We're having some fun times in our home this week. All three of the kiddos are teething. Bah...teething. I hate it! It makes for irritable, unpleasant, sleep-fighting children...and a mama who wants to drink a few glasses of wine to wash down the chocolate.
Elsa's the worst though. Poor stinker. And she is the one that affects me the most...which basically translates to no sleep. I feel a bit bad for desiring this, but I just want some time alone! And some sleep! Like right now, my only time to write and do stuff I like of the day, I 'm watching her squiggle on the monitor and I have a feeling she's going to wake up soon. I just keep saying stay asleep, over and over...maybe if I say it enough it will work? Maybe. Plus she's started to roll around so most nights she ends up kicking us or headbutting us and wakes herself up. And the worst part? She sleeps the soundest and the longest after her feed at around 6am till about 9am. WTF!? So not fair. I have to get up at 7. Fun times.
Isaac has recently cut his 2 year molars. They took forever. But the last of them is finally all cut through. He has been a pill. Whacking things, including people {i.e. Maddie mostly}, and just being so irritable. Oh and he has been waking up at 6:45am like clockwork, no matter what time he went to sleep. Not cool when you are trying to recover from a sleepless night with the other teething baby. I'm hoping for better days to come, like maybe {please!} tomorrow? I do have to say though that despite his crankiness, he is still the sweetest little boy--gives the best hugs and kisses. Oh I could kiss his cheeks forever {all their cheeks for that matter!}.
Maddie is the troopiest teether of them all. She hasn't really been complaining but she has been a bit more cranky. Whether that's from teething or being tired or whatever, I don't know. I didn't even know she was actively teething until tonight {the two teeth that fell our are both growing in nicely}. Now get this, she's hilarious! She said to me, "Mommy, I'm a teenager now!" I laughed, cause she's so cute, and said, "Why!?" "Because look, I'm getting those teeth in the very back you said teenagers get." WHAT! So I looked and sure enough there is a ginormous 6 year molar making it's way out. I said, "Maddie you ARE getting a tooth, it's a molar!" She was really excited and said, "Oh man, it was bothering me all day and I didn't know what was going on." Could it have really cut out like that in one day! Only a corner of it is out, wow. I offered some Motrin but she said no, that she was doing alright without it. Then she proceeded to say goodnight and literally passed out. School sure tires her out!
And lo and behold, there is Elsa whining. Where is that bottle of wine {Not for her! For me, in case that wasn't clear}?
I got to her before she fully woke up. But who knows how long she'll stay asleep. The last two nights she's woken right up and stayed up till we went to bed.
Oh well. As I fully know, this too shall pass. And luckily as far as I know I have not gotten any white hairs from this teething hell phase.
Showing posts with label Rants and Vents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rants and Vents. Show all posts
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Just Doing It
I am frustrated that I have not been able to blog like I'd like to. I really have so much I want to write, but it seems like every "free" moment I have is consumed by some of the many tasks that need to be done to keep this household and family going. Life with a newborn {and two older kiddos} is definitely busy. Any and all free time that I had previously enjoyed to blog, is pretty much non-existent. I used to see moms with 3 kiddos and stare at them in awe, thinking to myself, "How do they do it?" And now here I am. Doing it too. And the truth is, you just do it because you have to.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Lost marbles...
Oh bother. I feel like such a dumb dumb. In the last couple of weeks I seem to have lost something. A marble or two perhaps?
I have worked the last few Fridays and every single shift, without fail, I make a mistake or many, on cash. Either ring in something as cash when it was debit or credit card...or can't remember the code for a product or a price or whatever. Foggy brain is the diagnosis.
Next...
I took the kiddos to have their holiday picture taken. It all went well, as well as could be expected with little Isaac. We got 3 decent pictures out of the whole shoot. 3. What do I go and do? Because I couldn't decide how many to get or what sizes I bought the copyright CD and paid $80 for THREE good pictures, that I then to pay extra to get developed.
