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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Crazy Sexy Cancer Trailer
I really want to see this. With cancer rampant in both the Knight's family and my family, cancer is a concern for us. Let me know your thoughts on this trailer.
Choosy Moms Choose Cesareans?!?
April is Cesearean Awareness Month. So, of course, this article appeared, Choosy Moms Choose Cesarean. From the article:
Yes, because there is nothing uneventful with having major abdominal surgery. And now the procedure is safer? Safer than what? Safer than what is used to be, but not safer than vaginal birth.
The best part is at the end, where the author writes:
Evolve to what? Evolve as far away from what nature intended possible?
Really, I have no words. Just lots of frustration and eye-rolling. I am an extremely choosy person. And I chose natural childbirth for a reason.
Some of the rise in C-sections can certainly be attributed to women with routine pregnancies, like Chung, who make a pragmatic decision to keep their deliveries just as uneventful. Preliminary data suggest that such cases account for anywhere from 4% to 18% of the total number of caesareans. On the medical side, better anesthesia and antibiotics are making the procedure safer. Add to that the growing number of women delaying childbirth, those having twins or triplets as a result of in vitro fertilization and America's exploding obesity epidemic--all of which increase the risks of vaginal delivery. Doctors are also
becoming better at picking up the slightest signs of distress in the baby or mother and are quicker to recommend caesareans in such cases.
Yes, because there is nothing uneventful with having major abdominal surgery. And now the procedure is safer? Safer than what? Safer than what is used to be, but not safer than vaginal birth.
The best part is at the end, where the author writes:
Chung remains convinced that she made the right decision for herself and son Nathan. As our ideas about birth evolve, perhaps more women will feel less defensive about making the same choice.
Evolve to what? Evolve as far away from what nature intended possible?
Really, I have no words. Just lots of frustration and eye-rolling. I am an extremely choosy person. And I chose natural childbirth for a reason.
Gaining Confidence!
Monday, April 21, 2008
More Updates!
The past few days have been absolutely gorgeous out, so we've been spending a lot of time outside. I thought that going outside would encourage the Guppy to walk more, but apparently she is happy crawling through the grass. 
The Mermaid has also been doing more writing besides her name. The other day she wanted to draw a picture of the Knight and when she finished she asked me how to spell Daddy. I wrote it out for her in the corner and she wrote it herself perfectly, at the top of the paper.
In other news.....The Mermaid has finally started to use the potty!!!!! I'm so thrilled. Thursday afternoon, I watched as the Mermaid changed her own diaper. That was kind of the kicker for me; obviously if she can change her own diaper, she's ready to use the potty. She has been ready for a while, she just never wants to take the time to stop playing to go sit on the potty. So, Friday morning when she woke up I told her that she was a big girl now and that it was time to say goodbye to diapers. We both said "Bye bye diapers" and then I told her that she could wear "princess panties" and a "princess dress" if she used the potty. She agreed.
The Mermaid has also been doing more writing besides her name. The other day she wanted to draw a picture of the Knight and when she finished she asked me how to spell Daddy. I wrote it out for her in the corner and she wrote it herself perfectly, at the top of the paper.In other news.....The Mermaid has finally started to use the potty!!!!! I'm so thrilled. Thursday afternoon, I watched as the Mermaid changed her own diaper. That was kind of the kicker for me; obviously if she can change her own diaper, she's ready to use the potty. She has been ready for a while, she just never wants to take the time to stop playing to go sit on the potty. So, Friday morning when she woke up I told her that she was a big girl now and that it was time to say goodbye to diapers. We both said "Bye bye diapers" and then I told her that she could wear "princess panties" and a "princess dress" if she used the potty. She agreed.Friday she had 5 or 6 accidents and didn't use the potty once. Needless to say it was very frustrating to see her sit on the potty for 15 minutes, stand up to go play, then two minutes later pee all over the floor. But I managed to remain patient and didn't quit and put her back into a diaper.
Saturday, when she woke up I sat her on the potty right away and she went, yahoo!! She got all excited. On Saturday she had only two accidents and the rest of the time she used the potty, she was so proud of herself!!
Sunday I put her on the potty again right away and she went again. The entire day she only had one accident, and it was because the Guppy had moved the potty and she couldn't find it in time. Today, so far, she hasn't had a single accident and has used the potty twice. I am so proud of her and so psyched!
