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Friday, March 30, 2007
Fantastic Friday: Wobbling on one leg
Well I've been doing good in some areas and not so good in others.
Weight: For my Future MILF post: I gained 1/2 a pound. My reaction? I am surprised it wasn't more. See, I kind of made a couple of trips to McDonald's for some fries and apple pies while I was working this weekend...
House: Housework has been decent, but not good. I'm still doing all my FlyLady routines but I wouldn't exactly call my house "guest ready". I hadn't done any missions or decluttering at all this past week. Hopefully as I get used to working I can adapt my routines to fit them in. But to be honest, now that I don't see my girls as much, I'm definitely going to put spending time with them ahead of cleaning and I'm prepared to let the house go a little bit. Priorities, you know?
Finances: Well this week I got my first paycheck. Very cool. Next week I get a raise and more hours. We're getting ready to move onto Step 2 of the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover. A wonderful woman from my LLL group gave me all his materials so we've been reading up.
Environment: This is where I've really been slacking. It's getting harder and harder to live the Compact Life. I really don't have that much time to go searching through thrift stores and Freecycle for the things I need, especially since we only have one car so I am unable to leave the house during the day. So I've decided that since we don't buy unnecessary purchases anyway, I will still try my hardest to buy used but if not, I'm not about to beat myself up over it.
So that is where I stand this week. Getting a job has helped us in finances but has definitely thrown a loop into the other areas. Hopefully we can all settle in soon.
Weight: For my Future MILF post: I gained 1/2 a pound. My reaction? I am surprised it wasn't more. See, I kind of made a couple of trips to McDonald's for some fries and apple pies while I was working this weekend...
House: Housework has been decent, but not good. I'm still doing all my FlyLady routines but I wouldn't exactly call my house "guest ready". I hadn't done any missions or decluttering at all this past week. Hopefully as I get used to working I can adapt my routines to fit them in. But to be honest, now that I don't see my girls as much, I'm definitely going to put spending time with them ahead of cleaning and I'm prepared to let the house go a little bit. Priorities, you know?
Finances: Well this week I got my first paycheck. Very cool. Next week I get a raise and more hours. We're getting ready to move onto Step 2 of the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover. A wonderful woman from my LLL group gave me all his materials so we've been reading up.
Environment: This is where I've really been slacking. It's getting harder and harder to live the Compact Life. I really don't have that much time to go searching through thrift stores and Freecycle for the things I need, especially since we only have one car so I am unable to leave the house during the day. So I've decided that since we don't buy unnecessary purchases anyway, I will still try my hardest to buy used but if not, I'm not about to beat myself up over it.
So that is where I stand this week. Getting a job has helped us in finances but has definitely thrown a loop into the other areas. Hopefully we can all settle in soon.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
More on AP
Recently I wrote a post about Attachment Parenting and how one does not have to be a "hippy" to be AP. Another point about Attachment Parenting that I talked about is how you can use the AP ideals and adapt them to your own unique situation. There are no "set" rules that you must follow in order to be AP, except that you are sure to meet all your child's needs in a way that facilitates bonding. Here's a great article that I think explains this point well. Enjoy!
Vaccines Again Linked to Autism
The National Autism Association recently released data suggesting a correlation between mercury-containing vaccines and autism in Canada. You can find the whole story here.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Six Month Letter
You are now six months old. Unbelievable. This month has certainly proved to have is challenges as well as its amazing moments.You are so close to sitting up on your own. You hate laying down, you want to be able to sit up and look around at everything that's going around you. You also hate it when I walk out of the room, so lately you've been spending a lot of time in the pouch, MT, and Ellaroo Wrap. You love to be on my back, sitting in the carrier and watching while I do the dishes, laundry, etc. You laugh so much, especially when your sister plays with you.
This month I have gone back to work and it's been rough for all of us. You refuse to take the bottle and prefer to wait until I get home. Sometimes you will take a half an once from a sippy cup but other than that you wait it out. You are still hitting all your milestones and having enough diapers but I can't help worrying that you are starving while I am gone. I wish you would take the bottle just for my piece of mind. 
I'm also battling guilt at leaving you when you are only six months old. I'm afraid of how it will impact you and if you feel afraid or abandoned when I'm gone. Thank God your father is a wonderful man who takes care of you very well. This is the only reason that I am able to walk out the door every night, knowing that your father is there to cuddle with you, take care of you. He even wants to learn how to use the carriers so he can wear you!
You are also very determined to grab everything within your reach. I have to be very careful when drinking while holding you, and when I try to read when nursing you to keep grabbing at the book! Most of the time when you look around you have this really serious look on your face, as if you are trying to take everything it and process it all. Your sister was the same way. I can't wait to see if you love learning as much as she does.It is still unreal to me that you are already six months old. I can't believe how fast you are growing up. You make me so proud, you are so beautiful and amazing. I love you, sweet Guppy, and I thank the Lord for every day for bringing you to us. I can't wait to see what the coming months bring us!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Reconnecting
This morning, instead of doing laundry or dishes or other things that needed to be done, I decided to waste time on the computer. I wanted to update my MySpace page.
I sat down to redo it and I did what I usually did, focusing the entire page on the girls and adding pictures of them, etc. Then I decided to add pictures of just the Knight and I, without the girls. But....I couldn't find any. Well, I did find some. But they were from our wedding and our honeymoon. That was over a year ago.
Whoa.
