden! Every Thursday night in April, this event features different live bands set among the most beautiful blooms, including over 100,000 tulips. Bring some chairs, blankets, snacks, or even a full on picnic, or purchase dinner and beer there!

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

"The estate features a historic 65-room Tudor Revival Manor House, Gothic Revival Conservatory, Gate Lodge and approximately 70 acres of artistically landscaped grounds and formal gardens." Daily tours resume April 1st , and there are also programs for children, adults, homeschool groups, and any other groups that are interested.

The Columbus Oddities and Curiosities Expo

Right up my personal alley, as someone who loves all things weird and unique!

Celebrate the Feast of the Flowering Moon in Chillicothe

Held annually during Memorial Day weekend in historic downtown Chillicothe, this festival aims to educate, honor, and preserve Native American Culture. "Featured activities include Native American music and dancing, crafters, exhibitors, Mountain Man Encampment with working craftsmen and demonstrations, entertainment and much more." Find all the non-profit's information here .

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden in Columbus

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is located within a 88-acre City of Columbus Park that borders several historic neighborhoods. It was the site of the first Franklin County Fair and Ohio State Fair. A variety of special events and activities are available throughout the year, as well as a full menu of classes, workshops and camps focusing on gardening, cooking, fine art and wellness. The property spans about 13-acres and is comprised of the Conservatory building, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden and the Grand Mallway, botanical biomes, lush gardens, special horticulture and art exhibitions, and seasonal offerings. A collection of glass works by artist Dale Chihuly is also on display and included with admission.

See the Cherry Blossoms at Ohio University

Given as a gift in 1979 by Chubu University in Kasugai Japan, the iconic cherry trees along the Hocking River draw crowds every year, and are even lit at night!

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month

-Officially declared in Cincinnati in 2022, the month of May is AAPI Heritage Month. Asian Food Fest kicks off a month of celebrating and this year takes place April 29-30 . AAPI Heritage Cincy is a great resource to follow for all events in Cincinnati. There's also the Cleveland Asian Festival with free performances, activities, music, games, competitions, and more! As a bonus, here's a list by Ohio Health that includes books to read, podcasts to listen to, and resources for events and virtual classes.

Christmas Books

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 20:00:00 GMT

I'm a snob when it comes to children's literature. There, I said it. I swear it isn't my fault though - it's just because I've been reading them for over half my life between working in daycares, as a nanny, and then as a Mom. That's A LOT of toddler reading and I've noticed that some stories are wholly unenjoyable because they have no rhythm, or the story isn't exactly how I would teach something, etc. I have a strong preference for books with a good cadence, I'm picky about the artwork, and especially when it comes to holiday or themes, I like books that lend well to related crafts or discussions. Now that I've made the compulsory introductory paragraph, here are my picks for Christmas/Advent! I recommend picking them up at your local library as the most sustainable option! If you prefer to purchase, I've included Amazon affiliate links.

Spending the Holidays in Cincinnati

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 13:45:47 GMT

Spending the Holiday Season in Cincinnati

This blog post is brought to you in collaboration with Ohio. Find It Here. , Ohio's state travel agency.

Halloween is over so you know what that means - it’s officially the holiday season!!! Having grown up in Germany there really hasn't been anything that compared to the Christmas season there for me - until moving to Cincinnati. It makes sense, there being such a huge German population and culture in Ohio, and in my opinion it truly is the best time of the year here. It goes well past the gifts and the food; it’s the entire atmosphere of giving and good cheer, and this community who already pulls together in extraordinary ways, coming together even more. I don't know how that's even possible, but it truly is so heartwarming to see and experience.

Here’s a short list of our favorite activities, festivals, small shops, and a few extras to help you ring in the season! The holidays are always a special time, but having my own children now and seeing everything through their eyes is truly indescribable. The way they visibly feel awe is pure magic. One of our all time favorite things to do together is the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo. It’s the first holiday event we attended when our oldest daughter was born, and it never gets old experiencing the magic together. From walking through the light tunnels, to the best food truck hot chocolate, to visiting Santa and the reindeer, to getting yet another light wand from the gift shop, by the time we get back to our car we’re all ready to fall into bed happy and exhausted.

-Tree Lighting Ceremonies

There are a few tree lighting ceremonies you can participate in, with two of the biggest being at the Cincinnati Zoo and Fountain Square. Be sure to visit the ice skating rink while you’re at Fountain Square!

