foxy milk

apparently i am worse at this blogging thing than i thought

2012-01-04T14:30:00.005-05:00

here we go, its 2012!!!! i think i made like 3 posts last year and since i have this new-found urge to write a book on my adventures in half-assed attachment parenting, im going to at least try to write more than once a quarter.

as for my resolutions last year..... yeah i didnt accomplish any of them. why, you may ask? (or you probably wouldn't even ask if you read this blog..i never stick to them) because shit hit the fan last year. which is also the reason i didnt write anything after march.

shitastic reasons why last year sucked, in outline form:

A. hubs losing sweet job

1. lost insurance

2. had to file bankruptcy

3. home in foreclosure

B. depression meds stopped working

1. i gained like 10 lbs of nasty

2. i slept a lot: laundry monster triumphed

3. went off them cold-turkey to save money: disaster ensued

4. had a nervous breakdown

5. spent a week in a psychiatric hospital (more fun than it sounds!)

C. other things that sucked

1. family shit

2. never stuck to the budget

3. stayed inside too much

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh so there you have it, my list of shit from 2011. can i just tell you how happy i am that its a whole new year??? dammit, 2012 is going to rock and be train wreck-free.

so onto to the witty writing that you have come to expect and love from me. a whole new list of resolutions that i promise that ill at least put a little more effort into this year.

resolution 1: not be so depressed, because im seriously no fun to be around. this entails sticking to my new meds (which come in generic form, yayyyy!), meditating (my new favorite hobby), and getting outside more (to lose some of that g.d. weight i put on while eating my sads away)

resolution 2: write more. i like to write. mainly its because i think im hilarious, but this year its to try to make some money.

resolution 3: stick to the fucking budgetttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhh this is the hardest for me. i have zero self-control (see: above money problems) so it will be a real challenge not to spend money on crap i dont need. in fact, its going to be a real challenge to not spend money on basically anything but food, bills, necessities. this year is the year of financial redemption, of starting a savings account!!!!!

resolution 4: stick with my job. oh i didnt tell you?? i got a jobby job!!! i start working part time this saturday- weekends only- at a somewhat local hotel doing what i love to do: shmoozing with guests! im super excited about this because it means a) im out of the house b) im having adult conversations c) im making money and d) hubs gets some super one on one time with miss k

resolution 5: last but certainly not least- my most important resolution is to be conciously aware and in the present moment when im with my daughter. whether its driving somewhere, grocery shopping, playing with her, eating lunch... i resolve to give her my full attention instead of a half-assed, oh good youre happy ill go check my email while you play, type of attention. i want to be the awesomely awesome mom that does this because its why im home with her, its why we sacrifice and why i went to the psych ward........ because i love her and she deserves the best me.

ok my friends- ive got to clean up the kitchen and do dishes. and tell the laundry monster to go suck a fat one.

xoxo,

foxy mama

mommy brain

2011-03-06T20:24:00.004-05:00

ughhhhhhh i have become painfully boring!!! how did this happen? i used to know what was happening in the world! i used to watch popular tv shows and could discuss plotlines! i once read interesting magazines, internet articles and books! i even knew what the weather would be like before looking out the window! what the f happened?? my typical "downtime" now consists of either sleeping or cleaning. if i read anything its gossip blogs or parenting articles. im rarely in the car other than errands so im incredibly far behind when it comes to music- ahh and thats radio music, not even the good stuff! my weeks come and go, and i feel like im getting dumber by the second.

this is no good!!!!!!!!

1) it is no good for anyone who is unfortunate enough to have a conversation with me, because you better be bringing it- i got nothin.

2)this is no good for my k, poor thing needs more than sesame street entertaining her. i should be able to sing and dance and teach her fun things and get just as many giggles.

