2007 October | A Mama's Blog

Happy Halloween

October 28, 2007 By A Mama's Blog 5 Comments

Even though Halloween isn’t until Wednesday, we had our major outing on Saturday.

Our town has a Halloween parade, where all the kids can march down the Main St., for about 6 blocks. Two local high school bands also marched. Then the kids can go to the local businesses to trick-or-treat.

Ryan was a train engineer, and Cole was Big Bird. It was a cold morning, but I bundled the boys up under their costumes. Cole seemed a little overwhelemed, and ended up riding on Joe’s shoulders during most of the parade. Ryan wanted to ride in his wagon, except for when the bands were marching by- then he wanted to be right up there, watching them.

We went to a few stores and got a little candy, and some stickers. Ryan ate one lollipop and that was it. He didn’t even ask for any candy today, so we’ll count our blessings for another year.

A photographer from the local paper stopped us, and asked us what Cole’s name was, and how old he was. We had a feeling he would be in the paper today, and he was! It was a really cute picutre of Cole sitting on Joe’s shoulders, and Cole was yawning. I don’t have the photographer’s permission to use the picture here, but here are some pictures I took:

I have to work on Wednesday, and by the time I get off, and we eat, it is usually around 7 pm. Joe has to be in a town about 200 miles away on Wednesday, and won’t be home until later. So we’ll see if we venture out again on Halloween night. I hope everyone has a Happy and safe Halloween!

Filed Under: Activities, Cole, Ryan

It Was Bound To Happen

October 24, 2007 By A Mama's Blog 3 Comments

It was bound to happen- I caught the nasty cold(s) that Ryan and Cole have.

Ryan is *finally* better. He still has an occasional cough, but he is back to his happy, old, self. Poor Cole seems like he is in the worse of it right now- lots of congestion and a cough. I feel so bad for the little guy. He wakes up at night, because he can’t breathe, and he throws up, because of all of the gunk in his throat he can’t get out. Then he just wants to be held.

On Sunday night, I held him for 3 hours- until 4 am. Every time he was asleep, and I would try to set him back in his crib, he’d wake up and start crying. After 3 hours, and about 10 attempts, he finally stayed asleep.

On Monday night, I thought I would try another tactic- after he threw up all over me, and I gave him a bath (at 1 am), to try to clear up his congestion, I brought him to sleep with me. He fell asleep on top of me- right away, and his breathing was really good- no raspy noises. I could taste the sleep I was going to get- wrong! After about 15 minutes, he started tossing and turning, and I was so bone-dead tired, I just didn’t have the energy to get up, and sit with him until he fell asleep. So I let him toss around on me, and got about 10 minutes of sleep all night.

Needless to say, it has been a fun few nights at my house. On top of that I am trying to get over this junk too. It is odd when you stay at home, and you are only around your kids all day, you never really think that you are sick. You still have to get up, make them their food, play with them, take care of them, etc. They don’t care if you have a cold, life must go on.

I have the same little nagging, hacking, annoying cough now too. This afternoon at work, after listening to me cough all day, my boss told me that I sounded awful, and I should go home and take care of myself! I immediately told her I felt fine- I just had this cough. It was like an instant reaction to state that I wasn’t sick.

Then I started thinking, that she was right. I didn’t feel that great, and this cough and cold is wearing me down. She told me not to come in tomorrow, so I’m going to accept her offer, not go in, and rest. I’ll see if I feel better by the weekend and maybe go in on Saturday for a few hours to catch up.

It really is ironic for me anyway, that as much effort, thought, and worry I put into my boys’ health, it is so hard for me to think of my own health in the same way. I’m glad there was someone today that reminded me that it is okay to take a break and rest when I’m not well.

So if I don’t blog for the next few days, you know I am resting…well, at least as much as I can with one active three-year old, and one sick toddler.

Filed Under: Cole, Health, Mothering, Ryan, Work Tagged With: 12, 154, 28, 370, 380

The Hooter Hider

October 23, 2007 By A Mama's Blog 2 Comments

One of my friends mentioned today that she was watching The View, and they were reviewing baby products. One of the products they had was called Hooter Hider.

She described it as a piece of cloth that you put over your head, and it does what just it says, for nursing out in public. Not having seen the Hooter Hider yet, I replied that I thought it was the worse name ever for a product, and it sounded like it would just scream, “HEY LOOK AT ME! I’M NURSING- THE HOOTERS ARE COMING OUT!”

I decided to look it up, and here is an actual picture of the Hooter Hider-

I have to admit, that it does look more fashionable than I first thought. However, nursing in public never bothered me, and until I got the hang of it, I just used a blanket.

This product kind of bugs me, because it perpetuates the message our society that breasts should be covered up while nursing, and babies nursing shouldn’t be seen. If every nursing mother could just nurse without having to feel ashamed or made to feel like they have to cover up, I think that would do wonders to make breastfeeding in public acceptable. It is what breasts are for, after all

I also wonder how much a baby would like it- both my boys hated to be covered up with a blanket and wanted their heads uncovered.

On the other hand, this product seems kind of cool too. First off all, it looks like it would stay on really well, when a blanket would slide off, and it seems like you are always struggling with a blanket, or the baby is fighting it.

Second, it looks perfect if you want to nurse while having your baby in carrier, like a Baby Bjorn. It looks like it would let you nurse, and still walk around.

It might be nice in cooler weather, if you were walking with your baby, then the baby might like to be covered up while nursing.

My final decision is, even though I wouldn’t use it, I think it could be good tool to help some nursing mothers feel more confident, or less conspicuous while nursing in public. If this can help a mother nurse her baby while out in public, instead of supplementing with formula, then I think that is a good thing.

