Welcome to the Sunday Surf, a tour of the best blogposts I've read throughout the week.

Nom…nom…car seat.

The boys and I went to the Seattle Art Museum this past week. I was hoping we could do something unschoolish like grab a postcard or two that appealed to Mikko and then go on a scavenger hunt to find the artwork. I was hoping we'd have an Olivia moment where he'd be so taken with one particular piece that he'd stop and stare for long unwavering moments. As it turned out, I got only a glimpse at my favorite piece from across the room, a piece that brings me serenity, but in this case was like a distant goal, visible but out of reach.

Probably it was because we were meeting up with some other friends, and therefore got pulled in multiple directions. Probably it was because my kid is four years old and the elevators interested him more than the exhibits.

It certainly didn't help that the docents were the least child-welcoming people ever ever ever. They kept yelling at our kids, everywhere, for every perceived infraction. It was like they'd just read a guidebook on "How to Make Sure Children Forever Hate Art." Bah.

Mikko said it was boring and we're not to return. And yet — his joy at seeing the Hammering Man outside was palpable and limitless. And he told me later he also liked the interior "big statue of the guy."

I think the next step will be the Olympic Sculpture Park, where I hope fewer people will be policing his happiness and he can wander at leisure. Also, we need to eat first, because he was really hungry at the SAM. Hmm.

I have a boatload of links for you this week, so hang on and start reading:

10 seconds ago

#balance
Heart Wanderings: Metamorphosis in the Moment: Accepting the Moment Is What It Is →
Loving this new mantra: “The moment is what it is. … Breathe.”
On opening yourself past frustration and into possibility.
2 minutes ago

#birth
#charity
#homebirth
#maternal mortality
Bloggers for Birth Kits: Reducing maternal mortality in developing nations →
Save a mama’s life this Mother’s Day — consider putting together a simple, inexpensive birth kit to help moms in developing nations reduce maternal mortality. Putting kits together is a great project for a moms group, a homeschooling group, a church group, etc., or you can blog about it and link up at the post, or donate money toward the cause. You can even use your donation as a Mother’s Day present in honor of your own mother or mother-in-law!
22 minutes ago

#body image
#fat acceptance
#health
#dieting
#weight loss
#science
#exercise
Weight Loss — Science@home →
Wise take on the point that correlation does not equal causation.
Healthy, balanced diet and activity = important for everyone, lean or fat.
Losing weight = almost purely social goal that may or may not be important to you, gets even more complicated and guilt inducing when you have children and may actually make you less healthy.
59 minutes ago

#poetry
#balance
A Poem for Perspective « The Practical Dilettante →
You need a poem break. It’s very short, and you’ll thank me — and Seonaid.
1 hour ago

#birth
#placenta
#labor
#midwifery
#homebirth
#hospital birth
An actively managed placental birth might be the best option for most women | Midwife Thinking →
As a birth nerd, I’m supremely interested in subjects like how the placenta detaches and leaves the uterus, and what happens after. And as a former sufferer of postpartum hemorrhaging, I love knowledge that can keep it from happening again.
I thought her conclusions were very interesting: In a hospital, you’re unlikely to have a completely hands-off third stage of labor (i.e., the time you birth the placenta); therefore, so-called active management might be best for avoiding PPH, based on studies. However, in a relaxed environment where the birth can be purely physiological, then a physiological birth of the placenta can also be safe and effective. My second birth was like that: low lights, low noise, low stress, skin-to-skin just after birth — and no PPH this time around. I know of women who’ve had serene home births that ended in PPH, however, so I’d love to see more studies on the topic to tease out which method is preferable in terms of maternal safety.
1 hour ago

#elimination diet
#breastfeeding
#allergies
#food intolerances
Musing Mommy: Musing on Elimination Diets →
[M]y thoughts are that while elimination diets have their place, like any other treatment or tool, they can and are being abused by well-meaning mothers and their breastfeeding counselors. I think that starting an elimination diet without real symptoms (just over normal baby developmental issues) is not the best idea and may actually be doing baby a disservice when it is used as a first recourse. 
1 day ago (1 note)

#dieting
#body image
#fat acceptance
#intuitive eating
Dieting Makes You Fatter | LoveLiveGrow →
I love posts that point out that dieting doesn’t work. Really.
In previous posts I’ve covered lots of evidence that there’s not much you can do to change your weight. In the midst of all that, it turns out that thereis one reliable way to make yourself fatter.
It’s called “dieting”.
Via (somewhat indirectly) Shannon

Can you tell I'm gearing up to write a post about fat acceptance and health at every size?

