Three Year Old Letter

My Dearest Mermaid,

Wow. Three years old. I never knew that someone so young could be so utterly and wonderfully amazing, and have such a powerful and wonderful impact on my life.

My baby girl, My sweetie, My honey bunny. All names that I call you with affection. But more and more you are insisting that you are no longer those things, that you are a big girl. You are now at a stage where you are walking the line between being an independent young girl and a little baby girl who still needs her Mommy.

You love to help out around the house and you love to help out with your sister. If the Guppy so much as thinks about crying you try everything in your power to keep her happy. You are so emphatic with people; if you sense that they are sad you ask them what is wrong and tell them not to worry. You are so good at voicing your feelings, you are never afraid to tell me that "I am a happy Mermaid!" or "I am a sad Mermaid," etc. I love how you can do this, how you realize that voicing your emotions is a powerful and effective way to communicate with people.

You never fail to make me laugh at least five times a day. You devour books but snub food, preferring only to eat a minuscule amount each day. You love cuddles, hugs, and kisses. And you especially love the Daddy Time that you get when I have to work at night. You get along so well with other children, interacting with them in such a way that everyone somehow ends up feeling happy.

Words cannot describe how much I love you, my Dearest Mermaid. And so, I will instead list the things that I love about you, that make me smile when I am down and that remind me that life is worth living. Happy Birthday, My lovely Mermaid! You are everything to me!

65 Things I Love About My Mermaid: A Birthday List

1. The way you give hugs

2. The way you give kisses

3. The way you laugh that cute little laugh that you know will make me laugh so hard I snort

4. The fact that you are so good with your little sister

5. That you love to be tickled

6. That you love tickling people

7. The way your voice sounds when you are talking to me on the phone when I'm at work

8. The way you say "I love you"

9. The way you say "I missed you"

10. That you can sing so many children's song by heart.

11. That you love to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to me

12. That you love to sing

13. That you like to hear me sing

14. That you have such a large appetite for learning

15. That you are always so willing to help people whenever you can

16. That you are so friendly and honest

17. The way you tumble and jump around and like to try to do flips off the couch

18. Even though it always nearly gives me a heart attack and you laugh

19. The way you get so excited when your Daddy gets home

20. The way you get just as excited for me when I get home

21. The way we can take you anywhere because you are so content and calm

22. Even though sometimes your energy explodes out of your little body and we end up chasing you throughout the store

23. That you have not yet shown yourself to having a single mean bone in your body

24. That you love to dance any place, any time

25. That you dance better than me.

26. That even though I look foolish when I dance, you aren't embarrassed to have me dance with you in public.

27. That whenever I get dressed and ready for the day, you tell me I look "boooootiful"

28. That you say I look beautiful even on the days that I don't.

29. That even when I slip up and lose my temper and yell too much, at the end of the day you still give me a hug and kiss goodnight and tell me that you love me.

30. That you have this amazing capacity to forgive.

31. That you love animals.

32. Even though you haven't caught yet to the idea that hugging the cat who has sharp claws when she is cranky isn't a good idea.

33. How cute you look when you play dress up

34. How cute you look when you are sleeping.

35. How cute you look all the time.

36. How you choose fruits and veggies over cookies and candy.

37.The way you love to brush your teeth.

38. The way you love to brush your hair.

39. The way you love to brush my hair

40. Even when my hair is snarly and it becomes quite a task.

41. That I can walk through a toy store with confidence, knowing I won't hear "Mommy I want I want I want"

42. How you are only three years old and already your shoe fetish is worse than mine

43. How you already have more shoes than I do

44. How you steal and wear mine anyway

45. How you don't discriminate, because you steal your daddy's shoes too

46. How you help me put away the groceries

47. That you LOVE to dust furniture.

48. How if you see the Guppy holding a small toy, you take it away so she won't choke on it.

49. The way you count in Spanish

50. The way you count in German

51. Even the way you count in English

52. How you love to "read" the Guppy books

53. How you have such an amazing imagination.

54. How you greet everyone who walks through our door with a smile and laugh

55. How you can make your grandma laugh

56. In fact, you can make her laugh first thing in the morning

57. Before she's had her coffee

58. When the rest of us can't even utter a word to her.

59. How you think it's hilarious when Mommy's legs get too hairy

60. That the first thing you do when you wake up is smile

61. That you are absolutely fearless

63. That you are always up to trying new things

64. That you are so artistic

65. That I can look at you and know without doubt that you feel loved and secure and our family, and that you never hesitate to come to me when you need a helping hand or just a shoulder to cry on.

