So I have a confession to make. I'm one of those moms. Yeah, one of THOSE moms.
I was doing a church activity last night, I think I was the only one there who brought their baby along, and the topic of babies came up and the current trends of mommy hood. One that was thought of as ridiculous by some of these women was the idea that the baby should only be on formula or breast milk for the first six months. They were commenting on how they were feeding their babies rice cereal at two months and introducing solids much earlier then that to help the baby sleep. In fact, my mom recommended that I give Kaia a little rice to help her sleep at night when I was still a new mom (not that I'm an old hat at this now that I've been doing it for a whopping five months).
Well, I just made a casual observation, as Kaia is very healthy and happy, how she's nearly five months old and has only been breast fed. In fact, I'm pretty proud that everything my baby has digested has come from me. I may have to introduce solids a little earlier than I would have wanted, the army is taking me away from my baby for three days before she turns six months old and I want to make sure I have other options in case I can't get enough milk pumped, but I am in the camp of giving my baby no solids before six months.
Yep, I am one of those moms. The mom that goes through labor with no drugs and a midwife, doesn't want a c-section, and breast feeds as long as possible *though I'm not into the extreme breast feeding gig, I think Kaia will be weaned by two at the latest*. I think some of the women got a little bashful when they realized I didn't use any of those old techniques they raised their children on that worked for them, and I do have my own mother on board because I think she sees how Kaia is growing and knows I'm doing something right. Heck, I'm one of those Co-sleeping mamas, I try to get Kaia in the crib for at least part of the night but more often than not I end up in bed with her because we're both happier and we both sleep better when we sleep together. I hear a lot of women who talk about the lack of sleep with a newborn and I'll be honest, I haven't really had that. Why? Because I sleep with my baby, I breast feed her, and I try not to let her cry for long when she gets fussy. It's just worked. I have had a couple sleepless nights but I don't feel like a walking zombie like many woman comment on.
I'm not saying every woman needs to do what I do, I just found that it works for me. I went by my gut after researching what I needed to do. I basically fell into co-sleeping because it just felt natural and I like my sleep. What's interesting is a lot of these birthing trends that are coming to light are not really new at all. In a lot of third world societies, babies sleep with their mama and it isn't considered the enormously dangerous thing that it is like some people claim it is here, though i admit I haven't told my pediatrician that I co-sleep. Most of these people in other countries don't have the option of feeding their babies formula, they only have breast available, which is considered the best thing to give your child. I was watching this documentary recently called Babies that shows four different babies from around the world and how although this one baby is born in very rough circumstances, playing around in the dirt and what not, he is happy and thriving. He's got his mama there and all of his basic needs are met.
Kaia is happy and thriving, and I don't want to toot my own horn or anything but I think it's because of how I put a lot of things to the side to make sure her needs are met. Right now, she has been my primary focus in life and everyone comments what a good baby she is. Now I have to focus on making sure my husband isn't feeling neglected either. And keeping on top of the house.
Of course, Kaia has got me lulled into this sense of security that makes me want to have another one, and I'm wondering if they are going to be nearly as easy as she is
A blog about a girl who speaks her mind and talks about whatever she wants. So its a blog about everything, and absolutely nothing, all at the same time. . .
4.11.2012
3.26.2012
Life After Childbirth
Where do I begin? I think I'm starting to finally feel the need to get out do things, and having an infant that you have to lug around everywhere you go does put a damper on your style. I felt pretty independent and free before becoming a mother and now, not so much, but still, at the same time, I do love my daughter and I love being a mom.
One of the strange things about the whole event, I felt through most of my twenties I couldn't figure out what I wanted to be and now I know. I'm going to school part time, my bachelor's degree is actually accessable for the first time in, well, ever! Going into education and teaching, which I just keep going back too, my other educational endeavours were just going nowhere but now I feel like i might just get something accomplished. It feels good.
Animalwise, I had three chickens and twelve chicks april of last year, every one of those chickens is deceased. It actually makes me kind of sad to think about that I lost all of my chickens, because you grow rather fond of them. I started with fifteen chicks now, though one of those chicks didn't make it. A little adaptation to my chicken coop should keep the predators out. Also we have a haveahart trap to catch anything that might want to munch on chicken flesh. Already got a raccoon with it, and a friend is making a coonskin cap out of its carcus. I love the rural life though. Getting to and from town however, not so much. I also had one of my beloved barn cats disappear. This made me a little sad, so I adopted a couple 'feral' cats that are sweet as can be to replace him. It's kind of sad that I have to consider my barn cats expendable, because we do have a coyote issue. The next task, getting my dog an invisible fence so she can help keep the pests away, and hopefully add to the lifespan of my other animals.
I'm down to two horses, one being Breezy and the other being a pony that is a work in progress. It should be fun putting miles on him, but I don't know if I'm going to keep him, otherwise I might try to trade him for a pony that is a little more tame. He's got some spunk, and it looks like it will be a while before my daughter can use him.
I'm down to two horses, one being Breezy and the other being a pony that is a work in progress. It should be fun putting miles on him, but I don't know if I'm going to keep him, otherwise I might try to trade him for a pony that is a little more tame. He's got some spunk, and it looks like it will be a while before my daughter can use him.
Working out is a work in progress. We had sun a few weeks ago and I went running for the first time in, well, over a year. I am out of shape. We also started P90X and lasted a whole two weeks. But weather has been very bipolar, yesterday was glorious son, today is wet and snow. Bleh. Husband's work schedule and my life being dictated by an infant has a lot to do with that. That also goes for having time to clean and upkeep house. Not to mention blogging. You mean I have a blog that at one time was semi-successful? Whodathunkit?
There is often issues I want to comment on, but it's just getting to a point where I wonder what my priorities are, and right now, my priorities belong to my daughter. Having only one child and living out in the boonies makes doing anything kind of difficult, but we'll manage I think. Just keep an eye on the blog, I facebook much more and when i do blog, I tend to comment on my facebook about it.
Justice and Gun Rights, Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman
So after remaining mum on the topic, this is what I think happened. Pardon some errors, this is all pure speculation as I do not know all of the details.
George Zimmerman is part of a neighborhood watch program. Trayvon Martin was visiting some friends or family from out of town. Martin had walked to a corner store and picked up an ice tea and some skittles and was talking to a female friend on the phone on the way back. Zimmerman was driving along, seeing a 6'2" black kid that he was unfamiliar with walking down the street of his neighborhood.
And this is where a big fat misunderstanding starts to happen. In a responsible situation, Zimmerman could have just went straight up to Martin and asked him who he was and what he was doing without being confrontational about it. Martin could easily explain who he was visiting and what he was doing, if Zimmerman had any questions about it, he could have kept an eye on the kid until he reached the house he was staying at. No bloodshed would have happened. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way.
Zimmerman decided to call 911 to report suspicious activity on a strange kid walking down the street, knowing nothing about the kid. Meanwhile, Martin notices some guy is following him and relates this to his friend on the phone. She tells him to get out of there, run or something. he throws his hood over his head, kind of a defensive posture in my mind suggesting he wants to be left alone. Whatever action he did, it made him look suspicious to Zimmerman. Zimmerman, meanwhile, wants to engage the kid in a sort of vigilante nonsense and the police specifically tell him not to engage the kid. Zimmerman assumes since the cops aren't there that they don't have a good handle on the situation and decides to take matters into his own hands. Martin is already suspicious of Zimmerman and wondering why he is following him, likely feeling threatened himself.
Whatever happens at this point escelates the situation. Zimmerman likely confronted Martin. Martin, being a seventeen year old kid, probably got defensive. Both saw the other as a threat, even though there was no threat there to begin with. I don't know about you, but teens can be volatile, and Martin was likely already on edge, Zimmerman said something to him that got his blood going and Martin likely defended himself by jumping on Zimmerman. At this point, Zimmerman was in a self defense situation and shot the kid.
Conclusion, both did actions to escelate the situation to the point where it ended where it did. I don't think Zimmerman went into that situation with the intent to murder Martin, but that's what happened. Poor judgment and suspicion lead to a tragic incident that could have completely been avoided if the two of them communicated better. Is Zimmerman guilty? Hell yeah he is. Is Martin? He is not without fault, but he didn't deserve to die, he shouldn't have been shot, and there is that window of time before Zimmerman shot Martin that we do not know for certain what happened.
The issue of controversy is that Zimmerman was not arrested due to the Florida Stand Your Ground law which provided a loophole that let him off the hook. Zimmerman was in deed defending himself at that point. The problem? So was Trayvon Martin. The further problem was that Zimmerman was armed with a gun while Martin was armed with an iced tea and a bag of skittles, as well as his fists. In a case like this, the gun will always win.
Apparently Zimmerman is feeling a lot of guilt for what happened, as he is still free, but the public outcry on this case while everyone is jumping to conclusions is probably putting a lot of pressure on him. He should turn himself in most likely, since the New Black Panthers has issued a bounty on his head for $10,000. Do I think this was a hate crime? No, Zimmerman over reacted to a percieved threat that wasn't a threat at all, he saw a stranger on the street that looked suspicious and took matters into his own hands. He instigated it and used poor judgment. He should have known better. He should also choose his words a little wiser next time as well, because goon sounds a lot like coon over the phone.
This case has been getting a lot of attention and people are crying foul that other cases that were serious are not getting half the attention that this one is. There was an issue of a white kid getting set on fire by two black kids, which was definitely racially motivated. There was also another case where a white couple was raped and brutalized by a gang of black people, who were later arrested. To me, they are both horrific and unnecessary, but its not the issue of media under reporting earlier cases, where justice was met because the guilty were arrested. The case with Martin and Zimmerman is that Zimmerman killed a kid and was released by the police of any wrong doing. The precedent to me is what this will do and how it will be used against the second ammendment. Because for every Zimmerman/Martin case, there is the other side where somebody who is actually evil wants to do harm to another. Channon Christian and Chris Newsom would be alive today if they had a gun to defend themselves. Zimmerman should have known better and not taken the matter into his own hands, especially since he had a gun. I am an avid defender of gun rights, but that doesn't give you a license to take the law into your own hands. The Stand Your Ground law is a great law in my opinion, it has been misused here.
Of course, to bring Politics into it all, President Obama had to weigh in, suggesting that if he had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin. *le sigh* Why does Obama have to always insert himself into every situation he weighs in on? The issue was tragic and should have never occurred, but it doesn't matter who Trayvon looks like, if Trayvon had been a Irish kid with red hair and freckles, does that mean Obama wouldn't care because he wouldn't look like Obama's son? The concern was he was an innocent kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think the issue is communication here, and an incident could have been completely avoided if Zimmerman hadn't decided to play vigilante.
1.04.2012
2011 - quick rundown by month
I know a few people who do this. I thought I would start doing it as well. Here is a rundown of my month to month activities, the highlights and main events.
JANUARY
P90X going strong, trained for UPL with the Military that sent me to Texas for a weekend. Got attacked by a feral cat and had to get rabies shots. A couple of weeks of trying to trap cat with no dice. Cat still at large. Briefly go back to work at the air port cleaning airplanes. Husband surprises me with tickets to Hawaii for our one year anniversary. Snowmobiling!
FEBRUARY
Continuing series of Rabies shots. Husband leaves for the first time for a week. Finish working at the airport and put in my two weeks notice for good. Decide to see if I can make it work as a photographer and work on my portfolio. More Snowmobiling!
MARCH
Go train to be a Unit Computer Tech in Vancouver, WA for a weekend, spend some time with my Aunt Renee. Get my first suspicions I am pregnant while there. Come home, take a pregnancy test, have it confirmed at the hospital. Because of miscarriage, don't tell anyone about it except for husband. Get in to see Midwife right away. No longer snowmobiling, brother figures out I'm pregnant. A few horse friends figure it out too.
APRIL
Find out last minute that Husband has to go to Military school during the week we are to be in Hawaii, trip gets delayed. Wait until week 8 to inform the family of pregnancy. Learn that cat naps are a beautiful thing, also experience Morning Sickness. Find baby chicks at Big R and bring home six. Two weeks later, bring home six more. Spend the next six weeks away from hubby. Not happy about it but deal.
MAY
Lots of sleep. Trouble finding things to eat. Pregnancy continues. Make the Facebook announcement at 12 weeks along. feel the baby kick at insanely early. Husband returns from school at end of month and heads out of town promptly thereafter for work.
JUNE
Husband returns from out of Town, we got to HAWAII!!! See my cousin on Oahu and then head over to the big island where I meet his extended family. Tour the big island by Camper Van. Awesome time!
JULY
Fourth of July in Hilo HI. Come home and find out we're having a girl! Husband leaves again. Balderdash. Cheney Rodeo, lot's of fun! Family reunion in Seaside OR where Husband shows off his impressive wind surfing skills.
AUGUST
Helena MT for the Army, I still fit in my ACUs? Start Hypnobirthing classes. Start school, since I have nothing better to do. good friend gets married, Husband best man
SEPTEMBER
Impromptu maternity session. Husband in and out. Bleh.
OCTOBER
Baby Shower!. . . get's promptly canceled when I find myself having preterm labor. figure baby's arrival is imminant. Aunt comes and visits. Halloween is lackluster this year, I dress up as a pregnant girl.
NOVEMBER
Impatince is the story of my life first half of month. Fed up with Roosters beating up my hens and butcher them. Baby comes at exactly 40 weeks, right on schedule. Healthy and beautiful. Try to go to Portland for Thanksgiving, can't make it. Decorate for the holidays. Spend rest of month at home recooperating with baby. Husband has time off. I get pampered. Life is good.
DECEMBER
Holidays are approaching, difficulty shopping for christmas on account of newborn. Christmas low key. I feel better. New Years at Wolf's Lodge with the family.
Maybe next year i'll go into greater detail, complete with pics, but that just about does it. I guess with a baby, life is just a little more busy for me right now. :)
JANUARY
P90X going strong, trained for UPL with the Military that sent me to Texas for a weekend. Got attacked by a feral cat and had to get rabies shots. A couple of weeks of trying to trap cat with no dice. Cat still at large. Briefly go back to work at the air port cleaning airplanes. Husband surprises me with tickets to Hawaii for our one year anniversary. Snowmobiling!
FEBRUARY
Continuing series of Rabies shots. Husband leaves for the first time for a week. Finish working at the airport and put in my two weeks notice for good. Decide to see if I can make it work as a photographer and work on my portfolio. More Snowmobiling!
MARCH
Go train to be a Unit Computer Tech in Vancouver, WA for a weekend, spend some time with my Aunt Renee. Get my first suspicions I am pregnant while there. Come home, take a pregnancy test, have it confirmed at the hospital. Because of miscarriage, don't tell anyone about it except for husband. Get in to see Midwife right away. No longer snowmobiling, brother figures out I'm pregnant. A few horse friends figure it out too.
APRIL
Find out last minute that Husband has to go to Military school during the week we are to be in Hawaii, trip gets delayed. Wait until week 8 to inform the family of pregnancy. Learn that cat naps are a beautiful thing, also experience Morning Sickness. Find baby chicks at Big R and bring home six. Two weeks later, bring home six more. Spend the next six weeks away from hubby. Not happy about it but deal.