This is what made me realize that my dear Knight very often gets overlooked. The Knight is my best friend, my soul mate, the love of my life. He is a terrific father. After working all day, he comes home and asks if the girls need diaper changes (usually yes), whether I need help with dinner (usually no), and how my day was. After praising my cooking to the skies (even though he hates beans and I'm on a bean kick right now) he helps me clean up the dishes and the kitchen and puts the girls to bed. He compliments me, makes me feel sexy, makes me laugh. He always puts himself last. And today I realized that I take all that for granted.
I feel like the Knight and I need to reconnect. How can it be that we haven't even had our picture taken together in over a year? We're so busy taking care of the kids that we haven't stopped to take care of each other in a long time. Don't get me wrong, we have a great marriage. We rarely fight. But sometimes, I wonder....is that necessarily good? Do we rarely fight because we have a great marriage, or because we are so focused on the children that we have nothing to fight about?
I don't want the Knight and I to drift apart. I want us to feel like a couple again. I want us to be giddy when we're around each other. I want us to have a conversation that doesn't involve the word "baby", "poop" or "diaper".
I hope, I dream, I act...
When I get my first paycheck, I will cash it and keep it saved. Then I will make a reservation at a great restaurant. I will have my mom watch the kids. We will have a romantic dinner. We will hold hands. I will ask him about his day, how he is feeling. We will not talk about poop, potty, diapers, or toys. We will talk about each other, about our future, about how we are going to grow old together.
We will reconnect.
And I will have the waitress take our picture. Just the two of us.
I sat down to redo it and I did what I usually did, focusing the entire page on the girls and adding pictures of them, etc. Then I decided to add pictures of just the Knight and I, without the girls. But....I couldn't find any. Well, I did find some. But they were from our wedding and our honeymoon. That was over a year ago.
Whoa.
This is what made me realize that my dear Knight very often gets overlooked. The Knight is my best friend, my soul mate, the love of my life. He is a terrific father. After working all day, he comes home and asks if the girls need diaper changes (usually yes), whether I need help with dinner (usually no), and how my day was. After praising my cooking to the skies (even though he hates beans and I'm on a bean kick right now) he helps me clean up the dishes and the kitchen and puts the girls to bed. He compliments me, makes me feel sexy, makes me laugh. He always puts himself last. And today I realized that I take all that for granted.
I feel like the Knight and I need to reconnect. How can it be that we haven't even had our picture taken together in over a year? We're so busy taking care of the kids that we haven't stopped to take care of each other in a long time. Don't get me wrong, we have a great marriage. We rarely fight. But sometimes, I wonder....is that necessarily good? Do we rarely fight because we have a great marriage, or because we are so focused on the children that we have nothing to fight about?
I don't want the Knight and I to drift apart. I want us to feel like a couple again. I want us to be giddy when we're around each other. I want us to have a conversation that doesn't involve the word "baby", "poop" or "diaper".
I hope, I dream, I act...
When I get my first paycheck, I will cash it and keep it saved. Then I will make a reservation at a great restaurant. I will have my mom watch the kids. We will have a romantic dinner. We will hold hands. I will ask him about his day, how he is feeling. We will not talk about poop, potty, diapers, or toys. We will talk about each other, about our future, about how we are going to grow old together.
We will reconnect.
And I will have the waitress take our picture. Just the two of us.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Fab-u-lous
Found a new blog today....run on over to Tarah at Mojo of a Mama and say hi. Natural childbirth and breastfeeding advocate, you'll learn lots of information on eating naturally and avoiding toxins. And she's expecting too!
Sensual Birth
I found this interesting article about orgasmic, or sensual, birth. While I have never had an orgasmic birth, I truly believe that it can happen. Ina May Gaskins also explores orgasmic birth in her book, Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth.
According to the article:
According to the article:
A visit to the Unassisted Childbirth Organisation's US website confirms just how erotic childbirth can be. The site describes in graphic detail women's fantasies in which romantic and sexual union leads to "blissful waves of pleasure", and "cosmic orgasms" at the point of birth. More women, it seems, get
turned on by birth than you'd think. When Ina May Gaskin, a US midwife, conducted a poll of 151 women, 32 reported experiencing at least one orgasmic birth. Admittedly, these were home births by women who were "open" to the experience. The plus points are pretty significant - a single orgasm is thought
to be 22 times as relaxing as the average tranquilliser, while sexual arousal widens the vagina significantly.
"Women might think twice about having an epidural if they knew that, but nobody talk about these things," points out
Gaskin, a natural childbirth pioneer who was the first midwife to openly acknowledge that women could climax at birth.
Government and MMR Vaccine
I came across this article put out by the Daily Mail. According to the article, a former British government official is criticizing the government for it's apparent lack of care concerning the dangers of the MMR vaccine. The article states:
This is very disheartening to read. I think both parents and the government really need to act and initiate a full, unbiased investigation on the effects of this vaccine, and other vaccines.
Dr Peter Fletcher, who was Chief Scientific Officer at the Department of Health, said if it is proven that the jab causes autism, "the refusal by governments to evaluate the risks properly will make this one of the greatest scandals in
medical history".
He added that after agreeing to be an expert witness on
drug-safety trials for parents' lawyers, he had received and studied thousands of documents relating to the case which he believed the public had a right to see.
This is very disheartening to read. I think both parents and the government really need to act and initiate a full, unbiased investigation on the effects of this vaccine, and other vaccines.
