My cousin Carey and I were once the youngest members of the family.
Our kiddos are now the youngest members of the clan. They met for the first time during Memorial Day weekend, where we celebrated Mimi’s 94th birthday.
I think they had a pretty good time.
I don’t have much to report but here’s Indie sporting her new hat.
CNN reported a story about a police officer who breastfed babies who had been separated from their mothers during the recent earthquake in China. What a selfless act. Wow.
From the article: “I am breast-feeding, so I can feed babies. I didn’t think of it much,” she said. “It is a mother’s reaction and a basic duty as a police officer to help.
Growing up, I spent A LOT of time down the street visiting my friend; swimming, riding bikes and playing endless games of either badminton or Super Mario Brothers. Always nearby was her mom, a wonderful, cheerful, generous and loving person. She passed away last week and I wanted to honor her memory as an amazing teacher and mentor, and often times, a second mom to me. ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) took her away too soon, but I will always remember her commitment to the children of Cape May County, and especially to the kids in her neighborhood.
May is ALS Awareness month.
For those of you who missed the early days, here’s our girl barely two days old.
While reading another blog, I came across this web site, Mommy Track’d, that encourages readers to write about cringe-inducing things that happen to working moms — noisy kids in the background while you’re on conference calls, a co-worker pointing out that you’re leaking breast milk through your blouse, being walked in on while pumping, etc. It’s pretty funny yet horrifying in some cases. Here I’ve been so worried that someone would walk into my office while I am pumping, and have an internal debate about whether to keep posting the “Conference Call” sign on my door or put a picture of a cow there like some moms do, and meanwhile, people are dealing with much more embarrassing circumstances. Of course, I’m still very new at this. There is time. Oh, no, you want an actual example from me? Ok, try breastfeeding in a hallway of a children’s hospital while trying to stay shielded from the kids milling about without smothering the baby.
This site also includes helpful tips; shop online for bulk items like diapers, spend as much time with non-judgmental friends, and lose the guilt. Also a helpful tip in the kitchen; a juice box works as a cocktail mixer when you’re out of tonic water.
There’s way more to check out - politics, job stuff, short cuts, and an online community. If you have time between working and “Mom-ing,” that is.
…10 minutes later
There’s an Anti-Princess Reading List! I love this. Even though I had a few Barbie dolls while growing up and I don’t think they warped my view of myself too much, I am already having conversations in my head in preparation for the “Why Can’t I Have a Bratz Doll?” talk Indira and I may have someday. Books like “Pirate Girl,” “The Daring Book for Girls,” and “Ramona the Brave” look like we can [try to] point her in a different direction.
It’s not important WHY I was Googling the spelling of Wookie from Star Wars but the “W” fell off somewhere between copy and paste and when I clicked “I’m feeling lucky” I was sent to the Ookie page. The word Ookie is Dutch for “little person” and in Europe Ookie dolls are evidentally are given to kiddos when Mom isn’t around. After Mom sleeps with the Ookie doll (presumably under her arm pit?) and it gets her scent, it’s given to baby for nights away at Grandmas, the first day at daycare or whenever Mom isn’t around. Anyone else find this overparenting doll a little creepy? Disclaimer: I find lots of dolls creepy.
Happy Mother’s Day. Readers may throw rotten tomatoes if I wax too philosophical and sentimental again so soon following my recent entry about the blog’s one year anniversary or the Embracing the Role of Mom entry. So here’s a shorty. Happy day to all the moms out there. I’m seeing you in a whole new light.
I said in an earlier post that we wouldn’t have a photo montage of the chicken pox girls, but here we are, healing nicely after a few weeks post-pox. Readers wouldn’t stand for it - the lack of blog coverage on this topic. Well here you go.
Ok, one more.
In other health-related news, we went ahead and replaced our baby bottles with BPA-free bottles, made by the same manufacturer. I will say though that these bottles with their weird little straw inserts to help elminate gas bubbles do am amazing job. Indira has barely spit up on us, so I’m glad the company replaced them so quickly. Bisphenol-A has been in the news lately as the FDA is looking into the possible long-term effects of this hormone-like chemical. Some reports say that the chemical could be leached into baby formula that is stored in cans. Other reports stated that the dangerous chemicals are released when the bottle is heated in the microwave, which NO PARENT SHOULD DO, or in boiling water (also a NO NO). Why no microwave? Think about the last time you popped a frozen lasagna in the microwave and when it was “done” cooking, part of it was still frozen and part was burning hot. Same goes for the content inside microwaved bottles. Just use hot water from the tap. Much safer.
According the FDA: “At this time, FDA is not recommending that anyone discontinue using products that contain BPA while we continue our risk assessment process. However, concerned consumers should know that several alternatives to polycarbonate baby bottles exist, including glass baby bottles.”
It’s in question, and I feel better to be safe than sorry.
Here’s a link to the National Toxicology Program looking into this issue.