MAY
Lots of sleep. Trouble finding things to eat. Pregnancy continues. Make the Facebook announcement at 12 weeks along. feel the baby kick at insanely early. Husband returns from school at end of month and heads out of town promptly thereafter for work.
JUNE
Husband returns from out of Town, we got to HAWAII!!! See my cousin on Oahu and then head over to the big island where I meet his extended family. Tour the big island by Camper Van. Awesome time!
JULY
Fourth of July in Hilo HI. Come home and find out we're having a girl! Husband leaves again. Balderdash. Cheney Rodeo, lot's of fun! Family reunion in Seaside OR where Husband shows off his impressive wind surfing skills.
AUGUST
Helena MT for the Army, I still fit in my ACUs? Start Hypnobirthing classes. Start school, since I have nothing better to do. good friend gets married, Husband best man
SEPTEMBER
Impromptu maternity session. Husband in and out. Bleh.
OCTOBER
Baby Shower!. . . get's promptly canceled when I find myself having preterm labor. figure baby's arrival is imminant. Aunt comes and visits. Halloween is lackluster this year, I dress up as a pregnant girl.
NOVEMBER
Impatince is the story of my life first half of month. Fed up with Roosters beating up my hens and butcher them. Baby comes at exactly 40 weeks, right on schedule. Healthy and beautiful. Try to go to Portland for Thanksgiving, can't make it. Decorate for the holidays. Spend rest of month at home recooperating with baby. Husband has time off. I get pampered. Life is good.
DECEMBER
Holidays are approaching, difficulty shopping for christmas on account of newborn. Christmas low key. I feel better. New Years at Wolf's Lodge with the family.
Maybe next year i'll go into greater detail, complete with pics, but that just about does it. I guess with a baby, life is just a little more busy for me right now. :)
Resolutions 2011/2012 edition
This year started with all sorts of hopes and goals, I started with 15 resolutions. Turns out one trumped the rest. How did I do for 2011?
Well, the first four are related.
1. Run Bloomsday at close to an hour - I didn't even run bloomsday.
2. Leadman - A triathlon that is ski/bike/run. Was tempted to try, glad I didn't.
3. Pattern Racing - You take a horse and do various gaming events on them. I have the horse, but other obstacles were in my way.
4. Trail Challenge, Ride and Ties - Another horse related set of events.
5. Concealed Weapons Permit - Really no excuse, but I think I will have this one written down so I don't forget. I really need to get this knocked out.
6. Motorcycle License - It will be some time before I get this task done. I still want to do it.
7. Finish P90X - We made it to week 6. Then a couple of events happened that put us on hiatus and then ultimately quitting.
8. Go Canyoneering - We were planning a trip to Southern Utah, this sounds like a lot of fun. But alas, just didn't happen.
9. Start writing a children's book - have an idea, but it just didn't materialize. Maybe one day I'll sit down and do it.
10. Employment - This is amber, because it wasn't a true job. I worked my graveyard shift for a couple more weeks and than ultimately quit. I also put my camera to work, though only a handful of jobs. I didn't actively pursue my photography, but I really would like too. I do need to look for an actual, steady job. Still have the army reserves, though that didn't pan out like it usually does.
11. Learn to cook at least one new meal every month, if not every week - I actually was able to learn a few meals this year, but it wasn't as frequent as I would like. I kept going back to old stand bys.
12. 24 hour comic - Do 24 comics in 24 hours, from start to finish. I don't think it will ever happen. If I do it, I do it. I'm just not going to do it any time soon. No use putting it up as a resolution.
13. Get back into painting - I got the paints out, planned a painting, and put paint to canvas. I then gessoed over what I did because it was awful. I at least got into my paints. Maybe I'll do better next year?
14. Organize my studio space - This is a constant work in progress, but it is further along now than it was last year.
15. Get Pregnant - To explain last year's resolution, let's just write down what I wrote last year. "Depending on when this happens, this might but make a lot of my other resolutions go red." Indeed it did. I got pregnant within two months of writing this list and everything about went red. But it was worth it. I got an adorable little munchkin to show for it.
This year will undoubtedly be different from years previous because of my munchkin, and it will actually be more typical of the traditional new years resolutions. I am realizing I'm older, I'm married, and now I have a child. Everything changes. My resolutions are going to be a little more responsible and oriented toward my family then before.
1. Regularly attend church - over the last decade, I've been a bit of a heathen in regards to this task. The thing is, I feel better about myself when i go regularly, and I can totally use the networking and support it provides especially when my husband deploys and leaves me to myself. Fortunately i do have my family, but friends are good too, and it's a firm foundation of morals and values I want to raise my daughter in. I'm off to a good start so far.
2. Get back into shape - Yes, the infamous and infernal 'exercise' resolution that everyone puts on their list and nobody accomplishes. Well, baby is out of the oven, I did fairly well with my pregnancy but I definitely have some toning to do. Plus, Army mandates it, and i'll feel better about myself.
2.5 Pass PT test first time out - I have to take a diagnostic PT test six months after giving birth. I want to smoke that thing.
3. Run at least 5 races - Bloomsday, mud races, 5ks, half marathons, triathlons, whatever. This year I want to get into running. I'm using my sister and my sister in law for motivation. I just want to get into running.
4. Horse Events - This is pattern racing, trail challenges and the like. I'm going to try these with Breezy this year, if munchkin allows. I will most likely have to have either a baby sitter or somebody to assist in my endeavours.
5. Meal Planning - I actually tried couponing this year. It ended in an abysmal failure, that and it's just quite time consuming. I've decided to change gears, and it's just healthier in the long run, and saves money when you don't buy stuff that goes bad because you don't use it. That's the goal at least. And it goes with resolution 11 from last year.
6. Breast feed at least 6 months - that gives me until May. I want to shoot for as long as I can, but going for 6 months minimum.
7. Agility Training with Scooby - this dog was born to do Agility events. I want to do them with her. There is a local dog circuit in town that teaches agility training and allows owners and their dogs to compete. I don't intend on doing it for anything more than for fun, but I would like to learn how to do it and teach her how to do it.
8. Get a job that coincides with staying home with Baby - I don't want to pay a baby sitter to take care of my baby. It doesn't have to be anything grand, making six figures a year or anything like that. Just a little extra to supplement our income while I take care of infant. likely a telecommuter job.
9. Get an A in classes while sticking with school - I feel I'm pretty close to getting my Bachelors for once. Army is paying for it. Why not? I go to school online, so I hope I can keep up with it and a baby. So far so good!
10. Work on baby Number 2 - By years end, I hope to be pregnant again. We want two kids, and we want them close in age. Hope it doesn't happen before September, as that's when we'll start working on it. If it doesn't happen this year, hopefully it will happen early next year.
That sounds like a good list of resolutions for me to work on. Here's looking at a fabulous 2012!
Well, the first four are related.
1. Run Bloomsday at close to an hour - I didn't even run bloomsday.
2. Leadman - A triathlon that is ski/bike/run. Was tempted to try, glad I didn't.
3. Pattern Racing - You take a horse and do various gaming events on them. I have the horse, but other obstacles were in my way.
4. Trail Challenge, Ride and Ties - Another horse related set of events.
5. Concealed Weapons Permit - Really no excuse, but I think I will have this one written down so I don't forget. I really need to get this knocked out.
6. Motorcycle License - It will be some time before I get this task done. I still want to do it.
7. Finish P90X - We made it to week 6. Then a couple of events happened that put us on hiatus and then ultimately quitting.
8. Go Canyoneering - We were planning a trip to Southern Utah, this sounds like a lot of fun. But alas, just didn't happen.
9. Start writing a children's book - have an idea, but it just didn't materialize. Maybe one day I'll sit down and do it.
10. Employment - This is amber, because it wasn't a true job. I worked my graveyard shift for a couple more weeks and than ultimately quit. I also put my camera to work, though only a handful of jobs. I didn't actively pursue my photography, but I really would like too. I do need to look for an actual, steady job. Still have the army reserves, though that didn't pan out like it usually does.
11. Learn to cook at least one new meal every month, if not every week - I actually was able to learn a few meals this year, but it wasn't as frequent as I would like. I kept going back to old stand bys.
12. 24 hour comic - Do 24 comics in 24 hours, from start to finish. I don't think it will ever happen. If I do it, I do it. I'm just not going to do it any time soon. No use putting it up as a resolution.
13. Get back into painting - I got the paints out, planned a painting, and put paint to canvas. I then gessoed over what I did because it was awful. I at least got into my paints. Maybe I'll do better next year?
14. Organize my studio space - This is a constant work in progress, but it is further along now than it was last year.
15. Get Pregnant - To explain last year's resolution, let's just write down what I wrote last year. "Depending on when this happens, this might but make a lot of my other resolutions go red." Indeed it did. I got pregnant within two months of writing this list and everything about went red. But it was worth it. I got an adorable little munchkin to show for it.
This year will undoubtedly be different from years previous because of my munchkin, and it will actually be more typical of the traditional new years resolutions. I am realizing I'm older, I'm married, and now I have a child. Everything changes. My resolutions are going to be a little more responsible and oriented toward my family then before.
1. Regularly attend church - over the last decade, I've been a bit of a heathen in regards to this task. The thing is, I feel better about myself when i go regularly, and I can totally use the networking and support it provides especially when my husband deploys and leaves me to myself. Fortunately i do have my family, but friends are good too, and it's a firm foundation of morals and values I want to raise my daughter in. I'm off to a good start so far.
2. Get back into shape - Yes, the infamous and infernal 'exercise' resolution that everyone puts on their list and nobody accomplishes. Well, baby is out of the oven, I did fairly well with my pregnancy but I definitely have some toning to do. Plus, Army mandates it, and i'll feel better about myself.
2.5 Pass PT test first time out - I have to take a diagnostic PT test six months after giving birth. I want to smoke that thing.
3. Run at least 5 races - Bloomsday, mud races, 5ks, half marathons, triathlons, whatever. This year I want to get into running. I'm using my sister and my sister in law for motivation. I just want to get into running.
4. Horse Events - This is pattern racing, trail challenges and the like. I'm going to try these with Breezy this year, if munchkin allows. I will most likely have to have either a baby sitter or somebody to assist in my endeavours.
5. Meal Planning - I actually tried couponing this year. It ended in an abysmal failure, that and it's just quite time consuming. I've decided to change gears, and it's just healthier in the long run, and saves money when you don't buy stuff that goes bad because you don't use it. That's the goal at least. And it goes with resolution 11 from last year.
6. Breast feed at least 6 months - that gives me until May. I want to shoot for as long as I can, but going for 6 months minimum.
7. Agility Training with Scooby - this dog was born to do Agility events. I want to do them with her. There is a local dog circuit in town that teaches agility training and allows owners and their dogs to compete. I don't intend on doing it for anything more than for fun, but I would like to learn how to do it and teach her how to do it.
8. Get a job that coincides with staying home with Baby - I don't want to pay a baby sitter to take care of my baby. It doesn't have to be anything grand, making six figures a year or anything like that. Just a little extra to supplement our income while I take care of infant. likely a telecommuter job.
9. Get an A in classes while sticking with school - I feel I'm pretty close to getting my Bachelors for once. Army is paying for it. Why not? I go to school online, so I hope I can keep up with it and a baby. So far so good!
10. Work on baby Number 2 - By years end, I hope to be pregnant again. We want two kids, and we want them close in age. Hope it doesn't happen before September, as that's when we'll start working on it. If it doesn't happen this year, hopefully it will happen early next year.
That sounds like a good list of resolutions for me to work on. Here's looking at a fabulous 2012!
2011 in review
Despite how little, or how much I blog, I will always do my review of my year.
This year, I'm going to add a little extra. A month by month account of how my year went. Coming in a blog post near you.
01. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Hmm. . . thinking. . . :P
Give birth of course, nothing anyone tells you can prepare you for childbirth, and men really can't understand
02. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
One event probably skewed a lot of my resolutions for last year (will detail in a post immediately following) and yes, I have a lot of resolutions for this coming year.
03. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Hmm. . .
Actually, I know quite a few. a couple of cousins, a niece and a friend of mine all had babies, but one did come near and dear to me.
04. Did anyone close to you die?
At this moment, I can't think of any deaths. I'd feel very foolish if I was wrong on this account.
05. What countries did you visit?
No countries other than the US of A, however, one more state was knocked off my to visit list, the great island state of Hawaii! That brings my total to 46!
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Exercise.
07. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
A handful. Of course, one big one, November 15th. I will write this date down multiple times for the rest of my life I am guessing.
08. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Natural Childbirth. believe me, it is a HUGE achievement. I wanted to cave in bad, but I managed to do it unmedicated. I can't take full credit, my friend Pam the Doula and my mother and sisters were a huge help in making me achieve this goal.
09. What was your biggest failure?
This is a tough one. I guess not getting that stupid possibly rabid cat, which is still at large. Also, was going to put in a garden. It didn't happen this year. But then again, this was a horrid year for gardening, so I have heard.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Child birth, and the consequences produced from baring an 8 pound baby naturally. And of course, getting attacked by a feral cat.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My husband got us a trip to hawaii, definitely the best thing we bought :)
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
No idea, but I'm guessing I can say Yay me for going Natural!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Multiple Politicians. I am very disappointed in our current crop of presidential candidates
14. Where did most of your money go?
Towards an infant I guess. I got into the nesting bug pretty bad.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
For November to come around so I could hold my little munchkin in my arms.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2011?
You know, there are so many stupid songs out on the radio today. I'm focusing on oldies I think, becuase I've been listening to a lot of soft music to calm infant. I really like Adele, I guess her music will.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Definitely happier
ii. Thinner or fatter?
Ugh, Fatter. Granted I just had a baby so give me a break. Overall I'm doing well, just have to lose a few more pounds and tone!
iii. Richer or poorer?
Poorer financially, (barely) just because we have more things to support, namely an infant, but we're still doing very well. Richer in all other ways.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
More prepping for the baby, namely in organizing the house and getting my affairs in order. I would have also liked to have done a garden.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Slept, but it was a necessity when you are pregnant. I spent the first trimester taking four hour naps and they were spectacular.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas eve with my folks and family, Christmas morning with my husband and daughter, and christmas afternoon with his family. We just about missed christmas together and almost had to delay it. Very low key holiday season, it was nice though.
22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Yes :) Madly in love
23. rescinded due to pointlessness (what can I put here in place of this question?)
24. What were your favourite TV programs?
Sister got me hooked on Dexter. Netflix has been key to introducing us to discontinued shows like My Name Is Earl and No Ordinary Family. Watched Jericho after I had Kaia. Been watching Star Trek, The Next Generation off and on when I have some time to kill with the baby. Still, not much of a TV watcher, especially now that I'm getting my energy back.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Juvenile question. I guess I still despise the cat that maimed me
26. What was the best book you read?
Don't read a whole lot, so I guess The Hunger Games
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Lullaby setting on Pandora (though the ads ruin the vibe)
28. What did you want and get?
A healthy pregnancy and a bouncing baby
29. What did you want and not get?
We do want a boy, but I'm absolutely thrilled with my daughter. Also, a hypnobirth and more time with my husband
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Haven't watched a lot, but I really liked Limitless, also Harry Potter. Buck was fantastic.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went to a breast feeding support group with my week old daughter, then went home and my husband made me dinner and gave me a Nook. I turned 31.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My husband being home more, but alas, that is part of the hazards of being married to the military.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Lounge Pants and Oversized T-Shirts.
