As many people already know, my precious little girl LOVES horses. She's been begging me to let her start riding for a very long time now (over a year, and she's been asking for a horse of her own since Christmas 2006, yes 2.5 years old! LOL). I've been calling around for a while as well, looking for a trainer and stable that would fit my requirements. They are:
1) Not a show barn - my preschool age daughter doesn't need to be in a place training her for shows...not yet anyway.
2) Teaches english riding (versus Western) - English requires much more balance and skill than western, so I want her to learn this first and then she can learn western down the road if she wants. Not likely, though, because she wants to jump.
3) Will teach ALL aspects of equine care, knowledge, etc. not just showing up, hopping on, and riding. I want her to learn all the parts of the horse, the colors, how to groom, tack up, cool down, bathe, muck stalls, etc. as she reaches appropriate ages. (No, I'm not expecting my 4 year old to muck out a stall and tack up her own pony, LOL).
4) Affordable
5) Within a 30 min. drive
Well, I think DH stumbled upon the barn for us today. He found an add for a lady, who also offers big discounts for homeschooling families, and when I called the lady was excited that I wanted to start Heather ate the age of 4, believes in teaching all aspects of horsemanship, and met every other qualification that I had! We're going tomorrow to meet her and see the stables and if I still feel good about it, we'll sign her up for her first private lesson. :o) I'm thinking 2 lessons a month would be plenty for her, and still not impact our finances.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
I Don't Get It.
I know I will step on a lot of toes by posting this, which is why I keep my mouth shut on this topic unless a) asked b) the mother/parent I am talking to is in a frame of mind to be receptive to this information and not take it as a personal attack. I NEVER mean the sharing of this information as an attack on anyone: personal or not. This is my rant, my vent. If you don't like what I have to say, then you may read another post or find another blog. It won't bother me any. This is MY place to rant.
I was prompted to write all this because I am pregnant, and as such posting on some pregnancy boards. I've finally had enough of sitting on my fingers and biting my cyber tongue, so I came to MY blog to get this all off of my chest.
<>< <>< <><
I don't claim to be perfect. In fact, I am far from it. I am a sinner just like every other human being walking the face of the earth today. I have nothing against formula. It was created to be a substitute to sustain a child who is unable to have her mother's milk (note: I will use the gender "her" so keep thing simple, but I am referring to infants of both genders). It was never intended to take the place of mother's milk simply "because." In fact, The World Health Organization (WHO) even states that the use of formula should be limited to a last resort. They recommend:
1) The mother's breast.
2) The mother's milk expressed for baby if the breast is not available or separated
3) If mother's milk is not available, the use of donated milk through milk banks
4) If no human milk is available, then use breast milk substitute.
(http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2007/08/industry-attack-philippines.html - about half way down the page is the quote from the WHO representative).
So, why is it then, when the rest of the world is calling formula "breast milk substitute" are educated women, women holding bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees, making the conscious choice to not even attempt to breast feed? Why are they saying, "well, I know they say breast is best, but I just don't believe there's enough of a difference," or "Well, my other child(ren) was formula fed and s/he is healthy so I just don't believe there's that much of a difference."
Comments like these, especially coming from educated women, makes me want to bang my head into a wall. When I DO present the information on the truths, nay the HAZARDS of formula, they brush it off as "bias" and say that as an LC (Lactation Consultant) I am biased so I'm not a reliable person to get information from. *continue banging head into wall* Let me clear the air, and this common myths, not LIES, about LCs and formula.
I am a Lactation Consultant. I am educated in things that the average person AND DOCTORS do not know. EVERY SCRAP of information that I give out is evidence based, and when asked I will provide the person queering with the exact studies done by IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, what I am aspiring to be through my work towards my BA in Human Lactation) AND DOCTORS not just in the US, but AROUND THE WORLD!!! So, if I am pulling out study after study (and yes, I have hundreds of pages of studies listed in a book of resources that I consult) done by such a diverse group of people in so many countries, how am I biased or is my information bias? I will not list my personal opinion on a matter when representing myself as an LC unless asked, and never without stating that it is my opinion only, and not yet proven yay or nay through research. Saying that I am biased against formula is like saying that engineer is biased against a piece of equipment that has been proven to be less effective than another piece of equipment through studies and research that said engineer has had no part in.
Using formula to sustain and grow a baby IS A HAZARD!!! Why? I will begin my explanation using simple, more broad, arguments and then become more specific. So site tight if you want to know WHY formula is something to be used not at your own risk, but at the risk of your child.
1) Human babies were designed to be nourished by human milk. When any other baby mammal (such as a kitten, puppy, foal, or dolphin) is separated from it's birth mother, every attempt is made to place that baby with another lactating female of it's own species. Why is this done? Every mammal species makes milk for the very very specific requirements of it's own babies growth and needs.
A baby cow needs to grow very quickly, and needs to be able to run to flee danger. Thus, it's mother's milk is made up of components to enable a baby cow to grow as needed for it's life. It's mother's milk is: 3.7% fat to accommodate rapid growth, 3.4% protein to accommodate it's quick muscular development to flee from danger, 4.8% Lactose, and 0.7% Ash. It requires 47 days to double it's birth weight. (Lawrence, 2005).
A reindeer has needs much the same, but due to it's colder climates it needs to gain much more body fast much quicker and needs to be able to run much faster, much sooner. It's mother's milk is: 16.9% fat, 11.5% protein, 2.8% lactose, and zero ash. It takes 30 days to double it's birth weight. (Lawrence, 2005)
A baby human needs to put on weight to survive any illness it may encounter but rather it needs to develop mentally much more than it needs to develop physically. The components of breast milk are designed to encourage the rapid growth that a human brain undergoes. Our milk is: 3.8% fat, .09% protein, 7.0% lactose, .2% ash. It takes your baby 180 days to double it's 6-8lb birth weight. (Lawrence, 2005)
If you are interested in learning more about this check out the book "Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Professional" by Lawrence and Lawrence (2005 edition). It has an entire chapter (lengthly chapter, complete with tables and graphs) dedicated just to the biochemical make up of human milk.
2) Formula does not contain living cells that help promote the physical and mental health and development for a baby. For instance, a single drop of breast milk has over 100,000 white blood cells in it. Human milk also contains living stem cells. These are things that formula can not simulate.
3) The intestinal wall of an infant contains villi, little finger like projections. These villi act as filters for the baby's blood stream. The catch the nutritional components of the baby's diet and pass it into the blood stream while passing the waist and allergens and bad aspects on to the intestines to be excreted as waste.
Formula strips away the Villi. This causes the intestinal wall to become porous and allow for allergens to pass into the baby's blood stream. This makes the baby susceptible to developing food allergies. This is especially bad for babies who come from families with a history of food allergies. It takes 6 weeks for these villi to grow back from a single bottle of formula that may be pushed upon the mother in the hospital by well meaning nurses ("But mom, your colostrum isn't enough right now. Your baby will become dehydrated if you don't give her formula." being the most common bit of misinformation given to new mothers by nurses in the hospital). Babies that are fed a diet of nothing but formula are not allowed to regrow the villi and leave their gut in a constant state of attack.
Additionally, the villi is what is involved in the passing the lactose into the blood stream. A human baby needs lots of lactose (high in sugar) to grow; more than any other mammal baby. If the Villi are gone, then pure fat is what is causing baby to grow. This causes extra fat stores in a baby, and what a formula fed baby is more likely to develop Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes than a breast fed baby.
