A Case of the Mondays

Ugh, I always hated that expression, but today it's so true. I am dragging butt today.

I went to bed at 11 last night (which is pretty good for me) after a weekend of being invaded by friends who have no concept of toddler sleep schedules.  Don't get me wrong, I love my friends, and I love spending time with them and opening up my home to people. BUT, I also relish at least one quiet evening or afternoon at home to relax, clean, catch up etc.

So I woke up at 6:30, remembered I didn't have to be at work today until later, and rolled back over until 7am. Isn't it always harder to wake up after you're snoozed? I got up at 7am and woke up my cuddle warm little Mimicans for some morning cuddles.  She did brighten my morning.  Having just those extras 20 or 30 minutes to spend with her in the morning really makes a difference in my day.  We made coffee and a sippy cup of watered down applejuice and just leisurely enjoyed the morning.  (BTW I was 182 this am--how depressing...)

Then reality set in, my husband whisked her off to daycare and I had to put on dress clothes and go to work. I feel so uninspired today to do my job. I hate that.  I want to wake up and get excited about what I do.  I ended up wearing clothes that made me feel frumpy, sauntering in full of negativity.  I made myself a to-list with 4 things on it and I'm going to do my best to get those 4 measly things done, and go home and enjoy the rest of this day.

Do something today that makes you happy, wear a bright color, have that extra cup a coffee, give your kid 100 extra kisses, and then send some of your cheeriness my way!!

Just a Normal Saturday...

Picture heavy post....

Mimi's Day in Photos--yes she had 3 outfit changes today--laundry owns my ass.

Up and at em' at 7:30 am, hanging with mom in the kitchen, she helps me make coffee

Enjoying our scrambled eggs with ketchup, Don't hate, we all eat ketchup on our eggs in this house...

Some coloring after breakfast (one of the homemade bibs I have made recently, Mimi gets my mistake ones lol)

A walk outside

Some bubble blowing

Walking to the park to meet her bestie

Dahlia and Mimi

Mimi watched Papa make roasted eggplant (a reciped Jess will like, remind me to forward it to her), and Mommy ran 3.5 miles.  Now she's soundly asleep with a sippy cup of icewater and an elmo doll.

Breastfeeding a two-year-old?

I have watched this lady's vlogs since I was pregnant. I really like her, I was actually surprised to see she's only 25--she seems much older than that.  I don't always agree with her, but I enjoy her video content.  Her vlog post today really made me think about my opinions on prolonged breastfeeding.  Her son is 20 months and she is still breastfeeding him 3 times a day (morning, nap,and night) and says he nurses throughout the night.  The judgmental side of me at first instantly judged her and thought "lady you're doing it for you, you just don't want to give up doing it" which I can understand.  I LOVED nursing Mimi.  I miss nursing a baby.  I so look forward to nursing my next baby.  My second thought was that based on what she says, it seems like her kid is dependent on nursing to go to sleep, like a 3 year old with a pacifier.  And this whole idea of self-weaning sounds so new age and warm and fuzzy, but really it says to me "I'm going to let my child do whatever it wants so I don't have to feel like the bad guy."  Seriously. There's gauging when your child is "ready" and there's letting your kid rule the house because you don't want your child to perceive you as mean for taking something away that they love.

Also, another thought: What benefits are there to nursing a child past....hmmm...let's say one year?  Besides some warm and fuzzy statement about bonding time. Because that's bullshit. I bond with my daughter every minute I'm with her.  I cuddle her, kiss her, read to her, tickle her, interact with her.  Because after 13 months I stopped letting her pacify herself at my boob when she was tired I'm not bonding with her? I digress.

Okay so let's look at some science...

-------------------------------

Fat and Energy Contents of Expressed Human Breast Milk in Prolonged Lactation, Mandel et al. in PEDIATRICS Vol. 116 No. 3 September 2005, pp. e432-e435

Methods. Thirty-four mothers, of term, healthy, growing children, who had been lactating for >1 year (12–39 months) were recruited. Control subjects were 27 mothers, of term infants, who had been lactating for 2 to 6 months. Fat contents of the milk samples were estimated as creamatocrit (CMT) levels. Energy contents of the milk were measured with a bomb calorimeter.

Conclusions. Human milk expressed by mothers who have been lactating for >1 year has significantly increased fat and energy contents, compared with milk expressed by women who have been lactating for shorter periods. During prolonged lactation, the fat energy contribution of breast milk to the infant diet might be significant.

-------------------------------

A longitudinal study of prolonged breastfeeding in relation to child undernutrition
Fawzi et al. in Int. J. Epidemiol. (1998) 27 (2): 255-260.

