Art Projects for Young Preschoolers
2 months ago
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Goodby to Pumping
Today my workday is different. I am not pumping. I am not providing milk for my daughter's bottle tomorrow. It feels strange. I Could pump. I could lift the pump off the floor and up onto my desk and take out my tubing and hook it up and get out my pump parts and express milk into a bottle. But, I'm not. I'm not going to do it.
I never really thought about "hanging up the horns" as being a big event, but it is. For the last four years I have either been pumping, pregnant, or both. When I finished graduate school and started my first "real" job I was pregnant with Fire Boy. After a way too short maternity leave I went back to work and entered the world of pumping mothers. I was rather lost. This contraption was so strange. I was nervous. It felt strange. At times I had trouble letting the milk down. I was stressed over getting enough milk. My baby didn't take bottles well. I had all the worries of a new parent and all the anxieties of going back to work exhausted and juggling my roles as mother and wife and worker and also providing milk for my baby. I was glad to do it, but at the same time it wasn't easy. It seemed like my workday was consumed by drinking, pumping, eating, repeat, repeat, repeat. We had thrush. We had unknowledgeable doctors. We had doctors who tried to get us to stop breastfeeding. Fire Boy had a dairy allergy. I had a lipase issue. I had post-partum depression. I traveled for job interviews. I pumped on planes, in hotels, in airports, in cars, in bathrooms, in closets, in offices, and at home. We moved. I started a new job. And still I pumped. I pumped for Fire Boy until he was two years old and I was pregnant with Wind Girl and my milk dried up.
I have pumped for 16 months for Wind Girl, and we (Wandering Dad and I) decided it was a reasonable time for me to stop pumping for her. She is much more interested in food than Fire Boy was at this age, and much less attached to the bottle. So hopefully today she napped easily without a bottle of mama's milk (and if she really wants it there is milk in the freezer that can be thawed for her). In some ways I feel like I am cheating her by not pumping. The milk is here, ready for her, and I'm choosing to let it stay there and not express it for her. But also, I pumped for 16 months! That is a long time. She is a big girl, and doesn't really need the milk during the day now. She can still nurse all she wants when I am at home, and the amount of milk she gets doesn't have to be diminished.
Although there are days when I have Really not wanted to pump, times when I dreaded it, I feel so lucky to have been able to provide for my children in this way. And I think part of me needed to be needed in that way. I needed to provide milk. It was something that only I could do. I couldn't be there with them, but I, and only I, could provide mama's milk for them. It has been good for them, and it has been good for me in a way. I am glad I did it!
During this time as a pumping mother I have learned so much. I have learned about pumps. I have learned about traveling with breastmilk. I have learned to hand express. I about breastmilk storage. About bottles. About nipple confusion. About changing membranes regularly. About hand-free pumping. About pumping while driving. About supply. About oatmeal and Mother's Milk tea. And about the need for support and accurate information! I have also learned about cleaning milk out of computer keyboards, about overflowing bottles, about spilled bottles, and about forgetting to but the bottles on and soaking my pants.
Luckily though this all I have had supportive friends and family and the wonderful community at Kellymom. This support helped get us through our breastfeeding difficulties, and helped me develop into the mother that I am. I needed support in my endeavors, and I needed friends who I was not afraid to talk to about things like nipples, breastpump tubing, and baby poop, and who could help me see that reverse cycling was only a phase. It seems that everything is only a phase. And this phase of my life is over. I am no longer a pumping mama.
I never really thought about "hanging up the horns" as being a big event, but it is. For the last four years I have either been pumping, pregnant, or both. When I finished graduate school and started my first "real" job I was pregnant with Fire Boy. After a way too short maternity leave I went back to work and entered the world of pumping mothers. I was rather lost. This contraption was so strange. I was nervous. It felt strange. At times I had trouble letting the milk down. I was stressed over getting enough milk. My baby didn't take bottles well. I had all the worries of a new parent and all the anxieties of going back to work exhausted and juggling my roles as mother and wife and worker and also providing milk for my baby. I was glad to do it, but at the same time it wasn't easy. It seemed like my workday was consumed by drinking, pumping, eating, repeat, repeat, repeat. We had thrush. We had unknowledgeable doctors. We had doctors who tried to get us to stop breastfeeding. Fire Boy had a dairy allergy. I had a lipase issue. I had post-partum depression. I traveled for job interviews. I pumped on planes, in hotels, in airports, in cars, in bathrooms, in closets, in offices, and at home. We moved. I started a new job. And still I pumped. I pumped for Fire Boy until he was two years old and I was pregnant with Wind Girl and my milk dried up.
I have pumped for 16 months for Wind Girl, and we (Wandering Dad and I) decided it was a reasonable time for me to stop pumping for her. She is much more interested in food than Fire Boy was at this age, and much less attached to the bottle. So hopefully today she napped easily without a bottle of mama's milk (and if she really wants it there is milk in the freezer that can be thawed for her). In some ways I feel like I am cheating her by not pumping. The milk is here, ready for her, and I'm choosing to let it stay there and not express it for her. But also, I pumped for 16 months! That is a long time. She is a big girl, and doesn't really need the milk during the day now. She can still nurse all she wants when I am at home, and the amount of milk she gets doesn't have to be diminished.
Although there are days when I have Really not wanted to pump, times when I dreaded it, I feel so lucky to have been able to provide for my children in this way. And I think part of me needed to be needed in that way. I needed to provide milk. It was something that only I could do. I couldn't be there with them, but I, and only I, could provide mama's milk for them. It has been good for them, and it has been good for me in a way. I am glad I did it!
During this time as a pumping mother I have learned so much. I have learned about pumps. I have learned about traveling with breastmilk. I have learned to hand express. I about breastmilk storage. About bottles. About nipple confusion. About changing membranes regularly. About hand-free pumping. About pumping while driving. About supply. About oatmeal and Mother's Milk tea. And about the need for support and accurate information! I have also learned about cleaning milk out of computer keyboards, about overflowing bottles, about spilled bottles, and about forgetting to but the bottles on and soaking my pants.
Luckily though this all I have had supportive friends and family and the wonderful community at Kellymom. This support helped get us through our breastfeeding difficulties, and helped me develop into the mother that I am. I needed support in my endeavors, and I needed friends who I was not afraid to talk to about things like nipples, breastpump tubing, and baby poop, and who could help me see that reverse cycling was only a phase. It seems that everything is only a phase. And this phase of my life is over. I am no longer a pumping mama.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
handmade beauty: wood
I was going to spend my "me time" (i.e., afternoon nap) working on cleaning up the basement, but then I decided to take a few pictures instead. Lately I have been appreciating the handmade things in our life. We do have a high proportion (although not as high as I would love) of handmade items - rag hugs on our floors, wall hangings on our walls, and quilts on our beds. A few toys. A few hats. A few jewelry items. A few wooden items. A few tea mugs. A few photographs by friends on our walls.
