For the past 3 weeks Jaxon has been teething to the max. He has been cutting 6 new teeth to make his grand total 8. 3 have already broken through (top 2 middle plus one on the side) and 3 more are just below the gums ready to come through at this point (one more on the side of the top 2 center and 2 more surrounding his first bottom 2 center teeth). It has been rough. While he is happy during the day, at night he is in pain and wakes frequently. That combined with his newly acquired ability to crawl and pull up leads to busy middle of the night interludes. He is just growing so much mentally and physically right now. My little baby is turning into a toddler slowly but surely. What a big boy!
At this rate, I think he may be walking in another month or so. Yikes!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
My Happy Little Guy!
Grandma Shirley has been snapping away as usual and there are just so many pictures that are great of my happy little man that I just have to share.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Earth Day Mommy Reflections
I have always been, shall we say, on the liberal side of life. At 18 I became a vegetarian to save animals while I was in Americorps doing a 10 month community service term. I ended up being a strict vegetarian, not touching a bite of meat for 6 years. For 3 months of it I was even a Vegan. In my classroom I try to instill in my students a respect for our environment and show them ways that their decisions in life can have a major impact on our world. I do this through instruction but also through example. Even to this day I only eat meat a few times a week. By that I mean 3 to 4 meals for the whole week if that.
So it is no shock that as a parent I am a little in "Left" field. On my online mommy group for August moms we have mom who calls herself "crunchy". She is the supreme "green" mom. While I am not quite at that level I do have to say I am pretty crunchy when I think about it. What is crunchy you say? Check out this website for more information: Crunchy Parenting.
According to this I am pretty up there in my parenting decisions. It actually made me feel better about myself today, when I feel so tired and like I am doing nothing to help our planet, to know that I am parenting in a way that is at least better than the norm when it comes to being environmentally friendly. Not perfect but better than average. Here are some of the things that make me somewhat crunchy:
-I had a natural childbirth with no interventions in a birthing center. I guess I did what nature intended and went natural thus that makes me crunchy. I am even contemplating having a homebirth next time with my same doula and midwife as I found the drive to and from the center unnecessary.
-I am breastfeeding my baby and exclusively breastfed him for 6 months. Again, I guess it is because it is as nature intended and I guess without all the trash from formula containers. I plan to do so until Jaxon is 11-12 months old per the AAP recommendation. I would like to do the WHO recommendation of 2 years minimum but I don't think I have it in me even though I know, as an educated mother, that it is what is best for my baby and the environment.
-I selectively vaccinate according to a more spread out schedule that better fits our family. Not sure what makes this crunchy except that it is outside the norm and those who do these other things tend to do this.
-I practice attachment parenting including babywearing (until he became too heavy), on demand breastfeeding, responding to baby's cries (no cry it out), co-sleeping when he is in need of comfort, bonding, and boundary building. Many of these things are just the "natural" way mothers anthropologically interact with their young. Natural is usually Earth friendly and also baby friendly.
-I choose a Naturopathic Pediatrician so that Jaxon will get as much Homeopathic remedies as possible. I did not want him pumped full of antibiotics and I wanted to try natural methods for relieving illnesses before we go for the medicine. Jaxon hasn't really been sick yet so it hasn't even been an issue yet. We have used some of her remedies for teething, colic, rashes, and problems associated with breastfeeding. All have worked awesome!
-I feed Jaxon only fresh, organic baby food. This obviously is outside the norm and is very green. I make about half of it myself and the other half I buy from two different companies that I just love. Happy Baby and Tasty Baby. I am really proud of this one since I work full time but I actually like making his food.
-Jaxon was not circumcised. After long discussions and introspection it just was not something we could do. We did a lot of current research on pain in newborns and the effects of it in the future. Drew had to let go of his son looking like him but ultimately I left it up to him. In the end, after informing himself on the decision, he decided not to go through with it. This makes us crunchy though not environmentally friendly.
-I drive a compact car that I bought for its MPG rating. 33 miles per gallon. I eventually would like a hybrid but they are outside our price range right now.
