There. Now those of you who are squeamish at the thought can skip this post and go on with your lives.
So I've been thinking about breastfeeding for awhile - long enough to blog about it.
I've never been one of those women who adore breastfeeding, who love breastfeeding, who gush about what a bonding experience it is to breastfeed your child. I've also never been entirely eager to whip out the boob. That being said I'm way more free second time around. If I'm around family and Jude needs to eat, the boob comes out. Otherwise I'm armed with my trusty Hooter Hider (that's its actual name!) nursing cover.
But my reasons for breastfeeding are simple:
1. It's free. Formula is so expensive. I remember gasping in shock when I purchased a tin of it as I started weaning Noah off the boob. So expensive! And especially now as newborns eat so much and so often I can't imagine all the formula I'd go through. Which leads to my next point...
2. It's easy (in a matter of speaking). It's easy in that I don't have to prepare a bottle, measure out formula, boil water and let it come to room temperature and then clean it all out (which can be particularly pesky with all the little parts bottles come with these days). Sure it's not "easy" at first getting the technique and getting baby to latch properly but if you stick with it long enough it is easy.
So...while everyone knows "breast is best" for baby and all the stuff you hear...I'm not going to push it on any mother for the wonderful experience because you can have that experience when you bottle feed your child.
Sure I loved doing the "dream feed" with Noah at around 10pm every night - he was so sweetly sleeping and he could eat in his sleep (something Jude has not mastered quite yet...almost, but not quite) and I always looked forward to seeing what position he'd be lying in or what his facial expression would be. It was a sweet experience, but not exclusive to breastfeeding by any means.
Anyway...I just wanted to put that out there for the blogosphere to know. I breastfeed, but purely for practical reasons.
I'm lazy and I'm cheap.
And there you have it, folks.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
lured
It's 11:48pm and do you know where your children are?
I know where mine are.
In bed.
Asleep.
Where I should be.
Dang. Why is it that I am lured by the siren call of the internet? So much to read, catch up on, social media stuff (uh...anyone tweet me yet?) and oh yes...blogging. I officially have no time to blog during the day time and evenings are when Jamie and I hang out/catch up/have "dates" so when is there left to blog? Nights.
Dang. I promised myself I'd get to bed earlier and I will pay for it tomorrow. Or tonight.
OR MAYBE
Jude will sleep through the night tonight!!!!
Yeah.
maybe.
Yes. I just spent the last (I can't do math this late) 4 minutes blogging this when I could have been brushing my teeth before hopping into bed.
I know where mine are.
In bed.
Asleep.
Where I should be.
Dang. Why is it that I am lured by the siren call of the internet? So much to read, catch up on, social media stuff (uh...anyone tweet me yet?) and oh yes...blogging. I officially have no time to blog during the day time and evenings are when Jamie and I hang out/catch up/have "dates" so when is there left to blog? Nights.
Dang. I promised myself I'd get to bed earlier and I will pay for it tomorrow. Or tonight.
OR MAYBE
Jude will sleep through the night tonight!!!!
Yeah.
maybe.
Yes. I just spent the last (I can't do math this late) 4 minutes blogging this when I could have been brushing my teeth before hopping into bed.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
being a sick mommy
The other day I took a call from a co-worker of Jamie's.
She asked how my weekend was and I told her that it was okay but not great because I had got a cold. She then said she could totally relate. Part of me wanted to stop her right there and tell her she likely could NOT relate but I thought that would be rude and she proceeded to tell me how she too had come down with some sort of sickness and spent Saturday sleeping. That same part of me (the rude part) then wanted to say something to the effect of, "And that is the difference between those who have kids and those who don't." Spending Saturday in bed (sick or not) sounds amazing right about now.
Is there really a better way to spend your day than in bed?!?!
In my current sleep-deprived state, I think not.
Anyway, the rude part of me did not say those things (my filter still works at this point) and we commiserated about how rough it is to be sick.
But...that's one of the downsides of being a Mom. And I guess I just need to suck it up. Because there are a lot of upsides. :)
She asked how my weekend was and I told her that it was okay but not great because I had got a cold. She then said she could totally relate. Part of me wanted to stop her right there and tell her she likely could NOT relate but I thought that would be rude and she proceeded to tell me how she too had come down with some sort of sickness and spent Saturday sleeping. That same part of me (the rude part) then wanted to say something to the effect of, "And that is the difference between those who have kids and those who don't." Spending Saturday in bed (sick or not) sounds amazing right about now.
Is there really a better way to spend your day than in bed?!?!
In my current sleep-deprived state, I think not.
Anyway, the rude part of me did not say those things (my filter still works at this point) and we commiserated about how rough it is to be sick.
But...that's one of the downsides of being a Mom. And I guess I just need to suck it up. Because there are a lot of upsides. :)
Friday, September 18, 2009
full
As I look forward to this next year I'm so excited!
Who knew my life could be so full and exciting?!
Here are some things I'm excited about both little and big (in chronological order):
1. October 2-4 - I'll be up North in beautiful Haliburton with my boys and about 200 university students on a C4C retreat. I love it at this time of year - the air is so fresh, the leaves are gorgeous and the lake is so relaxing. I'm sure Noah will love tromping around outside.
