I stopped shaving my legs...in summer... in Florida... and I wasn't self conscious about it.
I haven't shaved my legs in years, but I still feel self conscious about it. It makes me sad and a little conflicted, kwim? I might start shaving them just so I can feel comfortable wearing skirts. But for some reason, I'm less self conscious about my armpit hair. Go figure! lol.
You find yourself making your own "get ready for baby" book for big sis because you can't find one that leaves out both bottles AND diapers.
Yes!! And hospital birth!! All of the books at Borders made references to "bringing the baby home from the hospital." For those of us who have and exercise the option of homebirth, a "new baby" book that includes it requires a "special trip" to Amazon!
Don't stop reading on page 2, AbbieB, or you'll miss my list! 
I stopped reading on page 2.
The things that have freaked out people the most:
I kept placentas in the freezer for years until I figured out what to do with them.
I won't have a microwave in the house because of the radiation and worry about cell phones due to radiation (these are, admittedly, a little out there)
I've been reading this thread and realizing that some of my crunchiness is just a result of being very poor!
We don't have battery operated toys, because they break too easily and we don't want to keep buying batteries.
Our cleaning supplies consist of baking soda, vinegar, and Dr. Bronner's soap, because they're cheap and effective.
We spend a lot of time in the forest, because it's cheap entertainment.
We co-sleep with our family, because we live in a tiny home.
We don't watch tv, because cable television is too expensive and our town doesn't have a station that carries PBS.
And we eat a whole food/non-processed foods diet, because it's cheaper than eating out or buying packaged foods.
So I might be crunchy . . . OR I might be a bit of a hillbilly!
Either way, I certainly don't think I'm better than anyone else and hope no one takes it that way!
I wanted to add to this that I really enjoyed reading why everyone is crunchy! I'm not very crunchy. More and more I find myself pulling away from the mainstream, disagreeing with popular culture and values, and seeking something different. When my son was a baby and toddler I was completely mainstream.I did not wear my baby or CD, we went through phases of co sleeping and my son is circ'd, even worse I had a c section, although I had placenta previa. I must be feeling brave to post all of this on MDC! This probably sounds unreal to many of you but that was all I knew. Crunchy/natural mommas were more of an ideal than real people in my narrow frame of reference. Then when my son was 12 months old, I think rather suspiciously, he developed pneumonia ten days after getting the pneumo vax. I started reading about vaccines. I was still too afraid to not vax. Then when he was about 2 , I was struck with the idea it was absurd to spank children. I decided not to spank and delayed some boosters. Then I got an education in Montessori education and decided I preferred it to public methods. When he was 3, I enrolled him in a Montessori preschool. It was around this time that I accidentally acquired a copy of Alfie Kohn's UP. I was hooked and became non punitive. I started reading more like minded parenting books. Then about a year ago, I was browsing a used book store in the magazine section, I came across a stack of Mothering magazines, mostly from the late 80s- 90s about 8 or 9 in all. I never heard of Mothering before that. The first one I flipped through had a full shot of baby being born on parents bed. That looked like a slice of heaven compared to what I went through. That was the start of my education in natural parenting. I left the bookstore that day with every one of those copies of Mothering and I read them all.
Now a days I do a few more crunchy things. The reason for my rambling is I want this forum and I want it crunchy.I am pulling away from the mainstream. I work in preschool and the things the children talk about and know about saddens me. I found a frog on the playground one day and pointed it out to them, several boys promptly tried to stomp it to death but I intervened. Once I pointed out a duck in the tree( it's near a small pond) the children yelled " it's in our tree, let's kill it and shoot it."
I'm sure many don't think I belong here and even though my child is long past the stage of all the baby ( or toddler or preschool) B's I still want to learn more about parenting, discipline, and especially more natural ways of health, cooking and nutrition.
Maybe there could be forums dedicated to questions or learning? I'm not sure if that would help cut back on some of the tension that's apparently been building or not. I would guess there are other parents here who want to start or continue learning and are not as far along on this journey but don't really fit in in either the mainstream box or the natural box.
I can't believe I forgot my weirdest crunchy thing of all. I totally ate my placenta. I have a long history of depression/mental health issues and if there is a snowball's chance in hell it might help me be a happier, more stable parent... I'll do it! :D
Ummm, not really. Even the talking heads did a peice on cell phones causing cancer not that long ago.