34. What kept you sane?
There's always something to do. I can't die of boredom where I live.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
This is a difficult question for me for some reason. I'm sure there was one but I can't think of any.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I guess how dumb the GOP field is. I tried to remain current without getting to stirred up with politics, being pregnant I wanted to keep myself in a mellow easy going mood and nothing gets your blood pumping like Politics.
37. Who did you miss?
My husband, who was missing half of the year
38. Who was the best new person you met?
A little girl named Kaiana
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Family is what Life is All About
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"I got You Babe!"
This year, I'm going to add a little extra. A month by month account of how my year went. Coming in a blog post near you.
01. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Hmm. . . thinking. . . :P
Give birth of course, nothing anyone tells you can prepare you for childbirth, and men really can't understand
02. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
One event probably skewed a lot of my resolutions for last year (will detail in a post immediately following) and yes, I have a lot of resolutions for this coming year.
03. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Hmm. . .
Actually, I know quite a few. a couple of cousins, a niece and a friend of mine all had babies, but one did come near and dear to me.
04. Did anyone close to you die?
At this moment, I can't think of any deaths. I'd feel very foolish if I was wrong on this account.
05. What countries did you visit?
No countries other than the US of A, however, one more state was knocked off my to visit list, the great island state of Hawaii! That brings my total to 46!
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Exercise.
07. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
A handful. Of course, one big one, November 15th. I will write this date down multiple times for the rest of my life I am guessing.
08. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Natural Childbirth. believe me, it is a HUGE achievement. I wanted to cave in bad, but I managed to do it unmedicated. I can't take full credit, my friend Pam the Doula and my mother and sisters were a huge help in making me achieve this goal.
09. What was your biggest failure?
This is a tough one. I guess not getting that stupid possibly rabid cat, which is still at large. Also, was going to put in a garden. It didn't happen this year. But then again, this was a horrid year for gardening, so I have heard.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Child birth, and the consequences produced from baring an 8 pound baby naturally. And of course, getting attacked by a feral cat.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My husband got us a trip to hawaii, definitely the best thing we bought :)
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
No idea, but I'm guessing I can say Yay me for going Natural!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Multiple Politicians. I am very disappointed in our current crop of presidential candidates
14. Where did most of your money go?
Towards an infant I guess. I got into the nesting bug pretty bad.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
For November to come around so I could hold my little munchkin in my arms.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2011?
You know, there are so many stupid songs out on the radio today. I'm focusing on oldies I think, becuase I've been listening to a lot of soft music to calm infant. I really like Adele, I guess her music will.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Definitely happier
ii. Thinner or fatter?
Ugh, Fatter. Granted I just had a baby so give me a break. Overall I'm doing well, just have to lose a few more pounds and tone!
iii. Richer or poorer?
Poorer financially, (barely) just because we have more things to support, namely an infant, but we're still doing very well. Richer in all other ways.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
More prepping for the baby, namely in organizing the house and getting my affairs in order. I would have also liked to have done a garden.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Slept, but it was a necessity when you are pregnant. I spent the first trimester taking four hour naps and they were spectacular.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas eve with my folks and family, Christmas morning with my husband and daughter, and christmas afternoon with his family. We just about missed christmas together and almost had to delay it. Very low key holiday season, it was nice though.
22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Yes :) Madly in love
23. rescinded due to pointlessness (what can I put here in place of this question?)
24. What were your favourite TV programs?
Sister got me hooked on Dexter. Netflix has been key to introducing us to discontinued shows like My Name Is Earl and No Ordinary Family. Watched Jericho after I had Kaia. Been watching Star Trek, The Next Generation off and on when I have some time to kill with the baby. Still, not much of a TV watcher, especially now that I'm getting my energy back.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Juvenile question. I guess I still despise the cat that maimed me
26. What was the best book you read?
Don't read a whole lot, so I guess The Hunger Games
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Lullaby setting on Pandora (though the ads ruin the vibe)
28. What did you want and get?
A healthy pregnancy and a bouncing baby
29. What did you want and not get?
We do want a boy, but I'm absolutely thrilled with my daughter. Also, a hypnobirth and more time with my husband
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Haven't watched a lot, but I really liked Limitless, also Harry Potter. Buck was fantastic.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went to a breast feeding support group with my week old daughter, then went home and my husband made me dinner and gave me a Nook. I turned 31.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My husband being home more, but alas, that is part of the hazards of being married to the military.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Lounge Pants and Oversized T-Shirts.
34. What kept you sane?
There's always something to do. I can't die of boredom where I live.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
This is a difficult question for me for some reason. I'm sure there was one but I can't think of any.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I guess how dumb the GOP field is. I tried to remain current without getting to stirred up with politics, being pregnant I wanted to keep myself in a mellow easy going mood and nothing gets your blood pumping like Politics.
37. Who did you miss?
My husband, who was missing half of the year
38. Who was the best new person you met?
A little girl named Kaiana
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Family is what Life is All About
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"I got You Babe!"
11.24.2011
Thankful
I woke up to a bout of Post Partum this morning. Yeah, great timing, don't you think? And it was definitely a case of me not knowing why I was so upset. Really, one of those cases of depression that you can't explain. Guess it's the hormones coupled with the lack of sunlight and trying to get better while taking care of an infant who has been quite fussy recently, and me learning the ins and outs of motherhood and baby care. I guess all I really can do is hang in there, and as long as I keep my mind off of the baby blues, I will be ok.
Because really, I have a lot to be thankful for. I can honestly say in the last couple of years I have been genuinely happy. I have long since learned that there are a few things that matter, and this little infant at my side is one of the key ones at the moment.
In the spirit of getting my mind back on what matters most, and enduring this short bout with depression where I know I'll be back up and loving life again, I decided to make a list of what I'm thankful for.
My Husband, Gus: When he asked me to marry him, I'll be honest and when I said yes, I was thinking, 'well, it's not official, I can back out of it later, right?' because I didn't know if there was anybody out there I could be happy with. I didn't want to disappoint him. I won't say that we have a perfect marriage, I don't think those exist, but we have a pretty darn good one, and I can say that I genuinely love him. We compliment each other so well, he tempers me, I can't help but know that I was waiting for him, and he was waiting for me. How we met was a total fluke, I don't know anybody who have a courtship like ours was, but we were meant to be together. He is my soulmate, if such a thing exists. I feel very blessed that I have him in my life. I'm glad he chased me down and eventually chose me to be his wife. And he puts up with a lot from me.
My daughter, Kaia: She's only nine days old today, and I have an entire lifetime to get to know her. She has given my life a whole new perspective, and i see things in a way I have never done before. I used to be quite selfish, without really meaning to be, but I guess it comes with being the youngest and growing up in this generation. My life has changed completely upon marriage, and becoming pregnant and having a baby has changed it even more so. My entire outlook on life is completely different now, and it has honestly been for the better. I don't think I would trade what I have right now for anything. Not to mention that she is pretty darn cute. Gus and Kami genetics proved to be a winning combination. I can't wait to meet the person she becomes.
My Family: I am blessed with a very close family. We genuinely enjoy each other's company and look for excuses to get together all of the time. It is also good to know that when push comes to shove, when you reach hard times, they have your back. We have helped one another out so much, and I know if I need help with anything, they are a phone call away. It's funny how very different each of us are from one another but how each of us completes the family unit, and how obvious it is when a member is not there for family gatherings. There is definitely a hole there.
Then of course, there is my other family. I married into an amazing group of people (and still learning who they all are) and have been welcomed and accepted with open arms.
Friends: There is an old saying that goes "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other Gold." Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but the idea behind it is very much true. There are only a handful of friends I have managed to hang onto from my childhood, and those few friends I have I feel very blessed to know. I have made some fantastic friends in the last few years as well.
Facebook: Yes, it is a time waster, and a sucker of souls, but me, the person who falls out of contact with everyone I meet, has found the perfect tool for staying in contact with people that matter to me, plus a way to share my life with those who matter, and follow along on the adventures of my family and friends. Now, I'll be honest and admit I don't know why I need 353 friends, and Facebook Drama can be quite annoying, but social networking is an amazing thing.
Craigslist: It is odd, I love the concept of Craigslist, but without it, I wouldn't have met my husband. Yes, it is an odd story. Plus, I love the ability to barter for things and the treasures you can find on there, often for a great deal.
My Home: Part of home making is making a house into a home. I love the peace and tranquility of where we live, sure it's out in the boondocks, or so I keep saying, but the atmosphere is something you won't find in the suburbs of a city. We may not be here forever, but I would be content to grow old and die here.
Tricare: I told Gus he cannot leave the military until we are done having kids. I think we will be having one more (unless an accident comes upon us) but Tricare is great for child birth. They covered everything with very minimal out of pocket expenses.
My Health: Aside from that pesky depression issue, I am blessed with great health. I'm already bounding back from my pregnancy (though far from 100%) and I was grateful that I was strong enough to endure labor without caving on drugs. In time, I know I'll be in great shape again, and next year I plan on taking advantage of it.
Painkillers: I am not 100% yet. I am very thankful for painkillers.
Horses: I love horses, I have been a horse nut since I was about seven years old. And I have two of them. I am very blessed I am in a position to own a horse and can afford too.
The Air Force: The military can be frustrating at times. But in this economy, my husband has a stable job and his unit has stepped up and helped us several times. I am grateful for the support network that they offer, and along with the rest of the armed services (noteably the Army, of course) for keeping our country safe.
My Unit: I have an awesome army unit. They are very supportive of me, especially considering my present circumstances, and I know they will do what they can to work around it. Because I am now a new mom, I am looking more and more on getting out, but if I do decide to stay in, this would likely be the unit I would stay with until i retire. I've got two years on my present contract left, but I'm in good hands.
Cell Phones: Ok, in truth they are a pain in the butt, because we did manage to go without cell phones for centuries. Now we have smart phones, which are enormous wastes of time, and I don't think we could live without them, but in truth, it is nice to always be able to contact somebody, especially if you need to talk to somebody right then. Or even texting, something I didn't do until about two years ago. Kind of crazy, actually.
Emoticons: I used to be horribly annoyed with them, but I have grown quite partial to this guy -> :P
My Car: I have a great car. It's practical, it's reliable, it gets good gas mileage, and it gets me from point A to point B. And it's paid off! I am glad I have the means to get around. And my lead foot has decreased in weight quite a bit over the last few years.
Chickens: They eat just about anything, they are amusing to look at, and they lay eggs! When you find yourself with a rooster, they also make for a great chicken noodle soup! Plus they are cute, which I find myself kind of amused to discover that chickens are quite cute.
Cats and Dogs: endless amusement, there is something very soothing about a purring cat on your lap, and I have two friendly barn cats that have instant purr mode as soon as I start petting them. I also have a crazy dog that likes to herd them, and they aren't amused. Watching them interact is quite entertaining.
The Gospel: I don't like to get to religious on my blog, and I am not the most religious person out there, but I am grateful for having the church in my life. I need to make a better effort to go, however. Lately I've been more of a heathen. With the new little one, I do want to raise her in the church with a set of moral standards and it is something I want to share with her.
Freedom: I am an independent person, I am grateful be to be an American and with all the rights and privileges that come with it.
Guns: Yes, I am a gun nut. I love guns, for a variety of reasons. They are empowering, and they certainly level the playing field. I am thankful for the security they provide. and of course, most people who follow my blog know me for my bad ass pose with one.
Sleep: I think I am about to crash now. Must be the new mom in me. But first, I need to feed the munchkin.
There are many more things I am thankful for, this is just a rundown of some of them. Indeed, there is quite a lot to be thankful for. Just some things to remember when the baby blues start getting me down.
Because really, I have a lot to be thankful for. I can honestly say in the last couple of years I have been genuinely happy. I have long since learned that there are a few things that matter, and this little infant at my side is one of the key ones at the moment.
In the spirit of getting my mind back on what matters most, and enduring this short bout with depression where I know I'll be back up and loving life again, I decided to make a list of what I'm thankful for.
My Husband, Gus: When he asked me to marry him, I'll be honest and when I said yes, I was thinking, 'well, it's not official, I can back out of it later, right?' because I didn't know if there was anybody out there I could be happy with. I didn't want to disappoint him. I won't say that we have a perfect marriage, I don't think those exist, but we have a pretty darn good one, and I can say that I genuinely love him. We compliment each other so well, he tempers me, I can't help but know that I was waiting for him, and he was waiting for me. How we met was a total fluke, I don't know anybody who have a courtship like ours was, but we were meant to be together. He is my soulmate, if such a thing exists. I feel very blessed that I have him in my life. I'm glad he chased me down and eventually chose me to be his wife. And he puts up with a lot from me.
My daughter, Kaia: She's only nine days old today, and I have an entire lifetime to get to know her. She has given my life a whole new perspective, and i see things in a way I have never done before. I used to be quite selfish, without really meaning to be, but I guess it comes with being the youngest and growing up in this generation. My life has changed completely upon marriage, and becoming pregnant and having a baby has changed it even more so. My entire outlook on life is completely different now, and it has honestly been for the better. I don't think I would trade what I have right now for anything. Not to mention that she is pretty darn cute. Gus and Kami genetics proved to be a winning combination. I can't wait to meet the person she becomes.
My Family: I am blessed with a very close family. We genuinely enjoy each other's company and look for excuses to get together all of the time. It is also good to know that when push comes to shove, when you reach hard times, they have your back. We have helped one another out so much, and I know if I need help with anything, they are a phone call away. It's funny how very different each of us are from one another but how each of us completes the family unit, and how obvious it is when a member is not there for family gatherings. There is definitely a hole there.
Then of course, there is my other family. I married into an amazing group of people (and still learning who they all are) and have been welcomed and accepted with open arms.
Friends: There is an old saying that goes "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other Gold." Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but the idea behind it is very much true. There are only a handful of friends I have managed to hang onto from my childhood, and those few friends I have I feel very blessed to know. I have made some fantastic friends in the last few years as well.
Facebook: Yes, it is a time waster, and a sucker of souls, but me, the person who falls out of contact with everyone I meet, has found the perfect tool for staying in contact with people that matter to me, plus a way to share my life with those who matter, and follow along on the adventures of my family and friends. Now, I'll be honest and admit I don't know why I need 353 friends, and Facebook Drama can be quite annoying, but social networking is an amazing thing.
Craigslist: It is odd, I love the concept of Craigslist, but without it, I wouldn't have met my husband. Yes, it is an odd story. Plus, I love the ability to barter for things and the treasures you can find on there, often for a great deal.
My Home: Part of home making is making a house into a home. I love the peace and tranquility of where we live, sure it's out in the boondocks, or so I keep saying, but the atmosphere is something you won't find in the suburbs of a city. We may not be here forever, but I would be content to grow old and die here.
Tricare: I told Gus he cannot leave the military until we are done having kids. I think we will be having one more (unless an accident comes upon us) but Tricare is great for child birth. They covered everything with very minimal out of pocket expenses.
