tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81104094859533927782024-02-20T02:39:38.313-08:00Not CrunchyI'm not anti-crunchy. I agree with a lot of crunchy ideas. I'm just not that crunchy. But, I am anti-people thinking I'm going to be a terrible parent if I don't follow the "rules".Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-26812374206867928572009-06-20T18:15:00.000-07:002009-06-20T18:27:48.397-07:00Craft-y? Me?I wasn't always. I'm still inclined to say that I'm not. Yet somehow craft bunnies keep exploding their population in my head. Just got back from Michael's (and Old Navy, Target and Great Clips). There, I picked up 150 blank heavy cardstock cards and envelopes, a punch that can make 1"x1 1/2" envelopes, and a couple of mini-punches - a cupid and a dove. They are added to the Martha Stewart Double Craft Elephant Punch I got this week. What about paper? I have near unlimited access to 80# cardstock that was already bound for the recycle-bin, so my punches will be "upcycled". My husband already has an alphabet stamp set (he's always been the crafty one), so I'm about to embark on a new world of card and DIY supply making.<br /><br />Weird.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-54012023822839883042009-06-19T11:00:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:01:29.546-07:00Pancake/Mini-muffin Hack (Recipe)Ingredients:<br />1 1/4c Bisquick Heart Healthy Pancake mix<br />1 egg<br />1/2c 2% organic lactose free cow milk<br />1/2c coconut milk <br />1/4c hemp milk<br />1 jar banana & peach stage 2 baby food <br />1 tbsn sugar<br />pinch salt<br /><br />1. Mix all ingredients together.<br />2. Spray a 24 muffin mini muffin tin ALL OVER (not just in the muffin repositories) with Pam<br />3. Spoon mixture into each repository<br />4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a fork comes out of a muffin "clean"<br /><br />Makes 24 mini-muffins.<br /><br />Ok, so the ingredients and this recipe need an explanation. <br /><br />First the recipe:<br />Em has become a bona fide meat-atarian, and getting her to eat vegetables or fully eat fruit is a challenge most of the time. Things that she loved when she was younger, or yesterday can be rejected for no particular reason. We also have about a dozen and a half jars of baby food that were graciously donated to us from a mom of a baby girl a few months older than Em. But, since we never really did jarred foods, they've gone uneaten. <br /><br />SO! I thought, well, I can mix a jar or two into pancakes and those can be good healthy snacks for her. Last night while mixing up the batter, I was irritated by the thought of getting out the griddle, "slaving" over the pancakes and moreso by the necessity of cleaning said griddle after the cooking.<br /><br />SO, I thought: mini muffins! I added the last two ingredients to get closer to a muffin/quickbread recipe, but I suspect they're not really necessary.<br /><br />Ok, now the ingredient explanation:<br />1. Pancake mix - this is what we had in the house.<br />2. The various milks - the recipe called for cow milk, I'm trying to get rid of the coconut milk and we're weaning Em onto hemp milk. So, I just mixed them all in.<br />3. Peaches & bananas seemed a more likely complement to pancakes than squash. But, make no mistake, I plan to use up the squash and carrot jars too. I think the recipe could stand to have another jar of food in it if the milks are reduced. <br /><br />These were good, and Em and I shared two mini-muffins last night before bed. 2-3 muffins would make a perfect snack for either one of us. I'm looking forward to making these again.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-28164696725893009132009-06-18T11:36:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:11:12.403-07:00One year later...I'm reminded that I should probably do a recap on where I am in the "not that crunchy" world...So, this is an update on <a href="http://notcrunchy.blogspot.com/2008/05/why-im-not-crunchy.html">this post</a>. It was made a month before baby girl was born, so even I'm interested to see if/how I've changed. EDIT: Before typing this up, I was pretty sure that I've mellowed out. After, I know that I have. And my pre-becoming-a-mom self would have been pretty irritated at mellowing. Post-becoming-a-mom? Mellow is GOOD. :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Home Births:</span> I'm still about the same. Lots of respect for moms who were able to swing them w/no problems.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Breastfeeding:</span> I'm even more adamant about how important this is for all babies. I'm still not going to harp at someone who through whatever decision process has arrived at formula. But I'll be darned sure that I've provided all the support I can to avoid it if possible!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Babywearing:</span> Great if you can do it. We tried all sorts of slings, and other baby-wearing items. But, every one was uncomfortable/impractical for a variety of reasons. The good news is, we still carry baby girl everywhere, so she still gets the benefits of babywearing - we just lose the benefit of having both hands available for other things.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Vaccinations:</span> We are still following a stagger, refuse and/or delay schedule. I'm well aware of what is required by state law to enter school and I'm planning to that, but still on our own time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Male Circumcision:</span> I'm more against it now than I was a year ago, but I'm still of the opinion that its not my business to sway somebody one way or another. We all choose different things for our families.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Female Ear Piercing:</span> I've decided to wait until baby girl asks for it. And I will take her whenever that is, whether she's 2 or 12. More than anything its having seen her play with her ears all the time without earrings that's been stopping me. Still have no problem with it on other girls whether they're 3 months or 3 years.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cloth Diapering:</span> Same. I found a place that delivers in the area finally, but ran the numbers and saw that we are actually saving money on diapers, since baby girl only goes through about 4-5 a day. We'd be going through more with cloth and have to deal with making sure we keep up with deliveries and leaving the old diapers out.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Homemade Food:</span> This is where I changed most radically. Upon moving to baby girl's 6 month birthday the more research I did, the more I realized that Baby-Led Weaning was for us. Its easy, its gloriously lazy, and it is so much fun. I couldn't fathom the idea of laboriously making food just to have it refused and/or wasted. And this way, baby girl gets to really participate in meal times.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Stay-at-home parenting: </span>Its working for us. Finding the balance is the hardest part. Some days we're there. Other days, we limp towards slightly off-kilter.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Co-sleeping:</span> More than a few handfuls of times, baby girl did sleep in bed with us when we felt like she needed the added security. She's still in her crib in our room and the next stop is moving her to her own room. Here's hoping both she and I can survive it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Homeschooling/Unschooling:</span> I've also changed up a bit here. Though my stepdaughter will be homeschooled, we've decided that a public charter school will be best for baby girl. Unfortunately, it only goes to 6th grade, which is the only reason my stepdaughter couldn't apply (she'll be going into 9th!). I'm SO excited about getting her into this school. They have Latin & Greek studies, but more than that, a much richer curriculum AND higher ratings in all the standard school criteria than any of the public school district schools in our area. <br /><br />So...I'm still not that crunchy, but I think I've crunched up a little bit in some areas and softened even more in others.