Today my mother joined us on an outing to the local farmers' market and the the fairgrounds for the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale. And we came away from both places with new handmade wooden items.
Last spring my son developed an interesting relationship with "Cookie Man" at the farmers' market. One day last spring Cookie Man was selling cookies, along with his handmade wooden items, plants, and veggies. He gave my son a small cookie for free. The next week, Cookie Man did not have cookies for sale, and my son was very disappointed. And every week since then Cookie Man has brought a single cookie for my son. It really is very sweet of him!! My little boy talks about Cookie Man all week and even makes up stories about Cookie Man. When we get to the farmers' market the first item of business is visiting Cookie Man (he looks for Cookie Man's truck when we are parking and makes sure that he is there and in his proper spot). But as soon as we approach the booth, my son gets quiet and shy. He whispers, "May I please have a cookie", and "thank you", but the long stories that he made up to tell Cookie Man are all tucked away inside. If I prompt for some of the things he said he wanted to tell Cookie Man he can manage a few words. But mostly it's just shy smiles. This seems to be okay with Cookie Man.
Last week I asked my son if he would like to have one of the wooden cups that Cookie Man makes so that he could remember him through the winter (and I would also like to support Cookie Man since he has been so very generous this spring, summer, and fall!). My son replied that he would like that, and so this week we bought a handmade white pine cup. I'm not sure yet what it's place in our house will be, but I think that it would go nicely on a nature table if I can manage to get one going.
At the Relief Sale I picked up a few wooden items for Christmas presents.
I had planned for them to go to extended family, but now I'm not so sure. I think I have fallen for this little box, and will probably give it to my son.
And, I am pound to say that I think my mom's quilts are at least as beautiful as those selling for over $1000 at the Relief Sale auctions!! Maybe I'll do a Mom's Quilt's post later! :)
I must also add that I was so please to see several other babywearing parents out and about this morning, and even a nursing toddler! Wonderful! So wonderful!
Today my mother joined us on an outing to the local farmers' market and the the fairgrounds for the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale. And we came away from both places with new handmade wooden items.
Last spring my son developed an interesting relationship with "Cookie Man" at the farmers' market. One day last spring Cookie Man was selling cookies, along with his handmade wooden items, plants, and veggies. He gave my son a small cookie for free. The next week, Cookie Man did not have cookies for sale, and my son was very disappointed. And every week since then Cookie Man has brought a single cookie for my son. It really is very sweet of him!! My little boy talks about Cookie Man all week and even makes up stories about Cookie Man. When we get to the farmers' market the first item of business is visiting Cookie Man (he looks for Cookie Man's truck when we are parking and makes sure that he is there and in his proper spot). But as soon as we approach the booth, my son gets quiet and shy. He whispers, "May I please have a cookie", and "thank you", but the long stories that he made up to tell Cookie Man are all tucked away inside. If I prompt for some of the things he said he wanted to tell Cookie Man he can manage a few words. But mostly it's just shy smiles. This seems to be okay with Cookie Man.
Last week I asked my son if he would like to have one of the wooden cups that Cookie Man makes so that he could remember him through the winter (and I would also like to support Cookie Man since he has been so very generous this spring, summer, and fall!). My son replied that he would like that, and so this week we bought a handmade white pine cup. I'm not sure yet what it's place in our house will be, but I think that it would go nicely on a nature table if I can manage to get one going.
At the Relief Sale I picked up a few wooden items for Christmas presents.
I had planned for them to go to extended family, but now I'm not so sure. I think I have fallen for this little box, and will probably give it to my son.
And, I am pound to say that I think my mom's quilts are at least as beautiful as those selling for over $1000 at the Relief Sale auctions!! Maybe I'll do a Mom's Quilt's post later! :)
I must also add that I was so please to see several other babywearing parents out and about this morning, and even a nursing toddler! Wonderful! So wonderful!
Friday, August 21, 2009
A year ago...(birth story)
My baby will be one year old tomorrow. I have been thinking a lot lately about a year ago and how much has happened since then. A few days after our daughter was born I wrote the following about the birth....
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My midwife, MW, and her family stopped by to check in at around 4:30 on Friday. She did a quick prenatal while the kids and husbands played in the yard. They left about 5:30 and then our son, D, and I helped WanderingDad cut some lumber for the new play house and I started to get dinner ready.
Around 6pm I noticed that the contractions started getting pretty frequent and stronger. By 6:30 I called MW and my doula, MC, to tell them that I thought real labor was starting and wanted to give her a heads up. We put my parents on stand-by but told them we would try to get D to bed at our house. We quickly had a bit of dinner and soon I had to "sing" through contractions. I called MW back a little before 7pm and told her that I would want some company soon and that she could call MC and the "supervising" midwife, DB, who was over an hour away. I also called my parents to tell them to head this way to get D. They had people at their house and had to get send them on their way before they could leave, so they left around 7:05 for the hour drive over here.
WanderingDad rushed around trying to get D's last minute things together and start filling the birth pool, clean up tools in the yard, etc. D did really well and hung out with WanderingDad most of the time. WanderingDad said he handled me "singing" very well. MW arrived around 7:30 and I think contractions were around 4 minutes apart by then. I was going on all fours for contractions. She listened to baby a bit and everything seemed fine so she just hung out and started getting things ready. MC showed up shortly afterward and joined us in the basement. The hot water ran out about half way through filling the birth pool (we think an element is out in the water heater - great timing...). WanderingDad was still trying to get things together upstairs for D to go, and MW had him boil a few things since she wasn't sure DB was going to make it in time.
Things were getting pretty intense by then. MC and D played ball down in the basement with us, and D didn't seem to be at all upset by the fact that I was not being exactly quiet during contractions. The only time he got upset was once before MW and MC got there when he and I were playing ball and I had to quit during a contraction. That made him mad. :) During some of my contractions when I was down on all fours D came over and crawled underneath me saying I was a bridge. Amazingly, it didn't bother me to have him there and crawling under me. I hugged him and talked to him some between contractions.
Around 8pm (I think) I was ready for him to be out of the way so I could have peace and have MC focus on helping me. We sent him upstairs, but he wanted to come back down and play. Luckily my parents showed up right then and WanderingDad put the car seat in their car and D was thrilled to see them and to go with them - we had been talking about how he would go to their house while mommy had the baby. My mom could hear me working hard and didn't even come down to see me, which was just fine with me. I was glad to have D out of the way, but I was also glad that he got to be there for part of it.
After that things happened very quickly. The contractions were very intense and I was glad to be done with each one. There wasn't much time in between to rest, and I heard MW tell MC that I had 3 in 10 minutes. I started feeling a little water with a few contractions and so they put some pads underneath me on the floor. I was leaning on the bed on the floor for the contractions. I just let my body take over and didn't try to do anything in particular, just what felt right. MC and MW asked a few times if that contractions had felt different - said I sounded different. Soon we had more water and they said that I was starting to open up. I was kind of feeling the urge to push and they said to just do what felt right.