-PNC's Festival of Lights

If you didn’t already know, the Cincinnati Zoo’s annual winter wonderland is one of the biggest and best in the entire country, and this year there’s a brand new Princess Fiona statue standing guard at the entrance to the zoo, as well as five Fiona fairies in Fairyland, and a blacklight puppet show! They are also a stop on the Ohio Holiday Lights trail which features 55 stops throughout the state!

-Holiday shop at a local toy store

Pick out gifts for one another at our favourite toy stores - Flying Pig Toys, Gumdrop Tots, Gigi and Poppi, King Arthur's Court Toys or check out this list with hundreds of toy companies made in Ohio, by Ohio. Find It Here!

-Coney Island’s Nights of Lights

-Santa Con.

Need I say more? It’s a really fun time and supports a great cause.

-Yuletide Village

Brought to you by the same people who bring you Ohio Ren Fest! Wear your favorite costumes, explore a village of wonder, complete your holiday shopping from all local vendors and artisans, get your gifts wrapped at the gift wrap station, enjoy live entertainment, get delicious food and drinks, and get selfies with Santa and Krampus!!

-The Nutcracker Ballet by the Cincinnati Ballet

-North Pole Express

-Scuba Santa

-Drive through your neighborhood

Hop in the car and drive through some of your local neighborhoods to see all the decorations and lights! One of our personal favorites is 31 Grouse Drive, where the family syncs their lights to the local radio and takes donations for Toys for Tots

-All the markets!!!!

Listen, I don't even know how the market world is in other cities, but I can confidently say that Cincinnati has the most talented vendors anywhere. And for those of us for whom sustainability is a priority, there is absolutely zero shortage of options to choose from. Some of our favorite markets include Chriskindlmarkt at Germania, The Cincy Holiday Expo, Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market, Holiday OFF Market, Findlay Market (Be sure to take the kids to find the Shillito’s Elves! They will be there during market hours, and will be animated on the weekends!) Holiday Market, Mustard Seed Market, Mojave Market, Art on Vine, and City Flea.

And a few extras that are sure to become holiday favourites for you and yours,

-Find free coats and holiday meals at Good Plates Eatery

-Pick up holiday dinners from Chez Renee French Bistro, The Wheel Oakley, Eli’s BBQ, Leyla Mediterranean, Oakley Kitchen, and many more!

-Take a trip around the state to celebrate with even more communities ! Fan favorites include The Christmas Story House in Cleveland, The Dickens Victorian Village in Cambridge, Historic Clifton Mill

-Find your new best fur friend at Purrfe ct Day Cat Cafe (responsibly of course, adopting an animal is a lifetime commitment). A collaborative effort between local shelters and the proprietor - this is a cafe and cat play space in one, meant to keep adoptable cats and kittens socialized, as well as acting as a direct adoption point. I took my own daughter several times over the course of a year, and eventually took home our very own Olaf right at Christmas time! He is absolutely the sweetest, most personable cat I have ever met in my life, and we can’t imagine our home without him!

Things to Do in Ohio in the Fall

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 02:02:51 GMT

Spending Fall in Ohio

This blog post is sponsored by Ohio. Find It Here.

Fall in Ohio is something special. It's exactly how storybooks describe the season and what your mind conjures up when you think of autumn - the cool dry air, the smell of the earth, red and gold leaves drifting off the trees, the magical feeling of calm that overcomes seemingly everyone. Even our morning walks turn into something extra peaceful.

Here are a few fun ideas to make the most of the season around Ohio before we coop up for the winter!

Take the family to the farm

There are so many to choose from - no matter where you live I guarantee there’s a pumpkin patch in your area. Our personal favorites have the classic pumpkin patch and then some, like the cut flower garden at Gorman Heritage Farm, the sunflowers at Blooms and Berries, seeing all the animals at Shaw Farms, and the apple orchard at A&M Farm Orchard.

Go camping

It’s the perfect time to get out and spend time reconnecting with nature. The cool fall air has a way of grounding you after a summer chock full of activities. Most of us know Hocking Hills is a very popular destination, but the list of gorgeous campgrounds is extensive and there are a ton of great options.

Find a list here -> https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/division-parks-watercraft

Get into nature

Visit the trolls at Aullwood Audubon , watch the birds at Cincinnati Nature Preserve, go on safari at The Wilds, explore Appalachia , the options here are endless.