<br /><br />Baby girl's stats @ birth: 6lbs 13oz, 19.5in<br />Baby girl's stats @ 12 months: 19lbs 8oz, 29.5inHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-30366307108990674482009-06-17T10:53:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:11:35.474-07:00We're weaning to hemp milk. Here's why:- I've pumped for her (EPing), for her whole life, and figured that if she hasn't had the need for formula at this point in her life, why start now? <br /><br />- Baby girl is lactose intolerant. We'll try cow milk again when she's older to see if that improves, but I'm not going to deal with immediate nasty diapers every time we give her any significant amount (1oz or more) liquid milk products right now. <br /><br />- I have issues with soy due to thyroid problems in me AND the family, so I won't give that to her. <br /><br />- Rice milk is all carbs, and no protein or fat <br /><br />- Coconut milk is all fat, and no protein or carb <br /><br />- Raw milk (cow or goat) is hard to come by for us and is super expensive. <br /><br />- Goat milk is pretty expensive, and also not the easiest to come by. <br /><br />- We have obesity, cholesterol issues and heart disease in the family. When babies older than 12 months have a family history like that, the AAP recommends 2% milk instead of whole cow milk. <br /><br />- Hemp milk's nutritionals (calories, fat, protein, carb) are similar 2% milk, and has natural omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids in addition to a good spectrum of vitamins also similar to cow milk <br /><br />Just wanted to share our process of deciding what to wean to. At the moment, I'm still providing 15oz of EBM daily, but starting next month or so, I'm going to start dropping down the amount we give her so that I can start stashing enough to get her to 2 years after I'm done pumping. <br /><br />I know its been a while since I've posted. I'm hoping to get into a regular groove.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-65183030534391101032009-05-12T11:06:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:11:49.730-07:00Flying with BabyWe flew ALL carryon. If I had to do it again, I would still fly ALL carryon, but I would re-evaluate what I was taking with me and how I was carrying it. We had: <br /><br />1. The stroller, which I think I could have done with out (I HATE strollers, so it could just be my bias) <br />2. A giant 2200 cubic inch backpack which housed toys for the plane ride and my pump <br />3. My messenger bag which had the Baby B'air (LOVED IT!) and the diaper wallet along with my phone, wallet, camera and GPS <br />4. Giant duffel bag which had all clothes, shoes and toiletries. <br /><br />Flying from DFW to NY was not bad. We woke up early and drove to the airport while Em would have been asleep. After I declared both, security @ DFW wanted my pump and EBM out, and the security guard held Em while I worked on unpacking and repacking the bags. They didn't even ask about my liquids, because they saw that I was just a mom traveling with her baby with no help. <br /><br />At the gate, I let Em cruise around and a group of high school girls were apparently riding with us to NY for a choir competition. They not only kept her entertained, but watched my bags while I went to change her as she had pooped 10 minutes before boarding. By letting her get her energy out, she fell asleep before we even took off and slept for 2 of the 3 hours on the plane. <br /><br />The last hour, I fed her cheerios one by one, and attempted to entertain her with a toy. It was thrown to the floor three times, and I realized the "wisdom" of bringing her a toy for every half hour was the stupidest thing ever. At least for her. <br /><br />She started crying before the descent was announced, and I popped in the paci. Worked like a charm. <br /><br />Being around 3 year olds for a week improved Em's walking (and trotting!) skills considerably, so I worried about my gameplan for the trip back. At NY's La Guardia, I did NOT have to take my pump and milk out even after I declared it, nor did I have to take out my liquids. Again, I think it was seeing me struggling with all the stuff that I had (it wasn't bad, but it sure looked it!) kept the security guards from going crazy with the screening. <br /><br />I got to the gates, and saw that another flight to DFW was taking off in a few minutes, so I asked about any extra seats. Not only were there seats, but we got a whole row to ourselves. <br /><br />Thank goodness that we did. Because we didn't get a chance to burn off energy at the gate waiting, the novelty of being on the plane wore off in about 30 minutes. The takeoff was fine. The snack was fine. And then she started crying for about an hour. I can't even imagine trying to deal with her with somebody next to me. Nothing worked - paci, toys, food. <br /><br />She'd been fed EBM before we left for the airport, but I went ahead and gave her the bottle that I was saving for the landing. Even with that, she kept popping off to cry. I finally gave her a dose of tylenol, and rubbed her gums with a good helping of baby orajel, and after a while she finally fell asleep for the rest of the flight. She was so out that I was able to lay her down on the seats while I gathered all of our stuff. <br /><br />SO to recap: <br />1. Let them burn off energy for the flight. <br />2. Keep food, and drugs on hand just in case. <br />3. Don't be afraid to ask for help from anyone around you.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-91269010231899314822009-04-19T13:20:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:01:47.500-07:00Fat Free Falafel + Cucumber Yogurt DressingIngredients:<br />2 15oz cans of garbanzo beans<br />1 tablespoon of minced garlic<br />1 tspn cumin<br />1 tspn curry powder (recipe called for tumeric - I was out)<br />1 tspn salt<br />1 tspn black pepper<br />1 tbsn dried minced onion<br />1 tbsn dried diced parsley<br />2 tbsn lemon juice<br />1/2 tspn cayenne pepper<br />1/3 cup flour<br /><br />0. Preheat oven to 400F<br />1. Drain garbanzo beans well.<br />2. Combine ALL ingredients except flour in a food processor or a bowl until mashed.<br />3. Add flour and process/stir until batter is uniform. (batter can be saved in the fridge for about a week, but there's not a whole lot, so why?)<br />4. Roll batter into balls (maybe about the size of a half dollar?) and place slightly flattened onto a baking pan lined with silpat.<br />5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. They will be golden brown.<br /><br />Serve in a pita with fresh veggies and Cucumber Yogurt Dressing.<br /><br />Cucumber Yogurt Dressing:<br /><br />1/2 c fat free plain yogurt<br />1/4 c diced and seeded cucumber<br />1/8 c onion <br />1 tspn lemon juice<br /><br />Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill until ready to serve falafel.<br /><br />This was very yummy. I skipped the onion in the dressing though.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-29076438378699490012009-04-18T13:39:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:02:06.726-07:00Yeast Rolls/KolachesThis is a hack from a Paula Dean recipe. I've of course, improved it. I also used my Kitchen Aid mixer, but a bowl would be just fine. <br /><br />Ingredients:<br />3 c all purpose flour (recipe called for 2 to 2-1/2c - Not enough.), divided<br />4T sugar (recipe called for 2. NOT ENOUGH!)<br />1tspn salt<br />1 envelope Yeast<br />1/2c milk (I used whole organic w/DHA)<br />1/4c water<br />1/2 c butter or margarine (recipe called for 2T, I say that's not enough!)<br /><br />Directions<br /><br />0. Start about 2-3 cups of water in a pot or tea kettle on the stove to boil.<br /><br />1. Mix 3/4 cup flour, sugar, salt, and undissolved yeast. <br /><br />2. Heat milk, water and butter to 120° - 130°F. <br /><br />(I did this in the microwave in three separate containers, didn't take the temperature just checked if they were hot and added them in one at a time, mixing in between.)<br /><br />3. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer. <br /><br />4. Add 1/4 cup flour. Beat at high speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. <br /><br />5. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. <br />(I think I stirred in about 2 more cups about a half a cup at a time.)<br /><br />6. On floured surface knead 2 to 3 minutes. <br /><br />The dough will be warm. I added at least another 1/4-1/2 cup of flour here.<br /><br />7. