LA moms: First stop : step up and say hello

[Pom]

All -

It had to happen sometime, and I am afraid, I will be the one to do it. I am starting a new thread. Yes, I know, daring of me and all, but 10 pages is insane. Especially for newcomers -- or for any of us wanting to keep eachothers stories straight.

eg, both are new, but is it Moongloe who has been here before, or Pom? Who's the vegetarian? Who's DH is in the biz? If you can answer these questions you are better in the brain than I am!

So - put your seat belts on and prepare for lift-off....

[Pom]

Pom's stats:

Just moved to LA from Chicago after 12 yrs. Originally from North east. Swore I'd never live here, but now live on the West side, in Palms, and so far love it!

Married to DH 7 yrs this June. Together since 90.
DD born 8/7/01 and we are smitten
Trained as a painter (but can't bring myself to say I am an artist)
Working as business consultant and desperately hoping to be SAHM soon (how a painter gets to be a bus. consultant is a loooong story!)
Vegetarian friendly, but blew it when I got pregnant
Co-sleeping, b'feeding, making baby food, but disposable diapers and vaxing
DH is in the entertainment industry in production, trying to break into writing, etc.

Next?

[christinla]

Christin's stats:

I've been living in the LA area since '95. Originally from Northern Virginia (DC area). I'm a strict vegetarian, or at least trying. I'm a freelance musician, a bassoonist...although I haven't played much since dd's arrival.

DH is from England -- he's been here since '97. He designs computer chips. We've been married since 2000.

DD was born last December -- she's breastfed (only, so far -- I need starting solids advice, btw), co-sleeping, loves her sling, sometimes cloth diapered, sometimes disposable. Vaxed. Cute.

We live in Woodland Hills, but are willing to travel for the sake of being social!

That's it, I think.

C

[lunarmomma]

Hey Pom, is your DD really born in July or August of this year?? How'd you do that?!:p
Even if I try it the European way it is still in the future!! heh heh heh.

OK, here goes:
I live in LA, westside, have and almost 3 year old DS, DH is a freelance film editor and we have been married 51/2 years.
I am, gulp, an LA native:jaw and hope one day in the not too distant future to be living on a beautiful island in British Columbia, Canada with my family.
We have the place, just haven't figured out the means to make it work up there yet. :bolt
I am a licensed clinical social worker, though been a SAHM mostly, since DS was born. I am working a couple of hours a week with a couple of clients doing some human rights work.
We are nonvaxing/family bedding/EBFeeding/homebirthing/non-circumcising parents.
I guess that is enough of a mouthful to start with!!:bouncy :bouncy :bouncy

[rubelin]

OOOH, I like this :) Maybe we can add the word LA to the thread name??
--------------------------

OK, my turn:

Born in LA, grew up in Inglewood. Have lived all over the LA area, but really love the westside best :) Have now been living in the same building in Palms for almost 7 years!

Married DH in Nov '98, been together 5 years this summer. He produces video games and is an amazing clarinetist.

We have a darling little boy, who will be 2 in 3 weeks. He's ExBFed, ECed (we are finally weaning off the disposable Pull-ups we hate so much), positive disciplined, cosleeps (after the first year of sleeping in his own bed), is vaxed and half-circed (and if he has any brothers, they will remain intact).

I don't eat mammals and try to eat whole foods, except for a nasty little dessert addiction :) DH eats everything after several years of being veg. Benny eats better than both of us :)

I'm a WAHM, mostly working when Ben is asleep or having a "playdate" with my mom or sister.

I guess that covers it :) oh, and I like smilies :love

Robin~

(oh and Laura, I know someone who lives on Salt Spring Island!!!)

[Melaniee]

Hello, Born & Bread (shouldn't that be the other way around?) SAHM So Cal Mama. I like the area, hate the heat.

I have a 6 month old son who is non-circ'd, selectively vacc'd, 100% BF'd (for now, but he's thinking about solids). I strive to eat healthy, but most of the fresh veggies from the Farmer's market go bad while I eat my Milano cookies.

[lilablue]

Hi

I'm mom to Lila - a 3.5 month old girl - who was 11 pounds at birth and now is wearing 6 month old clothes.

I'm from Los Angeles, raised in Malibu - lived in NY for several years
while and after attending film school there. I have just had my first piece
of fiction published (after several years of trying) and directed a little film in 2001 which has received little
notice but is helping me to be able to work on something new now.


I'm veg, animal rights, wondering what partial circumcision is, co-sleep, Bfeed
(Ihope it comes back soon) and tried to have a natural birth but ended up with a C because she was so big.
I ride and write most of the time when not working - but lately it's been all about Lila and I've had little time to even go get my hair done.

We live on the Westside - and also use disposables. Are they carcinogenic - I know they are not good for the environment - but if there's other info on that I'd like to know!

Also - I am currently deep in the deliberation process on vax. Having repeat
appt. with Khalsa in two weeks to go over it again. I think I will probably vax her against the truly deadly diseases and skip the rest.

Thanks!

[Iguanavere]

Retired Film music supervisor - documentary producer - we live in the valley. DH is a film composer and we have one son who is 2 and #2 is on the way - due in November....

[lunarmomma]

Hey Iguanavere,
Nice to see you around again. We almost got to meet at Golden Bridge didn't we?
Stay tuned on the other LA thread for a meet on Sunday the 26th, on the westside if you are up for it.
And congrats on being preg!!!
Laura

[Iguanavere]

I will be at the LLL conference down in Costa Mesa - I bailed on the other thread because it was getting too long!

I haven't been to Golden Bridge in such a long time...I think I need to go and check in at a pre-natal class!

