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What brings you JOY?

No matter how tiny, we’d love to hear it! Is it that first sip of coffee in the morning? The tiny breaths of a baby sleeping on your chest? A solo Target trip?

Sometimes as a caregiver, we get so caught up in making everyone else happy that we forget to take care of ourselves, too. How does that saying go?
“You can’t pour from an empty cup”
Well, it is true.
Sometimes all we need is to take a step back, breathe and focus on one calming, joy-filled moment just for ourselves.
Now, that moment is not going to look the same for everyone.
For some, that moment may even be at midnight when the entire house is silent: a hot, essential oil filled bath without interruption.
For others, that could be driving to school pick up with the radio blasting and the windows down.
A joyful moment, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend money, either.
Relish in the leaves changing color, splashing in the puddles, taking one extra moment to lay in bed before the kids jump on you, choosing the comfy clothes…

Whatever it may be, please try to challenge yourself this week to find the joy in the chaotic.
Get back to us and tell us what you did! <3

Love,

The PAXmoms

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*happy babywearing*

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Sense of humor

My husband and I have heard every “joke” in the book about the size of our family, and the only purpose that the negative comments serve is to reinforce why our world needs gentle refocusing on what’s truly important. Do we know what causes this? Yes, shall I explain it to you? Do we own a TV? Yes, although we rarely watch it. Do we plan on having more children? Yes, God willing! Are we millionaires to afford our family? No, we live frugally within our means. How will we send each child to college? We don’t plan to, but each child may choose to attend continuing education classes if they so desire. How do we do it? Juggling, it’s ALL about the juggling! 

The post Big family chat appeared first on PAXbaby.

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A very happy birthday to PAXdaddy Aaron!!
Thank you for EVERYTHING you do!!
Love,

The PAXmommies

paxbaby

*happy babywearing*

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The post Happy Birthday, PAXdaddy!! appeared first on PAXbaby.

“Sing with me, sing for the year

Sing for the laughter and sing for the tear

Sing with me, It’s just for today”

– Aerosmith

DREAM ON!!

PAXbaby’s newest exclusive handwoven Girasol is a dark herringbone rainbow, reminding us of the new adventure dawning tomorrow and to enjoy & to cherish each day as it comes! Parenting is the hardest challenge I know, but to be able to say at the end of the day that you survived another tough 24 hours is also the most rewarding experience I know! Keep your chin up, and keep on singing… DREAM ON!!!

100% cotton

handwoven in Guatemala

You can get this beauty at 12:00pm NOON, PST on Friday, January 9th.

http://shop.paxbaby.com/girasol-dream-on-exclusive-woven-wrap/

paxbaby

*happy babywearing*

paxbaby

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The PAXmommies are homebirthing, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, natural mommies!!!

Some of us started out “crunchy”, and some of us grew into our “crunchiness” along the way and a few babies later.

Parenting is not always a cake walk and sometimes it seems like no matter what you do, someone has something to say.

Just like you, we have had ups and downs, struggles, triumphs, and many highs and lows along the way.

Today, we’d like to ask, which of your parenting choices have your family and friends made more difficult for you?

Amber necklaces?

Babywearing?

Extended breastfeeding?

The number of children you have?

Extended rear facing carseats?

Homeschooling?

All of the above?

PAXbaby.com is here to support you, and say WAY TO GO if you need a (((hug)))!

paxbaby

*happy babywearing*

paxbaby

The post PAXmommies and parenting choices appeared first on PAXbaby.

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Thanks to Documenting Delight for the adorable daddy babywearing pic!

Being a parent is HARD work.

But it also is so, so, so rewarding.

What could be better than your babe’s sweet sighs as they nap peacefully on your chest?

Some days however, when there are toys everywhere, dirty laundry waiting to be folded, dishes on the counter and my coffee has been re-heated three times and is still more than halfway full I look at my kids and think…

When did this all happen!??

How has your life changed since having kids?

Fill in the blank below:

paxbaby

You know you’re a parent when ______________!!!

*happy babywearing*

The post You Know You’re A Parent When… appeared first on PAXbaby.

I’m a black thumb when it comes to gardening, I am not much of a cook, and I can’t sew a straight line worth beans.  But give me a (relatively) simple recipe to bake, and I can pull it off with (relative) success!  The only thing is, I have to be able to make the recipe while wearing the baby!  Otherwise, he ends up on the table, getting flour in his hair, and no one, not even his grandma, wants to eat a treat that he has had his paws in!

