Sunday, October 31, 2010

Our Boo! Bash

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Boo! Bash. We had a great time and LOVED all the costumes!!













Thursday, October 28, 2010

More Halloween Fun This Weekend!

Head over to the Makiki Community Library on Halloween Sunday to enjoy some spirited storytelling and costume parade!
Makiki Community Library
at the Makiki District Park
1527 Keeaumoku Street

Sunday October 31st
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Check-in at 1:45 p.m.

While our neighborhood Manoa Public Library is under renovation, go a few blocks over and down Punahou Street to Makiki where you can get your book fix and more. The Makiki Community Library is an independent non-profit organization with a long history dating back to the 1970s. According to their archives, President Obama's grandmother was one of the original board members who volunteered a lot of her time to develop this library for the Makiki district. Currently with only a small part-time staff and lots of volunteers, this library is truly a community, grass-roots endeavor that is sustained by a lot of love and dedication to creating a great gathering space.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

A Green Halloween

By Kate Stilwell

This year, why not put a spin on the old orange and black and go GREEN?  Treat your body and the environment well this Halloween season!

Let’s talk food (because that’s my favorite part). Halloween can wreak havoc on our teeth and our waistlines, not to mention what happens to our nerves after the kids ingest a bucket of sweets. This Halloween, make some treats at home and avoid the yuck in the bucket. 

Honey and Apples
This is a favorite treat of mine, the fall apples are delicious and honey provides the extra sweet that can satisfy that candy craving. For a creepy twist, add some red food coloring to the honey and create “blood” dipping sauce for your little vampires.

Carrots and Dip
Turn the carrots into “fingers” by sticking almond slices to the tops with extra dip and watch the delicious treats disappear. 

Pumpkin Seeds
Nothing more classic than this. Take the insides of your brand new jack-o-lantern, rinse and dry the seeds and then bake with salt at 350º!

Cheese Pieces
Take some cheese sticks (I prefer organic, the mozzarella always seems stronger to me) and cut little lines to make finger creases.  Add some green bell pepper pieces to the tops to make moldy fingernails.

Guacamole
Make some monster goo to dip chips in. Two ripe avocados, a tasty mango, half a red bell pepper, small handful of cilantro, ¼ of a small red onion, lime and salt to taste and you have a scary treat that’s sweet and salty.

Decorations?

No problem! Halloween happens every year, so why not spend some time to make decorations that you can re-use? Your wallet and the environment will love you for it!

Felt Bats in a Tree

Materials:
    o    Black felt (number of pieces depends on how many you want and how big you want them)
    o    Fabric Marker
    o    Bat cutout shape
    o    Fabric Scissors
    o    Wire and wire cutters
    o    Multi-branched stick (with or without leaves, up to you)
    o    Hot Glue

Cut out the shape you want, trace it on the felt and use the fabric scissors to cut out the desired shape. Hot glue the wire to the felt and the wrap the wire around the branch so that the bat hovers above it in mid-flight. Add tons of bats for a creepier atmosphere.

Variations/Hints
    -the way you attach the wire will change the shape of the bat. Try gluing the wire flat along the bottom of the wings and bend the wings up and down for variations among your critters
    -if you don’t have a glue gun, sew two of the bats together and put the wire inside to achieve the same result
    -get a smaller stick and attach one bat that you can hold and dangle in front of people for a Halloween scare

Crepe Paper Pumpkins

Materials:
    o    Orange and green crepe paper
    o    Stuffing (of your choosing)
    o    Glue (hot glue works best)

Cut or rip squares of the orange crepe paper place stuffing in the center and fold corners and sides up and into the middle. Place a dot of glue to hold it all together and add a torn piece of green crepe paper to the top as a leaf or stem (and the cover the glue). 

Variations/Hints
    -you can stuff the pumpkin with pumpkin seeds or some other small treat and make it a take home gift/treat
    -make sure before you put the dot of glue that the shape is relatively pumpkin-like, you can’t alter it after the glue has been applied without risking ripping the paper
    -crepe paper is not sturdy, handle it minimally
    -try multiple layers of tissue paper instead of crepe paper instead and make bigger pumpkins

Ghastly Ghosts
Materials:
    o    An old white sheet
    o    Fabric scissors
    o    String
    o    Stuffing (old plastic bags work well)
    o    Black fabric marker

Use the fabric scissors to cut a square of white fabric (choose size according to how big you want your ghosts). Use the blade of the scissors to tatter the edges of the fabric and add some hole near the edges. Place the stuffing in the middle of the fabric, tie the string around the outside and cinch closed. Tie a knot and cut close to the knot to hide it. Use the fabric marker to draw a ghastly face.

