Natural Parenting Blog Party, Day 1!

For Day 1 of the Natural Parenting Blog Party, we have the option to answer a few questions about ourselves. If you care to know, here are mine. :)

1. How many children do you have, and how old are they?

I have two girls who are 2 and 1.

2. Do you have a partner, or are you a single parent?

I'm married, but some days it feels as though I'm a single parent. :)

3. What are your “hot button” parenting issues?

While many issues are so important to me, the one I find most difficult to deal with is the idea of self-fulfilling prophecy. I could go on forever desperately trying to explain how imperative it is to watch what you say to your children, how you say it and especially how you talk about your children in their presence, but I find the best thing I can do is make sure that I monitor my own words with regards to my own children.
 
4. Have you made any parenting choices that you didn’t think you would make before you were a parent, i.e. cloth diapering a child when you had previously thought it was disgusting?

There are a lot of things I never thought about before I became a parent. One that is coming to mind is circumcision because even though I didn't have to make that choice, had I had a boy, I would have had him circumcised without a second thought. I never thought about baby wearing or co-sleeping either, but I am eternally glad I was not afraid to learn.

5. Is there one book or person in particular that’s heavily influenced your parenting choices?

Honestly, I haven't read any parenting books. The book that has had the most influence over my entire life, and ultimately over the way I parent, is The Tao of Pooh. 
 
6. If you had to describe each of your children using only one word, what word would you use?

Heidi = Adventurous
Piper = Love
 
7. Is there one parenting decision that you regret more than others and wish you could change?

I think what I wish most is that I did more research when I was actually pregnant with Heidi, rather than after she was born. I *regret* her birth and her sister's birth and many of the things I did with Heidi as an infant (not making my own "baby food,"not starting her on real solids sooner, not co-sleeping...). 
 
8. Is there an area of your parenting you wish you were better at?

I'm very patient, but sometimes I still have a temper and I still yell. I'd like to stop that. 
 
9. Now for the fun questions – is there one particular food or type of food that you could eat every day?

I love artichokes and salad. I would eat them any time, anywhere, any day.
 
10. Vanilla ice cream or chocolate?

It's funny that is was chocolate my whole life, but recently I'd rather eat vanilla :)
 
11. What’s your guilty pleasure?

Uh..Facebook?
 
12. If you could be part of any television show, which show would it be?

Rather than a TV show, I'd be a part of Lord of the Rings, Star Wars (the original ones) and/or Harry Potter :)