Fall? Is that you?

School has started, the air is getting a little cooler...and I could not be more excited for fall to arrive. Pumpkins, lattes, leaves falling, all of these things bring a smile to my face! Calvin was born on Halloween, and it is so fitting that he was born during my favorite season! His first birthday is approaching much too quickly for my taste, so here is an update on what our little guy is up to:
-Calvin can clap!! Well, as my nephew Jimmy points out "he's not clapping right"...it's more of just hitting his hands together, but he's getting it! It's so cute, and I love singing "Clap, clap your hands!" and watching him clap and laugh.
-He can wave! He waves Hi, and Bye Bye.
-Giving kisses. This is my favorite. He gives sweet, wet, sloppy kisses!
-Standing up and "walking" while holding on. Calvin has been able to stand for a couple months now, but he is so much better at it and can even stand up while only holding on to something with one hand!
-"Talking" Calvin now makes noises specifically when he wants to show us something and "talks" to himself about his toys or while riding in the car. You can tell by his face that this is different than normal baby noises. He is really trying to communicate with us, and it is very evident that Calvin is going to be quite verbal. He says "kitty cat" "Mama" and "Dada". Kitty cat is my favorite because he whispers it and says it so funny! It sounds more like "Kickat" haha.
-Reading books. Calvin LOVES to look at books, and it's the only time he sits still. I took him to Barnes and Noble with the boys and he adored the trains!! He loved playing with the train set and picking out books. I can't wait to do more fun activities with him as he gets older.

We love our growing boy! At his 9 month check up he weighed 22.08 pounds and was 28 inches long. His hair is filling out, and he has 6 teeth! He is eating baby food regularly and loves several different kinds. He is a pistol, though...when he doesn't want something, he lets you know! Calvin is always on the move, crawling everywhere, into everything, and loves to play. I can't believe he'll be one in just a couple months. That will be an emotional day for sure! It has truly flown by, and I could not be more grateful to be his Mommy.

Breastfeeding Q&A

It's amazing to me how many questions, comments, and advice I receive about feeding my child. It is totally fine with me for friends or family to ask questions when it's coming from a good place. As a matter of fact, I enjoy discussing it and offering help to others. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child, and I am open to advice and offering my own as well. I have no problem with that, but there are individuals who approach me randomly on a regular basis (mostly at work) who like to make comments or ask questions and it often makes me feel uncomfortable. Instead of saying how I really feel to the ones who I've encountered, I will list some of the most common questions and comments I get from people and address them here as a sort of self induced therapy exercise. Enjoy!

1. "Breastfeeding is gross"
This statement can only come from immaturity and lack of education. All I can do is list the reasons why breastfeeding is NOT gross:
-It's natural and I hate to break it to you, but it's the reason why women were made the way they are.
-It's normal!
-Last time I checked, saving money is NOT gross.
-Baby's poop doesn't smell that bad (it still smells, I mean it is poop!), they spit up very little, and have less gas.

2. "Doesn't it hurt?!"
-Nothing can hurt more than what you just did...which was give birth.
-Yes, it hurts at first, but only in the beginning. After a little while, it doesn't hurt at all!
-All good things in life are hard! It's not easy and it's a commitment. Raising a child is hard, so it all goes hand in hand.
-My amazing friend Jill puts it perfectly "Short term sacrifice for long term gain" The benefits outweigh the costs by a long shot.

3. "I want to have a life!"-UM then don't have a baby. It doesn't matter how you feed your child, your life will change forever once you give birth.
-I have a life, and it's a great one! It just happens to be prioritized differently than before I had a child.

4. "Why are you pumping?"-It's what's best for my baby, and I want to maintain our bond while working.

