Out of the mouths of babes!

Andrew (almost 5) to me the other day: "Mom, when my penis grows up, it will have a mustache like Dad's."

I can't make this stuff up!

Yes, I'm a mammal.

I am nursing two babies. The older one might be 27 months old, but she's still a baby, relatively speaking. The other one is nine months and his only source of nourishment is my milk.

Yes, I realize it's not the societal norm to nurse even one baby past a year, but I don't care what society thinks.

My babies are receiving human milk from their mother, the way nature intended. They are being allowed to nurse as long as they desire to do so, per the World Health Organization's recommendation of two years or longer, as long as mutually desired.

Any other mammal nurses and nurtures her offspring. She also keeps her young close. I co-sleep with my babies, and learned quickly on night one with my oldest that he didn't want to be away from me. Every time I would put him in the little bassinet in the hospital (with heated blankets even), he would begin to whimper/cry within minutes. I finally decided to just bring him into the [gasp!] hospital bed with me and I snuggled up with him and he slept very well. I did the same with #2 and #3, right from the first night in the hospital. The staff never said anything. And if they did, I would have told them it was my choice to safely co-sleep with my baby.

I have let loose of society's pressures to separate and create an independent child from the beginning. I don't believe that society follows Mother Nature's intentions. I follow my mama instincts and so far they've been spot-on. What I have created are children who are so secure and safe that they are not afraid to step away from me when we do go out because they know I am right there for them with open arms should they need me. I will always be their mama.

124.

Tandem nursing has me down to 124. LOL. I have recently decided to start drinking more water for health reasons (1.5 liters + a day is my goal) but it has also caused me to drop some weight. I am not actively trying to lose weight because I was at a healthy weight for my frame size (I'm 5'7") but I won't lie; I'm happy when I jump on the scale in the morning before I get in the shower.

I am also taking advantage of the Employee Assistance Program at my work, which offers free and confidential counseling through an area clinic. I never did get counseling after my rough upbringing (abusive father) and I have recently been feeling very stressed; stretched thin. I have been to two sessions so far and have another scheduled for next week. It feels good to talk it out with someone. Honestly, I always think I'm crazy or over-thinking things and at the same time I feel like everyone around me is annoyed by me and I've just basically had some self-worth issues. Counseling is helping that.

The kids are doing well. Andrew is now immune to chickenpox (it honestly, for anyone out there fearing it, wasn't bad at ALL! Like a case of the mosquito bites with a half day of fever, if I had to sum it up). He is finishing up his first year of pre-k and will be done Tuesday. We had his end of year celebration yesterday and he was dancing on the stage during the songs (when noone else was, LOL; kind-of free-stylin'). Elise is fully day potty trained but still hides and poops in diapers -- working on that with her. She has been speaking in full sentences for awhile and is doing very well for her age (27 months now!). Jameson is 9 months, has four teeth (and another one coming soon), crawls everywhere, and has a very laid-back personality (like his daddy; I am definitely pretty intense like Andrew).

That's about it for now! I am looking forward to the fact that it's JUNE -- the meteorological start to summer. Yay!