4) Babies that come from families prone to diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes in life if fed infant formula instead of breast milk.
*** *** ***
Now, while I have listed all of the reasons why formula is dangerous to feed your baby, I want to clear something first. I recognize that formula is needed for some babies. Some mothers are "unable" to breast feed. However, I am going to go into a mom being "unable" to breast feed.
Most mothers who do not succeed in breast feeding their babies (I am reluctant to call it "failing" at breast feeding since this is not a test) do so because of any or all of the reasons below.
* They lack a support system - the people that surround a new mother need to be supportive of her choosing to breast feed. It is something that takes much dedication and is rarely accomplished if her husband, mom, mother-in-law, friends, etc. around her are not breast feeding or not supportive of breast feeding. Comments such as "Just give her one bottle, it won't hurt," do not help the situation any. Even worse is when a well meaning mother or mother-in-law tries to undermine the mother or convince the mother to give bottles because she (the mother/MIL) wants to help feed the baby too. When the support of, "Come on! You can do this! You are doing such a wonderful thing for you baby!" and "Come on, just one more feeding/day/week/month/etc. You can do this!" to help encourage mom to reach her mini goals. These are all wonderful things that help a new mother keep going.
* "My milk dried up." or "I didn't make enough milk" is a common argument. Being bombarded with samples of formula from formula companies. The cans for the "occasional" bottle to "give mom a break" are often times the beginning of the end. If mom replaces one feeding at the breast with a bottle of formula, it is telling her body to make one feeding less of milk. That's one feeding she physically won't be able to give her baby, which leads to another feeding from a bottle, then another and another, etc. until her milk has diminished to almost nothing. When combined with someone saying, "Well, you can't make enough milk for you baby," this can be in and of itself the beginning of the end.
* When baby has a problem, and mom is not being supported or seeking advice from a breastfeeding professional (such as a Lactation Consultant or La Leche League leader), or doubts and does not follow the advice of the professional given (or even is given misinformation by a well meaning "professional" such as, "oh, you have to use a nipple shield" being a VERY common one) then the breastfeeding relationship is in peril. Combine it with the free samples on hand, mom doubting herself, and/or the lack of a good support system and their relationship is over before it started.
These are the most common reasons why new moms end up formula feeding. These are all things that are very easily remedied. With the Internet in almost every home, all a mom has to do is goggle a query to find sound, evidence supported, information from sites such as kellymom.com and llli.org. It is disheartening as an LC to see moms not utilizing these free tools and caving to any of the above road blocks. It is frustrating to see a mom not listen to the LCs and La Leche League leaders around her and rather listen to the dated, often mis-information, given by their mothers.
These are the situations that frustrate me. Not the ones where a woman had a breast reduction and is unable to breast feed. Or the baby was given bottles in the NICU against mother's wishes, and will no longer accept the breast. Formula DOES have it's place. It's place is NOT on the shelves of every store, mailed to new mothers, passed out in diaper bags, and given away at baby showers.
Very little thrills me more then when a mother whose breastfeeding relationship was damaged with her first child comes to me or any other breastfeeding professional and goes on to breastfeed her next/future child(ren). To these mothers, I applaud and hug and cheer.
In short, I wish mothers would stop listening to the lies of the formula companies that "formula is just as good" when scientifically it's proven that it is NOT "just as good." When all the evidence proves that formula is not a good thing for every baby to be raised upon just because it's "there" acting as a rubber crutch to new mothers in a society that normalizes infant feeding with cans of formula, bottles, and artificial nipples. Why can't mothers just listen to their instincts!? Why can't more mothers stand up to these societal lies!?
If you got this far, thank you for reading the rants and raves of a hormonal, pregnant, tired, mother.
(Lawrence and Lawrence (2005). Breastfeding: A Guide for the Medical Professional. p. 107. Elsevier Mosby, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. )
I was prompted to write all this because I am pregnant, and as such posting on some pregnancy boards. I've finally had enough of sitting on my fingers and biting my cyber tongue, so I came to MY blog to get this all off of my chest.
<>< <>< <><
I don't claim to be perfect. In fact, I am far from it. I am a sinner just like every other human being walking the face of the earth today. I have nothing against formula. It was created to be a substitute to sustain a child who is unable to have her mother's milk (note: I will use the gender "her" so keep thing simple, but I am referring to infants of both genders). It was never intended to take the place of mother's milk simply "because." In fact, The World Health Organization (WHO) even states that the use of formula should be limited to a last resort. They recommend:
1) The mother's breast.
2) The mother's milk expressed for baby if the breast is not available or separated
3) If mother's milk is not available, the use of donated milk through milk banks
4) If no human milk is available, then use breast milk substitute.
(http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2007/08/industry-attack-philippines.html - about half way down the page is the quote from the WHO representative).
So, why is it then, when the rest of the world is calling formula "breast milk substitute" are educated women, women holding bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees, making the conscious choice to not even attempt to breast feed? Why are they saying, "well, I know they say breast is best, but I just don't believe there's enough of a difference," or "Well, my other child(ren) was formula fed and s/he is healthy so I just don't believe there's that much of a difference."
Comments like these, especially coming from educated women, makes me want to bang my head into a wall. When I DO present the information on the truths, nay the HAZARDS of formula, they brush it off as "bias" and say that as an LC (Lactation Consultant) I am biased so I'm not a reliable person to get information from. *continue banging head into wall* Let me clear the air, and this common myths, not LIES, about LCs and formula.
I am a Lactation Consultant. I am educated in things that the average person AND DOCTORS do not know. EVERY SCRAP of information that I give out is evidence based, and when asked I will provide the person queering with the exact studies done by IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, what I am aspiring to be through my work towards my BA in Human Lactation) AND DOCTORS not just in the US, but AROUND THE WORLD!!! So, if I am pulling out study after study (and yes, I have hundreds of pages of studies listed in a book of resources that I consult) done by such a diverse group of people in so many countries, how am I biased or is my information bias? I will not list my personal opinion on a matter when representing myself as an LC unless asked, and never without stating that it is my opinion only, and not yet proven yay or nay through research. Saying that I am biased against formula is like saying that engineer is biased against a piece of equipment that has been proven to be less effective than another piece of equipment through studies and research that said engineer has had no part in.
Using formula to sustain and grow a baby IS A HAZARD!!! Why? I will begin my explanation using simple, more broad, arguments and then become more specific. So site tight if you want to know WHY formula is something to be used not at your own risk, but at the risk of your child.
1) Human babies were designed to be nourished by human milk. When any other baby mammal (such as a kitten, puppy, foal, or dolphin) is separated from it's birth mother, every attempt is made to place that baby with another lactating female of it's own species. Why is this done? Every mammal species makes milk for the very very specific requirements of it's own babies growth and needs.
A baby cow needs to grow very quickly, and needs to be able to run to flee danger. Thus, it's mother's milk is made up of components to enable a baby cow to grow as needed for it's life. It's mother's milk is: 3.7% fat to accommodate rapid growth, 3.4% protein to accommodate it's quick muscular development to flee from danger, 4.8% Lactose, and 0.7% Ash. It requires 47 days to double it's birth weight. (Lawrence, 2005).