Three Year Old Letter

Nursing Montage

I saw this great video clip from Sesame Street posted on some other blogs and thought I would share it as well. It's a great montage of mammals nursing their young, including a human mommy and baby :o)

Nursing Montage

Maternal Death Rates Rise in the USA

Recently I found this article describing how the maternal death rates in the United States has risen to 13 death per 100,000 live birth in 2004; the second year in a row that the rate has risen above 10 since 1977. Experts are contributing the increase in maternal deaths to the rising rates of obesity in moms and also in the rising Cesarean section rate. From the article:

Some researchers point to the rising C-section rate, now 29 percent of all births — far higher than what public health experts say is appropriate. Like other surgeries, Cesareans come with risks related to anesthesia, infections and blood clots.
“There’s an inherent risk to C-sections,” said Dr. Elliott Main,
who co-chairs a panel reviewing obstetrics care in California. “As you do thousands and thousands of them, there’s going to be a price.”Excessive bleeding is one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related death, and women with several previous C-sections are at especially high risk, according to a review of maternal deaths in New York. Blood vessel blockages and infections are among the other leading causes.

This article is disheartening, but certainly not a surprise. A Cesarean section is a major surgery that comes with all the potential complications and risks of other major surgeries: what did they think would happen if 29% of women had such a major surgery?

I am relieved, however, to see an article like this out in the mainstream media. Lots of women agree to have a C-section for unnecessary reasons simply because they do not know, and their doctor didn't bother to explain, the risks involved with such a surgery. Now, with articles like this, women can at least realize that while C-sections certainly do have their place in modern birth, they are being done way too much for unnecessary reasons. The best thing a pregnant woman can do is educate herself on her options and rights. Again, the best thing a pregnant woman can do is educate herself on her options and rights. The maternity system in this country is in trouble, and it is only going to change if we women, as its consumers, demand it to change.

Maternal Death Rates Rise in the USA

11 Month Old Letter

My Dearest Guppy,

You are now 11 months old. Unbelievable. In two weeks, we will be celebrating your sister's and your birthdays with one big party. I was finally able to pick out a date and time, and even think up some activities for the kids to do.

So yes, I may have planned your first birthday party. And yes, I will be so happy to celebrate that birthday. But for now, I am so thankful for our quiet nursing times, for the fact that you want to be held a lot, and for the fact that you still are, and always will be, my little baby.

This month your two front teeth and one side front tooth has come in. You also decided that you would, in fact, like to crawl. However, you keep one leg in front of you when you crawl and push it forward as you go, so it is definitely amusing watching you do your "special" crawl.

You love to crawl after your sister. You two are playing together so well I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. You love it when I pull you up to a standing position. You still love being in the Mai Tei. And you've also discovered the joys of the kiddie pool. Your signing vocabulary has expanded to include Daddy and Thank you. You continue to love your solids.

Some times you get fussy and irritable; I imagine it's because you've been teething so much lately. But for the most part, you are so calm and relaxed and you love to just go with the flow. Your favorite pastime is watching the Mermaid perform her wild antics and sometimes you crawl frantically after her, trying to keep up.

One thing that I have noticed and that I am glad for is that you tend to gravitate for the quiet toys. Flashing lights and loud sounds just don't do it for you. Instead you will reach for the wooden blocks, or your wooden zebra and elephant. This is a great relief as your father and I have decided to slowly convert all the toys in the house to wooden and more natural toys. You also don't show much love for the television, thank Goodness, unlike your sister who wants all the TV time she can get.

Although your nursing has slowed down since you started crawling, you still crawl over to me several times a day to nurse and "touch base" after all your play time adventures. I make sure to always be there for you during these times, as I understand the value of a little down time now and then. Remember that I will always be here for you, supporting you, loving you. The same goes for your sister and your father. You, my dear, are one lucky baby. ;o)
Love,
Mommy

11 Month Old Letter

Because I Know You've Missed Them...

My camera is back and the Knight and I took some pictures yesterday...

Helping to give her little sister a bath


Eating the Mermaid's toys
All smiles!

Because I Know You've Missed Them...

Breastfeeding Moms Now Protected in NY

Recently, NY Governor Eliot Spitzer signed into law legislation that protects the rights of breastfeeding in the workplace. According to the statement:

The legislation requires employers to provide uncompensated time, and make a reasonable effort to provide private space for women to express milk or nurse their children for a period of up to three years following the birth of a child. In addition, it also bars an employer from discriminating against an employee exercising this right.

Kudos to Spitzer and NY. Now it's time for Massachusetts to step up to the plate! MomsRisingPV has recently launched a campaign to protect the rights of breastfeeding moms to nurse their children in public. They are asking moms to participate in two ways: by sharing any experiences they have had with being harassed or discriminated for nursing in public; and by contacting their senators and telling them that they support Senate Bill 78, an Act that would protect nursing moms who nurse their children in public. So act today!

Breastfeeding Moms Now Protected in NY

Celebrities Breastfeeding

A Celebrity Breastfeeding update: Nancy O'Dell was recently quoted as saying that not only is she breastfeeding her daughter, but that breastfeeding has helped her lose most of her pregnancy weight. Way to go O'Dell!

Celebrities Breastfeeding