[moongloe]

hey!!!:D

born and raised in the valley, lived in thousand oaks, west la and the westside (back again). also hawaii and minnesota. i turned 29 a few years ago.

met dh waaaaay back in jr high. began dating in 90, married in 92, revowed in 99.
beautiful amazing ds born in 98 (half circ too!!!!!also next ds will be intact) we are ttc. oh and want to adopt.

we are veggies, ap, co-slept, vax,ebf'd, waldorf inspired homeschool, trying to afford organic, etc.
dh is in pga apprentice program, works at a country club. hopes to become a golf pro then pro golfer. he is an amazing artist. and even more amazing man.
prebaby i was an actress..when i grow up i wanna be a writer, artist, broadway star, own a cafe, move to the south of france, have a line of baby clothes, open a waldorf school...

~peace

[christinla]

Give me a break -- what a COOL bunch of mommies you are!!!

:)
C

[lunarmomma]

christinla-
my dh is from England too, only he is actually Italian. He lived in England from age 3 on...
So i guess he qualifies for being English at times.

[Pom]

ChristinLA - You are so right! Look at all of you! Bassoonists and composers and photographers and the dh's sound great too --

Italians in England? What an intersting mix that must have created. Laura, what's he like? ( I got to spend a month in Tuscany a few years back and loved everyting about Itlay -- except the mosquitoes! Do you get to go overseas often?)

[lunarmomma]

His family are Northerners He spent summers and other holiday's there at his grandmothers. His dad lives in London, mom in Florence.
He looks like an Englishman, sounds like one, but can speak Italian fluently. It is what they spoke in the home. they went there for his dad's work. He hates England, I love it. I am an anglophile, have been since very young!!
The weather is what keeps us from thinking about living there, though I wouldn't mind a part time home there.
We try to go every year, but didn't last year because DS was 2 and a bit and we couldn't face flying with him for that long. If we can get the money together we may go in Sept. not the 11th though.
We have been kind of distracted by Canada lately anyway which is closer AND cheaper! Still if we go off season, all we need is the flight cause we have a place to stay.
DH LOVES Italy and would love to have a place there someday if only to offer DS something other than Americana for his whole life. I think being exposed to other cultures really helps. We are hoping Canada can do some of that with the nature part. But Italy is impt to DH and he wants DS to share that.
I don't mind a bit. What a beautiful culture they have. Everything is done well. slow mind you, by our standards, but such beauty....

[CindyC]

Hi! I haven't checked the boards in awhile. The long thread didn't bother me, ha!

Me: Born and raised in the South Bay. Lived in OC for seven years, then met my husband. We moved to Long Beach last year. We are expecting our first baby in July. I plan on bf'ing, co-sleeping, delay vaxes, baby wearing. I hope to work part-time. If I have to go back full-time, my husband will work part-time. I'm a software engineer and my husband is a family therapist intern.

[christinla]

Hi Cindy! Congrats on being pregnant! how's it going so far??

I just reread all the bios on this board and now I have just LOADS of questions and things to talk about with all of you that I just completely forgot on Sunday! :( bummer! I'll have to brings my notes with me next time we meet....

Here are a couple:

Lunarmomma: I meant to ask you all about your BC home. We have friends in Victoria and have been up thereabouts a few times. Been to Whistler a bunch, too.... LOTS of Englishfolk there, no wonder you guys love it so much. SO LOVELY.

MG: I meant to ask you about your acting and your dh's golfing (not that I do either, but sounds v. interesting), and all the places you've lived. Where in TO? And Hawaii...oooooh.

LB: Meant to ask you about your recently published (woohoo!) fiction and movie!

Rubelin: Meant to ask your DH about clarinet...

POM meant to ask about your painting!

crying baby!!!!!
byeeee

[kat]

:)
I'm kat, new mom of Declan. He's 3-1/2 months. Hes getting Vx but one at a time. All BF. We use disposables cause I can only investigate and worry about just so much. I'm eating anything that doesn't make him gassy. Including cookies. We live in the SF valley. Originally from Jersey. (am missing my huge family a lot right now) I've lived here since 92. starting on the westside then we bought house in the valley. Thought the heat would kill me, but it didn't. I love the traffic here. Can make a left turn whenever I want. And there's 2 home depots within 2 miles of me. Anyway.

I'm an artist and writer. I do pet portraits and illustrate. I'm working on getting published in children's books. My DH ( I assume that means partner) in my case husband works at MGM. Way too long to explain his job there. He's a writer also.

This is our first kid. I'm hoping to meet other moms in the area. I've never written on any message board before and have no idea what any of the shortcuts mean. Forgive my ignorance and length of post. My child is finally napping.

P.S. Anybody out there have a solution for the "always leaking kinda explosive poop." I'm always worried to nurse because I have exactly 5 seconds before it erupts from diaper.:eek

[Pom]

Hi Kat! Welcome aboard!

I never posted anything before this too and felt like a total geek and was completely paranoid that all the other moms were freaks -- and not the good kind. But we all just met, everyone is pretty cool afterall.

If you want to catch up -- there's the original LA MOMS? board and then the new one which I think is LA MOMS - MAY 19th or something. That's where all the action is.

But we have another Kat! aka Moongloe. This may get confusing!

There's an intro forum/board on this site that explains all the lingo -- DH is dear husband, DD dear daughter, etc.

I keep thinking about breaking into the kids book world, but it always seems so daunting to me. I've heard some discouraging things...how's it going for you? My dh is also a writer.

Congrats on Declan (love that name)! I know nothing abut the explosive poop, really, except that whenever we had that kind of problem it was either the diaper (Huggies don't work for us) or dd had outgrown her current size, and once we moved up a size, all was well. It did still happen on occaision, but rarely.

We are from the east coast too. Where in Jersey?

[milkgoddess]

I know, I am *way* up here in ghettoville, but I am still in LA county! :eek

I am a SAHM to 2 beautiful girls. My oldest is 4 1/2, and breastfed until her 4th birthday. My younger will be 2 in a week, and is still mostly breastfed.