A reindeer has needs much the same, but due to it's colder climates it needs to gain much more body fast much quicker and needs to be able to run much faster, much sooner. It's mother's milk is: 16.9% fat, 11.5% protein, 2.8% lactose, and zero ash. It takes 30 days to double it's birth weight. (Lawrence, 2005)
A baby human needs to put on weight to survive any illness it may encounter but rather it needs to develop mentally much more than it needs to develop physically. The components of breast milk are designed to encourage the rapid growth that a human brain undergoes. Our milk is: 3.8% fat, .09% protein, 7.0% lactose, .2% ash. It takes your baby 180 days to double it's 6-8lb birth weight. (Lawrence, 2005)
If you are interested in learning more about this check out the book "Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Professional" by Lawrence and Lawrence (2005 edition). It has an entire chapter (lengthly chapter, complete with tables and graphs) dedicated just to the biochemical make up of human milk.
2) Formula does not contain living cells that help promote the physical and mental health and development for a baby. For instance, a single drop of breast milk has over 100,000 white blood cells in it. Human milk also contains living stem cells. These are things that formula can not simulate.
3) The intestinal wall of an infant contains villi, little finger like projections. These villi act as filters for the baby's blood stream. The catch the nutritional components of the baby's diet and pass it into the blood stream while passing the waist and allergens and bad aspects on to the intestines to be excreted as waste.
Formula strips away the Villi. This causes the intestinal wall to become porous and allow for allergens to pass into the baby's blood stream. This makes the baby susceptible to developing food allergies. This is especially bad for babies who come from families with a history of food allergies. It takes 6 weeks for these villi to grow back from a single bottle of formula that may be pushed upon the mother in the hospital by well meaning nurses ("But mom, your colostrum isn't enough right now. Your baby will become dehydrated if you don't give her formula." being the most common bit of misinformation given to new mothers by nurses in the hospital). Babies that are fed a diet of nothing but formula are not allowed to regrow the villi and leave their gut in a constant state of attack.
Additionally, the villi is what is involved in the passing the lactose into the blood stream. A human baby needs lots of lactose (high in sugar) to grow; more than any other mammal baby. If the Villi are gone, then pure fat is what is causing baby to grow. This causes extra fat stores in a baby, and what a formula fed baby is more likely to develop Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes than a breast fed baby.
4) Babies that come from families prone to diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes in life if fed infant formula instead of breast milk.
*** *** ***
Now, while I have listed all of the reasons why formula is dangerous to feed your baby, I want to clear something first. I recognize that formula is needed for some babies. Some mothers are "unable" to breast feed. However, I am going to go into a mom being "unable" to breast feed.
Most mothers who do not succeed in breast feeding their babies (I am reluctant to call it "failing" at breast feeding since this is not a test) do so because of any or all of the reasons below.
* They lack a support system - the people that surround a new mother need to be supportive of her choosing to breast feed. It is something that takes much dedication and is rarely accomplished if her husband, mom, mother-in-law, friends, etc. around her are not breast feeding or not supportive of breast feeding. Comments such as "Just give her one bottle, it won't hurt," do not help the situation any. Even worse is when a well meaning mother or mother-in-law tries to undermine the mother or convince the mother to give bottles because she (the mother/MIL) wants to help feed the baby too. When the support of, "Come on! You can do this! You are doing such a wonderful thing for you baby!" and "Come on, just one more feeding/day/week/month/etc. You can do this!" to help encourage mom to reach her mini goals. These are all wonderful things that help a new mother keep going.
* "My milk dried up." or "I didn't make enough milk" is a common argument. Being bombarded with samples of formula from formula companies. The cans for the "occasional" bottle to "give mom a break" are often times the beginning of the end. If mom replaces one feeding at the breast with a bottle of formula, it is telling her body to make one feeding less of milk. That's one feeding she physically won't be able to give her baby, which leads to another feeding from a bottle, then another and another, etc. until her milk has diminished to almost nothing. When combined with someone saying, "Well, you can't make enough milk for you baby," this can be in and of itself the beginning of the end.
* When baby has a problem, and mom is not being supported or seeking advice from a breastfeeding professional (such as a Lactation Consultant or La Leche League leader), or doubts and does not follow the advice of the professional given (or even is given misinformation by a well meaning "professional" such as, "oh, you have to use a nipple shield" being a VERY common one) then the breastfeeding relationship is in peril. Combine it with the free samples on hand, mom doubting herself, and/or the lack of a good support system and their relationship is over before it started.
These are the most common reasons why new moms end up formula feeding. These are all things that are very easily remedied. With the Internet in almost every home, all a mom has to do is goggle a query to find sound, evidence supported, information from sites such as kellymom.com and llli.org. It is disheartening as an LC to see moms not utilizing these free tools and caving to any of the above road blocks. It is frustrating to see a mom not listen to the LCs and La Leche League leaders around her and rather listen to the dated, often mis-information, given by their mothers.
These are the situations that frustrate me. Not the ones where a woman had a breast reduction and is unable to breast feed. Or the baby was given bottles in the NICU against mother's wishes, and will no longer accept the breast. Formula DOES have it's place. It's place is NOT on the shelves of every store, mailed to new mothers, passed out in diaper bags, and given away at baby showers.
Very little thrills me more then when a mother whose breastfeeding relationship was damaged with her first child comes to me or any other breastfeeding professional and goes on to breastfeed her next/future child(ren). To these mothers, I applaud and hug and cheer.
In short, I wish mothers would stop listening to the lies of the formula companies that "formula is just as good" when scientifically it's proven that it is NOT "just as good." When all the evidence proves that formula is not a good thing for every baby to be raised upon just because it's "there" acting as a rubber crutch to new mothers in a society that normalizes infant feeding with cans of formula, bottles, and artificial nipples. Why can't mothers just listen to their instincts!? Why can't more mothers stand up to these societal lies!?
If you got this far, thank you for reading the rants and raves of a hormonal, pregnant, tired, mother.
(Lawrence and Lawrence (2005). Breastfeding: A Guide for the Medical Professional. p. 107. Elsevier Mosby, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. )
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The Things Kids Say...
I was rearranging some stuff in my DD and DS room. (they share a room b/c DS sleeps better that way and DD LOVES it; they're 2 and 4). I pulled the crib mattress out from under my DDs bed, and set it on hers. I needed to move it to the office (soon to be nursery) so that I could put some under the bed storage boxes full of toys under her bed instead.
Well, she saw the mattress up there and asked why it was up there. Here's a dialogue of our conversation.
Me: "It's up there because we need to move it to the office. That's going to become the new baby's room, and the baby will need to sleep on that mattress."
DD: "But what is the other one going to sleep on?"
Me: "What other one?"
DD: "The other baby?"
Me: "What other baby?"
DD: "The other baby in your belly."
Me: "What other baby in my belly?"
DD: "The baby brother and the baby sister, mommy. There's two babies."
AGH!!!!! Can I scream and pull my hair out now? She's got me scared. My nephew was saying the same thing last week in OK when he saw me. Then, my mom tells me today that twins run in our family, there just haven't been any in 2 generations. GEE THANKS MOM!
*sigh* So now I'm going to beg my Dr. for an u/s on Tuesday to check for twins. It doesn't help that all my pregnancy dreams have involved more than one baby (and always boy/girl).