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. <br />For ROLLS: Shape into balls. Place in greased 8-inch round pan or ungreased silpat. Cover. <br />(With what? I don't know. Other recipes have said plastic wrap. I'll go with that.)<br /><br />For Kolaches: Flatten each piece and wrap around sausage. (I used Ekrich's Cheese Sausages) Lay evenly apart on a flat pan covered in silpat. (I used 2 pans, and I probably should have covered. Forgot.)<br /><br />8. Pour a 1-inch depth of boiling water into large pan on bottom rack of cold oven. <br />(I used a glass casserole dish.)<br /><br />9. Set rolls on rack above water. Close oven door; let rise 30 minutes. Uncover rolls; remove pan of water.<br /><br />10. Turn oven to 375°F. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until done. Remove from pan. Serve warm. <br /><br />These were GOOOD.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-16380823496579974252009-03-05T12:19:00.001-08:002009-03-05T12:19:43.663-08:00More to come on what's been happening...But I wanted to promote my new Etsy store:<br /><br /><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/etsy_mini.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(6368449, 'shop','thumbnail',1,1).renderIframe();</script><br /><br />Thanks!Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-60101961877446101982008-10-15T19:00:00.001-07:002009-06-19T11:12:21.122-07:00So, I skipped September...I've been busy. Let's head back to September...<br /><br />The day after Labor Day this year, 12 weeks to the day that I had my daughter, I headed back to work. I was definitely less than thrilled, and oddly though I Exclusively Pump, I walked out the door that morning without my pump in hand. And so, I was late my first day. <br /><br />The landscape of my team changed quite a bit in the 12 weeks that I was gone. The greater landscape of the account team that I'm a part of changed drastically as well. Finally, there are new changes that are on the horizon. I'm hoping for its for the better. <br /><br />But the big news...we closed on a new home yesterday. On our road trip, we had the opportunity to be in an enclosed space and just talk. My main problem was with the storage unit that we'd been renting for a year. I wanted to stop paying for it and so the challenge was out there: either we invest in a shed, or we're out of this house in a year or less. <br /><br />Our new home has two master bedrooms. One on the first floor, which is huge and a second on the second floor which is also huge and very private. Two other bedrooms round out the first floor - one for each of the girls. There is also a shed in the back yard, so our space issues have been solved. <br /><br />Now our main concerns in the coming weeks are fixing up our current home to get it ready to sell, and moving. In the past few weeks, our current home has had foundation repair, a new air conditioning unit installed, and we're planning on increasing insulation, fixing cracks in the walls and cleaning the carpets. I'm not sure how much we'll be able to create a lot of curb appeal, but we've been watching a lot of <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/">HGTV</a>, so hopefully we'll get it right the first time, as it is my goal to have this house sold by the end of the year. <br /><br />Thankfully we're not carrying a mortgage on our current home, so we have a little bit of time to get it ready. And down the line, ideally, we would refinance in order to get a better mortgage payment once we have a bigger lump sum with which to work with.<br /><br />As for moving, we have been collecting boxes from grocery and liquor stores since our offer was accepted and all the paperwork was turned into the lender. My husband has been packing a little bit each day, and we have two rooms full of boxes ready to go. Go him! We're planning on making the "big" move at the end of this month.<br /><br />Baby updates:<br /><br />Em is now 4 months old. Unbelievable. We are delaying and staggering her shots. At two months, she received her first DTaP and IPV. At three she was supposed to have PCV and HiB. After rescheduling three times due to vaccine backorder, we just skipped it. This past Monday, she received her second DTaP and IPV, and we will try for her first PCV and HiB next month.<br /><br />As of Monday, she weighed in at 13lb 9oz and was 25 inches long. She is now attempting to sit up on her own, and carries on conversations with us, her mobile, the walls...Tummy time is less unhappy for her. She loves to laugh and "dance". She and Daddy have a great time during the day while Mom's at work. <br /><br />The best news is that she started sleeping through the night all on her own a week before I went back to work. She goes down at 11 pm and is back up again at 9ish the next day. Perfect!<br /><br />Next post - how we moved with a baby - OUR way.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-18747909534266022892008-08-12T14:14:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:12:45.508-07:00Road Trip Tips + Baby UpdateRoad Trip Tips and Upcoming Flight Plans (with links)<br /><br />1.<b> Don't bring the stroller unless you're sure you're going to use it. </b> We used it once, and we didn't really even need to use it then. It took up a lot of room that we could have used to...you know, see through the back window.<br /><b><br />2. Stop to eat/feed at least an hour before your child's upper limit of going without eating.</b> Ember can go up to 5 hours during the day without eating, if she's sleeping. She slept once the car hit 50 mph, and would wake up if the car slowed down only if she was hungry. We had a bad bout outside Chicago in traffic that we couldn't do anything about. It was like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111257/">Speed</a>. So we tried to not go more than 4 hours before we stopped to feed her. We took her out of her seat when we took her to eat so that she could stretch her legs as well. Last but not least, we fed her before we went anywhere, and as soon as we got to our destinations.<br /><b><br />3. Don't try to save expressed milk unless you're staying with people the whole time.</b> I pump. I have an overage of about 10oz a day. It KILLS me to think about dumping the overage ever. But, after a week on the road and stressing about freezers, the cooler and the icepacks, we hit a hotel without a fridge. Even though the description said that it could be requested for the room, we weren't going to be able to get one until the next day and the milk would be bad. So I dumped 50oz on the spot, and dropped the number of pumps a day to reduce the waste, and still dumped about 5-6oz a day. A week after our return, I've almost returned to my normal production. <br /><br />4. <b>Bring double of what you need for the baby</b> unless you have access to a washing machine, and skip bringing a load of toys. Also, a small baby does not need a pack and play to go anywhere - the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Infant-Travel-Bed/dp/B000COW7WS">Eddie Bauer Travel Bed</a> was just fine. Pack light. Nuff said.<br /><br />5. As for changing, she isn't too fussy about having a full diaper, so <b>we changed her every time we fed her</b>. Always before, and sometimes after if we were reasonably sure she'd filled her diaper during the stop, and made liberal use of diaper rash cream to curb any rashes if we saw them beginning. I brought along a pack of diapers for the trip going, and my friend in CT had another pack on hand, so we had enough for the journey home. DO pack a changing pad. I'm not comfortable (yet) changing in a parked car, so it was invaluable for changing in places with iffy cleanliness or no changing table at all. <br /><br />I'm planning on flying back to NY for a week with just myself and Miss Em next spring. I've already purchased (at a STEAL!), the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kelty-KIDS-Kangaroo-Child-Carrier/dp/B00004R7R4">Kelty Kids Kangaroo Child Carrier</a> on Ebay. I'm planning on purchasing the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000EDL81I/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance">Sunshine Kids Travel Bag</a> to carry her carseat, as I'll be renting a car, but will be traveling with her in my lap on the plane. Add to that the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Creek-Pack-Folder-Burst/dp/B0012E1P9S/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2APB0OAVLPCXV&colid=2MCKHSD49G1U2">Eagle Creek Pack Folder</a> and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/MSR-Packtowel-Personal-Bath-Dusty/dp/B000F12NVI/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I36L5WE1A8NW9Z&colid=2MCKHSD49G1U2">MSR Pack Towel</a> which my very thoughtful husband purchased for me after reading about how much I coveted them on my blog, and all I'll need to pack is a small duffel bag for the two of us. I'm pretty excited. I'll of course let folks know how well that went, along with product reviews.