RENAISSANCE FAIR

Need I say more?? Ren Fest comes around every September-October in Waynesville and offers all the family and grown up fun! A nostalgic childhood experience at it’s best, and bigger and better every single year.

Drive in to the movies

Nothing beats driving in to the movies and sitting in the open air under the stars with a cozy blanket and some snacks! One of our personal favorites is Starlite Drive In, but make sure to get there early!

Celebrate Oktoberfest

Ohio has a very large German population and the festivities are definitely worth checking out. The Cincinnati celebration is even the biggest in the entire country and includes a dachshund costume run and the world's largest chicken dance!

Hit up alllllll the markets

If you’re in the Cincinnati area, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a market of some kind. It’s a great way to support your local economy, your local businesses, and meet like-minded people since there is a lot of overlap! Some of our personal favorites are OFF Market, Second Sunday on Main, City Flea, and the Hyde Park, Madeira, and Anderson Farmer's Markets.

Take advantage of all the Halloween activities

Go on a tour of haunted locations around the state, visit Dent’s Schoolhouse, see your fears come to life at Land of Illusion, go back in time at the Sharonville Heritage Village, wear your costumes to Hallzooween and Boo at the Zoo at the Cincinnati and Columbus zoos.

Columbus Staycation

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 14:46:09 GMT

Spend A Day In Columbus

-Breakfast at North Star Cafe

-Walk around Easton

-OtherWorld

-Lunch at 101 Beer Kitchen

-Van Gogh immersive experience at LightHouse Immersive

-Dinner at Barrel and Boar

-Stay at Aloft Westerville

North Star offers healthy, organic, environmentally conscious meals as well as maintaining those values in the way they run their restaurants. Walk in and help yourself to single origin coffee from their coffee bar, order a freshly squeezed orange or carrot juice, and then try their house made biscuits made right up front where guests can watch! Dont forget to grab a cookie on your way out! Open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, with live jazz starting at 6pm.

After breakfast hit up the shops or walk around beautiful Easton Town Center, and be sure to make time for the kids to play at the splash pad and to watch the train display! Grab a crepe from Fay's Crepes, and ice cream from Jeni's, which is a stop on the Ohio ice cream trail!

Other World is serious fun for all ages, and there are even a couple of displays specifically made for kids to climb through that come out into the next room! Come explore the large scale interactive art space, with over 40 rooms of mixed reality art! It’s an all new kind of art experience where visitors are encouraged to freely explore and interact with a surreal world of science fiction and fantasy.

For lunch 101 Beer Kitchen is a chef owned restaurant that offers seasonal upscale rustic food and craft beer. Start off with freshly made pretzels, and get two orders because they’re SO GOOD. The open face vegan burger is a far cry from your run of the mill black bean burger, the Mac n cheese is just fancy enough while remaining familiar, and top it all off with the adult lavender blueberry lemonade or one of their many local craft beers. After lunch, walk over and grab some soft serve from Two Ladies (pictured is The Bernadette), then get a juice to go from USDA certified organic Clean Juice.

Get a nap in at Aloft Westerville, a trendy and modern pet friendly(!!!) hotel right in the middle of everything! If you need any recommendations on more things to do or places to eat, the staff here is absolutely incredible and ready and willing to help you plan your perfect stay. This is a Marriott hotel, so be sure to use those points! Afterwards, head over to Lighthouse Immersive ArtSpace to catch their newest exhibit - currently Van Gogh, and Monet. Be surrounded by these world famous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, blown up to huge scales so you can see every single brush stroke, and brought to life by 90 million pixels on 500 thousand cubic feet of projection! Also be sure to catch The Nutcracker this holiday season; we'll see you there!

For dinner, head to Barrel and Boar BBQ Gastropub - get the steamed mussels to start, then move on to the Rib dinner or Blackened Salmon. Top it off with the watermelon cosmopolitan martini or a glass of hand selected wine. Walk off dinner in Historic Uptown Westerville, stopping to grab a selfie at the many murals, and checking out the over 100 local merchants!

Hosting an Eco-Friendly Party

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 22:50:40 GMT

Hosting an Eco-Friendly Birthday Party

Soooooo I didn't get my 100% eco-friendly party, but here are some tips anyways because something is better than nothing! Did you know that hosting a traditional kid's birthday party can send over 100 single use items to the landfill? That's on top of the plastic, cardboard, tie wraps, and other trash from packaging!

