Sadly, Brayden really did not like the sand. He went to start crawling and the texture just freaked him out. I was hoping to go on a vacation to the beach so I hope he grows out of that soon.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Dino Museum- picture overload
I joined my parents, sister and nephew on a trip to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point yesterday and had a lot of fun (minus when Jack hit his head). Here are way too many pictures:
Sadly, Brayden really did not like the sand. He went to start crawling and the texture just freaked him out. I was hoping to go on a vacation to the beach so I hope he grows out of that soon.
Sadly, Brayden really did not like the sand. He went to start crawling and the texture just freaked him out. I was hoping to go on a vacation to the beach so I hope he grows out of that soon.
Friday, March 12, 2010
pet peeve
I hate when people ask me if I have a good baby! I'm sure they mean well, and are just curious... but still, it annoys me because you have to wonder if they actually think babies are ever bad. According to their standards, mine just might be. He doesn't sleep through the night, he's very arm-spoiled, he's into everything with all his new mobility, and he's very clingy and wary of strangers right now. I would never classify him as bad though. Babies are babies, and they have needs. If their needs are not being met, then of course they will cry and attempt to communicate that with you. That does not make them bad.
I've been trying to think of clever retorts, like:
"No, he's bad." or
"Well, he hasn't ended up in prison yet." or
"We like him." or
"He's good at being a baby, if that's what you mean."
For the record: I don't mind loved ones asking if he's had a good or bad day. I also know people slip up and ask the typical questions that if they actually stopped to think about they would realize it's a dumb question. I know I asked it before I had a baby of my own. I know I assumed so many things before I had a child of my own so I can't blame people. I was also of the mindset back then that breastfeeding vs. formula feeding didn't really matter, that you should never let your baby sleep with you, and that some babies were brats. Now I know how wrong that was to think however, and I just think this question of whether babies are good perpetuates that idea.
To end on a happy note, look at this beautiful picture and these wonderful words of advice (written to dads but applicable to moms, grandparents, aunts, uncles and any and all other caregivers):
Instructions: Dads, please read carefully before raising. This is a baby. It needs you. It needs your love, your touch, and your time. Spend lots of time with it. Build a bird house. Read a book. Go for a walk. Do homework. Play. The more time you spend, the better chance it has of growing up happy and healthy. It grows very quickly. Pay attention. Never underestimate the difference you make. It takes a man to be a dad.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Get Me Out
I just read this book called Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank by Randi Hunter Epstein, M.D. I enjoyed it for the most part, although the organization (or lack thereof) got to me as well as the fact that she jumped from the garden of Eden to the 1600s (not a very comprehensive history). Anyways, here are some of the things I learned.
Interesting
-British midwife Jane Sharp claimed that there were no such things as British lesbians; it was something that happened to large-clitoris women in the Indies and Egypt.
-This one is mostly for Stephanie (or other English Lit majors): Childbed fever killed Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin in 1797 when she gave birth to her daughter Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein). The rumor is that she wanted a female midwife but the baby got stuck in the birth canal. Her husband insisted on a male midwife who was later blamed for infecting and killing her. For those of you who don't know who she is, she is seen as one of the first "feminists" and wrote a work called A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
-Twilight sleep came about partly because of feminists demanding the right to it. This is hilarious to me because one of the many reasons I chose natural childbirth was because I am a feminist and feel that male doctors try to control and stifle the
power of women giving birth instead of embracing it. Anyways, I'm glad feminists eventually turned to natural childbirth rather than twilight sleep.
-Elisabeth Bing, the founder of Lamaze International, had a birth where she was sedated with laughing gas and had an epidural.
Offensive
-It was thought at first that women simply provided the womb and none of the other important stuff like DNA.
-It's been thought that many of the witch trials were instigated by men trying to take over the baby business and crowd out female midwives.
-A respected OB named Charles Meigs said that a woman should not decide for herself how she should give birth because she "has a head too small for intellect and just big enough for love."
And now I just want to end with an awesome quote that shows exactly how I feel:
"How you view childbirth is a reflection of your philosophy of life. One of the things I feel really sad about is our culture where the message is that women can't have a good childbirth experience without turning themselves over to the control and interventions of the medical community. Starting parenthood with the notion that somebody else has to manage the process is not empowering. This is something that I think about, but I suspect many of my colleagues would say, 'What is she talking about?' I was really proud of my own ability to birth my 9-pound 13-ounce son vaginally without anesthesia. I remember touching his head at my vaginal opening and holding him on the delivery table and being in love. I was his mother. I am not opposed to C-sections, but I'm pretty sure a 30 to 40 percent rate is not justified."
-Marcie K. Richardson, OB and instructor at Harvard Medical School
Interesting
-British midwife Jane Sharp claimed that there were no such things as British lesbians; it was something that happened to large-clitoris women in the Indies and Egypt.
-This one is mostly for Stephanie (or other English Lit majors): Childbed fever killed Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin in 1797 when she gave birth to her daughter Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein). The rumor is that she wanted a female midwife but the baby got stuck in the birth canal. Her husband insisted on a male midwife who was later blamed for infecting and killing her. For those of you who don't know who she is, she is seen as one of the first "feminists" and wrote a work called A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
-Twilight sleep came about partly because of feminists demanding the right to it. This is hilarious to me because one of the many reasons I chose natural childbirth was because I am a feminist and feel that male doctors try to control and stifle the
power of women giving birth instead of embracing it. Anyways, I'm glad feminists eventually turned to natural childbirth rather than twilight sleep.