I won't have a microwave in the house because of the radiation and worry about cell phones due to radiation (these are, admittedly, a little out there)
I'm sure many don't think I belong here and even though my child is long past the stage of all the baby ( or toddler or preschool) B's I still want to learn more about parenting, discipline, and especially more natural ways of health, cooking and nutrition.
I can only speak for myself but let me assure you that I welcome you here with open arms. I love hearing about other parents' journeys and I found your post interesting and touching. I think the more you read and poke around the more you will find that this community boasts a very diverse group of parents. Many mothers have had Cesarean sections (due to medical complications, lack of support, and even doctor bullying). Hopefully sharing your birth story will bring support to work through any residual trauma rather than shaming or judgment. Many parents here vaccinate (and actually the Mothering philosophy is about supporting parents rights to choose for themselves). Your stories remind me of my own mother who relied on her intuition more than anything else when she decided there had to be a different model than the one she had been given. Natural parenting means different things to different people. Ask questions, share your own insights and stories, and learn from others. Crunchy is a relative to the individual and there are no medals being handed out here.
You don't use toilet paper? what do you do??
You don't use toilet paper? what do you do??
We use cloth wipes like we do for our kiddo. Throw them in with his diapers.
The things that have freaked out people the most:
I kept placentas in the freezer for years until I figured out what to do with them.
I won't have a microwave in the house because of the radiation and worry about cell phones due to radiation (these are, admittedly, a little out there)
I agree that the microwave thing is a little out there for most of the population. My parents had a microwave when I was growing up, but DH and I have never had one in our 21 years of marriage (mostly due to DH's insistence). People who know this think it is bizarre! One of my favorite colleagues actually asked me "How do you live?" Er, I have a stove? Not ever having one, I actually never thought to miss one. My mom, however (who is a good cook by the way) can barely live without one. I don't necessarily think it is crunchy not to have one. I just think that it is one of the conveniences ingrained into our culture that makes us think that we should have one, or need one. Not knocking people who love their microwaves, but it is definitely a recent convenience. Same with cell phones, IMO. I love my Blackberry and now that I've had it for a while, I don't want to go back to not having one. It has made my life easier on so many levels (less face time at work, etc.). In fact, I think it has allowed me to be more crunchy with respect to use of my time and work-related issues. I know that's a weird spin on the issue. 
For the record I do not want you to feel horrible b/c you had a necessary c-section! There is no shame in that. Also not CDing isn't a big deal in the scheme of things IMO (besides earth loving) and a lot of people on here have circ'd before being educated on it. My DD had really bad vax reactions so I am totally with you there! I think it's great you are a loving mom despite he fact you were more mainstream and it is even greater that you improved your ideals of parenting (no spanking etc) that can be really difficult to do b/c then you are sort of acknowledging what you were doing before was wrong and a lot of people don't want to go down that road.
I wanted to add to this that I really enjoyed reading why everyone is crunchy! I'm not very crunchy. More and more I find myself pulling away from the mainstream, disagreeing with popular culture and values, and seeking something different. When my son was a baby and toddler I was completely mainstream.I did not wear my baby or CD, we went through phases of co sleeping and my son is circ'd, even worse I had a c section, although I had placenta previa. I must be feeling brave to post all of this on MDC! This probably sounds unreal to many of you but that was all I knew. Crunchy/natural mommas were more of an ideal than real people in my narrow frame of reference. Then when my son was 12 months old, I think rather suspiciously, he developed pneumonia ten days after getting the pneumo vax. I started reading about vaccines. I was still too afraid to not vax. Then when he was about 2 , I was struck with the idea it was absurd to spank children. I decided not to spank and delayed some boosters. Then I got an education in Montessori education and decided I preferred it to public methods. When he was 3, I enrolled him in a Montessori preschool. It was around this time that I accidentally acquired a copy of Alfie Kohn's UP. I was hooked and became non punitive. I started reading more like minded parenting books. Then about a year ago, I was browsing a used book store in the magazine section, I came across a stack of Mothering magazines, mostly from the late 80s- 90s about 8 or 9 in all. I never heard of Mothering before that. The first one I flipped through had a full shot of baby being born on parents bed. That looked like a slice of heaven compared to what I went through. That was the start of my education in natural parenting. I left the bookstore that day with every one of those copies of Mothering and I read them all.
Now a days I do a few more crunchy things. The reason for my rambling is I want this forum and I want it crunchy.I am pulling away from the mainstream. I work in preschool and the things the children talk about and know about saddens me. I found a frog on the playground one day and pointed it out to them, several boys promptly tried to stomp it to death but I intervened. Once I pointed out a duck in the tree( it's near a small pond) the children yelled " it's in our tree, let's kill it and shoot it."
