giveaway: baby k'tan! CLOSED!

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Please stay tuned for the announcement of our winner!

This is a joint giveaway cross-posted on very, very fine and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked “Win it!” for the mandatory main entry and optional bonus entries.

Despite owning more baby carriers, slings and wraps than one person could ever wear out in one lifetime, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to try one that I'd overlooked when my son was still tiny: the Baby K'tan. Assuming that, because it was made from soft jersey fabric, it was only suitable for very young infants, I thought my near 30 pound, 17 month-old and I had missed the boat. Similar stretchy wraps had been overwhelming to me as a new mama, though I knew others who used and loved them. Two friends, in particular, raved about their K'tan as though it were a tremendously helpful member of the family. When I read that the Baby K'tan could accommodate a toddler up to 35 pounds, I was excited to put it to the test, and if it proved as magical as my friends had said, I was hopeful that it might see me through another kid or two.

The Two Hip Position

In the box: The Baby K'tan is a carrier made of two connected loops of fabric. It comes with a sash, necessary for certain carrying positions, and a matching hat for your babe. While I'm not one for logos on my kid's clothes, the cute factor is undeniable and I would definitely make an exception for the sake of a complete ensemble of this super soft, rich brown cotton. The sash doubles as a storage bag -- a handy detail I really appreciated. You also get a user's manual with photo-illustrated instructions for several different carries, including two suitable for twins!

Using the Baby K'tan: I'll admit: I didn't have high hopes for the comfort of this carrier. We've been a back-carrying duo for quite awhile and the idea of my excited, curious (flailing, reaching) toddler on my front -- or even strapped onto my hip -- was daunting. When I loaded him into the hug position though, he cuddled right up and, to my complete shock, felt light. The way the Baby K'tan distributes weight is nothing short of amazing; I imagine that carrying an infant in the K'tan must be like wearing a slightly heavier T-shirt. The hip position and two hip position, both shown in the instruction manual, were equally comfortable for me, though less restrictive and so, less calming for my little guy, but I could easily see him hitching a ride in the K'tan around the farmers' market when he gets tired of walking. A few months ago, when snuggles were higher on his priority list, he'd have stayed put in the K'tan all day.

One reason stretchy wraps have never really appealed to me is bulk. In the winter, an extra layer is helpful but I worried about feeling mummified in warm weather. In the K'tan, I can honestly say that my shirt did not feel irrelevant and, thanks to the careful sizing, I wasn't swimming in extra fabric. For parents of different sizes who need or like to share carriers this would be a drawback, but the lack of bunching, extra wrapping and tucking was a definite plus for me.

The Hug Position

As someone who has never before used a stretchy wrap, the positions were not really intuitive for me and required a few readings of the directions and rehearsals sans kid. I recommend being sure you understand the positioning and order of operations before enlisting the cooperation of your squirming baby. That said, with practice, I think it would become second nature just as using any carrier does, especially given the comfort level once everyone is in place. Luckily, the Baby K'tan website features supplemental videos for each type of carry -- a helpful resource for the more visual learners and occasionally forgetful but smartphone-toting among us. With a younger baby, this would be my go-to carrier of choice and I look forward to using it for another six pounds with this child!

BUY IT!

To purchase your own Baby K'tan visit their website. In addition to baby carriers, they also sell jewelry, clothing and other handy accessories to make aspects of your life a little easier.

WIN IT!

For your chance to win a Baby K'tan carrier, enter in the comments below! This contest is only open to the U.S. MAIN ENTRY: Tell us why you would like to try this type of carrier. Leave a valid email address in your comments (the line where it says “email address”) so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses are not made publicly visible. This is a joint giveaway with very, very fine and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we’ll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites! BONUS ENTRIES, to increase your chance of winning (leave a separate comment for each so we can count them all):