So there are areas that I am not so crunchy in. Jaxon wears Pampers. Drew and I considered the cloth diaper (or I did) when I was pregnant, but we ultimately decided to go with disposables as first time parents. Cloth Diapers are so much easier to use now and have cute styles. I am going to try to talk Drew into it with the next baby now that we know what we are doing somewhat. We will see how this goes. ;)
I use plastic bottles (that are BPA free) but glass would be better I guess. I am a public school teacher so he will attend school obviously (not sure why this is crunchy). I would like, when I have a yard, to grow some of our food and compost. I do recycle but we could do it better. I could buy organic clothing and stuff all the time but I don't. I am planning on buying green cleaners in the future after my current stash runs out. These are the areas I can make gains in for the environment and my family.
After taking inventory...this does not shock me about myself and probably those who know me aren't shocked either. I live my life the way I think best without regard for what others think about me. Those who love me, respect that I educate myself about my decisions and trust me to what is best for my family. That is why I love my friends and family. No pressure to conform. In return I respect their decisions as best for their family. What a great support system I have.
I guess my post is reflective and at the same time meant to bring to light the day. I am a firm believer that Earth Day shouldn't be celebrated on just one day. We should live it every day in whatever way we can. :)
P.S.
Great Books I Love on Being Green:
Food Revolution
In Defense of Food
So it is no shock that as a parent I am a little in "Left" field. On my online mommy group for August moms we have mom who calls herself "crunchy". She is the supreme "green" mom. While I am not quite at that level I do have to say I am pretty crunchy when I think about it. What is crunchy you say? Check out this website for more information: Crunchy Parenting.
According to this I am pretty up there in my parenting decisions. It actually made me feel better about myself today, when I feel so tired and like I am doing nothing to help our planet, to know that I am parenting in a way that is at least better than the norm when it comes to being environmentally friendly. Not perfect but better than average. Here are some of the things that make me somewhat crunchy:
-I had a natural childbirth with no interventions in a birthing center. I guess I did what nature intended and went natural thus that makes me crunchy. I am even contemplating having a homebirth next time with my same doula and midwife as I found the drive to and from the center unnecessary.
-I am breastfeeding my baby and exclusively breastfed him for 6 months. Again, I guess it is because it is as nature intended and I guess without all the trash from formula containers. I plan to do so until Jaxon is 11-12 months old per the AAP recommendation. I would like to do the WHO recommendation of 2 years minimum but I don't think I have it in me even though I know, as an educated mother, that it is what is best for my baby and the environment.
-I selectively vaccinate according to a more spread out schedule that better fits our family. Not sure what makes this crunchy except that it is outside the norm and those who do these other things tend to do this.
-I practice attachment parenting including babywearing (until he became too heavy), on demand breastfeeding, responding to baby's cries (no cry it out), co-sleeping when he is in need of comfort, bonding, and boundary building. Many of these things are just the "natural" way mothers anthropologically interact with their young. Natural is usually Earth friendly and also baby friendly.
-I choose a Naturopathic Pediatrician so that Jaxon will get as much Homeopathic remedies as possible. I did not want him pumped full of antibiotics and I wanted to try natural methods for relieving illnesses before we go for the medicine. Jaxon hasn't really been sick yet so it hasn't even been an issue yet. We have used some of her remedies for teething, colic, rashes, and problems associated with breastfeeding. All have worked awesome!
-I feed Jaxon only fresh, organic baby food. This obviously is outside the norm and is very green. I make about half of it myself and the other half I buy from two different companies that I just love. Happy Baby and Tasty Baby. I am really proud of this one since I work full time but I actually like making his food.
-Jaxon was not circumcised. After long discussions and introspection it just was not something we could do. We did a lot of current research on pain in newborns and the effects of it in the future. Drew had to let go of his son looking like him but ultimately I left it up to him. In the end, after informing himself on the decision, he decided not to go through with it. This makes us crunchy though not environmentally friendly.