Smart Celebrities
Seeing celebrities who breastfeed or practice other forms of natural parenting always makes me smile. I can't help but hope that by exposing these parenting styles to the media, it will help make natural parenting more "normal".
Kudos to Maggie Gyllenhaal for using cloth diapers, and Julie Bowen for planning on breastfeeding her baby!
Kudos to Maggie Gyllenhaal for using cloth diapers, and Julie Bowen for planning on breastfeeding her baby!
A Personal Experience
Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I feel that we over vaccinate our children. While whether or not to vaccinate your child is a personal decision, you should research the subject all you can to make an informed choice. For a personal perspective, check out Tiffany's post where she shares her experience with a vaccination gone bad.
Famous and Intact
I have only girls, so I haven't had to deal with this issue directly. But I do know that if I ever have a boy, we would not circumcise him, something I feel strongly about. So, in the spirit of my opinion, here is a gallery of famous intact men. Enjoy!
Morning Snippets
This morning when the Mermaid woke up she said she missed me last night and gave me a big kiss.
This morning when the Guppy woke up I went and lay down next to her on the bed. She acted all excited to see me, laughing and wiggling her whole body with joy. She latched on, and then gave the most contented sigh I've ever heard. To her, the whole world was right again because I was home.*
Can life get any better than this?
*Last night I worked. I arrived home, exhausted, to find an exhausted Knight trying to console the Guppy. She refused the bottle, again. I hope we can resolve this problem soon!
This morning when the Guppy woke up I went and lay down next to her on the bed. She acted all excited to see me, laughing and wiggling her whole body with joy. She latched on, and then gave the most contented sigh I've ever heard. To her, the whole world was right again because I was home.*
Can life get any better than this?
*Last night I worked. I arrived home, exhausted, to find an exhausted Knight trying to console the Guppy. She refused the bottle, again. I hope we can resolve this problem soon!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Cursing Myself
I just know that by writing this post I am cursing myself. But here goes:
I think we are finally out of the tantrum stage with the Mermaid.
Now, before you all laugh at me, I don't mean totally. I understand that kids will have tantrums. But, the Mermaid was throwing maybe three or four tantrums a day. It was tiring. It was exhausting. And it was frustrating, very very frustrating.
I really did not like myself these past few weeks when dealing with these tantrums. I definitely yelled a LOT more than I should. I turned into the Mean Mommy. I was basically horrible. Make room for me on the Bad Mommy Bench and pass me over some popcorn, because I was going to be there for a while.
I'm not sure exactly what made me wake up and pay attention. I just finally realized, after another day of tantrums, that clearly yelling and ignoring her is not working. Don't ask me why I didn't realize this earlier, I don't know. So, I took a different approach, one that I always told myself I would do. When the Mermaid would show signs of being about to throw a tantrum, I would distract her. If she threw one anyway, I would verbalize her feelings. I wouldn't let her get whatever it was she wanted and couldn't have, but I would let her know that I understood that she wanted it, and although she couldn't have it, I understood that it made her upset.
She hasn't had a tantrum in three days. In fact, for the past three days she's been an absolute angel. She's even begun potty learning.
In the end, all it took was for me to grow up and stop throwing my own little tantrums when she would start hers. I had to learn to deal with it while keeping her needs and her perspective in mind. And it seems to be working. She's even more cuddly, more responsive, laughing more, smiling more, etc.
I really hope I didn't curse it by writing this post ;o)
I think we are finally out of the tantrum stage with the Mermaid.
Now, before you all laugh at me, I don't mean totally. I understand that kids will have tantrums. But, the Mermaid was throwing maybe three or four tantrums a day. It was tiring. It was exhausting. And it was frustrating, very very frustrating.
I really did not like myself these past few weeks when dealing with these tantrums. I definitely yelled a LOT more than I should. I turned into the Mean Mommy. I was basically horrible. Make room for me on the Bad Mommy Bench and pass me over some popcorn, because I was going to be there for a while.
I'm not sure exactly what made me wake up and pay attention. I just finally realized, after another day of tantrums, that clearly yelling and ignoring her is not working. Don't ask me why I didn't realize this earlier, I don't know. So, I took a different approach, one that I always told myself I would do. When the Mermaid would show signs of being about to throw a tantrum, I would distract her. If she threw one anyway, I would verbalize her feelings. I wouldn't let her get whatever it was she wanted and couldn't have, but I would let her know that I understood that she wanted it, and although she couldn't have it, I understood that it made her upset.
She hasn't had a tantrum in three days. In fact, for the past three days she's been an absolute angel. She's even begun potty learning.
In the end, all it took was for me to grow up and stop throwing my own little tantrums when she would start hers. I had to learn to deal with it while keeping her needs and her perspective in mind. And it seems to be working. She's even more cuddly, more responsive, laughing more, smiling more, etc.