• Tell us another product on the Baby K'tan website that you would like to have.
• Subscribe to Natural Parents Network in a reader or by email.
• Subscribe to the very, very fine RSS feed.
• Leave a relevant comment on a non-giveaway article at very, very fine and tell us which post (comment on separate posts for up to 3 entries total).
• Leave a relevant comment on a non-giveaway article at Natural Parents Network and tell us which post (comment on separate posts for up to 3 entries total).
• Follow @NatParNet on Twitter and leave your Twitter name in the comment.
• Tweet about this giveaway (up to 5 times total, at least 24 hours apart). You can tweet this text: #Win a Baby K'tan carrier in a @NatParNet #giveaway! http://bit.ly/lx6wVo {7.24, US}
• Like Natural Parents Network on Facebook.
• Enter another of the current giveaways on Natural Parents Network (1 extra entry per giveaway — check back for more!).
• Post this giveaway on your Facebook page or wall and leave the link (1 entry). You can use this status update: Win a Baby K'tan carrier from @Natural Parents Network. Contest ends July 24 and is open to the US. Be sure to attach the contest URL to your update! (http://naturalparentsnetwork.com/giveaway-baby-ktan/)
• Put the Natural Parents Network badge on your website or add http://NaturalParentsNetwork.com to your text blogroll for 2 extra entries each. The HTML code for the badge is in the right sidebar. Leave your site URL in the comment.

RULES:

• Contest is open ONLY TO US.
• Leave each entry as a separate comment so we can count them all.
• Contestants may enter at either very, very fine or Natural Parents Network but not both. Entries will be combined for the drawing of a single winner.
• For actions like following and subscribing, if you already follow or subscribe, just let us know in your comment.
• For tasks that garner you multiple entries, you can copy and paste the comment with a #1, #2, etc.
• You don’t have to do any of the bonus entries, but you do have to complete the first mandatory one.
• We will pick the winner through Random.org after the contest closes and send an email notification. Leave a valid email address as you comment so we can contact you if you win. If we can’t reach a winner or don’t hear back within a couple days, we’ll draw a new name.
• Any questions, email: ShannonR {at} NaturalParentsNetwork.com

Contest closes July 24 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Disclosure: Our reviewer purchased the Baby K'tan for review. We try to seek out only products we think you would find relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent. If we don’t like a product, we won’t be recommending it to you. See our full disclosure policy here.

outsiders

Our back yard is a major work in progress. We don't own our house, but I've always been a fixer-upper of my living spaces, regardless of whether or not they are technically mine. What matters, as far as I'm concerned, is that we enjoy and really inhabit our home; the walls can return to white when we're ready to leave. 

This summer will be George's first as an appreciator of the outdoors. Last summer he was pretty little and we spent some time outside but the hats' chinstraps were annoying and he'd grown so adept at shoving things into his mouth in a single motion that, when surrounded by grass and pebbles and mulch, Mama and Papa didn't stand a chance in the battle against mouthfuls of nature. This time around, he's more trustworthy on his own and I'm looking forward to watching his sandy hair turn yellower in the sun while we play with the chickens and spray each other instead of watering the garden. I decided he needed some backyard activities, and the obvious choices were a given: sand box, water table. But somewhere I saw a photo of kids playing with an oversized chalkboard and it looked like just the creative outlet to complete our backyard kid oasis. 

It was simple and the materials cheaply bought: $8 for the paint and $6 for the board, plus a bucket and a package of sidewalk chalk from the dollar store, bringing the total to $16. We had the rope and screws, but I suppose if you didn't, it would be another dollar or so. I wanted it to be steady, as our yard isn't the most level surface, so we drilled it into the fence and nailed the rope into the fence behind the chalkboard. 

George is big into putting things away, so half the fun seems to be in choosing a chalk, then putting it back in the bucket and choosing another. He took to it with no direction, which is, to me, the hallmark of a good play space, one that will actually get use. 

Hanging out with the whole family outside this evening was so fun, and made the coming warm months even more exciting. I can't wait until our garden is in full effect, when we can pick dinner from the ground while the baby colors in chalk and the chickens cluck around our feet, pecking for bugs. 

Feel free to stop by; we'll just be chillaxin' out back. 

bocka bocka

There are three recent additions to our family, and George and I are whole-heartedly obsessed with them. These days, if you'd like to have intelligent conversations about worldly matters, we maybe could but probably wouldn't have much to offer (except for Nathan, who gives a bang-up verbal treatise on the latest issue of the Economist). On the subject of cutie little feathery buddies, however, we are rather stunning conversationalists. You know, if I do say so myself. 

Three pretty ladies to chase around the yard in mostly futile attempts at chicken petting. Three funny, chickeny friends to hang out with in the garden. They're thoroughly lovable, and so, tonight, when, during fake-chicken-taco dinner, Nathan said, "Hey George, do you want some more chicken?" we should've seen it coming. 

He looked around in utter horror and started clucking. 

Oh no, we assured him: we are not eating the chickens! "Papa meant tacos. Do you want more tacos? More fake chicken? Err... no, that doesn't work. More meat? Fake meat? Taco filling? WHAT THE HELL DO WE CALL IT?"