Poetry of a Hobo Mama giveaways

Do a poet a favor, will you? Please be super kind to these wonderful hosts who are doing their best and boldest to promote these giveaways and go and enter. Even if you don't care about poetry, will you please enter at their sites (Anktangle & Hybrid Rasta Mama — two different giveaways; you can enter at one or both) just to brighten their days? I don't mind if you never read my book — you can give it as a baby shower gift, or wrap it up as a Mother's Day present to your mama, or donate it to your local library. I just want to share these poems that have meant so much to me, and support the bloggers who are supporting my dream. I don't say this out of a place of desperation or frustration at all, just truly out of a desire to honor these reviewers for their hard work. Thank you so much!

If you entered my previous giveaway, winners have been notified. So if you didn't get an email, you're free to try, try again!

Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV — 2 WINNERS! {5.14; Worldwide} at Anktangle & Natural Parents Network

Touching review from Amy:

This is a beautiful, funny, truth-filled collection that I believe would resonate with any mother. The focus on Lauren’s experiences as an attachment-focused parent gives it a unique perspective which any parent on the natural parenting spectrum could appreciate. But it’s not just for the “crunchy” mama in your life; it’s truly about the human experience: about life and love, about laughter and loss. It’s about the joyfully heart-wrenching reality of loving someone as deeply and fully as a parent loves her child.

I love hearing Amy's words and connection, and she shares one of my favorite poems in the post.

Read more and enter to win one of two copies at NPN or at Anktangle.

Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV {5.9; Worldwide} at Hybrid Rasta Mama

Love Jennifer's honest take:

If you like poetry, you will adore this collection from Lauren. If you hate poetry, you will adore this collection from Lauren. If you are on the fence about poetry, this collection will make you take notice of the beauty in poetic expression. It will also make you feel a whole lot better about your own experiences and feelings in this journey of life and motherhood.

Seriously, what better endorsement could there be?

Read more and enter to win a copy at Hybrid Rasta Mama.

I won't let you win more than once, so feel free to enter both giveaways to improve your chances.

And remember — I am not above accepting pity entries. You're good sports.

Carnival news:

• Carnival of Natural Parenting — Read and enjoy when it goes live this Tuesday! We're talking extended family. (Hobo Mama & Code Name: Mama)
• Carnival of Weaning — due May 14 (Code Name: Mama & Aha! Parenting)
• Preparing for Birth Series — April 30-July 8 — see the post for details (A Little Bit of All of It)
• Authentic Parenting Carnival — due May 18 — Parenting Practices and Criticism (Authentic Parenting & Positive Parenting Connection)
• Carnival of Tandem Nursing — due May 22 (Mommying My Way) — and check out my (our) picture!

Does anyone have any to add?

From Natural Parents Network:

• Redirecting the Impulse to Spank
• Wordless Wednesday: Heroes
• Working Outside of the Home
• Remaining Connected to School-Age Children
• Introduction to Homeopathic Medicine — see below for a serendipitous tie-in!

Giveaways:

A new one:
Big smiles and homeopathic teething treatment from Baby Orajel Naturals — $100 Target Gift Card from BlogHer {5.31; US}
A review of a new homeopathic teething solution and a chance to win $100 to Target just by answering a simple question!

• Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV {5.9; Worldwide} — at Hybrid Rasta Mama — extended due to technical difficulties, but ends this week!Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV — 2 WINNERS! {5.14; Worldwide} — at NPN/Anktangle
• Giveaway: Intensive Repair Oil From Avishi Organics — $39 ARV {5.19; US}
• Giveaway: Itti Bitti Tutto One Size Diaper From Kissed by the Moon – $26.95 ARV {5.14; US/Can}
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Find more giveaways at my Natural parenting giveaways linky! Add your own, and enter some good ones. Right now you can enter to win cloth diapers, children's books, Coconut Oil for Your Skin, swim diaper, fertility tea, and more!

Win me. Win me.

Surf with us:

We love following along with fellow Sunday Surfers. If you have your own post of reading links to share, please link up your post on Hobo Mama or on Authentic Parenting. The linky will go live every Sunday, and you can link up any day that week. If Sunday doesn't work for you but you do a links list another day, feel free to play along. You only need to add your post to one of the sites, and the linky will automatically show up on both sites.

You can get the Sunday Surf button by Jenna Designs and some code to add to your post from my Sunday Surf page.

Check out previous editions for good reading, and you can find more shared items during the week at my Tumblr blog, Hobo Mama's Shared Items.

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1. Hobo Mama = Art and the preschooler	2. Authentic Parenting tiny unschooling surf
3. LaurenWayne. com = Responsible blogging & parental dilemmas	4. Apr 29-May 5: 12 articles/links on parenting, real food, water and gratitude
5. Love Notes Mamas Sunday Surf on parenting, attaching, drugs and chemistry!	6. Positive Parenting Connection: Aggression, Crying and Poetry