Triality

This picture is inspired by this photo.

The female breast is quite functional and more often than not in the United States, is recognized and appreciated for the function on your left (my right).

Breastfeeding (especially the breastfeeding of a two year old) is often seen as gross, dirty, unnecessary, and something that gets in the way of the aforementioned man-centered function. Those things couldn't be further from the truth.

It boggles my mind to think about the double standards in our society regarding female breasts:

Big, bouncy, and out of control for a man's (or female's) pleasure? Quite all right. More than all right, in fact. Breasts can sell everything from cars to hamburgers.

Milk producing and attached to an infant and a (shock, gasp) toddler? Put those pillowcases away you crazy hippie.

The idea that breasts for sexual pleasure and breasts for breastfeeding are mutually exclusive is totally and completely wrong. Breasts are for both.

Even more than that, MY breasts are for ME.

Mother Culture

I am so digging her work.

Check it out.

In the news

YAY!!!!!!!

YAY for new laws but BOO that we even need laws in the first place and double BOO on the decreasing rates.

File this under "tell me something I don't already know".

Goose is two

I swear, I'm taking Goose turning two much harder than I ever took me turning thirty... and well, considering it didn't bother me a bit to hit the big 3-0 (I'm like fine wine, baby), one could say that the Goose turning two is hitting me pretty hard.

MY BABY IS TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

MAKE IT ALL SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whew.... now that I have THAT out of my system.

I just can't believe "my baby" and "two years old" even go together in the same sentence. I look forward to watching her grow and change and mature but for some reason- perhaps because she is the youngest... or perhaps because she it still nursing- I view her as being such a... well... baby.

Two trips around the sun does not a baby make.

Sigh.

We did have a great day today. While I worked a half day, the husband took the kiddos to the park, zoo, and McDonald's where they all had a blast. When I came home from work I meant to use the time getting ready for the Goose's second birthday party on Sunday but instead I napped in bed with the husband and the Gavinator while Goose napped in her room.

We all woke up and enjoyed a dinner at Red Robin where the kids got free ballons and a visit from the Red Robin itself (Goose fell in love with Red Robin! She hugged and kissed him and dude will not stop talking about it. As soon as she got home she picked up her fake phone and began to tell whoever was on the other end "hug, kiss, Robin. Hug, kiss, Robin". I see she's the type to kiss and tell) but no free birthday cake. I was bummed about not getting a birthday freebie so I took another balloon. Take that Red Robin!

We then went downtown and listened to some good music while the kiddos munched on Marble Slab ice cream and chased a bunch of other kids around in the green space- an awesome patch of grass in the middle of our downtown. Unfortunately, the Goose took off running on the sidewalk and crashed and burned and wound up with a giant fat lip but she recovered nicely. Some motrin and time with Boo Boo Bunny (a frozen bunny rabbit used to reduce swelling) once we got home made it all better. I was afraid it would affect her nursing to have a lip three times its usual side with a giant cut to boot but she was able to nurse without problem.

An awesome day for my awesome girl.

I'm too tired to upload pics from our day but here is my photo tribute entitled "Where This Road Takes You, My Dear". (Click to enlarge) This photo says all that I am too tired to say:



Happy Birthday, my sweet, sweet wonderful girl. Thank you, God.

Image of the Day!

The Gavinator was Image of the Day over at Parent Dish yesterday!

I really dig the picture they chose:



It was taken by the husband but processed by me. Were a good team.

Oh.... sigh.... I'll have a post up later about how distraught I am that my BABY girl is TWO today.

Redemption

The boy. He has finally redeemed himself.

While Gavin was struggling to take a poop (yes, in his diaper... I have decided his college roommates can potty train him), he informed me "mommy, it's hard to poop." In my very best dietetic tone I told him, "well, you know what you need to eat more of", to which he gleefully replied "FIBER!!!!!!!!!". I asked him "do you know what foods have fiber in them?" and he answered "kashi, fruits, and vegetables."

Then later that day he came across a magazine I left in the living room and said "oh, I need to put this up!" So he picked up the magazine and put it in the bathroom.

Ok, so my kid can't crap in a toilet BUT he has a firm grasp on the nutrional/gastrointestinal implications of fiber, good dietary sources of soluble and insoluble fiber, AND the need for reading materials in the bathroom.

