Checkin' in

Hello, all!

I've been busy with midterms and first birthdays. That's right! Our side salad is now one years old. We celebrated in style at the local Mickey Ds. I think it's okay to have a McNugget or two on your birthday-you only live once...

School is...school. I am just exhausted. If I could figure out a way to pay off my student loans and have some sort of stable income, I'd say screw it and just be a SAHM.

Lettuce and I had a talk about breastfeeding. I know his family are pretty anti-breastfeeding so I wanted to gauge his feelings on me continuing to do so. He was totally fine with it. He can see the benefits in the health of the ducklings. Astronaut sleeps in his undies only, year round. Literally. The boy walks around in just underwear when it's snowing outside. He never gets sick. Lettuce and I have been together since he was 3 1/2 and he'll be 9 this year and he has never been sick. I breastfed him until he was 13 months old. The girls on the other hand, weren't so lucky. Princess was only breastfed 4 months. She immediatly stopped growing. She had tons of earaches and her tonsils removed at 4 years old. Squirrel was EBF until 6 months, though we started solids at 4 months. She had a combo until she was about 7 or 8 months. The ear infections were constant and she got tubes at 9 months. Whoa!! I've gotten a bit off topic. Anywho, Side Salad will be getting the good stuff indefinitely, that's the point. And here's a pic of us nursing in public to celebrate.


Ciao!

A new year, a new accomplishment!

On December 30th, Lettuce had surgery. It was supposed to be an outpatient surgery but do to unforeseen circumstances, they kept him overnight. He's fine now, came home on New Years Eve.

While we were there, Side Salad took a step. That's right, he took a step. My little monkey. He is 9 3/4 months old. This is the youngest any of my children has walked. Astronaut walked at 10 months, the divalicious Princess at nearly 14 months, and the mischievous Squirrel at 11 months. I am so proud!


Here is a grainy clip of my little darling stomping across the living room...obviously Santa didn't get that memo. I got a crockpot and a rice cooker.

Right before visions of sugar plums danced in their heads....

I love Christmas.

I love the magic, the mystery, the fun, the suspense, the traditions. Childhood seems so short now. I try to make Christmas as magical as possible for my kids while they are young. They believe in Santa. We have things we do. I want them to have traditions so that they are their uncles and my age, they can reminisce. Tonight, we set out the reindeer feed for Santa's crew. It's birdseed and glitter. We sprinkled it out in the yard. They loved it, though the Astronaut felt it necessary to give it a taste test-yuck! Then the real fun began.

The kids decorated cookies and a gingerbread house. They did a great job. The first time, we decorated, then baked. Didn't go so well. The kids piled on the sugar and sprinkles and all of the sugar carmelized-then burned. Plus the kiddies handled the dough so much it got really thin and hot. So the second batch, we adults made the cookies, then baked. Then I whipped up some quick frosting (powdered sugar, plus milk and a dash of vanilla extract) and the kids decorated them. This turned out much better and we had Santa-worthy cookies.

The Squirrel and her fractured gingerbread man

The Princess and her snowman

The Astronaut and his snowman

Then we decorated a gingerbread house. It was fun. Then everyone got washed up and went to bed without many complaints.

I have to go move the gifts downstairs. I only have a few hours until they are back up. They'll be up with the sun and I have to make breakfast, then start on dinner. I hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas too.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Mmm, yummy soup! [stuff i like]

Delicious!

Playing with the bubble wrap
Sit on it? Why? Oooohhhhh....

That fancy little number is the Boon potty bench I won over at Mama Sparkles. It has places for the TP and the magazines, and the deflector is soft and rubbery. It's also a bench. I love it!

Okay, okay, I know Side Salad is only 9 1/2 months old. But really, is it ever too early to introduce a potty? I had the Princess day trained at 26 months and the Squirrel at 22 months. I think I'd like to break my own record LOL.

Most children in the world are never formally potty trained. They learn how and when to go naturally. I consider it potty learning and it begins at birth. I don't mean you stick your kid on a potty for hours on end, cajoling and bribing with cookie and Dora stickers. That doesn't work. Trust me, I tried. Think of it as a stage in physical development, like learning to walk. Your baby needs guidance and encouragement. Give it in spades. And teach by example. That's right, open up that door and let your kid go visit the loo with you.

And no, he didn't poop or pee in it.

