Today is the beginning of World Breastfeeding Week.
I had been contemplating sharing my experiences with breastfeeding on this blog for some time. Recently I had a few pregnant friends ask for advice because it is something they are interested in so I figured this coming week would be the perfect opportunity.
For something that has been a huge part of humanity from the beginning it breaks my heart at how little we know about breastfeeding as a society. I truly hope that changes and America's view of it improves.
We need more encouragement, support, understanding and much more education. The less we focus on pointing fingers at formula in a negative way and focus more on educating soon to be new moms- the statistics of babies breastfed until or beyond the mother's original goal will naturally rise. A majority of moms plan to breastfeed but then lack of support often leads them to not meeting their goals.
There was so much I didn't know when I gave birth to Nathan 4 years ago. Before I had him I heard a few moms say "It's one of the hardest things I ever did but also the most rewarding." I would think to myself "One of the hardest things? How hard can it be...?" but now I completely understand that statement and have uttered (heh) it a few times myself.
My first son was a small premie who did not latch well and ended up on formula several months later. My second son was a full term baby who latched right on and never looked back! I also have went through pumping in different working environments and donating milk to the milk bank and others in need. I look forward to sharing all I know about these topics which may not be a lot but if I can help one person it will be worth typing it out!
My hope is that by sharing my story someone might want to "give it a go" because it is honestly one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.
And I know that's an over used statement but I truly mean it!
So check back this week!
Thursday- Nathan's Story Part 1
Friday- Nathan's Story Part 2
Saturday- Luke's Story
Sunday- What I wish I knew...
Monday- Pumping/Donating
Tuesday- Final thoughts
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Nathan's first dental visit and my unique inner ear...or is it?
Most dental hygienist bring their own kids to where they work and clean their teeth. Because I work for a low income clinic (where we are unable to see people with insurance) I was legally not able to do this.
It made me a little sad I couldn't be the first one to polish Nathan's pearly whites but I figured it's probably for the best for him to get used to another hygienist and get the full experience of going in for a dental checkup.
This past Friday Luke, Nathan and I all headed to the pediatric dentist for the first time. Nathan was thrilled to see they had a huge play area.
After mastering the art of balancing a 11 month old on one leg and paperwork on the other- filling out said paperwork while trying to keep the baby grabbing the pen and permanently damaging any of his (or my) body parts---the hygienist finally came into the waiting area and called out "Nathan"
He looked at me with his excited but slightly anxious eyes and I said "that's you buddy!"
So we walked back into the operatory and chatted with the hygienist, Nicole, and Nathan got up in the chair and opened wide.
He did great. I was proud of him!
His teeth look perfect (besides an overbite) and no problems were found.
This is what he did when I said "show me your clean teeth!"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Also on Friday Luke had a helmet appointment. I fully expected the specialist to say that we had another few months but after examining Luke and taking his age into account he said to schedule a 3 week follow up and then we'll schedule a final scan and then he'll be done!!
So maybe the helmet will be a thing of the past before his first birthday!
I'm so ready to have a baby who's head doesn't stink like dirty feet :)
And once his helmet is off his hair can start growing on the sides because he has a nice curly red mohawk going on.
I had the idea to have everyone who comes to his first bday party sign the helmet with a permanent marker and then it will be something I can keep.
So I can pull it out and show his prom date and use my squeaky mom voice to say "oooohhhh look how widdle his widdle head used to be!!!!!"
Heh.
And I'm totally not kidding.
My poor children.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After the morning doctor appts we met my friend Dana at Chick fil A for some lunch and so she could watch Nathan for me while I took Luke to his next appt. If that wasn't enough- the other reason she came was to GIVE us a ton of little people toys and a fisher price picnic table. Yanno- cuz she's awesome n stuff.
After we ate I left Dana in the play area full of screaming kids. On the way out I gave her the "thanks so much for doing this and omg it's so loud in here-goodluck!" look and Luke and I left for the final doctor appt of the day. The ENT.
The medical assistant asked me how many ear infections Luke had had and honestly I had lost count. I'm thinking 5? The hearing test was first and surprisingly he scored within his age group!
The ENT came in the examine room and we talked a short bit. I already knew we were ready for tubes and since we had been through the process with Nathan there wasn't too much he needed to discuss.
And then when the visit was almost over- I give in to an internal "should I or shouldn't I?" mental conflict and say while turning red "Doctor, can I ask you a weird question?"
Of course he says "yes" because I think curiousity would keep anyone from saying "no" to that.
And before I know it I'm practically word "vomitting" this following paragraph. Oh dear. I.am.a.dork.
"Well...I had been debating if I should ask you this or not and I'm just gonna ask and I know you are going to think I'm crazy or something. I can...uhhh... voluntarily make this thunder noise in my ears. I've been able to do it since I was a kid and I used to do it during a nightmare and it would wake me up (why in the world did I have to include that much detail) It sounds like rolling thunder. It's completely voluntary. It only does it when I make it happen."
...pause...blink...blink...
And he says "Hmph"
I say "um... Do you want to look in my ear and see what happens when I make the sound?" and now that I have his curiousity he says he does.
He looks and I do it. He steps back and says "Yeah you can make your ear drum vibrate. I wonder if you have somehow found a way to voluntarily control the stapedius muscle (which he then explains) Maybe you did it once as a child and then over time figured out how to do it more and more."
I ask if it's common and he says somewhat impressed "No, actually I've never seen that before" Not knowing what to say I look at Luke and say "see, told ya your mommy is weird."
I felt validated for all the times my childhood friends said I had to be making it up when I told them I could make a thunder noise in my head (which sounds crazy enough that it's surprising I did have friends!)
After we talked a bit more about scheduling Luke's tube surgery and his thoughts on water exposure afterwards he leaves the room and the medical assistant looks at me obviously amused. She says "that's neat- you have a party trick!" and I said "yeah a party trick only I can hear" heh.
