Let me clarify what this post is not. This is not a post in which I judge working mothers. Five weeks after my son was born I went back to work full-time until after he turned one. Daniel needed to finish school so I needed to bring home the bacon. I don’t think that made me a bad mother, nor do I think that other moms who need to or choose to work outside the home are bad mothers. However, this … [Read more...]
Crossroads
(Lucy getting a snack before Ellie's wedding, Photo courtesy of Jade Pierce Photography) Well, I feel like I'm at a motherhood crossroads with my sweet baby girl. I've been following the principles of ecological breastfeeding very thoroughly since her birth. I read Sheila Kippley's The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding and Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood which promote mama and … [Read more...]
Why I Hated Breastfeeding (And How That Changed) Part II
In Part I, I described my horrible experience breastfeeding my firstborn and how after four months I gave up. I was stressed out. My baby was stressed out. It wasn’t working. I am so glad to say that round two has been totally different! Part of it must be due to Baby Number Two's easy temperament, but I think other factors are lower stress, and a shift in my attitude and mothering … [Read more...]
Why I Hated Breastfeeding (And How That Changed) Part I
I am a huge supporter of breastfeeding. I nurse my baby girl everywhere and do my best to promote breastfeeding and support nursing mamas.But, I never judge another mama for choosing to bottle-feed. Some mamas can't breastfeed even after trying everything to produce enough milk for their baby. Sometimes circumstances make it almost impossible. I know this first hand... When I was a few days … [Read more...]
I’ve Got Greens and the Terrible Threes Growing in My Garden
Here's what's been going on outdoors in our neck of the woods: Lots of park dates and outside play for this little guy. Baby girl is content to just sleep in the baby wrap with Mama while Little Bear gets his wiggles out. Although the terrible threes subsided a little bit in the past couple of weeks (perhaps due to extra time with Daddy during our trip), they were back in full force … [Read more...]
Why I Breastfeed in Public: The Blessed Virgin Mary Does It!
There was an uproar recently when a women was kicked out of a church for nursing her child in the service and the pastor compared her public breastfeeding to a stripper performing. What?! I know. Insanity. A blog I read posted the news article on FB and a commenter expressed her view that nursing in church was very inappropriate and that the mother was wrong to do so. She went on to say that she … [Read more...]
At first glance…
...my packing organizational methods might elude you. But this way, I won't forget to pack the baby. See? … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Nurture Positive Body Image for Your Daughter
I’m not an expert. My daughter’s a baby and whether she’ll turn out to have a positive body image is yet to be seen. But, I’ve learned a few things about the challenge of nurturing a positive body image over the past two and a half decades from growing up as a girl in our weight-obsessed culture, watching my mother thoughtfully and intentionally raise me, and as a ballet teacher seeing … [Read more...]
Lucy Pneumonia Update
Thanks to everyone whose been praying for Lucy! She seems to be fighting the parainfluenza bug and the bronchial pneumonia really well. No fever so far, praise God. And she's been sleeping upright in her bouncer to help her breathing. I wasn't sure if we were going to get any sleep last night since she was sniffly and since she's used to sleeping in bed right next to me and would have to … [Read more...]
Tomorrow You’re THREE!
Oh, Benjamin, my little paleontologist, Tomorrow you will wake up and you will have turned the venerable age of THREE. The twos that I have loved so much will be over. I loved the day when you turned two. And I loved your First Birthday, too. So many gifts of grace you have brought to our lives. The Blessed John Paul II wrote that the enemy of true love is selfishness. Being your … [Read more...]
