Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Be Kind

Did you know that from the time I left on my mission until the day I married Dave in the temple I lost 68 pounds?  Of course, there were eight years between those two episodes but it was still a major accomplishment, one that I have always been very proud of.

Pregnancy was not kind to my body.  I didn't exactly start off at my wedding weight but I have now set a new all-time high.  I was looking at pictures of myself from the last several weeks and it is time to make some major changes.  The books, magazines, websites, experts all say to give yourself nine months to get the weight off -- it took that much time to put it on.  OK.  But I'm impatient.

I read a blog post by another new mommy earlier this year and she said she was trying to be kind to her body again.  I wholly agree and I'm jumping on the bandwagon.  

So, it's time to exercise more regularly, eat more fruits and vegetables, enjoy more whole grains, drink more water; and it's time to STOP the all too frequent sugar binges.  I need to be much more kind to this body.  After all, I only have this one and I need to take care of it.

No more Cold Stone for me!


Now that you all know about my resolution, be sure to ask me each time you see me if I am being "kind" to myself.  And I had better be able to respond, YES!

Monday, July 30, 2012

Gerber Baby



My little guy could be the next Gerber Baby!  Vote for him starting September 4th!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

New Calling

Just before the baby was born I was released from the Young Women's organization in our ward.  I have never cried so much at leaving a calling.  It was the hardest but most rewarding thing I have ever done in the Church -- except maybe my mission -- and I still miss the girls.

But this week I was called to be Activity Days Leader.  Now I get to work with the pre-young women and I couldn't be more excited!  There are lots of fun activities, projects, and services to come as my cohort and I help these little tween girls establish a pattern of righteousness before we send them off to be young women.

photo from lds.org

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Once in a Lifetime

Only once in the lifetime of a car will the odometer read the same number as your zip code.  I happened to capture mine. 



Friday, July 6, 2012

Cousins

Doing a little family history the other day, I found out that Dave and I are related!  It seems we are something like seventh cousins once removed.  Here's the chain:


Chelsea > Wayne > Sherman > Ada > Breneman > Anna > Christian & Susannah

Dave > Todd > Alton > Simpson > Eva > Amos > Mary > Christian & Susannah


Guess that makes us "Kissin' Cousins"!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Nursing

As we were going through our challenges with infertility I knew that the one thing I would miss most, if I couldn't have my own children, was the opportunity to nurse our babies.  Funny, I know.  I looked forward to that time I would spend with our babies rocking and nursing them and really bonding with them.   To me, it is one of the most beautiful attributes of womanhood.

But no one ever told me how hard it is to nurse!  And those who have also struggled aren't very vocal about it when they should be.  It seems that we all have war stories and it's time to share them.

In the hospital I had a difficult time getting Benjamin to latch on.  When we finally connected, he would keep nursing and nursing and always seemed so hungry.  Before the first day was over I was already frustrated with breastfeeding.  I thought it would be so instinctive and simple and it wasn't at all for either myself or my baby.


The first few days at home were the worst.  Dave kept us supplied with ready-made formula bottles while I waited for my milk to come in.  Meanwhile, I was in tears most of those days because [I was an emotional, hormonal wreck] my baby wasn't getting his nourishment from me and I felt like such a failure at motherhood. 

Around day six I thought the milk supply was here but after pumping for nearly an hour we realized it was only a trickle.  I called my doctor who prescribed a lactation medication but he warned it would make me drowsy.  It not only made me tired it made me have crazy thoughts.  I stopped taking it after one day.

We then learned about Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle herbal supplements (highly recommended by lactation specialists).  These actually worked and within a few days I was producing much more milk.  But by then Benjamin was attached to his formula.  Once again, I was in tears.  That dream of rocking and nursing my baby was more or less shattered, but I wouldn't give up yet.  I told myself that I had to keep trying to nurse until he was six weeks old.  After that, I could give it up all together and I couldn't feel guilty about it any longer.  Even formula-fed babies turn out just fine and can grow up to be president of the United States.

In the midst of all this drama, I shared my story with several other ladies in the ward.  Just about every one of them had a similar saga to tell about trying to nurse their first babies.  I was grateful to find out I am not alone but I wish I would have known their stories before I had to live my own.

So, this post is for all of you first-time moms.  Some of you won't have any troubles nursing your babies; right out of the womb you'll both be old pros.  However, others of you will struggle like myself.  Dry those tears and remember that you're not alone and you're not a failure!  Find a friend who can sympathize and get yourself some blessed thistle.  It will all be okay!

Benjamin is older than six weeks now and I'm still nursing and supplementing.  He seems to think that I am his appetizer and the bottle is the main course.  I'm grateful we can still have our bonding time and it really is great that Dave gets to help and bond with the baby over a bottle.