Methods. The relationship between prolonged breastfeeding and child growth was examined prospectively among children under 36 months old who participated in a large cohort study. At baseline and at each of three 6-monthly follow-up visits breastfeeding status was assessed and all subjects were weighed and measured.

Results. Undernourished children were more likely to be breastfed for a longer period of time compared with normal children.

-------------------------------

So there are two articles, one stating breastmilk during prolonged lactation has higher caloric content (not surprising however) and the other noting instances of malnutrition in children breastfed past 12 months, up to 36 months.  Even though the fat content, children obviously NEED to have the main source of their nutrition from other sources.  If your child is nursing and filling up throughout the day on high fat content breastmilk, that may deter them from consuming other nutritious food stuffs, right?  

Big Girl Bed and 10K 101

So at Mimi's 18 month appointment with her pediatrician, we delved into the realm of big girl beds.  Mimi is the size of a two-year old, easily.  She's 28 lbs, and I think 33 inches.  She's a big kid.  She swings her leg over the rail of her crib like it's her job.  She tosses and turns all night and I can hear her BANGING into the side of the crib.  Last night, in her refusal to sleep, she sad perpendicular in her crib kicking the rails.

My husband, the pediatrician, and I all agree Mimi is too big for her crib.  She is ready to be in a bigger bed.  Now, not everyone agrees with me.  Even my daycare provider exclaimed "Why would you do that!?" when I mentioned it to her.  My friends with kids politely recommend I wait a little longer as they have with their kids.  WTF people.  Who puts my kid to bed EVERY NIGHT!? Me.  Who knows my kids sleeping issues BEST? ME.  Okay, so your kid couldn't climb out of their crib, or maybe Mimi is still a baby to you. She's not.  The idea of taking down her crib breaks my heart into pieces and bring tears to my eyes. Seriously, it's pathetic.  I tear up at the idea of tucking away the crib, mattress, fuzzy chenille pottery barn kids sheets, not to mention all the underbed storage!  But she's not sleeping well, and at this rate with the kicking, she's going to break the crib rails.  I kind of wanted to save the crib for one (or two :-) ) more babies.

ahhh--the days of having a little muffin baby sleeping away in her crib.....

We've been thinking about getting her a platform bed from Ikea.  For two reasons, 1 we LOVE Ikea, and two, because the platform would be low to the ground so if/when she rolls out, she would be fine.  If we get a bed more than 12 inches off the ground, we would probably have to put up a side guard.  We've been also been considering some from potterybarnkids.  Her shelf was from there, and  yes they are expensive, but they're stuff really does hold up well and looks amazing. We'll see.  It was suggested to us to just put her mattress on the floor for awhile while we shop for a bed.  

So 10K....

I have officially registered for a 10K the first weekend in March. I figured this would help me continue to be motivated to run, an also I would be training harder so I can lose this LAST 10 POUNDS that's haunting me.  So far it's not going well, Yesterday I ran 3.5 miles and if felt like my legs weighed 100 lbs each. It sucked.  I had to push myself, I didn't enjoy it.  I don't know if it was the change in where I was running, or the time of day, or the no coffee. I suspect it was lack of caffeine. SUCKS that I am so addicted to coffee lately.  My husband keeps telling me to cut back, but I am having trouble functioning without it some mornings.

The good news is Todd from the 5K101 program just put out his 10K101 program! I literally yelled for joy when I saw this.  His 5K program was the ONLY one I've tried that I completed.  He kept me going.  His 10K program isn't' free, but it's only $14.95, I've spent more $ on less desirable crap! So tomorrow I'm going to buy it and get started. It's a 6 week program and my 10K is in 6 weeks.  Thanks Todd! I heart your running programs!

Inspiration Board

In March I'm throwing one of my good friends a "Baby Sprinkle."  Since it's her second baby (both girls), we decided to celebrate her upcoming new arrival with a more subdued party.  Party? Did I hear party?

I LOVE planning parties.  If it wasn't for my small house and small budget I think I would be throwing themed get togethers all the time.  So Grace, and all my other lady friends of a certain age, please continue to get pregnant so I can enjoy this some more....

Now I hate to post this inspiration board because it'll spoil the theme for Grace...sorry Grace, I'm sure you'll be okay.

Holy fun bumblebee-themed party to come!!!!  I think it's great because Grace is fixated on polka dots anyway.

Some things I've thought of also--personalized jars of honey for favors, lemon cupcakes with bright yellow wrappers, daisies in vases.....

I feel all giddy just thinking about it....

Courtney can I come throw you a subdued second shower too? Please?  Kyle will let me.