So, a question for those veteran potty trainers out there: today we are going to go to the park, and as much as I don't want to put a diaper back on her, I feel that I don't have a choice as I don't want her to have an accident and make a mess while we are out and about. How did/do you handle going out of the house while potty training?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Update on the girls *pic heavy*
I thought I would just post a little update on the girls....
The Mermaid is doing so incredibly well with schooling. She now participates in almost everything at her homeschooling group, and I am so glad I hung in there and did not quit the group when we were experiencing week after week of her running around and not participating.
Lately we've been learning about the moon, about ducks, and about the weather.
All dressed up for the rehersal dinner
The Guppy is so silly!
See what I mean about a strong personality?
For some reason she loves to raise that hand
The Mermaid is doing so incredibly well with schooling. She now participates in almost everything at her homeschooling group, and I am so glad I hung in there and did not quit the group when we were experiencing week after week of her running around and not participating.
Lately we've been learning about the moon, about ducks, and about the weather.
The Mermaid is LOVES rainbows and gets so excited
when she sees one!
She made a rain gauge in her homeschooling group
and loves to see how much rainfall we get.
The Mermaid also LOVES doing puzzles. She is up to a 24 piece puzzle but it bores her and she finishes it within five minutes.
What really amazes me is that she can write her own name now, without help. The other day I gave her some scrap paper to color on and she told me "I'm going to draw Brookie". I looked over ten minutes later and she had drawn a picture of herself, then wrote her name under it by herself and spelled it correctly.Don't you love the big smile and the bright sun in the corner?
A second self portrait
The Guppy has been amazing me with her increasingly emerging personality, which is strong. She definitely stands up for herself and is not a shy child. Her vocabulary has been increasing as well. But the big news is that about three days ago, she started walking. However, she will only walk when she gets excited and doesn't realize she is doing it. As soon as she realizes that she is walking, she gets scared and goes back down on her knees. Oh well, if she wants to walk on her knees for a while longer, that's fine with me. At least I know she can walk if she wanted to.
Both girls still get along great. I am so pleased by how well they play together. I know, I know, those parents of older siblings are out there right now, snickering at me. I know it probably won't last, but for now I'm going to enjoy watching be best friends and play pals.
All dressed up for the rehersal dinner
The Guppy is so silly!
See what I mean about a strong personality?
For some reason she loves to raise that hand when her picture is being taken
The Mermaid practicing her dance steps.
The Mermaid practicing her dance steps.
And she actually walked down the aisle!!
These are pictures from my lovely SIL's wedding two weeks ago. I know I am biased, but isn't the Mermaid the cutest flower girl you have ever seen? She did so well too, she walked and didn't run down the aisle!
She kept telling me she was a princess!
Her hair took FOREVER to curl!
The flower girl and the beautiful bride
The Guppy with the bride
Both my beautiful angels.
She kept telling me she was a princess!
Her hair took FOREVER to curl! The flower girl and the beautiful bride The Guppy with the bride Both my beautiful angels.The funniest part happened right after she and the bride had finished walking up the aisle. The music had stopped and the minister hadn't started speaking yet, so it was eerily quiet. All of a sudden, everyone heard the Mermaid's voice ring out, "Nana, I like your shoes!" Too funny!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Breastfeeding is Not a Crime!
I've been forwarded this email several times through different groups and I think it is important to share. Get the word out! :o)
Just a couple of months ago, a mother was kicked out of a museum in New York for breastfeeding, a perfectly legal act in that state. [1] Mothers continue to suffer discrimination and humiliation for breastfeeding, even though doctors recommend breastfeeding for all infants. Clearly we need Congress to pass the Breastfeeding Promotion Act (H.R. 3799) now--before more mothers are stigmatized and humiliated for breastfeeding. But this Act is currently stalled in Congress, and isn't going to move forward without increased citizen pressure. You can supply that pressure.CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPERSON
NOW: http://www.momsrisi ng.org/Cosponsor
BreastfeedingAct
(And forward this email to friends now so they can take
action too. All of our voices are needed to get the Breastfeeding
Promotion Act moving forward).MomsRising members have successfully raised awareness about the need to protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers in the past and can do it again. Last year, MomsRising members and other activists changed Delta Airlines' corporate policies when a mother was kicked
off a flight for breastfeeding.We can harness this same power to push through the Breastfeeding Promotion Act, but we need your help contacting Congress. Let's support mothers who are nurturing and caring for the next generation of Americans. Those nursing babies may not be able to vote, but their mothers can!Forward this email so your friends and family can contact their representatives too. It's going to take all of our voices, and then some to get this legislation moving forward. We need tens of thousands of messages to go to Congress supporting breastfeeding.