My Health: Aside from that pesky depression issue, I am blessed with great health. I'm already bounding back from my pregnancy (though far from 100%) and I was grateful that I was strong enough to endure labor without caving on drugs. In time, I know I'll be in great shape again, and next year I plan on taking advantage of it.
Painkillers: I am not 100% yet. I am very thankful for painkillers.
Horses: I love horses, I have been a horse nut since I was about seven years old. And I have two of them. I am very blessed I am in a position to own a horse and can afford too.
The Air Force: The military can be frustrating at times. But in this economy, my husband has a stable job and his unit has stepped up and helped us several times. I am grateful for the support network that they offer, and along with the rest of the armed services (noteably the Army, of course) for keeping our country safe.
My Unit: I have an awesome army unit. They are very supportive of me, especially considering my present circumstances, and I know they will do what they can to work around it. Because I am now a new mom, I am looking more and more on getting out, but if I do decide to stay in, this would likely be the unit I would stay with until i retire. I've got two years on my present contract left, but I'm in good hands.
Cell Phones: Ok, in truth they are a pain in the butt, because we did manage to go without cell phones for centuries. Now we have smart phones, which are enormous wastes of time, and I don't think we could live without them, but in truth, it is nice to always be able to contact somebody, especially if you need to talk to somebody right then. Or even texting, something I didn't do until about two years ago. Kind of crazy, actually.
Emoticons: I used to be horribly annoyed with them, but I have grown quite partial to this guy -> :P
My Car: I have a great car. It's practical, it's reliable, it gets good gas mileage, and it gets me from point A to point B. And it's paid off! I am glad I have the means to get around. And my lead foot has decreased in weight quite a bit over the last few years.
Chickens: They eat just about anything, they are amusing to look at, and they lay eggs! When you find yourself with a rooster, they also make for a great chicken noodle soup! Plus they are cute, which I find myself kind of amused to discover that chickens are quite cute.
Cats and Dogs: endless amusement, there is something very soothing about a purring cat on your lap, and I have two friendly barn cats that have instant purr mode as soon as I start petting them. I also have a crazy dog that likes to herd them, and they aren't amused. Watching them interact is quite entertaining.
The Gospel: I don't like to get to religious on my blog, and I am not the most religious person out there, but I am grateful for having the church in my life. I need to make a better effort to go, however. Lately I've been more of a heathen. With the new little one, I do want to raise her in the church with a set of moral standards and it is something I want to share with her.
Freedom: I am an independent person, I am grateful be to be an American and with all the rights and privileges that come with it.
Guns: Yes, I am a gun nut. I love guns, for a variety of reasons. They are empowering, and they certainly level the playing field. I am thankful for the security they provide. and of course, most people who follow my blog know me for my bad ass pose with one.
Sleep: I think I am about to crash now. Must be the new mom in me. But first, I need to feed the munchkin.
There are many more things I am thankful for, this is just a rundown of some of them. Indeed, there is quite a lot to be thankful for. Just some things to remember when the baby blues start getting me down.
11.07.2011
The end of the world as I know it. . .
. . . and I feel fine.
I recently heard that REM broke up. Pity. I did like their music and grew up listening to them, one of those bands that I can listen to over and over again. REM brings happy thoughts.
In other news, yep, still prego. I've got two due dates, by the way. Last known Cycle puts me at November 16th. Ultrasound puts me at November 13th. So basically, I'm on my last week before I enter the realm of over due. My midwife told me that chances of me making my due date were slim, but that I still could. That was over three weeks ago. She could make her arrival at any moment, and there has been a few close calls where I wasn't sure what was going on.
So, that puts me at around 39 weeks, give or take a couple of days. Some days I feel fantastic, other days I feel bleh. I'm just trying to stay calm and mellow, and trying to ignore my carb cravings. I lived on carbs up until a couple of weeks ago, and it's a pain that I can't just live off of them more. Dang, carbs are in EVERYTHING. And I can't really stomach greasy foods at the moment, so it basically makes me feel like I need to eat like a rabbit. Tomorrow I'll pick up some salad, or something like that. I'm usually a carnivore at times, but lately I don't really want to eat anything that's meaty. I can't win with this right now (sighs)
So, due to popular demand (somebody requested it) pictures of my pregnancy thus far. And me and my belly baby in all of our glory.
The picture above was taken while I was still being mum about the whole thing. I was having difficulty with eating and I actually lost five pounds in the first trimester. Bleh! This was at about eleven weeks, since there was no sign of belly, I didn't see a point in taking a picture every week. I wasn't showing at all. But baby was definitely incubating.
Enter Week 14. Still not really showing, looking a little thicker through the midsection, and in fact probably just looking like I normally look. Nobody would know I was pregnant unless I told them, which was fine with me at the time. I still fit in all of my clothes, and the morning sickness had largely gone away. I just realy felt like me, until I tried to lift something, and then I did recieve a little reminder telling me I probably shouldn't do that. Oh yeah, right, silly me, heheh.
Week 17, and showing the faintist of baby bumps, but it could be excused as me having gorged myself on a food baby. For the most part, still hiding it, when I told people I was pregnant, and how far along I was, they were going 'huh?' Funny, when I told my family I was pregnant, they all told me I would gain all sorts of weight and bloat, because that's what we do in our family. I did not want that for me, no thanks. So i was perfectly content to stay trim and healthy, even though, due to previous miscarriage, I was taking it easy with the pregnancy so as not to cause any problems.
Week 19 showed the first signs of an obvious baby bump. We were posting pictures of our trip to Hawaii and people were all aghast that I was suddenly showing! And of course, it puts me off my usual picture taking cycle, usually I'm displaying my belly facing right, now I'm facing left. But lookin' stylin! Sportin that little munchkin (who at this time, we were still not sure whether munchkin was a she or a he).
Ok, by week 21, we found out Kidling was a girl, and now there is no ifs ands or buts, I'm definitely preggers. Depending on what I was wearing, I could still hide it, but entering summer, most of my clothes were starting to feel a bit tight, well, it was time to just focus on wearing more maternity wear. Must embrace the pending motherhood. It's alright!
Week 24 brings us to family reunion time, and I met up with my cousin Rocia who was rockin' it with her fifth child at 37 weeks. Girl looked fabulous (and was quite gutsy to make that trip to the ocean, but she's an old hat at it by now). I had a great time, my belly was extending a wee bit further, and hoodies made me look fat, or so I discovered.
27 weeks gone by, and I have given in to the lounge pants. The only way to go for any pregnant girl to be really comfortable. Belly protruding a bit further, and feeling a little less agile, but still feeling for the most part rather fine.
My sister takes pictures and at week 31, she offered to get some of me for a maternity session. I think this is one of my favorites out of the bunch.
Week 35, getting closer! Up until this point, overall I had a pretty easy pregnancy. I felt relatively healthy and active, didn't have to much of a waddle when I walked, and overall just felt pretty good. She woke me up about this time and I found myself barely able to move my legs without groaning. Not a fun point, had a few concerns, so called my midwife and she informed me that baby had indeed dropped and my cervix was starting to dialate.
Starting the next week was my regular check up, I was supposed to have my baby shower that Tuesday, and I woke up with really bad back labor and all sorts of preterm labor symptoms. Going in, I was informed I had effaced 90%, still dialated at a one and the baby was at -2. I was a little concerned because it was still pretty early, but she informed me I still could be pregnant for a couple of weeks. I still could make my due date, nothing set in stone. Was worried and called my instructor, thinking maybe I needed to drop out of class because it seemed like baby was coming at any time. Canceled the baby shower, in the end, no big deal. Cause I'm still pregnant.
Week 37 is the magic milestone we were aiming for after our preterm labor scare. I wanted to hit this because this is officially when the baby is at term, and in truth the longer she's in there, the better for her. Of course, we also learned news of our glucose levels being a bit elevated, and now I have to watch what I eat. I don't feel like I'm a threat for gestational diabetes, I've felt pretty good so far. Well, let me tell you, as a pregnant woman, they are a pain in the butt. Ok, so we got to week 37, now I'm ready when the baby is.
Week 39. Well, I hit week 39 yesterday, according to the ultrasound, or I'm at week 39 on Wednesday, according to that lovely last known monthly constitutional. A couple nights ago I felt a bit under the weather, thought maybe this was it, but no, it lingered for to long and eventually went away. So this is where we are at. Me feeling ready to explode with my belly hanging out there and just trying to remain comfortable. I feel now that I'm watching what I eat, I'm actually not eating as well as I used too *why does EVERYTHING i crave carry carbs???* and the nesting instincts have kicked in. Baby is bound to come sooner or later.
Taking this one day at a time, was hoping to go to Portland for Thanksgiving to spend it with the husband's family but that is looking more and more out of the question. In truth, I've still got plenty of time for this baby to make her arrival, I'm giving her until the end of the month before I induce, but I am trying to go natural so avoiding medical induction and all other interventions. I've been healthy for the most part. the gestational diabetes thing has me hoping for an earlier rather than later baby though.
Maybe she just wants to be a Veteran's day baby and have the designer birthday of 11/11/11. You know, that would be pretty cool, and be rather easy to remember, if not a little bittersweet.
I recently heard that REM broke up. Pity. I did like their music and grew up listening to them, one of those bands that I can listen to over and over again. REM brings happy thoughts.
In other news, yep, still prego. I've got two due dates, by the way. Last known Cycle puts me at November 16th. Ultrasound puts me at November 13th. So basically, I'm on my last week before I enter the realm of over due. My midwife told me that chances of me making my due date were slim, but that I still could. That was over three weeks ago. She could make her arrival at any moment, and there has been a few close calls where I wasn't sure what was going on.
So, that puts me at around 39 weeks, give or take a couple of days. Some days I feel fantastic, other days I feel bleh. I'm just trying to stay calm and mellow, and trying to ignore my carb cravings. I lived on carbs up until a couple of weeks ago, and it's a pain that I can't just live off of them more. Dang, carbs are in EVERYTHING. And I can't really stomach greasy foods at the moment, so it basically makes me feel like I need to eat like a rabbit. Tomorrow I'll pick up some salad, or something like that. I'm usually a carnivore at times, but lately I don't really want to eat anything that's meaty. I can't win with this right now (sighs)
So, due to popular demand (somebody requested it) pictures of my pregnancy thus far. And me and my belly baby in all of our glory.
The picture above was taken while I was still being mum about the whole thing. I was having difficulty with eating and I actually lost five pounds in the first trimester. Bleh! This was at about eleven weeks, since there was no sign of belly, I didn't see a point in taking a picture every week. I wasn't showing at all. But baby was definitely incubating.
Enter Week 14. Still not really showing, looking a little thicker through the midsection, and in fact probably just looking like I normally look. Nobody would know I was pregnant unless I told them, which was fine with me at the time. I still fit in all of my clothes, and the morning sickness had largely gone away. I just realy felt like me, until I tried to lift something, and then I did recieve a little reminder telling me I probably shouldn't do that. Oh yeah, right, silly me, heheh.
Week 17, and showing the faintist of baby bumps, but it could be excused as me having gorged myself on a food baby. For the most part, still hiding it, when I told people I was pregnant, and how far along I was, they were going 'huh?' Funny, when I told my family I was pregnant, they all told me I would gain all sorts of weight and bloat, because that's what we do in our family. I did not want that for me, no thanks. So i was perfectly content to stay trim and healthy, even though, due to previous miscarriage, I was taking it easy with the pregnancy so as not to cause any problems.
Week 19 showed the first signs of an obvious baby bump. We were posting pictures of our trip to Hawaii and people were all aghast that I was suddenly showing! And of course, it puts me off my usual picture taking cycle, usually I'm displaying my belly facing right, now I'm facing left. But lookin' stylin! Sportin that little munchkin (who at this time, we were still not sure whether munchkin was a she or a he).
Ok, by week 21, we found out Kidling was a girl, and now there is no ifs ands or buts, I'm definitely preggers. Depending on what I was wearing, I could still hide it, but entering summer, most of my clothes were starting to feel a bit tight, well, it was time to just focus on wearing more maternity wear. Must embrace the pending motherhood. It's alright!
Week 24 brings us to family reunion time, and I met up with my cousin Rocia who was rockin' it with her fifth child at 37 weeks. Girl looked fabulous (and was quite gutsy to make that trip to the ocean, but she's an old hat at it by now). I had a great time, my belly was extending a wee bit further, and hoodies made me look fat, or so I discovered.
27 weeks gone by, and I have given in to the lounge pants. The only way to go for any pregnant girl to be really comfortable. Belly protruding a bit further, and feeling a little less agile, but still feeling for the most part rather fine.
My sister takes pictures and at week 31, she offered to get some of me for a maternity session. I think this is one of my favorites out of the bunch.
Week 35, getting closer! Up until this point, overall I had a pretty easy pregnancy. I felt relatively healthy and active, didn't have to much of a waddle when I walked, and overall just felt pretty good. She woke me up about this time and I found myself barely able to move my legs without groaning. Not a fun point, had a few concerns, so called my midwife and she informed me that baby had indeed dropped and my cervix was starting to dialate.
Starting the next week was my regular check up, I was supposed to have my baby shower that Tuesday, and I woke up with really bad back labor and all sorts of preterm labor symptoms. Going in, I was informed I had effaced 90%, still dialated at a one and the baby was at -2. I was a little concerned because it was still pretty early, but she informed me I still could be pregnant for a couple of weeks. I still could make my due date, nothing set in stone. Was worried and called my instructor, thinking maybe I needed to drop out of class because it seemed like baby was coming at any time. Canceled the baby shower, in the end, no big deal. Cause I'm still pregnant.
Week 37 is the magic milestone we were aiming for after our preterm labor scare. I wanted to hit this because this is officially when the baby is at term, and in truth the longer she's in there, the better for her. Of course, we also learned news of our glucose levels being a bit elevated, and now I have to watch what I eat. I don't feel like I'm a threat for gestational diabetes, I've felt pretty good so far. Well, let me tell you, as a pregnant woman, they are a pain in the butt. Ok, so we got to week 37, now I'm ready when the baby is.
Week 39. Well, I hit week 39 yesterday, according to the ultrasound, or I'm at week 39 on Wednesday, according to that lovely last known monthly constitutional. A couple nights ago I felt a bit under the weather, thought maybe this was it, but no, it lingered for to long and eventually went away. So this is where we are at. Me feeling ready to explode with my belly hanging out there and just trying to remain comfortable. I feel now that I'm watching what I eat, I'm actually not eating as well as I used too *why does EVERYTHING i crave carry carbs???* and the nesting instincts have kicked in. Baby is bound to come sooner or later.
Taking this one day at a time, was hoping to go to Portland for Thanksgiving to spend it with the husband's family but that is looking more and more out of the question. In truth, I've still got plenty of time for this baby to make her arrival, I'm giving her until the end of the month before I induce, but I am trying to go natural so avoiding medical induction and all other interventions. I've been healthy for the most part. the gestational diabetes thing has me hoping for an earlier rather than later baby though.
Maybe she just wants to be a Veteran's day baby and have the designer birthday of 11/11/11. You know, that would be pretty cool, and be rather easy to remember, if not a little bittersweet.