3)this is no good for my brain. i dont want to be a big pile of boring mush! the more i allow myself to not do anything worthwhile, the less apt i am to change things.

that all being said- omg where the hell do i start???? what books do i read? which shows should i watch? which smartypants websites should i visit to get the latest on everything i need to know? how do i get the hubby to play cards or yatzee with me after k goes to bed? how do i keep my house clean AND have the time to enjoy a small hobby, like sewing or baking? how do women do this? i am in awe of some of my friends who stay home and have businesses for craps sake!! i mean, really? how does one have enough hours in the day?

case in point: i just gave a never-used but super awesome sewing for baby book to my friend b. who, by the way, works most of the day, has two little boys under the age of 2, has a side business, keeps her house WAY cleaner than mine's ever been, helps watch her niece and nephew, and basically is all around awesome. and i guarantee you she will make something from that book, it will be super cool and ill feel like shit because all i do but hang out with k, and never found the time to sew.

getting all political on your ass

2011-02-23T07:09:00.003-05:00

ughhhh politics!!!!! ironically enough, i once ate, slept and breathed politics as it was my major in college... but the reality of learning how the system worked disgusted me so much that i haven't done a thing with my major since. except for the occassional opining on a current issue. case in point- how mrs. obama has been advocating breastfeeding as ammunition on the fight against obesity, and instead of women hearalding it as awesome (woo hoo! someone with influence gets it- breast milk totally rocks!) we have stupid attention whores who think that the government should stay out of women's lives (THE IRONY OF THIS IS KILLING ME...re: take a look at their stance on women's reproductive rights, etc).

basically, mrs. obama is taking her "mom in chief" job seriously and is getting the importance of breastfeeding out in the public eye where it should be. sure, not everyone can breastfeed or pump, but offering a tax deduction on those super expensive pumps might help some- which is better than none at all! breastfeeding is so important in the first few months, and since a lot of women are unable to stay home and have to go back to work after a too-short and probably unpaid maternity leave... pumping sure does help with their infants health and staying connected to their new baby.

instead of praising mrs. obama for opening a dialog about the importance of breastfeeding, pumping if necessary (to me and millions of other women, it IS)- the loudest opposition, who happen to be women, are taking this and making it into an entirely political issue and are missing the point. why can't women put aside their political differences and unite on how important breastfeeding is???? why can't we push legislation for the importance of letting working women take pump breaks in a quiet place instead of forced to hide away in a janitors closet? why is it wrong to give tax breaks on simple breast feeding supplies when (if you have a good cpa-which many dont) you can deduct so many other things?

here is a link to a good article... but beware, it will open up a can of worms when you see how some who are in power are trying really hard to screw us all over. and that, my dears, is why i hate politics!!!!

against the flow

2011-01-24T21:52:00.006-05:00

ive talked about it before- and i know its not for everyone- but today's post is an ode to cosleeping and the wonderful cuddliness of miss k's bedtime routine. well, it has been filled with cuddles and spooning up until recently. just another sign that my baby is growing up faster than i can handle! boo hoo!! what we usually do is give her a bottle and just chill out on the couch for a bit- she snuggles with daddy and we watch something completely inappropriate like the simpsons or her favorite- family guy (she loves brian the dog). then when she is about halfway finished her bottle, i say, 'ready to go nuh-nights?' then she gives daddy a kiss and a hug, say, 'bye,' and then say, 'bye' to whoever is on the tv or in the room. then its off to bed.

she has her place between us (we have a big ass king sized bed- yay room for all of us!) so we snuggle and spoon while she falls asleep drinking her bottle and i sing her 'let it snow' about a bazillion times. well that was oh, a few weeks ago. now she insists on falling asleep by herself. take tonight, for instance. we go through our routine, i sing, and she takes her bottle and hands it to me and lays down on my pillow says, 'nuh-nights i-o-wooo.' loosely translated, she just told me good night and i love you. OMG! how sweet is that??? shes been saying i love you- well her version of it- for a week now, but not at nighttime. how cute! but its also so sad to me that she didnt want to fall asleep in my arms. she just turned 18 months today, so its funny how fast she seems to be growing up with the littlest things.

dr. sears says that attached kids can be more comfortable moving to independence... and i am seeing the proof! but its not just at bedtime- though that has been the sweetest so far... its everything. but thats another post all together... sorry for the tangent..

i know that a lot of parents dont rock, snuggle or sing their kids to sleep every night. they may just put the baby in the crib, say good night and thats that- and thats fine. but im taking the longer course... one that is a little against the flow... so what if it takes a long time to get her to sleep? sometimes it will take close to an hour if shes talkative (i like to think shes telling me her favorite parts of the day) sometimes shes restless, and sometimes shes zonked out before she finishes her bottle... but it is just a sweet, quiet time that i am happy to spend with her. she loves going to bed- its fun for her. its another bit of closeness that adds to our bond.

