I drifted off onto my soapbox last night and forgot one of the points that I wanted to make...is it better to be blandly middle-of-the-road about everything, never stepping on toes, but being well-liked by everyone? Or passionate about issues, firm on positions, gathering the admiration of some, the loathing of others?

You know what this train of thought makes me think of is Laura Bush vs Hilary Clinton--I saw on t.v. today that some Republicans want to see Mrs. Bush run for President in 2008 because she would make a good opponent for Mrs. Clinton. You guess which is which.
- posted by Anne @ 9:39 PM (0) comments

 
I belong to a message board with a group of ladies that I have known for several years now. The purpose of the board is parenting issues, but we discuss all manners of life, too. Since we all came together originally on a newlywed board, we are from all walks of life and have a wide variety of parenting styles. I'm not the only crunchy-type on there, and I'm not the crunchiest on the board. But, I'm worried that some of them are finding my speaking my mind about the issues I feel passionate about, breastfeeding, natural childbirth, no "crying it out" for babies, well, annoying. It's a fiiiiiine line because I like these ladies for the most part, and I feel very close to a number of them, but say the wrong thing, and I can piss somebody--or several somebodies--off. How do you speak your mind without coming off as judgmental? I DO think breastfeeding is best! I have a lot of the medical establishment backing me up on that. I think that natural childbirth rocked; it was so liberating. I was free, not tied down by monitors and tubes, I did it, me!!! How do you describe the exhiliration of the experience to someone who's only been induced on a doctor's schedule, had the epidural, laid flat on their back the whole time, pushed out the baby in that poor position, etc. How do you explain it to someone who tells you that you don't get a medal for going natural, that the only thing that matters is a healthy baby. Answer: You don't. You might offend them. Or you can't get past their prejudice of thinking that you're cukoo bananas for going drug-free.

*sigh* Hosting playgroup Wednesday for our brand spanking-new MOMS Club...gotta do some cleaning.
- posted by Anne @ 9:13 PM (0) comments

 
Had a nice afternoon and dinner with the IL's today. DH's late-middle-aged bachelor uncle is in town, the first time we've seen him in over 4 years. My daughter decided to make a good impression by first sleeping the afternoon away before we got there, ensuring that she was starving when we arrived, then going into a cycle of nursing, spitting it all back up, and repeating. Way to make an impression on the childless man! Plus, I can never be sure how someone new will take me nursing in front of them. The first time I slipped into an adjacent room, but when it became apparent that she was going to keep nursing frequently, I gave up and tried to be discreet with a blanket. Oh well. If I was in public and someone tried to make me go somewhere else to nurse, I'd give them a big F-U! It's different when it's family, though.
- posted by Anne @ 9:29 PM (0) comments

 
Boy, a 2-year old can be a challenge. Especially since "stop sitting on your baby sister" has little meaning to him. It's a good thing he's cute.

Our community pool opened today. The boy loved the kiddie pool, although he can unfortunately work the latch that opens the gate to the fence surrounding the kiddie pool. Some help that is! It started raining all too soon, so we had to head home.

I've been thinking about how I'm a big breastfeeding advocate because it's the natural way, the way God intended. In a much earlier post I mentioned I was trying cloth diapers on our son, well, it didn't last. He didn't like the way they felt and I didn't like washing them. So back to the evil disposables. I know I can feel a bit superior to those who don't breastfeed (hey, I don't claim that it's right, it's just the way I feel), but I wonder if cloth diaperers feel superior to the likes of me because they consider that more natural. But what is the most natural way to diaper? Really, I guess NO diapers! Then we get into a practice I really don't understand in a part of the world with refuse disposal and sewer systems, elimination communication. Learn to recognize your baby's signals as to when they're going to "go." What amuses me about this is the parents who say their child only has one accident or so a day. That would be too much for me! Well, we all have our passions.

Better go pay attention to the 2-year old before he starts destroying things. ;)
- posted by Anne @ 4:44 PM (0) comments

 
I got an IUD today, wheee! No worries about birth control for 10 years! We hope. It was a little uncomfortable, like a tough pelvic exam, but otherwise not bad at all. My Mom came and watched the kids while I went to have it put in at the GYN's office. It was the longest I'd been away from my angel girl so far, 2.5 hours, and I'm glad I pumped some milk before I left because she did get fussy/hungry while I was gone. I really hate being away from her at all. I was always that way with my son, too. I used to think I wouldn't want to be a SAHM, now I'm so glad that I am. I hated going back to work after I had my son. I don't get Moms who are always itching to get away from their kids. The biological urge is there to be with them and protect them.

In other news, Carrie is the new American Idol. Bo is not. This may be a good thing. I do love him, I am his Bobaby.
- posted by Anne @ 4:30 PM (0) comments

 
Boy, I suck, it's been over a year since I wrote in here! Well, screw it, I'm going to write in here now. I now have two kiddoes, a baby girl has joined our happy family. And damn, it is HARD to parent two kids. I've quit my job, glory be, but am adjusting to being a "SAHM," Stay-at-home-Mom, meaning that I don't go out to work, but I try to go out plenty to do other stuff so I don't go stir crazy. It's really hard. My 2-year old is needy, my baby is of course needy. And, oh yeah, I'm nursing both of them. TANDEM NURSING. Heavens!! It's leaving me very touched out. And yet I can't bring myself to wean my son.

Here's my slightly crunchy vent of the day...why do mothers get all weepy at various milestones, their baby is walking, their baby is off to school, they wish they could stay the age that they are, but the one thing too many mothers are in a hurry to get their child to "grow up" on is sleep through the night. If they get tired of working on that, make 'em cry'!

I should go to bed.
- posted by Anne @ 12:46 AM (0) comments