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!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, June 1, 2012
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!
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!
Monday, May 14, 2012
About a Jameson . . .
I need to update on my little!! Jameson will be 9 months on May 22nd. Wow! Where does time go, really? I know it's cliche to say that, but I can't believe it's been almost 9 months since he's been born, and hell, 18 months since he's been a part of me!
He is able, and has been doing this for a few weeks now, to get himself from stomach to sitting all by himself.
Saturday I clapped my hands and got him to try it too. And now the mere mention of, "clap your hands!" causes his face to erupt in a huge smile as he claps his little (or big man hands) together. He's a quick learner!
As of right now, he has three teeth: two on the bottom and one on top. Not quite the overacheiever his big brother was (16 teeth at a year was a little creepy on such a wittle fella).
He has not started solids yet and is happily healthy and an excellent size on Mama milk alone. He scoots towards me and squeals when I come in the door to do his feeds during my work day.
He is starting to have issues (normal) with object permanence and cries if I don't come back into the room right away. Other than that, he is HAPPY and SMILING all the time. We were around a lot of family over the weekend and everyone remarked on his good temperament. He really is never fussy!
Speaking of family, Jameson survived (and enjoyed!) his first camping trip. We stayed in a nice cabin for the weekend and it was nice to not have to worry about housework. I even managed to stay on top of the cloth diapers, rinsing each one before tossing it in the wet bag (better than I do at home, where I rinse them all at night before tossing them into the pail -- hard water issues, dontcha' know?).
I just am very much enjoying my last baby. I look into his big, blue eyes all the time and kiss and smell his bald little head. I just love my little guy so much. He's such a happy and innocent little thing!
He is able, and has been doing this for a few weeks now, to get himself from stomach to sitting all by himself.
Saturday I clapped my hands and got him to try it too. And now the mere mention of, "clap your hands!" causes his face to erupt in a huge smile as he claps his little (or big man hands) together. He's a quick learner!
As of right now, he has three teeth: two on the bottom and one on top. Not quite the overacheiever his big brother was (16 teeth at a year was a little creepy on such a wittle fella).
He has not started solids yet and is happily healthy and an excellent size on Mama milk alone. He scoots towards me and squeals when I come in the door to do his feeds during my work day.
He is starting to have issues (normal) with object permanence and cries if I don't come back into the room right away. Other than that, he is HAPPY and SMILING all the time. We were around a lot of family over the weekend and everyone remarked on his good temperament. He really is never fussy!
Speaking of family, Jameson survived (and enjoyed!) his first camping trip. We stayed in a nice cabin for the weekend and it was nice to not have to worry about housework. I even managed to stay on top of the cloth diapers, rinsing each one before tossing it in the wet bag (better than I do at home, where I rinse them all at night before tossing them into the pail -- hard water issues, dontcha' know?).
I just am very much enjoying my last baby. I look into his big, blue eyes all the time and kiss and smell his bald little head. I just love my little guy so much. He's such a happy and innocent little thing!
Such a boy!
Andrew loves bugs, worms, and caterpillars. This is normal, I am assuming. Sometimes his conversations with us are real head-turners, such as this recent interaction while on a camping trip: we had decided after a full day of outside fun to make a run to Walmart. There was one about 25 minutes away, which would allow for some quiet, contained car time. We were also hoping for Andrew to fall asleep because he was beyond exhausted, but fighting the urge to go down. He decided to take a black, somewhat sparsely haired caterpillar with on this excursion.
On the way back to the cabin, he said, "Mom, I gave the caterpillar a shower".
Me, "uh, what? What do you mean, Andrew?"
[he didn't have any water back there]
Andrew: "I gave him a shower in my mouth."
Ew.
So then we had the conversation on why we don't put bugs and caterpillars in our mouths. Good Lord . . .
He never did take a nap.
On the way back to the cabin, he said, "Mom, I gave the caterpillar a shower".
Me, "uh, what? What do you mean, Andrew?"
[he didn't have any water back there]
Andrew: "I gave him a shower in my mouth."
Ew.
So then we had the conversation on why we don't put bugs and caterpillars in our mouths. Good Lord . . .