5. "What if your baby is allergic to milk, you don't have enough supply, or can't keep up?" -All valid questions. Here's an easy fix to the milk allergy: don't drink milk. Calvin was spitting up excessively, acting uncomfortable and for several weeks we couldn't pinpoint the problem. It turns out he's lactose intolerant. I eliminated milk and heavy dairy products from my diet and he was like a new baby! Most babies cannot tolerate dairy products, and many formula fed infants have to be on soy formula.
-Supply is a constant worry of nursing moms. Basically the more you nurse or pump, the more you produce. Lactation consultants are very beneficial for moms with supply issues. Breastfed babies do not need as much in a bottle as formula fed babies do.  A big reason for supply issues later on is hospitals and nurses pushing supplementation at birth. It's totally unnecessary and not recommended if you want to breastfeed. A great website to help with supply issues or questions is www.kellymom.com. Of course, some women have lasting issues that cannot be remedied. Totally understandable and kudos for making the effort! There are ways to obtain breastmilk if you cannot produce it yourself. Wet nurses and milk sharing were customary and normal before formula came around. It should still be normal, and in my eyes it is.

6. "Talking about, seeing or being around breastfeeding makes me uncomfortable"-We are living in a world where even PG movies have nudity, you can't be on a highway for 10 minutes without seeing billboards for stipclubs, and breastfeeding makes people uncomfortable? When my Dad was growing up, women would openly feed their babies at the store or at the bus stop. It was normal and totally fine. I'm not the type to feed my baby in the middle of the mall, but it shouldn't be a problem if I chose to do so.

7. "Your baby's big, how long are you going to breastfeed?"-The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least the first year of life. The health benefits are outstanding for both baby and Mom
-How long a woman nurses is only her choice. No one should be made to feel bad regarding length of time no matter what their choice! A recent study stated that if every woman breastfed for at least 6 months-1 year, the US would save 13 billion in health care costs. (Yes, billion.)
-My new response when asked how long I will nurse is "I think until kindergarten, is that too long?" LOL.  
-The average age of weaning worldwide is 4. Why is it weird to nurse an older infant in the US?

8. "But your baby has teeth!"-Again, this is a vaild question but I am giving people a little project when they say this to me with horror on their face: Drink a bottle of water and see if you use your teeth. ;)


A day in the life of a pumping, working Mom:
Me @ Work, in the designated "Lactation Room". Federal Law mandates that employers provide Moms with a private, quiet place to pump that is NOT a bathroom. You are allowed to have breaks to pump and a fridge should be provided to store the milk.

Milk I've built up in the freezer. Frozen milk lasts for 4 months in a regular freezer (it's much longer in a deep freezer), 8 days in the fridge, and 8 hours room temperature.

My Pump. It's a plain, black back so it's not very bulky or noticeable. The best kind to buy are electric, double pumps. They are expensive, so save coupons or giftcards! The more expensive the pump, the longer it lasts and the better you produce. It's a one time investment, which is great.

Motherhood & Friendship.

After I got married, I was of course blissful and so grateful to have found an amazing husband to share my life with. After the honeymoon wore off; however I noticed something lacking...friendship, or at least the regular connections with friends. I've maintained some GREAT friendships and even gained some excellent new ones, but as I've entered into motherhood I've found the outings with friends are few and far between. Things have to be so planned out, so arranged...I miss the days of high school when your best friends just went everywhere with you...to the bathroom, to the mall, to bed, to school, whatever, wherever, whenever! It didn't matter, and it was like there was no shortage of female comraderie. I blame social media for a lot of this change, but I think much of it has to do with America and our preconceived notions that we have to have everything clean before someone comes over, everything checked off our to-do list, and have make up on with a smile to match. I often wonder if it were not for Facebook, how many of us would make the effort to talk to our friends, see their babies, and enjoy quality time? This makes me sad, and I know that I am to blame as well. My days are filled with work, taking care of my family, church, taking care of Calvin, and trying to get some sleep in there somewhere if possible. There is little time for leisure for myself, let alone going out with girlfriends. But like I said before, why do things have to be so specifically planned? I'm going to make a concerted effort to change this in my life. I read a blog post yesterday that literally brought tears to my eyes. It referenced what one Mom experienced during her time in Kenya when she noticed that none of the women ever felt lonely:

"They spend their days singing and dancing together, washing clothes together, watching their children together, standing in line for water together. They live in tight-knit communities that never allow each other to fall down. If a woman can’t feed her children, then the woman next door puts food for everyone on the table. They never face a Friday night on Facebook, looking up old boyfriends and reading about parties that they weren’t invited to. They always have a friend right by their side"


So here's to the sleepovers where you laughed so hard someone peed their pants, the nights you stayed up as late as possible just to say you did, and the times you cried together and it felt like you were literally holding each other up. I'm on my way to get some of that back, and STILL be a great wife and Mommy.