<br /><br />Baby Updates: Growth, Milestones & Shots<br /><br />Miss Em is now 9 weeks old today. I can NOT believe it. She now weighs 11 lbs and is almost 2 feet tall. She loves to sit and stand (with assistance) and grins a whole lot. She LOVES her <a href="http://www.bumbobabyseat.com/">Bumbo</a>. Those things are hit or miss according to the reviews. In this house, its a hit. My parents are both waiting to see when she'll walk, as according to them, I REALLY walked (instead of scooting, etc.) when I was 8 months old. She tries to laugh, and her baby talk is now multi-syllabic. <br /><br />She had her first shots ever yesterday. I was pretty sad about that, but I know she needs them. We're staggering some, and delaying others, and her pediatrician's office is cool with that. Sure, we'll be paying more for co-pays, but I would much rather pay more money and not pay with her health. She was pretty good about the shots. A few shouts of protest, and it was all over and forgotten. The nurse was surprised at how quickly she quieted. Her only reactions to her shots were a very low fever (it got as high as 99.2) and she's a little sleepier than usual.<br /><br />As most of you know, I'm normally a platelet donor. Since I found out I was pregnant, and am now exclusively pumping, I have not been able to donate. But, as I mentioned earlier, I have about a 10oz overage of milk a day. Em takes in about 20-22oz a day, and I produce ~32oz and even had a day when I had 40oz. Today, I donated 250oz to <a href="http://www.mmbnt.org/">Mother's Milk Bank of North Texas</a>. That's over two gallons. I still have about 30oz in the freezer, and 10oz in the fridge. I love being able to help other moms, I really feel good that its not going to waste, and I will continue to donate as long as I can.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-12654552648093231542008-07-20T09:58:00.001-07:002008-07-20T12:04:29.126-07:00Twelve weeks of maternity leave + new baby = Two Week Road TripWhen else would we have this kind of time?<br /><br />I suppose the crunchy thing to do would be to teleconference so that relatives could see the baby "live", but as we're not crunchy around these here parts, we are gassing up and taking our brand new crossover from our location in the DFW area to five destinations in the midwest and northeast. <br /><br />This isn't our first large road trip. We've done a 4-day weekend one with just my husband and I up to St. Louis, MO, with a one-day side trip to a town right across the river from Louisville, KY. Then, my husband, stepdaughter and I "toured" the midwest in about 9 days - that same town near KY, then north to South Bend, west to Wisconsin, then back to Indiana for a show by one of our favorite bands and back home again. My '97 Corolla was our trusty steed for both of those.<br /><br />Then last year, as we'd promised the kid that we'd take her to Disneyworld (she was 12 at the time), we hit the road this time with my brother in law along for the ride as well. This trip took us a week. And though the ride was 17 hours both ways, we did it both times in a straight shot with just bathroom/drink/meal stops along the way. The 2006 Corolla did us proud, though the kid and my BIL could have stood to have more room in the backseat.<br /><br />Now, with baby and the kid in tow, we will be hitting a town outside of Nashville, that same town in southern Indiana, a suburb of Chicago and then on to NY and CT. We will be showing off the baby, obviously. This trip will take us 12-13 days, and we will need to meet the kid's mother at the end of it in Kentucky for the family road trip that she planned with the kid's aunt and grandmother. <br /><br />Our crossover has real room for seven people, but since there will only be four of us, the third row will be folded to accomodate our trip supplies as well as clockworks for the grandfather clock my dad gave me that we'll be picking up in Illinois, and an Exersaucer that my best friend in Connecticut picked up for free for the baby. <br /><br />We're already exhausted at the prospect of being on the road for that long. But, how do you pack lightly while still preparing for every eventuality with the baby? <br /><br />Here are some sites that I consulted so that we can fit it all in:<br /><br /><a href="http://unclutterer.com/2007/07/18/packing-tips/">Unclutterer</a><br /><a href="http://www.travelite.org/">Travelite FAQ</a><br /><a href="http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/07/11/how-to-travel-the-world-with-10-pounds-or-less-plus-how-to-negotiate-convertibles-and-luxury-treehouses/">The Four Hour Workweek's Guide to Traveling the World in 10lbs or Less</a><br /><a href="http://www.onebag.com/">Onebag</a><br /><br />I covet the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Creek-Pack-Folder-Burst/dp/B0012E1P9S/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2APB0OAVLPCXV&colid=2MCKHSD49G1U2">Eagle Creek Pack-it Folders</a>, and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/MSR-Packtowel-Personal-Bath-Dusty/dp/B000F12NVI/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I36L5WE1A8NW9Z&colid=2MCKHSD49G1U2">the MSR Packtowel</a>, but I have yet to actually purchase any. Perhaps for that European tour I've always wanted to go on. Incidentally, that would include England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Greece. Someday, I will have two months to set aside to do such a thing.<br /><br />For road tripping with a baby, I found these helpful articles from:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.justmommies.com/articles/taking-road-trip-with-baby.shtml">Just Mommies</a><br /><a href="http://pregnancy.about.com/od/newbornbabies/a/roadtripbaby.htm">About.com</a><br /><a href="http://pregnancy.about.com/od/newbornbabies/a/roadtripbaby.htm">the Fort Worth Star-Telegram</a><br /><br />For the Smidget, I have already packed clothes, and will be using the large diaper bag for her toiletries, and her toys. A smaller diaper bag will be with me always in the <a href="http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/product.do?cid=12815&pid=601724&scid=601724032">large tote</a> which I purchased from Old Navy that will be doubling as my purse. Hopefully, that is all we'll need for her. <br /><br />I've got the packing list, and we leave on Tuesday July 22, and will return on Sunday August 3 or Monday August 4. A post-mortem and an update from the Smidget's 6-week and 2-month doctor's appointments will come soon thereafter.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-85013483712012911372008-06-24T16:55:00.000-07:002008-06-24T16:57:39.698-07:00Two Week CheckupTwo week checkup:<br />Height: 20.5" (Growth: 1")<br />Weight: 7lbs 6oz (Gain: 1lb 4oz from last checkup; 9oz from birthweight)<br />Head: 13.75" (Growth: 3/4")<br /><br />Head and weight are in the 10th percentile for her age, but for her height, she's in the 25th. Doc said she's just skinny, but perfectly normal. She lost her stump last night, and we're attempting to hunt down some neosporin in the house for the redder areas. Doc prescribed some saline drops as she's been a little congested. Got to love going from a sterile environment of the womb to atmospheric pollution. <br /><br /><br />After some careful thought, and repeated tries to the contrary, I've decided to stop trying to breastfeed "from the tap". We saw a lactation consultant last Thursday, and we fixed the latching issue we were having. However, I suspect the week and a half on bottles with pumped milk has caused Em to be a bit of a lazy nurser - its harder to get food from the tap than it is to get from even the "slow flow" nipples for bottles. <br /><br />It was taking up to an hour to feed her, due to still working on the latch and sticking with it long enough to get the juices flowing, and trying to calm