2. October 5th? - or around this time I hope to go to Chudleigh's apple farm with our friends and their kids. It's nice to just be outside, picking apples and seeing Noah discover and enjoy new things. We did this last year and it was so much fun! Plus...eating apples off the tree...priceless.
3. Thanksgiving! Love it.
4. My birthday! October 21st. I don't have anything planned yet...not sure if I will or not, but birthdays are always fun.
5. Noah's birthday! He turns 2 on October 25th. I can't believe I'll have a 2 year old! I want to make these for him.
6. Jamie's birthday! He turns 28 on November 6th. Maybe we'll do something fun! :)
7. Christmas! Although I do enjoy Christmas it has lately become busy and slightly stressful. I'd like to take more time this year to enjoy it and prepare my heart more this year as I build into my boys the true meaning of Christmas.
8. My sister's wedding! She gets married on February 27th and I'm the maid (okay, so I'm really a matron...but whatever) of honour! What a privilege and a blessing.
9. Panama!!! Jamie and I will be taking the boys and going to Panama for a missions trip in May & June and I'm actually pretty excited about it. I've always loved traveling and now that I've done it a bit more with kids, I think it'll be fun! Well, the being there will likely be more fun than the GETTING there, but...yay!
10. My bestie's wedding!!! My beautiful friend Tamsin is getting married in July and she's asked me to be her maid (yes, yes...whatever on the matron) of honour - and she's getting married in ENGLAND! So likely I'll be taking Jude with me while Jamie goes to a work conference and Noah stays with Grandma for the week.
Anyway, with 2 boys and all this coming up it surely is a full and blessed life.
Now...how to keep the main thing the main thing? I guess that's another post for another time.
Who knew my life could be so full and exciting?!
Here are some things I'm excited about both little and big (in chronological order):
1. October 2-4 - I'll be up North in beautiful Haliburton with my boys and about 200 university students on a C4C retreat. I love it at this time of year - the air is so fresh, the leaves are gorgeous and the lake is so relaxing. I'm sure Noah will love tromping around outside.
2. October 5th? - or around this time I hope to go to Chudleigh's apple farm with our friends and their kids. It's nice to just be outside, picking apples and seeing Noah discover and enjoy new things. We did this last year and it was so much fun! Plus...eating apples off the tree...priceless.
3. Thanksgiving! Love it.
4. My birthday! October 21st. I don't have anything planned yet...not sure if I will or not, but birthdays are always fun.
5. Noah's birthday! He turns 2 on October 25th. I can't believe I'll have a 2 year old! I want to make these for him.
6. Jamie's birthday! He turns 28 on November 6th. Maybe we'll do something fun! :)
7. Christmas! Although I do enjoy Christmas it has lately become busy and slightly stressful. I'd like to take more time this year to enjoy it and prepare my heart more this year as I build into my boys the true meaning of Christmas.
8. My sister's wedding! She gets married on February 27th and I'm the maid (okay, so I'm really a matron...but whatever) of honour! What a privilege and a blessing.
9. Panama!!! Jamie and I will be taking the boys and going to Panama for a missions trip in May & June and I'm actually pretty excited about it. I've always loved traveling and now that I've done it a bit more with kids, I think it'll be fun! Well, the being there will likely be more fun than the GETTING there, but...yay!
10. My bestie's wedding!!! My beautiful friend Tamsin is getting married in July and she's asked me to be her maid (yes, yes...whatever on the matron) of honour - and she's getting married in ENGLAND! So likely I'll be taking Jude with me while Jamie goes to a work conference and Noah stays with Grandma for the week.
Anyway, with 2 boys and all this coming up it surely is a full and blessed life.
Now...how to keep the main thing the main thing? I guess that's another post for another time.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
tired
What I wouldn't give for some more sleep. In fact, a dream weekend for me would be to sleep for the entire duration of it.
Last night I got Jude to bed before the 10pm feed but then when I tried to get him to feed at around 10:30pm he wouldn't wake up and he wouldn't eat in his sleep.
So I went to bed and Jude woke up at 12:30am. Grunting, farting but not eating. It was really frustrating and I felt like I was going to drop from exhaustion.
So I put him back down after a few sips at the boob since he didn't seem interested.
He woke up at around 3am I think - same thing happened.
Woke up at 5:30am - lather, rinse, repeat.
Sigh.
I am tired. I want more sleep. And I would like it right now.
We are forgoing church this morning as Jamie's working on campus all day today and I just don't have it in me to take 2 little ones by myself (and likely end up in Noah's classroom for the whole service anyway).
I'm tired.
Last night I got Jude to bed before the 10pm feed but then when I tried to get him to feed at around 10:30pm he wouldn't wake up and he wouldn't eat in his sleep.
So I went to bed and Jude woke up at 12:30am. Grunting, farting but not eating. It was really frustrating and I felt like I was going to drop from exhaustion.
So I put him back down after a few sips at the boob since he didn't seem interested.
He woke up at around 3am I think - same thing happened.
Woke up at 5:30am - lather, rinse, repeat.
Sigh.
I am tired. I want more sleep. And I would like it right now.
We are forgoing church this morning as Jamie's working on campus all day today and I just don't have it in me to take 2 little ones by myself (and likely end up in Noah's classroom for the whole service anyway).
I'm tired.