When I told Marcus about the whole thing he says "I can do that too."
Well...
Hmph.
Then we teasingly wonder if maybe we're the only two people in the world who can voluntarily make their ear drum vibrate. We joke that maybe that's how we found each other in the first place. Our inner ears vibrate at the same frequency. We honed in on eachother!
But then I mention this at work and one of the dentist I work with says she can do it too!
So maybe this is common?
So tell me---can you make a rolling thunder noise in your ears? Have you ever heard of this before? If you can- did you ever use it for anything? Like me- I used it to tune people out when I was a kid (bad, I know) and used it to wake up from nightmares if I realized it was a dream.
C'mon- join my weirdness!
Anyone...?
Anybody at all....?
It made me a little sad I couldn't be the first one to polish Nathan's pearly whites but I figured it's probably for the best for him to get used to another hygienist and get the full experience of going in for a dental checkup.
This past Friday Luke, Nathan and I all headed to the pediatric dentist for the first time. Nathan was thrilled to see they had a huge play area.
After mastering the art of balancing a 11 month old on one leg and paperwork on the other- filling out said paperwork while trying to keep the baby grabbing the pen and permanently damaging any of his (or my) body parts---the hygienist finally came into the waiting area and called out "Nathan"
He looked at me with his excited but slightly anxious eyes and I said "that's you buddy!"
So we walked back into the operatory and chatted with the hygienist, Nicole, and Nathan got up in the chair and opened wide.
He did great. I was proud of him!
His teeth look perfect (besides an overbite) and no problems were found.
This is what he did when I said "show me your clean teeth!"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Also on Friday Luke had a helmet appointment. I fully expected the specialist to say that we had another few months but after examining Luke and taking his age into account he said to schedule a 3 week follow up and then we'll schedule a final scan and then he'll be done!!
So maybe the helmet will be a thing of the past before his first birthday!
I'm so ready to have a baby who's head doesn't stink like dirty feet :)
And once his helmet is off his hair can start growing on the sides because he has a nice curly red mohawk going on.
I had the idea to have everyone who comes to his first bday party sign the helmet with a permanent marker and then it will be something I can keep.
So I can pull it out and show his prom date and use my squeaky mom voice to say "oooohhhh look how widdle his widdle head used to be!!!!!"
Heh.
And I'm totally not kidding.
My poor children.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After the morning doctor appts we met my friend Dana at Chick fil A for some lunch and so she could watch Nathan for me while I took Luke to his next appt. If that wasn't enough- the other reason she came was to GIVE us a ton of little people toys and a fisher price picnic table. Yanno- cuz she's awesome n stuff.
After we ate I left Dana in the play area full of screaming kids. On the way out I gave her the "thanks so much for doing this and omg it's so loud in here-goodluck!" look and Luke and I left for the final doctor appt of the day. The ENT.
The medical assistant asked me how many ear infections Luke had had and honestly I had lost count. I'm thinking 5? The hearing test was first and surprisingly he scored within his age group!
The ENT came in the examine room and we talked a short bit. I already knew we were ready for tubes and since we had been through the process with Nathan there wasn't too much he needed to discuss.
And then when the visit was almost over- I give in to an internal "should I or shouldn't I?" mental conflict and say while turning red "Doctor, can I ask you a weird question?"
Of course he says "yes" because I think curiousity would keep anyone from saying "no" to that.
And before I know it I'm practically word "vomitting" this following paragraph. Oh dear. I.am.a.dork.
"Well...I had been debating if I should ask you this or not and I'm just gonna ask and I know you are going to think I'm crazy or something. I can...uhhh... voluntarily make this thunder noise in my ears. I've been able to do it since I was a kid and I used to do it during a nightmare and it would wake me up (why in the world did I have to include that much detail) It sounds like rolling thunder. It's completely voluntary. It only does it when I make it happen."
...pause...blink...blink...
And he says "Hmph"
I say "um... Do you want to look in my ear and see what happens when I make the sound?" and now that I have his curiousity he says he does.
He looks and I do it. He steps back and says "Yeah you can make your ear drum vibrate. I wonder if you have somehow found a way to voluntarily control the stapedius muscle (which he then explains) Maybe you did it once as a child and then over time figured out how to do it more and more."
I ask if it's common and he says somewhat impressed "No, actually I've never seen that before" Not knowing what to say I look at Luke and say "see, told ya your mommy is weird."
I felt validated for all the times my childhood friends said I had to be making it up when I told them I could make a thunder noise in my head (which sounds crazy enough that it's surprising I did have friends!)
After we talked a bit more about scheduling Luke's tube surgery and his thoughts on water exposure afterwards he leaves the room and the medical assistant looks at me obviously amused. She says "that's neat- you have a party trick!" and I said "yeah a party trick only I can hear" heh.
When I told Marcus about the whole thing he says "I can do that too."
Well...
Hmph.
Then we teasingly wonder if maybe we're the only two people in the world who can voluntarily make their ear drum vibrate. We joke that maybe that's how we found each other in the first place. Our inner ears vibrate at the same frequency. We honed in on eachother!
But then I mention this at work and one of the dentist I work with says she can do it too!
So maybe this is common?
So tell me---can you make a rolling thunder noise in your ears? Have you ever heard of this before? If you can- did you ever use it for anything? Like me- I used it to tune people out when I was a kid (bad, I know) and used it to wake up from nightmares if I realized it was a dream.
C'mon- join my weirdness!
Anyone...?
Anybody at all....?
Monday, July 16, 2012
7 things I wish I never learned...
As I was walking back to work after lunch I was staring at the beautiful puffy white clouds. They were the type of clouds that were so perfect they didn't even look real.
It made me think about my childhood and how I used to think they were solid. As in- if you somehow got up there you could lay on them and bounce from one cloud to another.