Variations/Hints
    -Put a small hole in the top and tie a string through it so that you can hang your ghosts all over the house
    -Use more than one piece of fabric to give the ghost more flowy pieces on the bottom

General Ideas
    -When you go trick-or-treating, use a pillowcase or reusable bag instead of buying something plastic.
    -Substitute fruits for sweets, they satisfy the craving without the guilt and the craziness
    -Try composting your pumpkins after they’ve lost their creepy smiles
    -Share costumes with friends so you don’t have to buy new ones or make your own out of recycled and pre-worn clothing/found objects
    -And as always, go local/organic on all your yummies… your body and the earth will appreciate you

I also offer party planning for kids and grown-ups, anything from a small, catered get-together to a big birthday bash!! Please e-mail for details.

See you all at our Boo! Bash on Saturday!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Baby A's Unique Lactation Services

Our very own Nicky Lawnsby, beloved by many moms and babies, is featured on Hawaii Web TV this month!


As you know, Nicky is our in-house lactation consultant but she is so much more than that.

As a bilingual (English and Japanese) British certified-Nurse Midwife, Nicky is able to help both the local and Japanese community here in Honolulu. She really understands and connects with the needs of mums and babies, providing the highest level of care through a process of holistic and informed choices. Nicky is also one of the few International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) on Oahu, which means she specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding issues including complications, breast massage, and mum and baby nutrition. She also offers pre- and post-natal consultation and education.

Nicky has an interesting and well-respected background in midwifery work with her experience stemmed in over three generations and a long lineage of medical family members. Her grandmother was an amazing midwife who not only delivered her, but also delivered/attended over 5,000 natural births in her small birthing home in Japan. Her mother also practiced midwifery for over 30 years with her father as an obstetrician and gynecologist, and her grandfather was a pediatrician. So needless to say, right from the start, Nicky was surrounded by birthing, nurturing, and natural parenting.

Nicky deeply believes that natural birth, breast feeding, and parenting, are ALL natural god-given rights. Women need to know how to successfully accomplish these goals and that is her mission. Only then can woman be empowered to be happy, confident and proud.
On top of all that she does for moms and their little ones, she is the co-owner of Baby Awearness and manages the business along with Ashley Lukens.

You can find both a Japanese and English version of the story. Many thanks to Shinogu Sato of Hawaii Web TV for the web coverage!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Let’s Talk Dolls With Julliet Lowe

What makes dolls so magical?

Dolls are the last toys out there in the world of talking creatures that even adults can still hear.


Most adults have lost touch with their childhood and through the help of a doll, this magical world awakens again. When your doll speaks, everything else joins in, soft toys, pets, and households appliances.

As parents/ storytellers, we have the opportunity to open gates to a world where animals talk and inanimate objects have their own stories to tell. Here is a world where everything is alive. Dolls provide an awesome outlet to explore with your young child regarding all of life’s challenges and how we relate to them.


To give a doll to your child, symbolically, you are saying, “ This is your first of tasks, the care for your essential self.” A doll is often the first real responsibility in the life of a child. I recall both my children taking the time to feed their dolls, change their clothes, and turn them into wonderful companions.  This exchange brings baby “alive” and through this care, taps into the child’s higher self and mission in the world. When they threw their babies around, I gently reminded them that babies are treated with loving hands and they picked up their babies with care and tucked them to sleep in their doll beds. It is with this attention that the doll remains alive. It is when the doll is thrown in a drawer or buried in a pile that the doll dies.

Dolls may help us talk to our children about death, environment, terrible noises, war, life, hope, and questions that cannot be answered.


The ideal doll is a simple one without much detail. A doll with a simple face is able to mirror all your child’s moods and can express anything.  Happiness, sadness, fear, anger, etc. It is really hard to imagine a doll being sad when there is a happy face painted permanently on their face.
Again, simple is best. Imagine a doll that may grow with your child, laugh and cry with your child. This is a magical doll.

Here is an example of a parent using their child’s doll, “Sally” to create a story;



“Sally the doll sat in the laundry leaning against the sink tap.
‘Don’t you ever get dizzy?’ She asked.’ Not really,’ said the dryer in a grumbling voice. ‘Just a little hot and bothered.’

‘Where does all the fluff come from?’ asked Sally. ‘Off the clothes of course,’ said the dryer with a giggle.

Sally heard a thump, strangely recurring.’Ohhhhhh,’ said the dryer with a groan,’ I wish she wouldn’t do the sneakers, they give me such a belly ache.”

One more example of a story from a dolls perspective about a child’s doll that disappeared and then resurfaced:

         Guess where I have been?
          I’ve been up in the air on the back of bird.
          I was inside the blue sky.
         A bee flew past and buzzed in my ear.
         Then the bird flew down
         and gently put me
         right back here.