He never did take a nap.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Busy, busy, busy!
That sums up my life!! I have been pretty much swamped at work. It's not necessarily out of the norm for HR, but we have been very busy interviewing and hiring and there's all the rigamaroll that goes along with that. I also took a day and a half off last week, which put off some things so now I'm catching up.
I got a new camera (Canon 5D Mark II) and set up a website for my photography business.
I did some organizing around the house (there was a bunch of clutter: paperwork and whatnot in the kitchen). I finally organized pics I printed 6 months ago (4 x 6s that I put in the kids' baby books and photo albums).
It's May!! This is the official kick-off to summer, pretty much, and I intend to enjoy it. Not this weekend but the next, my family is going camping (my mom has a cabin and a yurt rented) so we are very much looking forward to that. We've never gone camping since having kids yet. Weird! That seems crazy.
Other than that, not much else new!
I got a new camera (Canon 5D Mark II) and set up a website for my photography business.
I did some organizing around the house (there was a bunch of clutter: paperwork and whatnot in the kitchen). I finally organized pics I printed 6 months ago (4 x 6s that I put in the kids' baby books and photo albums).
It's May!! This is the official kick-off to summer, pretty much, and I intend to enjoy it. Not this weekend but the next, my family is going camping (my mom has a cabin and a yurt rented) so we are very much looking forward to that. We've never gone camping since having kids yet. Weird! That seems crazy.
Other than that, not much else new!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
True Confessions
In the throes of newborn days after having my daughter, I was just so happy. One of my favorite things to do was to snuggle up on the couch and nurse her while watching The Office because I had only seen a few episodes here and there, so I took it upon myself to borrow the entire series of DVDs from my sister.
When I got to the wedding one, I was so "in touch" with the characters that that particular episode where Jim and Pam tie the knot just made me cry, almost uncontrollably.
True confession comes in here: while pregnant with Jameson, when I was almost full-term last summer, I was driving to work on a beautiful summer day. I heard "Forever" (the song that plays when Jim and Pam get married and it shows them on the boat together), I started crying in my car. Yep. Fucking Chris Brown. Cue the tears. WTF.
So yeah. There's my random story for you today! I'd be so embarrassed to share that with people in real life. But I love Jim and Pam so much.
When I got to the wedding one, I was so "in touch" with the characters that that particular episode where Jim and Pam tie the knot just made me cry, almost uncontrollably.
True confession comes in here: while pregnant with Jameson, when I was almost full-term last summer, I was driving to work on a beautiful summer day. I heard "Forever" (the song that plays when Jim and Pam get married and it shows them on the boat together), I started crying in my car. Yep. Fucking Chris Brown. Cue the tears. WTF.
So yeah. There's my random story for you today! I'd be so embarrassed to share that with people in real life. But I love Jim and Pam so much.
Friday, March 23, 2012
I marvel at their observations.
Elise has just turned two and sometimes, well, most of the time, she is a very typical two-year-old. Other times, I am so amazed at what she does. I was home on my 10:00 boobie break and the hubby told me that he was in the bathroom (on the toilet) when Elise walked in with a book in hand and her bowl of cereal. She handed him the book (he just bought it, the first Hunger Games book so this is why I marvel at the fact that she recognized it as his, as he had just started reading it last night) and plopped down on the floor with her cereal and started eating it. Whenever I think she isn't aware of certain things, it's moments like this that I am reminded just how observant she really is. She's taking notes and keeping score, oh yes. :)
Have a great weekend. Enjoy this historical weather (that is, if you live in the central part of the United States, particularly the Midwest, where we are enjoying our warmest March well, EVER. This is a 1 in 5000 chance that this would ever happen, according to one of the hubby's weather geek friends who did the statistics of it all. Kinda creepy.).
Have a great weekend. Enjoy this historical weather (that is, if you live in the central part of the United States, particularly the Midwest, where we are enjoying our warmest March well, EVER. This is a 1 in 5000 chance that this would ever happen, according to one of the hubby's weather geek friends who did the statistics of it all. Kinda creepy.).
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