the already frantic baby who is too young to understand sticking with it, and keeping her hands and arms out of the way so that she CAN stick with it. Once the hour was up and she seemed done, putting her down proved that she was still hungry, but completely uninterested in the tap, to the point of screaming at the top of her little lungs while I desperately tried to pump enough to satisfy her hunger. After that, she was content, but all of the activity kept her so riled up that she wasn't going back to sleep. Once she was finally asleep, there would be an hour or less before she would wake up for her next feeding. <br /><br />I know I can continue to try, but it is exhausting for her, and draining, both physically and emotionally for me. And because we had a few good sessions (45 minutes, full & satisfied, off to sleep immediately) mixed in with the bad, I kept trying. But, I've reasoned that she has the rest of her life to fight for things...she shouldn't have to fight to eat at this age, even sometimes. So, despite hating having to pump, and deal with the mess of bottles, etc., I've decided that its well worth it for both of us for me to pump, and give her what she needs when she needs it, and have a happier baby, and a less stressed out momma. <br /><br />I'd rather spend some of my time pumping and cleaning, to be able to feed my baby calmly, know how much she's taking in, and cuddle with her and enjoy her once she's done. Even a few days of obsessing over whether she was eating enough, calming her down when she was freaking out over being hungry, and then attempting to coax her to sleep was too much for both of us. I hated feeling guilty about watching her wake up happy and ready to eat, because I knew that before she went to sleep, that there would be a battle, and my happy baby would be nowhere to be found until she woke up again. I felt like we should be on the cover of "Better Baby Torture Through Breastfeeding Monthly". <br /><br />We've hit a growth spurt, so she's woken up hungry a couple of times before I expected it, but having a bottle with breastmilk ready to go helped tremendously. It seems contradictory, as breastmilk is the ultimate "ready to go" food. But because of all of our troubles, it just isn't, and its hard to watch my poor girl try desperately to eat and not feel guilty about making the both of us go through so much to get it done, when I know I could have just had a bottle ready. But, I know that in a pinch, we CAN nurse, so I don't have any more anxiety about being caught without a bottle on hand. <br /><br />My supply is great, and I refuse to feel guilty about pumping, instead of continuing to push the breastfeeding issue. Nothing a lactation consultant can say or do will fix the problems we were having, and all I'd get from one is "just keep trying". I'm grateful for the help that we did get, because it was invaluable and I wish we could have gotten a better start, so that it could be easier on both of us for her to get her meals on tap, but she's still getting the good stuff, and we're both enjoying each other tremendously, and that's all I ever wanted.<br /><br />So, to sum it up, we're doing well. Baby is healthy and happy. Mom is considerably less stressed after making a hard non-crunchy decision, and is thus healthy and happy. Dad is doing well and is currently asleep as he took the overnight shift last night, and so is also healthy and happy.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-66985563625420520332008-05-11T10:00:00.000-07:002008-05-11T10:12:49.064-07:00In a vacuum?Never. Not when on the internet. <br /><br />So, I got my first comment ever on a blogspot blog, and it was a from an anti-circumcision person. Thank you, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/03004519335393571260">specialaffinity</a> for your opinion, and the link to a study about pain and infants, with regards to circumcision. <br /><br />I still remain unconvinced, and would like to see counterstudies done regarding pain in infants in countries where circumcision is NOT the norm. One study, just like one link, will not convince me of anything. In any case, I'm not currently having a boy, so it is a moot point to me, and it honestly doesn't make a difference to me one way or another whether a boy of mine is circumcised.<br /><br />For anyone else, this is what I'm talking about. I have already done much of my own research, and I'm satisfied with it. As someone who holds a bachelor's and a master's degree, I am satisfied that I am capable of DOING research. I've read opinions and studies, and done my own first hand investigation on many topics. Yet, people who feel motivated by a cause feel the urge to let me know that I'm wrong, and feel that I must be (re)educated so that I will "see the light". <br /><br />This doesn't just hold to child-rearing, but that is a rant for another day. Happy Mother's Day!Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-74225727901161200512008-05-06T10:44:00.000-07:002008-05-06T12:40:15.575-07:00What spurred the creation of this blog...As I mentioned, I am an active Livejournal user. Within Livejournal, I am a member of 100+ communities, and I read 25+ feeds daily. The particular pregnancy community of which I'm a part is a fairly good resource. The breastfeeding community that I'm a part of but don't watch on a regular basis is a decent one. But, as I mentioned, there are many (LOUD) proponents of attachment parenting online, and in one day I was hit by two.<br /><br />I made the monumental misstep of mentioning <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Baby-Wise-Reference-Worldwide/dp/0971453209">On Becoming Babywise</a> in the pregnancy community and had a few members not only tell me I should burn it, but one actually attempted to get me to "further educate" myself, by giving me...ONE LINK to read through. <br /><br />I'm sorry, I've done my research, and I'm satisfied with it. I'm not a child, and I don't need an Internetz person to hold my hand and tell me how I should or shouldn't raise my child. Especially if the link you show me shows opinions from people who either have no reading comprehension or are giving recommendations based on what they <i>think</i> the book says. <br /><br /><i>For the record</i>, I really do think a schedule makes sense, not only for giving stability to the baby, but to be sure that the family can live with having a new member that will already be turning the household upside-down. <i>Babywise</I> does NOT recommend keeping baby on a rigid schedule, based solely on the clock, nor does it recommend baby going hungry. Anyone who thinks it does obviously can't read.<br /><br />God forbid I mention <a href="http://www.sleep-baby-sleep.com/ferber-method.htm">The Ferber Method</a>. I seriously think I might be strung up. I'm sorry, but I really do believe that unless CIO (cry it out) happens, children CAN'T learn to self-soothe and it will be hell for anyone besides the parents to get the child to bed. Ever.<br /><br />In the breastfeeding community, someone was actually nice about her preachy-ness, posted some links to some helpful advice without the overt implication that I was stupid, which I totally appreciated...but shared her favorite breastfeeding article, which at the end violated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law">Godwin's Law</a>. How is that even possible??? Yeesh. <br /><br />I'm sorry, but I've already decided how I'm planning to feed my child. I can't possibly breastfeed when I go back to work. So I will pump. I don't need people telling me that: <br />1) I'm evil for going back to work because I can't feed on-demand.<br />2) I'm evil for introducing a bottle so my baby can have expressed breast milk. <br />3) I'm evil for not wanting to feed on-demand even in the beginning in order to keep a schedule for my husband when I do go back to work. I'm sorry; going from on-demand to a schedule would be more of a detriment to my child and a disruption to her life.<br />4) I should feed on-demand all night long and have scheduled feedings during the day. If I'm going to be working all day, I'm going to need sleep.<br />5) I should feed on-demand through at least two years. I know <a href="http://www.who.int/en/">WHO</a> recommends it but honestly? On-demand is already out, and if I'm lucky enough to have a supply and NOT have another child at the time, the kid's going to get it in a sippy cup, and not through 15-20 "snacks" throughout the day like some of the women said their 2-3 year olds were getting.