After a few more contractions I was really pushing. It was really intense, but happened very quickly. Once I was pushing the contractions were a little farther apart with more time to rest in between. WanderingDad was there by then and was able to see what was going on. He saw her crowing and then saw it when her eyebrows were out and then her nose, head, etc. Later they told me that it's really neat to watch a baby come out when mother is on all fours since baby is looking up (in ideal position). WanderingDad was not grossed out by it at all like he thought he would me. It was all so calm and lovely (except that I was working darn hard ;-) ). The baby came out around 8:27 I believe.
There was a fair bit of bleeding so they had me get up on the bed and lie down. The bleeding pretty much stopped then and they think that the placenta separated when I had her and that's what caused the extra bleeding then. They put her up on me and we got to look at each other. It was lovely. DB showed up shortly afterward and said everything seemed fine.
After a while (no idea how long) they clamped the cord and WanderingDad cut it. They tied it off with string so she doesn't have a big hard clip - that's nice. Then they had me help deliver the placenta. WanderingDad got to hold the baby then. They checked out the placenta and put it in a bag in the freezer so we can do as we please with it. After a while they checked me out - while DB was still there. I had a small tear on the inside, but it didn't go all the way through and there was no need for stitches. Everything else was fine.
They weighed baby and wrapped her in a different blanket since the first one got kind of cruddy. We weren't ready for diaper or clothes. DB went home after a while and we hung out in the basement for a while with MW and MC. We didn't take many pictures because we had the lights low and the flash really made the baby jump. When I was ready they helped me get upstairs and take a shower. I had managed to get blood from my shoulders to my toes and was happy to stand in nice warm water for a while. I was feeling really good. Mainly just weak and "empty" feeling. I guess my organs rearranging felt strange.
MW and MC washed off the baby's face and hair a little bit. She doesn't have much hair. The "cheesy" stuff (can't remember the real name) on the rest of her absorbed pretty well so we didn't worry about bathing her all over. She's nice and soft and lovely without a bath. I had a snack and got settled. MW and MC cleaned up in the basement and had a snack while WanderingDad and baby and I rested and talked and looked. We thought we knew what he name was going to me, but we weren't sure (and it changed the next morning). MW and MC got us settled and left around 11:30pm I think. WanderingDad and I talked a little more and when to bed shortly after that.
I didn't sleep well at all that night - probably all the hormones. The baby wanted to be snuggled right up next to me - I guess trying to get as close as she could to "home". Saturday morning we all snuggled for a while and then got up and puttered around a little. I felt really good except for being very tired and weak. By afternoon I was feeling a little more sore down below, but not too bad.
D did really really well at my parents place – his first night alone there. He was wound up when they got there so it was around 10:30 or so before he got to bed I think, but they said he slept well from 11-7am. He snuggled with my mom most of the night. The next morning he didn’t want to eat anything (not unusual) and was pretty grumpy by the time he eat much at 10:30. My dad went to work but came home at noon. They tried to take a nap and were nearly successful but D started thinking about us and wanted to come see Mommy and the new baby. So he slept some in the car on the way back over here.
When he got here he was not at all happy and wanted to go back to their house. Our daughter, SR, and I were on the front porch swing and stayed there for a while since we didn’t want to introduce her when D was in a bad mood. After about 20 minutes of sitting stubbornly in the car by himself WanderingDad convinced him to get out by offering a set of construction vehicle matchbox cars. That got him out to play in the driveway. But he pooped about the time SR and I made it around there, so he had to go in for a diaper change.
So we all went inside and D was just delighted to see the new baby. He wanted to hold her, so we let him sit on the sofa and hold her and then the both nursed. It was really sweet. He has been very good with her so far. Very gently and kind. He wants to hold her a lot, so we are trying to accommodate that request when possible and let him pat her when he can’t hold her. He’s a little distressed when she cries, but just wants to help make it better.
Bedtime last evening went well. MW came to do a checkup around 6:30, so we were a bit late on bedtime. It was 8pm by the time D was done with his snack, and by then he was pretty wound up. I got SR swaddled and to sleep over on the side of the bed so that D and I could have our regular bedtime routine. Part way through reading books she woke up and wanted to nurse and he was very patient and good for that. I got her back asleep and then he nursed for two minutes (that’s the limit at bedtime) requested and extra minute of boob time and then wanted to be “upside down superman” and fly over to his room and use the potty before bed. WanderingDad lay with him for a while and then was able to leave.
This morning when D came in he was all smiles and wanted to see the baby more than he wanted to nurse. I had already nursed her for about an hour, so she was quietly awake. That was nice. D nursed for a few minutes, but not his normal morning half hour. Then he patted the baby and felt her fingers and ears, etc. He is so sweet. WanderingDad changed SR’s diaper and then both children nursed a little more. The morning really went well. SR has really wanted to nurse a lot, so I carried her around nursing while I got some breakfast and then hung out with D while WanderingDad ate. D has been very interested in what she’s doing and it’s lovely to see him so caring with her. I’m sure that there will be rough times ahead, but so far he’s being an absolutely wonderful big brother. D wanted the baby to go grocery shopping with them this morning, so we had to convince him that she would stay home with mommy.
So I’m tried and should probably be resting this morning while WanderingDad and D are out, but I really wanted to type some of this up while it’s still fresh in my mind.
---------------------------------------------------
My midwife, MW, and her family stopped by to check in at around 4:30 on Friday. She did a quick prenatal while the kids and husbands played in the yard. They left about 5:30 and then our son, D, and I helped WanderingDad cut some lumber for the new play house and I started to get dinner ready.
Around 6pm I noticed that the contractions started getting pretty frequent and stronger. By 6:30 I called MW and my doula, MC, to tell them that I thought real labor was starting and wanted to give her a heads up. We put my parents on stand-by but told them we would try to get D to bed at our house. We quickly had a bit of dinner and soon I had to "sing" through contractions. I called MW back a little before 7pm and told her that I would want some company soon and that she could call MC and the "supervising" midwife, DB, who was over an hour away. I also called my parents to tell them to head this way to get D. They had people at their house and had to get send them on their way before they could leave, so they left around 7:05 for the hour drive over here.
WanderingDad rushed around trying to get D's last minute things together and start filling the birth pool, clean up tools in the yard, etc. D did really well and hung out with WanderingDad most of the time. WanderingDad said he handled me "singing" very well. MW arrived around 7:30 and I think contractions were around 4 minutes apart by then. I was going on all fours for contractions. She listened to baby a bit and everything seemed fine so she just hung out and started getting things ready. MC showed up shortly afterward and joined us in the basement. The hot water ran out about half way through filling the birth pool (we think an element is out in the water heater - great timing...). WanderingDad was still trying to get things together upstairs for D to go, and MW had him boil a few things since she wasn't sure DB was going to make it in time.