In the end, breast-milk is the absolute best food for babies, and if this helps a mother supply that for her baby, I’m all for it.

I have been in those situations (haven’t we all?) where you need, or want to nurse, and it is just an awkward time, or your shirt isn’t long enough, etc. Instead of having an upset, hungry baby, this could help ward off those situations that can add stress to a nursing mother.

Finally if you are a nursing mother, you have nothing to hide. Babies deserve to be breastfed, and you have a right to do that. Don’t feel like you have to cover-up to make others comfortable, unless YOU want to, and it makes YOU feel more confident.

In the end though, whether you cover up or not, we should all feel very proud that we are nursing our babies!

Filed Under: Breastfeeding, Mothering Tagged With: Bebe au Lait, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding in public, covering up when nursing, hooter hider, not covering up when nursing, nursing, nursing in public

Harvest Picnic & Sick Again!

October 20, 2007 By A Mama's Blog 1 Comment

Today we went to a Harvest picnic that Joe’s boss was having at a park. It was a great day for a picnic- it was warm, so warm, I thought about wearing shorts, but in the end wore a pair of capri pants and a short sleeved shirt. I actually got a little sunburn on my arm.

There were about 40 of Joe’s colleagues and co-workers, who all work under his boss, and lots of kids. The people who organized it, did a great job. They had some really fun games for the kids, prizes, and pumpkins for all the kids. One game, they were going to play musical chairs, but they had some orange pumpkin place-mats instead. They wanted the kids to dance around, and when the music stopped, find a place-mat. Well, the laptop that was supposed to play the music wasn’t working, so they improvised and started a huge game of duck, duck, goose instead.

There were about 10 adults and 15 kids in the huge circle, and Ryan loved the game! He kept jumping up and running around in the circle, when anyone got up to run. Finally, someone named him the goose, and he got up, ran around, cut through the circle, and threw himself at the feet of the man who he was chasing, and the guy nearly fell over. It was a riot- it looked like Ryan was doing a football move or something.

Ryan was also delighted to find out one of Joe’s co-workers could sing all the songs to the Music Man. His eyes lit up when she started singing the songs. I think he found a friend for life there.

Cole did great as well. He walked around, smiled at people, batted his eyes at everyone, and even got on the small kid playground equipment and climbed up and down. He is in this really cute phase when he gets shy he looks down at the ground, but then will lift his eyes up slightly, and give a little half smile. It is adorable. He had all the women, playing right into this. I think we are going to have a little heart-breaker on our hands.

When we got home, Cole took a nap and woke up with a fever and the terrible congestion, raspy voice that Ryan had earlier this week. I thought Ryan had caught Cole’s cold, but it seems like Ryan had another cold (which he is still getting over), and now passed that to Cole. Ryan had terrible hallucinations with this, when his fever was so high, so I am hoping we can keep Cole’s fever down tonight, so he doesn’t experience this, and so he can sleep. Ryan was so delirious, he would sleep for 45 minutes and then wake up- it went on like that for two nights!

Our weather is supposed to turn cold tomorrow, with maybe some snow. I hope Cole sleeps tonight, and Ryan keeps improving. Joe and I are going to make some green chili stew, (recipe from my dad), and try to have a day where the boys just rest. No activities.

We did have a nice day- what a nice and fun way to welcome autumn.

Filed Under: Activities, Cole, Family & Friends, Health, Parenting, Ryan

A Sick Weekend & Go Rockies!

October 15, 2007 By A Mama's Blog 4 Comments

Cole came down with a cold last week, and by this weekend, Joe, Ryan, and myself had it too. Joe seems to get over colds in a day or two, but I always get them for a week.

My sore throat is gone, but now I have laryngitis and a cough. Ryan has a stuffy, running nose, and a little cough. Cole still has a runny nose. Joe has a runny nose.

I am sure Joe will be feeling better today, but I am still not feeling 100%. Of course, I have a lot of work I am trying to do- my clients month-end, and quarter-end books, work from my job that I can do from home, and trying to take care of the boys too.

I usually do all my job and work stuff at night, but Joe and I have become very involved in the baseball playoffs- mainly watching the Colorado Rockies; their incredible winning streak and play. I am not that big of a baseball fan, but I grew up watching the Chicago Cubs, because my brother was a fan. I haven’t been to a baseball game in a few years, but watching the Rockies is so much fun! They are just doing great! So needless to say, I have been playing “hooky” from work. Hopefully, they will sweep the Diamondbacks tonight, and I can get caught up before the World Series starts!

In other news, I started working a half day on Thursdays and leaving the boys with a wonderful daycare provider that was referred to me. She only takes “part-time” kids, and the boys love her! Ryan keeps asking if he can go back to her house. I’ll probably write another posting about this subject soon.

Fall has arrived- we had cool temperatures over the weekend, and lots of fog and rain. With all of us being sick, and the boys not being able to go outside, we all had a major case of cabin fever! On Saturday we ventured outside to get some lunch at a somewhat healthier fast food chain, that has a really nice indoor playground. The boys loved that! Then we took a drive to a town we are thinking about moving to, to see if there were any new houses for sale.

On our way out to the restaurant, we did a “drive-by” on another house, just a few blocks away from where we are now, that a friend told us about that was for sale. The outside looked really nice and the yard was a decent size, and it was in a nice neighborhood- one that I didn’t even realize was so close to us.

We called the realtor and looked at it yesterday, but the inside needed some work, and the kitchen was too small. This weekend really got to Joe and I- we need something bigger with these two, active boys!

It seems like everytime we start to get serious about moving, something happens and we have to wait, or postpone our new house search. So, we aren’t really looking- just checking out the market.

Go Rockies!