I just made Lea cream of wheat to the tune of "I want dog poop!" Yes, that's what she calls all hot cereal. Why? I don't really know. I think it's yummier that way.
38 weeks. I feel like Noah's staying put for a while longer. I don't mind too much, but I feel pretty worn down. I'd be cool with sitting around in PJ pants and a sports bra all day, but that's not one of my options.
Roscoe ran off in the middle of a freezing rainstorm the other night and Miles had to go out looking for him. He's usually a fair weather escapee, but has been known to take advantage of any open door that presents itself. He's back and we haven't been sued yet.
Miles is building a hovercraft. Yes, he and 8 other overgrown boys that he works with are getting pretty engrossed in their plans. In the mean time, it's all about the remote control helicopters. They're actually really fun and Lea loves them. Just wait until the kids are old enough for model cars and microscopes. It'll be GAME ON.
I am researching some commonly used products. I'm working on high fructose corn syrup right now but I plan on looking at pitocin, sodium laureth sulfate, etc. I am trying to be non-biased about it. . . this is what winter break from school does to me.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Food Inc
Miles and I rented this documentary a few days ago. We were very impressed by the film and horrified by the practices and human exploitation behind the major food companies that operate in the US. Some of the statistics involving children and obesity were alarming and it came down to the fact that many families are either uneducated about nutrition or cannot afford to eat nutritiously. I would recommend this film to anyone.
http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php
http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php
Friday, December 11, 2009
Wholly Cow
That’s how I feel, anyways. I forgot how uncomfortable the last few weeks of pregnancy are. The need to chase a toddler around has led me to feeling mildly disabled, and there is so much yet to do! Trying to get Christmas boxes shipped to family and cleaning out the spare (soon to be not so spare) bedroom are on the top of the list. Everything isn’t helped by the fact that 5 minutes on my feet bring about painful contractions. I don’t remember having those with Lea, but they’ve been consistently getting stronger over the past few weeks. My midwife told me they are normal and so I am not so worried, but they still drive me nuts. As I said, I had little Braxton Hicks with Lea, but nothing like these until I was actually in labor. He has to wait at LEAST two more weeks to come, though. I am all about fat pink newborns, and I’d love to avoid the whole preemie scene.
Just writing that leads me to a shocking realization that somehow keeps surprising me even though it pops up in my head every 5 minutes or so: we are gong to have a newborn human being in our care within a month. Though Lea taught me that I am capable of mothering and that I love to do it, I am still left a little shell-shocked every time this thought resurfaces. I think that between being distracted by Lea, getting the house straight, school, and the holiday season and the fact that we had some significant warning signs first trimester which indicated that this baby might not be okay, I haven’t been as obsessed and/or consumed by this pregnancy as I would otherwise be. I am elated that everything is okay and I cannot wait to meet Noah, but those emotions come with a side dish of surprise and intimidation. It’s definitely similar to the feeling I got before jumping out of a plane at 12 thousand feet.
Miss Lea is doing well. She tripped on her own feet the other day and went sailing face first into a cabinet corner, so I slept in her room with her for a couple of nights so I could wake up and poke her every few hours. Aside from a bruise on her forehead and a cut down her nose and lip, she’s okay. I had to laugh at our parents who said to put a cold pack on her head to reduce bruising. They don’t know Lea and her absolute inability to sit still! It was hard enough to follow the nurse’s advice line’s instructions to keep her from running for a few hours after the accident.
Roscoe the bad dog has been slowly redeeming himself lately. I am more and more impressed with his ability to tolerate and even enjoy children. Our neighbor’s son loves him so much but is a little rough. He likes to tie a foot-long toy leash onto him and lead him around. Remarkably, the dog who has torn pockets out of my winter coats with his pulling allows the boy to do this and calmly takes any unintentional abuse the kids send his way. I guess that with all of the problems Ros and I have had, his tolerance of children makes up for a lot.
My classes are over at the end of this week. From there I have a month off and I am only going part time next semester. I am pretty happy with my grades and it was a stress-free semester for me. I still can’t wait to be done with my BS. I have decided that a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is what I am going after once I have it. It feels like a long way off, but the day will come when I will be officially ready to reenter the workforce doing exactly what I want!
Just writing that leads me to a shocking realization that somehow keeps surprising me even though it pops up in my head every 5 minutes or so: we are gong to have a newborn human being in our care within a month. Though Lea taught me that I am capable of mothering and that I love to do it, I am still left a little shell-shocked every time this thought resurfaces. I think that between being distracted by Lea, getting the house straight, school, and the holiday season and the fact that we had some significant warning signs first trimester which indicated that this baby might not be okay, I haven’t been as obsessed and/or consumed by this pregnancy as I would otherwise be. I am elated that everything is okay and I cannot wait to meet Noah, but those emotions come with a side dish of surprise and intimidation. It’s definitely similar to the feeling I got before jumping out of a plane at 12 thousand feet.
Miss Lea is doing well. She tripped on her own feet the other day and went sailing face first into a cabinet corner, so I slept in her room with her for a couple of nights so I could wake up and poke her every few hours. Aside from a bruise on her forehead and a cut down her nose and lip, she’s okay. I had to laugh at our parents who said to put a cold pack on her head to reduce bruising. They don’t know Lea and her absolute inability to sit still! It was hard enough to follow the nurse’s advice line’s instructions to keep her from running for a few hours after the accident.
Roscoe the bad dog has been slowly redeeming himself lately. I am more and more impressed with his ability to tolerate and even enjoy children. Our neighbor’s son loves him so much but is a little rough. He likes to tie a foot-long toy leash onto him and lead him around. Remarkably, the dog who has torn pockets out of my winter coats with his pulling allows the boy to do this and calmly takes any unintentional abuse the kids send his way. I guess that with all of the problems Ros and I have had, his tolerance of children makes up for a lot.
My classes are over at the end of this week. From there I have a month off and I am only going part time next semester. I am pretty happy with my grades and it was a stress-free semester for me. I still can’t wait to be done with my BS. I have decided that a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is what I am going after once I have it. It feels like a long way off, but the day will come when I will be officially ready to reenter the workforce doing exactly what I want!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Giving Thanks
I wasn't going to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. I am in another country and Miles has to work night shift, so that pretty much leaves Lea and I alone to hash things out. This morning at my 33 week appointment, the nurse was talking about everything that she's cooking and all of the people she is having over and as she left the room, I started thinking that a) I WANT to bake my butt off and make a huge, beautiful meal and b) I actually have my husband here with me, a healthy toddler at home, and a (hopefully) healthy baby on the way. That is WAY more than a lot of people have and I have so much to be thankful for. The young men I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for last year are in Iraq right now, which is where Miles would be had he not had the opportunity to be stationed here. An entire year with a significant other is enough for any military spouse to be thankful for and I get more than that, even. So I am cooking a huge dinner and bringing it to Miles' work because of all the people in the world, I have more than the average amount of blessings and what a brat would I be if I sat at home moping?
I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. I am going to make mine a happy one.
I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. I am going to make mine a happy one.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Baby Registry
I have had a few family and friends ask where I am registered at. Here it is:
Babies"R"Us - Baby Registry
I started it as an inventory of what I don't have and have been buying bits and pieces off of it myself for a while. I don't expect a thing from anyone, but per request, I posted the link.
Babies"R"Us - Baby Registry
I started it as an inventory of what I don't have and have been buying bits and pieces off of it myself for a while. I don't expect a thing from anyone, but per request, I posted the link.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Cologne
Miles' uncles Doug and Earl were in Cologne this past weekend on business and invited us to stay with them. They got an extra hotel room and even paid our way via train. Our neighbors took Roscoe for walks in the 30 hours we were gone, which was a lifesaver. After we made them promise to still talk to us in the case that he did something bad, we were free to go!
I cannot say that the trip up there was stress free. Lea was literally the cliche kid running screaming up and down the train isles. She had a blast, but Germans are very regimented with their children and that's just not our style, so we got a lot of dirty looks. Arriving at our room, we discovered that Earl had made reservations at a restaurant down the way, but I decided it would be best if only Miles went because Lea in a 5 star suit and tie kind of place would be the worst idea ever. I didn't mind a bit! I was exhausted and room service was the most spectacular novelty in the world. There was a king size bed and Lea went down right away. Sleeping there reaffirmed the fact that I someday want a huge bed. All three of us fit and I had plenty of room.
We didn't have long to visit or do touristy things with the uncles, but it was still a good visit. I have known them since first living in DC in 05. Earl bought me my first legal alcoholic beverage when I turned 21 (a fancy something-tini), I always had faith when I was stationed alone in that city that if something happened, they were right down the road, we loved Earl's mother and went to her funeral in Missouri when she passed away last year. They have spoiled me rotten on several occasions, and best of all, they crack me up! They are a couple of my favorite people who we unfortunately don't see as often as we'd like (as is the case with all of our family right now). So that said, it was awesome to see them for even a few short hours.
Here are some photos from the trip and the Cologne Cathedaral.
Lea and Miles on the train
The view in the evening from our hotel room balcony
I cannot say that the trip up there was stress free. Lea was literally the cliche kid running screaming up and down the train isles. She had a blast, but Germans are very regimented with their children and that's just not our style, so we got a lot of dirty looks. Arriving at our room, we discovered that Earl had made reservations at a restaurant down the way, but I decided it would be best if only Miles went because Lea in a 5 star suit and tie kind of place would be the worst idea ever. I didn't mind a bit! I was exhausted and room service was the most spectacular novelty in the world. There was a king size bed and Lea went down right away. Sleeping there reaffirmed the fact that I someday want a huge bed. All three of us fit and I had plenty of room.
We didn't have long to visit or do touristy things with the uncles, but it was still a good visit. I have known them since first living in DC in 05. Earl bought me my first legal alcoholic beverage when I turned 21 (a fancy something-tini), I always had faith when I was stationed alone in that city that if something happened, they were right down the road, we loved Earl's mother and went to her funeral in Missouri when she passed away last year. They have spoiled me rotten on several occasions, and best of all, they crack me up! They are a couple of my favorite people who we unfortunately don't see as often as we'd like (as is the case with all of our family right now). So that said, it was awesome to see them for even a few short hours.
Here are some photos from the trip and the Cologne Cathedaral.