We co-sleep(all of us), My older was vac'ed until I knew to investigate it more(she had a febrile seizure as a result of one), and my younger is non-vac'ed so far.

We are just starting into the wonderful world of waldorf inpired homeschooling!

We also live co-operativley with another mom and her daughter. We joke, it's kinda like having a wife ( I do have a husband too!:love )

Anyway, that is us, and we are a crazy bunch!

[Pom]

Hooray! More moms!

Welcome, milkgoddess! Moongloe does Waldorf homeschooling too...you guys should talk...

gotta run. baby up. see you on the other boards!

[moongloe]

welcome new mamas!!!!!! join us over at the la thread!

kat...don't you try to steal my name lol. you are now kat2. as for diapers...not much you can do, maybe try a new brand?

milk...oooh we have to chat! i am w.enspired teaching my ds 4yo!!!!

see you on the other thread!
~peace, kat

[milkgoddess]

okay, so I am bord illiterate, but where the heck is the LA thred?:jaw

[kat]

Hey, kat aka moongloe. I'll go by mcd. if it makes it less confusing. Will check out other thread too.

Pom - I'm from cranford. 136 on the parkway. My husband also 137 on the parkway. We met at our 10 year high school reunion. Thank goodness he decided to fly back. He's been in LA since '81. Yes I'm an older mom. Bit of a late bloomer.

Children's publishing is extremely hard to break into. Since I illustrate as well as write. I thnk i have a good shot. I'm hoping with enough perserverence I'll make it. It won't make us rich, but ahh so fulfilling. If you're interested, join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. SCBWI. They are in LA. They try very hard to get their members published. The have a great website. SCBWI.org. check it out.

My son isn't circ. What the heck is a half circ? I thought it was all or none.
We co sleep and love it. I love waking up to my little guys' smile.

Anyone else have a home birth? I did. Long. very long. but lovely in the end it was just me, my hubbie and baby.

[Pom]

Hey Kat/mcd - thanks for the tip. I'll check them out on the web. Dh grew up in NYC and Westchester. I grew up Maine/Boston/ NYC a bit (our mom's lived 4 blocks from eachother and he worked at the Haagen Daz across the street from us!). We thought we were moving back east to NYC last year but my transfer fell through and he got a good gig in Chicago. And somehow, we ended up here. I think most of the LA moms are pretty close in age 30-40 -- so you are right at home! Maybe a couple are younger?

Glad you found the other thread, milkgoodess.... :-) see you there

[lunarmomma]

hello kat/mcd
welcome aboard!! I had a homebirth. it was great. i highly recommend it. come and check out the homebirth forum too and share your insights.
Also, I am 40. In case anyone was wondering!!;)
Looking forward to seeing you 'round these parts!!

[rubelin]

Hey, milkgoddess, my DS will be 2 next week! On wednesday! June babes are the best! (I'm one, too :) ) My FIL lives in Ridgecrest, so we often drive through your "ghetto". Though we try to avoid visiting during the summer, I don't appreciate the oven-like atmosphere :firedevil

OK, off to read other boards! G'nite all!!

[rubelin]

Geez, I forgot to welcome the new Kat :blush duh! Welcome!! I love the name declan, too! The poop explosions are due to bad fitting dipes =) Ben was an air-sucker, and always very airy, so I had to be sure everything was on very snug or blow-outs galore! YUCK! Well, that was a lovely intro, huh? It's late, I promise to think of something more pleasant tomorrow :)

OK, really going now...

[kat]

Hey Lunarmomma, who was your midwife? We shared our birth with Felicia Forrest of Home Birth in Studio city. She was so great. I had a reeeeallly long labor. She kept my husband and me reassured it was all ok.

Any body out there go to Mommy and me stuff in the valley? I haven't found anything out here. Looking to get DS out to meet some kids and me to meet other SAHMs.

katmcd:)

[lunarmomma]

My midwife was/is? Loanna Seibold of Westside Birth Service in Santa Monica. Love her. I did interview Leslie Stewart from the practice you speak of. She was very nice. I didn't think it would be a swell idea for me to be having to commute to the valley for prenatals, etc...
Loanna is about 10 blocks from my house. Very convenient. And, we mesh well. It was a good match. I would use her again should we, if we, might we decide to do it again
:jaw

[christinla]

hey, kat! I meant to write to you ages ago and say that I"M IN THE VALLEY! Hooray for another valley person! What part of the valley are you in? I'm assuming near studio city 'cause that's where your midwife is? I'm in Woodland Hills, way west. I haven't been very social with Mommy & me stuff yet. ALTHOUGH, we went to our first "swim" class today, and it was WAY FUN! DD loved it! yay! Anyway, I'm a SAHM, and I definitely would like to meet up with other moms.

hope to meet you sometime!
c

[Melaniee]

I'm glad to see some people in the Valley, that's not too far from me! :thumb

[mamasiobhan]

hello, LA mamas...

my husband, 21-month old dd Fiona and I are living in Echo Park, but we're looking to move to either Santa Monica (only the east-end is affordable!) or the South Bay (Redondo Beach.)

i work part-time (graphic artist and sick of it!) and my dh is a restaurant manager. we have a babysitter come to watch Fiona 2 mornings a week, but she won't travel as far as the westside or the SB, so i'm wondering if you have any recommendations for part-time childcare? paying a babysitter individually is expensive, so are there any good options for sharing a babysitter with 2 or 3 other mums, or a good preschool?

i heard that Dr. Jay Gordon's office has a good bulletin board in SM...

any opinions on living in SM versus Redondo? we're looking at either... all of our friends live on the westside, and all of my family lives in SB. tough decision!

and what about restaurants in the SB? are there plenty? do any of you work in the restaurant business?

btw... i'm still bf-ing, co-slept until 14 months (when she showed she was ready for her own bed), wore her until a few months ago ("down! down!", she cried), still clother-diapering, and non-vax.

thanks!
siobhan (pronounced "shivahn"... one of those crazy irish names!)