Things were getting pretty intense by then. MC and D played ball down in the basement with us, and D didn't seem to be at all upset by the fact that I was not being exactly quiet during contractions. The only time he got upset was once before MW and MC got there when he and I were playing ball and I had to quit during a contraction. That made him mad. :) During some of my contractions when I was down on all fours D came over and crawled underneath me saying I was a bridge. Amazingly, it didn't bother me to have him there and crawling under me. I hugged him and talked to him some between contractions.
Around 8pm (I think) I was ready for him to be out of the way so I could have peace and have MC focus on helping me. We sent him upstairs, but he wanted to come back down and play. Luckily my parents showed up right then and WanderingDad put the car seat in their car and D was thrilled to see them and to go with them - we had been talking about how he would go to their house while mommy had the baby. My mom could hear me working hard and didn't even come down to see me, which was just fine with me. I was glad to have D out of the way, but I was also glad that he got to be there for part of it.
After that things happened very quickly. The contractions were very intense and I was glad to be done with each one. There wasn't much time in between to rest, and I heard MW tell MC that I had 3 in 10 minutes. I started feeling a little water with a few contractions and so they put some pads underneath me on the floor. I was leaning on the bed on the floor for the contractions. I just let my body take over and didn't try to do anything in particular, just what felt right. MC and MW asked a few times if that contractions had felt different - said I sounded different. Soon we had more water and they said that I was starting to open up. I was kind of feeling the urge to push and they said to just do what felt right.
After a few more contractions I was really pushing. It was really intense, but happened very quickly. Once I was pushing the contractions were a little farther apart with more time to rest in between. WanderingDad was there by then and was able to see what was going on. He saw her crowing and then saw it when her eyebrows were out and then her nose, head, etc. Later they told me that it's really neat to watch a baby come out when mother is on all fours since baby is looking up (in ideal position). WanderingDad was not grossed out by it at all like he thought he would me. It was all so calm and lovely (except that I was working darn hard ;-) ). The baby came out around 8:27 I believe.
There was a fair bit of bleeding so they had me get up on the bed and lie down. The bleeding pretty much stopped then and they think that the placenta separated when I had her and that's what caused the extra bleeding then. They put her up on me and we got to look at each other. It was lovely. DB showed up shortly afterward and said everything seemed fine.
After a while (no idea how long) they clamped the cord and WanderingDad cut it. They tied it off with string so she doesn't have a big hard clip - that's nice. Then they had me help deliver the placenta. WanderingDad got to hold the baby then. They checked out the placenta and put it in a bag in the freezer so we can do as we please with it. After a while they checked me out - while DB was still there. I had a small tear on the inside, but it didn't go all the way through and there was no need for stitches. Everything else was fine.
They weighed baby and wrapped her in a different blanket since the first one got kind of cruddy. We weren't ready for diaper or clothes. DB went home after a while and we hung out in the basement for a while with MW and MC. We didn't take many pictures because we had the lights low and the flash really made the baby jump. When I was ready they helped me get upstairs and take a shower. I had managed to get blood from my shoulders to my toes and was happy to stand in nice warm water for a while. I was feeling really good. Mainly just weak and "empty" feeling. I guess my organs rearranging felt strange.
MW and MC washed off the baby's face and hair a little bit. She doesn't have much hair. The "cheesy" stuff (can't remember the real name) on the rest of her absorbed pretty well so we didn't worry about bathing her all over. She's nice and soft and lovely without a bath. I had a snack and got settled. MW and MC cleaned up in the basement and had a snack while WanderingDad and baby and I rested and talked and looked. We thought we knew what he name was going to me, but we weren't sure (and it changed the next morning). MW and MC got us settled and left around 11:30pm I think. WanderingDad and I talked a little more and when to bed shortly after that.
I didn't sleep well at all that night - probably all the hormones. The baby wanted to be snuggled right up next to me - I guess trying to get as close as she could to "home". Saturday morning we all snuggled for a while and then got up and puttered around a little. I felt really good except for being very tired and weak. By afternoon I was feeling a little more sore down below, but not too bad.
D did really really well at my parents place – his first night alone there. He was wound up when they got there so it was around 10:30 or so before he got to bed I think, but they said he slept well from 11-7am. He snuggled with my mom most of the night. The next morning he didn’t want to eat anything (not unusual) and was pretty grumpy by the time he eat much at 10:30. My dad went to work but came home at noon. They tried to take a nap and were nearly successful but D started thinking about us and wanted to come see Mommy and the new baby. So he slept some in the car on the way back over here.
When he got here he was not at all happy and wanted to go back to their house. Our daughter, SR, and I were on the front porch swing and stayed there for a while since we didn’t want to introduce her when D was in a bad mood. After about 20 minutes of sitting stubbornly in the car by himself WanderingDad convinced him to get out by offering a set of construction vehicle matchbox cars. That got him out to play in the driveway. But he pooped about the time SR and I made it around there, so he had to go in for a diaper change.
So we all went inside and D was just delighted to see the new baby. He wanted to hold her, so we let him sit on the sofa and hold her and then the both nursed. It was really sweet. He has been very good with her so far. Very gently and kind. He wants to hold her a lot, so we are trying to accommodate that request when possible and let him pat her when he can’t hold her. He’s a little distressed when she cries, but just wants to help make it better.
Bedtime last evening went well. MW came to do a checkup around 6:30, so we were a bit late on bedtime. It was 8pm by the time D was done with his snack, and by then he was pretty wound up. I got SR swaddled and to sleep over on the side of the bed so that D and I could have our regular bedtime routine. Part way through reading books she woke up and wanted to nurse and he was very patient and good for that. I got her back asleep and then he nursed for two minutes (that’s the limit at bedtime) requested and extra minute of boob time and then wanted to be “upside down superman” and fly over to his room and use the potty before bed. WanderingDad lay with him for a while and then was able to leave.
This morning when D came in he was all smiles and wanted to see the baby more than he wanted to nurse. I had already nursed her for about an hour, so she was quietly awake. That was nice. D nursed for a few minutes, but not his normal morning half hour. Then he patted the baby and felt her fingers and ears, etc. He is so sweet. WanderingDad changed SR’s diaper and then both children nursed a little more. The morning really went well. SR has really wanted to nurse a lot, so I carried her around nursing while I got some breakfast and then hung out with D while WanderingDad ate. D has been very interested in what she’s doing and it’s lovely to see him so caring with her. I’m sure that there will be rough times ahead, but so far he’s being an absolutely wonderful big brother. D wanted the baby to go grocery shopping with them this morning, so we had to convince him that she would stay home with mommy.
So I’m tried and should probably be resting this morning while WanderingDad and D are out, but I really wanted to type some of this up while it’s still fresh in my mind.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Monday morning without nursing
This morning my son asked to nurse, but didn't push it when I reminded him that yesterday he had a weaning party and that he doesn't need to nurse any more. We cuddled for a long time and talked about how fun his party was and all the fun things he did yesterday. I tried to keep him talking so that he didn't want to use his mouth for other things. ;) He only asked once, but wanted to stay on my lap for a long time cuddling. It was nice. It was nice to cuddle and talk. We will miss the nursing, but we were ready and we will enjoy a new kind of close time.