Lea and Miles on the train
The view in the evening from our hotel room balcony
Friday, November 13, 2009
Ridiculous
I don't know how Miles finds these things, but he always comes up with the most ridiculous you tube videos. Here are a couple of my favorites. No one can be as unintentionally hilarious as a child.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Weight
Miles is a huge Thrice fan. I like them, too, and there is one song off of their new album that I am particularly fond of. I think that there are a lot of things that we easily forget about marriage and that it's either shadowed by cynical thoughts or cheapened by romantic ones.
I tried to find a you tube video for it, but they were all live and poor quality. Oh well. Here are the lyrics:
THE WEIGHT
There’s many who’ll tell you they’ll give you their love,
But when they say “give” they mean “take.”
They’ll hang ‘round just like vultures till push comes to shove.
They’ll take flight when the earth starts to shake.
Someone may say that they’ll always be true,
Then slip out the door ‘fore the dawn.
But I won’t leave you hanging on.
Another may stay till they find someone new,
Then before you know they’ll be gone.
But I won’t leave you hanging on;
No, I won’t be that someone.
And come what may, I won’t abandon you or leave you behind
Because love is a loyalty sworn, not a burning for a moment.
And come what may, I will be standing right here by your side;
I won’t run away, though the storm’s getting worse and there’s no end in sight.
Some talk of destiny, others of fate,
But soon they’ll be saying goodbye.
But I won’t leave you high and dry.
Because a ring don’t mean nothing
If you can’t haul the weight,
And some of them won’t even try,
But I won’t leave you high and dry;
I won’t leave you wondering why.
And storms will surely come,
But true love is a choice you must make
And you’re the one that I have set my heart to choose.
As long as I live, I swear I’ll see this through.
I tried to find a you tube video for it, but they were all live and poor quality. Oh well. Here are the lyrics:
THE WEIGHT
There’s many who’ll tell you they’ll give you their love,
But when they say “give” they mean “take.”
They’ll hang ‘round just like vultures till push comes to shove.
They’ll take flight when the earth starts to shake.
Someone may say that they’ll always be true,
Then slip out the door ‘fore the dawn.
But I won’t leave you hanging on.
Another may stay till they find someone new,
Then before you know they’ll be gone.
But I won’t leave you hanging on;
No, I won’t be that someone.
And come what may, I won’t abandon you or leave you behind
Because love is a loyalty sworn, not a burning for a moment.
And come what may, I will be standing right here by your side;
I won’t run away, though the storm’s getting worse and there’s no end in sight.
Some talk of destiny, others of fate,
But soon they’ll be saying goodbye.
But I won’t leave you high and dry.
Because a ring don’t mean nothing
If you can’t haul the weight,
And some of them won’t even try,
But I won’t leave you high and dry;
I won’t leave you wondering why.
And storms will surely come,
But true love is a choice you must make
And you’re the one that I have set my heart to choose.
As long as I live, I swear I’ll see this through.
Petty Gripes
This past move was pretty hard on us. 8 months afterwards, we are still feeling the effects. I hoarded away a lot of Lea's baby things, but the movers were supposed to take the batteries out of everything (it's a part of their job in a military move), but they missed a lot of stuff. Our personal goods were in transition between January and March and I guess it had a lot of temperature changes in that time, because most of the batteries burst and all of Lea's electronics (i.e. bouncy seats, and baby-type toys) were ruined. Then there was the basement leaking incident which molded everything else.
I HATE spending gobs of money on stuff that we should already have. It ticks me off to have to go online and buy a replacement for something that I had to throw away last month. They don't have consignment stores here, either. We're not struggling financially, but the exchange rate is getting worse and we are paid in USD, not Euro. I can be pretty frugal and all of this simply adds to my frustration.
A few key items survived the move, though. Thank goodness I still have my cosleeper, which was invaluable with Lea, not to mention very sentimental for me. I also still have the Pack n' Play, and the furniture issue is resolved by the fact that Lea's outgrown her crib. Granted, we had to buy her new furniture, but at least I really love what will be in both kids' rooms. Lastly, considering that this and a few other small(ish) things comprise my current drama, I am freaking ecstatic that my life is this uncomplicated. I have a lot to be thankful for. I just wish my way cool baby gear had made it through the move/basement incident.
I HATE spending gobs of money on stuff that we should already have. It ticks me off to have to go online and buy a replacement for something that I had to throw away last month. They don't have consignment stores here, either. We're not struggling financially, but the exchange rate is getting worse and we are paid in USD, not Euro. I can be pretty frugal and all of this simply adds to my frustration.
A few key items survived the move, though. Thank goodness I still have my cosleeper, which was invaluable with Lea, not to mention very sentimental for me. I also still have the Pack n' Play, and the furniture issue is resolved by the fact that Lea's outgrown her crib. Granted, we had to buy her new furniture, but at least I really love what will be in both kids' rooms. Lastly, considering that this and a few other small(ish) things comprise my current drama, I am freaking ecstatic that my life is this uncomplicated. I have a lot to be thankful for. I just wish my way cool baby gear had made it through the move/basement incident.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Sick or Treat
Lea and I have the funk. She developed a fever a couple of hours after getting back from Trick or Treating, and has stuck with it stubbornly since. She doesn't have any other symptoms. Then last night I started feeling gross, too. No fever, thank goodness, but my lungs burn on every exhale and my sinuses are making my face feel like it weighs 100lbs. I am just praying that no fever comes. If it gets high, it's off to the hospital for Noah and I, and that is never fun.
On to better news, we got our new couch/chair set and I love them. We also had to make plans for Noah's room. European cribs are very expansive (like 500 Euro or about 750 USD depending on the exchange rate), low to the ground, small, and cheap looking. I'm not a fan. So since Lea's furniture is natural maple and about as gender neutral as it gets, we are going to get her a twin bed and a new dresser and are passing the baby furniture along to Noah. Then, of course, comes the challenge of finding a twin sized bed in a country that sells (naturally) European sizes. We were limited to one store, which thankfully had a beautiful set that was perfect (price tag aside. Ugh). It will be delivered around Christmas. I feel like I am finally getting preparations in line for when Noah comes, which is a huge relief considering I am now 30 weeks along.
On to the best news, I have a blueberry bagel waiting for me in the kitchen and I am eating it, sore throat be damned!
On to better news, we got our new couch/chair set and I love them. We also had to make plans for Noah's room. European cribs are very expansive (like 500 Euro or about 750 USD depending on the exchange rate), low to the ground, small, and cheap looking. I'm not a fan. So since Lea's furniture is natural maple and about as gender neutral as it gets, we are going to get her a twin bed and a new dresser and are passing the baby furniture along to Noah. Then, of course, comes the challenge of finding a twin sized bed in a country that sells (naturally) European sizes. We were limited to one store, which thankfully had a beautiful set that was perfect (price tag aside. Ugh). It will be delivered around Christmas. I feel like I am finally getting preparations in line for when Noah comes, which is a huge relief considering I am now 30 weeks along.
On to the best news, I have a blueberry bagel waiting for me in the kitchen and I am eating it, sore throat be damned!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Lea's B-day
Right before I got yelled at for using a flash. Oops! I can't read German signs.
Puttin' the moves on random ferry men
I always wanted a man who could carry his share :)
Daddy and HIS girl.
Big rubber Legos are the best!
Well I'llbedamned
A few pursed lips
She's really thinking about. . . something
I gots gummies. Mmm
Monday, October 19, 2009
Thinking
I have been thinking a lot about our upcoming family expansion. I have to say, I am just as nervous this time around as I was last. It's some of the same worries: am I going to do okay with breastfeeding? Immunizations?! Sleep??!! Am I even competent enough for all of this???!!! And some new ones: to circumcise or not to circumcise? In any case, reading and research is how I cope with these worries. The question is, what breastfeeding book is the best? I know that new information is always being revealed, so what is the best and most current book to get? I have heard of women who are able to breastfeed just fine the first time around and have problems with their second child. I want to avoid this, and there is little breastfeeding support (that I have found) for Americans in Germany.
Lea's birthday was a blast. We went to the Sea Life Aquarium. It was no Newport or Boston aquarium, but the German's do try ;). I made my first cake from scratch: it was a carrot cake. It turned out. . . dense. Luckily my neighbor made this AMAZING cocoa cake and brought some over, so Lea's childhood is still intact. We spaced the present opening out through 2 days (kind of a play as you go approach) and by the end, she was pretty keen on birthdays. I'll get pictures up as soon as possible.
Lea's birthday was a blast. We went to the Sea Life Aquarium. It was no Newport or Boston aquarium, but the German's do try ;). I made my first cake from scratch: it was a carrot cake. It turned out. . . dense. Luckily my neighbor made this AMAZING cocoa cake and brought some over, so Lea's childhood is still intact. We spaced the present opening out through 2 days (kind of a play as you go approach) and by the end, she was pretty keen on birthdays. I'll get pictures up as soon as possible.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Super Excited
About Lea's birthday tomorrow! Two years old. I can't even believe it. I am sad about how fast the time has gone, but I really am thankful that I have been able to be there for every stage. I know that not every mom has that opportunity and I don't take it for granted.
The birthday events will be simple and as long as there are lots of balloons involved, I know that Lea will be content. Weather depending, we are taking her to the Manheim zoo (it is much bigger than the Kaiserslautern one and has *gasp!* elephants). If the weather is cruddy, I am laying towels over the entire kitchen and letting her go crazy with cups, water, and finger paints. I know it sounds lame and simple, but it doesn't take a whole lot to please my gal. We haven't made a whole ton of friends with kids her age here, and we have next to nil as far as social support goes, so we'll do what we do best and keep things tight with the three of us.
The birthday events will be simple and as long as there are lots of balloons involved, I know that Lea will be content. Weather depending, we are taking her to the Manheim zoo (it is much bigger than the Kaiserslautern one and has *gasp!* elephants). If the weather is cruddy, I am laying towels over the entire kitchen and letting her go crazy with cups, water, and finger paints. I know it sounds lame and simple, but it doesn't take a whole lot to please my gal. We haven't made a whole ton of friends with kids her age here, and we have next to nil as far as social support goes, so we'll do what we do best and keep things tight with the three of us.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
It's here
The new Post Secret Book. I have been a fan of the site for years and I am pretty excited about the latest book.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Nummy Muffins
I found this recipe on another blog. It's really good, but I tweaked it a little to make it better for you and they turned out REALLY well. My favorite was adding a banana, blueberries, and macadamia nuts. Nums! I also tried banana, raspberries and almonds. I think Miles liked the second combo better, but I am a sucker for blueberries.