I started out by asking B what she wanted to do for her party, and she requested "a picnic outside with my friends!" Obviously we could have just done a literal picnic, and she would have been happy with it, but since we do that ourselves almost everyday I went a little over the top. I let her choose a theme from Pinterest, and she chose a fairy picnic! Once we got that, I took stock of all the things we already had - faux florals, streamers, leftover compostable plates and utensils from previous parties. Then I started looking on FB Marketplace for secondhand fairy house decorations so the kids could make their own fairy houses. I ended up getting the actual houses and a couple extra things from Michaels (they're listed as bird feeders).

1) Use what you have!

This goes without saying, but using what you already have saves the environment, time, and money. I drew some fairy wings on our chalk wall, chalked our walkway, used our letter board, and switched out some of the things we had framed on the walls with relevant art that we had sitting around! We also used up our leftover compostable plates and utensils, and then used our regular dishes and silverware.

2) If you don't have it, find it secondhand

Finding things secondhand is just using what other people have! Lots of our serving ware is secondhand from family, and I love the mismatched look when everything is filled up and placed together.

3) If you can't find it, consider making it

I knew we had some leftover craft felt laying around, so I decided to make B a birthday crown and it was much easier than I thought it would be, not that it looks professional in any way shape or form. We also painted some of the craft paper roll that we've had for a year and used that as wrapping paper for her gifts, but an even better option would be to use fabric! You can also use old or ruined clothes as wrapping or to make fabric bunting as decor.

4) Say so long to balloons

We all know where balloons end up, but even if you're responsible about throwing them away they can still end up in the oceans and waterways regardless. They're also detrimental from a production standpoint, and an irresponsible use of helium during an irreversible helium shortage.

5) Skip the gifts

Birthday gifts, goodie bag trinkets, all of it. I am not ashamed to admit that the act of gifting is my love language so I don't see myself ever completely giving up gifts, but we chose to gift one big item that she'd been asking for that will last for years, and two activities, and also took her out for an individual date day. We then explained to our guests that we did not need any further gifts and asked them instead to consider contributing to her college fund if they felt the need to give something. We've also in the past asked for secondhand gifts!

6) Stick to locally grown and/or in season produce and other foods

B's birthday is during the summer so basically every fruit is in season and can be found at every farmer's market, which is her favorite anyways. I also made her and the kids peanut butter sandwiches and cut them into butterfly shapes, and then sandwich rolls for everyone else with homemade hummus and dill from our garden. We also made her a delicious, chamomile birthday cake together following a recipe from The Simple Living Collective with elderflower syrup that we'd made earlier in the week!

Family Friendly Summer Activities In and Around Cincinnati

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 21:06:36 GMT

Family Friendly Summer Activities

Hi friends! For those of you who don't know us, we are a family of four living in Cincinnati Ohio. We have recently started partnering with Ohio. Find It Here. to share all that Ohio has to offer - which is A LOT!

There is no shortage of fun summer activities to engage the whole family to choose from here; the real challenge is figuring out how to fit everything into one summer!

*U-Pick events at Blooms and Berries Market and Garden

I'm positive everyone around Cincinnati knows about their Strawberry Days, but did you know they also do Blueberry, Blackberry, Potatoes, and Elderberry U-Picks?? And all of that is in addition to their really fun events that they host like their Ladies' Night, Container Design Workshop, Blueberry Sunset Picnic, etc!

*Visit a splash pad

The splash pads were one of the very first things I checked out when I became a parent, and there are SO many to choose from like Juilfs in Anderson, Parky's at Woodland Mound, Washington Park, or go all out and head to Coney or King's Island!

*Attend a nature class at the Cincinnati Nature Preserve

From toddler story times, to bird watching, to classes on native plants and their uses, these are truly one of the best hidden gems.

*Farmer's Markets galore!! (Anderson, Blue Ash, Madeira, Ft Thomas, Findlay, etc)

It seems like during the summer months there's a farmer's market around every corner; making shopping local and eating sustainably all the easier!

*Cincinnati Pride Parade

June is Pride Month and there are so many incredible events to attend, culminating in the Pride Parade in downtown Cincinnati.

*Go to a Reds game

A go-to summer tradition, there are fireworks following Friday home games and Family Sundays make it much easier and more affordable to attend because let's be real, the kids are there for the hotdogs and lemonade.

*Visit a beach

When you think Ohio, you probably don't think about beaches, but we actually have several gorgeous ones to choose from. We personally frequent Eastfork Beach where we love the quiet of the mornings and the shallow shoreline perfect for littles.