Here's that link again in case you need it: http://www.momsrisi ng.org/Cosponsor BreastfeedingAct
Thank you! - Kristin, Joan, Nanette, Mary, Donna, Katie,
Roz, Anita, Andrea and the MomsRising Team [1] http://wnyt. com/article/ stories/S352021. shtml?cat= 10114P.S. THE LOWDOWN ON THE BREASTFEEDING PROMOTION ACT: Representative Carolyn Maloney's Breastfeeding Promotion Act (H.R. 3799) would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to protect breastfeeding by new mothers by providing tax credits to employers who provide a place to breastfeed and/or provide breast pumps. This makes it a lot easier for women who want to give their babies breastmilk and keep their jobs. As you may know, 82% of American women
become mothers by the time they are forty-four years old, so this issue is critically important to a large portion of our nation. To read the bill, visit The Library of Congress Website.
Feeling Better..
Yesterday the weather was absolutely beautiful, so after the girls and I picked the Knight up from his work, we drove to a nearby trail and went for a family walk. The Guppy was on my back in the Mai Tei, and the Mermaid did pretty well walking on her own for that long.
I think the walk was just what I needed. It was a great time for the Knight and I to reconnect, and for us to talk about my being overwhelmed together. The Knight feels I should cut back on some things, and we talked a lot about how hard it is for me to say No and to prioritize my time. Most of all, it was just nice to walk in the sun, holding his hand and having a conversation with him.
After we got home we played a little more outside with the girls. Then the Knight made dinner and then ordered me to bed. I put up a little fight, because I "had sooo much to do, my Arbonne hours, my CBE assignment, etc" but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He was right, I was exhausted and not focusing well. So, I went to bed at 7pm. When I woke up this morning, I felt soooo much better and I saw that he had not only gotten the girls to bed but he had cleaned the entire house as well and balanced the checkbook. I love this man.
So today? Today I am so incredibly, amazingly excited because today is the first day in two weeks that I have absolutely nothing planned for the day. Isn't is sad that I am so excited to be staying home all day? That I am actually looking forward to catching up with the laundry? That I am so happy that I don't have to rush to get the girls ready so that we could leave on time to go somewhere? That I can take some time to take pictures of my girls as we play?
The Knight is right, of course. I do need to find somewhere to cut back. Or at least prioritize my time more and not be in such a rush to get through everything so quickly...
I think the walk was just what I needed. It was a great time for the Knight and I to reconnect, and for us to talk about my being overwhelmed together. The Knight feels I should cut back on some things, and we talked a lot about how hard it is for me to say No and to prioritize my time. Most of all, it was just nice to walk in the sun, holding his hand and having a conversation with him.
After we got home we played a little more outside with the girls. Then the Knight made dinner and then ordered me to bed. I put up a little fight, because I "had sooo much to do, my Arbonne hours, my CBE assignment, etc" but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He was right, I was exhausted and not focusing well. So, I went to bed at 7pm. When I woke up this morning, I felt soooo much better and I saw that he had not only gotten the girls to bed but he had cleaned the entire house as well and balanced the checkbook. I love this man.
So today? Today I am so incredibly, amazingly excited because today is the first day in two weeks that I have absolutely nothing planned for the day. Isn't is sad that I am so excited to be staying home all day? That I am actually looking forward to catching up with the laundry? That I am so happy that I don't have to rush to get the girls ready so that we could leave on time to go somewhere? That I can take some time to take pictures of my girls as we play?
The Knight is right, of course. I do need to find somewhere to cut back. Or at least prioritize my time more and not be in such a rush to get through everything so quickly...
Thursday, April 10, 2008
How Do I Say No?
I am finally going to admit it: I think I have taken on more than I can chew.
These past couple of weeks I have been completely overwhelmed. Completely. Besides homeschooling and my Arbonne business, I've also:
~ been working to get WomenAid up and running with the other ladies of the board.
~ signed up for a CBE certification course and have started my reading and assignments
~ have started the application process to be accredited for another position that I am not supposed to announce until I am actually accredited.
~ have been really busy with my doula business
Not that I am complaining about any of these things. I love homeschooling and being a mom to my girls, I love being a part of WomenAid, love my Arbonne and Doula business, etc. But I think it is too much at once, I am stretching myself too thin.