Oatmeal Yogurt Muffins
This recipe is very flexible. I like to make them either with just a mashed banana, or banana and choc chips, but you can really chuck in your own favorite combo of flavours and be guaranteed of success.
1. mix 1 cup unsweetened plain or vanilla yogurt and 1 cup rolled oats together and leave to soak in the fridge for half an hour. (D note: Stonyfield Farms sells great lowfat vanilla yogurt in TUBS. Mmmm tubs. . . )
2. after half an hour stir the following things in, making sure you fold the flour in last to avoid over beating: 1 egg, 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use extra virgin olive oil, but it works ok with canola oil or whatever you prefer), 1/2 cup sugar, your own favorite combinations of fruit, nuts, chocolate, spices, 1 1/4 cup self raising flour (or plain flour plus one teaspoon baking powder).
(D note: As long as you add a banana, you can halve the oil. Olive oil is packed with polyunsaturated fats which is not generally the kind that likes to stick on the thighs. I also used maple syrup in lieu of sugar. If you do this, add just a touch more baking powder to make sure they are fluffy)
3. the mixture makes 12 large muffins (1 tray) or 24 little muffins (2 trays – these are very cute). Grease your tray and spoon the mixture in. Cook for about 15 minutes in a fairly hot oven, 220 Celsius (you can google what that means in F). You might need 20 minutes for the large muffins, but its worth checking them at the 15 minute mark and giving them the extra time until they are golden brown on top, and no longer squishy – they should spring back to the touch.
Oatmeal Yogurt Muffins
This recipe is very flexible. I like to make them either with just a mashed banana, or banana and choc chips, but you can really chuck in your own favorite combo of flavours and be guaranteed of success.
1. mix 1 cup unsweetened plain or vanilla yogurt and 1 cup rolled oats together and leave to soak in the fridge for half an hour. (D note: Stonyfield Farms sells great lowfat vanilla yogurt in TUBS. Mmmm tubs. . . )
2. after half an hour stir the following things in, making sure you fold the flour in last to avoid over beating: 1 egg, 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use extra virgin olive oil, but it works ok with canola oil or whatever you prefer), 1/2 cup sugar, your own favorite combinations of fruit, nuts, chocolate, spices, 1 1/4 cup self raising flour (or plain flour plus one teaspoon baking powder).
(D note: As long as you add a banana, you can halve the oil. Olive oil is packed with polyunsaturated fats which is not generally the kind that likes to stick on the thighs. I also used maple syrup in lieu of sugar. If you do this, add just a touch more baking powder to make sure they are fluffy)
3. the mixture makes 12 large muffins (1 tray) or 24 little muffins (2 trays – these are very cute). Grease your tray and spoon the mixture in. Cook for about 15 minutes in a fairly hot oven, 220 Celsius (you can google what that means in F). You might need 20 minutes for the large muffins, but its worth checking them at the 15 minute mark and giving them the extra time until they are golden brown on top, and no longer squishy – they should spring back to the touch.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Things to do
Energy has been a precious commodity for me lately. I feel like there is so much that I have to do between playing and keeping up with Lea, schoolwork, keeping the house clean, keeping my body in shape, and getting this place ready for another baby—I’m going nuts! I have it in my head that the house must be perfect before I can bring baby Noah home. We have to clean out the entire basement (we weren’t told that it molded down there and like 90% of our storage was ruined AND Germany has a billion laws about throwing stuff away), the attic has to be set up to keep what we have left to store (i.e. boarding the floors so we don’t fall through the ceiling when we go up there), organizing, and getting Noah’s room cleaned out of shrunks (like wall lockers since Germans don’t believe in closets), finding new homes for the shrunks, and reorganizing furniture. Noah is getting Lea’s furniture because European cribs are flimsy, low, and way too expensive for what they are. Lea is getting big girl furniture, to include a twin bed so I can lay down with her at night when she’s settling down. I am really excited about that part. I have been guilty of climbing in her crib a time or two since she REFUSES to sleep in our bed.
I know that I am being a little ridiculous about this. The basement doesn’t have to be cleaned out before Noah comes home. He will probably never even see the basement. Does that fact matter whatsoever to me? No. I think about bringing him home to a house that’s less than perfect and I start to hyperventilate. Does he need baby furniture within the next 9 months? No. We’ll be using the cosleeper for at least six months after he’s born. But, darn it, he will have a room before my 35th week and it will be freaking PERFECT because it has to be. Rational? Nope. Watch me while I don’t care. I don’t know what’s spurring on the sudden nesting spree, but I am feeling the clock ticking every second. I know I have a little time, but I also know that time can pass before we have a chance to notice.
School is going well. This semester is winding down and I have to say, it’s been a very good one. I really got into my classes and I feel marginally more motivated this time around.
I have started doing Rocki’s Pregnancy Yoga videos. They are a little cheesy, but my body feels nice and relaxed. That and my daily mile with my rotten dog concludes my fitness routine. I have noticed the difference between how I feel now compared to how I felt with Lea. I feel more flexible, stronger, and less achy. I did nothing while pregnant with her and it wasn’t pleasant. This is the way to go for me, I think.
Speaking of the girl, I have a massive recent Lea mess to clean, so I am ending my rant.
I know that I am being a little ridiculous about this. The basement doesn’t have to be cleaned out before Noah comes home. He will probably never even see the basement. Does that fact matter whatsoever to me? No. I think about bringing him home to a house that’s less than perfect and I start to hyperventilate. Does he need baby furniture within the next 9 months? No. We’ll be using the cosleeper for at least six months after he’s born. But, darn it, he will have a room before my 35th week and it will be freaking PERFECT because it has to be. Rational? Nope. Watch me while I don’t care. I don’t know what’s spurring on the sudden nesting spree, but I am feeling the clock ticking every second. I know I have a little time, but I also know that time can pass before we have a chance to notice.
School is going well. This semester is winding down and I have to say, it’s been a very good one. I really got into my classes and I feel marginally more motivated this time around.
I have started doing Rocki’s Pregnancy Yoga videos. They are a little cheesy, but my body feels nice and relaxed. That and my daily mile with my rotten dog concludes my fitness routine. I have noticed the difference between how I feel now compared to how I felt with Lea. I feel more flexible, stronger, and less achy. I did nothing while pregnant with her and it wasn’t pleasant. This is the way to go for me, I think.
Speaking of the girl, I have a massive recent Lea mess to clean, so I am ending my rant.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Let it go
I am learning that there are people out there who just don’t deserve your worry. I am sure that all of my readers have at least one person in his or her acquaintance who cannot seem to make a single life decision that doesn’t involve self-destruction. I have a couple myself. People whom I love and care about, but whom I have to detach from to some extent in order to remain sane. It’s frustrating to want the best for someone and to watch as they flounder through life with next to no regard for who they hurt.
The art of “letting it go” is so hard for me. My worry comes out as anger. . . actually, any negative emotion generally spews itself out in that form. I hate being worried for people who can’t help themselves. I HAVE to learn to let things go and love people anyways. I am trying to get wiser about this. . . I just have to figure out how.
The art of “letting it go” is so hard for me. My worry comes out as anger. . . actually, any negative emotion generally spews itself out in that form. I hate being worried for people who can’t help themselves. I HAVE to learn to let things go and love people anyways. I am trying to get wiser about this. . . I just have to figure out how.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Cooking
I always cook our family meals (comes with the stay at home mom thing for me), but I really haven't been INTO it as much since we've been here in Germany. German kitchens are very small, for one. They are only just now picking up on the concept of counter space and my house is old and hasn't been updated to that point. We bought a little chef's cutting table that goes next to the stove, but it offers only a bit of cooking space. In any case, between that and just being pregnant and not in the mood to get fancy, we've been going the baked meat item with steamed veggies and side carb route for months. No bread baking or cook books for me here lately.
For the past week, though, I've had the urge to get creative with dishes containing more than 5 ingredients. About time!! We had some friends over last night and I made a white beans and greens casserole with turkey schnitzel. Today's breakfast =s oatmeal banana nut pancakes, and I am making a potato, spinach, and lentil ragout for diner. I am finally excited about cooking again! It feels good to rediscover something that I love to do.
I have a special place in my heart for Betty Crocker, but in light of keeping things light for Miles' recent body building campaign, I have been using the American Medical Association's Family Health Cookbook. I haven't made a single one of their recipes (even though some of them sound down right eccentric) that the whole family hasn't loved. It rocks. Last I checked, Amazon has the hardcover for under eight bucks (usually a $30 book, to boot). I recommend it in a big way.
http://www.amazon.com/American-Medical-Association-Family-Cookbook/dp/0671536672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253693890&sr=8-1
For the past week, though, I've had the urge to get creative with dishes containing more than 5 ingredients. About time!! We had some friends over last night and I made a white beans and greens casserole with turkey schnitzel. Today's breakfast =s oatmeal banana nut pancakes, and I am making a potato, spinach, and lentil ragout for diner. I am finally excited about cooking again! It feels good to rediscover something that I love to do.
I have a special place in my heart for Betty Crocker, but in light of keeping things light for Miles' recent body building campaign, I have been using the American Medical Association's Family Health Cookbook. I haven't made a single one of their recipes (even though some of them sound down right eccentric) that the whole family hasn't loved. It rocks. Last I checked, Amazon has the hardcover for under eight bucks (usually a $30 book, to boot). I recommend it in a big way.
http://www.amazon.com/American-Medical-Association-Family-Cookbook/dp/0671536672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253693890&sr=8-1
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Crazy Kids
All children have their quarks. They change through time (sometimes) but they can be pretty cute while they last. Lea calls all things that write "Yellows". It doesn't matter if it's a marker of a crayon, it's a YELLOW. She knows a few different colors, but if is a blue crayon, it's a blue yellow. Huh. She also puts things (mainly acorns) down her shirt front and calls it a pocket. It's adorable. Those are just a couple that stand out right now.
In any case, I think these things are so cute, I am curious about the cuteness of my readers' kids. Lets share the quarkiness.