-I drive a compact car that I bought for its MPG rating. 33 miles per gallon. I eventually would like a hybrid but they are outside our price range right now.
So there are areas that I am not so crunchy in. Jaxon wears Pampers. Drew and I considered the cloth diaper (or I did) when I was pregnant, but we ultimately decided to go with disposables as first time parents. Cloth Diapers are so much easier to use now and have cute styles. I am going to try to talk Drew into it with the next baby now that we know what we are doing somewhat. We will see how this goes. ;)
I use plastic bottles (that are BPA free) but glass would be better I guess. I am a public school teacher so he will attend school obviously (not sure why this is crunchy). I would like, when I have a yard, to grow some of our food and compost. I do recycle but we could do it better. I could buy organic clothing and stuff all the time but I don't. I am planning on buying green cleaners in the future after my current stash runs out. These are the areas I can make gains in for the environment and my family.
After taking inventory...this does not shock me about myself and probably those who know me aren't shocked either. I live my life the way I think best without regard for what others think about me. Those who love me, respect that I educate myself about my decisions and trust me to what is best for my family. That is why I love my friends and family. No pressure to conform. In return I respect their decisions as best for their family. What a great support system I have.
I guess my post is reflective and at the same time meant to bring to light the day. I am a firm believer that Earth Day shouldn't be celebrated on just one day. We should live it every day in whatever way we can. :)
P.S.
Great Books I Love on Being Green:
Food Revolution
In Defense of Food
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Sleepless in Seattle has a Moment of Clarity
Last night I came home from Tacoma alone, without my family. Drew and Jaxon were staying down at his parent's house. I came home to an empty house and got ready for bed. I was looking forward to a solid night of sleep, as it has been a rough couple of weeks with Jaxon's 6 teeth coming in. It was a strange feeling heading to bed without my husband and without the prospect of getting up in the middle of the night to comfort my son. I went to bed, thinking because I was so tired, that I would not wake up the whole night. Well I was wrong. My body has become programmed to feed again at 11 and 3 or 4. It is amazing how our bodies work. Jaxon had been sleeping through the night for a couple of months and my body stopped making milk in the middle of the night. After just 2-3 weeks of Jaxon nursing again to ease his teething pain my body is apparently up and running. I woke up ready to feed a baby but ended up just going back to sleep both times. The funny thing is that Drew said Jax woke up at around 11 and 3 last night.
When I finally got up in the morning I went about my normal routine, however, something felt different. Something was missing. I missed my baby. I had a strong yearning to see him but I knew that wouldn't happen until I got off of work later in the afternoon. So I sat down to pump the enormous amount of milk from the missed nighttime feedings and read some of my fellow bloggers blogs entries. I went to my online buddy Kristen's blog, as she is an excellent writer who I have much in common with as a parent. I love reading about her son Nate and comparing him to Jaxon (they also have a lot in common).
Today as I read her blog I began to sob. She was talking about mothers who had lost their babies recently and how that made her reflect on her life with Nate. She included two links to the blogs of these mothers and their babies. I could only make it through Madeline's story. I never made it to the other baby as I was crying too hard.
Her blog topic was amazingly topical for my life this morning, as I had been appreciating the life I have with Drew and Jaxon being home alone without them. I missed my guys. I utterly and completely love my husband and my son. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to either one of them. As nice as it was to sleep like I was a single girl, I wouldn't give up my life as a wife and mother for anything. Even in those frustrating moments where you are utterly sleep deprived and feel completely helpless to comfort your baby who is cutting 6 teeth at once, there is something so sweet about being the one your baby needs and wants. I love cuddling him and calming him down. I love holding him while he sleeps. He is so sweet and he will only be this small for such a short time. Plus I know how badly we wanted him. I know that there are women out there who cannot have children but want to so badly or those who were fortunate enough to have a baby but tragically lost them. I know I am blessed. I try to keep it fresh in my mind when things are hard and I am tired.