*Stop by an ice cream shop

Oh my gosh, how do I even begin to name all the ice cream and soft serve places. The Cone, Dairy Corner, Flub's, Old Milford Parlor, Legen-Dairy, Aglamesis, Graeters, this list is seemingly endless and there's even an ice cream trail!

*Fill up your passport on the donut trail !

Need I say more, though?

*Picnic at a park (Woodland Mound, Ault, French)

We love to grab a sandwich and snacks and head to our closest park for a picnic dinner all through the summer!

*Hang out at a brewery

Fifty West is awesome and spacious, Rheingeist is great for hanging out indoors, Fretboard is super fun, this is another list that goes on and on!

*Visit a lavender field, and then a sunflower field

Did you know Ohio has 16 lavender fields to choose from?? Sunshine Acres is one of our personal favorites. Around July and August be sure to check out the sunflower fields - Gorman Heritage Farm has a great one!

Feel free to add your favorite family friendly summer events in the comments, and check out Ohio. Find It Here. 's list as well!

https://ohio.org/100-Things-Summer

Best Toys for Toddlers

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:33:31 GMT

The Best Toys for Toddlers (ages 1-4)

We try to stay pretty minimal when it comes to our home, and of course our three year old thinks she needs EVERYTHING, but the tried and true toys that both she and her one year old sister play with all the time? Surprising.

1) Wooden blocks - you can really get creative here; I recently found a set where you can put little treasures inside and I already have it on my list for my oldest's birthday! Practice shapes, colors, sorting, patterns, spatial reasoning; blocks are a must.

2) Sensory Table - Pro tip: get the DEEP bins. They don't fit the aesthetic as well but they contain the mess much better. Fill your bins with differently shaped and colored pasta, beans, uncooked rice, water, literally anything.

3) Slumberkins - Designed by counselors, therapists, and educators Slumberkins are super soft plush friends that come with their own books and affirmations to help with social emotional development. Slumberkins also has free resources on their website as well as free videos on their Youtube!

4) Play couch. Yes you can get the extremely popular version and I will not blame you - they are a great company who takes care of their employees the way every company should, BUT we traded ours for the one from Brentwood Homes because they are also sustainably made in addition to being a responsible employer.

Easter Basket Ideas

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 21:41:13 GMT

Okay so, WHAT do you put in Easter baskets?? (That isn't c-a-n-d-y)

Okay, this was HARD trying to keep it down to a small number of items per age/basket because seriously, I found sooooooo many awesome ideas. Everything listed is from Flying Pig Toys, a local Cincinnati shop, and they have everything you could possibly want. All of this depends on how wild you want to get, so there's a good range of prices. All of the images will link you directly to the corresponding listing on Flying Pig Toys. We do not make any commission off of this; we just love the shop so much and want to support their business!

For infants:

Probably the trickiest to shop for in my opinion; I went with a teether for baby babies, pull and push toys for mobile little ones, and for all of them - one of the most clever books art-wise I have ever found!

For toddlers:
I love to shop for toddlers because there are so many options to capture their interest. I found these really cool wooden nesting eggs, themed natural play dough that air dries to make sculptures, stickers of course, play silks of all kinds, a wooden hatching dinosaurs puzzle, and art supplies galore.

For preschoolers:
My oldest is now officially a preschooler so this was so fun to make a category for, and of course all kiddos have different interests but mine loves the outdoors so I thought this cute little play garden was perfect. We've actually had this nature kaleidoscope for a couple of years, but let me tell you - it deserves the hype. You can put little things you find inside it to make a constantly changing, totally personalized kaleidoscope. I know everyone loves their Tonies, so there's a Peter Rabbit option, and of course - more art supplies!

For schoolers:
For all of these categories I tried to stick with things that are more hands on, and the school-aged ideas I found are probably my favorite. I can't wait until my kiddos can start journaling - something my mom introduced to me and I still remember doing to this day. The puzzle options are absolutely beautiful, and the cross stitch bunny is so clever for practical life skills.

As a final note, they do also have the cutest candy ever ;)

Traveling With Toddlers

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 17:12:34 GMT

Traveling with Toddlers!

With coronavirus, this was actually our first time flying since 2019. This trip was also a bit trickier to prepare for, as we weren't sure exactly how long we would be gone. However, no matter the length of the trip, preparing and packing is basically always the same. As a former military kid, I've moved and traveled by weight my entire life and luckily most of those skills transferred over to having children and having to make room for their many needs.