<br /><br />So, that's what spurred me on. Next post will either be my rejection of other AP (attachment parenting) objectives, pointing out the crazy of them, or pulling out some scientific research for some debunking.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-29696132184387898952008-05-05T10:43:00.000-07:002008-05-06T10:11:42.391-07:00Why I'm not "crunchy"I am a first time mom, due to give birth in 6 weeks, give or take a few days/weeks.<br /><br />Of course, like any excited new mom, I've been doing a lot of research, attempting to figure out how to proceed with the raising of a new human being. My mother in law is deceased, and my mom is unlike any other mom on this planet. Perhaps I'll go into that some other time. Suffice to say, I'm still here, and despite how differently she went about things, she did a decent job with me - I just know that as a resource, her advice won't be what I'm looking for. SO, my resources are: my best friend with twin girls who just turned 2 this past March, my husband who has a 13 year old (henceforth to be known as "the kid", as that's what we call her) and the Internet. <br /><br />All of which have their pros and cons. Best friend? Newer info, but she's dealing with two at once, which is very different from having one at a time. Husband? Much older info (according to him, the mandate was side sleeping when his daughter was born), and its been a while since he's been confronted with an infant. The Internet? What a scary, scary place for a new mom. <br /><br />One of the new trends (I'm unsure of whether or not its new, or its gaining more popularity than it had in the past, or if the people who subscribe to it are just really LOUD) is Attachment Parenting, as described by many experts such as Dr. William Sears. <br /><br />According to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_parenting">Wikipdia article</a>, Attachment Parenting can be described as follows:<br /><br /><em>Per Dr. Sears' theory of attachment parenting (AP), proponents such as the API attempt to foster a secure bond with their children by promoting eight principles which are identified as goals for parents to strive for. These eight principles are:<br /><br />Preparation for Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting <br />Feed with Love and Respect <br />Respond with Sensitivity <br />Use Nurturing Touch <br />Engage in Nighttime Parenting <br />Provide Consistent Loving Care <br />Practice Positive Discipline <br />Strive for Balance in Personal and Family Life <br /><br />These values are interpreted in a variety of ways. Many attachment parents also choose to live a natural family living (NFL) lifestyle, such as natural childbirth, home birth, stay-at-home parenting, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, babywearing, homeschooling, unschooling, the anti-circumcision movement, the anti-vaccination movement, natural health, cooperative movements, and support of organic food.<br /><br />However, Dr. Sears does not require a parent to strictly follow any set of rules, instead encouraging parents to be creative in responding to their child's needs. Attachment parenting, outside the guise of Dr. Sears, focuses on responses that support secure attachments.</em><br /><br />And all of this sounds great. Until you get to the actual practioners of said parenting style, who seem to ignore the last paragraph there.<br /><br />I will go ahead and state how I feel about each topic above:<br /><br /><strong>Home Births:</strong> They say that "This is how women did it from the beginning of time." I say, the mortality rate of women throughout history thanks to birthing does not warrant not taking the precaution of having access to emergency equipment and procedures if necessary. <br /><br /><strong>Breastfeeding:</strong> If you can do it, do it. If you think you can't do it, keep trying. If you still can't, at least you tried. I can't see NOT wanting to, with all of the benefits it affords. And with as expensive as sprogs can be, saving money on formula is NOT a terrible thing. I was breastfed longer than the 6mo-1yr recommend, and it is VERY rare that I pick up whatever is going around. This is the Nouveau Crunchy topic I feel MOST strongly about, so while I'm very for it, I don't think its evil to bottle feed if its just not possible to breastfeed. I plan to pump after I return to work, and my goal is 6 months exclusive, and at least 6 months after that supplemental. <br /><br /><strong>Babywearing:</strong> I'm very excited to be able to do this. Mostly because there are some areas and situations when a big honking stroller would just be more of a pain in the ass. My husband will not be wearing the baby, either in a sling (like me) or in a baby backpack. I'm ok with this.<br /><br /><strong>Vaccinations:</strong> I'm for them, but the aggressive vaccination schedule with all of the new vaccines that have come into play since I was a child makes me wary. Why do brand new immune systems need to learn how to make antibodies for 6 diseases at once? Thankfully, my GP will be my kiddo's GP, and she and her partner at her practice are all about listening to patients. My kiddo will get vaccinated for necessary things. From what I can tell, maybe about 90% of what's there is necessary. More research shows that certain vaccines can have two or three doses depending on the brand that is used, so I plan to ask for the brands that have the fewest number of shots needed. Finally, my kiddo will be caught up with her counterparts by the time she hits school, just on a different schedule. Obviously, if there are certain guidelines that HAVE to be followed, ok. But, there are some where there is a range. Then why bother rushing it? <br /><br /><em>Anecdote: </em>The kid has been sick at least four times since December. Her pediatrician noticed on a follow-up visit, when she was coming off her last bout with sickness (say maybe 2 days well) that she was due for all of her 12 year vaccines, and she needed them done before 8th grade. So the brilliance shown by both the doctor and agreed to by her mother with no input from her father? 5 vaccines AS she was coming off of sickness. She was out of school for another day (which she COULD NOT AFFORD), and her arm hurt like hell for days, and still hurt a bit even week later. If I were there, I would have thrown a fit, and told them they damned well better wait for summer time to do that in case she has a reaction. <br /><br /><strong>Male Circumcision:</strong> I'm not vehemently against it, nor am I vehemently for it. I know there are videos out there that are very graphic that are used to convince people against doing it, but I'm not going to watch them, because I KNOW its a cosmetic thing. And I know it must be painful. But its also a preference. At the very least, if its done as a baby, there's no trauma of remembering the surgery.<br /><br /><strong>Female Ear Piercing: </strong>In the Philippines, at least where my mother is from (Metro Manila), girls have their ears pierced at birth and threaded with string until they can get earrings. The doctors at the hospital where I was delivered would not do it. Luckily for my mother, my pediatrician was Indian, and ear piercing for girls is a cultural tradition there as well. My first holes were pierced when I was 3 months old. I never had a problem with them, they never grew funny, I wasn't allergic to anything. When I wanted more piercings at 14, and Mom wouldn't take me to get them done, I did them myself, with earrings and no ice. She was mad, but didn't make me take them out. Both sets healed up fine, and I still have three sets of holes in my ear to this day that I love. My GP and her partner are both Indian, and I don't foresee any problem getting my girl's ears pierced. And she will have pierced ears.<br /><br /><em>Anecdote:</em> The kid wanted her ears pierced when she was 10 or so. Sparing the details, it took three tries, more time than it would take to pierce twenty 10 year olds, and she still has no holes in her ears. After the second attempt, I swore that if we had a daughter, she would have her ears pierced as a baby, because she wouldn't remember, and it wouldn't be as much of a hassle. It will take an extra 30 seconds to clean earring holes when doing any other cleaning activity with the baby, so its not that big a deal to me. As for the kid? Jeff has put his foot down and will NOT be paying for another attempt, and has said if she wants her ears pierced, she'll pay for it herself after she's 18.