[tuodeggol]

Hi new mamaS

It's confusing but I'm really lilablue- the cookies ate my real username and I have to use this one now.
Anyway - I'm on the Westside and looking to do childcare while I stay with my
4 month old daughter - who is wonderful.

Lemme know if you'd like to chat. Unfortunately, you'd have to pm
my buddy LisanAaron and she can forward your email addres to me.

Good luck with your move!

[rubelin]

Siobhan, (love that name, btw, I love most crazy Irish/Celtic names :) ) I grew up more towards the South Bay (lived in Inglewood, church in Hawthorne, Comm. College in Torrance, etc) and there are a TON of restaurants down there, just depends on what he's looking for. I do love the westside and it's more alternative culture, but the SB definately has a lot of good points; cheaper, lots of nice parks, good neighborhoods, cheaper (did I mention it's cheaper than SM?? LOL!) Anyway, Lilablue (or rather, loggedout) would be a great babysitting choice, and we're also putting together a babysitting swap list. Join us on the LA Moms thread and you might get some more ideas =)

See you around!

[Pom]

Hi mamaS - Welcome!

I just moved here so can offer you no advice on where to live or what's in the hood...but I can tell you, this is a great bunch of mammas and they are sure to have some answers for you (as they did for me!)!

Although not in the restaurant biz, I did wait tables for 10 yrs...does that count? ;)

Come on by the June 7th thread when you get a chance....!

[moongloe]

hi!! it is great to meet you!

yes please join us at our daily la threads. i have no input on the sb vs sm debate..other than selfishly...i live closer to sm.
i second the vouch for loggedout/lilab for childcare.
looking fwd to meeting you.
~peace, kat

[Cassie]

Hello,
How exciting to find this message board! I am very much wanting to meet other AP moms in the area.

I am SAHM (Well, I work 2 evenings a week teaching ESL to adults) to Peyton, 10 months old. I taught 4th grade before he was born. I was born and raised in New Hampshire (miss New England very much!) and have lived in Southern CA for 5 years. I continue to appreciate the beautiful weather here, but can't stand the traffic! I LOVE being a mommy. We co-sleep.....We didn't intend to, Peyton has a brand new crib in his room that he has NEVER slept in, we actually never even heard of AP until I read Dr. Sears books and then it seemed so much in tune with how we wanted to parent. I have just finished reading Jan Hunt's book, "Parenting from the Heart" and liked it very much. Anyways, we co-sleep and love it, Peyton is BF and also eating solids like crazy, he is vac'd, but we are delaying the MMR. He loves his sling and is just the happiest, laid back child I've even seen. He is such a joy. I have just started looking into preschools in the area (just info. gathering at this point obviously since Peyton is still very young) and am not crazy about anything in my city, so I'm looking into a co-op preschool in the valley and also a Waldorf school there.

I look forward to getting to know you all.

:D
Cassie

[christinla]

Hi Cassie! Another mommy near me!! yay!! I'm in Woodland Hills (way west valley -- very near Calabasas)

All you said sounds very similar to me -- also from the east coast, and we sorta discovered "AP" as the name for what we were already discovering felt right for us. Also a lovely crib that holds toys and nothing else.... :)

I'm very curious about what you've found with that co-op preschool and the Waldorf School....I haven't actually looked yet.

Please check out the LA threads (I think it's called June 7th now) and join in. REALLY great mommies. And we'll be getting together again soon....most everyone else lives in West LA/Palms area. Worth the commute -- met everyone back over Memorial Day weekend and it was so nice.

Hope to meet you soon! Especially since we're so close....
c

[Pom]

Hi Cassie - Welcome!

I grew up in Cape Elizabeth, ME...where in NH were you? Didn't appreciate it until I grew up -- and out . Now can't wait to get back for visits...next one in August for dd's first birthday ...same age as Peyton, yes?

Check out our chatty selves on the other board when you get a chance...

[Cassie]

Christinla - Thanks for the welcome. You're very close to me. Peyton was actually born at Kaiser in Woodland Hills.

The Co-op preschool - http://ccppns.org/san_fernan.html

The Waldorf School doesn't have a website that I know of, but it's called Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge.

I will go and check out the other thread that you mentioned.

Pom - Thanks for your welcome too. When is your DD's b-day?

I am from Deerfield, NH (A VERY small town 30 minutes from Portsmouth, Concord and Manchester). I grew up in Eliot, Maine (Next to Kittery) until I was 5 years old and my grandmother still lives there.

I am going to Wells Beach, ME in July for a family vacation. (And going to my 10th High School reunion..yikes) Peyton will be almost year then.

Too bad we'll miss you in Maine, you're going in August?

Cassie

[Pom]

Hi Cassie -

DD's bday is August 7th. Peyton's??

Yeah, we'll be in Cape early August.

You're so brave -- I blew off our hs reunion due to sheer fear, I think. Didn't have much to "show" for the time out of school, and was still in touch with the few people I had things in common with (you probably know Cape's reputation???) ;)

[Cassie]

Pom,

Peyton's b-day is Aug. 7th too. (do do do do, do do do do...that's Twlight Zone music if you couldn't tell!) .:eek :eek

He was born at 9:07am.

I don't know about Cape's E's rep...what is it like there? Snobby?

BTW, what's your DD name?

Cassie

[Pom]

10:30 PM Lil Sophia said hello to the world!

Yeah, kinda snobby. Very preppy. I was gonna say more, but think I'll spare you my social misfit childhood memories! ;)

[rubelin]

Cassie, Welcome! My 2nd cousins went to the Northridge Waldorf school (actually one still does, she graduates in a couple years) they love/d it, commute form Glendale! My parents are East Coast transplants, but I am very california =) See you on the other thread!