Last night I was sad while putting up the post with pictures from his party. I was exhausted and sad and didn't have much to say. I still don't have a lot to say about it I guess. But I think it was a good way for us to end the nursing relationship.
Last night I was sad while putting up the post with pictures from his party. I was exhausted and sad and didn't have much to say. I still don't have a lot to say about it I guess. But I think it was a good way for us to end the nursing relationship.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
weaning party is over - so far so good
So, it's over. We're done. No more nursing.
Mama had to stay in the office for a few minutes after the last nursing session before I could go out with dry eyes.
He had a good time and felt special.
This evening we were a little sad.
I have tried not to nurse our daughter in front of him. I pumped after he went to bed.
He tested my resolve when we got home. But it turned out okay. He asked several more times but was okay with no boob. He cuddled at bedtime and said that he had a weaning party and now just gets to cuddle. We talked about how it was okay to be sad and that you can be more than one emotion at once - happy and sad. We told him to ask for cuddles and hugs if he is sad. We hope that tomorrow goes as well.
Mama had to stay in the office for a few minutes after the last nursing session before I could go out with dry eyes.
He had a good time and felt special.
This evening we were a little sad.
I have tried not to nurse our daughter in front of him. I pumped after he went to bed.
He tested my resolve when we got home. But it turned out okay. He asked several more times but was okay with no boob. He cuddled at bedtime and said that he had a weaning party and now just gets to cuddle. We talked about how it was okay to be sad and that you can be more than one emotion at once - happy and sad. We told him to ask for cuddles and hugs if he is sad. We hope that tomorrow goes as well.
Last nursing session - party hats on and ready to go.
He didn't nurse for long - ran off to have fun!
weaning party boy and his trusty sidekick
Blowing out the candles on the cake he helped bake.
He put the candles on all by himself
(except for the one he put in upside down and mama corrected...)
He put the candles on all by himself
(except for the one he put in upside down and mama corrected...)
my silly boys :)
eating cake
Saturday, July 4, 2009
weaning party
(my big boy who grew strong on mama's milk)
(we've come a long way from day 1)A few weeks ago I was discussing weaning ideas with a friend and she suggested a "weaning party" - a party to celebrate the end of nursing. A few days ago I mentioned this to my son, and he jumped at the idea. "A party? With cake and ice cream" (even thought he only ate ~2 bites of cake and ice cream at his 3rd birthday party) "Now?!" I explained to him that if he has a weaning party he will not get to nurse any more and he can just cuddle with mommy. "No more boobs. Ever." And apparently he's OK with the idea. Last night before bed when he was about to nurse he told me "I'm going to have a weaning party and then me don't need a boob any more, me just cuddle with mommy." I have no idea how he's going to feel about that afterward, but we're going forward with the idea.
Yesterday afternoon we went to Target and he picked out party supplies. He picked out green birthday hats, striped candles, baseball plates, blue and yellow streamers, and birthday balloons. Since he can't read we figure it doesn't matter that some of the items say "Happy Birthday". He carried the hats and candles all through the store and to the van. This morning he woke me up to tell me that he needed his hats and candles Right Now! We have not let him open the packages on any of the party supplies, but he is obsessed with those hats and candles.
Today at the farmers market he announced to a friend (who sadly is moving far far away in a few days) that he was having a weaning party soon. When we took a bucket of green beans and a bag of basil to a friend (and my doula) he proudly told her that he was having a weaning party tomorrow. Maybe it's better to do this weaning party Before our son starts preschool so that he doesn't announce too much. Not that I'm embarrassed that we are still nursing, not at all, but some things are easier left unexplained. After the farmers market we went to the grocery store and he picked out an organic chocolate cake mix and coconut milk ice cream.
So, tomorrow is it. The big day. Unless he backs down. I'm willing to wait a few more weeks. Originally we had planned to have it next weekend, but he's so excited that we're planning on having the party tomorrow my parents house. I will let him nurse tomorrow morning. Hopefully we will be able to set aside a little time to have a nice last nursing session. And then that's it. It's over. 3.5 years of nursing him every day. Multiple times a day. Through pregnancy. Tandem nursing. Toddler nursing. Nursing a kid. I haven't really thought about how I will feel. I don't know how it will affect me. Right now it seems like a logical progression, but I'm sure it will be more emotional for me than I expect. We have been through a lot together - initial learning and latching, thrush/yeast, pediatricians telling us to stop nursing (what on earth!!!), dairy allergy (so I was dairy free for 3 years), late eating, two years of pumping at work for him, pregnancy and no milk, sharing the boobs with his sister, and now... weaning.
Part of me feels guilty. Part of me feels like I should continue since I am still lactating for his sister anyway. Part of me feels like it's bad to wean him at a time of so many changes in his life (potty learning, starting preschool soon). Part of me feels like I should continue since preschool will expose him to so many new germs and he could use the immune boost. Part of me feels like I should continue so he gets the calcium and good fats since he refuses to drink any other type of milk. But, another part of me says it's time and that he will be ok, he's ready, he takes calcium supplements, and it's really OK mama, get over it already. We'll hope that part is strong tomorrow.
And here are a few more pictures from his first year of nursing. (to complement the nursing toddler pictures here...)
(1st birthday)Thursday, June 11, 2009
nursing in an APLX
This is one of my favorite pictures from the last few weeks. Me nursing my daughter in the Anglepack LX at the Frontier Culture Museum.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wordless Wednesday: she was so small
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
This is what a nursing toddler looks like...
(our son nursing Mama Bear)
(nursing at 19 months)
(nursing on his 3rd birthday)Monday, April 20, 2009
Monday. Hard to leave for work.
This morning my son woke my up and said "Mama doesn't have go work today? Mama stay long long time!" in a very exited voice. If anything makes mama want to stay home it's that. But, I had to explain to him that it was Monday and mama has to work on Monday. He wasn't easily convinced. "No. It Satday! Mama no have go work today. Mama stay long long time.". Darn. It's not "Satday". It's Monday. Why did I think this working mama stuff was a good idea. Beats me! That was obviously a pre-kids decision!