In any case, I think these things are so cute, I am curious about the cuteness of my readers' kids. Lets share the quarkiness.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Another zoo trip
Some pics of Lea at the zoo.
She has places to go, you know
At the monkey house:
"Monkeys? Open?"
Still at the monkey house:
"MONKEYS!!! OPEN!!"
Once again with the places to go.
Thinking deep thoughts. About monkeys.
She has places to go, you know
At the monkey house:
"Monkeys? Open?"
Still at the monkey house:
"MONKEYS!!! OPEN!!"
Once again with the places to go.
Thinking deep thoughts. About monkeys.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Coconut Oil
I have been a nut (no pun intended) about this stuff lately. Trying to stay away from parabens and harmful chemicals that are common in the household, I have gone to the basics for hygiene purposes. In any case, coconut oil is a great moisturizer and hair conditioner. A friend got me hooked on using it and a week later, I have no dandruff (I normally have a pretty dry scalp) and I smell like an almond joy bar. Yum. Anyways, here are some benefits to coconut oil:
Hair Care: Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shinny complexion. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care.
Stress Relief: Coconut oil is very soothing and hence it helps in removing stress. Applying coconut oil to the head followed with a gentle massage helps in removing mental fatigue.
Skin Care: Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. Further, unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin. It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Therefore coconut oil forms the basic ingredient of various body care products such as soaps, lotions, creams, etc., used for skin care.
Premature Aging: Coconut oil helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its antioxidant properties.
Curious? You should grab some. If you don't end up liking it on your skin, you can use it to fry up some awesome coconut shrimp. Cooking with it is good for your heart due to its lauric acid content.
Hair Care: Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shinny complexion. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care.
Stress Relief: Coconut oil is very soothing and hence it helps in removing stress. Applying coconut oil to the head followed with a gentle massage helps in removing mental fatigue.
Skin Care: Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. Further, unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin. It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Therefore coconut oil forms the basic ingredient of various body care products such as soaps, lotions, creams, etc., used for skin care.
Premature Aging: Coconut oil helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its antioxidant properties.
Curious? You should grab some. If you don't end up liking it on your skin, you can use it to fry up some awesome coconut shrimp. Cooking with it is good for your heart due to its lauric acid content.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sex
Perverts. I am talking about the baby's gender. We went in for the big ultrasound today and found out that the baby is a boy! I am pretty excited about this. Lea has been calling the bump "baby sisser" so we're going to have to turn her around on that. It's going to be the first boy in our families for this generation, so the grandparents are psyched. To be truthful, I didn't really care about the outcome one way or the other, but I have been very anxious (for some reason) just to know. Part of it is that I was tired or referring to a human being as "it" as opposed to "he" or "she". So all is well in my world. This is all.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Mmmm yeah
Last week was rough. Lea is cutting some hefty molars and I was a tired, crampy hormonal mess. So who pays for my woes? My husband, naturally. How did he react? Prenatal massage at the new spa on Ramstein. Oh yes, good boy. I went in today and had my back done over by a huge German with hands big enough to strangle an elephant with. Hours later, I am still feeling like a wet noodle. I reek of lavender and eucalyptus and I am as happy as a pig in mud. I thought this was interesting, though: during a professional prenatal massage, they (or at least Germans) will not rub feet. They say that the pressure points in your feet send signals through your body to different organs and that this can harm the baby. I thought it was an interesting tidbit and it's something that I am going to look into. Have any of you ever heard that?
Something particularly spectacular is happening tomorrow. I will blog about it then, but I am practically wetting myself in anticipation.
Something particularly spectacular is happening tomorrow. I will blog about it then, but I am practically wetting myself in anticipation.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Worst dog ever
Roscoe ran away this morning. I had him on a lead in the yard (because he cannot be trusted and we know he can get out of the fence) and when I took him off to go inside, he bolted. I ran after him through the neighborhood in my bare feet (no time for shoes--he runs fast) and he got away from me. Considering that Lea was at home in the living room and Miles was upstairs sleeping off the night shift, I couldn't chase long anyways.
I am so upset right now. I have had this dog for years and I am sure that he is untrainable. I have taken him through trainers, I have walked him daily to work off his energy, I have boarded him with devout animal lovers only to be asked to NEVER bring him back, and I have had the German police called on us after he pretended to be Kudjo and scared a woman so badly that she was terrified to get out of her car. He has killed our pets, other people's pets, and I had to tube feed my mom's chicken for a week after he damn near broke her beak off. An entire neighborhood was out in 16 degree weather for hours searching for him when he took off during a snow storm 2 years ago. Believe me, that's the tip of the freaking iceberg. I have almost been evicted and/or arrested because of this dog on NUMERAL occasions.
I thought the challenge of having a dog like this was intriguing when I didn't have a family to take care of. Lea was in our living room alone because of him today. She could have been hurt and she's more important to me than the world's collective population of dogs.
Roscoe has yet to be found and I am honestly so frustrated right now that it's probably for the best that he doesn't come back just this moment. I will go out looking again in a few. I am just blowing steam.
I have never come across anything, person or otherwise, that is this difficult to love.
**Update**
He came home. I heard barking in the yard and it seems he let himself in. I am currently keeping him out of my sight.
I am so upset right now. I have had this dog for years and I am sure that he is untrainable. I have taken him through trainers, I have walked him daily to work off his energy, I have boarded him with devout animal lovers only to be asked to NEVER bring him back, and I have had the German police called on us after he pretended to be Kudjo and scared a woman so badly that she was terrified to get out of her car. He has killed our pets, other people's pets, and I had to tube feed my mom's chicken for a week after he damn near broke her beak off. An entire neighborhood was out in 16 degree weather for hours searching for him when he took off during a snow storm 2 years ago. Believe me, that's the tip of the freaking iceberg. I have almost been evicted and/or arrested because of this dog on NUMERAL occasions.
I thought the challenge of having a dog like this was intriguing when I didn't have a family to take care of. Lea was in our living room alone because of him today. She could have been hurt and she's more important to me than the world's collective population of dogs.
Roscoe has yet to be found and I am honestly so frustrated right now that it's probably for the best that he doesn't come back just this moment. I will go out looking again in a few. I am just blowing steam.
I have never come across anything, person or otherwise, that is this difficult to love.
**Update**
He came home. I heard barking in the yard and it seems he let himself in. I am currently keeping him out of my sight.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Curious Armpits
I have been wondering about deodorants containing aluminum and whether they are safe to wear while breastfeeding. I found that The Agency for Toxic Substances and & Disease Registry reports that "Exposure to high levels of aluminum may result in respiratory and neurological problems." (http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/aluminum_in_deodorant#ixzz0PSw3qFRA), but I have found nothing so far that specifically addresses deodorant and breastfeeding. I use Tom's so it's not a concern on my (or my children's') behalf, but I have wondering for a long time. I was led to the question through www.safecosmetics.org and their unnerving advertisements in Mothering (carcinogens in baby shampoo?! EEK). In any case, it's just a curiosity that I am looking into. If you guys have any good links or facts, hook it up :)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Done
It has been something close to two weeks since Lea last nursed. Wow. I was ready for this, but now that it's come and passed, I just hope that I went about it the right way and that the few times I changed the subject during her requests haven't hurt her in any way. In any case, I did the best that I could with this transition. I can at least say that.
I am taking a minority group relations class and a business management class this semester. I am happy to be going to school and grateful for the GI Bill and all that it has offered me and my family but I am getting a little burnt out. I was going to take a break but then checked out my degree audit and saw how far I have to go before I get my degree. It'll be about a year and a half at this point and rate, and I just couldn't justify a break now when I am pretty sure I will need one semester off in a big way when the baby comes.
I have been looking for a new couch for a while. I love the one we have but it's over 10 years old, has been with me through 5 moves and it's a little worse for the wear. Granted it's leather and the worn look is charming but I still have been looking. Well, I think I found the replacement. A new mall just opened on Ramstein AFB and I fell in love with an Italian leather set-- by far the most COMFORTABLE thing I have ever set my toosh in. So I am ordering it today :) The very best part? I talked Miles into ditching the huge unsightly microfiber bean bag chair. WHOO! As far as bean bag chairs go, it's about as nice as they come and yes it does match the living room, but it's a freaking bean bag chair! And my living room is neither a "man room" nor a college dorm. He's been pretty protective of the chair for a while but there's only so much a girl can take (insert evil laugh here).
I am taking a minority group relations class and a business management class this semester. I am happy to be going to school and grateful for the GI Bill and all that it has offered me and my family but I am getting a little burnt out. I was going to take a break but then checked out my degree audit and saw how far I have to go before I get my degree. It'll be about a year and a half at this point and rate, and I just couldn't justify a break now when I am pretty sure I will need one semester off in a big way when the baby comes.
I have been looking for a new couch for a while. I love the one we have but it's over 10 years old, has been with me through 5 moves and it's a little worse for the wear. Granted it's leather and the worn look is charming but I still have been looking. Well, I think I found the replacement. A new mall just opened on Ramstein AFB and I fell in love with an Italian leather set-- by far the most COMFORTABLE thing I have ever set my toosh in. So I am ordering it today :) The very best part? I talked Miles into ditching the huge unsightly microfiber bean bag chair. WHOO! As far as bean bag chairs go, it's about as nice as they come and yes it does match the living room, but it's a freaking bean bag chair! And my living room is neither a "man room" nor a college dorm. He's been pretty protective of the chair for a while but there's only so much a girl can take (insert evil laugh here).
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
We go to the zoo pretty much weekly, so here are a few pics from Saturday's visit.
She loves um "Weafs"
I was confused about how the porcupines could cuddle like that.
Ah
Cheese
I have always thought he is a handsome fella
18 (or is it 19? Umm. . . ) weeks pregnant. There's a bump I swear.
They carbonate juice here. Lea thinks it's fabulous.
It has been a solid 5 days since Lea's last nursing. She mentioned it this morning, but I was able to change the subject and she didn't make any fuss at all. I am thinking this is it. I am a little sad (deep down) that it's over and I may never nurse her again, but I believe that it's time. I now have about 4 1/2 months to "rest up". That's enough for me.
Ladies, I think I want to cloth diaper #2 and I am looking for good info on it. How do I wash, disinfect, etc cloth diapers? What are the best brands? Any books on the matter? HELP!