[SuzyQ]

I'm 32, born and raised in O.C. Now living in West Hollywood -- love it here. My ds was born last Sept -- his name is Zeke.

I lived in San Francisco and Davis for several years before returning to L.A.

I was a preschool teacher and clinical social worker before ds arrived. Not sure when I'll be returning -- or to which career.

:rolleyes:

Currently a SAHM. Married 3.5 years now, together for 10.
Really enjoying being with ds and can't imagine being without him for a second right now -- although really do miss working outside the home.

Exclusively bfing (but ds enjoys tastes of almost everything), non-vax, circ'd, interfaith couple, clothdiping, sewing my own dipes for my little guy, babywearing mama.

[Pom]

Welcome back, SuzyQ!

I thought we'd scared you away after the park day, LOL. Glad to see it wasn't so. DD thought zeke was awfully cute. :)

[mary ann]

how nice to see all you groovy LA women!! :D

as for me, i have a 9 week old dd--planned a natural birth but ended up in the hospital and am still feeling a bit bitter about the whole thing... but dd is adorable and sweet so that's all that counts! and i keep saying to myself, at least i didn't have a c-section!

i've been veggie for about 15 years--used to be heavily into animal rights when i was in undergrad but am pretty mellow about things now... i even have a few pairs of leather shoes now--shame on me! :eek

i work for a scholarship program and am going back to work in a few weeks... i've been on maternity leave since may 1st. feeling weird about leaving dd but her caregiver is WONDERFUL so she will be in good hands.

am happily married to my groovy dh--we've been together for almost 9 years.

oh yeah, i live in west LA.

[baesyl]

Wow! I am so excited to find this place. don't know why I didn't do this before!

I am a married mom with 2 wonderful small people. My water broke one month early both times and both my girls spent 9 days in the NICU.
Erin Danae was a water birth birthing center babe and she is not 2 years and 5 months old. Morgan Elisabeth, born 4-5-02 was born in a hospital and was finally extracted via c-section. the icky news was the c section. the good news is that now I can finally compare for people when they ask me " How is that water birth thing?" and am I happy to discuss it!

I live in the west SFV ( hi to those who live nearby too!) and we are a low key household. I eat chicken and pork, especially when pregnant or BFing. I do supplement ( with formula for lack on data about other ways) because I just don't seem to make enough milk ( I have been a full time pumper both times now pretty much and there's a lot more to that story!) We do vaccinate, we do AP, we believe in positive discipline and all that good stuff. Haven't needed to discuss circumsion.

Oh- I work at CSU Northridge getting students out helping people in the community and my Dh is the primary caretaker for our little people and is a WAHD writer.

Nikki
Mom to Erin(2-8-00) and Morgan (4-5-02)

[moongloe]

baesyl.....welcome to the group! head on over to the most recent la moms thread! i look forward to getting to know you!

suzyq...glad to see you didn't vanish!

~peace, kat

[Pom]

Hi Baesyl -

Ah...our other Valley women will be thrilled to have company, I am sure! See you on the other thread!

MA - I didn't know you were going back to work...we need to chat...

[christinla]

hello fellow Valley dweller! I'll do my chatting on the other thread....

Hi SuzyQ! We've missed you!

[Cygnet09]

I've been lurking here (and on the LA moms thread) for awhile but haven't posted yet because no one seems to live out this way! :crying

Anyway, I'm Alis (pronounced "Alise" not "Alice") and DH and I have lived in Pasadena off and on for about 8 years. I was born and raised in San Diego, came up here so that my mom could apprentice for my aunt and uncle (music editing) and we've been here ever since!

DD is 25 months and our next baby is due in December. We co-sleep (Anna is now on a futon right up against our bed due to her habit of sleeping sideways!) and expect to continue once baby is here. Anna nurses 3 to 6 times a day, although I nightweaned her a few months ago because of tender nipples - it went really well. We use CDs and selectively vax. Anna was born at home and this next one will be as well.

No industry types here! :D I have a BS in Biology and DH is a vet - he is now doing vet acupuncture once a week in addition to working at an emergency clinic 4 nights a week. So he is home almost every day - which is wonderful - but hopes to decrease his e-clinic time as his acupuncture biz picks up. I got PG in my last quarter at Cal Poly Pomona so have not yet "officially" used my degree. I'm a SAHM now and want to go back to school for either an MS in Bio or perhaps get a second degree in something else.

This sounds really boring compared to all you artists out there! :o

[baesyl]

Hey

I have a friend in Pasadena about ready to have her babe and I am trying to get her on here, so that would be one and I thought I saw another in that area roaming around someplace. I'm new here, so I've been tooling around to see what's up.

As for "not as exciting" I think most of the women here think vets are cool and science is cool. There are a billion ways to be interesting.

PS We are travelling to Pas quite a bit and we can certianly meet somewhere middle ish too. From waht I can tell, there are several valley families here and well, if you live in the valley you are accostomed to travelling b/c the Valley is not the hotspot.

Anyhoo....


Get on over to the LA Moms thread!

Nikki
mom to Erin Danae (also 2, almost a half) and
Morgan Elisabeth 3 months

[moongloe]

alis~

welcome to our group! please join us at our la thread. i look forward to getting to know you and your wee one.

~peace, kat

[Pom]

Hi Alis!

What could possibly be cooler than vet accupuncture? God I love California! Welcome! It's great to have another mom of 2 around. I have not been to Pasadena but when dh was here scoping places to live he was up there and taped it for me and I fell in love. It looks beautiful!

Anyway, hope we get a chance to see you some, and chat a bunch.

See you on the other thread....

Pom

[Pom]

What are CDs in reference to vaxing?

[christinla]

Welcome Alis!

I used to live in Pasadena for a few years not so long ago -- and I miss it very much! I'd love an excuse to get out there and hang out!