1) Include them

Firstly with toddlers, letting them know what's going to be happening beforehand makes for much less stress and drama on their part. Try to make it as exciting as possible - it's a big adventure! Let them be a part of packing and choose one or two things all on their own that they want to take. We drew an airplane on our calendar so the kids could see it was coming up and count down to the day.

2) Prioritize what to take

When packing, prioritize needs and things that can not easily be replaced first. I knew we needed room in our luggage for our noise machine, which the kids absolutely can not sleep without. It would also be a pain in the butt to replace my prescription, so that was one of the first things packed. In our case for this trip I knew we'd have access to a laundry machine, so I only packed three pairs of pjs, and about enough clothes for a week, which was the shortest amount of time we'd be staying. When choosing clothing, I tried to stick to items that could be mixed and matched for a month, which was the longest we'd potentially be staying. If you need them, get some space saver bags! They're an awesome hack that we used for our cloth diapers, but remember they don't decrease the weight of what you're packing. Try not to stress about items that can easily be purchased. For example, I forgot the kids' toothbrushes, oops. We also wore our bulkiest items such as our jackets and boots in order to give us more room in our suitcases.

3) Plan extra travel time

Whether driving or flying give yourself time for extra and last minute potty breaks, but also to let the kids run around and get some energy out every now and then. I let the kids walk/run/explore through the entire airport on our way to our concourse. There was a kid's play area in our concourse that they got to spend about twenty minutes in before getting to our gate. They also loved the moving walkway and rode on it about six times while waiting to board.

4) Remember how they're experiencing things

Once on the plane I also did my best to answer all their questions; mostly - what was that sound?? Sitting for the length of the flight was definitely the hardest part of the journey for my youngest who's almost two years old. For both of the kids I brought their tablets, snacks, and their comfort items, but my two year old just wanted to get down and move around which obviously we couldn't do on a small airplane. I anticipated them having issues with their ears and the air pressure, but luckily they both did really well with it - my oldest only felt it once as we were descending and I fake yawned to get her to yawn and pop them.

5) Stick to a schedule

With any trip, once we get where we were going we try our absolute hardest to stick to our same sleep schedule. This gives the kids a sense of routine and grounding. Giving them something that's a part of their normal day gives them something to anticipate and helps when they eventually feel the stress of not being in their home. Expect that meltdown to come, which it almost always does and almost always does at bedtime. This trip it hit my oldest the hardest on the second day at nap, when she woke up and forgot where she was.

I've kind of already said this, but be gentle with yourself and with them. It can be stressful for you traveling with small children, and it can be easy to forget that it's just as stressful for them if not more. Everything around them is new and different, even if they've traveled before, and children thrive in environments where they feel familiar and comfortable. By putting yourself in their shoes it makes traveling much easier for all of you.

All Things Homebirth

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 16:10:20 GMT

All Things Homebirth

https://www.evidencebasedhomebirth.com/

Vegan + gf corn fritters

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 16:01:07 GMT

Vegan + gf corn fritters

3/4 c King Arthur's gluten free measure for measure flour

1/2 c cornmeal

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 c non-dairy milk

2 cans corn

2 scallions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1/3 c vegannaise

1/2 tsp old bay seasoning

1 tsp lemon juice

Mix together gf flour, cornmeal, baking powder, garlic powder, salt. Mix in non-dairy milk. Add corn, bell pepper, jalapeno, scallions.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add the batter, cooking until golden brown.

In a small bowl, whisk together vegannaise, old bay, and lemon juice and serve alongside the fritters.

Vegan and GF wild rice soup

183:880221042 (Ashley Robertson) — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 15:51:08 GMT

Vegan + gf Wild Rice Soup

1 cup uncooked wild rice

Mushrooms of your choice, sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 parsnip, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

Red potatoes, quartered

1 sweet onion, diced

1 1/2 TBSP Old Bay seasoning

6 cups vegetable stock

14oz can coconut cream

Saute veggies over medium high heat, add rice, old bay, and stock. Simmer for 30-40 minutes. Take off the heat and add coconut cream, salt, and pepper.

Vegan and GF Baklava Overnight Oats

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 15:41:34 GMT

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups non-dairy milk
1 tbsp agave
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 orange
Pistachios
Kosher salt

Zest orange and mix with oats, cinnamon, agave, *milk, and salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight, serve with pistachios and orange slices.