OK well maybe the three pictures are worth it. I then check the pictures on my computer and send them off to get printed. It's not until I get them back that I realize one of them is blurry AND that I didn't get them in glossy print. They look OK, but I know they could look better. There goes another $10. I reordered them, in glossy this time, and hopefully they will look prettier. We shall see. In the meantime my holiday cards are delayed in getting mailed.
But the worst, must dumb dumb thing I have done so far is this.
On Saturday night I drove for half an hour to visit a good friend for her holiday party. I get there, park and then proceed to exit the car and shut the door. Leaving the keys safely on the passenger side seat where I left them while I grabbed my purse. What the hell!? Come on!
So I had to call our roadside assistance plan, but because I'm in the middle of nowhere {almost} they take a long time to get there and they charged me to break in to my car because it was outside the "service area". That pissed me off. The lovely visit with my friend was the only thing that helped me calm down. Sixty three dollars was worth it {that's what I keep telling myself!}.
Oh well.
The good things that are happening recently are many too...outweighing these blips.
We have our tree up. And it was magical to see the kiddos excited to decorate it and see it all finished.
I have officially decided that we are homeschooling and I am beyond excited for this. Maddie is responding so well and I am loving the approach we are taking {I will have more on this later, I promise}.
But just in case, I am going to look under the sofa to see if my lost marbles are there {it's the only place I haven't looked yet}.
I have worked the last few Fridays and every single shift, without fail, I make a mistake or many, on cash. Either ring in something as cash when it was debit or credit card...or can't remember the code for a product or a price or whatever. Foggy brain is the diagnosis.
Next...
I took the kiddos to have their holiday picture taken. It all went well, as well as could be expected with little Isaac. We got 3 decent pictures out of the whole shoot. 3. What do I go and do? Because I couldn't decide how many to get or what sizes I bought the copyright CD and paid $80 for THREE good pictures, that I then to pay extra to get developed.
OK well maybe the three pictures are worth it. I then check the pictures on my computer and send them off to get printed. It's not until I get them back that I realize one of them is blurry AND that I didn't get them in glossy print. They look OK, but I know they could look better. There goes another $10. I reordered them, in glossy this time, and hopefully they will look prettier. We shall see. In the meantime my holiday cards are delayed in getting mailed.
But the worst, must dumb dumb thing I have done so far is this.
On Saturday night I drove for half an hour to visit a good friend for her holiday party. I get there, park and then proceed to exit the car and shut the door. Leaving the keys safely on the passenger side seat where I left them while I grabbed my purse. What the hell!? Come on!
So I had to call our roadside assistance plan, but because I'm in the middle of nowhere {almost} they take a long time to get there and they charged me to break in to my car because it was outside the "service area". That pissed me off. The lovely visit with my friend was the only thing that helped me calm down. Sixty three dollars was worth it {that's what I keep telling myself!}.
Oh well.
The good things that are happening recently are many too...outweighing these blips.
We have our tree up. And it was magical to see the kiddos excited to decorate it and see it all finished.
I have officially decided that we are homeschooling and I am beyond excited for this. Maddie is responding so well and I am loving the approach we are taking {I will have more on this later, I promise}.
But just in case, I am going to look under the sofa to see if my lost marbles are there {it's the only place I haven't looked yet}.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
A late night discussion...
Darn. I was just about to go to bed, at a decent time too, and I had to go on FB one last time. Of course while there I saw this article:
Mother Madness by Erica Jong
And of course now I have to write what I'm thinking.
It's clear from the article that Jong really has no idea of the real theory behind attachment parenting. She is also mixing up other parenting practices that have nothing really to do with attachment parenting, like cloth diapering and making your own baby food (yes, many parents who practice AP do these things, but these have little to do with actual attachment theory, they have more to do with having an ecological conscience or maybe even saving money!). Plus she's also clumping together very different parenting styles {helicopter parenting with attachment parenting} to argue and prove her point. Which is not correct as attachment parenting and helicopter parenting should not even be considered in the same category as they deal with very different things.