Hope to meet you soon, and see you on the other thread!
c

[lunarmomma]

er pom, I think CD's in this case refer to cloth dipes, am I wrong??
i was thinking compact discs, certificates of deposit,,,, then I got it. I think.:D

[Pom]

aaaaahhhhh. Thanks!

[Cygnet09]

Thanks for the welcome!

Sorry about the CD acronym, Pom! I can't even multi-task very well - you'd think by now I'd know to keep my sentences multi-subject free! :o We do love Pasadena - lots of trees and parks, relatively friendly people and lots to do.

Baesyl and Christin - We actually lived in the valley when we first moved up here and the drive out that way is fine - traffic-willing. I'd love to meet halfway or even out here at Huntington Gardens or the Norton Simon.

OK, off to the other thread....

[MerikaR]

wow, who knew there was an intro thread?? I guess everyone but me (ha ha)!

I'm in Hollywood, ds born feb 2002, ebf, noncirc, nonvax so far, homebirthed (also with Felicia!), to be homeschooled, and ec'd. (see how good i'm getting with these wacky web abbreviations?). Married for 6 years to animator/web developer/game developer (somehow they all overlap).

I'm a SAHM mostly and professional belly dancer (yes we do exist) and teach a yummy prenatal belly dance/yoga class and am just starting back teaching regular belly dance next week. Yikes! Where does the time go?

Also, vegetarian, have 2 cats (carnivorous) and have been in LA for 6 years. Grew up in Chicago, moved around, blah blah blah.

Now that I've finally :) found this thread, maybe I'll be able to sort out who is who!

Merika

[baesyl]

Fair- as a newbie here....

I have read back into the recent history of this group and I can see where some things went not so well.

I guess the way I see it is that cliques exist in social circles, often dispite ourselves ( the Valley folk can get separated from the non-vallers, etc.) and that's an aspect of life. It's also easy for personalities to get away from us and for women with babies and hormones and stress and lack of sleep to get a little hot under the collar.

It is so easy when you are on boards to get misunderstood. Words are so loaded when written and sent and often we hit that SENT button just a tad earlier than we might if we just sat on our emotions and let them brew.

There seem to be a lot of different people here from different backgrounds and that intimidates me for sure, but it is to be expected. I don't know that people will think my house is clean enough or my kids polite enough or whatever. But, you know what, I don't really care so much. I am who I am and I don't like everyone and I don't need them to like me.

I hope that I can lead my actions with dignity and integrity and solid ethics when it comes to others and I hope others do the same. If ever I got POed at someone here or any social group, I would try to resolve it and find common ground and I hope they would do the same. I am under the impression that we are all adults here and have the ability to work our S$%@ out. If I find myself at an impass with another here, I think I would call it an agreement to disagree and move on. There are certianly other people here, lurkers and posters alike who probably are a great match.

That said, I hope you can find peace with whatever happened to you here. I gather you feel really bad about the way some things went down and I feel badly for you in that regard.

Bright blessings

Nikki

[Pom]

Hey Merika -

We just moved from Chicago (12 yrs there)...we'll have to see what /where we might have in common....

Welcome!

Alis - no worries about the CD -- I am just getting the hang of all this AP web lingo...good education!

Baesyl - I was so nervous about this online chat stuff -- you shouldve seen me before we met the first time -- I was a wreck! But everyone seems pretty cool and non jusdgemental and just really happy to be meeting some nice new moms with babes.

peace!

[Mamawolf]

Lunarmomma-
Louana was my midwife too! I gave birth 1/13/01, at home in Culver City, to my sunshine, Zoe Blue. My husband and I are talking about having another babe soon and although I had a wonderful birthing expereince with Louana, I have heard such fabulous things about Shelly Gerard as well and was thinking about interviewing her for the next one. (She was going to be in India for Zoe's birth and so I never interviewd her). Do you know anyone who used Shelly?

Pom,
How are you enjoying LA? What type of business consulting do you do? My husband is a corporate communications consultant for a small firm in Woodland Hills. I am a SAHM after leaving my work as a clinical art therapist - someday I'll go back to it. I enjoy painting as well but just cant find the time and space... We are also a vegetarian family, homebirth, co-sleep, EBF, (still nursing), sling, etc...
Anyhow, I just wanted to say 'hi' as it seems we may have a lot in common.

Best wishes...

[lunarmomma]

hey mamawolf!
Were you at the Westside Birth Service reunion at Clover Park a few months ago?? I forget which month now!! May or June? I went, but didn't stay long... was busy chasing my DS all over the place. Hard to sit and chat!
I know several people who have used Shelly and love her. I didn't interview her. It seemed her case load was huge and i didn't want to be in competition!!
I love Louana and would have another with her without a doubt!!
Welcome aboard here!!
Check out the LA moms July 30th thread, it is where we do much of our yakking!!
Congrats on your baby! (toddler, I should say??)

[Mamawolf]

Hi Lunarmama,
No, I have missed the park gathering two years in a row now. :( Maybe next year we'll make it. I really liked Louana too and I trust her endlessly. More importantly, she supported me in trusting myself. I actually submitted a manuscript to Mothering about the birth. I have not heard anything about it yet...

Does the future hold any more home birthed babies for you?

I'll check out the LA thread - thanks.

Best wishes.

[moongloe]

mamawolf~

welcome to our group! i'm looking forward to getting to know you. join us at the la thread.

~peace, kat

[rubelin]

Mamawolf, welcome and yes, please come join the new thread! I'd love to hear more about HB, it's my favorite option for our next, and I'm starting to glean info about practitioners in the area :)

[Myethpio]

It's been a while since I posted, so I thought I'd do a re-intro right here. :)
I've been married to my DH for 5 yrs now. We have a 3 yr old daughter, and another girl due the end of October. We are living over in the Pasadena area, a bit further off from most of you!
We do the family bed-thing and still plan to when the new one arrives (although how we will all fit, I'm not quite sure), and I nursed up until my DD decided to wean herself on her own about 2 months ago. I was ready to tandem nurse, too, but at the same time it was getting expremely painful and has been a lot easier now that she is ready to move on. I still do miss it quite a bit.
I can't wait to meet you all... are any of you nearby?