And then I thought how much of a bummer it was when I learned that they are made of water vapor and if I did get up there I would just fall to the earth.
When I got back to work and began scraping tartar off of my patient's teeth (which is when I do my best "thinking" if I'm not talking to my patient) I started to recall other things that I learned growing up that somewhat dampened the childlike magic in how I perceived the world as a girl.
So here's the list that I came up with.
Here are 7 things I wished I never learned
(but for the sake of being a normal functioning adult in our society it's good that I did learn them)
1. Character Costumes
It was much more fun thinking the shockingly huge Mickey Mouse was indeed the infamous rodent himself instead of a sweaty guy in a costume that probably smells like a middle school locker room on the inside.
2. Honeymoon
A newly married couple literally flew to the moon following the ceremony. You didn't know that? Well- that's what I thought anyways. I remember pondering how the "honey" part was involved. Did they eat it? Did they swim in it? Did the make a honey slip n slide? I wasn't sure about that part but I truly believed in the outterspace postnuptial trip.
3. Santa Claus
Christmas was just much more exciting as a kid when I thought he was real. I believed for a long time because my dad once went as far as throwing pebbles on the roof in the middle of the night one Christmas Eve. Of course- Christmas is a time we celebrate the Savior's birth. However the world did seem a little dimmer after I figured out the truth about the jolly big guy.
4. The world is REALLY big. I mean- reeeallly big.
You mean you can't see Disney World from high up here on a fair ride in North Carolina?
My 3 year old self was SO convinced the factory I could see from a distance when I was on a swing ride at a fair was truly Disney World that my parents literally had to go drive by the factory to show me otherwise.
I guess I wouldn't stop talking about it and my stubborn self KNEW I was right.
I thought that from the whopping height of 30 feet I could see everything in the whole world.
When I saw that it was smoke columns and not Cinderella's castle I was crushed.
5. Summer
I thought summer lasted a whole year.
Like- we went to school for a year. And then had a year off.
My whole concept of time was completely altered when I understood that summer was just a few months.
6. Velcro
Or Bear-crow?
When I was in middle school a friend said "wait a minute Amanda- did you just say bear crow? It's Velcro!"
Up until then I thought it was pronounced bear-crow. Which made much more sense to me. The soft part stood for the bear and the scratchy part stood for the crow.
Pssh. Velcro. Who comes up with this stuff?
Bear crow makes much more sense.
(and the truth that devastated me the most and truly rocked my childhood world of make-believe)
7. Mr. Rogers
What?
Those are PUPPETS????
NNNOOOOO!!!!
---------------------------------
What truth crushed one of your childhood perceptions that you sorta wish you never learned?
It made me think about my childhood and how I used to think they were solid. As in- if you somehow got up there you could lay on them and bounce from one cloud to another.
And then I thought how much of a bummer it was when I learned that they are made of water vapor and if I did get up there I would just fall to the earth.
When I got back to work and began scraping tartar off of my patient's teeth (which is when I do my best "thinking" if I'm not talking to my patient) I started to recall other things that I learned growing up that somewhat dampened the childlike magic in how I perceived the world as a girl.
So here's the list that I came up with.
Here are 7 things I wished I never learned
(but for the sake of being a normal functioning adult in our society it's good that I did learn them)
1. Character Costumes
It was much more fun thinking the shockingly huge Mickey Mouse was indeed the infamous rodent himself instead of a sweaty guy in a costume that probably smells like a middle school locker room on the inside.
2. Honeymoon
A newly married couple literally flew to the moon following the ceremony. You didn't know that? Well- that's what I thought anyways. I remember pondering how the "honey" part was involved. Did they eat it? Did they swim in it? Did the make a honey slip n slide? I wasn't sure about that part but I truly believed in the outterspace postnuptial trip.
3. Santa Claus
Christmas was just much more exciting as a kid when I thought he was real. I believed for a long time because my dad once went as far as throwing pebbles on the roof in the middle of the night one Christmas Eve. Of course- Christmas is a time we celebrate the Savior's birth. However the world did seem a little dimmer after I figured out the truth about the jolly big guy.
4. The world is REALLY big. I mean- reeeallly big.
You mean you can't see Disney World from high up here on a fair ride in North Carolina?
My 3 year old self was SO convinced the factory I could see from a distance when I was on a swing ride at a fair was truly Disney World that my parents literally had to go drive by the factory to show me otherwise.
I guess I wouldn't stop talking about it and my stubborn self KNEW I was right.
I thought that from the whopping height of 30 feet I could see everything in the whole world.
When I saw that it was smoke columns and not Cinderella's castle I was crushed.
5. Summer
I thought summer lasted a whole year.
Like- we went to school for a year. And then had a year off.
My whole concept of time was completely altered when I understood that summer was just a few months.
6. Velcro
Or Bear-crow?
When I was in middle school a friend said "wait a minute Amanda- did you just say bear crow? It's Velcro!"
Up until then I thought it was pronounced bear-crow. Which made much more sense to me. The soft part stood for the bear and the scratchy part stood for the crow.
Pssh. Velcro. Who comes up with this stuff?
Bear crow makes much more sense.
(and the truth that devastated me the most and truly rocked my childhood world of make-believe)
7. Mr. Rogers
What?
Those are PUPPETS????
NNNOOOOO!!!!
---------------------------------
What truth crushed one of your childhood perceptions that you sorta wish you never learned?
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
pieces of my brain
Here's some randomness I need to get out of my head....some boring ramblings but I figured I better post something on this thing.
+++++++++++
Soooooo um yeah. I have like ten awesome (haha) blog posts half written. Anyone else like that? I really need to finish some of them.
I'm excited about a series on bfing I'll be blogging about. I think it will break down into maybe five separate posts.