Now they are home with me. Jaxon is asleep for the night and has already awoken in pain twice. Both times we rushed in to comfort him. I know that Drew feels the way I do because he would do anything for his son. Like I said I am fortunate in so many ways. And tonight when he wakes up I will be the one who gets to go in and make his world feel right again while he goes through these major mental and physical changes. I love being a mommy.
Thanks Kristen for the clarity and reflection.
When I finally got up in the morning I went about my normal routine, however, something felt different. Something was missing. I missed my baby. I had a strong yearning to see him but I knew that wouldn't happen until I got off of work later in the afternoon. So I sat down to pump the enormous amount of milk from the missed nighttime feedings and read some of my fellow bloggers blogs entries. I went to my online buddy Kristen's blog, as she is an excellent writer who I have much in common with as a parent. I love reading about her son Nate and comparing him to Jaxon (they also have a lot in common).
Today as I read her blog I began to sob. She was talking about mothers who had lost their babies recently and how that made her reflect on her life with Nate. She included two links to the blogs of these mothers and their babies. I could only make it through Madeline's story. I never made it to the other baby as I was crying too hard.
Her blog topic was amazingly topical for my life this morning, as I had been appreciating the life I have with Drew and Jaxon being home alone without them. I missed my guys. I utterly and completely love my husband and my son. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to either one of them. As nice as it was to sleep like I was a single girl, I wouldn't give up my life as a wife and mother for anything. Even in those frustrating moments where you are utterly sleep deprived and feel completely helpless to comfort your baby who is cutting 6 teeth at once, there is something so sweet about being the one your baby needs and wants. I love cuddling him and calming him down. I love holding him while he sleeps. He is so sweet and he will only be this small for such a short time. Plus I know how badly we wanted him. I know that there are women out there who cannot have children but want to so badly or those who were fortunate enough to have a baby but tragically lost them. I know I am blessed. I try to keep it fresh in my mind when things are hard and I am tired.
Now they are home with me. Jaxon is asleep for the night and has already awoken in pain twice. Both times we rushed in to comfort him. I know that Drew feels the way I do because he would do anything for his son. Like I said I am fortunate in so many ways. And tonight when he wakes up I will be the one who gets to go in and make his world feel right again while he goes through these major mental and physical changes. I love being a mommy.
Thanks Kristen for the clarity and reflection.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Happy Birthday Uncle Bryan!
We went to dinner with my mom and brother for his birthday. Jaxon just loves is Uncle Bryan. They have so much fun together.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Pulling Up
Jaxon has been pulling up from a crawling position for about a week or two now. Very exciting!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wordless Wednesday #19: Shooting Hoops
Well kind of. Jaxon's first basketball hoop. I am sure it is the first of many to come (at least according to Drew).
Saturday, April 11, 2009
My Boys
I took these photos on my iPhone a few weeks ago but I just finally got them off of it yesterday. I thought I would share my boys in bed on Sunday morning. This is the wonderfulness I get to wake up to. I am a lucky girl.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wordless Wednesday #18: Easter Bunny
Jaxon's First Easter Bunny pics. He loved him by the way. Must have thought he was a big stuffed animal. He kept trying to chew on him. :)
Sorry for the low picture quality. I had to take a picture of the photos as they didn't offer a digital copy and our scanner is not working well. I wanted to share though. I will try to scan them later and edit this post. :)
Sorry for the low picture quality. I had to take a picture of the photos as they didn't offer a digital copy and our scanner is not working well. I wanted to share though. I will try to scan them later and edit this post. :)
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Great Snorter!
For about 2 or 3 weeks Jaxon has been in a snorting phase. Yes, you heard me. A snorting phase. He does it when he is excited. He does it when he is frustrated. He does it in the middle of laughing. It really is cute and yet so weird/funny.
Here is a video of him doing it while swinging:
Here is a really funny one of him snorting while jumping:
So funny! What a ham.
Here is a video of him doing it while swinging:
Here is a really funny one of him snorting while jumping:
So funny! What a ham.
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