January 22, 2013

1 Year Old

I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this but I couldnt wait because I was so excited. Violet turns 1 tomorrow at 3:40pm. Its so crazy how fast this babies first year went. With the normal day to life of a 4 person family this slipped right up onto us. I thought I would talk about the day she was born!

The night before the 23rd I coudlnt sleep. Its different when you KNOW your going to have a baby. With Sophie my water broke so I had no idea. I told Jared over and over in tears that I didnt think I could go through with it and that I had planned to go to Mexico and see if they would let me give birth in a hospital with my breech baby. He reminded me that with my special uterus this was best because there ISNT any studies done on delivering a breech baby with bicornuate uterus and it being safe. I just wanted my baby safe and that was all that mattered. That morning my dad was going to help me take my math final so I wouldnt have to do it with a new baby and because he knew it would help take my mind off things. So all morning we took the test which I ended up getting a C- on anyways haha! After the test myself, my mom, and Jared drove up to Olympia to have you. I remember it feeling like I was going to a Dr.s appt...reall odd. They brought me back and set me up for prep. Due to the storm they informed me that my Dr. had forgotten she had me scheduled and the only Dr. I had available was a Dr. I disliked. I was really upset. I remember going into a fog and blocking the world out around me. Jared, myself, and a nurse walked down the hall to the OR room. As we reached the doors I let go of Jareds hand and felt really sad for a second. I expected a really cold room..but it was amazing. The walls were painted PURPLE! It was like they new you were coming and painted them just for you! I was very scared but the Anethesiologist giving me the spinal was like another support partner and he made me feel very safe. Jared came back in and held my hand and we waited for you. 20 minutes later we heard the sweetest tinyest little lamb cry and you were born. 7.8lbs 19 1/2 inches at 3:40pm (1 minute before mama was born)

VIDEO BELOW!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK7eJ0tODlw

January 21, 2013

The Mommy Wars



Social media has started something horrible that has spun out of control. Unless your a mother or parent you probably would have no idea about this. Facebook started the ability to see into peoples lives and it has only gotten worse because now people WANT to share anything and everything to do with their lives. Now I see the following topics all over the internet and it makes me ill. Here they are and Im sure millions more could be added to the list:

1.) You should breastfeed / You should not breastfeed
2.) Breastfeeding in public is gross/ Breastfeeding in public is our right
3.) Circumcision is bad / Circumcision is okay
4.) Dont let your baby CIO / Babies can CIO just fine
5.) I proudly spank / Spanking is horrible
6.) I pierce my babies ears because its cute / I dont pierce my babies ears because its horrible
7.) I co sleep / Co sleeping is bad
8.) I baby wear / I don't hold my baby because I don't want to spoil them
9.) I front face in a car seat early / I rear face as long as possible
10.) Dont feed solids to a baby before 6 months / We give solids at 4 months
11.) Medications for children / Holistic approach for children
12.) Vaccinations are bad / Vaccinations are good
13.) Young mothers/ older mothers
14.) C-sections are great / natural birth all the way.
15.) McD's all the way! / no meat/dairy/soy/gluten for MY child

..the list can go ON!

I have no desire to share my view on these subjects because I've grown tired of it. I will admit I fell for it and would go around preaching what I thought was right on some of these subjects for awhile. Then I realized the world has gotten this far on differing opinions. I mean.. I'm SURE we can find studies done on things and view them as proof but use that proof for your own child..dont push it onto another mother. Every time I see someone passively aggressively posting something in regards to their opinion as if its better than anyone else I do the whole "point your finger in your mouth as if your gagging" impression. For the longest time I really thought that when someone shared their opinion and another mom disagreed it was because she wasn't comfortable with her own decisions as a parent. I feel as a mother who is incredibly happy with her choices (which are completely half and half on the above topics) I still get bothered by someone posting or downgrading a parents choice. Its okay to be proud of a choice you made but make sure you are doing it without putting down another fellow mama.

I could go on and on about how much this annoys me BUT Ill just end it with this. Next time you feel the need to judge someone's parental decision remember you have your own child to raise. You can NEVER be a perfect parent as long as you try. As soon as your child becomes a teenager I can almost bet you they will find something to complain about. So why bother? What are you trying to prove? Get off social media sites and just be a mom..or get on social media sites and support other moms to be courageous in their parenting choices no matter what they are.

January 13, 2013

Way overdue





No but really. I am becoming a bit excited about the fact that very soon and possibly on the weekend of my birthday, Jared and I will be having our very own first vacation away from the kids. Im saying...not even since Sophie...have Jared and I ever been away from the kids for an overnight vacation. Ive been obsessing over plans and I laugh at myself because I will always find a hotel and start looking into wether or not they have cribs!? Im so not used to this. I find it pretty sad that in almost 5 years we havent done this. We never even had a honeymoon after our wedding!


January 5, 2013

You just cant be prepared...

...enough for the start of weaning.
I had visions when I first started breastfeeding Violet. I was going to let her self wean. This meant she could decide when we would be done. I didnt see this happening until at least 18 months was my goal. She is turning one in a couple weeks and I have to face the fact..my little baby girl is starting to wean. I dont know how long this will last...weeks or months...Im hoping for months. Afterawhile breastfeeding becomes second nature to you..like when you brush your teeth. Can you imagine no longer brushing your teeth? I know we have made it to the most important goals (1) but I still cant help but feel devastated. This is our special time. Violet and I fought long and hard to have it with all of the weight issues she had...so for it to be stopped to shortly feels cruel. I think the truth is that its been so much work lately that we are both tired of fighting. So from this day forward Im no longer going to push it on her and let her decide when she wants to nurse. I have plenty of pics to remember this by and I know this will only be one hurdle. My baby is growing up....

January 1, 2013

Happy New Year!

2012 was one of my favorite years as our gorgeous baby Violet was born in it. Im sad its gone but Im looking forward to 2013. A LOT of awesome things are coming our way. First off, if everything goes well I should be starting my IBCLC program in Portland this Spring. It has been really hard being patient and having to wait longer than I thought to go but Im sure in the end it will be all worth it. I have a family and wont be able to go full time but once again I can be patient because this IS my dream job.

Another thing we are looking forward to is Violet's first Birthday. It is CRAZY to think it has already been a year. It feels like just yesterday we were experiencing that snow storm when we went in to have her. She came in with a bang and has been our little sweetheart ever since. There are definitely more babies in store for us but currently Im just looking forward to enojoying our two girls and focusing on FINISHING my degree!

We are thinking about putting Sophie in some sort of activity outside the home. We tried ballet awhile ago but she was so rambuncous we took her out. She is mroe calm now so we are rethinking that again..or swimming lessons. We just want her to be able to have something special all her own and get some of that 3 year old energy out at the same time.

Jared is still in school working on his Bachelors in Sociology. He has about another year left but he is getting closer! I feel like everything is starting to fall into place and if we play our cards right we COULD be looking into getting our own home in a year or two. We will also probably be moving out of Lewis County but nothing is for certain. We have had plans for a LONG time to move up to Olympia as soon as we finished school. I would love to get a job at the hospital and Jared would have SO many more work options up there. but again...in a year or two...Im patient.

Lastly, this year I really want to focus on my health. Last year after the baby I was so busy being a motehr of two that I ate out..a lot. I dont want to subject my family to that type of lifestyle so I plan to make more meals at home and be more healthy. We recently got a gym membership and it was a great idea. We both get a break from the kids (haha) and get to work out at the same time.

Happy 2013!