She loves um "Weafs"
I was confused about how the porcupines could cuddle like that.
Ah
Cheese
I have always thought he is a handsome fella
18 (or is it 19? Umm. . . ) weeks pregnant. There's a bump I swear.
They carbonate juice here. Lea thinks it's fabulous.
It has been a solid 5 days since Lea's last nursing. She mentioned it this morning, but I was able to change the subject and she didn't make any fuss at all. I am thinking this is it. I am a little sad (deep down) that it's over and I may never nurse her again, but I believe that it's time. I now have about 4 1/2 months to "rest up". That's enough for me.
Ladies, I think I want to cloth diaper #2 and I am looking for good info on it. How do I wash, disinfect, etc cloth diapers? What are the best brands? Any books on the matter? HELP!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
It has been 36 hours since Lea's last 2 min. nursing session. I have been trying to distract her from breast feeding for a while, but I have issues with saying "no way" to her. In fact, I refuse to. Anyways, I think she is getting ready to stop on her own. It was very easy to steer her away from nursing this morning and it never even came up at nap time. Aside from trying to nibble on my cheeks and nose because it makes me giggle and she thinks she's hilarious (future class clown, I am sure), she was totally chill about going down to nap. I am surprised at how well she self-soothes considering she never cried it out. On the flip side, though she knows I am always right with her if she needs a hug or cuddle, when she's mad about something, the only way to calm her down is to do nothing. If I try to mommy her and hug on her, she screams "LEGGO-UMME!" and stops crying as soon as I put her down. She's my little tough as nails girl.
But I digress. I am sure that we are not totally done nursing, but there's the chance that this is our last month and that's just fine by me.
PS Half apple juice, half water with frozen pineapple chunks floating around. . . YUM!
But I digress. I am sure that we are not totally done nursing, but there's the chance that this is our last month and that's just fine by me.
PS Half apple juice, half water with frozen pineapple chunks floating around. . . YUM!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Here are a few of the castle. It was built in the 1200s as a Roman outpost. Torn down during the Peasant War, it was rebuilt only to be destroyed again by the A-Hole French 20 years later. This is what is left:
Miles and Lea getting beat up by the wind
I was pretty tired from the hike.
The view from up top
The ruins
Miles and Lea getting beat up by the wind
I was pretty tired from the hike.
The view from up top
The ruins
cooling my jets
Sometimes I need to get over myself and my biases. I am very opinionated and I tend to have black and white vision where things are either good or bad. This offers little room in the case of compromise and acceptance. I think it was Alder who stated that middle siblings usually possess as strong sense of justice and I am not an exception. When I see something that I don’t like, I say something and damn the consequences. It’s not really an endearing trait.
I am pretty big on child nutrition and breastfeeding. Years of breastfeeding classes, literature and LLL meetings have led me to believe that I know a thing or two about it. What I always failed to see was the opposite end of the spectrum and the consequences of passing judgment (even if not intentionally) on those who do not chose my path.
I always felt like breastfeeding in public earned me dirty looks. Friends and family have scorned my choice to breastfeed past the age of 12 months (many told me I should have weaned even earlier). I felt like a minority. Nudges of insecurity and the need to defend myself closed me off entirely to the emotions of those who don’t breastfeed. I am pretty sure that I need not tick off the merits of breastfeeding to the women readers of my blog, so I won’t go there.
Someone close to me recently decided to bottle feed after 2 or 3 days of attempting to breastfeed. When she told me, I couldn’t help to feel bad about it but it also made me want to support her decision. I tried to look up informational sites and support groups for bottle feeding infants. What I found instead were series after series of sites devoted to either the merits of breastfeeding or slandering those who chose to breastfeed. I found some guides to choosing bottles (http://www.ewg.org/babysafe). I think what disappointed me was that there was almost nothing (that my Google search could locate) for the mothers who simply want help and emotional support with bottle feeding. I did find this:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_86862.html
It was just a blurb, but I found a couple more like it. It was very disturbing to me. If a woman is going to use formula, she should be offered the education to do it in ways that best benefit her child. It also made me think of the insecurities that we all have as parents and how many of the things that both the bottle feeder and breast feeder go through are similar: public comments, varied feelings of insecurity, concerns about nutrition and food intake, etc. I found a couple of blogs and articles on failed attempts to breastfeed:
http://www.momadvice.com/parenting/bottlefeeding.aspx
In any case, my search helped me to find the connection between all of the mothers that I read about: for varying reasons and with various justifications in making their decisions, everything boiled down to women wanting what it best for their children. I can see things as wrong or right and that’s fine, but everyone has their reasons and their problems. Seeing bottle feeding as a cop-out or sign of bad parenting really doesn’t help anyone and from what I read, the majority of bottle feeding moms have experienced their fair share of guilt as it is. Support and education are what is needed for every mom, regardless.
I think that if I want to do any breastfeeding consulting (which I do, in one form or another), I should know about every way to feed a baby. I can’t get my heart broken over every baby with a bottle in its mouth (dramatic, right?!). Anyways, this blog was just some food for thought
I am pretty big on child nutrition and breastfeeding. Years of breastfeeding classes, literature and LLL meetings have led me to believe that I know a thing or two about it. What I always failed to see was the opposite end of the spectrum and the consequences of passing judgment (even if not intentionally) on those who do not chose my path.
I always felt like breastfeeding in public earned me dirty looks. Friends and family have scorned my choice to breastfeed past the age of 12 months (many told me I should have weaned even earlier). I felt like a minority. Nudges of insecurity and the need to defend myself closed me off entirely to the emotions of those who don’t breastfeed. I am pretty sure that I need not tick off the merits of breastfeeding to the women readers of my blog, so I won’t go there.
Someone close to me recently decided to bottle feed after 2 or 3 days of attempting to breastfeed. When she told me, I couldn’t help to feel bad about it but it also made me want to support her decision. I tried to look up informational sites and support groups for bottle feeding infants. What I found instead were series after series of sites devoted to either the merits of breastfeeding or slandering those who chose to breastfeed. I found some guides to choosing bottles (http://www.ewg.org/babysafe). I think what disappointed me was that there was almost nothing (that my Google search could locate) for the mothers who simply want help and emotional support with bottle feeding. I did find this:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_86862.html
It was just a blurb, but I found a couple more like it. It was very disturbing to me. If a woman is going to use formula, she should be offered the education to do it in ways that best benefit her child. It also made me think of the insecurities that we all have as parents and how many of the things that both the bottle feeder and breast feeder go through are similar: public comments, varied feelings of insecurity, concerns about nutrition and food intake, etc. I found a couple of blogs and articles on failed attempts to breastfeed:
http://www.momadvice.com/parenting/bottlefeeding.aspx
In any case, my search helped me to find the connection between all of the mothers that I read about: for varying reasons and with various justifications in making their decisions, everything boiled down to women wanting what it best for their children. I can see things as wrong or right and that’s fine, but everyone has their reasons and their problems. Seeing bottle feeding as a cop-out or sign of bad parenting really doesn’t help anyone and from what I read, the majority of bottle feeding moms have experienced their fair share of guilt as it is. Support and education are what is needed for every mom, regardless.
I think that if I want to do any breastfeeding consulting (which I do, in one form or another), I should know about every way to feed a baby. I can’t get my heart broken over every baby with a bottle in its mouth (dramatic, right?!). Anyways, this blog was just some food for thought
Sunday, August 9, 2009
We went on a couple of little day trips this past week. One, of course, was the K-town zoo. Lea would tell me what the animals were (she called an emu a crane but otherwise was pretty dead-on) and then she would go up to the enclosures, get as close as she could, and go "hey, buddy". The way she sounded was so sweet and adoring she about broke my heart. I think that wild birds will be eating out of her hand in no time.
We also hiked up to a castle from a trailhead that's about 3 miles from the house. Shamefully, I admit it was the first time I had been. The hike was a couple miles, which I was not used to since it was pretty much up a mountain, but I made it, gosh darn it. Miles put Lea in the Kelty pack where she fell asleep. It was awesome and I will post some pics soon!
Other than that, the baby is kicking away and Miles felt it for the first time. He was pretty fascinated (for those who don't know, I found out I was pregnant with Lea the week after he left for a 15 month deployment, so he missed a lot with her). This baby has been moving a lot. When I went to see the midwife a couple of weeks ago, she was pretty surprised by all of the movement we could hear through the Doppler.
We also hiked up to a castle from a trailhead that's about 3 miles from the house. Shamefully, I admit it was the first time I had been. The hike was a couple miles, which I was not used to since it was pretty much up a mountain, but I made it, gosh darn it. Miles put Lea in the Kelty pack where she fell asleep. It was awesome and I will post some pics soon!
Other than that, the baby is kicking away and Miles felt it for the first time. He was pretty fascinated (for those who don't know, I found out I was pregnant with Lea the week after he left for a 15 month deployment, so he missed a lot with her). This baby has been moving a lot. When I went to see the midwife a couple of weeks ago, she was pretty surprised by all of the movement we could hear through the Doppler.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Photos from Rhuedisheim
I know, I know. It's been forever since I have written. I was held up with the flu all last week. It was horrible! The baby is okay, though. 17 weeks and he or she is moving like crazy. We should be finding out soon enough what the flavor is. I am pretty excited to find out. Miles will finally pick out names with me!!
All of us (Daniel is struggling with Ms Lea, I think-- he's her boyfriend).
Miles being Miles. In the words of Shell, he's a pig but he's MY pig.
The boys.
Little Ms light of my life
We took this trip a few weeks ago. We went with or friends Jessie and her husband Daniel from church. The pics don't do it an OUNCE of justice, but there was so much to see. We took a lift up and over the vineyards along the Rhine River and up to the huge statue that overlooks Rhuedisheim. It was great and Lea loved it. We even got her a new baby in town. German shops are a bit odd, though. The only places where you can find children toys sitting next to vibrators. We had a few "oh my" moments. We also went to Trier a couple of days ago, but once again did not bring cameras. It was so crowded-- even for a Monday. Next week we'll be off to Cologne for a couple of days. We are trying to get a lot of travel in now while there is only one tiny tornado to bring along :). I think after Cologne we'll take a few days in Luxembourg. Hopefully I will have more photos up soon!!