I really hope I didn't curse it by writing this post ;o)
Ten Best Places to Breastfeed
Okay, so this article is a little old. But I'm trying to clean out my "to blog about" folder and so you'll be seeing a few of these oldies for a bit ;o)
Breastfeeding in public has gotten so much negative attention in the media lately, it's nice to see something nice written about it. Kathleen Doyle writes about the 10 Best Places to Breastfeed, including at a wedding, at a sports event, in a restaurant, etc. Check it out if you want something uplifting and positive to read. Of course, I've nursed in nearly all the places she mentioned ;o)
Breastfeeding in public has gotten so much negative attention in the media lately, it's nice to see something nice written about it. Kathleen Doyle writes about the 10 Best Places to Breastfeed, including at a wedding, at a sports event, in a restaurant, etc. Check it out if you want something uplifting and positive to read. Of course, I've nursed in nearly all the places she mentioned ;o)
Buying Organic and Breaking the Bank
The Knight and I recently decided to become vegetarians, and as we work towards paying off our debt, we've also been trying to buy more organic food. The problem? Organic food can be very pricey. However, I did find this nice online guide on which produce you should buy organic and which ones you can buy just conventional and still be okay. It's a handy guide, which can help with costs. For example, we were buying organic bananas but since we now know bananas generally tend to have less pesticides, we'll stick with conventional bananas and go organic with the apples. Enjoy!
No, You Don't Have To Be A Hippy
I think that a lot of times, Attachment Parenting gets a lot of negative attention, especially in the media. I know from talking with more mainstream moms, the first thing that pops into one's head when they hear "Attachment Parenting" is a hippy lifestyle in which the children are put first and foremost to the detriment of everything else and of course those children end up spoiled!
This isn't what AP parenting is at all. To me, AP parenting means to parent in a way that allows you to respond to your child's needs and follow your instinct. This doesn't mean to never set boundaries or guidelines and to bend to your child's every wish and demand. It simply means being there for your child, letting your child know that you are going to be there to meet their needs and help them through life.
I never heard of AP parenting until the Mermaid was around 6 or 7 months old. I was breastfeeding her because I knew, instinctively, that it was right. We coslept because I just felt it was right (we had tried having her sleep in the crib, and it just felt wrong to me). I could never let her cry it out, my instincts told me it was wrong. Then one day someone mentioned that I was "AP" so I looked it up and discovered, that yes, a lot of the principles of AP parenting are ones that I follow. But I already follow them by instinct, it isn't like I signed up for a "parenting program" and have to follow all their rules.
That being said....yes, most/a lot of AP parents breastfeed, co sleep, baby wear, etc. But that is only because that is how they feel they can meet their baby's needs, how they let their child know they are there for them. You don't have to breastfeed to be considered AP. You don't even have to co sleep. You just have to have a gently parenting style which will allow you to respond to your baby's cues.
I found this excellent blog by Paxye that explains what Attachment Parenting really is. Check it out. Even if you are "mainstream", you might be surprised on how much you agree with the AP philosophy.
This isn't what AP parenting is at all. To me, AP parenting means to parent in a way that allows you to respond to your child's needs and follow your instinct. This doesn't mean to never set boundaries or guidelines and to bend to your child's every wish and demand. It simply means being there for your child, letting your child know that you are going to be there to meet their needs and help them through life.
I never heard of AP parenting until the Mermaid was around 6 or 7 months old. I was breastfeeding her because I knew, instinctively, that it was right. We coslept because I just felt it was right (we had tried having her sleep in the crib, and it just felt wrong to me). I could never let her cry it out, my instincts told me it was wrong. Then one day someone mentioned that I was "AP" so I looked it up and discovered, that yes, a lot of the principles of AP parenting are ones that I follow. But I already follow them by instinct, it isn't like I signed up for a "parenting program" and have to follow all their rules.
That being said....yes, most/a lot of AP parents breastfeed, co sleep, baby wear, etc. But that is only because that is how they feel they can meet their baby's needs, how they let their child know they are there for them. You don't have to breastfeed to be considered AP. You don't even have to co sleep. You just have to have a gently parenting style which will allow you to respond to your baby's cues.
I found this excellent blog by Paxye that explains what Attachment Parenting really is. Check it out. Even if you are "mainstream", you might be surprised on how much you agree with the AP philosophy.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Fantastic Friday: Ho, Hum
Well this week has been a normal, non exciting week.
Weight: For my MILF update, I maintained. No loss, no gain. I am going to start measuring myself, however, to see if I am at least toning up.
House: This week, thanks to FlyLady, I've been doing really well. My bathroom is especially looking great.
Finances: For the first time that I can remember, we're actually ahead this month. Which means that we will have Step 1 of the Total Money Makeover done by the end of the month, and then we can start snowballing our debt, yay! I also worked my first day of work and although I am not sure of my schedule yet, I'm excited to be making money to contribute to our finances.
Environment: This is where I've been naughty. Eating vegetarian has been a little hard, but do able. And I feel great. I just have to get used to recipes and meal planning. But I've been really bad at Compacting. I bought the girls some new clothes and the Mermaid a new rain slicker. Time to get my butt in gear in this area.
That's it for this update. If I don't start losing weight I am going to be very discouraged.
Weight: For my MILF update, I maintained. No loss, no gain. I am going to start measuring myself, however, to see if I am at least toning up.
House: This week, thanks to FlyLady, I've been doing really well. My bathroom is especially looking great.
Finances: For the first time that I can remember, we're actually ahead this month. Which means that we will have Step 1 of the Total Money Makeover done by the end of the month, and then we can start snowballing our debt, yay! I also worked my first day of work and although I am not sure of my schedule yet, I'm excited to be making money to contribute to our finances.
Environment: This is where I've been naughty. Eating vegetarian has been a little hard, but do able. And I feel great. I just have to get used to recipes and meal planning. But I've been really bad at Compacting. I bought the girls some new clothes and the Mermaid a new rain slicker. Time to get my butt in gear in this area.