{I do not wish to write about the differences right now, perhaps another time when it's not almost midnight I will.}
I can see why it is tempting and appealing to blame the attachment parenting movement for many of the ills parents {mamas in particular} face today. I can see how this could happen, especially for someone who never practiced attachment parenting and who has not seen the benefits first hand. But the truth is that the burdens mothers carry are not caused by the need to meet their children's needs. Instead these burdens are caused by the society we have created where us women have been made to feel that to be seen, to be recognized and to have worth, we need to be like men, that we need to deny and turn away from everything that makes us women {which believe it or not includes the ability to create a child within our bellies and make milk in our breasts}. I believe this and have since the time I could understand these issues {and I was happy to see one of the comments on the article bring this point up}. In order to truly embrace feminism we have to allow women the space and respect to make their choices. Respect and choice. Those are always good things.
Which interestingly is exactly what attachment parenting is about.
One of the things I see people struggling with the most when I'm trying to explain attachment parenting, is the fact that it's not about raising your children in a way where they will "rule the roost". It's not about putting your life on hold or dropping all other responsibilities and catering to their every whim.
Not.at.all.
It's about raising your children in a way that shows them you respect them. That you are there for them. That you care {while still meeting your needs and responsibilities as a parent and an adult. And yes it's possible to do both}.
Because believe or not people, kiddos learn from their parents.
And guess what they are going to learn from parents who respect them?
There are many ways to be an attached family. And every family has to find the way that works for them.
There's always a way.
And attachment parenting encourages parents to find that way. It may not be the same for you, me, and the family down the street. But what all these families do have in common is that when it comes down to it, they love and respect each other. Respect is about seeing someone for who they are and allowing them to be that. And treating others in the same way you would like to be treated.
Isn't that a nice way to grow up?
I wish people would stop blaming society's problems on things like attachment parenting, when in fact, what has caused many of these problems is that we've forced ourselves away from what is in our nature to do {which is what AP strives to encourage parents to do: follow your instinct}.
As always I could write a book on this and still have more to say. But it's now almost midnight and it's also the day the clocks go back which means I have an early morning ahead of me. So I should get to bed.
This AP mama is calling it quits and hopes that the above mentioned article does not turn mamas and papas away from attachment parenting if that's the parenting approach that appeals to them.
Mother Madness by Erica Jong
And of course now I have to write what I'm thinking.
It's clear from the article that Jong really has no idea of the real theory behind attachment parenting. She is also mixing up other parenting practices that have nothing really to do with attachment parenting, like cloth diapering and making your own baby food (yes, many parents who practice AP do these things, but these have little to do with actual attachment theory, they have more to do with having an ecological conscience or maybe even saving money!). Plus she's also clumping together very different parenting styles {helicopter parenting with attachment parenting} to argue and prove her point. Which is not correct as attachment parenting and helicopter parenting should not even be considered in the same category as they deal with very different things.
{I do not wish to write about the differences right now, perhaps another time when it's not almost midnight I will.}
I can see why it is tempting and appealing to blame the attachment parenting movement for many of the ills parents {mamas in particular} face today. I can see how this could happen, especially for someone who never practiced attachment parenting and who has not seen the benefits first hand. But the truth is that the burdens mothers carry are not caused by the need to meet their children's needs. Instead these burdens are caused by the society we have created where us women have been made to feel that to be seen, to be recognized and to have worth, we need to be like men, that we need to deny and turn away from everything that makes us women {which believe it or not includes the ability to create a child within our bellies and make milk in our breasts}. I believe this and have since the time I could understand these issues {and I was happy to see one of the comments on the article bring this point up}. In order to truly embrace feminism we have to allow women the space and respect to make their choices. Respect and choice. Those are always good things.
Which interestingly is exactly what attachment parenting is about.
One of the things I see people struggling with the most when I'm trying to explain attachment parenting, is the fact that it's not about raising your children in a way where they will "rule the roost". It's not about putting your life on hold or dropping all other responsibilities and catering to their every whim.
Not.at.all.
It's about raising your children in a way that shows them you respect them. That you are there for them. That you care {while still meeting your needs and responsibilities as a parent and an adult. And yes it's possible to do both}.