All of us (Daniel is struggling with Ms Lea, I think-- he's her boyfriend).
Miles being Miles. In the words of Shell, he's a pig but he's MY pig.
The boys.
Little Ms light of my life
We took this trip a few weeks ago. We went with or friends Jessie and her husband Daniel from church. The pics don't do it an OUNCE of justice, but there was so much to see. We took a lift up and over the vineyards along the Rhine River and up to the huge statue that overlooks Rhuedisheim. It was great and Lea loved it. We even got her a new baby in town. German shops are a bit odd, though. The only places where you can find children toys sitting next to vibrators. We had a few "oh my" moments. We also went to Trier a couple of days ago, but once again did not bring cameras. It was so crowded-- even for a Monday. Next week we'll be off to Cologne for a couple of days. We are trying to get a lot of travel in now while there is only one tiny tornado to bring along :). I think after Cologne we'll take a few days in Luxembourg. Hopefully I will have more photos up soon!!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
my dear, what a big dork you are
Yes, I am. (music aside) I have always loved this video. I don't know what possessed me to look it up today, but now you get to see it too. These guys found the lion for sale in a cramped cage, raised him, then set him free where he transitioned successfully. A year later, they went back to see him.
Christian the Lion Full Video Great Quality - Click here for the most popular videos
Christian the Lion Full Video Great Quality - Click here for the most popular videos
Monday, July 20, 2009
It has been forever since I have had the time to write a good long blog. Unfortunately, I still don’t have a lot of time. I am off in an hour to my exams for this semester. I haven’t registered for the next one, but I think I am only going to go half time this once. I am starting to get burnt out and haven’t had a break from school since Miles first got back from Iraq. I have had three 15+ pg assignments in the past two weeks, and I am just plain tired. I can’t work while Lea is awake like I used to. Not only dies she get into a lot of trouble on her own now, but she is such a busy little thing that I feel like a rat when I am not hanging out with her.
Speaking of Ms Lea, she’s in the middle of a growth spurt and WHEW! She’s getting tall. I wouldn’t be shocked if she’s grown a few inches in the past couple of weeks. The hair is still everywhere. Miles won’t let me cut her some bangs because he wants them to grow out, but her hair is always in her face and she won’t keep it clipped back. She’s my wild haired child. The best I can usually do is slap on a hat and tuck her hair into it. It is a pretty color, though. Blonde-brown-red, and I think it’s gong to stay that way.
As far as I can tell the pregnancy is going well, too. I am officially in my second trimester this week and have been playing the gender guessing game, but Miles is staying well out of it. He doesn’t want to talk names or gear until we know, and of course, I am all about finding out. I am thinking that it’s a boy, but then again, I thought Lea was a boy. It doesn’t matter either way, but I think it’s fun to speculate. We were in church yesterday and I felt a faint little flutter just above my pelvic bone. It was the first time that I was positive that I felt the baby. There has been nothing since, but I feel blessed to have felt what I did in my 15th week. He or she must have been thrashing!
I have to go get ready since it’s almost test time and I am still in my jammies ☺
Speaking of Ms Lea, she’s in the middle of a growth spurt and WHEW! She’s getting tall. I wouldn’t be shocked if she’s grown a few inches in the past couple of weeks. The hair is still everywhere. Miles won’t let me cut her some bangs because he wants them to grow out, but her hair is always in her face and she won’t keep it clipped back. She’s my wild haired child. The best I can usually do is slap on a hat and tuck her hair into it. It is a pretty color, though. Blonde-brown-red, and I think it’s gong to stay that way.
As far as I can tell the pregnancy is going well, too. I am officially in my second trimester this week and have been playing the gender guessing game, but Miles is staying well out of it. He doesn’t want to talk names or gear until we know, and of course, I am all about finding out. I am thinking that it’s a boy, but then again, I thought Lea was a boy. It doesn’t matter either way, but I think it’s fun to speculate. We were in church yesterday and I felt a faint little flutter just above my pelvic bone. It was the first time that I was positive that I felt the baby. There has been nothing since, but I feel blessed to have felt what I did in my 15th week. He or she must have been thrashing!
I have to go get ready since it’s almost test time and I am still in my jammies ☺
Saturday, July 4, 2009
I have been horrible about adding photos of Lea. I have certainly been taking them, but my sim card isn't working well with my computer right now. . . correction, my computer is about toasted and it isn't working well with anything. The darn thing is a year old, too :(. We are getting a Mac next. Anyways, here are a couple from the zoo the other day. She was a sleepy thing, but she still loved it. She was so cute with the monkeys and actually said "I see a bird!" clear as day. She pops up with a few longish complete sentences every day, and it never ceases to amaze me because they are always in context. This morning my mother in law went to get her out of her crib. I was in the next room and heard "I wanna see Mom". Oh, and she calls me Mom. No Mommy, which kind of breaks my heart. Mommy was nice. Oh well.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Doctor's visit /baby talk
I went to the doctor's visit yesterday and was surprised and delighted when a midwife opened the door as opposed to the rude, calloused woman (MD) who I had previously seen. I had requested one after my last visit, but was told that they were in short supply at the Army hospital. Backpedaling a bit, I have to first say that when I was pregnant with Lea, I had doctors pushing and pushing for me to gain weight (even though I gained the standard 3 lbs in the 1st trimester and on the high end from there on out). Pre-pregnancy, I ran several miles a day and participated in normal Army physical training. By the end of my pregnancy, I had gained between 50 and 60 lbs and could barely huff through walking a single mile because I was on restriction (like a partial bed rest)for 15+ weeks. I was miserable and Lea was STILL a 7lb baby. . . so this led to months of me struggling to get my metabolism back up and the painful weight off. I am still pretty sensitive about the experience because I know that if I had simply eaten healthy food when hungry, I would have gained properly and wouldn't have felt so horrible afterwards. Every woman is different, but 60 lbs was not a healthy amount for me to gain.
I have read book after book on proper nutrition. I don't eat fat free maltodextrin-packed garbage and though I firmly believe that "C is for cookie", I moderate my sugar intake. I am all for healthy fats and I eat 3 squares along with snacks every day.
So when I walked into the doctor's office in my first appointment and the MD tells me that my low body fat indicated that I should see a nutritionist, I just about lost it on her. I was totally relieved when, at about 12 weeks, I walked into the midwife's office and she said that I was doing great with food intake and that nursing is okay while pregnant. She is willing to work on a birth plan with me and gave me a few tips on combating head and muscle aches without the use of Tylenol and such (I am not into pills). It was so relieving to be seen by a human being as opposed to a medical textbook.
Because of a couple of iffy signs (which just ceased last week), I had an ultrasound. And there the baby was, bouncing and shifting away! The heartbeat was clear and visible. It was great!
I have read book after book on proper nutrition. I don't eat fat free maltodextrin-packed garbage and though I firmly believe that "C is for cookie", I moderate my sugar intake. I am all for healthy fats and I eat 3 squares along with snacks every day.
So when I walked into the doctor's office in my first appointment and the MD tells me that my low body fat indicated that I should see a nutritionist, I just about lost it on her. I was totally relieved when, at about 12 weeks, I walked into the midwife's office and she said that I was doing great with food intake and that nursing is okay while pregnant. She is willing to work on a birth plan with me and gave me a few tips on combating head and muscle aches without the use of Tylenol and such (I am not into pills). It was so relieving to be seen by a human being as opposed to a medical textbook.
Because of a couple of iffy signs (which just ceased last week), I had an ultrasound. And there the baby was, bouncing and shifting away! The heartbeat was clear and visible. It was great!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Ketchup
Sorry it has been a while since I last wrote. I decided to take on a Graduate level course this semester even though my Master's is a ways off. IT'S HARD! I mean, it's not hard like Algebra was hard , but I am swamped with work. Miles' mom is also visiting from Vermont. It's going well, though I am hoping that we are doing a good job of giving her the Germany experience :). We've had to take buses and public transportation because Miles has been too busy at work to pick out a car for himself (I am not sophisticated enough in the way of BMW Beaters to do the picking), so when he's at work, we are otherwise stuck. It's not too pricey though and I am learning the public transportation here. The thing that doesn't help is that my German is a joke (literally, people make fun of it).
Roscoe is still rotten. He managed to kill an entire nest of birds including one parent. I have NO idea how this took place, but it was quite sad. I have taken to blowing bubbles for him because he likes to kill those before they can touch the ground. Lea gets a kick out of it. She doesn't judge her homicidal big brother.
We went to our local toy store the other day and got Lea a few choice items. A rocking horse, a pink chair with the classroom-style desk coming out of the arm, and those mega block things (think big legos). Talk about hours of entertainment! She'll sit and build these huge structurally unsound towers. When they fall, she laughs hysterically and says "oop, it fell down!" It's pretty cute.
We are working on weaning. Actually, Lea is working on NOT weaning, but I have gotten her down to a nursing before her nap and before her bedtime. With the pregnancy, things are a bit sore, having her latched makes nauseous and dizzy, and I just feel that it's time. She is 20 months old. My goal is to have her totally weaned by the time she turns two. It'll be nice to have my chest to myself for a few months before the baby comes.
Roscoe is still rotten. He managed to kill an entire nest of birds including one parent. I have NO idea how this took place, but it was quite sad. I have taken to blowing bubbles for him because he likes to kill those before they can touch the ground. Lea gets a kick out of it. She doesn't judge her homicidal big brother.
We went to our local toy store the other day and got Lea a few choice items. A rocking horse, a pink chair with the classroom-style desk coming out of the arm, and those mega block things (think big legos). Talk about hours of entertainment! She'll sit and build these huge structurally unsound towers. When they fall, she laughs hysterically and says "oop, it fell down!" It's pretty cute.
We are working on weaning. Actually, Lea is working on NOT weaning, but I have gotten her down to a nursing before her nap and before her bedtime. With the pregnancy, things are a bit sore, having her latched makes nauseous and dizzy, and I just feel that it's time. She is 20 months old. My goal is to have her totally weaned by the time she turns two. It'll be nice to have my chest to myself for a few months before the baby comes.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Germany is a nice place. It is a beautiful country full of resilient people who work hard on everything they do. They don’t have a lot of poverty, they concentrate (big time) on alternate energy, they are efficient and their homes are beautiful.