That's it for this update. If I don't start losing weight I am going to be very discouraged.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
They Really Do Overstay Their Welcome....
....by about 500 years!
As you know, I'm a big fan of cloth diapers. I recently viewed a video put out by gDiapers. Although the video is clearly an ad, I think it got the point across really well: Americans put 50 million diapers in landfills a day! These diapers stick around for about 500 years. That's a lot of dirty trash hanging around for a long time!
For parents who cannot commit to cloth, it appears that gDiapers is a good alternative. Flushable, chlorine free, and perfume free, it just might be the best choice after cloth.
As you know, I'm a big fan of cloth diapers. I recently viewed a video put out by gDiapers. Although the video is clearly an ad, I think it got the point across really well: Americans put 50 million diapers in landfills a day! These diapers stick around for about 500 years. That's a lot of dirty trash hanging around for a long time!
For parents who cannot commit to cloth, it appears that gDiapers is a good alternative. Flushable, chlorine free, and perfume free, it just might be the best choice after cloth.
Sitting Up.....Sort Of
Fluff!
Recently I won a sling from Molly at BlueBerriest and I got it in the mail this past week. It is fab-u-lous. These are really crappy pictures but even so you can tell how bright and fun the print is. I love my new pouch sling!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Random Ramblings....Not Really Coherent.
This past week I had applied for a job at a newly opened pharmacy. I got the job. I will be managing the night shift, so that the Knight will be home with the girls while I am at work.
I'm trying to feel very optimistic about this job, how I'll be able to have adult conversation, how we will have more money to put towards paying off debt. But it's hard to get excited.
Last night was my first night in training and all I could think about was how much I missed the girls. When I got home I found out that the Guppy refused to take the bottle (again!) and so we were on a nursing marathon all night. I wonder if she will take the bottle eventually, or if she will be one of those babies who just waits until their mom gets home and nurses for hours to make up for it. I'm kind of wanting her to take the bottle.
When I saw the girls after getting home I swear they grew while I was gone. The Guppy seemed older and so did the Mermaid. I took them both to bed to try to get them to sleep and while the Mermaid seemed tired, the Guppy was most definitely not. She kept laughing and trying to get the Mermaid to play with her by taking one of her dolls. The Mermaid was not happy.
I think it is going to take time for us to adjust to me working. I'm exhausted because I am used to going to bed relatively early, and while I did get up at 5:30 this morning as usual, I just couldn't bring myself to exercise for an hour like I usually do. Bad me.
So sorry for the random rambling, but I am tired and can barely focus on a single thought.
Except how much I miss my girls when working.
I'm trying to feel very optimistic about this job, how I'll be able to have adult conversation, how we will have more money to put towards paying off debt. But it's hard to get excited.
Last night was my first night in training and all I could think about was how much I missed the girls. When I got home I found out that the Guppy refused to take the bottle (again!) and so we were on a nursing marathon all night. I wonder if she will take the bottle eventually, or if she will be one of those babies who just waits until their mom gets home and nurses for hours to make up for it. I'm kind of wanting her to take the bottle.
When I saw the girls after getting home I swear they grew while I was gone. The Guppy seemed older and so did the Mermaid. I took them both to bed to try to get them to sleep and while the Mermaid seemed tired, the Guppy was most definitely not. She kept laughing and trying to get the Mermaid to play with her by taking one of her dolls. The Mermaid was not happy.
I think it is going to take time for us to adjust to me working. I'm exhausted because I am used to going to bed relatively early, and while I did get up at 5:30 this morning as usual, I just couldn't bring myself to exercise for an hour like I usually do. Bad me.
So sorry for the random rambling, but I am tired and can barely focus on a single thought.
Except how much I miss my girls when working.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Not That Type of Girl
My mother is a court reporter for a living. This week she was hired by a woman who is part of a family that is very famous, at least in this area. The old-money-rich-family famous. Anyways, she was hired to take down the woman's life as dictated to her.
Yesterday she came home very excited. The woman had given her, just handed over for free, a pair of Armani shoes. The woman claimed she had bought them on impulse (for $800!) and never wore them and didn't want them anymore.
I picked up those shoes. Unfortunately they were too small for me, so I didn't put them on. My mom asked me what it felt like to "touch" Armani shoes. Honestly? I felt nothing. Actually, I did feel a little angry. I mean, $800 for a pair of shoes?!?
I wonder how much food that $800 would buy for a shelter for abused women...how many sweaters it would buy to clothe cold children...how much a difference it would make to someone who is trying their hardest, but is barely making ends meet, and is getting sick but too afraid to go to the hospital because they have no insurance and no way to pay the bill.
I was not impressed by the Armani shoes. I thought they were kind of ugly, in fact. And I was definitely not impressed by the fact that someone could blow $800 on a pair of shoes they never wore and then just give them away without a second thought. If you are going to throw your money away anyway, why not throw it away on something meaningful, like a charity donation?
I'm sorry if this post sounds cynical. I just don't understand the whole "brand name" concept and why people would spend huge amounts of money for the privilege of advertising a brand. There are plenty of better things that my money can go towards. I guess I'm just not that type of girl.
Yesterday she came home very excited. The woman had given her, just handed over for free, a pair of Armani shoes. The woman claimed she had bought them on impulse (for $800!) and never wore them and didn't want them anymore.