Because believe or not people, kiddos learn from their parents.
And guess what they are going to learn from parents who respect them?
There are many ways to be an attached family. And every family has to find the way that works for them.
There's always a way.
And attachment parenting encourages parents to find that way. It may not be the same for you, me, and the family down the street. But what all these families do have in common is that when it comes down to it, they love and respect each other. Respect is about seeing someone for who they are and allowing them to be that. And treating others in the same way you would like to be treated.
Isn't that a nice way to grow up?
I wish people would stop blaming society's problems on things like attachment parenting, when in fact, what has caused many of these problems is that we've forced ourselves away from what is in our nature to do {which is what AP strives to encourage parents to do: follow your instinct}.
As always I could write a book on this and still have more to say. But it's now almost midnight and it's also the day the clocks go back which means I have an early morning ahead of me. So I should get to bed.
This AP mama is calling it quits and hopes that the above mentioned article does not turn mamas and papas away from attachment parenting if that's the parenting approach that appeals to them.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
"Shut Your Facebook"
I have come across several artists, photographers and groups recently that have had pictures removed from the infamous website. Recently artist Kate Hansen (whose art I have posted about before) had several of her artworks removed from her FB page. Most of these works were depictions of breastfeeding. The group "If Breastfeeding Offends You Put A Blanket Over Your Head" has also had photographs removed on many occasions. The fact that anyone can report a picture as "obscene" certainly leaves the term up for interpretation. What I find obscene certainly might not be what you or someone else does. However, overall, there is a general idea of what truly is obscene. To me, breastfeeding mamas are most certainly not obscene. However, I am embarrassed to say that simply because I know some people do consider this obscene I have hesitated from posting pictures of me breastfeeding on FB. For some reason I was not quite aware of I was "afraid" of getting reprimanded by the FB authority. Well now I am thinking, in the words of crazy TrueBlood vampire Russell Edginton, "Fuck the authority." And really, who has made them the authority?
But in reality if anyone on my friends list reported my pictures as obscene, why would I have them on my friends' list anyways!?
Artist Leif Harmsen has started a movement called "Shut Your Facebook" where he encourages people to become informed about exactly what FB is doing: "it can and does unilaterally enforce its concept of 'acceptable' onto you and your society. It is therefore Facebook's social network, not yours, even though it is your picture and name that appear to endorse Facebook's behavior when you do not."
I have to admit that for a couple months now I have been tempted to delete my FB account. Now reading about all this is pushing me closer to actually doing it. In addition to the control it is placing over people, I also hate how in spite of claiming it brings people together it's doing the opposite for me. Friends that used to call, no longer do, because well, "I will FB you." It's just not the same; getting a post on my wall is not the same as hearing someone's voice. Also I've noticed that some of my favorite local businesses that used to blog quite frequently are now only using FB. A playgroup I belong to posts info on FB and often forgets to email members who are not FB-ers. People post everything from personal news to pictures on FB. And if you are not on FB you are left out.
And so that's why I've hesitated to committing FB suicide. But I know several friends who have and they seem to be doing more than OK.
Maybe it's not so bad. In fact I have not posted pictures on there in ages. Really the only thing that has come from having an account is that I've wasted many hours on there, doing nothing productive; hearing pretty useless details about people's lives whom I do not even have real live contact with.
However I would miss hearing from some of my friends and family because that's the only contact I have with them. And in reality I know that without FB I would hardly hear from/about them.
On the other hand, I often think that by staying on FB and continuing to support those that are being "persecuted" might do more good than me going absent.
I know that a decision like this just has to be made, without turning back. Another quote that struck me from Leif Harmsen was, "Websites like Facebook are set up to make it easy to become entangled, but difficult to leave. Just like cigarettes, proprietary social networking websites are especially formulated to create a hamster-wheel of dependence that the user must recognize and rise above in order to quit. You are the hamster. It saw you coming."
Has anyone contemplated or actually committed FB suicide?