I am not a good person when I am overhwhelmed. I snap at people, yell at people, and generally turn into a bad person.
Besides that, I haven't been able to set aside time to nurture myself lately and it's showing. I haven't knitted, or even just sat down with a nice cup or tea and a good book right before bed like I used to. I miss that.
However I find it so hard to prioritize and decide which activity needs to take a back seat. I'm thinking that if I come up with a schedule that divides my time between acitivities that would help. But I need to realize that it might take me a little longer to reach my goals, and that's okay. I'm not superwoman, I'm just the best woman I can be.
This is what I am thinking:
1. Homeschooling and my girls always take first priority, that one is a no brainer.
2. I will contine to work my Arbonne business, but only in the hours that I had set aside to work it (roughly two hours a day). One of the problems I have is that I will jump online to "just check my work email real quick" and lose myself for two hours without realizing it.
3. I will set aside two hours a week to work on WomenAid, and that does not count the group's weekly conference calls.
3. I will set aside three hours a week for my doula business, in which I will work on updating my website, creating a brochure, networking, etc. I will limit myself to one birth client and one postpartum client a month.
4. I will set aside one hour a day to work on my CBE certification course, or my other accredidation course, but not both on the same day.
5. I will keep my house clean.
This is just a rough draft, and I still feel overwhelmed just looking at it. But it is a nice first step, don't you think?
These past couple of weeks I have been completely overwhelmed. Completely. Besides homeschooling and my Arbonne business, I've also:
~ been working to get WomenAid up and running with the other ladies of the board.
~ signed up for a CBE certification course and have started my reading and assignments
~ have started the application process to be accredited for another position that I am not supposed to announce until I am actually accredited.
~ have been really busy with my doula business
Not that I am complaining about any of these things. I love homeschooling and being a mom to my girls, I love being a part of WomenAid, love my Arbonne and Doula business, etc. But I think it is too much at once, I am stretching myself too thin.
I am not a good person when I am overhwhelmed. I snap at people, yell at people, and generally turn into a bad person.
Besides that, I haven't been able to set aside time to nurture myself lately and it's showing. I haven't knitted, or even just sat down with a nice cup or tea and a good book right before bed like I used to. I miss that.
However I find it so hard to prioritize and decide which activity needs to take a back seat. I'm thinking that if I come up with a schedule that divides my time between acitivities that would help. But I need to realize that it might take me a little longer to reach my goals, and that's okay. I'm not superwoman, I'm just the best woman I can be.
This is what I am thinking:
1. Homeschooling and my girls always take first priority, that one is a no brainer.
2. I will contine to work my Arbonne business, but only in the hours that I had set aside to work it (roughly two hours a day). One of the problems I have is that I will jump online to "just check my work email real quick" and lose myself for two hours without realizing it.
3. I will set aside two hours a week to work on WomenAid, and that does not count the group's weekly conference calls.
3. I will set aside three hours a week for my doula business, in which I will work on updating my website, creating a brochure, networking, etc. I will limit myself to one birth client and one postpartum client a month.
4. I will set aside one hour a day to work on my CBE certification course, or my other accredidation course, but not both on the same day.
5. I will keep my house clean.
This is just a rough draft, and I still feel overwhelmed just looking at it. But it is a nice first step, don't you think?
Friday, April 04, 2008
April is Cesarean Awareness Month
What is Cesarean Awareness Month? An internationally recognized month of awareness about the impact of cesarean sections on mothers, babies, and families worldwide. It's about educating yourself to the pros and cons of major abdominal surgery and the possibilities for healthy birth afterwards as well as educating yourself for prevention of cesarean section.
Cesarean awareness is for mothers who are expecting or who might choose to be in the future. It's for daughters who don't realize what choices are being taken away from them. It's for scientists studying the effects of cesareans and how birth impacts our lives. It's for grandmothers who won't be having more children but are questioning the abdominal pains and adhesions causing damage 30 years after their cesareans.
CESAREANS are serious. There is no need for a 'catchy phrase' to tell us that this is a mainstream problem. It affects everyone. One in three American women every year have surgery to bring their babies into the world.These women have lifelong health effects, impacting the families that are helping them in their healing, impacting other families through health care costs and policies, and bringing back those same lifelong health effects to the children they bring into this world.Be aware. Read. Learn. Ask questions. Get informed consent. Be your own advocate for the information you need to know.
www.ican-online.org
Cesarean awareness is for mothers who are expecting or who might choose to be in the future. It's for daughters who don't realize what choices are being taken away from them. It's for scientists studying the effects of cesareans and how birth impacts our lives. It's for grandmothers who won't be having more children but are questioning the abdominal pains and adhesions causing damage 30 years after their cesareans.
