Welcome to the Sunday Surf! Here are some of the best links I've read this past week.


No real reason for this picture. I just liked it.
Mikko was enjoying himself during lunch at a local Mexican restaurant.

Functionality of the babywearing nanny

I'm so happy to have such a lovely guest post from Amber of Birth Routes about how necessary babywearing is for a nanny — particularly one with multiple young children to care for.

On Thursday, as I was ECing (elimination communication) the 8-month-old in a public washroom, with the 12-month-old flipped on my back in my ring sling — I burst into laughter. I am that woman — arms full of love, attending needs wherever we are. Both smiley happy babies. My thighs likely becoming toned, as I peek over my left shoulder and see little pearly teeth and bright eyes smiling at me as I chant "pee pee, pee pee," then "that's it!"

Also? I would so love to hire Amber! We're fortunate to have my attachment-minded sister-in-law (also a fabulous nanny and the babywearer in the photo there) to alloparent along with us, but the world could always use more like them, yes? (Along with that wish, I wish more of us could afford such blessed help!)

But back to the article — go check it out, my fellow babywearing fans, and give Amber some comment love for the beauty in it.

Carnival round-up

I've created a linky page for blog carnivals of relevance to natural parents: Natural parenting blog carnivals

You can enter upcoming carnivals to the list, or take note of the submission deadlines so you can write in community with likeminded parents.

Submissions to the linky are moderated (to make sure carnivals are relevant) and will be removed as the live dates pass so it will keep (mostly) up to date. I'll leave carnivals up at least a bit past the live date so you have time to surf on over, as I've been enjoying doing.

From Natural Parents Network in a really interesting week on Family Structure

• Pregnancy When It’s Not the First Time Around
• The Only Child
• Solo Parenting Naturally #1
• Wordless Wednesday: Pregnancy
• Parenting with Two Partners
• Parenting The Only Child
  

Giveaways!

I've created a new ongoing linky for natural parenting giveaways to draw attention to relevant giveaways. Instead of being lost in the bigger giveaway linky lists, jumbled in with products that don't speak to our lifestyles or values, your giveaways can shine in this list tailored to attachment parents interested in a natural lifestyle. It will also help highlight the "little-guy" prizes: products from WAHMs and Etsy shops, self-published books, and unique and niche offerings.

If you're a natural parenting blogger and are hosting a giveaway, enter it in the linky! Please note that entries are moderated, so it will take time for your submission to appear.

And if you're a natural parent, go check out the full list of giveaways to see what you can win!

There's also a Facebook page for giveaways by parenting bloggers created by Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama. If you "like" the page, you can promote your own giveaways there as well or find out about new ones.

Here are the current giveaways round these parts:

• 2 Wool Dryer Balls from The Green Belle Shoppe by Shelly Rose Designs $17 {8.8; US/Can} — my new favorite eco-friendly laundry staple! These wool dryer balls will soften clothes and cut drying time — without chemicals or damage to your clothes. And they smell nice, too. Sweet!

• Episencial Natural Sunscreen Skincare Kit $30 ARV {8.24; US} — Have fun in the sun without any dangerous chemicals! This is an all-natural sunscreen and skincare line that's rated highly by the EWG and is safe even for newborns to use.
• NPN: What Not to Say book with helpful phrases for cooperative parenting $12 ARV {8/23; US/CAN}
• NPN: Online Book Discussion: Nonviolent Communication book & workbook $42 ARV {8.22; US/Can}
• NPN: Lonely Girl, Gracious God book about autism ~ 2 Winners, $12 ARV {8.17; Worldwide}
• NPN: Online Book Discussion: Nonviolent Communication book & workbook $42 ARV {8.22; US/Can}
• NPN: SmartKlean Laundry Ball ~ 3 Winners/$45 ARV {8/13; US/Can}
• NPN: EcaPants from Ecaware Baby for EC $17.95 ARV {8.9; Worldwide}
• NPN: Green Gamboni Jeans for cloth-diapered babies $48 ARV {8.9; US/Can.}
• NPN: Kickin Creations Diaper Safe Laundry Detergent $15 {8.8; US}
• NPN: Wool Prefold Belt $10 ARV {8.6; Worldwide}
• NPN: Linah Sora OS Pocket Diaper {8.5; US}
• NPN: Two Hip Peas in a Pod Pocket Diaper {8.4 US}
• NPN: Reusable Cloth Diaper Liners {8.3; Worldwide}
• NPN: MomsCrafts4U Set of 3 Cloth Pads $15 ARV {8.3; US/Can}
• NPN: Beka Wooden Building Blocks $96 ARV {8.1; Cont. US}

You can find more shared items during the week at my public Google Reader recommendations feed.

Check out Authentic Parenting, Baby Dust Diaries, Navelgazing, Momma Jorje, I Thought I Knew Mama, Enjoy Birth, A Domesticated Woman's Adventures (various), Fabulous Mama Chronicles, Kelly Hogaboom (Fridays), The Parent Vortex (weekends), Ichigo Means Strawberry, TouchstoneZ, Hippie Housewife (Saturdays), Multiple Musings, Motherhood Moments, Mama and Baby Love, and A Little Bit of All of It for more Sunday Surfing! (If you also participate in a regular link list, whether on Sunday or not, let me know and I'll add your link.)

Feel free to add your recommendations in the comments. Happy reading!