Besties

Mimi and Dahlia

I just think this photo is priceless.  So I don't have a fancy prime lens yet, but minus the grainyness, this moment was so cute.  This is Mimi with her buddy Dahlia.  Dahlia has been Mimi's bud since birth :-) They are finally about equal in size and play so well together, minus the occasional fights over toys.  It's great to have a friend with a kid.  Sometimes Grace and I just sit and watch them play, we dont' even talk. It's pretty funny, like a psychology experiment.

I am so ready for the weekend.  I need a break.  We had a crazy 2 hour faculty meeting today and tons of drama at work.  Awesome.  I'll have to update on that later....

Tomorrow I take Mimi to her 18m appointment.    I am going to wake up late, have breakfast with her, and relish all those moments.  Then i'll go to work after her appointment...blah.

I have been sewing up a storm.  Courtney and Grace watch out--my craftyness is centered on fluffy baby stuff :-)  Tonight I'm not going to drag it all out--tonight I will go to bed before 2am lol.  I just have this complex about finishing things....



 

Long awaited update

I make it sound like you all are just holding your breath waiting for me to update my blog! As if right?

Well I know I have a few loyal readers that enjoy my posts so I'll make one for them.

First I have to put up this photo of mimi. Can you believe this hair? I love it. I hope if lasts forever.  The whispy soft brown curls.  Sometimes my husband says "damn we make cute kids, lets make another...." I tell him to be careful what he wishes for!  lol  My preggo friend (one of them anyway...) was over last night and we were talking about pregnancy, and I just think, man I want a baby right now, but I so can't afford one.  So in the meantime, i'll just keep sewing cute stuff for their babies and staring at Mimi's whispy curls wondering if the next one will have them.

That was random...

Anyway... So guess what, in the chaos of my husband's family and my stressful job I haven't run since Saturday---Damn that's bad.  For some odd reason, even with lack of running, I managed to lose another pound and a half.  I'm at 178.6 today. Dude.  8.6 lbs from my goal weight. So nuts.  I am going to buy some running tights tonight--it's 30 out, too cold for bare legs and I hate running in baggy pants.

Family Chaos

My husband's family came this past weekend and it was complete chaos.  I love them, all of them, lol, but it is kind of crazy having them all here at once.  Seven extra people in our house.....

I think the photos show the chaos better than my descriptions...

With Nana

The chaos of breakfast

sitting next to Nonno

Heading to the park

Walking the wagon herself

Aunty Al, Mimi's middle name is named for my husband's sister

My brother in law and his wife Maribel

using Mimi to play catch

My husband and his mom

with my husband's youngest sibling

Work has been stressful.  Having been home over Christmas and seeing how life at home could be, I know that big changes are coming this year.  Right now my cat is scratching for food, laundry is waiting, and I'm going to hit the hay early tonight because I have to teach tomorrow.

Saying bye bye to Uncle Gian and Aunt Maribel

Saying Goodbye Again....

I just spent 10 glorious days home with my daughter.  Ten days of waking up when she does with morning cuddles in bed. Ten days of walks to the park, playing hide and go seek in the kitchen, finger painting on the patio, watching Fraggle Rock and taking evening baths together. No emails, no blow drying my hair, no pressure to be anywhere (except for the actually holiday itself).

I LOVED IT.

This morning as I left for work, Mimi was screaming and calling my name and reaching for me with giant alligator tears streaming down her face.  I know that once she's in the car and at the daycare she'll be happy to see her friends and play with all the different toys. But this morning, the scene in our house was heart wrenching, like the end of losing Isiah when she has to give the baby back. The baby is crying, the blond white mom is crying (i'm not blond, but you remember the scene right).  Well, it was even more of a reality check that changes must come.

You SAHM's out there that can afford to be home with your babies indefinitely make me so so jealous.  Granted, I always said I never wanted to be SAHM fulltime, but a few days of week would be oh so glorious.

:-(

Happy New Year! I welcome 2011!

We welcomed the new year sitting in a hot tub drinking Asti. Not bad eh?  Mimi wore her bubble hem party girl dress and was in bed by 9pm, and we were in bed by 1am feeling like oldies!

Resolutions you say?

I can't tell you how many people have asked me my resolutions for 2011.  I make resolutions all the time.  I did tell my friend's husband that this is the first year in a loooooong time my #1 resolution isn't to lose weight.  In all reality, I am only 10 lbs from my goal weight.  When  you used to be 80 lbs from it, as I was 1.5 yrs ago, 10 lbs is a drop in the hat.    I do intend to keep up my running and do a 10K this year.

I am still trying to transition to a 60% raw diet.  It's really hard because my husband isn't on board and we like to eat as family.  I'm going to keep at it though!

My major resolution is find a career path that makes me happy AND pays the bills.  Right now I"m paying the bills, let's try to get to paying the bills and liking it.

My husband and I have been throwing around the idea of a BIG change this year. Can you guess what that might be?

What are your resolutions this year?