Feet so sweet I gotta have a picture- March 25, 2011

So we got Charlotte’s 3 month pictures when she was about 3.75 months old.  I like natural light, outdoor photos like our maternity photo shoot.  It was cold so we got a few outside shots and went in for the obligatory naked-baby-on-white pictures. 

Like this one.  I think it’s sweet…

Greyson rolled his eyes, at that one.  But, it was this one that really got him going…

Greyson: ”Why did we get that picture of our rings on her toes?” 
Me: “Aw!  Because it’s sweet!”
Greyson:  “That is dumb.  Yeah.  I’m always like ‘Wait!  Where’s my ring?  Oh yeah.  I put it on the baby’s foot.’  Sometimes when I change her diaper I find it between her butt cheeks.”
Men.  They don’t understand the cuteness.  But, he did make me laugh.  Here’s more of our silly little family…

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Parental Guidance- March 22, 2011

We’re TV people.  Our DVR is always packed.  Our television cabinet is often warm after hours of some sporting event or movie.  I’ll admit, for the past year or two, I’ve been having a torrid love affair with the Internet.  But, the flat screen still holds a big place in my heart.  

I was holding my little baby, rocking her the other day.  She was about to fall asleep when some incredibly lewd joke on Family Guy cracked me up and my belly laughs woke her up.  Her stirrings made me realize how often this pops up on the screen in our living room…
I thought, “Hmmm.  My baby does see and hear an awful lot of Eric Cartman and Daniel Tosh.  That can’t be good for her moral compass.”  I know right now the TV is just colors and sound to her, but how long until she’s gonna recognize Stewie Griffin?  More than that, how long until she’ll want to watch crap like Dora the Explorer?  I don’t even want to know what Yo Gabba Gabba is, let alone have it take up space on my DVR. (I refuse to Google this program because I’ve heard rumors of it’s nerve grating songs and such.)  
When will I have to watch the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon?  I am REALLY not looking forward to it.  Do you think I can raise a kid who loves Jon Stewart as much as I do?  I’m hoping she start getting Colbert’s jokes about Scott Walker so Mommy won’t have to change the channel.  
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Nip it in the bud- March 21, 2011

Sorry for two milk-related posts in a row.  I guess it’s just on my mind since my bra cups runneth over lately.  I Tweeted this out yesterday…

Sometimes at the mall I just want to shout. “hey lady! Ur kid crying makes my boobs hurt! Plz quiet them down “. 

Leaking is not nearly as bad as it was when Charlotte was first born.  We’ve gotten into a pretty good routine with nursing, pumping, and cleaning a million bottles.  (Don’t get me started on all the parts that go into making Dr. Brown’s bottles less gassy.)  Another mother told me something this weekend I was not aware of.  There are different nipple flow levels!  What?!  Why did no one tell me about this!?  Apparently most bottles you buy have only a level 1 or slow-flow for newborns.  After that, you need to increase the level so your baby can get the milk faster and it won’t take so long feeding them.  No wonder she gets frustrated with how the milk is coming out of the bottle.  And here I thought she just wanted to nurse because she loved being near me.  No, she can control how fast it comes out of my boobs.

I’m convinced human nipples come in different levels too.  I would put my right one at a 2 or 3.  Left one, level 1.  It’s slow-flow for sure.  Okay, thanks for joining me for “Nipple Chat”.  Enjoy your Monday.  
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Fresh cream- March 16, 2011

Is there anything more amusing than doing a Google search for something and seeing all the ridiculous, irrelevant crap that pops up?

I Tweeted out an article similar to this the other day.  This is from the NY Daily News.      
LADYGAGA.jpg
Breast milk ice cream safe to eat, per health officials; ‘Baby Gaga’ ice cream sparked safety fears
The health and safety experts have spoken: Breast milk ice cream is back on the market. Icecreamists, a trendy London ice cream parlor, had its “Baby Gaga” ice cream confiscated by health authorities after customers voiced fears that the sweet treat might contain the hepatitis virus, wire service Newscore reported. Officials confirmed that the product contained no harmful viruses or bacteria. Still, the ice cream makers are furious over the icky publicity the investigation brought to their business. “Breast milk is not dangerous and Westminster council confiscated our product in the full knowledge that we had done all the proper tests,” Icecreamists owner Matt O’Connor said. “We are considering taking legal action because this has damaged our reputation.”The ice cream makers may have beaten one foe – but they still have another to contend with.Singer Lady Gaga dubbed the controversial frozen dessert “nausea-inducing” and has threatened legal action unless O’Connor yanks the similarly named controversial dessert. O’Connor isn’t ready to give up on Baby Gaga without a fight. “This from a woman with a penchant for wearing rotting cows’ flesh,” said O’Connor, referring the custom-made meat dress, shoes and hat Lady Gaga wore to the last MTV Video Music Awards. “At least our customers are still alive when they contribute to our art.”
Um…ewww!  And that’s coming from a breastfeeding mother.  So what was I Googling?  I typed “frozen breast milk” after seeing this in my freezer…..
I got a little distracted and never really got far into my research as to what to do with all that milk because I kept wondering, “How cold are that lady’s boobs?”  and, “What’s the flavor, ‘Mint Chocolate Nip’?”  Ha!  
Okay blogosphere, all jokes aside.  What should I do with it?  Make homemade baby food and add some in?  When I thaw it out it tastes funny.  (Yeah, I’ve tasted it, just not in a waffle cone.)  Is there anything I can do with it?
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A world of change- March 14, 2011

Like everyone, my heart aches for the people of Japan.  Just a year ago it was in Haiti.  We watched the tsunami in Thailand back in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

When I used to see the images of catastrophe I thought of the bigger picture.  I would marvel at the amazing video of shaking buildings or that one wave engulfing a house.  I would wonder about the environmental impact, and economic aftermath.  I would tune into the telethons and donate some money to relief efforts while laughing at the gaffs of spoiled celebrities.  (Kanye West anyone?)

Of course I was heartbroken by the images of human despair.  But, this time it’s different.  When I saw the first pictures coming from Japan the first thing I thought was, “How fast could I get to Charlotte to throw my body over hers?”  “What if I couldn’t get to her and something fell on her in the quake?”  I wondered if I had enough arm strength to hold onto her during a tsunami wave.  I had horrific images in my mind of her drowning, or Greyson and I  being washed away from each other as we tried to save our daughter.  (Ginger too.  Lots of pets are killed in disasters like this.)  

This child has stuck in my mind.

Japan Earthquake
Associated Press
The caption read “Self Defense Force member reacts to rescuing 4-month-old baby girl.”  I have a 4-month-old baby girl.  I felt an unbelievable kinship to this child’s mother.  She and I were pregnant at the same time.  We could’ve had our babies on the same day.  I imagined the agony her parents must have been through in the past few days.  I have prayed for this family.  I rejoice in her safety.  I hope her parents are alive too.  (The article didn’t say.)  
The whole world seems different now.  Everything has changed.  
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