I picked up those shoes. Unfortunately they were too small for me, so I didn't put them on. My mom asked me what it felt like to "touch" Armani shoes. Honestly? I felt nothing. Actually, I did feel a little angry. I mean, $800 for a pair of shoes?!?
I wonder how much food that $800 would buy for a shelter for abused women...how many sweaters it would buy to clothe cold children...how much a difference it would make to someone who is trying their hardest, but is barely making ends meet, and is getting sick but too afraid to go to the hospital because they have no insurance and no way to pay the bill.
I was not impressed by the Armani shoes. I thought they were kind of ugly, in fact. And I was definitely not impressed by the fact that someone could blow $800 on a pair of shoes they never wore and then just give them away without a second thought. If you are going to throw your money away anyway, why not throw it away on something meaningful, like a charity donation?
I'm sorry if this post sounds cynical. I just don't understand the whole "brand name" concept and why people would spend huge amounts of money for the privilege of advertising a brand. There are plenty of better things that my money can go towards. I guess I'm just not that type of girl.
Fantastic Friday: Wowza!
This week has been a great week for me, in all my goals.
Weight: My Future MILF update. This week I lost....3.5lbs. Yes, that's right, 3.5lbs. And yes, I stepped on the scale 15 times this morning to make sure it was accurate. And I even dragged out another scale to make sure. I cannot stress how good it feels for me to finally see results after all these weeks of no loss no gain.
So, what did I do different? I believe the main factor was that I decided to be a vegetarian. So this week I didn't eat any meat at all. Another factor was that I was just reading that if you change your exercise regime, it may take 4-6 weeks for you to see results, as your body takes that long to adjust and begin to burn fat as well as create muscle. This week is the 5 week mark since I started intense exercising. So my body is finally adjusting and I am losing weight again, yay!
House: Much, much better this week. I'm back on my routines, my house is cleaning again. This week I've been decluttering my kitchen and making more space on the counters, which makes the kitchen look so much bigger and brighter!
Finances: Still the same as last week. I might have a job interview this weekend. And it still looks like we'll be onto Step 2 of the Total Money Makeover by next month, yay!
Environment: This week we've had a huge step towards helping the environment: We became vegetarians. After reading The Mad Cowboy and doing other research, we were astounded by the huge amount of negative impact cattle raising has on the environment. Not to mention the hazards to our health. We're very excited about this life change and can't wait to try out our new vegetarian recipes!
That's all for this week. Hopefully this coming week will be just as good!
Weight: My Future MILF update. This week I lost....3.5lbs. Yes, that's right, 3.5lbs. And yes, I stepped on the scale 15 times this morning to make sure it was accurate. And I even dragged out another scale to make sure. I cannot stress how good it feels for me to finally see results after all these weeks of no loss no gain.
So, what did I do different? I believe the main factor was that I decided to be a vegetarian. So this week I didn't eat any meat at all. Another factor was that I was just reading that if you change your exercise regime, it may take 4-6 weeks for you to see results, as your body takes that long to adjust and begin to burn fat as well as create muscle. This week is the 5 week mark since I started intense exercising. So my body is finally adjusting and I am losing weight again, yay!
House: Much, much better this week. I'm back on my routines, my house is cleaning again. This week I've been decluttering my kitchen and making more space on the counters, which makes the kitchen look so much bigger and brighter!
Finances: Still the same as last week. I might have a job interview this weekend. And it still looks like we'll be onto Step 2 of the Total Money Makeover by next month, yay!
Environment: This week we've had a huge step towards helping the environment: We became vegetarians. After reading The Mad Cowboy and doing other research, we were astounded by the huge amount of negative impact cattle raising has on the environment. Not to mention the hazards to our health. We're very excited about this life change and can't wait to try out our new vegetarian recipes!
That's all for this week. Hopefully this coming week will be just as good!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
International Woman's Day
Today is International Woman's Day and in honor of the occasion, I would like to point your attention to a specific blog post.
Mike over at Boycott Nestle has given his readers a heads up on a press release put out by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action. This press release is compelling, and describes how breastfeeding can help to combat violence and abuse against women. You can head over to Boycott Nestle for the full article. The article describes various ways in which abuse of nursing women occur, including discrimination against nursing moms in the workplace and the cases in which a nursing women's spouse views her breasts as his property. The article continues:
By increasing the rates of breastfeeding, more and more women will be exposed to the idea that breasts are for feeding a baby, and not for sexuality. Cultural attitudes towards women will change, and hopefully violence against women will decline.
Mike over at Boycott Nestle has given his readers a heads up on a press release put out by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action. This press release is compelling, and describes how breastfeeding can help to combat violence and abuse against women. You can head over to Boycott Nestle for the full article. The article describes various ways in which abuse of nursing women occur, including discrimination against nursing moms in the workplace and the cases in which a nursing women's spouse views her breasts as his property. The article continues:
Further, attitudes towards the breast have been shaped by patriarchal constructions of sexuality and have led to harmful practices such as breast augmentation through cosmetic surgery or “breast ironing” as practiced in Cameroon. Community attitudes can affect a girl’s self esteem, her understanding
of her body, her self-image and how her family, friends and community treat her as a person, often limiting her choice in living a full and active life. When sexually abusive behaviour is directed towards her breasts, a girl may develop a life-long aversion to touch, which can affect her decision to breastfeed and be close to her baby when she becomes a new mother.