Oh, and if you see Santa, tell him Gina needs a digi cam for Christmas so I can put really cool pics up instead of crappy camera phone pics. Thanks.

TCP: Stuff I Like

I have been having an ongoing love affair with TCP for years. TCP is The Children's Place. It's my favorite kids store because they sell kids cloths, not small adult clothes. I try to avoid dolling my chocolate girlpies up like little streetwalkers at all costs but it can be really hard given the current offerings in the retail market. I never have this issue at TCP. TCP is also the first place I found jeans with adjustable waistbands. I have slim kids. Add in the bright colors, continous clearance, 15% off coupons and flat $5 shipping and it's no wonder.

I was in there yesterday, looking for a turtleneck for the Princess when I came a cross this monkey and hat. I love it! I ended up buying the monkey and sweaters for Side Salad and Astronaut! I am going back today to get sweaters for the girls. They will be getting the same ones [when she heard this, Princess yelled "I can't wear a BOY sweater!!!" Au contrare, my dear, you can] because the girl's version has entirely different colors that don't look as fab. I'll take a pic later and post it.

The Meddler

Now let me give a little background info.

Squirrel and Side Salad are biologically the children of Lettuce. Princess and Astronaut are not. We have been together since Astronaut was three and Princess was one. Meddler has more than once purposely started probs with Lettuce and I.

Back when Squirrel was a little baby, she single handedly destroyed our first family vacation to go see Lettuce's mom. I know she isn't the only one to blame, but even her husband told her to cut it out. She didn't and it just made things VERY bad.

She took Squirrel to a family reunion. Lettuce is her nephew. How is HE not invited to a family reunion, but the baby is? I don't understand.

Today, she claimed she wanted to take Squirrel visiting. It turns out, she took her to a family dinner. WTF?? What about Lettuce?

He claims these things don't bother them but they do. It's just plain rude. And hateful. He has a strained relationship with his family already. This just makes it worse. But, he acts like he is scared to stand up to her. It makes me mad, but if I say anything, I am the bad guy. I think that she tries to pass my daughter off as her daughter. I know it sounds strange, but if you were here you would understand. Many of his family members have only seen her with Meddler, never with Lettuce and I. I am annoyed at the situation and frustrate with Lettuce. It is disappointing. He is a grown man. He doesn't have to kiss her booty all the time.

Well, gotta go-my baby just got back!

PANDA-monium!!!! [stuff I like]

I wont that giveaway I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. It was the one from Andrea of Mama in Flip Flops2 for a $25 gift certificate to Happy Panda, my new favorite baby brand. This stuff REALLY fits. Side Salad was over 9 pounds at birth and is growing like a weed. When I shop, I usually buy him size 12 months. He is 8 months old now. Anywho, HP is for cuties like him, but I would also suggest them for any cloth diapered baby because the pants are so roomy! The pants accommodate fluff in the trunk. Here is my happy little panda, before he crawled off:

BEYOND pissed off!

Have you seen the new Motrin ad? (That's a YouTubeclip because I think Motrin's site is down.) My cousin Stacy told me about the add earlier today and I moseyed on over to Motrin to take a gander myself. What. The. Hell. Motrin has lost their mind. It seems to me that they have taken a stance against baby wearing. Seriously, Motrin. That's how you want to up your sales. By insulting the way mothers have taken care of their children since the beginning of time? I am sure the women in Africa and Asia who carry their children on their backs are doing it for the cool factor. And since I live in Amercia, the only reason I am doing it is to fall in line with this "fad." It has nothing to do with my baby being happy or being able to do things for my older kids. I just want to fit in.

Screw Motrin.

November 12-18 is International Babywearing Week. I am going to celebrate babywearing.

I am not done ranting yet, but I wanted to let you know that before I get too deep into my anger. It's like they are trying to stop mothers from carrying their babies. Why? I don't understand. Why does it bother others? My baby is happy and so am I. If I get an occasional backache, so be it. Hell, it hurt a lot more having the little bugger. Furthermore, maybe I am reading too much into this, but I don't think babywearing makes me look tired and crazy. I really dislike this ad. I am really pissed.

On that note, this is reminiscent of the campaigns against breastfeeding and midwives of last century. Mamas, we have to educate ourselves lest we forget how to mother naturally. We don't need all this advice that is driven by greed. We don't need anyone to tell us that our bodies are not competent.

Okay, off my soapbox...for now....