Just keep swimming

The past few weeks have been crazy busy! Work has stretched me paper thin, and has caused quite a bit of stress. Elio has been pulling double shifts, has had crazy schedule changes, and multiple midnights. This causes exhaustion for me when Calvin is up all night with his fifth tooth coming through, and  I don't have Daddy to help out! His presence is truly missed when he's not here, and I greatly appreciate all he does for our family-both at work & at home. The mantra that keeps playing in my head is "Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!" from Finding Nemo. Unlike Nemo, who is a cute clown fish with a gimp fin that is eventually reunited with his Father...I am an overworked and underpaid social worker who is beyond burned out. I know that there is a light at the end of this tunnel, and I am praying that God provides us with an answer soon as to how I can make a major change for our family.


We snuck away the past couple of days to Elio's parents' lake house in Monticello, IN. It's right on the river leading to Lake Shafer, and we took the boys (our nephews) along as well. It was a GREAT getaway. We got to go boating, tubing, sleep in (until 8am! haha), cookout, go to Indiana Beach, and just relax. I am so grateful that all of us were able to enjoy the weekend and forget about work! The boys had a blast, and I love watching them have fun. Since we have had Calvin, I have not been able to take them on as many fun adventures such as movie nights, bowling, or beach days. This was a much overdue fun weekend for us all.


Although work has had us both stressed out, I know that God has not brought us this far to leave us. Our bills are paid, we have a cozy home, healthy family, and a beautiful baby! My Dad has been doing well lately and we could not be more grateful for that.
So, I'll just keep swimming...


Here are some photos of our crazy, hilarious 9 month old as well as some from our weekend:

Dog Days

The "dog days" of summer are upon us. This past week has graced us with temperatures reaching into the early 100's. I read once that small minds discuss the weather so as to avoid real conversation so I'll sum up my feelings on this stage of summer: I hate it!

Last weekend we traveled to Kentucky for Elio's family reunion. It was his Mom's side of the family. Except for a weekend trip to Wisconsin Dells when Calvin was 5 months old, this was our first family road trip. Let's just say that Calvin did as well as we could expect from a sweaty, energetic 8 month old! He did not like the car ride, did not like sleeping somewhere other than home, did not want to nap, and would not eat baby food. He did; however charm all of the family and put on a good face for all the activities! We ended up having a good time and made lasting memories. Elio was especially thrilled to reconnect with his cousins. I am grateful that God kept us safe and sound through it all! It was a great break from work and the daily routine. Calvin was especially grateful, though, to return to his daily routine. ;)

Calvin has turned into a full fledged BOY. He has a hilarious personality and is doing so many funny things. He loves to play games with us, and his sense of humor is amazing. He now has FOUR teeth! Two on top and two on bottom. His smile is just to die for. He keeps us on our toes and chasing him takes up the majority of our time. I love nursing him and the bond that it has fostered between us. Elio has been so proud of us and so encouraging!

I've felt the "Mama" blues lately. You know, the kind where you feel like all you do is clean, feed the baby, change diapers, do laundry, make dinners, go to work, and then start it all over again the next day. Work has been especially taxing as of late. I've prayed for God to open a new door for me for quite some time now. Apparently His answer is to "Wait". That's quite possibly my least favorite answer, ever...but I will do just that. Wait. I've applied for other positions and I've also felt a calling to  possibly move in a different direction altogether. Since Calvin's birth, and even prior, I've always been inspired by Mothers, Birth, Breastfeeding, and Childcare. I've always either taken care of children or worked with children. I'm feeling called into a different direction other than social work, and I'm praying for direction, guidance, and wisdom to know exactly where to go and how to do it! I'm also hoping for more opportunities to reconnect with friends and just have some fun.