Well, we got through the pre-work routine. I held baby and read Curious George visits a fire station (reading upside down mind you) while our son ate breakfast and my husband was able to get bowl of cereal down. I had to read upside down because I have to keep our 8-month old daughter far far away from the book since she has decided that Curious George books are very tasty. She was "fragile" and needed to be held, so her in my lap sitting on floor, twisting around to read book on toddler table, reading book upside down, reminding 3-year old to eat and chew what was in his mouth. Then shower while my husband entertains kids and then get dressed, nurse both children. Get 3-year old out of exersaucer. Remove car key jammed in crevice of exersaucer (actually my husband did that part). Oh, and I had a bowl of cereal somewhere in there. Thank goodness my husband has taken over getting pump parts and my water bottles ready or I'd never have all the right parts to express milk for my baby at work and take empty water bottles! Well, we made it to the near goodbye stage and my son comes over and says "Mama looks Realll pretty taday!" Heart melts. Want to stay home and hug family. Say goodbye and give kisses. Find car keys. Get ready to go out the door. And then my 8-month old starts waving vigorously with a forlorn look on her face. This working mama idea Really was a pre-child idea. It has lost its appeal. Completely. Totally. I have to not think about it all day or I'll be a blubbering idiot. But soon I get to go home and get attacked by my children, both of whom want to nurse immediately. Reconnect with mommy. Hugs. Smiles. Or screams, depending on the day. Unreasonably demands from the toddler. But really and truly, I'd rather be with them all day every day.
Well, we got through the pre-work routine. I held baby and read Curious George visits a fire station (reading upside down mind you) while our son ate breakfast and my husband was able to get bowl of cereal down. I had to read upside down because I have to keep our 8-month old daughter far far away from the book since she has decided that Curious George books are very tasty. She was "fragile" and needed to be held, so her in my lap sitting on floor, twisting around to read book on toddler table, reading book upside down, reminding 3-year old to eat and chew what was in his mouth. Then shower while my husband entertains kids and then get dressed, nurse both children. Get 3-year old out of exersaucer. Remove car key jammed in crevice of exersaucer (actually my husband did that part). Oh, and I had a bowl of cereal somewhere in there. Thank goodness my husband has taken over getting pump parts and my water bottles ready or I'd never have all the right parts to express milk for my baby at work and take empty water bottles! Well, we made it to the near goodbye stage and my son comes over and says "Mama looks Realll pretty taday!" Heart melts. Want to stay home and hug family. Say goodbye and give kisses. Find car keys. Get ready to go out the door. And then my 8-month old starts waving vigorously with a forlorn look on her face. This working mama idea Really was a pre-child idea. It has lost its appeal. Completely. Totally. I have to not think about it all day or I'll be a blubbering idiot. But soon I get to go home and get attacked by my children, both of whom want to nurse immediately. Reconnect with mommy. Hugs. Smiles. Or screams, depending on the day. Unreasonably demands from the toddler. But really and truly, I'd rather be with them all day every day.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
tired, teething, testing
I worked on this post through two baby naps, one unsuccessful nap attempt, and now that the kids are finally asleep maybe I can finally get it done!
Our daughter seems to be working on her first tooth, and boy is she grumpy about it. Crying, fussing, gum grinding grumpy. I didn't make it to the bedroom until 12:30 last night because my husband and I stayed up talking about life, and when I tried to go to bed our daughter woke up. 3.5 hours later I finally got to sleep. 4 hours after that we were all up for the day. So, I'm somewhat incoherent today. I finally gave the squeaker Tylenol at 3am. Then she got to talking and gave herself the hiccups, and that added insult to injury. I finally called in some animal help, and she went into lala land for a few hours. Amazingly the ruckus didn't seem to wake my husband and son sleeping next door.
In other news, since our daughter is 7 months old and loves to eat kleenex we thought maybe she was ready for something with a higher nutritional content. We gave her a large piece of steamed organic broccoli today. She was much more interested in kleenex. Maybe teething is not the best time to have an open minded baby, but I had already bought the broccoli so we thought we'd give it a try. She seemed rather put off by the different feel/texture of steamed broccoli. Really wasn't the least bit interested in eat it and preferred to check out a cup. Oh well. I ate the broccoli (with curried chicken in coconut milk over basmati rice...yum) and she ate the cup.
(my mom's a broccoli pusher)
Our son has also been having a difficult couple of days. Luckily his teeth are all in, but something seems to be going on with him. We're hoping that brain development is taking over his head and not leaving much energy for being reasonable, because he has not been one bit reasonable. How can something be both too big and too small within 1/4 second of each other? Too hot And too cold? Everything is wrong. The world is wrong. Mommy and daddy are most definitely wrong. And he's pretty bent out of shape over it. Last evening I came home to two crying children and a frazzled husband. Luckily I came bearing ice cream and a case of Guinness. I try hard to avoid tandem nursing my children at the same time since it makes me want to scream and run away, so the one who screams the loudest or is least consolable (usually the elder child) gets first dibs. So I sit in the middle of the kitchen floor nursing an irrational 3-year old who tried to interact with the not-very happy 7 month old with his feet while nursing. Somehow I never imagined motherhood like this. No running to hug me and say "I love you mommy! It's good to have you home!". Nope. Just "I want Boob! I want BOOB!". Sometimes I insist on politeness and asking nicely, but this was not the time for that.
So, after I had fulfilled me role as milk bar (and belly button toy), we had to address the issue of dinner. We had planned on chicken, but obviously my husband had not had much of a chance to get dinner going with these two on his hands. I don't mind cooking on Fridays since I get the weekend with the kids, and I'm generally faster at cooking since my comfort level is greater in the kitchen. Plus, cooking is easier that kid wrangler sometimes ;-) . So I pulled off that chicken curry pretty quickly (good I think considering we had to deal with near calamity in the 3-year old's world for much of the time. more holding of both children, and more nursing was required. oh, by the way, I don't think he's ready to wean.). I left some chicken pieces plain since I didn't figure our son was in a mood to be open minded. I gave him a bowl of rice and curry, but it was of course the wrong bowl. Switch to bowl like mama's. No go. Offer plain chicken. No go. Sit at table and cry and pout. I finally offered to let him sit on my lap if he would please be quiet. I did have to keep reminding that if he cried/whined I would put him down. So much for the rule of not sitting on mommy during meals. But evidently it was what he needed, because part way through the meal he slithered off my lap under the table and reappeared at his place and proceeded to eat all his dinner, broccoli, curry, and all. Wow. Following my gut feeling that he really did need me more than usual was a good thing to do. I wish I could do it more often, but it's hard when I only have a few hours at home each day when the kids are awake, and 75% of the time either I'm trying to get ready for work, we're eating, or we're getting kids ready for bed. I feel so bad that I can't give me children more of the emotional support that they need from me. My husband does a wonderful job, but he responds differently to their emotionalness, and they respond differently to him. It makes me ache that I don't have more time for them, but I have to try to focus on the fact that at least one of us can be home.
Today was a little better. The kids nursed a lot and needed a lot of attention, but that's okay. We had some good times and avoided major meltdowns (although life was still hard for the tot).
(he really can smile sweetly)
Well, I had planned to write more and make this post have a meaning, but I'm too exhausted now so I'm going to call it quits. I'm giving tylenol at the next waking tonight!