Well, she saw the mattress up there and asked why it was up there. Here's a dialogue of our conversation.
Me: "It's up there because we need to move it to the office. That's going to become the new baby's room, and the baby will need to sleep on that mattress."
DD: "But what is the other one going to sleep on?"
Me: "What other one?"
DD: "The other baby?"
Me: "What other baby?"
DD: "The other baby in your belly."
Me: "What other baby in my belly?"
DD: "The baby brother and the baby sister, mommy. There's two babies."
AGH!!!!! Can I scream and pull my hair out now? She's got me scared. My nephew was saying the same thing last week in OK when he saw me. Then, my mom tells me today that twins run in our family, there just haven't been any in 2 generations. GEE THANKS MOM!
*sigh* So now I'm going to beg my Dr. for an u/s on Tuesday to check for twins. It doesn't help that all my pregnancy dreams have involved more than one baby (and always boy/girl).
Friday, March 21, 2008
Rant: Health Insurance
I'm SO upset right now. DH just got the new information for insurance for his job. It's highway robbery. No kidding. We are currently paying $500 a month JUST for him and myself. Our children, being half Native American, are covered through the state. If we were to add them we'd be paying $900 a month. My husband makes $15 an hour and we survive off of his income alone (+ his VA disability of $400 a month and his G.I. Bill paying our $1100 a month rent for a modular home in a REALLY low income part of town). We just got the new rates for insurance for the next year. The current rates are crippling us, but the coverage is good. Very good. So, we found out that we're going to have to go from paying $250 a pay check ($500 a month) for insurance to $412 a pay check, or $894 a month!!!!! HOLY GEEZ!!! DOUBLING our rates! The crappy part? Our ER visit co-pay will go from $100 a visit to $200 a visit, Drs visits will go from $10/$20 a visit to $15/$25 a visit. We go from paying flat rates for things like hospitalizations to paying a percentage!!!!! WHAT THE HECK! So, they're doubling our monthly premium and then upping our co-pays and such???? He'll go from bringing home $900 a pay check to $700 a pay check and we just can't afford that!!!
We can't afford it. There's no other way around it, we can't afford it. Our only option is to drop the insurance all together and have me go back on medicaid. I DON'T want to do that. We fall in the income bracket for it in our area, but GEEZ...I don't want to have other people paying for our planned pregnancy. A pregnancy that we could afford last month but can't afford next month.
We can drop our rate down, choose a cheaper plan, but then our costs go up so much more that we can't afford the care that way either. ARG! Why does his company HAVE to go with a company that is SO STINKING EXPENSIVE!!!! There are other companies out there, why do they have to go with THIS one????
I don't know what to do. I'm in tears right now. This is SO not fair!!!
We can't afford it. There's no other way around it, we can't afford it. Our only option is to drop the insurance all together and have me go back on medicaid. I DON'T want to do that. We fall in the income bracket for it in our area, but GEEZ...I don't want to have other people paying for our planned pregnancy. A pregnancy that we could afford last month but can't afford next month.
We can drop our rate down, choose a cheaper plan, but then our costs go up so much more that we can't afford the care that way either. ARG! Why does his company HAVE to go with a company that is SO STINKING EXPENSIVE!!!! There are other companies out there, why do they have to go with THIS one????
I don't know what to do. I'm in tears right now. This is SO not fair!!!
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Breast Crawl
I saw several videos of this while going through my lactation consultant training. When I found one on YouTube I just HAD to put it on here. It's amazing! God sure knew what he was doing. It's amazing how the baby's movements not only stimulate mother's milk but also her uterus to start clamping down to prevent hemorrhage. Once the baby is nursing, the oxytocin is released that further signals the uterus to clamp down. God is GREAT!
Saturday, February 02, 2008
So Confused
I am finding myself in a state of confusion right now. I just don't know where God is taking me as a person, me as a mother, me as a wife, or us as a family.
I am currently planning on going back to USF (U of South Florida) to finish my music degree. I love music, I love flute, and I can teach out of my home to help supplement my husband's income. This will allow me to stay home and home school our children as planned. I feel very strongly about this, and so does DH (at least he feels strongly about private school or home, no public school, and he supports my desire to home school 200%).
However, God has place two passions in my heart: classical music performance and babies (yes, to those that knew me in high school...ironic...I know). I have a dream.
I know what happened to Dr. King when he had a dream, but mine is different.
Mine is to play flute. In Symphonies. To make beautiful music. While playing gorgeous classical music I feel, in my heart of hearts and soul of souls that I am closer to God...this is my way of worshiping Him. I love God with every fibre of my being.
However, my other passion is to help mothers. New mothers. To help women to educate themselves during pregnancy, but mostly to help them after their baby is born. I love to help mothers and babies learn how to breastfeed. I love supporting mothers and helping them through the hard spots, as well as supporting them in every breastfeeding decision they make. period. Even if it's to wean at 6 weeks. I love making mom feel supported (even if her decision isn't the one that I make, I love helping her feel supported regardless). I love helping mothers wear their babies, of seeing the relief and sheer unadulterated joy in their eyes as they swaddle their babies close to their hearts and their baby, who has been crying for weeks without ceasing, quiets down and sleeps safe and secure upon his mother's chest, cradled in the carrier of her choice and swaddled in her sheer, deep love. A love that comes closest to the Love that Christ has for us.
I have a chance to become a postpartum doula. I have clicked with the instructor (who also happens to be a high ranking member of DONA), she has set up payment arrangements that will make this happen financially, and I know that it would continue to push me down the path that I already love: my ministry to mothers, namely young mothers (young as mothers, not necisarily by age...but that may be the case too). I feel that this is the ministry that God has for me. But I would need someone to accompany me from Tampa to Miami over Valentine's Day to watch my own childen while I am in class. I would need to gather up the money for food and gas and a hotel room. And, I would need to kidnap my dear friend who lives down that way for an afternoon so that we may catch up either on my trip down or back (Yes, Guenavere, I mean YOU! *hugs*).
However, I also want more children. I want to keep them close, and if we were to have another girl I wouldn't want to space them out much further than they would be now so that Heather and her potential little sister could be close enough in age to be playmates and build the fond memories of sisterhood that I never was able to build with my own 3 sisters.
So, I am confused. I am praying for God to reveal himself and His will to me, but I am uncertain how to read the Bible in searching for His guidance. Can anyone suggest something to me in this area?
So, that is my life right now in a nut shell. I am confused.
Oh well, I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is the Florida Flute Fair (err...today) and I am going...with Little Dude in tow...to attempt to sit through some master classes and test some flutes. Thank you all for taking the time to read my frustrated ramblings.
I am currently planning on going back to USF (U of South Florida) to finish my music degree. I love music, I love flute, and I can teach out of my home to help supplement my husband's income. This will allow me to stay home and home school our children as planned. I feel very strongly about this, and so does DH (at least he feels strongly about private school or home, no public school, and he supports my desire to home school 200%).
However, God has place two passions in my heart: classical music performance and babies (yes, to those that knew me in high school...ironic...I know). I have a dream.
I know what happened to Dr. King when he had a dream, but mine is different.
Mine is to play flute. In Symphonies. To make beautiful music. While playing gorgeous classical music I feel, in my heart of hearts and soul of souls that I am closer to God...this is my way of worshiping Him. I love God with every fibre of my being.