10.26.2011
Still Living Life
My poor neglected blog. Facebook has really done a number on you hasn't it? I guess it's because Facebook is just so dang convenient. And addicting. Yikes!
So the latest? Well, still pregnant. In fact, pregnancy does take a number on you when you just want to rest all of the time and a quick jot on Facebook to keep people updated on your thoughts and life is all you really have time for.
So, I guess this is my status update:
- Animal Stats: I currently possess two horses (plus one boarded horse that pays for the other two), two barn cats, five hens, two roosters, two rabbits, and a dog. The dog is a recent acquisition. I recently had to rehome one of my horses, the old mare. She no longer became a kids horse. That story is infuriating to me.
- I had a preterm labor scare, if you didn't know, I am trying to go for natural childbirth, meaning no interventions, and letting the wee one come when she may. The first scare came about two weeks ago, at 35 weeks along, when she undeniably dropped. Last week, I had to cancel my baby shower because I was having back labor and a few other labor signs. We were pretty sure her arrival was imminent, and my midwife checked me out, told me I'm dialated at 1cm and my cervix is effaced at 90%. Basically I just need to dialate to 10 and my water break and she's entering into the world. Because my husband frequently works out of town, to calm my mother's nerves, she had me stay with her until he came back.
-I'm at 37 weeks, which is about three weeks shy of my due date (wee!), however apparently I had elevated levels in my glucose testing, which tests me for gestational diabetes. Well, apparently somebody missed something, so I had an ultrasound today to see where baby is at. Apparently, she is weighing in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces, give or take a pound (which is quite a spread actually). I just got to cut back on my carbs these last few weeks and watch what I eat. And I get to check my blood sugar levels as I'm at a heightened risk for gestational diabetes. Nice.
- So munchkin is arriving at any time, but since I'm not working at present (love my husband) and just doing odd things to help with the income, I've been taking online classes. The army pays for them so while I'm still in the army I need to take full advantage of that. I was going for a business major, thinking it was more marketable, but decided after my first business class that I shouldn't torture myself and went into Education instead. I keep going back to education. My first class specifically geared toward my new major? Child and Adolescent Development. Very relevent to my life at present.
- I really need to do a post on hypnobirthing, but I think I'm going to save it for when I have the baby. So I can give all the little details and how it worked (or didn't, but we'll try to stay positive and focus on it working) after baby arrives.
- I think very little in my life is not centered around the squirt in my belly. But I guess in regards to current events, I really don't get the occupy wall street movement. Due to trying to remain positive, I will leave it at that.
- Trying to get into the coupon clipping madness, in an attempt to save money seeing we are a one income household at present (and whatever side dollars I bring in on my spare time). It can be maddening.
- Had a debate with somebody on facebook in regards to professional photography (I do it for fun, with a little income on the side, but not enough to require a business license) and it was kind of amusing. Eventually I would love to be able to do it full time (not the wedding side, I think that would cause me to shoot myself), but I was basically told that I should not do it in that regard, even for friends, as I'm doing them a diservice by not referring them to a professional. Actually, I think my pictures are pretty decent. I've been building a portfolio for the last year or so with random people here and there. Lot's of trial and error, that's why I say I'm doing it for fun. Big debate to be had though.
I guess I'll leave it at that for now.
So the latest? Well, still pregnant. In fact, pregnancy does take a number on you when you just want to rest all of the time and a quick jot on Facebook to keep people updated on your thoughts and life is all you really have time for.
So, I guess this is my status update:
- Animal Stats: I currently possess two horses (plus one boarded horse that pays for the other two), two barn cats, five hens, two roosters, two rabbits, and a dog. The dog is a recent acquisition. I recently had to rehome one of my horses, the old mare. She no longer became a kids horse. That story is infuriating to me.
- I had a preterm labor scare, if you didn't know, I am trying to go for natural childbirth, meaning no interventions, and letting the wee one come when she may. The first scare came about two weeks ago, at 35 weeks along, when she undeniably dropped. Last week, I had to cancel my baby shower because I was having back labor and a few other labor signs. We were pretty sure her arrival was imminent, and my midwife checked me out, told me I'm dialated at 1cm and my cervix is effaced at 90%. Basically I just need to dialate to 10 and my water break and she's entering into the world. Because my husband frequently works out of town, to calm my mother's nerves, she had me stay with her until he came back.
-I'm at 37 weeks, which is about three weeks shy of my due date (wee!), however apparently I had elevated levels in my glucose testing, which tests me for gestational diabetes. Well, apparently somebody missed something, so I had an ultrasound today to see where baby is at. Apparently, she is weighing in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces, give or take a pound (which is quite a spread actually). I just got to cut back on my carbs these last few weeks and watch what I eat. And I get to check my blood sugar levels as I'm at a heightened risk for gestational diabetes. Nice.
- So munchkin is arriving at any time, but since I'm not working at present (love my husband) and just doing odd things to help with the income, I've been taking online classes. The army pays for them so while I'm still in the army I need to take full advantage of that. I was going for a business major, thinking it was more marketable, but decided after my first business class that I shouldn't torture myself and went into Education instead. I keep going back to education. My first class specifically geared toward my new major? Child and Adolescent Development. Very relevent to my life at present.
- I really need to do a post on hypnobirthing, but I think I'm going to save it for when I have the baby. So I can give all the little details and how it worked (or didn't, but we'll try to stay positive and focus on it working) after baby arrives.
- I think very little in my life is not centered around the squirt in my belly. But I guess in regards to current events, I really don't get the occupy wall street movement. Due to trying to remain positive, I will leave it at that.
- Trying to get into the coupon clipping madness, in an attempt to save money seeing we are a one income household at present (and whatever side dollars I bring in on my spare time). It can be maddening.
- Had a debate with somebody on facebook in regards to professional photography (I do it for fun, with a little income on the side, but not enough to require a business license) and it was kind of amusing. Eventually I would love to be able to do it full time (not the wedding side, I think that would cause me to shoot myself), but I was basically told that I should not do it in that regard, even for friends, as I'm doing them a diservice by not referring them to a professional. Actually, I think my pictures are pretty decent. I've been building a portfolio for the last year or so with random people here and there. Lot's of trial and error, that's why I say I'm doing it for fun. Big debate to be had though.
I guess I'll leave it at that for now.
8.18.2011
Pregnancy Ramblings
To those of you who didn't know, or only check this blog once in a blue moon, I happen to be Pregnant. Unlike the last pregnancy, which lasted until Week 7, this one appears to be taking. I am at Week 27 with thirteen to go, next Wednesday I will officially be in my third trimester. And I watch my expanding belly get larger to accommodate the fact that I'm carrying precious cargo, every now and then I feel normal, forget for an instant that I'm pregnant, then she kicks, or I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, or a variety of random events and I am reminded that her arrival is fast approaching. Will my body ever be the same after this? Is this really happening? What am I going to do with myself when she gets here?
This experience has been incredibly surreal to me. The idea of motherhood has appealed to me for some time, but I also avoided the thought of it because of what it entailed. Basically, I'm stuck with a little person that is dependent on me for a good eighteen years (toward the end of that eighteen years, not so dependent and likely obnoxious). The thought of this somewhat horrified me. But I think that is a common reaction for a lot of women to go through when they are having their first child, especially when they wait until they are thirty before they finally decide to venture into this strange new world.
One thing I have noticed, before becoming pregnant or even being married, is how judgmental I could be in regards to other mothers and how they raised their children, or how their children acted in public, or this, that and the other thing. It seems like those who don't have children always has advice for those who do. I did, and being in a disciplinarian field, I always felt like I knew something about the whole process. Since I have become pregnant, I have done my darnedest to not offer advice or be critical of others and their children, because I have learned over the years that children are their own person, with their own little quirks and traits, and you can be the best mother in the world and still have a little trouble maker on your hand. As soon as I get critical of one parent and their rearing techniques, I just know I'm going to find myself with a kidling that is worse then theirs.
So over the years I have been taking little mental notes, parenting skills I observe that appear to work, and those that don't. I think a lot of this will be trial and error with me and the munchkin as we get to know each other and figure out what works and what doesn't, but that being said, I have discovered, ironically enough, being pregnant has made me much more patient with kids. I do notice babies and like to coo at them, but I'm not at a position where I want to hold them yet. I like babies, but I like to pass them on to somebody else after a few minutes, I'm not the type to want to hold them for hours on end. That's something I know I'm going to have to get used too.
Meanwhile, I have noticed a lot of opinions I have held previously are changing. For one, I have a very active little squirt hanging out in my uterus. I feel her constantly, and she definitely let's me know she's there. I felt her at just before 14 weeks, that is crazy unheard of for a first pregnancy where most women don't feel their babies until 18 weeks or later. I wasn't sure what it was, I thought it was gas or something after I did research on feeling the quickening, but she confirmed later that it was indeed her making her presence known. She was dancing the jitter bug at seventeen weeks. She's been doing acrobatics for the last ten weeks, and it feels bizarre at times, especially when she rubs up against my ribs or kicks my belly button. Please don't tell me that this movement inside of me is a mass of cells. A mass of cells doesn't just move independently of you of their own accord. She reacts to me, she seems to tell me to move, this little girl has a fierce determination about her and she's only two pounds, I feel like I'm already getting to know her and I've only seen her in an ultrasound. Well, I have always been pro-life, knowing I could never have an abortion, but the pain of going through a miscarriage with a pregnancy I didn't think I was ready for was tough enough for me, and being pregnant, I can't imagine anybody reaching this stage in their pregnancy and electing to have an abortion. How could you even consider it? Especially this rambunctious little spitfire? I know she's going to give me hell more then once in our upcoming life together, but you can't tell me she only becomes alive once she takes her first breath independent of me.
Of course, I also understand that every circumstance is different, I went out of my way to make sure I was in a position to be able to care for a child if I did get pregnant. To me, third trimester abortions should be completely outlawed. A woman has gone through that long carrying life within her, you can't tell me she hasn't been affected by it, and to kill that life at that stage, especially when it can live viably outside of the womb, adoption is always an option, there are plenty of people out there who want to give a child an opportunity to live. Second trimester abortions should strictly be due to the health of the mother. If you are going to have an abortion, it should be done in the first trimester, perhaps at the beginning of the second trimester at the very latest. Again, I'm pro-life, I don't believe an abortion is ever a suitable alternative, but I also understand the world we live in and concessions some people have to face. Because you are going to inflict a lot of emotional damage on yourself if you wait to have an abortion (unless you are just plain sadistic and have a thrill or power trip with ending the life of a twenty week old fetus), if you have to get one, get it as early as possible. Again, I never really thought I could have an abortion myself, but it was definitely confirmed by the mere action of becoming pregnant. This little life was meant to live.
I don't like to focus on a lot of negativity at present, I try to stay positive (that can be difficult to do, because I'm still me and still highly opinionated) and just focus on me, the beansprout, and my husband as we come to discover the joys and headaches of being a family. Through thick and thin, we're stuck with each other. I guess we better make this whole arrangement work.
If I had a choice, of course I would want an easy baby, but I know that she will be her own little person. All I can do is give her the moral guidance to try to make the right choices as she goes through this crazy little thing we call life. But I'm excited to go through this latest adventure of parenthood, with all the trials and tribulations that come with it. Please, just don't give me to many grey hairs when you hit the trying age of thirteen.
This experience has been incredibly surreal to me. The idea of motherhood has appealed to me for some time, but I also avoided the thought of it because of what it entailed. Basically, I'm stuck with a little person that is dependent on me for a good eighteen years (toward the end of that eighteen years, not so dependent and likely obnoxious). The thought of this somewhat horrified me. But I think that is a common reaction for a lot of women to go through when they are having their first child, especially when they wait until they are thirty before they finally decide to venture into this strange new world.
One thing I have noticed, before becoming pregnant or even being married, is how judgmental I could be in regards to other mothers and how they raised their children, or how their children acted in public, or this, that and the other thing. It seems like those who don't have children always has advice for those who do. I did, and being in a disciplinarian field, I always felt like I knew something about the whole process. Since I have become pregnant, I have done my darnedest to not offer advice or be critical of others and their children, because I have learned over the years that children are their own person, with their own little quirks and traits, and you can be the best mother in the world and still have a little trouble maker on your hand. As soon as I get critical of one parent and their rearing techniques, I just know I'm going to find myself with a kidling that is worse then theirs.
So over the years I have been taking little mental notes, parenting skills I observe that appear to work, and those that don't. I think a lot of this will be trial and error with me and the munchkin as we get to know each other and figure out what works and what doesn't, but that being said, I have discovered, ironically enough, being pregnant has made me much more patient with kids. I do notice babies and like to coo at them, but I'm not at a position where I want to hold them yet. I like babies, but I like to pass them on to somebody else after a few minutes, I'm not the type to want to hold them for hours on end. That's something I know I'm going to have to get used too.
Meanwhile, I have noticed a lot of opinions I have held previously are changing. For one, I have a very active little squirt hanging out in my uterus. I feel her constantly, and she definitely let's me know she's there. I felt her at just before 14 weeks, that is crazy unheard of for a first pregnancy where most women don't feel their babies until 18 weeks or later. I wasn't sure what it was, I thought it was gas or something after I did research on feeling the quickening, but she confirmed later that it was indeed her making her presence known. She was dancing the jitter bug at seventeen weeks. She's been doing acrobatics for the last ten weeks, and it feels bizarre at times, especially when she rubs up against my ribs or kicks my belly button. Please don't tell me that this movement inside of me is a mass of cells. A mass of cells doesn't just move independently of you of their own accord. She reacts to me, she seems to tell me to move, this little girl has a fierce determination about her and she's only two pounds, I feel like I'm already getting to know her and I've only seen her in an ultrasound. Well, I have always been pro-life, knowing I could never have an abortion, but the pain of going through a miscarriage with a pregnancy I didn't think I was ready for was tough enough for me, and being pregnant, I can't imagine anybody reaching this stage in their pregnancy and electing to have an abortion. How could you even consider it? Especially this rambunctious little spitfire? I know she's going to give me hell more then once in our upcoming life together, but you can't tell me she only becomes alive once she takes her first breath independent of me.
Of course, I also understand that every circumstance is different, I went out of my way to make sure I was in a position to be able to care for a child if I did get pregnant. To me, third trimester abortions should be completely outlawed. A woman has gone through that long carrying life within her, you can't tell me she hasn't been affected by it, and to kill that life at that stage, especially when it can live viably outside of the womb, adoption is always an option, there are plenty of people out there who want to give a child an opportunity to live. Second trimester abortions should strictly be due to the health of the mother. If you are going to have an abortion, it should be done in the first trimester, perhaps at the beginning of the second trimester at the very latest. Again, I'm pro-life, I don't believe an abortion is ever a suitable alternative, but I also understand the world we live in and concessions some people have to face. Because you are going to inflict a lot of emotional damage on yourself if you wait to have an abortion (unless you are just plain sadistic and have a thrill or power trip with ending the life of a twenty week old fetus), if you have to get one, get it as early as possible. Again, I never really thought I could have an abortion myself, but it was definitely confirmed by the mere action of becoming pregnant. This little life was meant to live.