Our daughter seems to be working on her first tooth, and boy is she grumpy about it. Crying, fussing, gum grinding grumpy. I didn't make it to the bedroom until 12:30 last night because my husband and I stayed up talking about life, and when I tried to go to bed our daughter woke up. 3.5 hours later I finally got to sleep. 4 hours after that we were all up for the day. So, I'm somewhat incoherent today. I finally gave the squeaker Tylenol at 3am. Then she got to talking and gave herself the hiccups, and that added insult to injury. I finally called in some animal help, and she went into lala land for a few hours. Amazingly the ruckus didn't seem to wake my husband and son sleeping next door.
In other news, since our daughter is 7 months old and loves to eat kleenex we thought maybe she was ready for something with a higher nutritional content. We gave her a large piece of steamed organic broccoli today. She was much more interested in kleenex. Maybe teething is not the best time to have an open minded baby, but I had already bought the broccoli so we thought we'd give it a try. She seemed rather put off by the different feel/texture of steamed broccoli. Really wasn't the least bit interested in eat it and preferred to check out a cup. Oh well. I ate the broccoli (with curried chicken in coconut milk over basmati rice...yum) and she ate the cup.
(my mom's a broccoli pusher)So, after I had fulfilled me role as milk bar (and belly button toy), we had to address the issue of dinner. We had planned on chicken, but obviously my husband had not had much of a chance to get dinner going with these two on his hands. I don't mind cooking on Fridays since I get the weekend with the kids, and I'm generally faster at cooking since my comfort level is greater in the kitchen. Plus, cooking is easier that kid wrangler sometimes ;-) . So I pulled off that chicken curry pretty quickly (good I think considering we had to deal with near calamity in the 3-year old's world for much of the time. more holding of both children, and more nursing was required. oh, by the way, I don't think he's ready to wean.). I left some chicken pieces plain since I didn't figure our son was in a mood to be open minded. I gave him a bowl of rice and curry, but it was of course the wrong bowl. Switch to bowl like mama's. No go. Offer plain chicken. No go. Sit at table and cry and pout. I finally offered to let him sit on my lap if he would please be quiet. I did have to keep reminding that if he cried/whined I would put him down. So much for the rule of not sitting on mommy during meals. But evidently it was what he needed, because part way through the meal he slithered off my lap under the table and reappeared at his place and proceeded to eat all his dinner, broccoli, curry, and all. Wow. Following my gut feeling that he really did need me more than usual was a good thing to do. I wish I could do it more often, but it's hard when I only have a few hours at home each day when the kids are awake, and 75% of the time either I'm trying to get ready for work, we're eating, or we're getting kids ready for bed. I feel so bad that I can't give me children more of the emotional support that they need from me. My husband does a wonderful job, but he responds differently to their emotionalness, and they respond differently to him. It makes me ache that I don't have more time for them, but I have to try to focus on the fact that at least one of us can be home.
Today was a little better. The kids nursed a lot and needed a lot of attention, but that's okay. We had some good times and avoided major meltdowns (although life was still hard for the tot).
(he really can smile sweetly)Well, I had planned to write more and make this post have a meaning, but I'm too exhausted now so I'm going to call it quits. I'm giving tylenol at the next waking tonight!
Monday, March 16, 2009
what I like about the new office and our weekend
(how I felt a lot of this weekend)I tired all weekend to write a post and got several composed, but I felt that they were all too glum to post so I left them out. We had a bit of "down" weekend with little sleep and gloomy weather.
Here are some notes from the yesterday...
I often wonder what it must be like to have children who sleep easily, long, and soundly. I'm sure I'll probably never know. It's nap time now, and my son and husband are asleep. I tried to nap our daughter - swaddled, nursed, and bounced, but she just sang to me. So how she's chasing toys on the floor while I type. I go over the retrieve toys that have rolled out of reach and she looks quizzically at my reading glasses. What's wrong with mama's eyes she seems to think. This morning began early - at 4:45 am for me. Our daughter was up for good by 6:00. My dear husband let me sleep for an hour, and then we bundled both kids into the van and headed to town for the first nap of the day. Neither my husband nor I wanted to be trapped inside with these kids today. Our daughter got a half hour nap before the combination of stop sign and 3-year old brother woke her. We went to the book fair and came home after changing a poopy diaper and nursing both children in the back of the van (our son wanted to stand in the rain and screamed at the idea of getting back in the van, so I offered a warm boob and that quieted him). Ten minutes from home our daughter feel asleep again. Argh. So I sat in the van for 20 minutes watching the cold raindrops collect and run down the window while she napped. But, I guess that half hour nap two hours ago ruined the usual afternoon nap. And all subsequent organization for the day. I guess it's probably obvious that my mood is about as grey and dismal as the weather this weekend. I used my yummy smelling raspberry shampoo yesterday afternoon when i got a shower - in hopes that the yumminess would perk me up, but it didn't work particularly well. I did manage to clean off (I mean clean, as in completely clean) off about 6 linear feet of kitchen counter last evening. I think that's going to be my big achievement for the weekend.
bouncing.....blank stares.....heavy eyes....going....going....gone! whew, that was hard work.... finally she gave in to sleep.
So, that's pretty much how our weekend went.
Today I'm back at work and trying to force myself to be positive. So, I thought I'd share a few things that I like about the new office....not that anyone really cares. I like it that my office door has a window. This weekend my husband installed a blind on the window so that I could take down the multi-colored tissue paper that I had covering the window. Now that I have a blind that I can pull down when I'm pumping and up when I'm not, I can close my door and listen to music without headphones. That's really nice. I have always tried to keep my door open in the past because the others in my office assume that when my door was closed I was pumping and wouldn't knock if they needed me. Now I can shut out the "world" and focus with my door closed but still be obviously available. I like that. I like listening to music without headphones while I work. I'm not a fan of headphones. They are good for listening to BBC Wold Service documentaries (another way to pass the time while I do mundane tasks), but I like music not directly funneled into my ears when possible.
I also like it that my desk is positioned so that people can't sneak up on me. I hated having my back to the door because I was always nervous that someone would "sneak in" and talk to me. I don't like surprises while I'm working. But now I feel that I can relax. The hardwood floors also help since I can hear when someone's walking around.
I like it that we have a somewhat real kitchen. Cabinets, a real sink, full size fridge, etc. Our "kitchen" at the last place was a tiny fridge and a utility closet with utility sink. In fact, now I can go do my grocery shopping in the middle of the day and put things in the fridge so that I don't have to face the grocery store after work when everyone is doing the same thing.
I like it that I'm on the second floor so I can pump with my window open. Yes, I'm not closing my outside window blind when I pump!! I got used to it the first few days in the new office when didn't have window blinds yet, and I've decided that I'm just not going to close the blind! There are no other building close by, and if someone going through the bank drive-thru really wants to look up this way and at my particular window and wonder what's going on, then so be it. But really, I don't think they could see anything. If I put my eyes down a boob level all I can see if the bank roof and and the road ~100 yards away. And with my pump between me and the window that view is probably blocked even more. So, maybe I'm nuts (the usually modest me who seldom even shows much of her collar bone, but I like light and I like my window.