However, my other passion is to help mothers. New mothers. To help women to educate themselves during pregnancy, but mostly to help them after their baby is born. I love to help mothers and babies learn how to breastfeed. I love supporting mothers and helping them through the hard spots, as well as supporting them in every breastfeeding decision they make. period. Even if it's to wean at 6 weeks. I love making mom feel supported (even if her decision isn't the one that I make, I love helping her feel supported regardless). I love helping mothers wear their babies, of seeing the relief and sheer unadulterated joy in their eyes as they swaddle their babies close to their hearts and their baby, who has been crying for weeks without ceasing, quiets down and sleeps safe and secure upon his mother's chest, cradled in the carrier of her choice and swaddled in her sheer, deep love. A love that comes closest to the Love that Christ has for us.
I have a chance to become a postpartum doula. I have clicked with the instructor (who also happens to be a high ranking member of DONA), she has set up payment arrangements that will make this happen financially, and I know that it would continue to push me down the path that I already love: my ministry to mothers, namely young mothers (young as mothers, not necisarily by age...but that may be the case too). I feel that this is the ministry that God has for me. But I would need someone to accompany me from Tampa to Miami over Valentine's Day to watch my own childen while I am in class. I would need to gather up the money for food and gas and a hotel room. And, I would need to kidnap my dear friend who lives down that way for an afternoon so that we may catch up either on my trip down or back (Yes, Guenavere, I mean YOU! *hugs*).
However, I also want more children. I want to keep them close, and if we were to have another girl I wouldn't want to space them out much further than they would be now so that Heather and her potential little sister could be close enough in age to be playmates and build the fond memories of sisterhood that I never was able to build with my own 3 sisters.
So, I am confused. I am praying for God to reveal himself and His will to me, but I am uncertain how to read the Bible in searching for His guidance. Can anyone suggest something to me in this area?
So, that is my life right now in a nut shell. I am confused.
Oh well, I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is the Florida Flute Fair (err...today) and I am going...with Little Dude in tow...to attempt to sit through some master classes and test some flutes. Thank you all for taking the time to read my frustrated ramblings.
NEW BABY!!!!
One of my true BFFs just told me today that after 6 months of trying to conceive, they are PREGNANT! Baby L #2 is on the way due in October!!! YAY!!
I'm under orders of the new mommy-to-be to NOT get pregnant in the next few months so that I won't be on bed rest when she's due and can come and help her through bed rest, labor, postpartum, and breastfeeding. YAY!!!! I am SO excited! DH and I just love this couple, and we are over the moon for them.
Oh, and when her husband, a current SAHD, goes back to work, then depending on what's going on in my life they'd like me to consider watching their kids for them. YAY! A wee babe to wrap (even if it's not my own)!!! Oh yea, and the $ would be a help. LOL
So, to Jack and Jill...CONGRATS ON THE BELLY BEAN!!!
I'm under orders of the new mommy-to-be to NOT get pregnant in the next few months so that I won't be on bed rest when she's due and can come and help her through bed rest, labor, postpartum, and breastfeeding. YAY!!!! I am SO excited! DH and I just love this couple, and we are over the moon for them.
Oh, and when her husband, a current SAHD, goes back to work, then depending on what's going on in my life they'd like me to consider watching their kids for them. YAY! A wee babe to wrap (even if it's not my own)!!! Oh yea, and the $ would be a help. LOL
So, to Jack and Jill...CONGRATS ON THE BELLY BEAN!!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Pray for Baby Samuel
Some friends and I have started a new campaign.
It's not a presidential election campaign.
It's not a senatorial electoral campaign.
It's a campaign seeking prayer.
Prayer for a boy.
A little boy.
A 4 month old boy.
Baby Samuel.
Baby Samuel was diagnosed with retinoblastoma. That is, he has cancer in his eyes. Yes, eyes. plural. It started in his left eye, and is very obvious now that we know he has it (and had we known about RB we would have known), but has started spreading to his right eye. He's looking at loosing his left eye. The optical nerves of his right eye are intact and he still has vision there. So far, it's not spread beyond his eyes. They think they caught it early enough. But it could still spread to his brain. His mama is a friend of mine, whom I drove from FL to VA to help with breastfeeding back in September. This little guy has had a hard life medically since birth...and it's just getting harder.
We (his mama and I) know that God does all things for a reason. He has a reason for this, and Samuel's mama prays that God uses this to bring Samuel to Him as a strong man and that he uses Samuel to his Glory. Please join us in the complete healing of Baby Samuel. Not just for healing, but preservation of both eyes and restoration of his sight. We know that God can do all things, and that all things work to His glory, but we ask that God spares this little boy's eyes and sight...in addition to his life. Thank you.
To read more about Baby Samuel go here: http://www.myspace.com/prayforsamuel
It's not a presidential election campaign.
It's not a senatorial electoral campaign.
It's a campaign seeking prayer.
Prayer for a boy.
A little boy.
A 4 month old boy.
Baby Samuel.
Baby Samuel was diagnosed with retinoblastoma. That is, he has cancer in his eyes. Yes, eyes. plural. It started in his left eye, and is very obvious now that we know he has it (and had we known about RB we would have known), but has started spreading to his right eye. He's looking at loosing his left eye. The optical nerves of his right eye are intact and he still has vision there. So far, it's not spread beyond his eyes. They think they caught it early enough. But it could still spread to his brain. His mama is a friend of mine, whom I drove from FL to VA to help with breastfeeding back in September. This little guy has had a hard life medically since birth...and it's just getting harder.
We (his mama and I) know that God does all things for a reason. He has a reason for this, and Samuel's mama prays that God uses this to bring Samuel to Him as a strong man and that he uses Samuel to his Glory. Please join us in the complete healing of Baby Samuel. Not just for healing, but preservation of both eyes and restoration of his sight. We know that God can do all things, and that all things work to His glory, but we ask that God spares this little boy's eyes and sight...in addition to his life. Thank you.
To read more about Baby Samuel go here: http://www.myspace.com/prayforsamuel
Monday, December 31, 2007
Final Blog of 2007
Well, the year is about to wrap up. It has been one of the best years, and one filled with much growing.
I think every year is filled with both growing and learning experiences. God takes each and every day to teach us what He wants us to know, and to bring us closer to him. As you look over the past year, you can sometimes see what He's been teaching you...and what He's been doing.
In the past year:
My son has turned 1
My daughter has learned to use the potty
My daughter has decided that she MUST use each and every public (and some not-so-public ones) that we pass while we are on outings.
My husband and I have managed to make our marriage even stronger.
We suffered the very first loss of a child: the loss of an unborn baby.
I finally received the diagnosis as to the cause of the horrid hives that have been plaguing me for years.
I want to thank you all for sharing this year with me. I pray that God blesses each and every one of us in the year to come, and that He blesses us with His love and a peace that we find only through Him.
God Bless and Happy New Year!
I think every year is filled with both growing and learning experiences. God takes each and every day to teach us what He wants us to know, and to bring us closer to him. As you look over the past year, you can sometimes see what He's been teaching you...and what He's been doing.
In the past year:
My son has turned 1
My daughter has learned to use the potty
My daughter has decided that she MUST use each and every public (and some not-so-public ones) that we pass while we are on outings.
My husband and I have managed to make our marriage even stronger.