and its not just me- my husband loves her in our bed, too. he is what i like to call a nightwaker. he wakes up during the night to check the time, pee, adjust his balls, look outside. its wierd, i know, but hes done it since he was little. anyways, he loves k in our bed because he can see her all night. hes at work all day, so its his quiet time with her- sometimes she rolls over and snuggles up to him, which he absolutely loves. he feels closer to her because he can see her all night and wake up next to her, too. a connectedness that he definitely wouldnt have if she was in the room across the hall.

people like to say to us in that know-it-all, sing-song voice, 'once you let them in your bed youll never get them outttt'... as if its a warning or something. but here's the thing: i just know k will want her own bed before we are ready for her to leave ours.

nothings shocking links

2011-01-21T14:38:00.005-05:00

not sure how i feel about this article... weed helping with super severe morning sickness.. yikes

the now infamous chinese mothers are superior article

oh gwyneth, how DO you do it all... (eyes just rolled out of my head and onto the floor)

sorry honey, the vicodin is for mommy

2011-01-21T13:26:00.007-05:00

TEETHINGGGGGG!!! when will it end??? I'm 30 and I'm still having teething pains. only mine are caused by ridiculous laziness on my end for never having my wisdom teeth removed when i was under my mom's dental insurance plan back in college. fast forward to now where I'm in ungodly pain and have to get them out. at least my oral surgeon took enough pity on me to write a prescription for painkillers. but its fun when you have to take them for real pain! right now, i need someone to come over with a few shots of Novocaine and an unlimited supply of vicodin because i don't think i have enough to get through the weekend.

if we could only give our little ones a higher dose of pain meds. teething absolutely blows for the babies. it wakes them up ALL NIGHT (carrie, you have my infinite condolences for your sleep deprivation and unwanted bite marks), it makes them ravenous for anything chewable whether it be a teething ring, the side of the coffee table or any body part in strike zone. take for instance, my lovely k... her molars are still coming in and I'm dreading when the canines start pushing through. shes completely addicted to her 'ahhhs' which are these amazing little homeopathic teething strips made by humphreys. she calls them her ahhhs because of when we first gave them to her, we made her open her mouth and say 'ahh,' hence, it became their name.

anyhoo- the other night, she was feeling teethy so i distracted her with about 10 sessions of itsy bitsy spider while sitting on her lap. we had a great time so for the finale of the umpteenth one, i gave her a good tickle. that led into a fun tickle laughathon until she got way too excited and chomped down on my arm. AND DIDN'T LET GO. apparently it must have felt great on her gums so she held on long enough for me to yell obscenities and for her to break the skin. i now have what looks like a picked-at mosquito bite with a big bruise around it. poor thing just needed some teething relief, and i have the scar to prove it. shes like a snapping turtle... for goodness sake, don't put your finger near her mouth or else she will chomp it off!

that being said- i feel bad that there isn't baby vicodin for when they are really in pain. and you know when they are... that miserable, wont eat, cant sleep pain that happens when those pesky baby teeth push push push on those poor little gums. i can deal with cranky and needing a frozen washcloth to chew on, but for those awful days i wish i could give her something stronger. but in the meantime, as i battle my mouth pain that is being surprisingly resistant to my prescription painkillers, my heart goes out to our little ones who have to deal with it 20 times in only 2 years.

linkity doo dah

2011-01-13T13:41:00.003-05:00

because its been a while since i gave you some links. enjoy!

being a stay at home mom cost me ONE MILLION DOLLARS ..upturned pinky to lip..

miserly moms is all about pinching those pennies and making it work with you at home- yay inspiration!

frugality is all the rage!!!

this made me feel warm and fuzzy. and that just made me think of fuzzy balls. haha, balls.

domestic bliss and the lost art of simplicity

2011-01-12T14:43:00.005-05:00

im feeling a little philosophical and thats usually trouble. i have entirely too many stupid opinions and theories ranging the gamut from autism to diaper rashes to something starting with z. but i have a few thoughts i need to get out of my head so bear with me here.