Blessings to you and yours,

Julliet Lowe

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Vaccine Lecture

Sunday, October 24th, 5:30 p.m.

As always by popular request, we present another evening with Dr. Madeleine Portuondo to talk about vaccination for young children.

Dr. Portuondo, local naturopath and midwife, will be repeating the fabulous vaccine safety lecture for those of you who missed it the first couple of times. Dr. Portuondo is a wealth of knowledge and the 2-hour lecture covers everything from immunology basics to vaccine preservative components and more. It is truly a must-hear event for parents of young children. I was astonished at how little I knew on the topic.

Limited to 25 people so please RSVP to lani@babyawearness if you would like to attend. Cost is $20 person/$35 couple and includes a very comprehensive packet of information.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Get Serious with Bootcamp!

If you are looking to jump start your fitness routine, slim down for a special event, overcome a plateau, or just get measurable results quickly, Amy Forsyth's Women's Fitness Bootcamps in Honolulu are for you! These programs are for women of all ages and abilities; the workouts are structured so that no one will be asked to do more than they are able to do safely nor will anyone be unchallenged! This 4 week program combines resistance training, cardio, plyometrics, and Pilates based stretching to deliver dramatic fat loss, as well as gains in strength, endurance, flexibly, energy, and confidence. Every day is a different workout, so you won't get bored and your progress won't plateau.

There are two locations running Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Manoa Valley camp meets from 5:30am to 6:30am and the Aina Haina camp meets from 8:30am to 9:30am. It's early, but the energy boost you'll get will carry you through your day.

For further information or to enroll please contact Amy at amy@honolulupersonaltrainer.com or (808)-783-2558

Upcoming sessions run from Monday, October 25- Friday, November 19 and Monday November 29 - Friday, December 24.

Mention Baby Awearness when you enroll for a $10 discount off the cost of a full session. (The retail price of a 12 class session is $180.)

Boo! Bash

MARK YOUR CALENDARS and kickstart your Halloween weekend with Baby A!
The BOO! Bash at Baby Awearness
Manoa Marketplace, 2nd Floor (2752 Woodlawn Dr # 5-212, Honolulu, HI 96822)
Saturday, October 30th, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.


Bring the whole family for a day of Halloween fun at our BOO! Bash. There will be face painting; healthy treats; music, spirited storytelling; and crafts for all ages. Design your own reusable trick-or-treat bags, create one-of-a-kind fall-themed decorations and more!

Best of all, we will host a fabulous costume contest with great prizes for kids and parents. Participants can take home the prize in the following categories: Best Homemade Costume, Best Pair, Most Creative, Best Animal, and Scariest Costume.

Baby Awearness is a retail store and community space that offers a wide array of free and low-cost educational classes, workshops, and lectures for new parents. Baby Awearness is Hawaii’s top location for eco-friendly and natural parenting products such as cloth diapers, baby carriers, wooden toys, and eco-friendly/non-toxic household items. We also offer a full-time in-store lactation consultant to support mothers through breastfeeding.

Our mission is to provide parents with a place to connect with professionals and with other parents, empowering Hawaii’s families to raise their children and contribute towards a greener, healthier, happier community.

For more information, visit www.babyawearness.com, or call 808.988.0010.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Healthy Mamas Make Healthy Babies!

Healthy Pregnancy Lecture 
Pregnancy Nutrition

Sunday, October 17th
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Led by: Kate Greenweel

Cost: FREE!

There's no greater motivation to eat healthy than knowing that your diet affects the health and well-being of your precious little one. Research clearly indicates the importance of a healthy diet during pregnancy for the ideal growth and development of your child. Find out how to give your child a head-start on health by attending the October Healthy Pregnancy Lecture on Nutrition!

This super fun and informative event will include topics such as:
  • How what we eat affects the growth and development of our babies
  • Which foods to devour and which foods to avoid
  • Fact vs. Fiction when it comes to the safety of certain foods, supplements, and products during pregnancy
  • Key nutrients -- what are they, what do they do, and how to ensure you are getting enough
  • Tools to combat morning sickness and constipation
  • Tricks to keep weight gain on target
  • The low down on pregnancy complications: Gestational Diabetes, Preeclampsia
Feel free to also email personal or specific questions prior to class to kate.wellnourished@gmail.com.

As a Registered Dietitian and food enthusiast, nutrition is Kate's passion.  Also a Licensed Massage Therapist, Kate uses her 9 years of experience in the health and wellness industry to collaborate with clients and develop realistic and sustainable lifestyle changes.  Kate's solid foundation in Clinical Nutrition combined with experience in Holistic Wellness gives her the distinct advantage of providing her clients with a well-rounded perspective of optimal health. Expecting her first child in November, Kate is the go-to expert for all things related to pregnancy and nutrition. 