I don't like to focus on a lot of negativity at present, I try to stay positive (that can be difficult to do, because I'm still me and still highly opinionated) and just focus on me, the beansprout, and my husband as we come to discover the joys and headaches of being a family. Through thick and thin, we're stuck with each other. I guess we better make this whole arrangement work.
If I had a choice, of course I would want an easy baby, but I know that she will be her own little person. All I can do is give her the moral guidance to try to make the right choices as she goes through this crazy little thing we call life. But I'm excited to go through this latest adventure of parenthood, with all the trials and tribulations that come with it. Please, just don't give me to many grey hairs when you hit the trying age of thirteen.
8.10.2011
Catching Up on Life
Wow, so much going on, yet so little motivation to write about it.
What can i say? I'm still pregnant, and being pregnant makes me not want to write about things that gets my blood boiling, because I want munchkin to be happy and healthy and I don't want to send negative vibes her way, so I try to think positive things.
Meaning political blogging is definitely out. Nothing quite like opining on current events to get my heart racing and blood going.
In regards to life, well, I've been busy going every which direction these days, at the end of June, the husband and I did a little babymooning before the baby came and headed to Hawaii! I've never been and I had a great time, though the way we did it didn't leave a lot to be desired in regards to "private" time between the two of us. But we definitely had a lot of fun, staying on Oahu and the Big Island and seeing my cousin Shevaun and borrowing a Volkswagon Camper Van from Gus' Uncle (note, if you ever want a unique and fun way to visit the Big Island, I recommend checking out Happy Campers and renting a van from them, you get your hotel and rental car taken care of in one shot!)
I think I need to actually make a post just about our time in Hawaii, where before we left I wasn't really showing and while we were there my belly just popped out of nowhere (where did THAT come from?) Now it's undeniable that I'm pregnant. No hiding the kidling's pending coming into this world now!
Though there was a lot of things I have always wanted to try if I ever made it to Hawaii that I couldn't do, darn it, on account of having a baby in utero, I guess I'll have to find a way to do it later. Like surfing. But Gus tells me surfing is over rated, five seconds of fun, he's more of the kite surfing type, because it's pure adrenaline rush as long as you got wind in your kite.
Meanwhile, came back to the mainland and found out the day after what we were having. A girl, which i have actually dreamed about more then once. I kind of started suspecting I was having a girl, and everyone is threatening me with a girly girl that we won't know what to do with. Well, if she's girly, that's fine, she just better be able to hang in there because our little family isn't exactly into docile and dainty activities. Especially with Gus as a father, he's an adrenaline junky. My mom said his face flushed when it became obvious on the ultrasound that it was a girl, but I have a feeling she's going to steal his heart. Little girls are known to do that with dads.
In other knews of interest, I had a rodeo, a reunion and a four day drill weekend that could all stand to use their own posts, except the drill weekend probably won't because if you haven't noticed I don't really post about military matters anymore because they are more of a headache then they are worth. It has gotten me wondering about my military career or lack thereof, especially with the bean sprout entering the picture and we being dual military. I already know Gus deploys enough as it is, and I'm of the old fashioned mind that I would rather be home with the baby rather then both of us off in some foreign land paying somebody child support to watch our offspring. That is a very real possibility, so we just have to figure out a way to make it work.
So anyway, where was I? Hmm, future potential topics to blog about. Whether I do or not is up to how motivated I am to actually blog.
Being Pregnant and how wonderfully bizarre it really is.
Vacationing in Hawaii, with tips of places to go see
PRCA Rodeo! In another life I want to be a Rodeo Queen!
The Chickens are Restless!
HypnoBirthing (because yes, I've really become a hippy with this whole going natural thing)
Seaside OR, with my wonderfully massive extended family reunion
Baby Names (Oh hell, I really am turning into a mommy blog, aren't i?)
Sounds like fun!
What can i say? I'm still pregnant, and being pregnant makes me not want to write about things that gets my blood boiling, because I want munchkin to be happy and healthy and I don't want to send negative vibes her way, so I try to think positive things.
Meaning political blogging is definitely out. Nothing quite like opining on current events to get my heart racing and blood going.
In regards to life, well, I've been busy going every which direction these days, at the end of June, the husband and I did a little babymooning before the baby came and headed to Hawaii! I've never been and I had a great time, though the way we did it didn't leave a lot to be desired in regards to "private" time between the two of us. But we definitely had a lot of fun, staying on Oahu and the Big Island and seeing my cousin Shevaun and borrowing a Volkswagon Camper Van from Gus' Uncle (note, if you ever want a unique and fun way to visit the Big Island, I recommend checking out Happy Campers and renting a van from them, you get your hotel and rental car taken care of in one shot!)
I think I need to actually make a post just about our time in Hawaii, where before we left I wasn't really showing and while we were there my belly just popped out of nowhere (where did THAT come from?) Now it's undeniable that I'm pregnant. No hiding the kidling's pending coming into this world now!
Though there was a lot of things I have always wanted to try if I ever made it to Hawaii that I couldn't do, darn it, on account of having a baby in utero, I guess I'll have to find a way to do it later. Like surfing. But Gus tells me surfing is over rated, five seconds of fun, he's more of the kite surfing type, because it's pure adrenaline rush as long as you got wind in your kite.
Meanwhile, came back to the mainland and found out the day after what we were having. A girl, which i have actually dreamed about more then once. I kind of started suspecting I was having a girl, and everyone is threatening me with a girly girl that we won't know what to do with. Well, if she's girly, that's fine, she just better be able to hang in there because our little family isn't exactly into docile and dainty activities. Especially with Gus as a father, he's an adrenaline junky. My mom said his face flushed when it became obvious on the ultrasound that it was a girl, but I have a feeling she's going to steal his heart. Little girls are known to do that with dads.
In other knews of interest, I had a rodeo, a reunion and a four day drill weekend that could all stand to use their own posts, except the drill weekend probably won't because if you haven't noticed I don't really post about military matters anymore because they are more of a headache then they are worth. It has gotten me wondering about my military career or lack thereof, especially with the bean sprout entering the picture and we being dual military. I already know Gus deploys enough as it is, and I'm of the old fashioned mind that I would rather be home with the baby rather then both of us off in some foreign land paying somebody child support to watch our offspring. That is a very real possibility, so we just have to figure out a way to make it work.
So anyway, where was I? Hmm, future potential topics to blog about. Whether I do or not is up to how motivated I am to actually blog.
Being Pregnant and how wonderfully bizarre it really is.
Vacationing in Hawaii, with tips of places to go see
PRCA Rodeo! In another life I want to be a Rodeo Queen!
The Chickens are Restless!
HypnoBirthing (because yes, I've really become a hippy with this whole going natural thing)
Seaside OR, with my wonderfully massive extended family reunion
Baby Names (Oh hell, I really am turning into a mommy blog, aren't i?)
Sounds like fun!
6.12.2011
Projects
Starting to feel like I'm getting productive again, though I have a lot of projects around the house that I want to get done. If I get to them or not, who knows? My goal is to have a lot of them done by a week from Tuesday.
1) Garden:
I have a garden, supposedly. It's mostly just dirt and weeds right now, and it is a project that I am constantly wanting to work on. Unfortunately, this has been one heck of a year in coming to terms with the seasons, spring lasted all of a couple of weeks as we had snowfall into May. I never got around to planting the dang thing, (I also blame pregnancy) so this will likely be a trial year with it. I think I'm going to do more research next year, on top of all the critters in my area that will likely plague it. Mainly, deer, birds and the horses when they get out.
We planted strawberries and raspberries as well, all but two raspberry bushes died, the strawberries appear to be holding on but not growing.
2) Chicken Coop:
I bought 12 baby chicks and had three hens (two got picked off so I'm now down to one) and I got the chicks, now Pullets, in the chicken tractor. it is not made for 12 chickens, so I need to get a coop for them, as well as an area set aside for them to peck and dig away at. We got the area we want for them, now we need to fence it off and get a hen house for them. I found one on craigslist, i just need to get it home, it's an old coop that is nothing special, but I don't need anything fancy.
3) CDs:
I got a gob of CDs from my time working at hastings and getting them on discount. Now I want to burn them all to my hard drive and sell them back to Hastings for cash or credit, still debating on what I would rather have (get more for credit). I will hang on to a couple that I can listen to at any given moment of course, like Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill and a few staple CDs like that, but this is an ongoing task.
4) Pictures:
Getting ready for a reunion at the end of July with the Ericksons, and I've been tasked with the slide show. Which means going back into the archives of time and putting all of these hard copies of pics into Digital means so we can share. Doesn't THAT sound like fun?
5) Baby Area:
We got to figure out which extra bedroom gets to go to the kidling. We got two extra bedrooms, both of which are in use right now, and the dilemma of having to much junk. Good thing the squirt will be squirt sized for a while and we have time on this one.
6) Yard Sale!:
We're having a yard sale this weekend, weather permitting. I just need to go through my treasure trove of junk and get rid of a bunch of it. Or find a home for it on the walls or what not.
7) Studio:
I have a room, designated as a space that Gus has allowed me to have for my art and other means, that needs to be organized. Desperately. Right now it is a chaotic mess and always has been. This would go in hand with up above. I have a strong desire to get organized in my life, with little to no motivation to making it happen.
Those are some of the current projects I have lined up, now the question is, will they ever happen or am I just fooling myself? Did Gus have any idea what he was getting himself into when he asked me to marry him? I don't think he really did :P
1) Garden:
I have a garden, supposedly. It's mostly just dirt and weeds right now, and it is a project that I am constantly wanting to work on. Unfortunately, this has been one heck of a year in coming to terms with the seasons, spring lasted all of a couple of weeks as we had snowfall into May. I never got around to planting the dang thing, (I also blame pregnancy) so this will likely be a trial year with it. I think I'm going to do more research next year, on top of all the critters in my area that will likely plague it. Mainly, deer, birds and the horses when they get out.
We planted strawberries and raspberries as well, all but two raspberry bushes died, the strawberries appear to be holding on but not growing.
2) Chicken Coop:
I bought 12 baby chicks and had three hens (two got picked off so I'm now down to one) and I got the chicks, now Pullets, in the chicken tractor. it is not made for 12 chickens, so I need to get a coop for them, as well as an area set aside for them to peck and dig away at. We got the area we want for them, now we need to fence it off and get a hen house for them. I found one on craigslist, i just need to get it home, it's an old coop that is nothing special, but I don't need anything fancy.
3) CDs:
I got a gob of CDs from my time working at hastings and getting them on discount. Now I want to burn them all to my hard drive and sell them back to Hastings for cash or credit, still debating on what I would rather have (get more for credit). I will hang on to a couple that I can listen to at any given moment of course, like Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill and a few staple CDs like that, but this is an ongoing task.
4) Pictures:
Getting ready for a reunion at the end of July with the Ericksons, and I've been tasked with the slide show. Which means going back into the archives of time and putting all of these hard copies of pics into Digital means so we can share. Doesn't THAT sound like fun?
5) Baby Area:
We got to figure out which extra bedroom gets to go to the kidling. We got two extra bedrooms, both of which are in use right now, and the dilemma of having to much junk. Good thing the squirt will be squirt sized for a while and we have time on this one.
6) Yard Sale!:
We're having a yard sale this weekend, weather permitting. I just need to go through my treasure trove of junk and get rid of a bunch of it. Or find a home for it on the walls or what not.
7) Studio:
I have a room, designated as a space that Gus has allowed me to have for my art and other means, that needs to be organized. Desperately. Right now it is a chaotic mess and always has been. This would go in hand with up above. I have a strong desire to get organized in my life, with little to no motivation to making it happen.
Those are some of the current projects I have lined up, now the question is, will they ever happen or am I just fooling myself? Did Gus have any idea what he was getting himself into when he asked me to marry him? I don't think he really did :P
6.08.2011
Back To School!
I've got about a year where the army says other then my weekend drill, they aren't doing anything with me. Of course. I did have a plan to go to some kind of Annual Training, but that got nixed on account of the whole pregnancy thing, and by extension, me being on a temporary profile, and temporary profiles are the scourge of Army Reservists.
Thinking of other things to do, so it set me to plan B. Finding a job. Well, finding something that I can do from home. I've kind of got this photography thing going, or at least trying to in an oversaturated market for photographers, and I really don't see that as a stable source of income (though I'll likely keep doing it just for fun, and the added bonus of having something come in) and with gas prices and el Pregnento issue, well, I'm not really feeling the whole going back to work a retail gig. And then there was that fiasco the other day with considering an online business, but I'm not digging that specific route, though this is probably the way I'll eventually go so I can stay at home and tend to the kidling for their first couple years of life at least. Unless I get deployed, though I wouldn't mind the money, but I'm trying to avoid that at the moment due to my priority being the munchkin.
Which brings me to plan c, which hopefully will eventually go back to Plan B. Getting myself the skills necessary to get a decent job. That means going back to school.
In a perfect world, I would do the full time gig of going to an actual campus. This is not a perfect world, so I'm going to try the online thing, again. Love it. Ever since I got my AA from the community college oh so many years ago, I've been flirting from one college to another trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up, which I apparently still haven't done. My attempt to get some more education since my AA has also not been the most straightforward, and at times has gotten expensive. You can blame that on me and my indecisiveness. I've gone a variety of online routes, an attempt to get a computer animator degree when I realized this was a pipe dream and in no way marketable, I decided to go a different direction. Last year I started thinking about getting a health science degree, I can't even remember the full term which tells you how well I stuck with it. I wasn't impressed with the offerings of that particular college, and during this last drill, a mandatory fun day with the unit, they had another college there. I still have tuition assistance, so i decided, hey, why not? They looked like they had some interesting offerings.
Now the question is, what exactly do I want to get my degree in? I keep leaning on education, though I don't know if I could teach a lot of young kids without wanting to blow my brains out at the end of the day. I can take kids in small doses (and I'm going to have my own, which will ALWAYS be there, this does freak me out) but I'm looking at other alternatives, such as a business degree, they have one for eMarketing and Entrepreneurship (don't laugh if I misspelled that) which would assist in my desire to work from the home with a home based business (my ultimate goal) but also looking at other options in case that doesn't pan out and I'm forced to go into working outside the home to help support the family. That might be a possibility so I'm willing to accept it if necessary. We're just trying to avoid day care if at all possible, I don't want to work to afford day care, you know? No thank you. Besides, I'd rather not have other people raising my kids. They'll get plenty of that in public school as it is (which I'm dreading).
Of course, there is always Healthcare. Definitely something I'm leaning towards, as there will always be a demand for healthcare.
But really, the question is what exactly do I want to do? Mostly I got to get something that can keep my scatterbrained attention span and interest so I don't feel like I'll get partway into this degree and change my mind like I'm apparently prone to doing. So, question is, what now?
Well, as long as the Army is paying, might as well get a degree. If nothing else, it's nice to have a Bachelor's when I go after a Job on the economy, if nothing else, it can make me more marketable at least.