Booyah.

Hallelujah

(Click and enlarge)










Hear it here.

Heaven must have programmed you

Hear it here (oh how I love this song).

Officially old

Oh my gosh... I was just listening to John Tesh's radio show and they played Blues Traveler's "Runaround".

Runaround.

The song that circa 1995 was blasted from my stereo day and night. The song that was played during dozens of college cookouts at our ultra cool apartment on Jones Avenue in Morgantown... the song that was played at every frat party that spring... the song that I rocked out to the summer of 1996 at the H.O.R.D.E Festival in Pittsburgh AND Cincinnati... the song that embodies my youth...

The song that is now being played on adult contemporary radio shows.

Ummmmm....

Oh my gosh... I listen to John Tesh's radio show.

I'm old.

Warning: Boob-related rant ahead

Three of my good friends just had babies and that means three things:

1. My ovaries are achin’ like crazy
2. I am constantly being regaled with stories of all night feedings, C-section staples and scars, and changes in color and amount of lochia … thus ending the aching in my ovaries.
3. I get to talk about BOOBIES!!!!!! Woot woot!


I think that given my profession, time spent hosting on Babycenter, time spent breastfeeding and pumping, and my willingness to discuss everything from plugged ducts to breast compressions anywhere and everywhere, I am considered somewhat of a “go to” gal when it comes to all things lactation. I have probably said “seedy, mustard-colored poop” and “breast” in the same sentence while touching my own breasts (because for some reason when talking about breastfeeding I get all “tune in Tokyo” with my self) than legally allowed in 47 states.

I’m in heaven.

The only downside to this poop-breast-touchingmyself cocktail party that I have going on is that I have to hear all the awful, awful advice my struggling friends have received from family, friends (friends of the non-booby loving variety), and DOCTORS!!!!!

Argh! Doctors who don’t know nothing about no boobies are the bane of my existence! I can almost forgive the “well-meaning” family members and friends; like all of us they were probably brought up in a formula/bottle feeding culture and they don’t know anything but doctors!?! Either admit that you don’t know anything about breastfeeding and send your patient on their merry way to a lactation consultant or take a class and buy a book! I am seriously wondering if there is a class intended only to teach OBGYNs and pediatricians how to perfect the art of saying “you need to supplement with one ounce of formula after each feeding” as the answer to any and every breastfeeding ailment.

Before people who don’t know me read this and think I’m all anti-medicine (hello, I work in the medical field) and anti-formula (hello, my son received gallons upon gallons of formula during the first 16 months of his life), let me just say that I am NOT anti-medicine and I am not anti-formula.

I am merely anti-ignorance and anti- the firm grip formula companies have on the medical field.

I am anti- doctors learning everything they think they need to know about breastfeeding from the back of an Enfamil can.

We live in a society where everything is “well, the doctor said…” and people don’t take active roles in their healthcare so every time a breastfeeding advocate without M.D. after their name speaks up against the old “give ‘em formula” line perfected in medical school with advice based upon current lactation science, advocates are made to look like crazy hippies running around with eight year olds hanging off their boobs screaming “don’t believe your doctor!!!!”

Honestly, I think if doctors would suck it up and just shut the hell up and admit they don’t know anything about breastfeeding and then pass the torch to those who do- no matter if they have MD after their name or not- then I think it would do wonders for breastfeeding rates in this country. It is so difficult to advocate breastfeeding when it goes against what "the doctor said".

Fortunately, my friend trusted my judgment and went to a lactation consultant and had everything I told her confirmed verbatim (even I don’t pretend to be a lactation consultant) and things are now going swimmingly. Well, as swimmingly as life with a newborn can go.

A week in pictures

(Click to enlarge)

Gavin's Graduation

They are sitting in front of the Ten Commandments... apparently the 11th commandment is thou shalt not both look and smile at the camera at the same time.




Balloon Festival
















Gavin's first gymnastics meet:




Playing at a friend's house

She kept trying to pick the baby up and feed her by dropping chex mix on her head:




Memorial Day Party

I don't know who was more freaked out... her or the talking flamingo:




A storm

Trying something new with my photography:





Three full rows in Explore!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I'm about to lose control and I just can't hide it!!!