By increasing the rates of breastfeeding, more and more women will be exposed to the idea that breasts are for feeding a baby, and not for sexuality. Cultural attitudes towards women will change, and hopefully violence against women will decline.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Toxic Baby Bottles
A new study has recently been published the points to the dangers of toxic chemicals used in the production of baby bottles. According to the study:
The study goes on to describe how exposure to besphenol A can lead to cancer, diabetes, hyperactivity, and other, among other disorders. The five brands of nipples that were tested: Avent, Dr. Brown's, Evenflo, Gerber, and Playtex. The authors of the study recommend that:
I urge every parent out there to go to this site and look up the products they use. Make sure the products that you are exposing your child to are non-toxic!
Products marketed for infants and children are not always completely safe for their use. Many contain toxic chemicals that may have detrimental health impacts for children exposed during critical stages of development. In this report, we analyze the extent to which five popular brands of baby bottles leach bisphenol A, a developmental, neural, and reproductive toxicant, into liquids coming into contact with them. We found that all five brands leach bisphenol A at dangerous levels found to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal studies.
The study goes on to describe how exposure to besphenol A can lead to cancer, diabetes, hyperactivity, and other, among other disorders. The five brands of nipples that were tested: Avent, Dr. Brown's, Evenflo, Gerber, and Playtex. The authors of the study recommend that:
Parents have the right to know about chemicals in the products they purchase for their children. In the absence of good government regulations, but armed with the knowledge that some chemicals are a cause for concern, parents can take a few simple actions to limit their child’s exposure to these and other
toxic chemicals.At the store, parents should select baby bottles that are made from glass or a safer non-polycarbonate plastic. At home, parents should avoid washing plastic dishware with harsh dishwashing soap and hot water, which may allow chemicals to leach out of the plastic.
I found this really disturbing on a personal level because we used Playtex nipples for the Mermaid when I was in school full time. It is studies like this that make me wonder and ask, how safe our the products that we use every day? That lotion you put on your skin every morning, the lotion you put on your baby...how safe is it really?
There is a great website where you can go to and find out how safe the products you use are. The website is called Skin Deep, and according to the site:
Skin Deep was conceived and developed by the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. focused on safeguarding public health and the environment. Skin Deep is an online,
brand-by-brand personal care product safety guide with in-depth information on 14,835 products - 1,051 brands of lotion, lip balm, deodorant, sunscreen and other popular products - and the 7,093 ingredients that form them. With its core
of 37 toxicity and regulatory databases, Skin Deep provides safety ratings and brand-by-brand comparisons that can help consumers choose safer products, and that can guide companies in plans for reformulating products.
I urge every parent out there to go to this site and look up the products they use. Make sure the products that you are exposing your child to are non-toxic!
Monday, March 05, 2007
Wow
Thank Heaven For Little Girls
We had quite a day today. My best friend came over and brought her two nieces. Anna will be three in March and Julia will be two in May. Needless to say, when they left, my house was chaos, my body was screaming for a nap, and the girls were over tired....but it was worth it to see those three precious girls playing together!
All four girls. From left to right: Julia, the Guppy, Anna, and the Mermaid
The Mermaid and Anna showing off their hairstyles. Notice that they are holding hands....soooo cute.
Of course, the Guppy had a fun time too, observing the girls at play.
Life couldn't get better than this. ;o)
Photo Tag: Bump
Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing is asking mamas to post their pregnant belly pics. When I was pregnant with the Mermaid I felt really awkward and huge in my preggo body, and avoided having my picture taken. With the Guppy's pregnancy, I took a leap of courage and submitted some pictures to be posted on The Shape of a Mother. Since these were the only belly pics I took, I'll use the same pictures for this tag.
These pictures were taken during, I believe, the 25th week of pregnancy with the Guppy.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Favorite Childhood Story
When I was a little girl my favorite story to read was The Velveteen Rabbit. I loved the concept that you could be loved, no matter who you were or what you looked like. As I got older that concept remained close to my heart, along with the concept that less is more. The Rabbit in the story did not have all the gadgets and buzzing parts that other toys do, but he was loved anyway, despite his simple appearance. My favorite part of the story is when the Rabbit and the Skin Horse are talking in the library:
I hope that when I am older, my knees and back will be sore from lifting children and grandchildren and holding them on my lap. I hope my face with be wrinkled with laugh lines, permanent memories of happy times etched on my face. If I lose my hearing, I hope it is because it was worn out from listening to the laughter of children. If I lose my eyesight, I hope I will still be able to see into their hearts and souls. Most of all, I hope that my children will still find me as beautiful as the love that I hold for them.
So, I want to hear other mama's favorite childhood stories and how they relate to their present lives. I tag Mama K NJ, My Fabulous Self, and Stephanie. Anyone else who wants to participate, please leave your links/and or comments so I can read up on your favorite childhood story :o)
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
I hope that when I am older, my knees and back will be sore from lifting children and grandchildren and holding them on my lap. I hope my face with be wrinkled with laugh lines, permanent memories of happy times etched on my face. If I lose my hearing, I hope it is because it was worn out from listening to the laughter of children. If I lose my eyesight, I hope I will still be able to see into their hearts and souls. Most of all, I hope that my children will still find me as beautiful as the love that I hold for them.
So, I want to hear other mama's favorite childhood stories and how they relate to their present lives. I tag Mama K NJ, My Fabulous Self, and Stephanie. Anyone else who wants to participate, please leave your links/and or comments so I can read up on your favorite childhood story :o)
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Who Am I?