Germany doesn’t hold a candle to America.
No, it’s true. I have never lived by any rules aside from those that exist in “the land of the free”. Really, people bitch and moan about this and that in America, but even this place is suffocating compared to our country. Stores here are mandated by law to close every Sunday and all 50 or so German holidays. They close every day between 12 and 2 for “siesta” time. Lastly, they close between 6 and 7 at night because of German law. Why? It doesn’t matter—it’s the way it is. Gas here costs about $6 or $7 per gallon because they are taxed 60% for research into alternate energy. The people get no say in this. Grocery items and goods are taxed at 19%. The women generally don’t have children until their mid to late 30s (and sometimes well into their 50s) because they are totally career driven. There is so much more, but I’ll stop there.
Some would say their way is the best. Sure, it works for them, but you know what? I miss 24 hour Walmarts and fat juicy steaks (don’t get me started on greasy diner food. . . yum!). I miss a place where gruff indifference is considered to be rude. I miss a place where the children aren’t schooled in a way that’s one step from a caste system. I miss America so much.
I would gladly live here for a year to pick up on the culture, travel around a bit, visit the cathedral in Cologne, etc. But three years? Not so much. This is why Miles and I decided that he’s putting in his packet for Flight Warrant. That would be flying helicopters. It’s something he has really wanted to do and it would put us in Alabama for a year while he went through training. The process of getting accepted is long, but if he puts a hustle on it, we may be out of here in a year. So yay. Germany is spectacular, but it’s not HOME.
Germany doesn’t hold a candle to America.
No, it’s true. I have never lived by any rules aside from those that exist in “the land of the free”. Really, people bitch and moan about this and that in America, but even this place is suffocating compared to our country. Stores here are mandated by law to close every Sunday and all 50 or so German holidays. They close every day between 12 and 2 for “siesta” time. Lastly, they close between 6 and 7 at night because of German law. Why? It doesn’t matter—it’s the way it is. Gas here costs about $6 or $7 per gallon because they are taxed 60% for research into alternate energy. The people get no say in this. Grocery items and goods are taxed at 19%. The women generally don’t have children until their mid to late 30s (and sometimes well into their 50s) because they are totally career driven. There is so much more, but I’ll stop there.
Some would say their way is the best. Sure, it works for them, but you know what? I miss 24 hour Walmarts and fat juicy steaks (don’t get me started on greasy diner food. . . yum!). I miss a place where gruff indifference is considered to be rude. I miss a place where the children aren’t schooled in a way that’s one step from a caste system. I miss America so much.
I would gladly live here for a year to pick up on the culture, travel around a bit, visit the cathedral in Cologne, etc. But three years? Not so much. This is why Miles and I decided that he’s putting in his packet for Flight Warrant. That would be flying helicopters. It’s something he has really wanted to do and it would put us in Alabama for a year while he went through training. The process of getting accepted is long, but if he puts a hustle on it, we may be out of here in a year. So yay. Germany is spectacular, but it’s not HOME.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Breast is still best
So there I was, reading Men's Health Magazine (hey, it has great food info for a dieting husband. . . okay, and the occasional eye candy), when I ran across an article discussing soy intake and how even moderate amounts taken consistently over time can cause VERY high estrogen levels and breast growth in men. The article had a blurb about infant formula made with soy and how it can cause immunodeficiency in babies along with high estrogen levels in young males. To say that I thought this was disturbing would be putting things mildly. I think that parents hear "soy" and think that the super-food is what is best for their growing infant. Anyways, here are a couple of articles I found on the matter:
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
http://www.leaflady.org/soy.htm
From what I understand, this is old news. I didn't know it though, so I am sharing.
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
http://www.leaflady.org/soy.htm
From what I understand, this is old news. I didn't know it though, so I am sharing.
Monday, June 8, 2009
I know that it has been a while since my last blog and I left off with potentially bad news. The fact is that until this morning, I didn't know how things were doing with the baby and I didn't want to get redundant about my many worries. The signs that things aren't all what they should be are persisting. . . after more than 2 weeks. So I FINALLY talked a doctor into giving me another ultrasound (gotta love the Army health care system). I went in this morning and there was an 8 week old fetus in there! The gestational age was under by a couple of days, but I was told that it's normal. So yay. Everything is okay for now.
I also took the test for my German driver's license last Friday and I passed. A lot of people don't the first time, but what can I say. . . I am lazy and I had three months to learn the crap. No speckle smarts here. But hey, I can now leave stagnant little Dansenberg to go off and get sick of other places.
I just finished reading the BEST book that I have gotten my paws on in a long time. The Name of the Wind rocked my socks off. If you even have a slight interest in fantasy, you will love it. After reading Patrick Rothfuss' blog (author) I decided that I have a big crush on him and we're going to have chubby hairy babies one day. Sorry Miles. He has pretty brains.
Lea is doing really well. She got sick this past weekend and had the Unbreakable Fever from Hell. But we're past that now and on to bigger and better things. Like throwing fits in the middle of grocery stores. And biting. And kicking. Really though, she is a complete joy as long as she's getting her way. . . which she does as long as her way is my way. The talking has picked up to the point where her wants are not the slightest mystery to me. She'll say them until she screams them. We're actually backtracking and working on being subtle ;). Really though, she is so smart and sweet. She throws the occasional fit but they really aren't too bad. I am so proud of my sticky mcmonster.
I also took the test for my German driver's license last Friday and I passed. A lot of people don't the first time, but what can I say. . . I am lazy and I had three months to learn the crap. No speckle smarts here. But hey, I can now leave stagnant little Dansenberg to go off and get sick of other places.
I just finished reading the BEST book that I have gotten my paws on in a long time. The Name of the Wind rocked my socks off. If you even have a slight interest in fantasy, you will love it. After reading Patrick Rothfuss' blog (author) I decided that I have a big crush on him and we're going to have chubby hairy babies one day. Sorry Miles. He has pretty brains.
Lea is doing really well. She got sick this past weekend and had the Unbreakable Fever from Hell. But we're past that now and on to bigger and better things. Like throwing fits in the middle of grocery stores. And biting. And kicking. Really though, she is a complete joy as long as she's getting her way. . . which she does as long as her way is my way. The talking has picked up to the point where her wants are not the slightest mystery to me. She'll say them until she screams them. We're actually backtracking and working on being subtle ;). Really though, she is so smart and sweet. She throws the occasional fit but they really aren't too bad. I am so proud of my sticky mcmonster.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Rough Beginnings
Yesterday was pretty awful. I woke up just not feeling right. After taking Lea to the park and later laying her down for her nap, all I wanted to do was lay down myself. Soon I was experiencing some rather intense cramping followed by bleeding. Miles had been sitting with me and we were both worried enough to wake Lea and go to the ER. Hours later, I was told that although the pregnancy seems to be “okay”, there is bleeding at my uterine wall where the embryo is attempting to implant. Failure of the embryo to implant causes about three-fourths of lost pregnancies, and I am now at significant risk for miscarriage. There is nothing that I can do. No bed rest could help this and the doctor said that I could go running and it wouldn’t sway the outcome either way. Now I am waiting to see what happens and I am trying not to get depressed over this.
On that note, I am so thankful for Lea and for the fact that Miles is here with me. Something similar happened during my pregnancy with Lea (though it wasn’t exactly the same and I was put on partial bed rest with her), and now I have a perfectly healthy and wonderful little girl. I had to go through these same emotions alone before and having Miles with me now has made a world of difference. This may very well work out. So here’s hoping.
On that note, I am so thankful for Lea and for the fact that Miles is here with me. Something similar happened during my pregnancy with Lea (though it wasn’t exactly the same and I was put on partial bed rest with her), and now I have a perfectly healthy and wonderful little girl. I had to go through these same emotions alone before and having Miles with me now has made a world of difference. This may very well work out. So here’s hoping.
Friday, May 15, 2009
So this was week was week 2 of Lea's swim classes. It is so much fun and my neighbor and I bought 10 more classes for our girls. They have the lessons in a heated (but not hot) mineral pool inside of a spa that is designed to look like a Greek bathhouse (minus the orgies). It's so cool! The classes have been a lot of fun. My neighbor has to translate for me, but it works out. I feel so blessed that I have her in my life because she is one of the few things keeping me from a state of complete social isolation. Anyways, Lea did really well in her classes this week and I am pretty sure that she loves them. She looks adorable in a pair of swimmies.
So I went yesterday to have blood work done so that I can get a referral to an OB, and they confirmed that I am indeed pregnant. I am nervous in that first trimester kind of way. I think that, day and night, some corner of my brain is always begging God for a healthy baby.
So 7 days ago, we boarded Roscoe for the week. He has been VERY destructive sine we've been in Germany. the mouse incidednt was the iceburg's tip. Last week I was gone for an hour and returned to find the bathroom DESTROYED. 5 rolls of chewed up toilet paper sitting over an entire bag's worth of scattered potting soil complete with sporadic bits of piss and poo littered the bathroom. He obviously hadn't wanted me to go. It took hours to scrub out of the grout and I decided that we needed a little break. The place I took him allows the cats and dogs to run freely through the house and is only 2 Euro per day. They also have several small animals in sturdy cages that they keep up. I warned them, I really did. I told them that Ros is a killer, but 2 slaughtered rats and a Guinea pig later, I don't think that our dog will be welcomed back. Ugh.
So I went yesterday to have blood work done so that I can get a referral to an OB, and they confirmed that I am indeed pregnant. I am nervous in that first trimester kind of way. I think that, day and night, some corner of my brain is always begging God for a healthy baby.
So 7 days ago, we boarded Roscoe for the week. He has been VERY destructive sine we've been in Germany. the mouse incidednt was the iceburg's tip. Last week I was gone for an hour and returned to find the bathroom DESTROYED. 5 rolls of chewed up toilet paper sitting over an entire bag's worth of scattered potting soil complete with sporadic bits of piss and poo littered the bathroom. He obviously hadn't wanted me to go. It took hours to scrub out of the grout and I decided that we needed a little break. The place I took him allows the cats and dogs to run freely through the house and is only 2 Euro per day. They also have several small animals in sturdy cages that they keep up. I warned them, I really did. I told them that Ros is a killer, but 2 slaughtered rats and a Guinea pig later, I don't think that our dog will be welcomed back. Ugh.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
For Mother's Day, Two
Faintly positive EPTs as of yesterday evening and this morning. I am going to the doctor's ASAP to confirm, but from the way that I have been feeling the past few days, my hopes are pretty high. Why am I announcing so early? Well, for one, I think that like 2 people read my blog, and if things were to go wrong, I would want to talk about it.