My CUSTOM Scuttlebutts have arrived [stuff i like]

Arrgh, me hearty! Gimme your booty!


So cI am managing a full blown diaper addict. I was doing well, but fell off the wagon upon seeing Scuttlebutts. I stalked for a while until a custom spot came up and leapt on it. I decided to go all in and get four. The main reason I did it was because she has a fantasic array of fabrics and I simply could not pick one. It was impossible. I went with OCV on the inside but she as OBV, too. I think she has hemp but I'm not the biggest hemp fan. I am glad I got four. Best. Choice. Ever.

Here are my dipes. I obviously didn't take this pic with my crappy little camera phone. This is the pic that Jen sent me right before she mailed them.
Jen made this beautiful fluff by hand. They are so professional. She obviously plays close attention to detail. Check out the little applique. Isn't it cute? And it keeps them with the right diapers. Genius!I ordered some BabyLegs (cause I am fluffy like that) to go along with them.

I am a stickler for customer service and Jen communicates frequently. I love that. It was a joy giving her all my money and I look forward to buying more if I can catch a custom Spot!

No More Pinchies! [stuff i like]

Side Salad is a notorious pincher. He is my 8 month old (has it been that long already?) nursling. He is a hefty little guy with awesome fine motor skills. That is my nice way of saying he pinches very, very well. He loves to pinch while he is nursing. I think he does it to make sure he has my full, undivided attention. Sometimes if I nod off, he'll kindly pinch me to make sure that I am staring at him while he nurses. It's a service he provides for free. Anywho, I saw the nurse purse on a blog a while back and tried to win one. Didn't win, but ordered one anyways. I have to say, it's the best $12 I've spent in a long time. Side salad toys with it, turning it over in his sweet little hands. I got it from Risky Beads on Etsy. The best part is, it's a really pretty necklace. The one I have is called Fidelity, and it looks like obsidian.


Quite lovely, whether you are nursing or not. Check her out if you have a pincher or if you like one of a kind pieces. She sells a lot of things other than the Nurse Purse and she ships super quick-a huge plus when you are being pinched! Tell her Regina sent you.
Here it is, clutched in his tiny little claw:

Here is Side Salad nursing-no pinchies! He has his hands wrapped around it.

Baby Wearing

Yes, my son is spoiled.

His father and I spoiled him.

That is, if you mean my baby doesn't get to cry much and is held a lot. Then by all means, the Side Salad is spoiled ROTTEN.


I am a slightly attached parent and I wear him a lot. I've been AP since before it was cool. I wore the Astronaut in a Snuggli and allowed him to sleep with me. Little T has it even better-he rides around in a cool camo Lucky-Baby sling http://www.lucky-baby.com/p_home.asp . It's a pouch and it's in the Noah pattern. I have an Oliver, too, but I misplaced it. Here he is in the Lucky-Baby. Please disregard the high chair, artwork, and other general clutter.














And a better pic from Lucky-Baby. They are really cute and priced wonderfully!















However, I have been itching to try a mei tai, but mei teis can been really expensive. Mei tais are kind of like really soft and beautiful Snugglis. Enter Cuddling Baby. Here are some truly affordable mei tais! Check her out http://cuddlingbaby.com/default.aspx and http://search.stores.ebay.com/CUDDLING-BABY_cuddling-baby_W0QQfcdZ2QQfrtsZ0QQftsZ1QQsaselZ314840329QQsofpZ0 .

So, what's better than affordable mei tai? Free mei tai, of course! Andrea of Momma in Flip Flops2 is having a giveaway. Visit her blog at http://mommainflipflops2.blogspot.com/2008/09/cuddling-baby-mei-tais-review-giveaway.html for a chance to win! Good luck!

Hello, grass, nice to meet you.

I have been taking the ed psyc class and I think it's really opening my mind to some new theories. Kind of a Piaget-Vygotsky hybrid. Anyways, I was thinking about experiences and how children formulate new ideas and understanding from experiences. I want my children to have a childhood rich with experiences, so after church today I sat Little T (aka Side Salad) in the grass. He's only 6 months old, so he hasn't had a lot of hands on outside time.

He had fun, pulling up blades and tossing them through the air. It was a beautiful moment. I wish I'd snapped a pic of him being cute. It was such an adorable moment. He's a gorgeous little fella.

You'll have to settle for this one.