So, when I found this pretzel recipe, I decided to give it a whirl with the kids, and it was an instantaneous hit!  By the time the big daddy got home from his errands, every last pretzel had disappeared into our growly tummies!  I made a few amendments, and developed a treat version also, perfect for Valentine’s Day!  We’ve made this recipe almost weekly even while traveling through Australia, it is THAT easy!  Keep in mind, this recipe doesn’t make traditional Bavarian pretzels, but kid friendly, delicious doughy pretzels that you can make in batches for special occasions, school parties, and just for your own family’s enjoyment! 

PAXpretzels – will make 8 large or 10-12 small pretzels

1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp cinnamon (less or more depending on your love for cinnamon)
1 cup warm milk (1 minute zapped in the microwave)
2 1/2 – 3 cups all-purpose flour (add more if the dough is still wet)

• Preheat to 425 degrees & set a pot of water to boil.
• Combine & mix the first 4 ingredients.
• Start adding in 2 cups of flour, and add more slowly while stirring (beware the white poof if you add the flour too quickly!)
• You’re looking for your dough to go from a thick batter to a bread like dough that you can hand knead.
• Spread a handful of flour on your clean (no children’s tongues have licked it, please!) surface, and hand knead your dough for 5-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth & satiny.
• Cut the dough into even pieces and roll into short snakes.  Let the dough relax for 10 minutes, and stretch the snakes longer.  Shape into pretzels, roll into cinnamon roll shapes, or pinch the middle and curl the sides around into hearts.
• Boil each pretzel for 5 seconds and place on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle each PAXpretzel with a cinnamon sugar blend.
• Bake for 8-15 minutes depending on the size of the pretzel! Eat as soon as you can without burning your tongue!

All done, mama!

Aren’t they BEE-You-T-FULL???

A yummy heart just for my little love!

I wanted to be a mommy my whole life. I wanted a baby. I want to feed a baby and clothe a baby and change diapers and rock a baby to sleep. I loved to soothe crying babies and cuddle babies and kiss baby cheeks. I baby sat, had 30 cabbage patch dolls, tried to surround myself with babies every moment I got!

I knew a mother’s love for her child was like no other I heard the moms say “I never knew love until I had my baby”. I wanted that love. I saw babies only want their mommies when they were scared or sad or even just happy. I wanted a baby to want me.

I loved my baby like that the second I knew he was there. I felt that connection from the first fleeting thought of curls, rosy cheeks, and smiles. I knew what I would have with my baby would be extraordinary!

Sure enough, I had Austin. I loved him exactly like I knew I would. People asked me “did you ever imagine you would love someone so much?” I just smiled and shook my head each time, but honestly, I thought the answer “yes,” every time. I knew how I would love him. I knew he’d be irresistible to me. I knew that huge vacant space in my heart would fill, and be overflowing, with this indescribable feeling for my baby.

The moment I heard his cry in that OR Thanksgiving morning, not knowing if it would be there or not, put all of the pieces of my life together. There was that baby, healthy and here, ready for me to love with every ounce of love I already had for him, have for him, and okay, probably a little extra that I couldn’t imagine I’d have!

Motherhood makes me so happy. I love it. I love knowing the different cries he makes & knowing exactly how to fix it. I love knowing exactly where to tickle him so that he smiles and squirms. I love knowing that when he’s sucking on his pacy & his eyes get really big, it means he’s hungry & wishing it wasn’t a pacy at all. I love knowing that he likes to copy me when I stick out my tongue or make AAAH sounds. I love knowing the perfect combination of swaddle, sleepy, and music makes him comfy & dreammy in his bassinet, but that he’d really rather cuddle with me. I love his exasperation when I text on my blackberry instead if singing his favorite song, which I love knowing is Father Abraham. I love weighing him every week and seeing him grow before my eyes with nourishment that only I can provide him. I love that “nom nom nom” sound he makes when he’s nursing. I love noticing when he does new things, like noticing his mobile for the very first time. I love that he looks like me. I love when he makes new noises. I love that I know exactly where to pinch his cheeks to make him giggle. I love when he squeals because he’s so excited. I love when he pees on me, even though it’s gross, it’s so so funny. I love showing him off to my friends and family. I love knowing they love him too. I love that I forgot my birthday because I was so wrapped up in him. I love taking hundreds of pictures of him & I love looking at them over and over again. I love that my instincts know exactly what to do. I love when I look over at him and he’s just gazing at me smiling. I love that my heart melts & my eyes well up every time I remember that memory. I love that I feel this way about him.

I love being his mommy. It’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever done in my life.

The post Love Day 1: Babies & Homemade Pretzels appeared first on PAXbaby.