Precise language -- well thought-out, accurate and succinct -- is something I value so deeply, and I believe equally deeply in the power of words to do both significant harm and good. If you're feeling up to a losing fight, try arguing with me about how it's totally okay to say "you're retarded" or "that's so gay" because, like, language is a living thing, man, and besides, you're too sensitive, and you know who really has it bad? Black lesbians in wheelchairs and anyway, I was just kidding. 

Until now, I'd been confident in my word choices with George. I am purposeful, inclusive; I don't dumb things down, and when prompted he can point to his scrotum just as quickly as he can his ears. Victory, right? Well, as with most best laid plans, something was forgotten and it caused a minor conniption fit brought on by the fear that we'd just had our pets for supper. OOPS.

It wasn't easily solved, though, either. Usually, I can correct and move on, but I'm at a loss. What do I call the fake meat that we eat? If it's seitan, I guess that's easy and I'm not counting tempeh or tofu -- also clearly identifiable -- but the fake bacon and ground "beef"? The "sausage" (is 'sausage' just any old thing in a casing?)? I'm sure to some this is an odd (stupid?) quandary, but it intersects at intentional eating and intentional communicating: two things I'd always hoped to instill in my child(ren). I will not be thwarted by Morningstar breakfast links and my abiding love of taco night. 

So, dear readers, friends: what do you suggest? The first person to say "start eating meat" gets a punch in the nose. 

tutorial: a little sling

We were in Seattle for the weekend, staying in Bellevue while Nathan attended a yearbook teachers' thing, with plenty of time for walking around the enormous mall right across the street from our hotel. The only good score of our mall excursion(s) was a little Corolle baby with whom George fell instantly in love. I decided that he needed a carrier for Baby Tony (as he has since been dubbed), so I set out to make one. It worked! It's cute! And it took me about 15 minutes to make. 

(You only need two D rings, but I had a 4 pack lying around.)

 

 

hideout

Our house is small. It's cute, and I like it, and I don't even keep the space I have tidy, so I can't justifiably wish for more. But having a toddling baby doesn't always jibe with also having such a tiny home. We have a lot of stuff, some of which is valuable -- both sentimentally and otherwise -- and while I respect the methods of child rearing that dictate we must create an entirely child-friendly space, it's just not realistic for my family. Plus, I want my records out and accessible. I want George to grow up with a respect for the delicacy of certain things, looking forward to the special occasions when he is allowed to handle our treasures. After all, there are lots of no-touches in the world, for kids and adults alike. 

This is not to say that our house is one big barrister bookcase of Hummel figurines. Nevertheless, I still feel bad sometimes that George has such a limited play area. That, unless a door is shut, he can never escape my eyeshot. He needed a hideout: a cozy little retreat all his own for looking at books, for talking to his cow and baby about what a jerk mama is when she won't let him pick at the electrical outlet covers. I'd been looking at teepee instructions and tutorials online and in pattern books for awhile before I finally decided to just wing it. (This is by no means a tutorial, but if you're similarly inclined to fly by the seat of your pants, maybe this will give you an idea or two.)

I used:

• four 4-foot-long dowels
• some white twill that I already had
• some ikea fabric that I'd been saving for something special
• some hot pink suede cord leftover from moccasin making
• a scrap of yellow broadcloth.

I made pretty haphazard triangles that measured three feet on the bottom edge, just folded them in half and used a yard stick to cut a relatively straight diagonal line that would create a triangle when the fabric opened back up. The triangles are 3 and a half feet tall. 

For the dowel casings, I cut 3 inch wide strips the same length as the triangles' diagonal edge. As I sewed the triangles together at the long sides, I folded the casings in half (wrong sides together) and sandwiched them between the teepee side pieces. To make an opening, I cut the front piece in half lengthwise, then sewed partway down. I made some bias tape and bound the unfinished edges of the flap. For a little extra stability, I reinforced the top of the flap with a triangle of scrap fabric. I didn't want to get out the iron, so the triangle is uneven, but oh well. 

I looped a piece of suede cord around the tops of the dowels, and tied them up tight. I made the whole thing after George went to bed last night (in about 2.5 hours), so it was set up for him this morning. 

He was freaking STOKED. As soon as the next Joann circular comes in the mail, I'll get some shredded foam to make a big matching pillowy cushion to lounge on. 

For now, though, he's perfectly content crawling in, sitting for awhile, then crawling back out to check on Rody.