Best wishes!

[gabesmama]

Hey Mamas,

I have a 1 yr. old ds. I have lived in LA for 5 years. DH and I are both transplants from Detroit. I am a SAHM, BF (although ds is biting all the time) and cosleeping. I am a vegetarian, and did prenatal yoga at Golden Bridge.

I also looked into the Highland Hall Waldorf school. I am looking forward to starting the Mommy and Me classes there when DS is 18 months. I would love to meet other natural valley mamas.


~Lori

[baesyl]

Hey, in my couple weeks here, no I get to say some more welcomes! Weird.

Gabesmama! Go Valley women and babies! We are growing in our numbers here yyiiipppeee. I worked at HH many years ago and I enjoy the school a lot. NOt sure I can cough up that much for school, but I am sure thinking about it. I am heavily exploring co-op schools currently, especially for pre-school.

Myethpio-YOu're the second pregnant with second child Pasadena person here! I think Alis will be excited and I think I've been other Pasadena people here as well. I like Pasadena and am willing to go there or near there.

Mamawolf your HB experiences sound great. I guess one of these threads we should all do birth stories. Did you say you DH works in Woodland Hills?

[gabesmama]

Baesyl,

Hi there! Thanks for the warm welcome. I would love to hear about HH from you. I got the brochure and I am very impressed.

~Lori

[moongloe]

hi gabesmama!!! welcome to our group. please join us over at the daily la mama thread!
~peace, kat

[Pom]

Hey Gabesmama - I have a 1 yr old dd, too -- how exciting! We almost moved to N Hollywood, but ended up in West La...have to say I love it so far!

Hi Mamawolf - Thanks for asking : I work for a business and technology consulting firm - used to be on the delivery side, but since dd I have switched to internal -- I work in the marketing dept now - much more happily (all that travel and stress -- ick). Not much painting going on these days, and I am currently on vacation -- my parent's house, is of course, a damn museum of my stuff and they are all so sweet -- keep asking "are you painting? they're so lovely...you should...etc etc". SIGH!! One day...one day!!

I look forward to meeting you all -- and you too mythepio -- soon!

[miamommy]

Hi, I am new here in many ways! My name is Raina and I have an almost 3 yo named Emilia. I am a student, soon to be law student at Southwestern, I was supposed to go to law school in OC, but last minute got accepted into Southwestern, so I have about 4 days to become an LA girl, I live in Santa Barbara right now.

I still nurse, co-sleep, nonvax me and my DD, veggie but not very vegan, sometimes organic, used daycare since she turned 2 out of sheer neccessity...

I am consumed with apartment hunting as no one wants to rent to a poor law student with a kid - so I have no idea where I will be living, but I guess either west LA or Santa monica (miracle willing). Anyway, I look forward to meeting you guys!!!

[Pom]

Hi Miamommy! Somehow I never saw your post....have you found a place alright? Has school started? Is LA workign out for you? You can find the rest of us over on the LA Moms thread -- http://mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&postid=223409#post223409 If you have time -- come say hello!

[piranhabb]

I'm very new here.... diving in!

My son Cameron is 15 months old- we en with an SNS (due to breast reduction surgery). We have selectively vaxed (no varicella or prevnar so far) with our ped's blessing. We have a family (and kitty) bed.

Cam was born c-section, giant melon of a head, though if I'd known more about the "birthin' babies" process, I could have done it myself, I'm sure. I'll try for a vbac next time.

We live in WLA (near the trader joe's on National.) I work in Inglewood as a teacher/technology coordinator.

[rubelin]

Hi Lisa!! Well, you live near a lot of us! We're just a bit south of that Trader Joes on the other side of Palms! Where in Inglewood do you work?? I grew up in North Inglewood and my parent's are still there. Mom worked for the Rec dept for 20 years teaching pre-school at Darby Park and I spent summers working at the Centinela Pool :) Oh and my son is also a giant melon of a head ;) Please join us over on our recent thread http://mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21675

G'nite!!

[Pom]

Hi Lisa (neighbor!) - welcome!

I just realized our dd has had most those PRevnar shots and I'm a bit peeved (to say the least) cuz I feel like they were "snuck" in. I thought she had not been getting them. UGH. But our new doc here in LA is very cool and I will be more diligent moving forward!

We havea kitty bed, too. :)

[piranhabb]

that sucks about the prevnar.... my ped actually recommended that we don't do the prevnar and varicella... when we were interviewing him (in a group session) he was asked, not by me, about vaccinations. He told us that "if we asked him the right way" he could give his real opinion rather than the AAP party line. So, now I ask, "Would you give this vax (or whatever kind of treatment) to your children?" He can then reply with all honesty... He said no to the prevnar because it's for a disease that's not prevalent and because it's a new vax and the long term effects are unknown. The chix pox he said that he would rather have his child contract chix pox than give the vaccine.

[christinla]

hi!

Lisa -- who's your dr? (if I may ask.....?)

Gotta go now, but I'll talk to y'all soon!
c

[piranhabb]

Cam's ped is Jeff Wasson at 10th Street Pediatrics in Santa Monica. We usually see Kittie Frantz their LC/RN for all but well baby checkups.

[Melaniee]

You wouldn't be RW fans by any chance, would you?

Also, can you tell me more about the Highland Hall Mommy & Me? That's so exciting! A leader of one of our parenting classes sent her children there, so we've been talking about it lately. I'm not in the Valley, but close.

[baesyl]

Hey Mommas!

Go on over to the "current" La moms thread! This is our "intro-y" place and that's cool, but we gotta get some action over on the current threads too! And we've not heard too much from the newer mommies anyway!