if you have read any of my previous posts you know that i suck at keeping up with laundry. i have a toddler who is always a hot mess, and a husband who gets really dirty at work. combine that with a case of severe laziness on my end and the laundry room being out of sight, out of mind in the basement and you can start to see how the dirty clothes start tsunamiing out of control. that brings me to this: socks. how many of you mend your socks? my husband has the case of the sharp foot (my only assumption as to why he blows through so many socks) and either hes out of socks or the ones hes wearing have holes in them. i feel like im always throwing them away and buying new ones because i dont have time to fix them.

last night we had a snowstorm and it really started snowing its ass off around 7pm. k doesnt go to bed til 8, so she was up in the windowsill watching it snow. i turned off the lights so she could see them better, then turned off the tv. it was so beautiful. i starting thinking about hmm, what if we only had candles lit and no electricity for street lights, no tv, no radio... it would just be an incredibly magical experience to watch the snow come down for hours and hours not knowing how much we would get or how long it would last.

what else would we do if we didnt have all our modern distractions? i would have a much cleaner house, thats for sure. and i would probably do more sewing, having a sewing basket by the couch so i could finish the onsie blanket i started for k and mend things- like socks.

it really got me thinking- no wonder trying to do it all these days is so hard- there are distractions pulling my attention away constantly. i cant even imagine how it would be if i had to work outside the home, it makes me feel woozy just thinking about it. i get mesmerized by the tv and forget that im playing blocks with k. then i wonder, why the hell do i have the tv on when we are playing blocks in the first place? our tv and/or computer is always on, always lit up and always trying to steal my attention away from important things- precious one on one time with k, family time together when chris is home, keeping my house clean and tidy and keeping me away from using my imagination by being cuddled up and lost in a book.

why has our society evolved to a point in which we are so warped into thinking this is all progress? i often wonder why it seems that the least attention is given to the people and things that matter most (i.e. the very young-especially!) and the most is given to stupidity on all levels. it makes me so ashamed that im part of it to, im merrily skipping along not really aware of how important it is to be awake in the moment.

so go and marinate on that for a bit. its interesting that the older i get, the more i am realizing that i dont have to be like what i see around me. but its hard. really, really hard to swim against it. somewhere i need to find a happy medium so i can watch tmz and mend socks at the same time. or maybe just take a night off from it all together and enjoy the quiet.

snow bunnies

2011-01-08T22:36:00.009-05:00

a book that i recently checked out from the library and ended up buying it because i thought it was amazing: its called 'baby days' (see older post for link, im too lazy to put it up again) and its written with a joyous sense of appreciation for being at home. yes, its discussed that our days arent filled with merth and perfection- however!- because you are a smart woman, you can see how a little bit of effort might make things a little more fun for your brood. tons of great information on crafts, ideas for all seasons and times of day- basically its going to be my go-to for that quick advice when im trying to come up with a game plan.

case in point- i started taking more walks. this is twofold- first, for k because i think she should experience the weather and outdoors every day and second, for my own vanity (baby in backpack+hills=workout! baby in backpack+icy street=core stablilty workout!). a passage in the book regarding wintertime activities outside brought up a good point- and im totally paraphrasing this- babies are born in all weather and environments and people make do. this got me thinking- shit, im lazy. there are babies in the cold ass mountains of southern chile, in the freezing arctic tundra of siberia and way north canada...... and babies in those ungodly hot places along the equator and in deserts, too and they are probably in the elements and have been since the dawn of humanity. basically, the point that i got from it was GO OUTSIDE!!!!!!! i wasnt taking k out because i thought it was too cold/windy/inconvenient. yet she had winter coats, mittens, hats and even a fun snow bunting all being unused. so in the last week weve gone outside as much as possible and ive found that my homegirl loves the snow. i watched her walk and make fun little footprints and say 'uh-oh' when she fell down in it. heres the kicker- i love snow, too!!!!!! so now i have a buddy to go outside with me in it and enjoy it as much as me!!! so what if we get cold and wet, our home is warm and we have plenty of dry clothes. woo hoo! now all i need to do is move back to vermont so i can teach her to ski. or teach her how to drink hot chocolate apres ski.

list making at its finest (following up, not so much)

2011-01-03T12:43:00.005-05:00

i love making lists. to do lists, what i want lists, things i need lists, things that make me happy/anxious/pissed lists, grocery lists... for some unknown reason my brain operates in list form. so here you go, the list of resolutions that i will try really hard to actually keep this year!