But in reality if anyone on my friends list reported my pictures as obscene, why would I have them on my friends' list anyways!?
Artist Leif Harmsen has started a movement called "Shut Your Facebook" where he encourages people to become informed about exactly what FB is doing: "it can and does unilaterally enforce its concept of 'acceptable' onto you and your society. It is therefore Facebook's social network, not yours, even though it is your picture and name that appear to endorse Facebook's behavior when you do not."
I have to admit that for a couple months now I have been tempted to delete my FB account. Now reading about all this is pushing me closer to actually doing it. In addition to the control it is placing over people, I also hate how in spite of claiming it brings people together it's doing the opposite for me. Friends that used to call, no longer do, because well, "I will FB you." It's just not the same; getting a post on my wall is not the same as hearing someone's voice. Also I've noticed that some of my favorite local businesses that used to blog quite frequently are now only using FB. A playgroup I belong to posts info on FB and often forgets to email members who are not FB-ers. People post everything from personal news to pictures on FB. And if you are not on FB you are left out.
And so that's why I've hesitated to committing FB suicide. But I know several friends who have and they seem to be doing more than OK.
Maybe it's not so bad. In fact I have not posted pictures on there in ages. Really the only thing that has come from having an account is that I've wasted many hours on there, doing nothing productive; hearing pretty useless details about people's lives whom I do not even have real live contact with.
However I would miss hearing from some of my friends and family because that's the only contact I have with them. And in reality I know that without FB I would hardly hear from/about them.
On the other hand, I often think that by staying on FB and continuing to support those that are being "persecuted" might do more good than me going absent.
I know that a decision like this just has to be made, without turning back. Another quote that struck me from Leif Harmsen was, "Websites like Facebook are set up to make it easy to become entangled, but difficult to leave. Just like cigarettes, proprietary social networking websites are especially formulated to create a hamster-wheel of dependence that the user must recognize and rise above in order to quit. You are the hamster. It saw you coming."
Has anyone contemplated or actually committed FB suicide?
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Not so cheerful
I'm having an off day...it may be due to my hormones (in case you're jumping to conclusions, no, I'm not pregnant. But breastfeeding comes a second close to causing hormones to run amok), the weather, being tired...a combo of all of the above or maybe even all of the above. All I can say for sure is that I'm irritable, easily annoyed and everything doesn't seem right.
Anyways, the last few days I've heard/seen/read certain things that have really, really irked me. Usually I am not one to let things get to me, but for some reason I am extra annoyed. So I vent. If you don't want to be sucked into my vortex of negativity, don't read on.
Here, listed in no particular order, are the things that are bugging me:
1. Even though my house is fairly tidy, I am annoyed by the clutter. A little paper here, a stack of mail there, forgotten, unused things around. It's got to go. Today I did some major tossing and I feel a bit better.
2. Friends who say they will call to hang out and then don't. Big, big pet peeve. I am pretty sure that's called being ditched. Yes, I understand things come up (me more than anyone knows how hard it is sometimes to keep promises), but hey, I'm not asking for much. How long does it take to make a 5 second phone call: "Hi, sorry, but I won't be able to make it." Yeah, that didn't even take long to type. Love you, but you have annoyed me.
3. Stupid people. Man, I will probably feel guilty for writing this later, but right now I just have to let it out. I am a big supporter of non-judgement. Everyone is doing their best. Plus a bystander never truly knows what's really going on. I know no one is perfect. Hell, I make mistakes too...sometimes often. But there is truly a difference between: 1. not knowing any better but having a will to learn, or at least having an open mind to improve upon one's mistakes and 2. just plain ignorance with the very erroneous belief that you are in any way right and the lack of willingness to even hear/try/learn a different (maybe better) way. Argggg. I feel like all the efforts out there to improve parenting, to help increase breastfeeding, carseat safety, etc, etc...go totally wasted on these kind of people who, for example, don't even try breastfeeding because they are against it for no real reason (true story I heard yesterday). Also in this category is the very, very ignorant attitude of "oh might as well not recycle that piece of paper. After all one piece is really not going to make a huge difference." Ummm...what? If a million people had the same thought and followed through, it surely would make a huge difference. Yeah, that's why change for the better is so friggin' hard to come about.