CESAREANS are serious. There is no need for a 'catchy phrase' to tell us that this is a mainstream problem. It affects everyone. One in three American women every year have surgery to bring their babies into the world.These women have lifelong health effects, impacting the families that are helping them in their healing, impacting other families through health care costs and policies, and bringing back those same lifelong health effects to the children they bring into this world.Be aware. Read. Learn. Ask questions. Get informed consent. Be your own advocate for the information you need to know.
www.ican-online.org
Whirlwind
This past weekend, I was able to go to the LLL Area Conference in Chelmsford, MA. I left the Mermaid at home but took the Guppy with me since I was staying overnight and she still wakes up to nurse.
The conference was amazing! I learned to much from the session I took, and really, it was just so incredibly relaxing and amazing to be surrounded by mothers who share a similar parenting style. Slings were everywhere, breastfeeding in public was no problem, and everyone was just generally happy and positive towards each other. I also got a new ring sling that I absolutely love!
I did attend one session with Dr. Sears about his new book "The Vaccine Book". I wasn't able to sit through the entire session because the Guppy started to get fussy, but what I heard gave me a lot to think about. I'm going to be picking up his book soon and I recommend other parents to read it as well. It is not an anti-vaccine book, but rather outlines reasons why some parents do not vaccinate, and if you do choose to vaccinate, which ones you can skip and what ages to give the other vaccines in order to be as safe as possible.
This weekend is my SIL's wedding and so we will be going out of town again. This week coming up, I have work as a postpartum doula (which I am very excited about) and so far the rest of my April looks a little low key. Good thing my Arbonne business keeps me busy as well, or I might have to go a little crazy.
Right now in homeschooling the Mermaid is learning about the moon, and more specifically the different stages of the moon. I am continuously amazed at how quickly she picks things up, but most of all at how much she LOVES to just sit down with me and learn. We've been doing a lot of coloring and painting, and reading books about the moon, and every day when the Knight gets home she runs to him very excited about showing him the day's project. I am so happy and confident now with our decision to homeschool, and I am very excited to see where it takes us.
The Guppy is really starting to broaden her vocabulary. She especially loves to make animal sounds. It seems every day she learns a new word, which makes every day with her so much fun. She also loves to look on and watch while the Mermaid colors pictures of the moon, or read the moon books with us.
Well, that's it for the updates. I'm going to be busy all day packing and getting ready for the weekend, how fun. ;o)
The conference was amazing! I learned to much from the session I took, and really, it was just so incredibly relaxing and amazing to be surrounded by mothers who share a similar parenting style. Slings were everywhere, breastfeeding in public was no problem, and everyone was just generally happy and positive towards each other. I also got a new ring sling that I absolutely love!
I did attend one session with Dr. Sears about his new book "The Vaccine Book". I wasn't able to sit through the entire session because the Guppy started to get fussy, but what I heard gave me a lot to think about. I'm going to be picking up his book soon and I recommend other parents to read it as well. It is not an anti-vaccine book, but rather outlines reasons why some parents do not vaccinate, and if you do choose to vaccinate, which ones you can skip and what ages to give the other vaccines in order to be as safe as possible.
This weekend is my SIL's wedding and so we will be going out of town again. This week coming up, I have work as a postpartum doula (which I am very excited about) and so far the rest of my April looks a little low key. Good thing my Arbonne business keeps me busy as well, or I might have to go a little crazy.
Right now in homeschooling the Mermaid is learning about the moon, and more specifically the different stages of the moon. I am continuously amazed at how quickly she picks things up, but most of all at how much she LOVES to just sit down with me and learn. We've been doing a lot of coloring and painting, and reading books about the moon, and every day when the Knight gets home she runs to him very excited about showing him the day's project. I am so happy and confident now with our decision to homeschool, and I am very excited to see where it takes us.
The Guppy is really starting to broaden her vocabulary. She especially loves to make animal sounds. It seems every day she learns a new word, which makes every day with her so much fun. She also loves to look on and watch while the Mermaid colors pictures of the moon, or read the moon books with us.
Well, that's it for the updates. I'm going to be busy all day packing and getting ready for the weekend, how fun. ;o)
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