I know. I know. That's a lot. But after nursing two babies and having dramatically different experiences- there is a lot to share! And I have a few preg friends who have asked which is why I wanted to do the posts. Plus I'm also a working momma so there is a lot about pumping at work that I've learned. There is SO MUCH that I wish I knew before my first nursing experience and if I can help someone else be more prepared than I definitely want to!
I'm wordy- obviously. And I know people don't have an hour to just sit and read a blog post (because even with my lack of comments- people do read this. promise. Er at least I think- anyone?). So I'm trying to figure out how to break down the bfing posts so it's not so long and yet keep the "meat" of the post intact. Or "milk" if you will. Ha. Haha.
+++++++++++++++++++++
You mothers about to have two kids? Things are so different with the second one. You will love them a ton- but they will never get the life that your first had when they were an only child.
For instance. Reading before bedtime. I always used to read to Nathan before bed- sometimes even after he fell asleep on me.
Luke? I've read to him three times. EVER! And he's going on one! And one of those times included last night.
With Nathan we had this whole bedtime routine (bath, book, song, prayer, bed) With Luke? Bath, nurse, bed. I walk in his room, lay him in the crib and walk out. That's it. That's all I have time for in the chaos of preparing for the next day and getting food and bottles ready for daycare.
And usually one of the reasons I never read to him is because I'm usually like "oh no- it's 9:00- you need to be in bed!!!" and off to bed he goes while I feel bad that my baby isn't getting more sleep.
But last night I did sit and read to him. And it was one of the sweetest moments I've shared with him. He giggled. He looked at every page of that book and giggled. The sweetest sleepy giggle I have ever heard. It brought tears to my eyes and I told myself I HAVE to read to him more.
Plus I've heard stuff like that is good for their brains or something.
;)
++++++++++++++++++
There are days I enjoy doing cloth diapering and days I sometimes wish we weren't. But for the most part I enjoy it and love all the money we are saving. Plus I had no idea that there are so many chemicals in disposable diapers. But then again there are chemicals in everything these days!
I thank my friend Amy for talking me into cloth diapering. And she did have to talk me into it because at first it wasn't even something I would consider- but now I'm glad we chose to. And if God chooses to bless us with another child someday they'll have free diapering too!
This all leads to a very important package that was delivered in the mail the other day.
A diaper sprayer.
"What the what?" you say?
It's basically like the sprayer you have attached to your kitchen sink. Except this is attached to the back of your toilet and clean water can be sprayed out.
It's for "cleaning off" the cloth diapers before you throw them in the container to later be washed. I don't know how I survived 10 months of cloth diapering without this thing. I kept holding out because they are expensive but now that I have one it was definitely worth it.
And an added bonus is the sprayer reaches the shower. So the day Marcus hooked it up I also cleaned my shower which took half the time with the sprayer's help. I think that was the first time I enjoyed cleaning the shower.
+++++++++++++++++++
Speaking of cleaning. I'm attempting a new cleaning method. A way of keeping track of what needs cleaned when- especially the things that need to be done once a month or every few months. It's a system of notecards and dividers. My goal is to spread out the chores in a way that nothing gets too terribly behind (it's been 3 yrs since I've cleaned the curtains in the kitchen- 3 years! I fear what I will find when I take them down!) Also- things are easier to clean the more you do it.
So far- so good. Although I'm known for getting super excited about organizing something or a new system to implement and sometimes they don't stick. So we'll see!
++++++++++
Speaking of super excited. The other night I sat down to watch tv and pair all of the unpaired socks for every member in this family. I seriously was so excited. Not kidding. I ended up with maybe 30 pairs of socks for everyone and a bag of about 15 socks that never ever get paired but yet I can't bring myself to get rid of them because what if...?
How weird does this make me? A lot?
++++++++++++++++++++
For 3 years we have lived in our house. I think I'm slowly getting the anterior the way I want it. There are still things like light fixtures that I would like to trade out. And a new couch since our dog's claws have destroyed some of the sewed in cushions leaving me to have a blanket constantly on one side of the couch. But for the most part I hope I've made it quite homey.
But the outside of the house? We have a long way to go.
As of right now there is no landscaping. We ripped up the horrible landscaping that came with the house and killed the weeds that had over taken it. However my cousin is helping us with it and he has been understandably busy so for months we've had what I like to call a "dead rustic" theme in the front yard.
In the back yard we have an itty bitty concrete patio that we never use and have never got patio furniture for it. But the other night I took the dog out and thought how nice it would feel to sit out there in the cooler evening.
The next day at Meijer I saw a cute little patio table for $25! It's 40inches across with a steal frame and tempered glass. Marcus agreed it was a good deal so the following day we went back and got it. We didn't get chairs yet because we're looking for a good deal but I can't wait to set up a little sitting area and use our outdoor space more. Hopefully in a year or so we can get a fence so I don't have to worry about the boys running too far off or into the ditch at the back of our property.
++++++++++++++++++
I hope everyone has a great fourth of July. Please be safe if you choose to do personal fireworks if you are not in an area banned from it. We lost our house to a fire when I was a little girl and I don't wish it on anyone. My heart goes out to those affected in Colorado. God is bigger than any force of nature but I know at the time losing all you own can be so devastating that it's hard to see past it. So please be safe and either choose not to do fireworks or go see them somewhere publicly where they have firemen present.
Happy 4th!
+++++++++++
Soooooo um yeah. I have like ten awesome (haha) blog posts half written. Anyone else like that? I really need to finish some of them.
I'm excited about a series on bfing I'll be blogging about. I think it will break down into maybe five separate posts.
I know. I know. That's a lot. But after nursing two babies and having dramatically different experiences- there is a lot to share! And I have a few preg friends who have asked which is why I wanted to do the posts. Plus I'm also a working momma so there is a lot about pumping at work that I've learned. There is SO MUCH that I wish I knew before my first nursing experience and if I can help someone else be more prepared than I definitely want to!