We suffered the very first loss of a child: the loss of an unborn baby.
I finally received the diagnosis as to the cause of the horrid hives that have been plaguing me for years.
I want to thank you all for sharing this year with me. I pray that God blesses each and every one of us in the year to come, and that He blesses us with His love and a peace that we find only through Him.
God Bless and Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Perfect Mothers
There's one thing I have learned from spending time around my loving, if not frustrating, family is that there is this: there are no perfect mothers, and every one is a perfect mother.
It takes all kinds of mothers to mother all kinds of children. Be the kind of mother you are!
It takes all kinds of mothers to mother all kinds of children. Be the kind of mother you are!
That is, there isn't one set of rules to be a perfect mother. Ever child is different, every family is different (even among grown children becoming parents, their family is different than the one they grew up in), and every mother is different.
I got badgered all weekend long, my blouse wasn't nice enough, my son's hair is too long (even though we're growing it out since he IS half Native American), my son is too whiny, if I do "A, B, or C" then "X, Y, and Z" will happen (and X, Y, and Z are not "good" things). Rant after complaint and it drove me NUTS!
I apprecaite well meaning advice. The Good Lord knows I give out enough. But I take all advice with an open mind, an open heart, a grain of salt in some places, and with the spirit it is given: trying to help. I have learned SO MUCH from other mothers through their well meaning advice, most of it regarding what kind of mother I want to be, and how to make decisions that I feel is best for my family (such as how chiropractors and medical professionals are now saying babies shouldn't be in hard soled shoes until they are closer to 2 or 3). You would not BELIEVE the flack and nasty comments I get from people IN MY FAMILY as well as IN MY CHURCH regarding my son's footwear! HOLY SMOKES people! They are SHOES! I feel that they are best for him, I have seen him stumble around more in hard soled shoes and thus HIS FATHER and I TOGETHER made the decision to keep him in soft soled shoes! If I disclosed his shoe size I'm sure he'd have been bombarded with SHOES for Christmas!
I am still breastfeeding. There. It's in the open. Why am I? IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!! But, breastilk IS still better than cow's milk in a child...especially a child that is, um, ALLERGIC to cow's milk! "So give him soy milk, or rice milk," they say. WHY???? Why give him a product that isn't anywhere CLOSE to being as good for him as what I am giving him? Why put him through that emotional trauma of being forced to wean? He wants to, I want to...so we are. You don't like it? TOO FRACKEN BAD! MY CHILD, MY BOOBS, MY CHOICE!!!
So, if people could only see how every mother is different, every child is different, and every family is different and STOP GIVING MOTHERS FLACK! You want to give your advice? SURE! I'll continue to take it with an open heart and an open mind...and continue to learn about the kind of mother I want to be (and may NOT want to be). If I don't want your advice, I'll tell you...and I'd hope that others would do the same for me.
So, to all my friends who are mothers: YOU ARE AWESOME MAMAS!!! You all make the best decisions you can for your children. While I may feel that breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing, and attachment parenting are the bottom line best, they are not right for every family. I understand this and it doesn't bother me in the least if you don't do these things.
So to those that don't do these things STOP GIVING ME A HARD TIME FOR DOING THEM! Go tend to your children (regardless of their ages) and let me tend to mine.
Now, for your viewing pleasure, a picture that captures the wonder of a child at Christmas.
I got badgered all weekend long, my blouse wasn't nice enough, my son's hair is too long (even though we're growing it out since he IS half Native American), my son is too whiny, if I do "A, B, or C" then "X, Y, and Z" will happen (and X, Y, and Z are not "good" things). Rant after complaint and it drove me NUTS!
I apprecaite well meaning advice. The Good Lord knows I give out enough. But I take all advice with an open mind, an open heart, a grain of salt in some places, and with the spirit it is given: trying to help. I have learned SO MUCH from other mothers through their well meaning advice, most of it regarding what kind of mother I want to be, and how to make decisions that I feel is best for my family (such as how chiropractors and medical professionals are now saying babies shouldn't be in hard soled shoes until they are closer to 2 or 3). You would not BELIEVE the flack and nasty comments I get from people IN MY FAMILY as well as IN MY CHURCH regarding my son's footwear! HOLY SMOKES people! They are SHOES! I feel that they are best for him, I have seen him stumble around more in hard soled shoes and thus HIS FATHER and I TOGETHER made the decision to keep him in soft soled shoes! If I disclosed his shoe size I'm sure he'd have been bombarded with SHOES for Christmas!
I am still breastfeeding. There. It's in the open. Why am I? IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!! But, breastilk IS still better than cow's milk in a child...especially a child that is, um, ALLERGIC to cow's milk! "So give him soy milk, or rice milk," they say. WHY???? Why give him a product that isn't anywhere CLOSE to being as good for him as what I am giving him? Why put him through that emotional trauma of being forced to wean? He wants to, I want to...so we are. You don't like it? TOO FRACKEN BAD! MY CHILD, MY BOOBS, MY CHOICE!!!
So, if people could only see how every mother is different, every child is different, and every family is different and STOP GIVING MOTHERS FLACK! You want to give your advice? SURE! I'll continue to take it with an open heart and an open mind...and continue to learn about the kind of mother I want to be (and may NOT want to be). If I don't want your advice, I'll tell you...and I'd hope that others would do the same for me.
So, to all my friends who are mothers: YOU ARE AWESOME MAMAS!!! You all make the best decisions you can for your children. While I may feel that breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing, and attachment parenting are the bottom line best, they are not right for every family. I understand this and it doesn't bother me in the least if you don't do these things.
So to those that don't do these things STOP GIVING ME A HARD TIME FOR DOING THEM! Go tend to your children (regardless of their ages) and let me tend to mine.
Now, for your viewing pleasure, a picture that captures the wonder of a child at Christmas.
Twas the Day AFTER Christmas...
and all through the house,
gifts are unwrapped,
and tossed gayly aside.
Boxes are opened,
the playroom a mess
and waiting for wee ones
to clean up said mess!
"MOMMY!" they whine,
"Can't we please,
just play with this one
just one time?"
I tell them no,
that the mess they must clean
and what do I get
but irritating whining!!!!
I threaten to toss
the old toys away
and to return
the new ones on day
They whine and they beg
but they clean up their best
and after all
that is all that I ask!
No one to be
a perfect child
I only ask
that the be not so WILD!!!
<>< <>< <><
So, can you tell that it's been crazy around here?
I had to bake 10 loaves of pumpkin bread, make 2 batches of homemade hot chocolate powder, package into jars (and decorate said jars), make 2 batches of cookies (and package them), and decorate 10 wicker baskets, sign cards, etc...all on Christmas Eve. We didn't get home until 11pm that night and I passed out while feeding the baby. Christmas morning wasn't any less wild. I insisted that we clean up the family room before we begin opening gifts so that we wouldn't loose anything. It worked, no lost toy parts. But we now have to go through the playroom and clean it up and make room for all the new toys and finish weeding out the ones to go to Goodwill.