On HH- The school has been doing outreach at local fairs, including the Northridge Mall Famrer's MArket. It is interesting. I worked there 10 (!) years ago and it was a cool place then and I meet students at the U where I work who went there more recently. Good buzz.

On the school issue though... there are several Charter schools locally with good buzz as well.
And those are free if you can get in.

[jacksmom]

Hello all! I put in a quick intro over on the other L.A. moms thread, but was just refered here to do it officially!
I am a 30-year-old newly single mom to a 2-year-old named Jack. I grew up in Downey, went to college in Berkeley, lived in Ghana for a year and a half, and Ecuador for 6 months, and am now here in Long Beach, but hoping to move up to the Pacific Northwest at some point. I worked in a psych hospital before I had my son, but left the social work thing to do birth work. I am now a doula, Bradley teacher, nanny to a couple whom I was a doula for, and a tutor to high school kids who are taking the SAT. I'm also going to community college part-time completing pre-req's for midwife school and completing a photography program. (WHEW) I am attempting to keep my ds out of childcare for a while longer, which is why I'm balencing so many part-time jobs instead of a full-time one, and have managed so far, but am miserably broke since my husband and I separated.
My beautiful little boy is still breastfed, AP raised, selectively vax'd, un-circ'd, midwife-birthed (birth center in Hollywood) and was cloth diapered until the separation, at which point I had to choose to make certain things in life easier on myself for my own sanity! He is the most amazing person, creature, thing, etc., that I have ever had in my life and makes everything worthwhile.
It's nice to "meet" you all!
Karen

[Angelina]

Hello. I'm Angelina, have two daughters Ayana almost 3 and Anya, 1 and a hubby that travels a lot. I am obsessed with Waldorf toys and play things and am starting a Sudbury school with a group of moms and grandmoms. I live in the southbay, but we're looking up towards the Triunfo Canyon area for school location- it's SO beautiful up there- horses, land, gardens. We are looking for a location that all of us wouldn't mind moving to ourselves since our kids will be going there for 12 years! My midwife was Shelly Girard and I lOVE her!! I was a doula before having my own and did prenatal classes at the Golden Bridge and took 1st born to Waguru Khalsa for chiropractic adjustments as a newborn- he's SO gentle- really recommend. We selectively vaccinate and have been carnivores since I got pregnant! I think it's important to listen to your body. The thought of meat made me want to barf for 15 years until I got pregnant! Where's the beef has been my motto ever since!! not really, but I do eat it now. Glad to meet all of you! I'm actually looking for a Waldorf-esque playgroup for the preschool years- I'll check out the main thread.

[Pom]

Welcome Angelina! Come see us on the main thread! And tell us (me) what a Sudbury school is! :)

[swngrrl]

Hi all,

I feel like I've already been pre-introduced. Baesyl has been encouraging me to get on the board for months now. Well, here I finally am, thanks to my DH's new work laptop that let's me hang with my sleeping DS and read up.

So, I'm the friend B's mentioned in a few of her posts. (I live in Pasadena and my FIL sells books on eBay,) My DS was born this past August at home with the assistance of Connie Rock and Tai Carson of the Hollywood Birthcenter. And I would recommend them highly. We're BF, CD, AP, co-sleeping, have done first round of vax and questioning continuing, babywearing, pagan - what am I missing? I'm a SAHM until Feb, when I'm supposed to return to work. I'm hoping to become a WAHM then, and reduce my status to PT. Going to do a week at home next month and hope it goes well.

I've been reading the bb's this past week and have just discovered EC. And I'm definitely intrigued. Thinking about giving it a shot.

Looking forward to meeting y'all soon! Pasadena locals, please feel free to drop me a PM - would love to chat!

Saille
:grouphug

[Tracy]

Finally, poking my head up on this thread.

I'm a mom in Hancock Park area of town. I used to live on Rossmore in one of those big ol' glorious 20's apartment building. I lived there for nine years.Then we had our son in July of '01 and we got scared living on the 5th floor with low windows.
And a very active son. Yeesh.

We quickly moved to Park La Brea to a townhouse. Having lived in LA for twenty years I was at first kind of like , "I give up, we're in Park La Brea." But very quickly I realized how great it is. We walk everywhere and have so much to choose from, The Grove, The LA county ARt museum, walk to the post office next door to Erewon, the market, Ralphs and Whole Foods. It really is perfect for us.

My ds is a beautiful, loving boy. Cancer, Moon in Aries, Sag Rising, for those who care. He is unvaxed but circ. It was a hospital birth and induced due to my gestational diabetes :(
but he came out relatively unscathed and he was a vaginal birth which if you know anything about Cedars is almost rare. Well, I might speak in hyperbole.
Anyway, my friends turned me on to the Mothering Magazine the year before ds was born and I'm forever grateful.

I'm a very native californian, mother's father's family been here since Father Serra. Not kidding. But I have lived in NY and would love to live there again, if I had tons, let me repeat, tons of dough.

Of which I don't now.

I'm a writer most of the time but I just started doing some other work just to get my feet wet again. I took a break from outside work for the last two years. I think we know why......

hi.

[lunarmomma]

Welcome, trabot!!
I think your other post was on a thread we have already left behiind... Try again on the LA moms- December and you may have more response!!!
I go up to your neck of the woods once a week to Golden Bridge for yoga... then to Erewhon and the Grove if I have time. It is very centrally located, but feels too impacted up there for me. the traffic sucks!!.
I am a native, valley girl. gasp... now a longtime convert to the Westside. Santa monica. I need the air out this way.
Congrats on a vag birth at Cedars, that IS indeed a rarity!! They don't call it "Cesars" for nothing:p
Anyway welcome along and look for the December thread... when that gets too long it'll switch to a new one. If you enable your edit options to email you when another post has been made on a thread you have written on, you'll be able to keep up!!
Take care,
Laura