I'm wordy- obviously. And I know people don't have an hour to just sit and read a blog post (because even with my lack of comments- people do read this. promise. Er at least I think- anyone?). So I'm trying to figure out how to break down the bfing posts so it's not so long and yet keep the "meat" of the post intact. Or "milk" if you will. Ha. Haha.
+++++++++++++++++++++
You mothers about to have two kids? Things are so different with the second one. You will love them a ton- but they will never get the life that your first had when they were an only child.
For instance. Reading before bedtime. I always used to read to Nathan before bed- sometimes even after he fell asleep on me.
Luke? I've read to him three times. EVER! And he's going on one! And one of those times included last night.
With Nathan we had this whole bedtime routine (bath, book, song, prayer, bed) With Luke? Bath, nurse, bed. I walk in his room, lay him in the crib and walk out. That's it. That's all I have time for in the chaos of preparing for the next day and getting food and bottles ready for daycare.
And usually one of the reasons I never read to him is because I'm usually like "oh no- it's 9:00- you need to be in bed!!!" and off to bed he goes while I feel bad that my baby isn't getting more sleep.
But last night I did sit and read to him. And it was one of the sweetest moments I've shared with him. He giggled. He looked at every page of that book and giggled. The sweetest sleepy giggle I have ever heard. It brought tears to my eyes and I told myself I HAVE to read to him more.
Plus I've heard stuff like that is good for their brains or something.
;)
++++++++++++++++++
There are days I enjoy doing cloth diapering and days I sometimes wish we weren't. But for the most part I enjoy it and love all the money we are saving. Plus I had no idea that there are so many chemicals in disposable diapers. But then again there are chemicals in everything these days!
I thank my friend Amy for talking me into cloth diapering. And she did have to talk me into it because at first it wasn't even something I would consider- but now I'm glad we chose to. And if God chooses to bless us with another child someday they'll have free diapering too!
This all leads to a very important package that was delivered in the mail the other day.
A diaper sprayer.
"What the what?" you say?
It's basically like the sprayer you have attached to your kitchen sink. Except this is attached to the back of your toilet and clean water can be sprayed out.
It's for "cleaning off" the cloth diapers before you throw them in the container to later be washed. I don't know how I survived 10 months of cloth diapering without this thing. I kept holding out because they are expensive but now that I have one it was definitely worth it.
And an added bonus is the sprayer reaches the shower. So the day Marcus hooked it up I also cleaned my shower which took half the time with the sprayer's help. I think that was the first time I enjoyed cleaning the shower.
+++++++++++++++++++
Speaking of cleaning. I'm attempting a new cleaning method. A way of keeping track of what needs cleaned when- especially the things that need to be done once a month or every few months. It's a system of notecards and dividers. My goal is to spread out the chores in a way that nothing gets too terribly behind (it's been 3 yrs since I've cleaned the curtains in the kitchen- 3 years! I fear what I will find when I take them down!) Also- things are easier to clean the more you do it.
So far- so good. Although I'm known for getting super excited about organizing something or a new system to implement and sometimes they don't stick. So we'll see!
++++++++++
Speaking of super excited. The other night I sat down to watch tv and pair all of the unpaired socks for every member in this family. I seriously was so excited. Not kidding. I ended up with maybe 30 pairs of socks for everyone and a bag of about 15 socks that never ever get paired but yet I can't bring myself to get rid of them because what if...?
How weird does this make me? A lot?
++++++++++++++++++++
For 3 years we have lived in our house. I think I'm slowly getting the anterior the way I want it. There are still things like light fixtures that I would like to trade out. And a new couch since our dog's claws have destroyed some of the sewed in cushions leaving me to have a blanket constantly on one side of the couch. But for the most part I hope I've made it quite homey.
But the outside of the house? We have a long way to go.
As of right now there is no landscaping. We ripped up the horrible landscaping that came with the house and killed the weeds that had over taken it. However my cousin is helping us with it and he has been understandably busy so for months we've had what I like to call a "dead rustic" theme in the front yard.
In the back yard we have an itty bitty concrete patio that we never use and have never got patio furniture for it. But the other night I took the dog out and thought how nice it would feel to sit out there in the cooler evening.
The next day at Meijer I saw a cute little patio table for $25! It's 40inches across with a steal frame and tempered glass. Marcus agreed it was a good deal so the following day we went back and got it. We didn't get chairs yet because we're looking for a good deal but I can't wait to set up a little sitting area and use our outdoor space more. Hopefully in a year or so we can get a fence so I don't have to worry about the boys running too far off or into the ditch at the back of our property.
++++++++++++++++++
I hope everyone has a great fourth of July. Please be safe if you choose to do personal fireworks if you are not in an area banned from it. We lost our house to a fire when I was a little girl and I don't wish it on anyone. My heart goes out to those affected in Colorado. God is bigger than any force of nature but I know at the time losing all you own can be so devastating that it's hard to see past it. So please be safe and either choose not to do fireworks or go see them somewhere publicly where they have firemen present.
Happy 4th!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Let's Be Real
Recently I've seen a trend in the blogging world that I love. Many have been honestly blogging about their...well...imperfections.... and I find it to be so refreshing.
We are not perfect. No one on this earth is. So why do we want to always show each other our best? Maybe it's because we are insecure about what we consider failures and portraying our best side makes us feel better? Maybe it's because we don't want to feel vulnerable? Or maybe it's just habit.
It's not lying to show our best- but it's not the entire truth either.
Haven't you ever seen someone mess up or realized they haven't got it together? While that person might have worried about being judged you were probably silently thinking "oh good- they're not as perfect as I thought- this makes me feel so much better and I like them even more for it. I feel closer to them."
Seeing others imperfections makes us feel normal.
We really have a crazy way of thinking (and when I say "we" I mean our society) We think that if we show our strengths and the things we excel in- then we will be more liked. But are people that try to appear perfect ever really liked? It's the imperfections that draw us together. The recognition that someone else struggles with the same thing as we do.