To reserve a spot at the lecture, please call the store at 988-0010 or e-mail lani@babyawearness.com

Monday, October 11, 2010

Organic Birth - Film screening on Oct 16th

Hapai Hawai`i presents a film screening of Organic Birth (52 mins)
Saturday, October 16th at 6:45 p.m.
Cost: Free



ORGANIC BIRTH is a tighter, 52-minute updated version of the original 85-minute ORGASMIC BIRTH film. It has new expanded Midwife content and focuses more on the benefits of Midwife-Assisted and Natural Birth options than the original film. This shorter length will work better when used in Childbirth Education and it has easier chapter navigation for quickly accessing specific topics or scenes.

Immediately following we'll have a talk story with Piper and Chaz Lovemore who star in the film as well as other birth professionals.

*Bring your own refreshments, nursing babies in arms welcome

Frances Moore Lappe Coming to Honolulu!

A great opportunity to meet a revolutionary leader in the alternative food movement -- Frances Moore Lappe will be presenting a series of lectures at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on November 4th and 5th. Mark your calendar!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

日本語でのマクロビオティッククラスお菓子教室のお知らせ

みなさま~
お久しぶりです
マクロビオティッククラスの美佐先生のアシスタントのかおりです
まだまだ暑いハワイですが~
皆様いかがお過ごしですか?

マクロビオティッククラスのお知らせです
前回のレタスラップ!すっごい好評だったのですが~参加できなかった方
残念でした~
今回はデザート編です

秋なんです!
そしてもうすぐハロウィンなんです
でもそこらで売っているパンプキンパイって砂糖がた~っぷり
添加物た~~っぷり!
自分にも家族にも食べさせたくないっと思っている方多いいのでは?
そこで登場!マクロビオティックのパンプキンパイです
かぼちゃの甘さで懐かしい味に仕上がっています
が、普通食の人が食べてもちゃんとおいしくなっていますからご安心を~

2品目は鉄分たっぷりブラウニー
砂糖不使用です

今回は両方ともベーキ ングパウダーなどの膨らし粉を一切使っていません
私達もベーキングパウダーを使うのですがあんまり採りたくはありません
どうしてか?っと言うと…ま、そこのとこはクラスで先生からお聞きくださいませm__m
とにかくヘルシーでおいしいですよ~
今まで美佐先生は調味料の事を熱く語ってきたのですが~今回は特に
白砂糖、などの白い粉類についてどこが悪いのかなどをまたまた熱く語っていただきましょう~!

メニュー
*マクロビパンプキンパイ
*鉄分たっぷりプルーンブラウニー

  ++有機三年番茶付き &レシピ

Class Date: Oct 17, 2010
 Time:11:30AM~1:30AM(今回時間がいつもと違っておりますのでご注意を^^)
 Fee: Pre-Paid $25
      Walk in $30
      Max 10 People (First come first serve)
*ご注意*ライビリティーと安全にクラスをお受けしていただくために(13ヶ月以上の)お子様との参加はご遠慮ねがいます。
(内容は予告なしに変更することがありますがご了承ください)

 マクロビオティックのお料理の先生のご紹介
 三好美佐、兵庫県出身
 高校卒業後、料理界の東大「辻調理師専門学校」を卒業し日本料理の世界へ
 5年前にマクロビオティックに出会いスクールに通う。本人もマクロビオティック実践者
 マクロビオティックを実践してから半年で無理なく13キロを落とし不整脈などの病気も克服
 今はマクロビオティックのカフェをハワイに開く為に準備中♪
 ☆Mahalo☆

Monday, October 4, 2010

Diet for a Small Island Film Series

Come watch three inspiring films on food, agriculture, and democracy!

"Diet for a Small Island" Pre-lecture film series on food democracy
Monday nights at 7:00 PM at Church of the Crossroads, Weaver Hall

October 4 (Mon)  7pm
Ingredients: the local food movement in the US (73 min)
Discussion to follow with Robert Bates, documentary film maker.

October 11 (Mon) 7 pm
Power of Community: How Cuba survived peak oil (53 min)
Discussion to follow with Travis Idol, Associate Professor of Tropical
Forestry at UH.

October 25 (Mon) 7 pm
Malama Haloa: Protecting the taro (39 min)
Discussion to follow with Mark Stride, Hawaiian homestead farmer.
Film series will conclude with talks on November 5th and 6th featuring
Frances Moore Lappé, author of 18 books including Diet for a Small
Planet.

Films are free and open to public. Both talks are at Church of the
Crossroads, 1212 University Avenue, Honolulu. Tel: 808-949-2220.

For more information about the Watada Lectures Series, visit our blog

For the film series, please email Travis Idol at traviswidol@gmail.com.