Thinking of other things to do, so it set me to plan B. Finding a job. Well, finding something that I can do from home. I've kind of got this photography thing going, or at least trying to in an oversaturated market for photographers, and I really don't see that as a stable source of income (though I'll likely keep doing it just for fun, and the added bonus of having something come in) and with gas prices and el Pregnento issue, well, I'm not really feeling the whole going back to work a retail gig. And then there was that fiasco the other day with considering an online business, but I'm not digging that specific route, though this is probably the way I'll eventually go so I can stay at home and tend to the kidling for their first couple years of life at least. Unless I get deployed, though I wouldn't mind the money, but I'm trying to avoid that at the moment due to my priority being the munchkin.
Which brings me to plan c, which hopefully will eventually go back to Plan B. Getting myself the skills necessary to get a decent job. That means going back to school.
In a perfect world, I would do the full time gig of going to an actual campus. This is not a perfect world, so I'm going to try the online thing, again. Love it. Ever since I got my AA from the community college oh so many years ago, I've been flirting from one college to another trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up, which I apparently still haven't done. My attempt to get some more education since my AA has also not been the most straightforward, and at times has gotten expensive. You can blame that on me and my indecisiveness. I've gone a variety of online routes, an attempt to get a computer animator degree when I realized this was a pipe dream and in no way marketable, I decided to go a different direction. Last year I started thinking about getting a health science degree, I can't even remember the full term which tells you how well I stuck with it. I wasn't impressed with the offerings of that particular college, and during this last drill, a mandatory fun day with the unit, they had another college there. I still have tuition assistance, so i decided, hey, why not? They looked like they had some interesting offerings.
Now the question is, what exactly do I want to get my degree in? I keep leaning on education, though I don't know if I could teach a lot of young kids without wanting to blow my brains out at the end of the day. I can take kids in small doses (and I'm going to have my own, which will ALWAYS be there, this does freak me out) but I'm looking at other alternatives, such as a business degree, they have one for eMarketing and Entrepreneurship (don't laugh if I misspelled that) which would assist in my desire to work from the home with a home based business (my ultimate goal) but also looking at other options in case that doesn't pan out and I'm forced to go into working outside the home to help support the family. That might be a possibility so I'm willing to accept it if necessary. We're just trying to avoid day care if at all possible, I don't want to work to afford day care, you know? No thank you. Besides, I'd rather not have other people raising my kids. They'll get plenty of that in public school as it is (which I'm dreading).
Of course, there is always Healthcare. Definitely something I'm leaning towards, as there will always be a demand for healthcare.
But really, the question is what exactly do I want to do? Mostly I got to get something that can keep my scatterbrained attention span and interest so I don't feel like I'll get partway into this degree and change my mind like I'm apparently prone to doing. So, question is, what now?
Well, as long as the Army is paying, might as well get a degree. If nothing else, it's nice to have a Bachelor's when I go after a Job on the economy, if nothing else, it can make me more marketable at least.
6.07.2011
Mom Blog Time! - Pregnancy So Far
When one is pregnant, it seems like your entire life revolves around the fact that you are pregnant. I actually knew I was pregnant at about three and a half weeks, and had it confirmed at four. I was out of town, but I wondered if it was to early to go get a pee stick to see if I was or not. So I kind of didn't say anything for about four days, woke up early Tuesday morning in the beginning of March, snuck into the bathroom, and whizzed on a stick. I came back pregnant.
As soon as I got that, I headed to the Airforce Base to have it confirmed, because it's free there, being an Airforce Spouse. They did a blood draw and I went home, to my husband still in bed (he was working swings and got home late) asking me where I went. I just told him I had to run an errand until I got the phone call a little later, yep! I was! When I got that news, Gus knew. I was actually planning on getting pregnant about this time of year if we hadn't gotten pregnant already, but if it didn't happen when it did, I don't know when it would have because Gus's schedule has been all over the place. So I guess the kidling was going to come when it was going to happen, otherwise it might have been a while. I guess things happen for a reason.
I actually sat on this news for about a month, I told my horse friends because I wasn't riding as much as usual and they just seemed to find out. I didn't want to out and say it, because after the last time, miscarrying, well, even at seven weeks, after knowing for two weeks, it wasn't fun. About a month after it happened, I had people still coming up and congratulating me since they hadn't heard the news that I had miscarried and it kind of stung. Their intentions were good, but it just kind of dug the pain in a little more. I wanted to make sure this time it stuck before I made the formal announcement to the world.
My family finally got the official word in April, when I was about nine weeks along, a couple siblings knew, but everyone else was excited for me. I made the formal announcement on Facebook at about twelve weeks, and as of tomorrow, I'll be seventeen weeks along. I think I felt the quickening, in fact the first time I thought I felt something was at about thirteen weeks, though that is insanely early and it's just been here and there. I'm starting to feel it more and more. We'll likely find out the gender in the beginning of July.
I'm going through a couple Nurse Midwives, going through a hippy phase I guess :P, just because I want to try to go natural. Going natural might be permanent birth control for me too, who knows? I may never want to have another baby after this, but our goal is two. We'll see how up I am for that after I've dealt with an infant for a few months, as we have discovered getting pregnant appears to NOT be a problem. I just knew for whatever reason I was super fertile, and I've never been on any hormones or birth control or any of that. I think in a lot of ways that has kept me pretty healthy. After baby number two comes along, one of us is going to have to get fixed or I have a feeling infants will keep coming, and as exciting as pregnancy is, after the scare with my first miscarriage, I've taken it easy with what kind of activities I do. I really would like to have a life again and do stuff. I feel like I can't do squat right now. We went on a motorcycle ride, I felt ever bump in my uterus.
Can't wait to meet you, babe. Though I do fear losing my independence.
As soon as I got that, I headed to the Airforce Base to have it confirmed, because it's free there, being an Airforce Spouse. They did a blood draw and I went home, to my husband still in bed (he was working swings and got home late) asking me where I went. I just told him I had to run an errand until I got the phone call a little later, yep! I was! When I got that news, Gus knew. I was actually planning on getting pregnant about this time of year if we hadn't gotten pregnant already, but if it didn't happen when it did, I don't know when it would have because Gus's schedule has been all over the place. So I guess the kidling was going to come when it was going to happen, otherwise it might have been a while. I guess things happen for a reason.
I actually sat on this news for about a month, I told my horse friends because I wasn't riding as much as usual and they just seemed to find out. I didn't want to out and say it, because after the last time, miscarrying, well, even at seven weeks, after knowing for two weeks, it wasn't fun. About a month after it happened, I had people still coming up and congratulating me since they hadn't heard the news that I had miscarried and it kind of stung. Their intentions were good, but it just kind of dug the pain in a little more. I wanted to make sure this time it stuck before I made the formal announcement to the world.
My family finally got the official word in April, when I was about nine weeks along, a couple siblings knew, but everyone else was excited for me. I made the formal announcement on Facebook at about twelve weeks, and as of tomorrow, I'll be seventeen weeks along. I think I felt the quickening, in fact the first time I thought I felt something was at about thirteen weeks, though that is insanely early and it's just been here and there. I'm starting to feel it more and more. We'll likely find out the gender in the beginning of July.
I'm going through a couple Nurse Midwives, going through a hippy phase I guess :P, just because I want to try to go natural. Going natural might be permanent birth control for me too, who knows? I may never want to have another baby after this, but our goal is two. We'll see how up I am for that after I've dealt with an infant for a few months, as we have discovered getting pregnant appears to NOT be a problem. I just knew for whatever reason I was super fertile, and I've never been on any hormones or birth control or any of that. I think in a lot of ways that has kept me pretty healthy. After baby number two comes along, one of us is going to have to get fixed or I have a feeling infants will keep coming, and as exciting as pregnancy is, after the scare with my first miscarriage, I've taken it easy with what kind of activities I do. I really would like to have a life again and do stuff. I feel like I can't do squat right now. We went on a motorcycle ride, I felt ever bump in my uterus.
Can't wait to meet you, babe. Though I do fear losing my independence.
6.06.2011
To Good To Be True?
I went to this workshop today in regards to starting an online business through an online company that has apparently gotten some poor reviews in the past. Alright, I'll just out and say it, it's a company called StoresOnline.com, perhpase you've heard of it? Now, I consider myself a fairly saavy person when it comes to the internets, but I really need to do some research on this kind of thing and I am grateful to have a partner that can kindly (or forcefully) tell me to just walk away. Being Ms. Impulse, I do need that and marriage has helped me at that, he's not nearly as impulsive as I am.
In short, about a month ago my mom got this letter in the mail asking about this little workshop and I agreed to go with her, mostly to get the information to see if I can use it. I thought they had some good information so I went ahead and got a seat at the all day workshop for today. To be honest, I'm glad I went to it, I still think there was some good information, and if done wisely I can turn around and do my own research on it and use it. I don't know if I will or not now, that remains to be seen, but I will also admit they had smooth talking salesman and using the infamous pitch of 'buy it now for this one time offer', which Gus is leary about. That's the main reason he wanted me to walk away, to him that's a warning sign.
It was also a warning sign initially for me by how much they were asking for the product. At first the sticker shock made me go "ouch". But then, if I did the right research before hand, I could have better phrased how much it is really worth to me.
To be fair to the company, I think the right person with the right skills could take their business opportunities and be successful at it. The problem is that a lot of people who aren't in a position to build their own business and don't have the technical know how to make it successful often get duped into it and end up putting in a lot more time money and effort into the whole affair and end up feeling scammed. I almost fell for it, but I insisted I had to talk to my business partner first, because it did seem like a good investment opportunity and I probably could make it work if I could get over my motivation or lack thereof at times. He wasn't buying it, I tried to sell him, he talked me out of it. It's a good thing I'm not a sales person, I will never be a sales person, but the business model does sound like a good idea if I can get to that point.
Anyway, long story short, I'm only out a little money and the day for today's workshop where it could have been a lot more, but I still got some good info out of it so maybe in the long run I could find some kind of business opportunity, try to get back into blogging (well, you can see how that's going), get some kind of internet presence once more, I just need to learn how to market. They did stress over and over they weren't selling a business in a box or it wasn't a get rich quick scheme, and a lot of the negative reviews on websites seemed to be from disgruntled customers who didn't know what they were doing in the first place (though a lot appeared legit as well). I do still want to find something to do to bring in a little extra income into the house other then doing my weekend warrior stint and finding myself working retail. I'm a traditional, I would like to do something where I could work from the home.
I guess I'll find a way to go back to school instead. Hmm. . . guess I've never been one to work on my own business opportunities. Could go to school for business, but I don't know if I'm the entrepeneur type.
In short, about a month ago my mom got this letter in the mail asking about this little workshop and I agreed to go with her, mostly to get the information to see if I can use it. I thought they had some good information so I went ahead and got a seat at the all day workshop for today. To be honest, I'm glad I went to it, I still think there was some good information, and if done wisely I can turn around and do my own research on it and use it. I don't know if I will or not now, that remains to be seen, but I will also admit they had smooth talking salesman and using the infamous pitch of 'buy it now for this one time offer', which Gus is leary about. That's the main reason he wanted me to walk away, to him that's a warning sign.
It was also a warning sign initially for me by how much they were asking for the product. At first the sticker shock made me go "ouch". But then, if I did the right research before hand, I could have better phrased how much it is really worth to me.
To be fair to the company, I think the right person with the right skills could take their business opportunities and be successful at it. The problem is that a lot of people who aren't in a position to build their own business and don't have the technical know how to make it successful often get duped into it and end up putting in a lot more time money and effort into the whole affair and end up feeling scammed. I almost fell for it, but I insisted I had to talk to my business partner first, because it did seem like a good investment opportunity and I probably could make it work if I could get over my motivation or lack thereof at times. He wasn't buying it, I tried to sell him, he talked me out of it. It's a good thing I'm not a sales person, I will never be a sales person, but the business model does sound like a good idea if I can get to that point.
Anyway, long story short, I'm only out a little money and the day for today's workshop where it could have been a lot more, but I still got some good info out of it so maybe in the long run I could find some kind of business opportunity, try to get back into blogging (well, you can see how that's going), get some kind of internet presence once more, I just need to learn how to market. They did stress over and over they weren't selling a business in a box or it wasn't a get rich quick scheme, and a lot of the negative reviews on websites seemed to be from disgruntled customers who didn't know what they were doing in the first place (though a lot appeared legit as well). I do still want to find something to do to bring in a little extra income into the house other then doing my weekend warrior stint and finding myself working retail. I'm a traditional, I would like to do something where I could work from the home.
I guess I'll find a way to go back to school instead. Hmm. . . guess I've never been one to work on my own business opportunities. Could go to school for business, but I don't know if I'm the entrepeneur type.
6.05.2011
Thoughts On Genderless Children
NOTE - This post is very personal and draws from my own experiences and the outcomes of those experiences. It also explains a lot about what kind of person I am and why I am who I am.
Ok, me being me lately, I have not been all that motivated to jump online and comment on recent events like I used to. I was once a blogging fanatic, but that has changed with me getting married and the destractions that come along with it, to include my current pregnancy. And Facebook, which I promised my husband I would take a week long sabatical from, just to prove I don't need it. As I type this, I'm wondering if that's the quickening I've felt. I'm not even seventeen weeks along, but it certainly doesn't feel like the digestive track. Is the baby doing jumping jacks in there? Or is that just my small intestine? HOW DO I KNOW IF IT'S THE BABY??? I've felt things before and wondered, but I'm told it's to soon for my first pregnancy (to this point at least)
So anyway, about a week and a half ago, there was this big controversy with this >Canandian couple that decided to raise their child as Genderless, the story of which has died down. Me, being the conservative person that I am, you might think I might jump on this story as most others of conservative persuasion might and think of how wrong this couple is to raise this child with no set standards of gender identity, in affect, letting the child choose how it would like to identify themself when they come of age. And in a sense, I am inclined to think that the child does need to know that they are a boy or a girl from an early age.
However, believe it or not, I kind of get where these parents are coming from.
You see, growing up, I preferred to see myself as Genderless without realizing at the time what that meant. I didn't want to necessarily be a boy, but I didn't see myself as a girl. I hated playing dress up, I couldn't stand ribbons and lace, I didn't like wearing my hair down and if I could, I would have fought tooth and nail as my mother forced me to dress for church on sunday, but as soon as we were home, I was in my jeans playing out in the dirt. The only thing remotely girly I played with was My Little Pony, and not because it was girly, but because they were animals. I could play with animals all day long, in fact whenever my siblings played house, I was the cat. When my best friends (twins) and I played together anything along the girly lines of mom, dad and baby, we did it with animals and I was always the baby, who was always an it. No, not a boy or a girl, an it. Why did the baby need a gender? I didn't know, I certainly didn't care.
As I grew older, I did go through a bit of an identity crisis in regards to figuring myself out, as going through puberty, unlike some girls, I was horrified when it became more obvious that I was no longer a kid and was growing into a woman. I had my period before my older sister, what was up with that? I swear that fate was out to get me. I can often see where people who have gender confusion come from, I have never necessarily seen myself as being male though, asexual would be a more proper term for me. I have wondered about my sexuality at times, wondering if I was more inclined to like girls then boys, but, well, as you can see, that was a phase I went through, mostly in my late teens early twenties. At the time, I wondered if I was perhaps Bisxexual, but no, Asexual was more of a fitting term for me. I can't imagine having sex with a girl, sorry. I did go through this awkward phase because of my asexuality and denial of my gender that lasted from, oh, eleven until twenty six or so. This whole issue of trying to figure out who I am is part of the reason why I joined a traditionally non-female job field of the military. I still am very much down to earth and with me, what you see is what you get. At least I try to be that way. I have never really tried to fit into gender norms, I have always been, well, me. Sometimes I identify better with guys then other girls, but not always. Guys are sexual beasts, and me? Not so much.
