Earth Day's goal is to bring the environment to the forefront and make each of us realize that we need to do our part to improve our environment. Earth Day is a great opportunity to highlight the importance of caring for our environment to our children!

Two great books to share this weekend are "It's Earth Day" by Mercer Mayer and "The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story about Recycling" by Alison Inches.

Enjoy nature this weekend! Go to the park, beach or for a hike! Talk about the flowers, trees, birds, etc.

Older Toddler/Preschooler Craft Idea: Egg Carton Caterpillar
After reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," make your own hungry caterpillar using an egg carton. This is a great way to share a book is to do a project after reading it. It will reinforce the story and is a great way to build retelling skills

Materials: 1 Egg Carton, 1 Pair of Wiggly Eyes, 1 Brown & Black pipe cleaner, markers, 1 sheet of green  construction paper, craft glue and safety scissors

Steps:

1. Read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Discuss the caterpillar in the book.
   
2. Cut out three connected egg holders from the egg carton.
   
3. Poke very small holes with tip of scissors or pope cleaner (Adult Only) for legs and antennae.
   
4. Cut pieces of pipe cleaner about 2 inches along and bend in half. Cut however many legs you want the caterpillar to have.
   
5. Cut black pipe cleaner about 3-4 inches long. You can trim to shorten after you string it through the holes. (Antennae)
   
6. Decorate with marker.
   
7. Glue on eyes.
   
8. Poke bent pipe cleaners into holes made. Bend on the inside to hold in place.
   
9. String one piece of pipe cleaner down into the hole and back up to the second. Arrange antennas.
   
10. Cut out big green leaf and glue your caterpillar onto it.
    

Younger Toddler Craft Idea: Painted Garden Rocks 
These rocks are great to decorate your garden with, use as a paperweight and double as a great Mother's Day Present!

Materials: Rocks, Washable Paint, Paint Brushes, Clear Acrylic spray to keep paint from running

Steps:

1. Collect, Wash & Dry Rocks
   
2. Paint rocks and let them dry completely
   
3. Spray clear coat over rock
   
4. Enjoy!
   

Make an "Earth Day" Dessert together!
This receipe is easy and yummy! Yummy Dirt Receipe








*Craft ideas and photos courtesy of teaching-tiny-tots.com & toddlercraft.net

Heather Dudley is the Maternal Resource Coordinator and Infant/Toddler Sleep Coach at Cobblestones. She can be reached at heather@cobblestones4families.com.

I recall vividly the reaction of those who would ask me, “Are you planning on having an epidural?" when my response was, “No, I’d like to try to deliver drug free." I would often get the roll of the eyes, especially from women who had already had children. I had some say to me, “You say that now, but wait until the contractions start,” or, “This is your first, isn’t it?” accompanied by a disapproving chuckle. I even had acquaintances who were L&D nurses tell me that they couldn’t remember the last time they saw a drug free birth. REALLY?!?! 
 
My grandmother delivered three daughters naturally into this world and why? Well, epidurals weren’t widely used for obstetrics until the 1970’s. If women pre circa 1969 were able to do it, why couldn’t I? What happened in our society that this had become the exception and not the norm?  It seemed like high school all over again, that was being pressured into something. Get an Epidural, everyone is doing it!

Some women walk into Labor and Delivery requesting an epidural, and I don’t blame them, labor is painful! But what I couldn’t wrap my head around was the fact that my decision seemed to be inconvenient, impractical, and more or less delaying the inevitable. I wasn’t trying to prove a point, I was trying to truly experience labor and birth, the good, the bad and (several moments of) the ugly.  

Trust me, the thought of having an epidural crept up in my mind more than a dozen times. This wasn’t what I had pictured, and as much as I tried to imagine what labor would feel like, this blew it out of the water. Was this what I really wanted? Was this worth it? And for what?  

Regardless of what birthing option you chose, it should be met with dignity and respect. Labor is an emotionally and physically exhausting experience and you need to surround yourself with people that support your decision and want to encourage you wholeheartedly. Birthing isn’t about doing what is popular but rather doing what you feel is right for your body and your baby. Opinions are just that and at the end of the day yours is the only one that matters.

Heather Dudley is the Maternal Resource Coordinator and Infant/Toddler Sleep Coach at Cobblestones. She can be reached at heather@cobblestones4families.com.