Have an itch?

Let’s scratch it!

Well, we certainly don’t want to scratch all of our itches…not the ones on our bodies, anyway. Especially those pesky dry skin, eczema, or psoriasis spots that annoyingly pop up at the most inopportune times. HOWEVER, if you have an itch to create, those are itches that we will scratch!

This is my first blog post. I have spent hours trying to decide what to post. I mean, being the first post, it is a very important post! I’ve created a list in my head of what I might talk about…homemade lotions, eczema, homemade *real* food (of course, from my own scratch kitchen), homemade products for the home (with NONE of those yucky, unnecessary toxic chemicals that the big corporations like to place in our products)…but I was psyching myself out with too many ideas.

So, this morning I just started typing. We will see what comes of this. I think a more detailed introduction might be nice.

Who Am I?

I am Jessica, aka Scratch Mommy. I live in the Midwest with my adorable, supportive, hilarious husband and our beautiful, rambunctious, also hilarious 16 month-old son. I love music, making food from scratch, being a stay-at-home mommy, writing, learning, being a hippie-at-heart, times spent with family and friends, karaoke, and the color green. Now, most of those descriptors have always been me, some are new. I have an A.S. in Human Services, a B.S. in Psychology, and a M.S.Ed. in Higher Education. I used to be a professional career woman (with a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, hippie attitude toward life) and had a crazy drive to produce the best work and students possible. Enter our gorgeous son = enter alterations in perspective.

Ph.D, diapers, skin, huh?

I was accepted into a Higher Education Ph.D program; however, my passions have dwindled. I have taken three classes toward this Ph.D., and after this last semester I am 99% sure that I am done…and I am actually quite okay with this.

Our son, Oliver, was born 9/7/11 full-term, completely naturally. I labored for 17 hours, three hard hours. I was in a bathtub, in a shower, on the floor, using a birthing ball and bar…pretty much wherever I wanted to be. I am thankful for all of the wonderful people that helped bring Oliver into this (crazy) world. He was born quite healthy…just a touch of Torticollis and Plagiocephaly…nothing that some physical therapy and a helmet wouldn’t fix.

Oliver joining our family changed me. Sure, a baby changes everything, but he has changed me…forever…in ways that I never imagined possible. Working in the university used to be fuel for me; I thrived off of working with students. Now, get this…I love changing diapers, playing ball, hearing him babble all day long, and knowing that he is getting the care he needs…deserves. I am a stay-at-home-Mommy, and so in love.

Now, on to skin…within days of Oliver’s birth, we noticed that he was showing textbook symptoms of eczema…just like his Mommy (my skin troubles will be discussed in another blog post…that’s a whole story on its own). We’ve used all of the creams, ointments, shampoos, etc. that the doctors suggested, just as I have for years, and just like me, no relief. We had him tested for allergies. He tested positive for the following…
Pears
Rice
Canola oil
Mustard
Corn (Yikes!)

Corn is in everything! I had no idea!! I was already making all of Oliver’s food from scratch, but this took it to a whole new level. I became a label reader researcher; I had to. We are finally getting his skin under control. I contribute this to changes in food, but also in changes I have made in our home. When I say that I became a label researcher, I started reading ALL labels…not just food labels. Holy Moly! What I found (am finding) is astonishing! I will blog much more about this, so stay tuned. I am eliminating, one-by-one, toxins from our home. We are cleansing ourselves from these poisons and making massive changes. I never used to take great pride and enjoyment from cooking; now I absolutely love it. I love transforming food into yummy, nourishing concoctions for our bodies. I am making our own body lotions and butters and they are scrumptious!

Finally, at 33 years old, I have found my place. It is not in higher education, but rather, it is in the home and in sharing with all of you the things I have discovered to make our lives more healthy. Scratch Mommy is here!

I look forward to sharing my journeys with all of you (while learning all that I can from you).

xoxo,
Jess, aka Scratch Mommy

This post was shared at- Thirty Handmade Days.