Time to go watch TV with my husband. It's the little things that make us happy! :)

Summer Daze!

I cannot believe it's July! The past couple of months have been a blur of activity and our weekends have been pretty hectic.
Calvin is hilarious! He is now 8 months, and has had so many "firsts" in the past few weeks. He has a tooth! This has not been a fun experience for any of us...screaming, fevers, etc. Teething is NOT fun! We have pushed through it and I am just glad that our boy has his first real tooth! Many more appear to be on their way as well. Yippee! ;)
He can crawl like a big boy using all fours, and it appears that this was only accomplished so that he could crawl to an object and promptly STAND up! He stands in his crib, holding onto chairs or the couch, in his play yard, pretty much anywhere he can get a good grip. This, of course, comes with tumbles and falls which I hate! I know it's all a part of him learning and growing, and he is getting better about knowing to be careful. He is also imitating sounds and facial expressions, like whistling! It's amazing to see him learning so many new things! Calvin is developing by leaps and bounds, and he has sailed through all the "milestones" he needs to achieve thus far...and then some. I am so proud to be his Mama. He sure keeps us all on our toes! He loves to spit, yell, laugh, and play games with us. The boys sure love it when he spits at them! haha.

Summer has sure kept our family busy so far. Projects inside and outside, soccer games, and family outings take up most of our time (besides work, of course). It has been a rainy summer with alot of thunderstorms, so that has been quite the adventure. Running into the house with a 20 pound baby in an equally heavy carseat through torrential rain...or applying huge amounts of sunscreen on a very busy, sweaty baby...hmmm...I think I'll be glad when it's time for fall!  

Baby on the Go

I am now the parent of a 7 month old, active, hilarious, big baby boy! Over the past few weeks Calvin has grown so much and can do so many new things! He is now crawling, but not with all fours quite yet. He uses all his upper body strength to pull himself wherever his little heart desires...which is usually to something he's not supposed to have! He is SO busy and hard to keep up with! It makes me happy though, because it shows me how unbelievably smart he is. He sure keeps us all on our toes. Changing his diaper and getting dressed has turned into a wrestling match. We cannot get over how strong he is!
Calvin is eating so well, and that makes me so glad. Pumping at work is going great, thank God. People often say "I don't know how you do it", etc. but honestly if you want something badly enough, you just do it. I make the time, make the effort, and we're all happier and healthier because of it! It surprises me though when I get judgement from other women or people saying rude or ignorant comments. I have not judged any of my friends for their feeding choices, and as a woman and now a Mom I don't feel it's right. Having an opinion is one thing, but making me feel uncomfortable or being rude is a whole other problem. As Moms, we have to do what is best for our babies and families, and I feel like we should be nothing but supportive to one another.
Calvin is totally ready for solids, he tries to grab whatever we're eating, is so interested in food, and LOVES trying new things! He likes spinach, broccoli, pears, mangos, rutabaga, carrots, and a few others. It's so fun and I love having him join us for family dinners. I hope he stays open minded about food, and I intend to work on that. The whole "kiddie menu" thing is kind of a turn off for me. I want Calvin to experiment with food and love the experience as much as our family does! I was picky growing up, so I hope that he stays this open to new things. I love cooking and I can't wait to include Calvin in baking and cooking.
His personality is so sweet. He is starting to get stranger anxiety and always looks for Mom or Dad to make sure we're close by. He's sweet and happy to everyone, and he's a huge hit at church.
Some of the "firsts" in Calvin's life lately are pulling himself up to a standing position, sitting up on his own with no support, picking things up with his finger and thumb, "army crawling" everywhere, splashing in the tub, feeding himself with the bottle at the babysitter's house, and smiling with his gums together like a big boy!
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Our family has been through a lot the past few months, and I can't help but wonder why at times. I have to say that God is so good and provides us with exactly what we need, and when we need it! We lost one of our best, loved family pets on Friday. My Dad is still heartbroken, and it was hard on all of us. I'm grateful that she is no longer suffering but it makes us all think about why we even bother getting so attached to pets or even people. A quote that means alot to me and really describes this well is:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

C.S. Lewis