I'm sure many don't think I belong here and even though my child is long past the stage of all the baby ( or toddler or preschool) B's I still want to learn more about parenting, discipline, and especially more natural ways of health, cooking and nutrition.
Maybe there could be forums dedicated to questions or learning? I'm not sure if that would help cut back on some of the tension that's apparently been building or not. I would guess there are other parents here who want to start or continue learning and are not as far along on this journey but don't really fit in in either the mainstream box or the natural box.
Every mom is different and so long as their kids are happy and thriving and learning to walk gently through this earth, we are ALL doing a great job here.
Having said that...
i guess I am crunchy because I quit my job as a political consultant to become a full time mom. My daughter has never had a piece of meat or a glass of milk (well breast milk). I make all our baby food and house hold cleaners from scratch. But I guess I do this because this is the way that works for us and makes us happy. I know plenty of mommy's out there who do things very differently. I just like to see kids thrive.
I agree that the microwave thing is a little out there for most of the population. My parents had a microwave when I was growing up, but DH and I have never had one in our 21 years of marriage (mostly due to DH's insistence). People who know this think it is bizarre! One of my favorite colleagues actually asked me "How do you live?" Er, I have a stove? Not ever having one, I actually never thought to miss one. My mom, however (who is a good cook by the way) can barely live without one. I don't necessarily think it is crunchy not to have one. I just think that it is one of the conveniences ingrained into our culture that makes us think that we should have one, or need one. Not knocking people who love their microwaves, but it is definitely a recent convenience. Same with cell phones, IMO. I love my Blackberry and now that I've had it for a while, I don't want to go back to not having one. It has made my life easier on so many levels (less face time at work, etc.). In fact, I think it has allowed me to be more crunchy with respect to use of my time and work-related issues. I know that's a weird spin on the issue.
I agree that the microwave thing is a little out there for most of the population. My parents had a microwave when I was growing up, but DH and I have never had one in our 21 years of marriage (mostly due to DH's insistence). People who know this think it is bizarre! One of my favorite colleagues actually asked me "How do you live?" Er, I have a stove? Not ever having one, I actually never thought to miss one. My mom, however (who is a good cook by the way) can barely live without one. I don't necessarily think it is crunchy not to have one. I just think that it is one of the conveniences ingrained into our culture that makes us think that we should have one, or need one. Not knocking people who love their microwaves, but it is definitely a recent convenience. Same with cell phones, IMO. I love my Blackberry and now that I've had it for a while, I don't want to go back to not having one. It has made my life easier on so many levels (less face time at work, etc.). In fact, I think it has allowed me to be more crunchy with respect to use of my time and work-related issues. I know that's a weird spin on the issue.
DH is the one who really insists on not having one, so I don't know about the dangers (proven or otherwise) of having one, running or not. He has an aversion that he has never fully explained. Just so I have my coffe maker, that's all I care about! I think more than anything, not having a microwave was just something we fell into. We did a lot of rental apartment living for years and sort of were low tech anyway (we never actually purchased a television until I was over 30, and I still remember the day when we bought a VCR...the world shook!). I think a lot of that had to do with a hesitation to spend money.
I think this thread is a positive thing, people need to be less sensitive.
one to add:
When your baby sleeps on top of a sleeping bag and a Thermarest.... inside the house
Kind of a cute story yesterday we went food shopping and DD was asleep on my back in a wrap and she woke up as we were checking out and the clerk run in the cookies and then the bananas DD started screaming and pointing so the clerk hands her the cookies and she throws them. She wanted the banana lol I knew that anyways though b/c DD refuses to eat any cookies/crackers/sweets unless mama home-baked them and it's a special treat. This girl is all about her fruits and veggies! (the cookies were for me as AF is arriving lol)
Not that bananas are crunchy though b/c they are NOT local to me but DD is so in love with them...
If you were reading the heading... Thats what this post is all about :S So yours don't really make sense. Sorry, just sayin"
OK, for reals, ladies? Is all this horn-tooting, back-patting, and nose-angling really neccessary?
Heads up. If your kids are happy, healthy, and thriving, your an awsome parent and they think your the bomb. Just sayin.
I get that Mdc is crunchy. Ive been around long enough to know that. HOWEVER, not all of us are tandum nursing 3 children until the oldest is 8, grassfed, organic self made garden, living off grid, un circed, stay at home moms. But we still love our kids and enjoy this forum. 
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