<br /><br /><strong>Cloth Diapering: </strong>No. Whether its disposable or cloth, there is still an impact to the environment, and it will cost as much either way if I do disposable or if I do a delivery service and I'll still have to clean poo. Frankly, I'm going to be about convenience. Disposable all the way.<br /><br /><strong>Homemade Food: </strong>Why the hell not? One, its a money saver, because all someone has to do is take a hand blender and mash up whatever everyone else is eating. Two, you control what's in the food. Three, it probably tastes better than jarred. Four, the baby will be more likely to eat your cooking when they actually move to solids, and be more accustomed to real world food.<br /><br /><strong>Stay-at-home parenting:</strong> We're doing this because we figured out that we would have to put a direct deposit from the school where my husband works into a day care were he to continue working. Its purely economic. <br /><br /><strong>Co-Sleeping:</strong> Baby will be in our room for space reasons for at least a year or two at the most. Baby will NOT be in our bed, because 1) I don't think its safe 2) My husband doesn't think its safe 3) There really isn't room for a third in our bed 4) We both don't think its healthy, and that it will form attachment for sleeping with mom and dad and it will be too difficult to get the kiddo into their own bed. In cultures where co-sleeping is the norm, chances are, there is little to no room for a baby to sleep anywhere else, and in some instances, safety away from mom and dad is probably a bigger issue. <br /><br /><strong>Homeschooling (unschooling):</strong> We will likely be homeschooling. The public schools in our area are not very good, despite the teachers' and principals' best efforts. We don't have money for private school, and there aren't any charters close enough to us to give a whirl. I don't understand the concept of "unschooling" much except that it seems to put the child in charge of what the child will be learning. If you keep reading this blog, you will find out why I think that's a bad idea.<br /><br />That's it for now. If you've made it this far, congrats. Next post will be my trigger/motivation for starting this blog.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-7910818633960319702008-04-24T21:55:00.000-07:002009-06-18T11:23:53.987-07:00The Inaugural Post - For Not CrunchyI have a Livejournal with a mix of public and friends only entries, and a couple of other blogs (one public, one private). I've found that through the internet, there has been a rise in "crunchy" "attachment parenting" styles. <br /><br />If this works for you, fantastic. But, do not under any circumstance assume that someone who doesn't necessarily subscribe to all tenets of attachment parenting is stupid or unenlightened for not doing it the way you are.<br /><br />The purpose of this blog is to observe, bring to light, and sometimes even snark women (and sometimes men!) who really think its their purpose in life to tell you what a bad parent you are for doing or NOT doing XYZ.<br /><br />Next post: My background, and why I feel the need to vent.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-3469853137604542282008-04-08T11:26:00.000-07:002009-06-18T11:34:50.239-07:00Backdating - 4/8/08 - Update-ySo much has happened since the last time I posted.<br /><br />On Christmas, we let the kid know that she had a little sibling on the way. She was excited.<br /><br />In January, I made the terrible and hard decision to let my nearly 18 year old kitty go. Kidney failure is a bitch, and for cats, there's no coming back from it. I was also given a promotion that I'd been angling for, for over 6 months.<br /><br />In February, we found out 1) That we're having a girl and 2) She was bigger than we expected, and my new due date is 6/16. I was also given yet another opportunity at work to transition to a team where I'd have a larger scope, and more chances to actually use the MBA I'm still paying for. I took that opportunity, and am now beginning the transition process.<br /><br />In March, we purchased baby gear. Crib/changer combo and "travel system". Best friends purchased bedding and a breast pump. I also do NOT have Gestational Diabetes but I am slightly anemic. And very sadly, a friend's wife, who was due at the same time as me had their baby, and the baby did not make it. Words can not describe anything about how I feel about it, and I can't even begin to interpret how they feel.<br /><br />So now its April, and I have yet to get into nesting mode, but my husband gave me a not so subtle reminder that I had a blog that I should update.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-46974051310577687192007-12-15T11:26:00.000-08:002009-06-18T11:26:56.287-07:00Backdating - 12/15/07 - Our Life Since AugustSo, as I mentioned, we moved into J & J2's parent's home last August. The day before the "big" moving day, five days after S chipped her ankle while mini-golfing with her mother (in shoes I might add that J and I both told her to stop wearing because they were not intended for 12-year-olds), and on our 6 year dating anniversary (August 9), J broke both major bones in his lower left leg and rearranged some ligaments as he did it.<br /><br />This came in the midst of an insurance struggle that started a couple of days before S chipped her ankle (she needed a boot and crutches btw). Before J and I got married, we decided that the most cost efficient way of doing insurance was for the family to be on my insurance. Fair enough.<br /><br />(NOTE: For all singles, family insurance is at least two and a half times single insurance, and at least one and a half times parent and child insurance. It was a surprise to me anyway.)<br /><br />So, we got married, and I called the insurance company, and told them that I had a "life event" and now everyone needs to be covered by my insurance. I gave names, SSNs, and all the info needed, and they gave me medical coverage cards. On July 31, I got a letter in the mail saying that my insurance had changed, and it had reverted to single insurance. Um. 'Scuse me?<br /><br />About a billion calls, quite a few meetings with HR and a 30 page fax later, even though the insurance company didn't want to admit that they were a bunch of idiots who seemed to have no problem delivering useless information via postal mail, yet still had no idea how to send dependent forms, all was resolved before J's August 20 surgery to fix his leg.<br /><br />Note the date on this post. This is J & my 1st wedding anniversary, and he still has stitches from his second surgery to remove the 3 inch pin that was put in place to hold the two bones in his lower leg together. The large plate and seven screws will remain. Which means he'll set off metal detectors for the rest of his life.<br /><br />(NOTE: There is no such thing as a note/letter/certificate from a doc saying that there is metal in one's body. Doc's exact quote is "Just tell them you have a plate in your leg and let 'em wand you. They'll figure it out.")<br /><br />So, since we moved in, in August J has not had the mobility to unpack. Or work, since his job requires him to be able to restrain students if necessary. Plus, its likely the school district would see a lawsuit waiting to happen if they insisted that he return to work before he's completely healed.<br /><br />But, starting in the new year, we're going to be just as busy. J will be returning to work, and school. The newest announcement is that we will have an 8th personality in this household who is due to arrive on July 4th. Yes, I'm about 11 weeks pregnant, and cautiously optimistic and excited about our new course in life.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-73699335132009226152007-11-02T11:25:00.000-07:002009-06-18T11:26:08.829-07:00Backdating - 11/2/07 - Our HomeWe live in a ranch style home in the suburb of a major city. Three bedrooms, 2 baths, about 1600 square feet. For all seven members of the family. J and J2 inherited this home when their mother passed away. J2 already lived here, as did the dog. The rest of us moved in back in August. Though we would much rather have his parents here with us, we're fortunate that the home came with no mortgage attached.