I doubt this was an issue back in the days before HGTV and Facebook and Pinterest.
Back in the day (did I really just say that?) we could only really compare ourselves with those who we physically saw in person. Now with the tv and internet there are literally millions we can compare with- not that we should- but face it- we do.
We're drowned in images of what we should be or should look like and what once might have felt like enough suddenly makes us feel like failures- when the only area we are failing at is taking God word to heart that we are precious and perfect as we are. Because he made us. And He doesn't make mistakes. Yes, we are sinners. But with the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf- that makes us invaluable. Irreplaceable. Unique. Worthy.
So the question is- how do we stop compairing?
Honestly? I don't know.
It's something I have always struggled with but I'm getting better with maturity.
I wish I could send a message to my 15 year old self that had so many "if only" thoughts running through her mind.
If only I had her nose or her hair or her personality or her flat stomach. It can take over and before you know it you are living in an "if only" world and missing out on here and now.
So let's start off by being more truthful. Yes I have posted pictures of some nice dinners (I think so at least) I've made for my family lately on Facebook. But do you notice the picture is zoomed in so you can't see the disaster that my kitchen is? It's so bad right now I could probably call FEMA (jk)
What we share is usually only a snapshot of the entire picture.
I hope that my friends would say that for them I "zoom out" and show them the mess around the lovely dinner. That I am open and honest and "what you see is what you get"- I cry and laugh and get angry and sad and wear my heart on my sleeve.
But I wonder...why can't I do that with myself? If that makes sense. To others I'm like "this is me- and I'm sorta a mess sometimes but that's ok" but to myself I easily get lost again in the world of "what-if"s and "if only"s.
So the point of my late night rambling...is I want to cheer the women who are real and honest. Who make me realize that I AM completely normal (ok maybe a little crazy). Who on faith step out and say "here ya go world- this is me- take it or leave it!"
Keep it up ladies!
It brings us together as women.
We don't have it all together. And that's okay. Because there really is only One who does- and we're going to miss out if we spend all our energy trying to impress and pretend.
Let the truth bond us in a way that all the lies of the society and media can't break. And let's teach our daughters what normal really looks like. So the next generation can break out of the "if only" world and own today for what it is an how fabulous they really are.
Let's be real.
(Disclaimer- I was hit in the head twice today by my boys and then also hit in the nose- so if this doesn't make sense or "flow" if you will- feel free to blame it on my kids. Kidding. Sorta.)
We are not perfect. No one on this earth is. So why do we want to always show each other our best? Maybe it's because we are insecure about what we consider failures and portraying our best side makes us feel better? Maybe it's because we don't want to feel vulnerable? Or maybe it's just habit.
It's not lying to show our best- but it's not the entire truth either.
Haven't you ever seen someone mess up or realized they haven't got it together? While that person might have worried about being judged you were probably silently thinking "oh good- they're not as perfect as I thought- this makes me feel so much better and I like them even more for it. I feel closer to them."
Seeing others imperfections makes us feel normal.
We really have a crazy way of thinking (and when I say "we" I mean our society) We think that if we show our strengths and the things we excel in- then we will be more liked. But are people that try to appear perfect ever really liked? It's the imperfections that draw us together. The recognition that someone else struggles with the same thing as we do.
I doubt this was an issue back in the days before HGTV and Facebook and Pinterest.
Back in the day (did I really just say that?) we could only really compare ourselves with those who we physically saw in person. Now with the tv and internet there are literally millions we can compare with- not that we should- but face it- we do.
We're drowned in images of what we should be or should look like and what once might have felt like enough suddenly makes us feel like failures- when the only area we are failing at is taking God word to heart that we are precious and perfect as we are. Because he made us. And He doesn't make mistakes. Yes, we are sinners. But with the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf- that makes us invaluable. Irreplaceable. Unique. Worthy.
So the question is- how do we stop compairing?
Honestly? I don't know.
It's something I have always struggled with but I'm getting better with maturity.
I wish I could send a message to my 15 year old self that had so many "if only" thoughts running through her mind.
If only I had her nose or her hair or her personality or her flat stomach. It can take over and before you know it you are living in an "if only" world and missing out on here and now.
So let's start off by being more truthful. Yes I have posted pictures of some nice dinners (I think so at least) I've made for my family lately on Facebook. But do you notice the picture is zoomed in so you can't see the disaster that my kitchen is? It's so bad right now I could probably call FEMA (jk)
What we share is usually only a snapshot of the entire picture.
I hope that my friends would say that for them I "zoom out" and show them the mess around the lovely dinner. That I am open and honest and "what you see is what you get"- I cry and laugh and get angry and sad and wear my heart on my sleeve.
But I wonder...why can't I do that with myself? If that makes sense. To others I'm like "this is me- and I'm sorta a mess sometimes but that's ok" but to myself I easily get lost again in the world of "what-if"s and "if only"s.
So the point of my late night rambling...is I want to cheer the women who are real and honest. Who make me realize that I AM completely normal (ok maybe a little crazy). Who on faith step out and say "here ya go world- this is me- take it or leave it!"
Keep it up ladies!
It brings us together as women.
We don't have it all together. And that's okay. Because there really is only One who does- and we're going to miss out if we spend all our energy trying to impress and pretend.
Let the truth bond us in a way that all the lies of the society and media can't break. And let's teach our daughters what normal really looks like. So the next generation can break out of the "if only" world and own today for what it is an how fabulous they really are.
Let's be real.
(Disclaimer- I was hit in the head twice today by my boys and then also hit in the nose- so if this doesn't make sense or "flow" if you will- feel free to blame it on my kids. Kidding. Sorta.)
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Father Memories
In honor of Father's Day I want to share a few of my favorite memories with my dad.