I like it that the only things in my office are my things and that I'll actually get to decorate an office. In the old office the file cabinets in my office and the other computers were "public" so people were always coming in and out (leading to my paranoia of being "snuck up on"). So now I have to pick a rug for my office and find something for the walls. Fun.
And, big one, I like it that my family can stop by without feeling like it's imposing too too much on anyone. Granted, the little footsteps running down the hall to mama's office are a little obvious, but it's not quite as disruptive as before. Oh, and our son has to run to the kitchen each time he's here and get a plastic knife, fork, and spoon. He's gotta have em. Bad placement for those items, but I'll collect them in my office (when he doesn't take them home with him) and use the grubby ones myself when I don't feel like washing my silverware.
So, what else do I like about this office....I like it that the bathroom vent fan doesn't sound like it's going to suck me out the ceiling or give me hearing damage. Okay. I'm stretching it here...but really, it's a lot better.
Well, I think I'll go do that middle of the day grocery shopping now and grab a bite to eat since we didn't have leftovers for me to bring today.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
random tidbits and one reason I'm lucky.
Have you ever tried to nurse a baby to sleep while you have the hiccups? It doesn't work terrible well. Each time my bosom would bounce with a hiccup she would look at me inquiringly. But my hiccups finally subsided and she finally gave in to sleep. So I'm here for a few minutes to try to put down a few thoughts. I am extremely tired today after getting very little sleep last night, so I'm not sure how much of this will be coherent.
A few weeks ago I thought my son might be going down the weaning road faster than I anticipated, but this weekend showed that he's still pretty attached to the boob - literally. I found this post by Pioneer woman to be very relevant this weekend.
I can't imagine what it will be like when I have two toddlers! Oh my! But I'll discuss tandem nursing another time I think.
I have been inconsistent about what I call my family members in this blog. I can't decide how to refer to them. I started with "code names", but that just didn't quite seem to fit as well for me as it does for some. Then I switched to initials, but that got confusing. I guess I should look around and see what others do on their blogs....hmmm....i'm seeing a little of everything. So, maybe I'll skirt the issue for now by just refering to them as my husband, my son, and my daughter. Fancy that.
I feel lucky. I feel lucky that we live in a place where our son can roam a bit. This evening when we got home from the day's adventures our son said he was going to go shovel snow. My husband helped him into his coat and hat in the van, our son grabbed a shovel from the garage, and he was off. He loves to stay outside when we get home from somewhere. We are fortunate enough to live on several acres in rural area. Our yard is surrounded by a natural barrier of white pine trees and then a dilapidated woven wire fence between us and the road on two sides and the neighbor on another side. My handy husband has built several play houses for our son (and I think secretly for my husband, too), and our son is relatively free to wander as he pleases. He checks in occasionally coming into the garage and in the kitchen door, banging on the sliding glass door, talking to me at the above-the-sink kitchen window, or waving from the playhouse window. My husband was in and out to unpack the van and help our son when his shovel got stuck in the snow/grass (our son comes and announces "I got into trouble" when he needs help), but we are able to let him be pretty independent. I grew up like that (probably even more so) and it seems natural to me, but I know that many 3-year olds do not have that opportunity - to be on their own for a few minutes in a safe, quiet, roamable place. In the summer our son runs straight from the driveway to the garden, where he had a large digging hole. We are all looking forward to defrosting the garden again.
(pregnant mama and one of the digging holes)
Now, was that way or referring to them too cumbersome? Be honest now....was it?
Before I go I want to add that a friend me a huge service this morning by helping to tidy up my spirit(ual?) world. I'm still processing and haven't figured out how to talk about what's going on, but I think this is one more step in the right direction.
A few weeks ago I thought my son might be going down the weaning road faster than I anticipated, but this weekend showed that he's still pretty attached to the boob - literally. I found this post by Pioneer woman to be very relevant this weekend.
I can't imagine what it will be like when I have two toddlers! Oh my! But I'll discuss tandem nursing another time I think.
I have been inconsistent about what I call my family members in this blog. I can't decide how to refer to them. I started with "code names", but that just didn't quite seem to fit as well for me as it does for some. Then I switched to initials, but that got confusing. I guess I should look around and see what others do on their blogs....hmmm....i'm seeing a little of everything. So, maybe I'll skirt the issue for now by just refering to them as my husband, my son, and my daughter. Fancy that.
I feel lucky. I feel lucky that we live in a place where our son can roam a bit. This evening when we got home from the day's adventures our son said he was going to go shovel snow. My husband helped him into his coat and hat in the van, our son grabbed a shovel from the garage, and he was off. He loves to stay outside when we get home from somewhere. We are fortunate enough to live on several acres in rural area. Our yard is surrounded by a natural barrier of white pine trees and then a dilapidated woven wire fence between us and the road on two sides and the neighbor on another side. My handy husband has built several play houses for our son (and I think secretly for my husband, too), and our son is relatively free to wander as he pleases. He checks in occasionally coming into the garage and in the kitchen door, banging on the sliding glass door, talking to me at the above-the-sink kitchen window, or waving from the playhouse window. My husband was in and out to unpack the van and help our son when his shovel got stuck in the snow/grass (our son comes and announces "I got into trouble" when he needs help), but we are able to let him be pretty independent. I grew up like that (probably even more so) and it seems natural to me, but I know that many 3-year olds do not have that opportunity - to be on their own for a few minutes in a safe, quiet, roamable place. In the summer our son runs straight from the driveway to the garden, where he had a large digging hole. We are all looking forward to defrosting the garden again.
Now, was that way or referring to them too cumbersome? Be honest now....was it?
Before I go I want to add that a friend me a huge service this morning by helping to tidy up my spirit(ual?) world. I'm still processing and haven't figured out how to talk about what's going on, but I think this is one more step in the right direction.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Good evenings after work
When I get home from work our son (D or snap), pretends that he doesn't care that I'm home - even though a moment before he was eagerly awaiting my arrival. He is often in the living room or the basement playroom being busy. Our daughter (SR, also called button) is usually riding in her father's arms as he gets dinner started. Button gives me a full body smile (that grin and wiggle that makes it all worth it). After removing my coat and shoes and washing my hands, I take the smiling wiggle monster and descend into snap's domain. He jabbers at me with his mind far out racing his speech and I try to get the gist of the current adventure. After a few minutes it's time to change out of work clothes and give button a snack before dinner.
Last evening button nursed a bit and then snap wanted his boob. Doppler (i.e., my husband) was cooking dinner, so I propped button up in the corner of the love seat and put snap on my lap. Button saw a great opportunity to grab. Grab and taste. That's her game. But the grab was for snap's hair. At first this was funny, but it interfered with snap's nursing when button tried to put pull the hair to her mouth! But sister love trumps anger and pain so snap merely got up to go get a hat. If only he was that patient with me.
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