Anyway, I’ve been collating all my poems online and the remaining ones in some form of text from random files in my computer into Google Docs and Awesome Note, but the rest remain in print. Rather tired to type, I’m going to try this iPhone app OCRTOOL which appears to work as a scanner and converts the image to text.

Update: Just tested it. It works beautifully! No need to type my old poems. Just snap a photo of it (or use one from the photo album) and it corrects automatically to an accuracy rate of about 95%. Best $1.99 I spent on the App Store!

But when the nightwaking party begins, all bets are off. Sometimes one wakes and calls for me, waking the other if I don’t hear the escalating calls, and I’m back to tandem nursing them both back to bed. Maybe that is more efficient, because often after nursing one back to bed, the other wakes.

Still, I am grateful I have my iPhone and usually play some inane game or read some news offline to pass the time. I could look lovingly at them as I nurse them to sleep but it is too dark. Sometimes I do shine a bit of light on their sweet sleeping faces and think aww…

But last night, twice, I ran into the bedroom to find both kids sitting up in bed beside the other, looking rather dazed. So I hugged them both and nursed them back to sleep.

Talk about a conspiracy but how cute it is to see the two of them sitting together in the dark.

Today, just before bath time he asked his Dad for a marker. “I want to write, Dad,” he said.

He sat beside me (who was frantically trying to patch my WoW game to 3.3) and said, “How do I spell CAT?” I said C A T. And he wrote it. Then his Dad called him for his bath. He said “Hang on,” and told me he had a surprise for me.

He asked, “How do you spell your name?” I spelled it out for him. “Wow, that’s a long name,” he commented. “That’s why I gave you and Jade short names,” I replied.

So on an envelope, he wrote C H R i S T i N A. “Don’t look at it, Mom!” he hollered, as he ran for his bath. “It’s a surprise!”

(In other news, attempting to play WoW again despite crazy schedule.)

Traffic pollution, along with cigarette smoke, contains several hundred volatile organic compounds (VOCs), increasing your risk of various kinds of cancer and numerous health problems. This is a scientific fact.

These days I’m not sure if opening the windows to let in random car exhaust or an unfortunate waft of cigarette smoke is worse or closing all my windows and sitting in the toxic wasteland of modern living with our cheap plywood adhesived furniture and VOCs from our every day things like paper or packaging.

Regardless, there’s no escape. I’ve sought to improve my home’s air quality by introducing plants into the home with the help of NASA scientist Wolverton’s book How to Grow Fresh Air, which helped even this brown thumbed woman here keep some plants alive, namely the Snake Plant, Lady Palm, and Corn Plant. Hardiest plants around.

I really think that companies and communities should take a step further and install a thermal oxidizer equipment in our living spaces. A thermal oxidizer service basically cleans your air. In a closed environment, such as a large office building where the windows are never open (yes, I’ve worked in many of those and seen bugs play musical humans for weeks on end), thermal oxidizer equipment would definitely help.

In truth, it is more likely that factories manufacturing products with toxic chemicals would use them most (and would see a value in installing one). Worker productivity and health matters to their bottom line and an investment in thermal heating services, for instance, would make most sense.

For us civilians living in our shoeboxes, we can only rely on the magical ability of plants to do the same as these equipment. I really do recommend the book and can state for the record that having those small 5 Corn Plants, 2 Snake Plants, 2 Peace Lilies, and 2 Spider Plants in my room has helped my sinuses clear. My Lady Palms do a great job of cleaning the air in the outer rooms and they stay alive too. I have given up on Areca Palms which all die on me. But the tall and graceful Bamboo Palm I just acquired has been thriving, except for a single mealy bug incident that was quickly cleared up with some rubbing alcohol.

Just one week ago she was lucid enough to recognise and smile at me but last Wednesday she was out of it, dazed from the morphine administered to ease her pain.

She was on oxygen when we went to say our farewells and took her last breath only after my sister and her family arrived, as if she was waiting for all of us to gather to send her off.

She was a titan in her time and we all admired her for her strength, her love, and her steely will to survive. Rest in peace, Mama. It was one helluva ride.

I always wash anything I buy before using it and the Boba smelt clean and freshly laundered after a gentle Seventh Generation wash. It felt lighter than the Ergo and soft like the Ergo Organic.

After I let it air dry (and it dried overnight in our air conditioned room), I had a good look at it. I am very nitpicky about make and spend hours inspecting the seams of any cloth product I want to buy, much to the chagrin of the salesperson. In this case, the make was great, very well sewn. The seamstress did a wonderful job. My world was complete again. Yes, I am OCD like that.

There was no learning curve at all for me, being a seasoned Ergo user. Just snap the Boba around my waist, pop baby in, lift shoulder straps over my shoulders, clip, pull straps to tighten and we were off.