<br /><br />How is that real, you may ask? Well, for someone like myself who had only ever lived in apartments, the enormity of maintaining a home is real enough. Everything else except a mortgage is still here.<br /><br />Let's do a walk through:<br /><br />Entering from the two car garage where there is about 10 years worth of storage so there is only enough room for one car, you will walk through a small mudroom/laundry room with a pantry off to the side. This is where the litter box, the cat's food and water dispensers and the kitchen garbage can is kept.<br /><br />Walk further, and you are in the eat-in-kitchen. We eat around the table maybe once a week, and at least once if we have a weekend guest, and almost always if we have dinner company. The kitchen is also where the cats live. Sadly, they were used to having roaming privileges wherever I lived. Now, not so much.<br /><br />There is an extra wide 27" tall baby gate that separates the EIK from the den. And separates the dog from the cats. The younger cat has some sense, preferring ONLY the kitchen, despite dog-less outings into the den. The older cat...she and the dog get into staring contests through the gate, she's gotten caught on the mesh from swatting the dog through it, and though she's clever enough to figure out how to get into the den when the dog is out...she's not clever enough to figure out when the dog is out. When it comes to a 70 lb dog vs. an 8 lb cat...It doesn't matter how fierce the cat is - one bad move from the dog, and the dog will win.<br /><br />In the den you will find the newer furniture that my MIL purchased in the year before she passed, a large flat screen TV, J2, my husband's new computer and my grandfather clock. And boxes of stuff from our move here which we need to go through and clear out. There are still a few in the kitchen as well, but J and J2 went through a lot of them, and wheedled it down to just a few. J2 spends at least 12 hours a day in the den watching TV. That will change when he gets to working.<br /><br />Go through one set of double swinging doors, and you will be in the 'formal' living room and dining room. We never use these areas. However, this is where our furniture from the apartment is located. Leather living room set, bar-style dining room set. Go through the other set of double swinging doors, and you will be in the bedroom area. J and I are in the master bedroom, and in it we have two closets and a full bath. We also have additional things that we need to go through including some of his parents' items, and more moving boxes from the apartment. S & J2 have the other bedrooms, which share a full bath.<br /><br />Outside, in the backyard there is a cemented area where we grill during the summer, a porchswing that no one uses, and the backyard, which only the dog uses. The driveway has two cars - one running, one not.<br /><br />When we moved in, we were struck by the number of duplicates we had. We now have two desktop computers for which we have no use, 3 TVs, 1 set of living room furniture, 1 set of kid's bedroom furniture, 1 washer/dryer set, and quite a bit more. What to do? Its all in storage at a U-Haul center across town. We pay $108/month for it. Which, when you think about it, is much better than the $1K/mo rent we were paying, or $1300/mo mortgage that we could have been paying. But the very fact we're paying for things that we already own to stay in a place where we can't see it or use it makes me a little bonkers.<br /><br />Why haven't we unpacked, or gone through storage yet? Until next post...Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8110409485953392778.post-32178289437328708722007-10-12T11:24:00.001-07:002009-06-18T11:25:28.423-07:00Backdating - 10/12/07 - IntroductionHi, my name is H, and if you dig hard enough or know how blogger works better than I do, then you can figure out what my name used to be.<br /><br />This blog was inspired by<br />1) My husband, who is starting a blog of his own for writers (go see it @ thewritecrowd.com),<br />2) the fact that I read at least a dozen blogs a day (or skim) looking for good info that will actually be helpful and<br />3) the idea that I wanted to have a blog that actually has helpful info for REAL folks.<br /><br />I have a real weakness for women's magazines. They're good to pass the time, but when it comes down to REAL helpful tips, I'd say only 20% of the content (or less!) in any given magazine actually applies to really improving my life, or helping me out.<br /><br />So, why am I a Real Person? Well, for one thing, I don't fit into a category. No one magazine or blog is really the ONLY thing that I need to get helpful ideas, or tips. I don't have a set schedule of weekly crazy that I have to go to, but I do have things that need to get done. Bill-paying, financial stuff, cleaning, organizing, etc. There are not enough hours in the day, but all of it HAS to get done, so...<br /><br />Here is Real Life and Times. A blog that consolidates what I think is the best of the best, a quick read of the most helpful tips for Real People who don't have the time to scope out dozens of magazines, blogs and websites looking for the most helpful stuff. As for me? I'm Real, but this is my fun time. I LIKE scoping out that stuff, and if I can help some of you out along the way, then its my pleasure to do so.<br /><br />Here's my family:<br /><br />Myself: I'm a 27 year old female, with a BA in Sociology, and an MBA. I have been married for almost a year to my wonderful husband. I work in advertising, and I've practically lived in online communities of some shape or another for the past seven years. I was born outside of Chicago, grew up in New York, and moved to Texas a couple of years after graduating from college.<br /><br />My Husband (J): A 34 year old male, who has gone back to school for his bachelor's degree, and currently works as an educational aide in a classroom for kids with emotional and behavioral issues. He is also a poet, a writer, a singer and a movie buff. He was born in Texas, lived in Oklahoma for some time, went for some of his undergrad in Indiana and moved back to Texas again almost 10 years ago.<br /><br />My stepdaughter (S): A 12 year old female, who is currently in 7th grade, and is learning to play and love playing the viola. She goes to school where J works, so that's a fun dynamic. Technically, since her mother and J share custody, she is only supposed to be with us Wednesday nights and every other weekend. But, her mother drops her off before school most days so that either J or I can take her, and J picks her up from school and hangs on to her until her mother gets off of work, and then she stays the whole time from Wednesday till Monday the weekends that we have her. Its a good deal.<br /><br />My brother-in-law (J2): A 32 year old male, who is currently unemployed. He has a learning disability that has yet to be diagnosed, and I suspect a social issue that goes beyond just awkwardness as well. He means well most of the time, and he did work at one point. We just need to help him get up to speed.<br /><br />The Cat (F): A 17 and a half year old female, who is crazy. I've had her since she was born, and she has moved with me from Long Island, to Queens, to Brooklyn, to Texas without batting an eye. She has six toes on her front paws, and eats everything from corn to wasabi, from honeydew to chocolate.<br /><br />The Other Cat (P): An 8 year old female whom I never see, but comes out on rare occasion to chat. She spends about 23 hours a day in the kitchen bay window. She'll snub all human food except for vodka sauce and tiramisu.<br /><br />The Dog (M): A 7 year old male, who belonged to my mother-in-law before she passed away. Previously thought to be completely untrainable, he has recently learned to sit, lay down, stay and walk on a leash. Rollover gained me a bite on my upper arm, so we're still working on that. Also has a depth perception issue, so he constantly bumps into things that have never moved from the positions they're in.<br /><br />Next post, I'll walk through our current living situation.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16553684144656061726noreply@blogger.com0