-Elisabeth Bing, the founder of Lamaze International, had a birth where she was sedated with laughing gas and had an epidural.
Offensive
-It was thought at first that women simply provided the womb and none of the other important stuff like DNA.
-It's been thought that many of the witch trials were instigated by men trying to take over the baby business and crowd out female midwives.
-A respected OB named Charles Meigs said that a woman should not decide for herself how she should give birth because she "has a head too small for intellect and just big enough for love."
And now I just want to end with an awesome quote that shows exactly how I feel:
"How you view childbirth is a reflection of your philosophy of life. One of the things I feel really sad about is our culture where the message is that women can't have a good childbirth experience without turning themselves over to the control and interventions of the medical community. Starting parenthood with the notion that somebody else has to manage the process is not empowering. This is something that I think about, but I suspect many of my colleagues would say, 'What is she talking about?' I was really proud of my own ability to birth my 9-pound 13-ounce son vaginally without anesthesia. I remember touching his head at my vaginal opening and holding him on the delivery table and being in love. I was his mother. I am not opposed to C-sections, but I'm pretty sure a 30 to 40 percent rate is not justified."
-Marcie K. Richardson, OB and instructor at Harvard Medical School
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Swimming
We joined the rec center today and took Brayden swimming for the first time. He loved it just like I knew he would. He loves taking a bath and will even lean back so he's floating on his back with me holding his head.
Here he is in the locker room before going in. Yes, the life jacket looks big on him... but I could barely zip it up! And I picked the right size, so we're just going to be really careful as he grows into it.
Here he is in the pool with Daddy.
And here he is after. Man, I thought getting both him and I dry and in pajamas after a bath was complicated. This is so much worse. Hopefully I get better at it as we keep going.
He even gets his own membership card... definitely a first!
Here he is in the locker room before going in. Yes, the life jacket looks big on him... but I could barely zip it up! And I picked the right size, so we're just going to be really careful as he grows into it.
Here he is in the pool with Daddy.
And here he is after. Man, I thought getting both him and I dry and in pajamas after a bath was complicated. This is so much worse. Hopefully I get better at it as we keep going.
He even gets his own membership card... definitely a first!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Gotta share
these recent pictures of Brayden!
- Crawling is leading to some major sleep regression... last night I nursed him to sleep and then went to watch a show in the front room. I don't know if he "sleep-crawled" or what, but he sure didn't cry like he normally does when he wakes up at night. I found him like this when I came in the room to go to bed. I'm glad he fell asleep before he got to the foot of the bed.
This is an example of My Dadddy dressed me" day. I know I suffer from first child syndrome where I want everything to match and sometimes I go overboard, but this is SO not matching.
- Crawling is leading to some major sleep regression... last night I nursed him to sleep and then went to watch a show in the front room. I don't know if he "sleep-crawled" or what, but he sure didn't cry like he normally does when he wakes up at night. I found him like this when I came in the room to go to bed. I'm glad he fell asleep before he got to the foot of the bed.
This is an example of My Dadddy dressed me" day. I know I suffer from first child syndrome where I want everything to match and sometimes I go overboard, but this is SO not matching.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Ten things I love today
1- What's that you see? Could it be the boy is finally growing some hair? At this rate I'll be able to do a faux hawk in another 8 months!
2- Honey baked lentils.... yummy.
3- House, M.D.
4- Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles- It makes it so I can actually type without waking him up! And it's The Beatles music so you really can't go wrong.
5- Spring being just around the corner
6- "You are not a walking mistake. You are not a problem to be solved."
--Adyashanti
7- Mint.com- This site has helped Adam and I finally make a budget (after nearly 7 years of marriage) and mostly keep to it
8- Fan-made music video of the song "Vanilla Twilight" by Owl City
9- My new living room color- Adam painted it "cafe au lait" this last weekend and I really like it. We're slowly trying to make our condo seem more homey and not so much like an apartment.
10- Adam's birthday is next week, and I am loving that I will be able to tease him about being old for the rest of our lives (he's 2 years older than me). I don't think I would like being the older one.
2- Honey baked lentils.... yummy.
3- House, M.D.
4- Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles- It makes it so I can actually type without waking him up! And it's The Beatles music so you really can't go wrong.
5- Spring being just around the corner
6- "You are not a walking mistake. You are not a problem to be solved."
--Adyashanti
7- Mint.com- This site has helped Adam and I finally make a budget (after nearly 7 years of marriage) and mostly keep to it
8- Fan-made music video of the song "Vanilla Twilight" by Owl City
9- My new living room color- Adam painted it "cafe au lait" this last weekend and I really like it. We're slowly trying to make our condo seem more homey and not so much like an apartment.
10- Adam's birthday is next week, and I am loving that I will be able to tease him about being old for the rest of our lives (he's 2 years older than me). I don't think I would like being the older one.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Martha Hughes Cannon
I was at work shelving and noticed this book by Lynne Cheney (yes, the former VP's wife and no, I am not a fan of his). I decided to look at Utah's page where, among other things, I read a small factoid about how a woman named Martha Hughes Cannon was the first female state senator elected in the United States and that she had actually run as a Democrat against her Republican husband. Those facts alone were enough to get me extremely interested in this woman's story. So when I got home I looked her up on Wikipedia.
She was also a suffragist, a women's right advocate, a doctor, and a POLYGAMIST. One of those things is not like the other, right?!
I am still really interested in reading more about her life and am hoping my work will order this book so I don't have to buy it myself.
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