Like my new widget? It pretty much describes me in a nutshell...
Thanks to Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing for the heads up!
Thanks to Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing for the heads up!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Looking Around the Neighborhood
I haven't been posting every day like I said I would try to do. But I think the migraines I've been experiencing have hindered my ability to post. I'm going to try to still post every day.
I read a lot of blogs. Daily. Sometimes I get too busy and I get backed up, and it can take me a long time to catch up. And sometimes, a fellow blogger writes a post that I really agree with, or really like, and I save that post in case there comes a time I can refer to it or forward it to someone that could use the information the blogger presents.
Here are some of my favorite, more recent posts by fellow bloggers:
Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing wrote about the benefits of baby wearing. Because really, with all those benefits, and with all the beautiful slings available, who wouldn't wear their baby?
The author of I Don't Know wrote a fabulous post about the benefits of cloth diapers. Her top three reasons for using cloth are: ease of use, comfort, and the fact that they work better than disposables.
Finally, Angela over at Breastfeeding 1 2 3 gave her readers a heads up on a free video on baby massage. We all know that babies thrive with skin to skin contact, so give it a try!
Those are all my recent favorite posts. I'll try to post more as I come across them. :o)
I read a lot of blogs. Daily. Sometimes I get too busy and I get backed up, and it can take me a long time to catch up. And sometimes, a fellow blogger writes a post that I really agree with, or really like, and I save that post in case there comes a time I can refer to it or forward it to someone that could use the information the blogger presents.
Here are some of my favorite, more recent posts by fellow bloggers:
Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing wrote about the benefits of baby wearing. Because really, with all those benefits, and with all the beautiful slings available, who wouldn't wear their baby?
The author of I Don't Know wrote a fabulous post about the benefits of cloth diapers. Her top three reasons for using cloth are: ease of use, comfort, and the fact that they work better than disposables.
Finally, Angela over at Breastfeeding 1 2 3 gave her readers a heads up on a free video on baby massage. We all know that babies thrive with skin to skin contact, so give it a try!
Those are all my recent favorite posts. I'll try to post more as I come across them. :o)
Fantastic Friday: Time To Be Optimistic
Well another Friday, another update.
Weight: MILF update; again, no loss, no gain. But, when I put on my belt...I'm down to the last hole. When I first started the weight loss I was about in the middle. So perhaps I am not losing weight but I am toning up? We'll have to see. I am still exercising every day. Not doing too good on the eating part, but I am trying to be optimistic about this upcoming week.
House: I did horrible this week. I had migraines every night of the week so housework did not get done...except for the Knight. He cooked dinner every night, washed the dishes, picked up the floors, and even managed some laundry. I don't know what I'd do without him. I did manage to sweep and wash the floors yesterday and today I got a ton of work done so far, so I'm optimistic about this upcoming week. I've just got to get back into my FLYLady routines.
Finances: Doing really well here. Although we still don't have extra jobs, we're still looking. And it looks like we'll have an extra $1,000 to put towards Step 1 of the Total Money Makeover at the end of the month, due to us sticking to our budget. By next month we should be on Step 2.
Environment: Having a little trouble living the Compact Life. I still have not gotten around to making cloth paper towels and more cloth nursing pads. I hope to be able to go on a sewing frenzy this weekend and get those done. We've got more birthdays coming up, the Knight's grandmother and the Knight himself. I let the Knight choose what to buy since it is his family and his birthday. It looks like he wants some DVD's that just came out, so I'll have a hard time finding them used. Hopefully I will be able to. Still, we don't really buy anything that isn't a necessity. That's how we've been since the Mermaid was 6 months old. Hopefully we'll be able to continue to improve on that.
Well that's it for this week. I hope all you other MILFs had better luck than me! :o)
Weight: MILF update; again, no loss, no gain. But, when I put on my belt...I'm down to the last hole. When I first started the weight loss I was about in the middle. So perhaps I am not losing weight but I am toning up? We'll have to see. I am still exercising every day. Not doing too good on the eating part, but I am trying to be optimistic about this upcoming week.
House: I did horrible this week. I had migraines every night of the week so housework did not get done...except for the Knight. He cooked dinner every night, washed the dishes, picked up the floors, and even managed some laundry. I don't know what I'd do without him. I did manage to sweep and wash the floors yesterday and today I got a ton of work done so far, so I'm optimistic about this upcoming week. I've just got to get back into my FLYLady routines.
Finances: Doing really well here. Although we still don't have extra jobs, we're still looking. And it looks like we'll have an extra $1,000 to put towards Step 1 of the Total Money Makeover at the end of the month, due to us sticking to our budget. By next month we should be on Step 2.
Environment: Having a little trouble living the Compact Life. I still have not gotten around to making cloth paper towels and more cloth nursing pads. I hope to be able to go on a sewing frenzy this weekend and get those done. We've got more birthdays coming up, the Knight's grandmother and the Knight himself. I let the Knight choose what to buy since it is his family and his birthday. It looks like he wants some DVD's that just came out, so I'll have a hard time finding them used. Hopefully I will be able to. Still, we don't really buy anything that isn't a necessity. That's how we've been since the Mermaid was 6 months old. Hopefully we'll be able to continue to improve on that.
Well that's it for this week. I hope all you other MILFs had better luck than me! :o)
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