I have some things to think about. First on the list of things that I can immediately do to help my sea monkey is make yesterday's my last cup of coffee for a long while. No more ridiculous amounts of candy, either (those who know me know that I generally can polish off a bag of Good and Plentys daily).
I want to be healthier this time than I was last time. When I was pregnant with Lea, I gained close to 60 lbs. I had so many people telling me in the start that I was too skinny and unhealthy looking that I quickly developed the habit of overeating. The weight made me hurt in horrible ways and it was a bitch to lose. I will be happy if I gain 30 lbs (give or take)this go around. I will not obsess over not gaining weight, but I am not going to stuff myself "for the baby". It's really not good for anyone.
I have a little one who just woke up, so I will leave off here. If you pray, please send a prayer our way. Happy Mother's Day to you moms.
I have some things to think about. First on the list of things that I can immediately do to help my sea monkey is make yesterday's my last cup of coffee for a long while. No more ridiculous amounts of candy, either (those who know me know that I generally can polish off a bag of Good and Plentys daily).
I want to be healthier this time than I was last time. When I was pregnant with Lea, I gained close to 60 lbs. I had so many people telling me in the start that I was too skinny and unhealthy looking that I quickly developed the habit of overeating. The weight made me hurt in horrible ways and it was a bitch to lose. I will be happy if I gain 30 lbs (give or take)this go around. I will not obsess over not gaining weight, but I am not going to stuff myself "for the baby". It's really not good for anyone.
I have a little one who just woke up, so I will leave off here. If you pray, please send a prayer our way. Happy Mother's Day to you moms.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Three Years
Today marks three years that Miles and I have been married. I weaseled my anniversary present out of him a day early and *YAY!* I got an Amazon Kindle. It's kind of like an ipod for books. I am so excited and my first book was the Kite Runner. I just read One Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author and bawled like a baby throughout. It was just amazing.
Anyways, present aside, I am pretty happy. Our road has not been easy by anyone's definition. In April of 2005, we were introduced by a mutual friend. Miles had been pestering him for months to set up a meeting and Wells (said mutual friend) was hesitant because he knew that I had a few hostile feelings towards men at that moment. A nightmare of a previous relationship will do that to you. Wells and Miles were only really friendly through work. They had to correspond through emails and had never actually met face to face. One day Wells was at the chow hall and ran into the nametag "Blanco". They sat down and ate together. Shortly afterwards, Well was sufficiently charmed into introducing us. This was a process I knew nothing about until much later. Apparently Miles had been bragging for quite a while that we were going to get married. . . even though I had no idea that he existed. Stalker :)
So anyways, I was working a 10am to 10 pm shift (I should mention that we were in Iraq) and Miles was working a 12am to 12pm. So after my shift I met wells outside where he was working and there was Miles. We went for a walk, and about 5 steps into it, I tripped on a wire and practically fell on my face. Miles always insists on telling this part because he said that that was when he knew for sure that I was the one. SO we walked and eventually sat down and talked until his shift. Our conversation was frequently halted by the firefight taking place less than a mile from where we sat. Through our whole first meeting, I never really saw his face because it was so dark out. When we started walking back, we passed under a light and I was thankful that I hadn't seen how hot he was before because I would have spent the whole conversation stuttering had I known. I would have fallen a lot more, too.
In the next few weeks, we saw eachother here and there. We were getting ready to leave and neither of us had any more time for 2 hour walks. I didn't even know if I would see him again when we got to Ft Drum. We had no cell phones yet and he was going home a week before me.
When I arrived home to the Welcome Home Ceremony, Miles was there looking rather adorable. My dad was also there. He later told me how nice he thought Miles was and asked if we were an item. I think I said something like "he's too pretty, and I think he knows it". This is something my dad still teases me for.
So now I am writing a book so I will wrap it up. It took us another 4 or 5 months to start dating. We both had baggage from previous relationships that we had to cut out of our lives. We were friends through it all and we traveled everywhere. When my brother had a stroke, it was Miles who drove me to see him. He was my best friend and has never stopped being this to me. We were stationed apart when we were married. We didn't actually live together until April of 08 when he arived home from a 15 month deployment to Iraq. He missed most of my pregnancy and most of Lea's first 6 months on this deployment. It was hard. We worked though it. This anniversary finds us in a good place both physically and in our relationship. I thank God for Miles every day.
!PS! We are officially TTC
Anyways, present aside, I am pretty happy. Our road has not been easy by anyone's definition. In April of 2005, we were introduced by a mutual friend. Miles had been pestering him for months to set up a meeting and Wells (said mutual friend) was hesitant because he knew that I had a few hostile feelings towards men at that moment. A nightmare of a previous relationship will do that to you. Wells and Miles were only really friendly through work. They had to correspond through emails and had never actually met face to face. One day Wells was at the chow hall and ran into the nametag "Blanco". They sat down and ate together. Shortly afterwards, Well was sufficiently charmed into introducing us. This was a process I knew nothing about until much later. Apparently Miles had been bragging for quite a while that we were going to get married. . . even though I had no idea that he existed. Stalker :)
So anyways, I was working a 10am to 10 pm shift (I should mention that we were in Iraq) and Miles was working a 12am to 12pm. So after my shift I met wells outside where he was working and there was Miles. We went for a walk, and about 5 steps into it, I tripped on a wire and practically fell on my face. Miles always insists on telling this part because he said that that was when he knew for sure that I was the one. SO we walked and eventually sat down and talked until his shift. Our conversation was frequently halted by the firefight taking place less than a mile from where we sat. Through our whole first meeting, I never really saw his face because it was so dark out. When we started walking back, we passed under a light and I was thankful that I hadn't seen how hot he was before because I would have spent the whole conversation stuttering had I known. I would have fallen a lot more, too.
In the next few weeks, we saw eachother here and there. We were getting ready to leave and neither of us had any more time for 2 hour walks. I didn't even know if I would see him again when we got to Ft Drum. We had no cell phones yet and he was going home a week before me.
When I arrived home to the Welcome Home Ceremony, Miles was there looking rather adorable. My dad was also there. He later told me how nice he thought Miles was and asked if we were an item. I think I said something like "he's too pretty, and I think he knows it". This is something my dad still teases me for.
So now I am writing a book so I will wrap it up. It took us another 4 or 5 months to start dating. We both had baggage from previous relationships that we had to cut out of our lives. We were friends through it all and we traveled everywhere. When my brother had a stroke, it was Miles who drove me to see him. He was my best friend and has never stopped being this to me. We were stationed apart when we were married. We didn't actually live together until April of 08 when he arived home from a 15 month deployment to Iraq. He missed most of my pregnancy and most of Lea's first 6 months on this deployment. It was hard. We worked though it. This anniversary finds us in a good place both physically and in our relationship. I thank God for Miles every day.
!PS! We are officially TTC
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
So really, I love this place! The culture is different for sure. When I first got here I wondered if the men all suffered from some mild form of Asperger’s because of their gruff, grumpy, anti social, anal retentiveness. Everything here is regulated somehow. Certainly not the land of the free (for example, when paying German taxes, they make you announce your religion and automatically mandate that you tithe). On the plus side of that, I have never seen a run-down German church. But it is like that with everything. So many rules. Once I got the hang of the seemingly endless stream of German laws, I really started to enjoy the end result. It is hard to believe that this country was war-torn more than once in the last century. The houses here are beautiful and I see no real poverty. My neighbor went to school in Berlin and he says that there are considerable issues with that part of Germany, but that it’s looking up. Speaking of my neighbors, I have been very lucky as far as they are concerned. They are so friendly and have a daughter Lea’s age. They both know English well enough that the language barrier is not a real problem. I am hoping that we can be good friends.
We have house plants galore now. I am particularly fond of the ficcus trees and my window ledge herb garden (so far mint, mushroom rosemary, and the all time favorite: basil). The only thing is that when we leave we will not be able to bring them. Which is sad.
I have been busting my butt trying to get the house in order. Our dining room set finally arrives tomorrow! Just in time for us to learn that our television will never work on German cable and that we must retire our 10 year old model for an HDTV. To say I am bummed out by this would be an understatement, but we are getting tax returns and so we are covered.
I have been obsessing over Lea having something like a play house. I researched them but they all seemed way too expensive for what they were. Honestly, 400 bucks for a few pounds of gaudy plastic?! Miles hated the look of them as well. Then like a sign from God, we were at the German hardware store Praktikar yesterday and we found wooden play houses with floors inside for 150 Euro. Through VAT forms (sales tax here is 20 percent and it’s included in the price. American soldiers can purchase forms which take off that tax. Yay America), and the sale that is going on today, we are getting it for 40% off. I suspect that there will be much assembly required, though. I will post pictures when we put it together.
There is more that is new with Lea and life in general, but I am an ADD kid and I don’t want to type anymore.
We have house plants galore now. I am particularly fond of the ficcus trees and my window ledge herb garden (so far mint, mushroom rosemary, and the all time favorite: basil). The only thing is that when we leave we will not be able to bring them. Which is sad.
I have been busting my butt trying to get the house in order. Our dining room set finally arrives tomorrow! Just in time for us to learn that our television will never work on German cable and that we must retire our 10 year old model for an HDTV. To say I am bummed out by this would be an understatement, but we are getting tax returns and so we are covered.
I have been obsessing over Lea having something like a play house. I researched them but they all seemed way too expensive for what they were. Honestly, 400 bucks for a few pounds of gaudy plastic?! Miles hated the look of them as well. Then like a sign from God, we were at the German hardware store Praktikar yesterday and we found wooden play houses with floors inside for 150 Euro. Through VAT forms (sales tax here is 20 percent and it’s included in the price. American soldiers can purchase forms which take off that tax. Yay America), and the sale that is going on today, we are getting it for 40% off. I suspect that there will be much assembly required, though. I will post pictures when we put it together.
There is more that is new with Lea and life in general, but I am an ADD kid and I don’t want to type anymore.
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