I've always been a daddy's girl :)
I look so much like my dad and I have a lot of his personality traits. We're both corky, silly, easily amused, love science, and we're both LOUD people!
As a girl I remember feeling like my dad was my best friend and I still sort of feel that way. It's a wonderful mixture of friendship yet I know he would always protect me and be there for me no matter what.
He always had all these sayings. He would say to me in all seriousness "Hey Hammock, did you know..." and he would pause. I would lean in and say "what, WHAT?" all interested in what he was about to say. Then he would finish with a smile and say "....ice cream has no bones" or "....house boats don't have basements" or "...submarines don't have screen doors-" where in the world did he come up with this stuff?!
He's the type of dad that would hide two fingers on his hand and joking say a shark got them. And I laughed every.single.time!
Some of the very first memories of my dad are when I was about 3-4 years old. I would wake up early in the morning (like 5am) and he would be on the couch watching M.A.S.H. I would tip toe into the room and snuggle up to him and "watch" M.A.S.H. with him. Basically I would quickly fall back asleep and he would carry me back to my bed. I would smile the next day like I got away with something sneaky because I had got out of bed!
My dad's birthday is 3 days before mine so we always celebrated it together. I remember blowing out birthday candles every year with him. (Luke's bday and Marcus' is 2 days apart so I'm excited my son gets to experience sharing bday celerbrations with his dad like I did!)
I am a fish like my dad. I love to swim although I don't get around to it much now with the kiddos. But when I was a kid myself I lived in the water. One time I got it in my head that I wanted to swim late fall- I'm talking late Oct/early Nov. I must have been about 9. My grandma had a pool and somehow I convinced my parents to let me get in a swim. It was freeeeezzzing and my dad joined me. We swam around until our lips were blue and I think I even outlasted him! I thought how silly and crazy we were- and we never got sick!
One time my dad and I were in the car a few years ago. While going down the highway and talking he interrupted and said "wow look at the big groundhog by that sign! Do you see it?" I scanned and scanned the tall grass by the road but couldn't see anything. Once we passed it he said "that was a big groundhog"- I mentioned I had never seen one. He then thought it was very important that I see it and turned around. I remember giggling and feeling blessed that I have a dad who would turn the car around so I could see something for the first time. Turns out it was a big cat! Haha :)
These past few years I've had the privilege of watching my dad become a grandpa. It has meant so much to me that he's still around to be there for my boys and that they get to play with him like I got to. Everytime they end up doing tickle attacks on the floor my memory immediately flies back about 25 years to when that was me as a girl having the best time ever. My second son, Lucas, shares my dad's middle name (Wayne) and it felt so good to honor him in that way and pass his middle name along.
As a girl- I thought my dad was the smartest man on earth. He ALWAYS had an answer to my many never ending "why?"s. Then as an adult I realized that sometimes he made up an answer so I'm still sorting through some false things that are floating around in my brain!
Now I may go weeks without seeing him but occasionally we find ourselves at the end of an hour phone conversation where I felt like we talked about everything and nothing at the same time. And every time I hang up I think "yep- he still feels like my best friend" (and my voice is usually gone because we're both loud people and end up yelling during our conversation even though it's a friendly phone call)
He's my dad and I love him- and he might not truly have all the answers but I am thankful that he's never stopped teaching me neat things and sharing the things he does know.
Mom- I know you're going to make dad read this- so I want to say I love you Daddy and I'm one blessed daughter to have you.
I mean, not every dad would turn the car around so their daughter can see a groundhog :)
I've always been a daddy's girl :)
I look so much like my dad and I have a lot of his personality traits. We're both corky, silly, easily amused, love science, and we're both LOUD people!
As a girl I remember feeling like my dad was my best friend and I still sort of feel that way. It's a wonderful mixture of friendship yet I know he would always protect me and be there for me no matter what.
He always had all these sayings. He would say to me in all seriousness "Hey Hammock, did you know..." and he would pause. I would lean in and say "what, WHAT?" all interested in what he was about to say. Then he would finish with a smile and say "....ice cream has no bones" or "....house boats don't have basements" or "...submarines don't have screen doors-" where in the world did he come up with this stuff?!
He's the type of dad that would hide two fingers on his hand and joking say a shark got them. And I laughed every.single.time!
Some of the very first memories of my dad are when I was about 3-4 years old. I would wake up early in the morning (like 5am) and he would be on the couch watching M.A.S.H. I would tip toe into the room and snuggle up to him and "watch" M.A.S.H. with him. Basically I would quickly fall back asleep and he would carry me back to my bed. I would smile the next day like I got away with something sneaky because I had got out of bed!
My dad's birthday is 3 days before mine so we always celebrated it together. I remember blowing out birthday candles every year with him. (Luke's bday and Marcus' is 2 days apart so I'm excited my son gets to experience sharing bday celerbrations with his dad like I did!)
I am a fish like my dad. I love to swim although I don't get around to it much now with the kiddos. But when I was a kid myself I lived in the water. One time I got it in my head that I wanted to swim late fall- I'm talking late Oct/early Nov. I must have been about 9. My grandma had a pool and somehow I convinced my parents to let me get in a swim. It was freeeeezzzing and my dad joined me. We swam around until our lips were blue and I think I even outlasted him! I thought how silly and crazy we were- and we never got sick!
One time my dad and I were in the car a few years ago. While going down the highway and talking he interrupted and said "wow look at the big groundhog by that sign! Do you see it?" I scanned and scanned the tall grass by the road but couldn't see anything. Once we passed it he said "that was a big groundhog"- I mentioned I had never seen one. He then thought it was very important that I see it and turned around. I remember giggling and feeling blessed that I have a dad who would turn the car around so I could see something for the first time. Turns out it was a big cat! Haha :)
These past few years I've had the privilege of watching my dad become a grandpa. It has meant so much to me that he's still around to be there for my boys and that they get to play with him like I got to. Everytime they end up doing tickle attacks on the floor my memory immediately flies back about 25 years to when that was me as a girl having the best time ever. My second son, Lucas, shares my dad's middle name (Wayne) and it felt so good to honor him in that way and pass his middle name along.