It felt exactly like the Ergo with perhaps even better support on the hips but I found myself missing the pouch strap (to hold my Ergo pouch), being a mom on the go, and the sleeping hood.

Jade at 6 months, being a larger baby, met the Boba on her nose, but even the elevated height was unable to support her drooping head while she dozed.

Now, the Boba was designed for children from 1-4 years old but while toddlers nap when back-carried, a sleeping hood would be really helpful as support. I would have loved a sleeping hood for the Boba, both for Jack and Jade.

At home I use the Boba with Jade and when she dozes I need one hand to support her head. The one time I carried Jack on my back and he fell asleep, he flopped all over but thankfully did not fall out of the lower backed Ergo Classic. Last week, his Daddy carried him on his back in the Boba and he fell asleep, flopping around rather dangerously in Ikea despite the higher back compared to the Ergo Classic. We both agreed that a sleeping hood, or some means to secure a sleeping toddler is pretty important.

Meanwhile, I was rather disappointed that we couldn’t quite figure out the foot straps for Jack. Perhaps he is just too tall for them – he is 3 and a half and over a metre tall – and the angle was just wrong.

But Jade had no problem putting her foot through as you can see in the picture. She swung her feet and in they went, into the foot strap. She won’t be needing them for a while but I’m glad they’re there if she does.

Jack told me that he didn’t need the straps as the Boba offered sufficient leg support compared to the Ergo Classic and he was quite pleased he didn’t have to insert his legs through the loops of the Patapum, which got us in a tangle whenever we had to remove him from the carrier.

The beauty of back carrying with the Boba is simply have your toddler either stand on a chair or leap onto your back and hang on to you, lift up the shoulder straps, clip and go, then to remove, unbuckle and slide the toddler down your back. It truly is the best back carrier for any toddler. And the parent who uses it. Let’s not forget the other user.

The Boba has become my favourite back carrier for Jack (when he isn’t nodding off) and spare front carrier for Jade at home. It has a much higher back than the Ergo and gives Jack’s back better support. It is safe for Jade because of the 100% organic cotton and organic batting – she loves to snap her gums on the shoulder straps like a snapping turtle and gnaws on.

Many products with padding, for example quilts, contain permanent pressed cotton batting, which has an unremovable layer of formaldehyde on it for fireproofing, and pesticides from the crop (which will come off after a few washes).

Naturally I was concerned about my current Ergos and emailed Lulu at Mummysmilk – since Ergo’s website does not provide an email and their form did not work – and she promptly replied that Ergo says that their cotton batting is not permanent pressed. I have washed them enough times to remove any pesticides so I am relieved there, although I wish they have email addresses on their website and use organic batting in their carriers.

But I digress.

With a completely organic product, there are no chemicals or finishings on it, so you don’t have to worry about pesticides or formaldehyde at all. And that is the Boba.

A few other nice things about the carrier:

It is completely made in the USA. It is the lowest price baby carrier I’ve found that does the job. And it does it well. US$99 + shipping. You readers get another 10% off with the coupon code: mephala. Good from 15 Nov – 14 Dec 2009.

I would highly recommend the Boba to anyone whose baby does not like to use a sleeping hood or who has an older child. I survived carrying Jack in the Ergo Classic for 2 years without using their very unfriendly hood and just one hand to support his head in a front carry.

For me, the fact that it is 100% organic trumps everything else, but having used my Ergo Organic for so long (and through so many washes) and having to manage 2 children, I use my Ergo Organic for Jade and the Boba as a back carrier for Jack.

I often carry both children at the same time. There is no arm numbness nor back or shoulder pain, although one must be mindful about tightening the straps between the shoulders and chest. I’ve comfortably carried the kids together for an hour, maximum 2, with both the Ergo Organic + Boba, and the Ergo Organic + Ergo Classic.

But the choice is clear. Jack has told me that the Boba is much more comfortable than the Ergo Classic and the Patapum and has told me to inform you that it has his vote.

Visit NAP Inc to buy the awesome organic Boba baby carrier. You get another 10% off with the coupon code: mephala from 15 Nov – 14 Dec 2009. Go check it out today!

For the terminally sleep deprived, here is a cheat sheet:

Pros:
* Very easy to use and user friendly – low learning curve
* 100% organic (cotton and batting)
* Made in the USA
* Very well-made
* Very light and quick-drying
* Affordable for all at US$99 + 10% off with mephala coupon + shipping
* Beautiful earthy colours
* Suitable for larger babies and all-sized toddlers

Cons:
* No sleeping hood
* No pouch strap
* Can’t roll up and wear on waist

Love-to-haves for Boba 2.0:
* Black carrier (Okay, this is really just for me.)
* Pouch strap
* Sleeping hood that snaps on and off easy (roll up to snap close and wear on waist)
* A matching Boba pouch