When I get bigger...

Sophie's new favorite phrase is "when I get bigger" followed by a question. Many times she's asking if she can do something she can't do yet, like drive, drink tea, drink coffee, use a big toothbrush, things like that.

But I've also noticed she also wants reassurance, too. "When I get bigger, can I still play Pollies?" "When I'm bigger, will I still have Bunny?" "When I'm bigger can I still snuggle you?"

While she's excited about the idea of growing up, part of her is apprehensive. She doesn't want things to change too much. Our job is to reassure her. Yes, one day she will drive, and drink tea, and use a grown-up toothbrush. And yes, she can have Bunny and snuggle me for as long as she wants.



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Life really sucks sometimes. We have people we love very much, but for too many reasons we don't get to see often. We send letters and Christmas cards. We occasionally speak on the phone. None of it is enough, but its the way things have always been. But we don't really talk about our feelings or exchange sentiments because that's just who we are.

Then, one day it's too late. It's not supposed to be like this it is unexpected. But, it's the reality. Without warning the person you love is not there. You are out of time, out of chances. You can still picture her face, hear her voice, feel her hug on your body as if it was yesterday instead of too long ago. It doesn't seem possible that you'll never see, hear, feel her again.

Learn from this. Tell your loved ones you love them. Make time. Write more. Call often. Make your feelings known. Because hurt combined with regret is even worse.

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Defending breastfeeding

This week is World Breastfeeding Week. First, let me say that while I fully, completely support breastfeeding, I am not a lactivist. As long as your baby is healthy and nourished, I don't care if you feed formula or breast milk, or a combination of the two. I understand that not everyone can nurse their baby, or pump enough milk to meet the baby's needs. There is no reason at all to judge a mother for feeding her baby, either with breast or bottle. This, and any other post I write about breastfeeding, is not an anti-formula post.

There. Now, back to the good stuff.

I read and shared this post on Facebook yesterday. It is undoubtedly the best post about nursing in public that I've ever read. And surprisingly, it was written by a man. But he nails it. First, there is this opening:

Grow up, and stop being a child.  Stop being a stupid, churlish, simpering, nimrod, and accept the fact that women feed babies with their boobies.

And this:

Because, you do realize, that you are asking mothers NOT to feed their babies, don’t you? Which is ironic, because you are probably the same person who would also call for a woman’s summary execution if she let her child go hungry.

And definitely this:

Ohhhhh … It makes you uncomfortable.  It makes you … uncomfortable.  Because you are the one exposing a part of your body, that has been sexualized and vilified (insanely, at the same time), in a public area to provide sustenance for your offspring.  Because you are the one summoning the courage to get over the stigmas and social mores that scream at you not to do it, even though your baby is crying from hunger.

And all the paragraphs in between. Seriously, read his post. 

Coincidentally, today was a nurse-in at a local Chick-fil-a restaurant. Yesterday a mother nursing her baby was (illegally) asked to stop because another patron complained about the fact that her children could see.