Encouraging news

I caught this breastfeeding initiation increasing in my news feed today and was pleasantly surprised! I know, I know, the glass half empty people and the high expectations people will be poopooing because the continuing rates are not changed....sigh.
I believe in the "progress not perfection" model myself. This essentially means that MORE babies are getting AT LEAST SOME breastmilk. Not everyone will breastfeed their 4 year old or even their 6 or 9 month old, BUT more women are breastfeeding their 1 day to 6 week olds. I am encouraged. All I can do is continue to support moms in making this decision, moms who may or may not have that kind of exposure in their lives.

And to those moms who are nursing like champs.....
BRAVO My friends!!
We're changing the world!

Gotta see it to believe it

What a photo of motherly bliss.....
ANYTHING to get close to that baby

Oh My Goodness!!

How on earth did I miss THIS

Today is SpankOut day!! What an interesting concept and an interesting website.
In the interest of FULL disclosure, I saw this first on this blog The Attached Mother

Some pretty good reads tonight, I can catch up on a lot when my children have been tired out by all day friend play!!!

Back in the groove

I haven't been very creative since before Christmas. I felt like I was in a slump. The kids and I were doing other projects around here instead of actual crafting. We've been trying to get our yard and gardens up to par so that they are easier for us to take care of.

Leigh has been helping with that

I haven't been on my loom in almost a year and it's not even threaded.

So, I got a new-to-me sewing machine last week and have been trying some things on that. I stitched up a couple a cloth napkins just to get the experience with using it.


I had to repair some of he poor stitching on Leigh's birthday quilt and was pleased with how easy this machine is to use. It is really simple to thread, set tension and actually sew. I am far from an expert but I do know how to work a sewing machine (Thank You Ms. Jacque Boggs--my weaving prof)

Now I have also started on a couple gifts for coming up things, some clothing items, and some wool diaper cover shorts for summer (Shout out to my sister about those)
I did two pair of woolies for the boy, (who was a less-then-willing model) added an extra strip inside of wool and embellished the back seat of each.





One with just a patch





and the other with a "C"

















I feel like I'm getting back in touch with my hands after a hiatus of sorts.
I miss the crafting I could do a while back... More time then though
Ah, those days will slowly morph back as time goes on...

Now just looking forward to the lazy summer days ahead.

True Friendship

I have discovered over the last 4 years of my life the meaning of true friendship: (Bear with me as I try to correctly use the 'bullet' feature.)
A true friend will:

• Bring you Spaghetti and meatballs upon hearing that you have mastitis (The good home made kind of balls because that is how she cooks....)
• Struggle (with another friend) at almost 9 months pregnant to smash your impulse As Is Ikea purchase into the back of second friend's van just so you can get it home.
  
• when you show up to support her at a hospital in a time of motherly need, produce a wonderfully thoughtful gift for YOU and your soon to arrive baby.
• Never give you crap for the sheer quantity of strollers you have been through in 4 years, even if its just so you wont give them shit for their, um, 'collections' (can anyone say carriers, diapers, yarn, fabric, sewing machines, pez dispensers, etc..)
• talk you down when you call them before opening up a can of whoop ass on your 3 year old that you know you would regret later, reminding you of what you want to teach your children.
• bring you a babyfood jar of lecithin (also for the mastitis) with hand written directions on it.
• Call you from Goodwill when they see something on your 'list'.
• support your attempts and help you move towards ideals in raising a healthy family and then meet you at In and Out Burger when you need it.
• Drink coffee for you when you've just had enough.
  
• Share recipes with you and dishes and ingredients and substitutions
• let you tell them how you REALLY feel about something and know that you will not be judged.
  
• Feed your kids when you show up at their house unannounced, clothe them when they decide the bathroom is too far away and accept them like their own even if they are being poopyheads to their children.

I guess that is why I belong to a tribe. They are my people. They got my back. I can't imagine life without them.
How do you know a friend? What has someone done for you that says they are a true friend?
Funny, this post started out about the meatballs and just grew from there

All kinds of four

Well, today is the day, just 4 short years ago, my life changed. We (daddy and I) were just 2 for sooo long! Then you joined us! I had no idea what to expect, I wasn't sure I could still be the same person that I was before you came. I wasn't sure I wanted to be. I can remember that we had a little baby sprinkle at Daddy's school on Tuesday 4/20. (AND discussed the repercussions of you being born to us on THAT date....)

I was have a bit of back pain. We went home and I was feeling a little worn out and wanted to rest a bit. I woke up at around midnight and I knew that something was happening...I waited for about 2 hours and then woke Daddy to start getting ready to call off of work. He had to drive down to school to set up his sub plans.

He was gone almost 2 hours.

That was my last time to be alone with you still directly nourished by my very being. You did not even need to breathe yet, I was doing all that still for you! I rested between crescendos with Oliver and Jesse on the bed. I think they knew and did not leave my side.

It was a few short hours later that you joined us, hand aside your face, yelling out loud....
(and you haven't stopped since then!) Right to your Daddy's tears. I think he was shocked to see you! Even though we knew that I was carrying a baby, when you arrived, there was still that momentary, "Oh My! There is the baby!"
You are one on the go little girly girl!

....And now today.
I just went and checked on you, napping on the couch, flushed from a bit of a bug that is throwing you for a loop.
You are silent and straight faced, no questions-about-to-be-asked in eyes right now.
Sometimes I wish that I could turn back and re visit the things that I can't quite remember and force them into my thoughts to make them permanent recollections. Your first smile, first steps, first sign. The farther we move away from them in time, the less I can picture them.

I am just so overwhelmed with thoughts of you right now that I can not even put the words down sensibly.
Happy Birthday my little piddle. Four years of joy, four years of family, four years of "Oh My God, what is next!?"

...And the second birthday party

...with the second cake.

A carrot cake with cream cheese icing and walnuts..


It was really like a gigantic tribe day with cake and ice cream!


As usual, C tried to schmooze with the ladies...
You think Amy would know better.
The kids did a really cute quilt for Leigh and I will post pics of that tomorrow.
I need sleep--post party exhaustion.

Here is the beautiful quilt that was completed at the party:

I want to hang it but Leigh wants it on her bed.

1 of the HUNDREDS of reasons I love Ikea!!

No more plastic bags!

They are gonna do away with them!
Now if only they would reduce other packaging in their products

Man, I just LOVE that place though!

Zoos and fairs

One of the first thing that L wanted to do when we got back from PA was go to the zoo. It took us a week but we finally got there. They got to play with friends and enjoy themselves running around. It wore them out, naps and early beds that night!
They also got to go to the fair at daddy's school on friday.
Both had a blast
Leigh got her face painted


Carson explored some future career possibilities





Hopefully he'll get good enough to keep us in our old age but we don't want put all of our eggs in that basket.

Another Birthday..sorta

L had one birthday party already with her Meemaw D and now she is having a second one with her other meemaw. I don't know who gets more excited, her or C:

starting over

OK, after much harassment, I have decided to start a blog that is NOT on Myspace. I personally like my Myspace blog so I may be a little bitter at first...