cute, originally uploaded by dfb.

Casimir is a big, healthy boy who weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces (4.45 kg) and measured 22.5 inches long at birth. The midwife and her senior assistant (a doula for 25 years) both say he is the biggest baby they have delivered at home to date. Casimir (pronounced KAH-zi-meer) is a classical Slavic name that means “to bring peace” or “keeper of peace.”

Mommy is recovering and doing well. Casimir also is adjusting well to life outside of the womb. Like most new parents, we’re learning hands-on how to care for a newborn.

note to family and friends: ask for the password for protected posts and I’ll give it to you.

Fluffy Mail, originally uploaded by dfb.

I haven’t made much of this, mostly because I was busy studying and then getting ready for Sprout, but we’re one of many couples who are choosing to use cloth diapers. We made this choice for a number of reasons, most notably: 1) we are trying to limit the number of chemicals (including plastics) in our home; 2) we are trying to limit our landfill waste (it fits the reduce, reuse, and recycle theme); and 3) I have long railed against synthetic clothes so using cotton diapers a simple choice over disposable synthetics. There are downsides of course such as the extra work, washing, up front costs, bulkiness, and soppiness of cloth on our kid’s skin.

I’m posting this to encourage anyone else who may be considering fluffing up their family and using cloth diapers. Using disposable diapers is not inherently a bad thing, it just isn’t the right choice for every family. The same goes for cloth diapers.

Other things we’ve done over the past few years to live what we consider a better life are: live in a one bedroom apartment (keeping, even with a kid); discard teflon and aluminum cookware in favor of cast iron and porcelain lined steel (old dansk kobenstyle from an aunt and uncle); turn off junk mail with the post office (which reminds me to do it again) and opt-out of credit report sharing; walk and use public transportation when possible (hard in suburbia); switch to vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils for cleaning supplies; and buy local as much as possible. There is more we can do, but this is a start. 🙂

navel gazing

Originally uploaded by dfb

At this point, we are all like Beepo: navel gazing.