Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope your day involves chocolate ;)

Finding Their Voices

In case you missed it, here is the piece that aired today on CBS Sunday Morning.

I feel so proud of the courage and openness of the Our Time kids, who are so inspiring in their willingness to confront their fears and turn challenges into triumphs.

I am deeply moved by the response of friends, family, and readers to this piece.

Obviously, I am completely, madly, head-over-heels in love with my husband, who created this sanctuary of acceptance and love that is Our Time. He bravely and brilliantly turned his biggest obstacle into a path for healing for himself and countless others. I have no words to describe how much I admire him. I am such a lucky woman.

And I absolutely cannot believe that after three and a half years of avoiding blogging my children's names, they are rather dramatically outed on national TV. Too funny, but totally worth it. Thanks, Mo Rocca ;)

I Knew I Liked This Lady

Photo found here.

Have you seen the show Modern Family? Taro and I occasionally catch an episode on Hulu, and we are always impressed by the smart, fresh, true-to-life writing and the awesomely funny cast.

Well, my fandom of Julie Bowen (she plays mom Claire Dunphy on the show) was cemented as soon as I heard the news that she appeared on Lopez Tonight with George Lopez this week and spent the majority of the time talking about tandem-nursing her twin 1-year-olds! She even brought this photo, which was projected onto a huge screen behind her and George while they talked (George cracked that it must have been taken by Google Maps, LOL):

And here's a clip:

Inspired by Julie's tandem-breastfeeding awesomeness, I'm posting my very own Google Maps shot taken a few months ago of a nursing session at our house (OK, OK, I took it with my cell phone!)

Superstition for Your Friday the 13th

Blah Humbug

Today it's cold gray and rainy here, and I have a case of the blahs. We went to bed too late last night, woke a few too many times during the night, and the kiddos and I have been sluggish and cranky all day. Things are actually starting to look up, since both of the boys are napping now (finally!) and I'm having a little moment to myself.

To relax, I'm going to finish off my current DVD episode of Mad Men, season 2, and munch on an organic chocolate bar with almonds, yum! What do you do to shake off the blahs?

Photo via Weheartit.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week

To celebrate, check out this gorgeous PSA from Puerto Rico, called "To Give the Breast is to Give Life."  I posted this once last year, but it is one of the coolest things I've ever seen produced for TV so I'm giving it an encore performance here on Marvelous Kiddo!

Breastfeeding on the Colbert Report

I recently saw this segment (which originally aired last year) on the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog.  I had to watch it several times and every time I had a hard time breathing I was laughing so hard.  Enjoy:

Home Birth on a Flex Mattress: Update

I know I already posted about this Spanish commercial last week, and now it is popping up all over the birth-activism blogosphere, but I can't resist posting about it again.  

Taro's stepmother, Kelly, just sent me a link to a lengthier version she discovered (over four minutes long) and it really feels more like a beautiful little documentary film than a TV-ready commercial.  It also contains a list of credits at the end, which is nice to see since I was so impressed with the production (I love the music, don't you?).  As I was watching the long version on Youtube, I saw a link to the original short version with English subtitles.  Here it is:

And here's the "uncut" version (if any of my readers speak Spanish, I would love to read an English translation of this one!):

Our Time Featured on NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams

In case you missed it!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Weekend Wonderful

I took this photo yesterday in Central Park, where the Kiddo and I spent a divine afternoon with a couple of good friends soaking up the warmth and fragrance of a day in which Spring seemed to be finally asserting herself.  We had such a great time that we're headed back again today, stopping on the way to purchase a harmonica for the Kiddo, who borrowed one from his friend yesterday and discovered a new talent!  Of course, no matter how much fun we have this afternoon, we will be sure to head back in time to go over to a friend's house to catch tonight's NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams!  I hope you can tune in as well!

And without further ado, here are my two favorite web finds of the week.  Enjoy:

Mama-Is tells her latest (unassisted, home) birth story in cartoon format!  Brilliant.  To compare and contrast, you must read about her first birth, which took place in a hospital.

I am in awe of this amazing Spanish commercial for a mattress that shows a beautiful, real-life home birth!  The motto of the new ad campaign for Flex mattresses is "Your bed.  The most important place in the world."  After watching this three times and crying every time, I'm sold!  Via Unnecesarean. 

Must-See-TV Alert

This Friday, April 17, be sure to tune in to NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.  My husband, Taro Alexander, and Our Time Theatre Company will be featured in the "Making a Difference" segment, including coverage of the gala.  There will also be supplementary footage and interviews on the NBC website after the episode airs...I'll let you know a specific link as soon as it is up!  SO EXCITING!!!

Photo of rad orange television set found here.

For Fun

The Kiddo watched his first clips of The Cosby Show on YouTube today. This was by far his favorite.

How I Feel About My Readers...

I just want to send a huge, overflowing "Thank You" to everyone who left such sweet and excited messages for me (and T and the Kiddo) yesterday.  I am so very moved and grateful for the kind of support, love, and happiness that was expressed as we announce the beginning of a new journey.  

I am in awe of the power of the blogging medium to connect people and create community and I feel so fortunate to have stumbled on such a lovely little corner of the internet where old friends and complete strangers alike can find one another and bond over a shared love of raising babies and enjoying beautiful things.  Whether I've known you for years or just heard from you for the first time, I want to say "Thanks" for being here with me and sending me your love.  It is felt and appreciated, and I love you right back :)

Now for more on what's going on with me:

I am about seven and a half weeks pregnant, making me due at the end of August (woo hoo, here comes a long, hot, big-bellied summer in the City!).  I hesitated to blog about my pregnancy so early, but it has been difficult to think about anything else to blog about!  I'm already reading (new-to-me) books about pregnancy and childbirth and I want to be able to share as I go along.  