All in all, though, it was a nice day. Sweet Pea was excited to be celebrating "Baby Jesus' Birthday" and kept asking when we were going to go to Baby Jesus Birthday Party, and asking what dresses she could wear to said party. I told her we would be going to Grandma and Abba's to have a special Christmas Day Dinner. That seemed to help ease her sadness over Baby Jesus not getting a party. At Grandma and Abba's they (that is, Sweet Pea and Little Dude) found they had a bike, trike, red wagon, and train table (to go w/ the train set opened a few hours before) waiting for them. We ended the day by taking the kids to the Drive In to see "Enchanted." It was a cute movie, but the kids were SOOOOOOO tired! They were both asleep before we got back onto the interstate.
So, how was YOUR Christmas?
gifts are unwrapped,
and tossed gayly aside.
Boxes are opened,
the playroom a mess
and waiting for wee ones
to clean up said mess!
"MOMMY!" they whine,
"Can't we please,
just play with this one
just one time?"
I tell them no,
that the mess they must clean
and what do I get
but irritating whining!!!!
I threaten to toss
the old toys away
and to return
the new ones on day
They whine and they beg
but they clean up their best
and after all
that is all that I ask!
No one to be
a perfect child
I only ask
that the be not so WILD!!!
<>< <>< <><
So, can you tell that it's been crazy around here?
I had to bake 10 loaves of pumpkin bread, make 2 batches of homemade hot chocolate powder, package into jars (and decorate said jars), make 2 batches of cookies (and package them), and decorate 10 wicker baskets, sign cards, etc...all on Christmas Eve. We didn't get home until 11pm that night and I passed out while feeding the baby. Christmas morning wasn't any less wild. I insisted that we clean up the family room before we begin opening gifts so that we wouldn't loose anything. It worked, no lost toy parts. But we now have to go through the playroom and clean it up and make room for all the new toys and finish weeding out the ones to go to Goodwill.
All in all, though, it was a nice day. Sweet Pea was excited to be celebrating "Baby Jesus' Birthday" and kept asking when we were going to go to Baby Jesus Birthday Party, and asking what dresses she could wear to said party. I told her we would be going to Grandma and Abba's to have a special Christmas Day Dinner. That seemed to help ease her sadness over Baby Jesus not getting a party. At Grandma and Abba's they (that is, Sweet Pea and Little Dude) found they had a bike, trike, red wagon, and train table (to go w/ the train set opened a few hours before) waiting for them. We ended the day by taking the kids to the Drive In to see "Enchanted." It was a cute movie, but the kids were SOOOOOOO tired! They were both asleep before we got back onto the interstate.
So, how was YOUR Christmas?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The Bloodwork is In...
After the sever outbreak of hives I had in August, my allergist diagnosed me as having chronic hive (aka, Chronic Uritcaria or UC), told me to finish up the prednisone, and started
me on 5 antihistamines. He sent me in for blood work. Most of it was back at my last apt. but not all of it. He said my thyroid was fine, and my glucose levels were beautiful. We were waiting on the results of the testing to see if the cause was genetic or autoimmune.
My dad is adopted so we don't know anything about his history.
The results are in: my allergy levels were perfect, showing no real allergic reaction to anything. The autoimmune levels were high. Really high. I believe she put it as through the roof? I see my
allergist after the 1st of the year (no openings due to Christmas) and he will go over everything with me more.
I discovered the hives.com web page after getting the CU diagnosis. I
read the symptoms of auto immune and it lined up. So this isn't a big
surprise to me. Looking back, I've always thought I was allergic to
menstrual pads as I always break out in horrible hives during that
time. I guess it wasn't that.
So this is what I'm facing for the rest of my life. I get to start a regime of strong meds, I'll never be able to get private medical insurance to cover this part of my health (pre-existing condition), and we can't drop the $500 a month insurance we have right now w/ DH's work b/c I HAVE to have medical coverage for it all. The good news: during pregnancy the hives tend to go away. I am NOT going to be getting pregnant just to make the hives go bye-bye though. LOL
me on 5 antihistamines. He sent me in for blood work. Most of it was back at my last apt. but not all of it. He said my thyroid was fine, and my glucose levels were beautiful. We were waiting on the results of the testing to see if the cause was genetic or autoimmune.
My dad is adopted so we don't know anything about his history.
The results are in: my allergy levels were perfect, showing no real allergic reaction to anything. The autoimmune levels were high. Really high. I believe she put it as through the roof? I see my
allergist after the 1st of the year (no openings due to Christmas) and he will go over everything with me more.
I discovered the hives.com web page after getting the CU diagnosis. I
read the symptoms of auto immune and it lined up. So this isn't a big
surprise to me. Looking back, I've always thought I was allergic to
menstrual pads as I always break out in horrible hives during that
time. I guess it wasn't that.
So this is what I'm facing for the rest of my life. I get to start a regime of strong meds, I'll never be able to get private medical insurance to cover this part of my health (pre-existing condition), and we can't drop the $500 a month insurance we have right now w/ DH's work b/c I HAVE to have medical coverage for it all. The good news: during pregnancy the hives tend to go away. I am NOT going to be getting pregnant just to make the hives go bye-bye though. LOL
Christmas to Carseats
My local mom's group had our annual Christmas Party today (and shockingly enough, we called it a Christmas party...the muslim/jewish/athiest/agnostic members didn't care! LOL). As we usually do when we are together we got to talking about safety, and since we all do things out of the norm, we got to talking about extended rear facing in carseats. The conversation was started by someone saying, "Hey! Did any of you see the special CBS 10 did on car seat safety last month?" It went from there. LOL
Anyway, we got to talking about extended rear facing...since most of us practice this...and thus to the famous video on YouTube that shows pictures of toddlers rear facing, as well as footage from test crashes with carseats both rear and forward facing. I told them I have this video on my MySpace page, and decided to post it here as well for those that don't have a MS act to be able to view it (since my MS page is set to private: no seeing anything unless you are a friend).
So, here it is!
I probably won't keep it up long since YouTube videos start automatically...and that would get REALLY annoying after a while. LOL But, for those that asked to see it, here it is!
And, for your viewing pleasure, here are pics taken earlier this year w/ both kids rear facing. Heather at 3 and William at 1.
(to the friend that called and asked about turning her child forward or remaining rear, this is not geared towards you...it is in answer to a discussion I had earlier today w/ my mom's group. *hugs*)
Anyway, we got to talking about extended rear facing...since most of us practice this...and thus to the famous video on YouTube that shows pictures of toddlers rear facing, as well as footage from test crashes with carseats both rear and forward facing. I told them I have this video on my MySpace page, and decided to post it here as well for those that don't have a MS act to be able to view it (since my MS page is set to private: no seeing anything unless you are a friend).
So, here it is!
I probably won't keep it up long since YouTube videos start automatically...and that would get REALLY annoying after a while. LOL But, for those that asked to see it, here it is!
And, for your viewing pleasure, here are pics taken earlier this year w/ both kids rear facing. Heather at 3 and William at 1.
(to the friend that called and asked about turning her child forward or remaining rear, this is not geared towards you...it is in answer to a discussion I had earlier today w/ my mom's group. *hugs*)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Logan, Sky Angel
An online friend shared this with me, and I wanted to share it with y'all. It's SO touching. You might want to have a tissue in hand. This child is wise beyond his years.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Merry Tossmas
http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000005834.cfm?eafref=1
I got this from another blogging friend of mine, Guinevere. She rocks and this link does too! Check it out!
I got this from another blogging friend of mine, Guinevere. She rocks and this link does too! Check it out!
I've Got a SECRET!!
But I'm not telling...yet that is.