However, as you can see now, I am definitely a girl, I am happily married, to a guy who is a great guy bytheway, and I'm currently pregnant, something I wondered if it would ever happen to me. I really did have to meet the right person, and I'm grateful I met a guy who loves me for who I am and has been so patient with me with the whole insanity of married life. I am excited at the prospect of being a mother, and I want my kids to be who they are, I don't want to force them to be something they are not, and certainly if I have a daughter who hates anything girly like I did, I'm not going to force it on her (well, except for Sundays at church). However, if she's miss Princess Frilly Fru-Fru with Ribbons and Lace, well, I'm just going to be wondering where she gets it from, because she certainly didn't get it from me (or Gus for that matter). However, that's Ok too (and my family jokes that I'm going to have a total girl if I have a daughter, just to spite me). I want my kids to be who they are, but they will also have a knowledge of WHAT they are. Just because I saw myself as genderless doesn't change the fact that I'm a girl.
So, back to this family that is choosing to raise their child as genderless, and their two older boys with their asexual names of Jazz, Kio and Storm. Jazz of course, being five, chooses what he wants to wear and how he likes his hair. In fact, he wears his hair much the same as I did when I was that age. He looks like a cute kid, but at first glance, he also looks like a girl. At his age of five, I don't know what his schooling is like, he doesn't seem to care much, but something I have discovered with my experiences of wishing to be genderless and forced to be a girl is that I am grateful now that I knew from a young age that I was indeed a girl. If my parents had raised me, a truly genderless child to be genderless without a knowledge of my identity but knowing what boys and girls are, I would have been horrified to discover that I was indeed a girl. At that age, I would have been more inclined to act like a boy then a girl. I thought girl stuff was stupid. I played with Ninja Turtles and mutliated barbie dolls. My stuffed animals played war and I was better bonded to my brother and male cousins then my sisters and female cousins, and the ones I did hang out with were always younger then me. I didn't chase boys, I barely noticed them.
If Storm is anything like I was, that poor kid when it becomes obvious what they are. The parents aren't doing that kid a favor by letting them choose their gender because it doesn't matter what they decide they are, when they discover what they really are, they are going to be disappointed if they are opposite of how they decide to see themselves. If that little baby starts identifying as a girl and discovers later that he's a boy, or vice versa, they are going to face a lot of stigma in life and probably become confused with their sexuality which will lead to problems with depression later. Believe me, my depression in my early twenties stemmed greatly from my gender confusion. There is nothing wrong with telling that kid what he or she is, and so they understand the biology of what they are, because nothing is going to change about that. Sure, you can hack off your penis and get a sex change and call yourself a girl, but I honestly think transgendered people are often times just very confused about their identity. It's not going to solve a lot of issues down the road. This poor kid, I hope for their sake that they go by nature versus nurture and take their natural gender role because nothing is worse for a genderless child then to go through puberty. Why? Because I went through puberty. Being genderless is fun until your gender decides to give you a kick upside the head that no, you are not an it. And hacking off my breasts and removing my uterus would not have solved the problem. I think that would have compounded the problem for me, it would have probably driven me further into depression.
Honestly, I think the best thing these parents can do for their kids is to let them know what they are, including Baby Storm, but continuing to allow their children to be who they are. Trust me, you think you are helping your kids out by giving them the freedom to decide but you're not. If human beings were born genderless and got to choose their own gender at puberty it would be a whole lot easier. But Biology is a part of who we are. It is not the same as Sexuality, which I think is what these parents are trying to do for their kids, but a child still needs to know their biology. It's not a matter of casting society's views on what gender roles should be, it's for the child's own sanity that they understand what gender roles are. If they identify with one gender and discover they are the other, they will be in a heap of trouble. It will be interesting to see if this experiment continues or if Storm just finds out on their own long before then. Maybe we can do a case study and Jazz, Kio and Storm in twenty years to see how they turn out.
So in Summary, what am I trying to say here? Being Genderless is fun and all, as a kid. There is no such thing as a genderless teenager. I know. I tried to be one. It didn't work, and this is from somebody who's Nature is Genderless with a parent that was Nurturing me as a girl. It just led to confusion and depression. Save the kid a lot of trouble, just tell them what they are and then let them be themselves. If they are truly genderless, you will probably know in time. If you think as a parent that you should condone their genderlessness, that is up to you. But chances are, Baby Storm is going to act on their own Nature and if they are a boy, chances are he's going to just be a boy. If she's a girl, she'll act like a girl. If Storm falls into their gender role, it's not going to make much of a difference to tell them what they are at that time. For the kid's sake, I hope that's what happens for them.
Rambly much? Probably. Remember, I'm pregnant, a lot of what I write doesn't make much sense.
Ok, me being me lately, I have not been all that motivated to jump online and comment on recent events like I used to. I was once a blogging fanatic, but that has changed with me getting married and the destractions that come along with it, to include my current pregnancy. And Facebook, which I promised my husband I would take a week long sabatical from, just to prove I don't need it. As I type this, I'm wondering if that's the quickening I've felt. I'm not even seventeen weeks along, but it certainly doesn't feel like the digestive track. Is the baby doing jumping jacks in there? Or is that just my small intestine? HOW DO I KNOW IF IT'S THE BABY??? I've felt things before and wondered, but I'm told it's to soon for my first pregnancy (to this point at least)
So anyway, about a week and a half ago, there was this big controversy with this >Canandian couple that decided to raise their child as Genderless, the story of which has died down. Me, being the conservative person that I am, you might think I might jump on this story as most others of conservative persuasion might and think of how wrong this couple is to raise this child with no set standards of gender identity, in affect, letting the child choose how it would like to identify themself when they come of age. And in a sense, I am inclined to think that the child does need to know that they are a boy or a girl from an early age.
However, believe it or not, I kind of get where these parents are coming from.
You see, growing up, I preferred to see myself as Genderless without realizing at the time what that meant. I didn't want to necessarily be a boy, but I didn't see myself as a girl. I hated playing dress up, I couldn't stand ribbons and lace, I didn't like wearing my hair down and if I could, I would have fought tooth and nail as my mother forced me to dress for church on sunday, but as soon as we were home, I was in my jeans playing out in the dirt. The only thing remotely girly I played with was My Little Pony, and not because it was girly, but because they were animals. I could play with animals all day long, in fact whenever my siblings played house, I was the cat. When my best friends (twins) and I played together anything along the girly lines of mom, dad and baby, we did it with animals and I was always the baby, who was always an it. No, not a boy or a girl, an it. Why did the baby need a gender? I didn't know, I certainly didn't care.
As I grew older, I did go through a bit of an identity crisis in regards to figuring myself out, as going through puberty, unlike some girls, I was horrified when it became more obvious that I was no longer a kid and was growing into a woman. I had my period before my older sister, what was up with that? I swear that fate was out to get me. I can often see where people who have gender confusion come from, I have never necessarily seen myself as being male though, asexual would be a more proper term for me. I have wondered about my sexuality at times, wondering if I was more inclined to like girls then boys, but, well, as you can see, that was a phase I went through, mostly in my late teens early twenties. At the time, I wondered if I was perhaps Bisxexual, but no, Asexual was more of a fitting term for me. I can't imagine having sex with a girl, sorry. I did go through this awkward phase because of my asexuality and denial of my gender that lasted from, oh, eleven until twenty six or so. This whole issue of trying to figure out who I am is part of the reason why I joined a traditionally non-female job field of the military. I still am very much down to earth and with me, what you see is what you get. At least I try to be that way. I have never really tried to fit into gender norms, I have always been, well, me. Sometimes I identify better with guys then other girls, but not always. Guys are sexual beasts, and me? Not so much.
However, as you can see now, I am definitely a girl, I am happily married, to a guy who is a great guy bytheway, and I'm currently pregnant, something I wondered if it would ever happen to me. I really did have to meet the right person, and I'm grateful I met a guy who loves me for who I am and has been so patient with me with the whole insanity of married life. I am excited at the prospect of being a mother, and I want my kids to be who they are, I don't want to force them to be something they are not, and certainly if I have a daughter who hates anything girly like I did, I'm not going to force it on her (well, except for Sundays at church). However, if she's miss Princess Frilly Fru-Fru with Ribbons and Lace, well, I'm just going to be wondering where she gets it from, because she certainly didn't get it from me (or Gus for that matter). However, that's Ok too (and my family jokes that I'm going to have a total girl if I have a daughter, just to spite me). I want my kids to be who they are, but they will also have a knowledge of WHAT they are. Just because I saw myself as genderless doesn't change the fact that I'm a girl.
So, back to this family that is choosing to raise their child as genderless, and their two older boys with their asexual names of Jazz, Kio and Storm. Jazz of course, being five, chooses what he wants to wear and how he likes his hair. In fact, he wears his hair much the same as I did when I was that age. He looks like a cute kid, but at first glance, he also looks like a girl. At his age of five, I don't know what his schooling is like, he doesn't seem to care much, but something I have discovered with my experiences of wishing to be genderless and forced to be a girl is that I am grateful now that I knew from a young age that I was indeed a girl. If my parents had raised me, a truly genderless child to be genderless without a knowledge of my identity but knowing what boys and girls are, I would have been horrified to discover that I was indeed a girl. At that age, I would have been more inclined to act like a boy then a girl. I thought girl stuff was stupid. I played with Ninja Turtles and mutliated barbie dolls. My stuffed animals played war and I was better bonded to my brother and male cousins then my sisters and female cousins, and the ones I did hang out with were always younger then me. I didn't chase boys, I barely noticed them.
If Storm is anything like I was, that poor kid when it becomes obvious what they are. The parents aren't doing that kid a favor by letting them choose their gender because it doesn't matter what they decide they are, when they discover what they really are, they are going to be disappointed if they are opposite of how they decide to see themselves. If that little baby starts identifying as a girl and discovers later that he's a boy, or vice versa, they are going to face a lot of stigma in life and probably become confused with their sexuality which will lead to problems with depression later. Believe me, my depression in my early twenties stemmed greatly from my gender confusion. There is nothing wrong with telling that kid what he or she is, and so they understand the biology of what they are, because nothing is going to change about that. Sure, you can hack off your penis and get a sex change and call yourself a girl, but I honestly think transgendered people are often times just very confused about their identity. It's not going to solve a lot of issues down the road. This poor kid, I hope for their sake that they go by nature versus nurture and take their natural gender role because nothing is worse for a genderless child then to go through puberty. Why? Because I went through puberty. Being genderless is fun until your gender decides to give you a kick upside the head that no, you are not an it. And hacking off my breasts and removing my uterus would not have solved the problem. I think that would have compounded the problem for me, it would have probably driven me further into depression.
Honestly, I think the best thing these parents can do for their kids is to let them know what they are, including Baby Storm, but continuing to allow their children to be who they are. Trust me, you think you are helping your kids out by giving them the freedom to decide but you're not. If human beings were born genderless and got to choose their own gender at puberty it would be a whole lot easier. But Biology is a part of who we are. It is not the same as Sexuality, which I think is what these parents are trying to do for their kids, but a child still needs to know their biology. It's not a matter of casting society's views on what gender roles should be, it's for the child's own sanity that they understand what gender roles are. If they identify with one gender and discover they are the other, they will be in a heap of trouble. It will be interesting to see if this experiment continues or if Storm just finds out on their own long before then. Maybe we can do a case study and Jazz, Kio and Storm in twenty years to see how they turn out.
So in Summary, what am I trying to say here? Being Genderless is fun and all, as a kid. There is no such thing as a genderless teenager. I know. I tried to be one. It didn't work, and this is from somebody who's Nature is Genderless with a parent that was Nurturing me as a girl. It just led to confusion and depression. Save the kid a lot of trouble, just tell them what they are and then let them be themselves. If they are truly genderless, you will probably know in time. If you think as a parent that you should condone their genderlessness, that is up to you. But chances are, Baby Storm is going to act on their own Nature and if they are a boy, chances are he's going to just be a boy. If she's a girl, she'll act like a girl. If Storm falls into their gender role, it's not going to make much of a difference to tell them what they are at that time. For the kid's sake, I hope that's what happens for them.
Rambly much? Probably. Remember, I'm pregnant, a lot of what I write doesn't make much sense.
5.25.2011
Blogging Ills
So, what have I been up to for the last month or so?
Yes, I know, I haven't blogged in a while, and if you're still reading this, it's probably because you follow my feed. Well, I have been up to a lot. And really, I've been up to a whole lot of nothing.
My husband, who is in the Air Force, is away at school at present, he comes back this week and it will be nice to have him back. While he was gone, I had all sorts of things planned out on what I would do. This included building a chicken coop for my twelve chicks I bought, planting a garden, organizing my studio space, getting my website up to date and republished, working on my webcomic that has been largely neglected, fine tuning my zombie plan, Yoga, and a host of other little odds and ends.
What did I end up accomplishing? Well, I did a whole lot of writing, and napping. I nap almost every day. What can I say, my energy levels are bleh. But I do have a valid excuse, you see.
Back in March, I kind of suspected something was up, though it was still quite early. Being newly wed and having few distractions other then the interwebs kind of leads to other things. However, seeing how last year went when I spilled the news after a week of knowing, this time I held onto it for a little bit longer. My horse friends found out quite soon, seeing as I wasn't doing much riding, but i waited until the eight week mark to tell the family.
Yep, pregnant again. I'm at fifteen weeks today, due for an early birthday baby in November. So yeah, when i do blog, it might be mommy related. I just hope I'm not as annoying as some moms I have seen.
So far everything is going smoothly, except for the come and go energy levels. seriously.
Yes, I know, I haven't blogged in a while, and if you're still reading this, it's probably because you follow my feed. Well, I have been up to a lot. And really, I've been up to a whole lot of nothing.
My husband, who is in the Air Force, is away at school at present, he comes back this week and it will be nice to have him back. While he was gone, I had all sorts of things planned out on what I would do. This included building a chicken coop for my twelve chicks I bought, planting a garden, organizing my studio space, getting my website up to date and republished, working on my webcomic that has been largely neglected, fine tuning my zombie plan, Yoga, and a host of other little odds and ends.
What did I end up accomplishing? Well, I did a whole lot of writing, and napping. I nap almost every day. What can I say, my energy levels are bleh. But I do have a valid excuse, you see.
Back in March, I kind of suspected something was up, though it was still quite early. Being newly wed and having few distractions other then the interwebs kind of leads to other things. However, seeing how last year went when I spilled the news after a week of knowing, this time I held onto it for a little bit longer. My horse friends found out quite soon, seeing as I wasn't doing much riding, but i waited until the eight week mark to tell the family.
Yep, pregnant again. I'm at fifteen weeks today, due for an early birthday baby in November. So yeah, when i do blog, it might be mommy related. I just hope I'm not as annoying as some moms I have seen.
So far everything is going smoothly, except for the come and go energy levels. seriously.
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