Time with Friends

Here are a few pictures of the girls playing with friends over the past few days.

We went to the park one morning with Olivia's friend, Madeline and then, today, we went to the Oceanario de Lisboa. We went a few months ago. However, we kind of rushed through it. Today, we were able to take our time. The mother I went with is quite a hoot and had the girls laughing and pretending to walk like penguins. We had a blast. The girls took good naps on the way home. I hit a traffic jam and, for once, was actually happy that I was stuck in slow moving traffic because it allowed he girls more time sleep before I stopped the car at home and they, in all liklihood, woke up.

Projects, Relaxing and Ramblings

Inspired by another blogger's post, I rolled paper across the table and handed the girls crayons, markers, glue and scissors (glue and scissors for Olivia only, of course) one evening this weekend. It never fails. The girls are playing well together or independently as I start dinner. As soon as they notice I'm making dinner, they decide they need me for something (read: many somethings). So, sadly, I've been turning on the TV for Liv, and sometimes, throwing Lila into the Ergo. I've been looking for alternatives to keeping them busy during that time and this was a good idea. I was able to get dinner made quickly while they made a "project," as Olivia likes to say.

Below: Olivia is really into making, "Happy I Love You Day" cards. She got it from a DVD someone sent her about how to show someone you love them. In the end, it was giving a simple hug. But, the card idea also stuck with Olivia. So, here she is, making her card. I think more glue got on her than the paper, but, hey, it sure was fun!

Lila is really developing a personality. She's turning into a toddler more and more every day! Here, she's just hanging out in the rocker. She spends a lot of time during the day in it. Or getting in and out of it, rocking in it for a second, getting out again. You know the deal.

As far as this past weekend, we spent one morning at Ikea shopping for a dining room hutch, bookself and entryway bench (successful in all three in under two hours!). Sunday night, we enjoyed our new favorite cuisine: Indian food. Yummy. In Alaska, it was Thai. Not so much Thai here but a whole lotta Indian food! As we did in Alaska, we have a favorite restaurant here (it was Lemongrass in Alaska - if my Alaskan friends reading are wondering). We miss Thai food more than I imagined we would. However, as we try "new" Indian dishes, we are falling in love. The girls are really getting used to eating foods with a bit of heat. As I write this, they are eating HOT wasabi peas.

Other than that, not much going on. Just trying to have fun and avoid the flu that's going around..

Children's Author Refuses Award

Many months ago, Heather, a lactation consultant up at Bassett Army Community Hospital, warned me of Nestle's misleading marketing tactics, presently and in the past, of infant formula.

Comments such as, "We plan on giving our baby only the very best formula, why would my infant need breast milk?" are alarming comments made from mothers lacking education on the benefits of breastfeeding and who get pulled into marketing schemes such as Nestle's. Heather encouraged me to boycott all Nestle products (for more info on the Nestle Boycott, click here). Since then, I try to avoid Nestle products, being the lactivist that I am. It's quite hard. Look at labels - Nestle distributes more products than you are probably aware of.

When I stumbled across this article at Mothering.com, I was impressed:

British children's author Sean Taylor, winner of the Nestlé Children's Book Prize 2007, refused to accept a check as part of his recent award, presented in December. Taylor, who won the prize for his book When a Monster is Born, said that he could not accept the money because of his concerns over the marketing tactics used by Nestlé in their promotion of infant formula.

In an open letter explaining his decision, Taylor said that he was honored to have won the prize because it is awarded on the basis of children's votes, but he could not accept Nestlé's money because "their interpretation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes sets up the risk that profit is put before infant health." After examining their baby formula marketing practices, Taylor said, "I do not feel that Nestlé are the most appropriate sponsors for this major children's book prize."

A global marketing report recently released by the

International Baby Food Action Network found that Nestlé is the leading violator of the International Code for the Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.

Taylor made his decision after consulting with representatives from Nestlé, anti- Nestlé group Baby Milk Action, and an unnamed third party with "experience in the field."

For more information visit http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press12dec07.html.

I plan on buying his book when I place my next book order. He may not have accepted the award, but, he and his book are certainly award-worthy!