As a girl- I thought my dad was the smartest man on earth. He ALWAYS had an answer to my many never ending "why?"s. Then as an adult I realized that sometimes he made up an answer so I'm still sorting through some false things that are floating around in my brain!
Now I may go weeks without seeing him but occasionally we find ourselves at the end of an hour phone conversation where I felt like we talked about everything and nothing at the same time. And every time I hang up I think "yep- he still feels like my best friend" (and my voice is usually gone because we're both loud people and end up yelling during our conversation even though it's a friendly phone call)
He's my dad and I love him- and he might not truly have all the answers but I am thankful that he's never stopped teaching me neat things and sharing the things he does know.
Mom- I know you're going to make dad read this- so I want to say I love you Daddy and I'm one blessed daughter to have you.
I mean, not every dad would turn the car around so their daughter can see a groundhog :)
Friday, June 15, 2012
Peace and Quiet and a very important lunch
I'm currently experiencing something that every parent craves once in a while.
Peace.
And quiet.
Ahhhh- it's nice ::::deep breath::::
Nathan is at daycare. It's my day off from work so I usually wouldn't take him but they are going on a "field trip" today (just a local park) and he asked to go.
When I picked him up from daycare yesterday his teacher told me that he could either bring a lunch for the field trip or the daycare would provide one. I wanted him to eat the daycare lunch since I'm practically giving them my paycheck anyways and food cost money. But he was all like "ooohhh- can you pack me a lunch---pllllease?" And apparently it was a very attractive please because there were some "pretty"s thrown in there.
I had to do a mental scan of the cabinets since we desperately need groceries to even consider if I have something to pack him other than a year old can of lima beans and some stale graham crackers. I thought "I think we have bread that hasn't molded yet- I could make him pb&j" and then turned to his pleading adorable face and said "yes- I'll pack you a lunch"
This morning while I was asking him if he wants blueberry or strawberry jelly- it occurred to me...
This is the first time I have packed him a lunch to take with him.
(I've packed us lunches before for the zoo etc- but I was always with him then- this was the first time I sent him a lunch)
Call me silly but I almost cried. I thought of the thousands of lunches that I will send with him throughout the years- and this was the first.
He was so proud of that little brown bag that said "Nathan C." on the front.
He showed his daddy several times, making sure he knew every item that I had placed in the bag. And how he would know that one was his because he can read his name on it.
He even carried it around the house this morning for an hour while I was feeding Luke and getting everyone dressed.
While I was brushing my teeth he came into the bathroom and hugged my leg (love that) and looked up at me with those big blue eyes and eye lashes that go on forever and said "thank you mommy, thank you for my lunch, I love you"
::::melt::::
----------------------------
So it's just me and the littlest one today!
Life is all about perspective, isn't it?
A day with a 9 month old seems so easy to me now that I have two kids.
So I'm not sure what the day will bring because for the first time in forever Luke doesn't have any doctor appts right now and I have no plans.
I somehow ended up in a parking lot next to a building with a giant K O H L S on it (how did that happen?!) sipping a white mocha frapp with Luke napping in the back seat.
And suddenly I realized- peace and quiet.
No place to be...
Nothing I have to do... (other than some grocery shopping obviously)
This is nice.
::::sip:::::
Ouch.
Brain freeze.
Cheers!
Peace.
And quiet.
Ahhhh- it's nice ::::deep breath::::
Nathan is at daycare. It's my day off from work so I usually wouldn't take him but they are going on a "field trip" today (just a local park) and he asked to go.
When I picked him up from daycare yesterday his teacher told me that he could either bring a lunch for the field trip or the daycare would provide one. I wanted him to eat the daycare lunch since I'm practically giving them my paycheck anyways and food cost money. But he was all like "ooohhh- can you pack me a lunch---pllllease?" And apparently it was a very attractive please because there were some "pretty"s thrown in there.
I had to do a mental scan of the cabinets since we desperately need groceries to even consider if I have something to pack him other than a year old can of lima beans and some stale graham crackers. I thought "I think we have bread that hasn't molded yet- I could make him pb&j" and then turned to his pleading adorable face and said "yes- I'll pack you a lunch"
This morning while I was asking him if he wants blueberry or strawberry jelly- it occurred to me...
This is the first time I have packed him a lunch to take with him.
(I've packed us lunches before for the zoo etc- but I was always with him then- this was the first time I sent him a lunch)
Call me silly but I almost cried. I thought of the thousands of lunches that I will send with him throughout the years- and this was the first.
He was so proud of that little brown bag that said "Nathan C." on the front.
He showed his daddy several times, making sure he knew every item that I had placed in the bag. And how he would know that one was his because he can read his name on it.
He even carried it around the house this morning for an hour while I was feeding Luke and getting everyone dressed.
While I was brushing my teeth he came into the bathroom and hugged my leg (love that) and looked up at me with those big blue eyes and eye lashes that go on forever and said "thank you mommy, thank you for my lunch, I love you"
::::melt::::
----------------------------
So it's just me and the littlest one today!
Life is all about perspective, isn't it?
A day with a 9 month old seems so easy to me now that I have two kids.
So I'm not sure what the day will bring because for the first time in forever Luke doesn't have any doctor appts right now and I have no plans.
I somehow ended up in a parking lot next to a building with a giant K O H L S on it (how did that happen?!) sipping a white mocha frapp with Luke napping in the back seat.
And suddenly I realized- peace and quiet.
No place to be...
Nothing I have to do... (other than some grocery shopping obviously)
This is nice.
::::sip:::::
Ouch.
Brain freeze.
Cheers!
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