Physically, I'm feeling pretty well, all things considered.  I am one of the lucky few who seems to get off fairly easy in the nausea and vomiting department of the First Trimester.  So far, I've just felt tired for the most part and I LOVE to sleep and stay curled up in the bed if possible. This has led to more watching of Sesame Street on YouTube with the Kiddo than I would like to admit, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it.  

We plan to have another home birth.

The Kiddo is doing great, perhaps buoyed by his sudden awareness of all things Big Bird and Elmo.  He is really obsessed with babies right now, and insists on referring to everyone that is his age and younger as a "bibi" (I'm viewing that as a hopeful sign that he is taking well to the news that we're having a baby).  Really, it's all too much for him to grasp right now when I tell him there's a baby in mama's belly, and who could blame him?  It kind of blows my mind too.

Stay tuned.  I hope to update soon...

Word art by Castle, via Desire to Inspire. 

Must-See-TV Alert

Tonight on ABC's 20/20:

Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy: A Mom Talks About Her Decision to Continue Breastfeeding Her Older Children

Mothers To-Be Saying "No" to Modern Medicine: A Small But Growing Number of Women Choose to Give Birth At Home

Labor Orgasms Called "Best-Kept-Secret": Moms, Experts Say Relaxation Is Key to Pleasurable Childbirth

Click on the above links for detailed articles based on the 20/20 stories, as well as video highlights.

I'm sure the coverage of these issues won't be 100% positive, but I still think it's progress to see conversations about extended breastfeeding and home birth in the mainstream media.  If you watch tonight's episode at 10 pm EST, let me know what you think by leaving a comment here!

UPDATE (1.3.09):  I didn't get to watch the show last night, but I am reading reactions to it in the blogosphere this morning. Check out the rather scathing review of Crunchy Domestic Goddess, here.  Thoughts?

Photo via WeHeartIt.

Breastfeeding Moms Vs. Facebook on CBS Early Show

On Wednesday, the CBS Early Show did a segment covering the ongoing bruhaha over breastfeeding photos on Facebook. It features guest Andi Silverman of the blog Mama Knows Breast, who does an excellent job of defending our right to breastfeed in public. Check it out:

Also, I found a great link to a site which is posting many of the photos banned from Facebook. It is breathtaking and angering to see what Facebook has deemed "indecent" and removed from members' personal profiles.  View the gallery of offending images here.

Not Very Neighborly News

I just learned that PBS has decided to stop transmitting Mr. Rogers Neighborhood to local stations as part of their daily syndicated line-up of programming!  Instead, stations will be provided with one episode each weekend.

I don't even have a TV and this still strikes me as tantamount to sacrilege!  You can find out more about this sad turn of events and join in the crusade to save Mister Rogers here.

Below, watch a moving clip of Fred Rogers defending PBS before the US Senate back in 1969.  I love how he speaks so beautifully about "the inner drama of childhood."  This will give you goosebumps:

Via Jezabel.

Redhead Envy

I came across this image last week on a street fashion blog, and I was positively riveted by the look. Not just the color of the hair, but its incredible shape, along with the overall intensity of the woman's expression (those brows! Those lips!) really stuck with me. In fact it triggered the realization that I have always harbored a serious case of Redhead Envy!

It probably all started I was five years old, which is when I became addicted to playing my LP record of the soundtrack from the 1982 movie version of Annie. I couldn't get enough of the songs, always making up my own living room choreography to go along with them, while rapturously envisioning myself as feisty, self-reliant, unapologetically flame-haired, and stupendously lucky orphan. Sometimes I would go so far as to re-enact the nail biter of a scene from the movie where Annie is dangling by her fingertips from the bridge, trying to evade the villains played so deliciously by Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters. To do this, I would dangle by my fingertips from the back of the couch. I was a tall five year old, so this maneuver required that I hold my knees up so as not to have my feet touching the floor, while yelling "Punjab, help me!" (Hey, what was lost in realism was made up for in sheer enthusiasm!)

The matter of Redhead Envy was compounded when I was around nine years old and I discovered Anne of Green Gables. I actually remember seeing the 1985 movie for the first time at a playmate's birthday party, and I was immediately hooked. Soon after, I read every Anne book I could get my hands on and watched the series of films religiously. I really identified with this literary character more than any I have encountered before or since. Anne's obsession with imagination and romance, her devotion to books and poetry, her grandiose vocabulary, tendency toward mishap, and her weakness for fashion all spoke to me and entertained me mightily.

These two old favorites had receded in my memory until recently, when I happened to see an add for the 20th anniversary edition of the Anne movies, and two things hit me: First, I have now lived long enough to have a favorite something turn twenty years old three years ago! Yikes. Second, I would love to see those movies again! That got me rummaging around on youtube, where I laughed till my sides hurt (here) and bawled till I couldn't see straight (here) watching clips of my dear old redheads, Annie and Anne.

I guess the love is stronger than the envy!

And since we're on the topic, I also happened to recently stumble across an apropos blog called A Rare Breed that is devoted to portraits of redheads (boy, was this post inevitable, or what?!).

Here are a few of my favorites:

Big Bird Gets the Lowdown on Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Gorgeousness!

Couture for a Cause

Elisa Jimenez from Season 4 has generously donated an incredible item to the auction that is being held in conjunction with the Our Time Benefit Gala: A custom made couture gown! Online bidding starts Monday March 31, and you can place your bid here.