Back to you're regularly scheduled nothingness. LOL
Back to you're regularly scheduled nothingness. LOL
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Text Messages...
...are evil. Sure, they allow people to have conversations without having to make phone calls...a plus in the corporate environment, but they also cost money. A lot of money. As my poor husband just discovered.
We use T-Mobile for our cellular service. We've been very happy with it. There's this really cool feature where you can dial #646#talk and a little screen will pop up telling you how many minutes you've used this billing cycle. It's VERY nice to make sure we don't go over. You can do the same thing for text messages, only dial #674#talk. My poor husband hasn't figured this out yet...or else he forgot.
I just got off the phone with customer service finidng out WHY we have an almost $300 cell phone bill. Some charges I'd forgotten about and was fine with. But they were small. I did find out my husband went over his monthly text "allowence" of 400 texts. By a lot.
A whole lot.
A REALLY whole lot.
He went 750 message OVER his 400.
At $0.10 a text.
He went over $75!!!!!! I about had heart failure.
...
...
...
and it gets BETTER!!!!
...
...
...
He went over THIS month too! That was just OCTOBER! He was already over THIS month to the tune of $50!!!!
...
...
...
...
The customer service rep was AWESOME and she got his plan bumped up and backdated so we won't get hit hard as well on this next bill. DH has to curb his texting...by a LOT!
We use T-Mobile for our cellular service. We've been very happy with it. There's this really cool feature where you can dial #646#talk and a little screen will pop up telling you how many minutes you've used this billing cycle. It's VERY nice to make sure we don't go over. You can do the same thing for text messages, only dial #674#talk. My poor husband hasn't figured this out yet...or else he forgot.
I just got off the phone with customer service finidng out WHY we have an almost $300 cell phone bill. Some charges I'd forgotten about and was fine with. But they were small. I did find out my husband went over his monthly text "allowence" of 400 texts. By a lot.
A whole lot.
A REALLY whole lot.
He went 750 message OVER his 400.
At $0.10 a text.
He went over $75!!!!!! I about had heart failure.
...
...
...
and it gets BETTER!!!!
...
...
...
He went over THIS month too! That was just OCTOBER! He was already over THIS month to the tune of $50!!!!
...
...
...
...
The customer service rep was AWESOME and she got his plan bumped up and backdated so we won't get hit hard as well on this next bill. DH has to curb his texting...by a LOT!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
SORRY!
Wow, things have been crazy around here. Where to start...
Well, after the miscarriage, I've just been out of sorts. Then, in September a very dear friend of mine gave birth to a son at 23 weeks 6 days. He only lived 15 hours, so that was hard. My heart broke for her, and it brought back all the pain of my miscarriage.
Oh, and right after my last post? I broke out in hives! I have been covered in hives for almost 3 months now! I drove up to VA on Sept. 1 to help a friend out with some breastfeeding problems. I got the next day, Sept. 2, I ended up in the ER up there because my eyes were swollen shut and my lip had swelled up to 5 x's it's normal size! UGH! I was put on 40 mg. of prednisone that my dr. here at home continued for 6 weeks! I ended up putting on all that weight I got off on weight watchers. *sigh*
So, for the past 3 months I have been dealing with a condition called Chronic Hives (www.chronichives.com) and I will probably deal with flare ups off and on the rest of my life. *sigh* I've been on 5 meds to control them, and have been living in a drug induced haze, functioning enough to care for my kids and get my homework done.
So, life has been chaotic! LOL
Good news to report:
Little Dude is now sleeping in his own crib! We've been waiting for this day, but not pushing it. We'd try to move him into his crib, but it wouldn't go well so we'd stop trying and wait some more. Now he's ready. I put him in his crib on Tuesday, and he started to protest. He cried for a few min. and I kept trying to comfort him, but he wouldn't calm down. Finally I very firmly told him to stop it, to lay down, be quiet, and go to sleep. That he is a big boy and needs to go to sleep. He didn't make another peep! He went right to sleep. The next day I added a crib toy to the side of his crib that he's been playing w/ outside of the crib. He started to protest, I did the same thing as the previous night only adding that he could play with his toy. It worked! He is now laying right down w/o making a noise and going right to sleep!
YAY for perseverance and listening to my boy! He is now ready. He's so ready, that last night he fell asleep in my bed nursing so I left him there. He woke up when Sweet Pea started throwing a fit and woke him up. Little Dude wouldn't go back to sleep, he wouldn't nurse, he kept crying and kicking and pushing me away. So, I put him in his crib and he rolled over and went right to sleep! LOL Tonight, not a whimper. He went right down.
I am so proud of my little man, but I'm also sad. My baby is growing up too fast. *sob*
Little Dude and Sweet Pea were doctors for Halloween. They were SO cute, but I haven't gotten pictures from my friend yet (Jack and Jill took pictures for me). I'll post them when I get them.
That's about it! I'll try and post more often now.
Well, after the miscarriage, I've just been out of sorts. Then, in September a very dear friend of mine gave birth to a son at 23 weeks 6 days. He only lived 15 hours, so that was hard. My heart broke for her, and it brought back all the pain of my miscarriage.
Oh, and right after my last post? I broke out in hives! I have been covered in hives for almost 3 months now! I drove up to VA on Sept. 1 to help a friend out with some breastfeeding problems. I got the next day, Sept. 2, I ended up in the ER up there because my eyes were swollen shut and my lip had swelled up to 5 x's it's normal size! UGH! I was put on 40 mg. of prednisone that my dr. here at home continued for 6 weeks! I ended up putting on all that weight I got off on weight watchers. *sigh*
So, for the past 3 months I have been dealing with a condition called Chronic Hives (www.chronichives.com) and I will probably deal with flare ups off and on the rest of my life. *sigh* I've been on 5 meds to control them, and have been living in a drug induced haze, functioning enough to care for my kids and get my homework done.
So, life has been chaotic! LOL
Good news to report:
Little Dude is now sleeping in his own crib! We've been waiting for this day, but not pushing it. We'd try to move him into his crib, but it wouldn't go well so we'd stop trying and wait some more. Now he's ready. I put him in his crib on Tuesday, and he started to protest. He cried for a few min. and I kept trying to comfort him, but he wouldn't calm down. Finally I very firmly told him to stop it, to lay down, be quiet, and go to sleep. That he is a big boy and needs to go to sleep. He didn't make another peep! He went right to sleep. The next day I added a crib toy to the side of his crib that he's been playing w/ outside of the crib. He started to protest, I did the same thing as the previous night only adding that he could play with his toy. It worked! He is now laying right down w/o making a noise and going right to sleep!
YAY for perseverance and listening to my boy! He is now ready. He's so ready, that last night he fell asleep in my bed nursing so I left him there. He woke up when Sweet Pea started throwing a fit and woke him up. Little Dude wouldn't go back to sleep, he wouldn't nurse, he kept crying and kicking and pushing me away. So, I put him in his crib and he rolled over and went right to sleep! LOL Tonight, not a whimper. He went right down.
I am so proud of my little man, but I'm also sad. My baby is growing up too fast. *sob*
Little Dude and Sweet Pea were doctors for Halloween. They were SO cute, but I haven't gotten pictures from my friend yet (Jack and Jill took pictures for me). I'll post them when I get them.
That's about it! I'll try and post more often now.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