4. The MMR vaccine. I am having a real dislike towards anything having to do with the MMR vaccine. Why? Well because I just don't like it. I hate that it's tied to so many potential risks and that it contains all these awful chemicals and that it's a live virus vaccine and pretty much everything about it. I do not want to give it to my baby boy right now. We have postponed his vaccine for now. At this point I am on the "not" side. Not forever, just until he's older, his immune system more mature and his body better able to handle the toxins in it. I didn't have this much of a controversy when Maddie was one. I guess ignorance was bliss...maybe? Thankfully all she got was a wee fever, but still. I have heard and read about too many awful reactions, especially in boys. So yeah, I am not pushing on this one. But I am annoyed that parents even have to worry about this! Why can't it just be a non scary vaccine?
OK. I think I feel better. I should focus on the lovely memories of yesterday (spent the day at the cottage; pictures to come soon, there are some really cute ones!) and I'm sure dinner at my parent's will cheer me up more. Good food, good company are good for the soul.
Anyways, the last few days I've heard/seen/read certain things that have really, really irked me. Usually I am not one to let things get to me, but for some reason I am extra annoyed. So I vent. If you don't want to be sucked into my vortex of negativity, don't read on.
Here, listed in no particular order, are the things that are bugging me:
1. Even though my house is fairly tidy, I am annoyed by the clutter. A little paper here, a stack of mail there, forgotten, unused things around. It's got to go. Today I did some major tossing and I feel a bit better.
2. Friends who say they will call to hang out and then don't. Big, big pet peeve. I am pretty sure that's called being ditched. Yes, I understand things come up (me more than anyone knows how hard it is sometimes to keep promises), but hey, I'm not asking for much. How long does it take to make a 5 second phone call: "Hi, sorry, but I won't be able to make it." Yeah, that didn't even take long to type. Love you, but you have annoyed me.
3. Stupid people. Man, I will probably feel guilty for writing this later, but right now I just have to let it out. I am a big supporter of non-judgement. Everyone is doing their best. Plus a bystander never truly knows what's really going on. I know no one is perfect. Hell, I make mistakes too...sometimes often. But there is truly a difference between: 1. not knowing any better but having a will to learn, or at least having an open mind to improve upon one's mistakes and 2. just plain ignorance with the very erroneous belief that you are in any way right and the lack of willingness to even hear/try/learn a different (maybe better) way. Argggg. I feel like all the efforts out there to improve parenting, to help increase breastfeeding, carseat safety, etc, etc...go totally wasted on these kind of people who, for example, don't even try breastfeeding because they are against it for no real reason (true story I heard yesterday). Also in this category is the very, very ignorant attitude of "oh might as well not recycle that piece of paper. After all one piece is really not going to make a huge difference." Ummm...what? If a million people had the same thought and followed through, it surely would make a huge difference. Yeah, that's why change for the better is so friggin' hard to come about.
4. The MMR vaccine. I am having a real dislike towards anything having to do with the MMR vaccine. Why? Well because I just don't like it. I hate that it's tied to so many potential risks and that it contains all these awful chemicals and that it's a live virus vaccine and pretty much everything about it. I do not want to give it to my baby boy right now. We have postponed his vaccine for now. At this point I am on the "not" side. Not forever, just until he's older, his immune system more mature and his body better able to handle the toxins in it. I didn't have this much of a controversy when Maddie was one. I guess ignorance was bliss...maybe? Thankfully all she got was a wee fever, but still. I have heard and read about too many awful reactions, especially in boys. So yeah, I am not pushing on this one. But I am annoyed that parents even have to worry about this! Why can't it just be a non scary vaccine?
OK. I think I feel better. I should focus on the lovely memories of yesterday (spent the day at the cottage; pictures to come soon, there are some really cute ones!) and I'm sure dinner at my parent's will cheer me up more. Good food, good company are good for the soul.
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