-lose enough weight to fit into my skinny-girl yellow dress for my sisters wedding in july. this is a combo resolution- lose weight, eat healthier, save money, and straight up vanity. im sick of carrying around the extra 20 lbs from having k...shes going to be 2 this year for craps sake. plus i have another 15 to lose after that, just because i want to look good. and i want my ass to be back up where it used to be!

-go outside with k every day- even if its chilly, rainy, snowy, sleety, windy... or any other form of shitty. she needs to experience the weather so she doesnt turn into one of those people who is scared of getting wet.

-downsize, downsize, downsize. last summer i filled up an entire 1 800 got junk truck full of crap i no longer used but kept anyway. i felt like i was in my own episode of hoarders. problem is, i still have a ton of crap. unused furniture! books i dont read! clothes i dont wear! basically stuff that if my house was on fire, i wouldnt feel the need to save. some of it is storage-worthy but thats only things like skis, camping stuff or the christmas ornaments.

-take a great vacation. last year we went to the bedford springs resort in pa. omg, it was heavenly... pools, a spa treatment, hiking, frozen drinks and gourmet breakfast room service.. it was a really fun family vacation and perfect in every way! i want to go back, so that means saving... which im horrible at- therefore, resolution!

wish me luck, this year is not going to be as easy as the last... but dammit, im going to fit into that yellow dress again.

baby wranglin'

2010-12-27T09:25:00.002-05:00

k hates being changed. she hides from me, runs away, and when i finally catch her, its an all out 2 minutes of extreme baby wrestlemania while i attempt to hold her down, prevent her from getting poop everywhere and change her diaper as she screams and thrashes. its a cross between marlin fishing and cattle roping on a good day. on a bad day its more like lion taming. i keep thinking she will grow out of this phase, but its been about 6 months now... sigh.

like-i-really-have-the-time-to-read links

2010-12-20T14:06:00.009-05:00

these are all on my 'must buy and read asap' list. oh and i've got plenty of books i own but haven't read yet. so this is just an exercise in futile optimism

BABY DAYS by barbara rowley. i borrowed this from the library and i'm not even a quarter through it but its so awesome. why didn't i find this earlier?? it is so perfect- it has a ton of ideas, crafts, supply lists, and it's going to be a big part of planning my days with miss k

FIRST ART by maryann kohl. i loooooove art and i'm learning that the introduction of art is really just the introduction of the process of creating something, not the something that is created. maryann kohl has a whole blog devoted to this with really fun artsy links!! i can't wait to buy this book- its not at my library (but mudworks is- a little too advanced for miss k though-even though it looks awesome!)

FINDING YOUR WAY HOME by lucynda koesters. this is all about the shift from two incomes to one and the benefits of being home. there are benefits to working too, but since i don't have much of a career and i have a horrible work ethic, this book may be a good thing for me.

HOMEKEEPING HANDBOOK by martha stewart. the woman is a genius. i love her. the perfection and attention to detail is just disgustingly divine. i asked for this for christmas this year... maybe it will help. the laundry monster is going downnnnnnnn.

ABSOLUTELY ORGANIZED by debbie lillard. she has this other week by week guide to organizing your life. i hate being a disorganized mess! i hate my house being a disorganized mess. and i hate that it has become the normal state of living.. its so exhausting! but if i stop caring about the mess, then that sets a bad example for k... ugh maybe i just have too much stuff.

FEEDING THE WHOLE FAMILY by cynthia blair. oooooh how i would love to eat better! it's so hard though considering i love whatever is terrible for me and my husband is convinced that he will spontaneously combust without red meat. so this book is on my dream list of extreme optimism.

LOOK BETTER NAKED! by women's health magazine. because i need to look better naked. have you seen me lately? things are not where they were once before and it makes me so very sad. and since my husband works his ass off for me to be home with k, being hot is the least i can do for him. now all i need is 6 weeks (according to the book!), the time to work out, and the time and money to make follow the eating plan and recipes and the willpower to want to look hot again. let's all laugh together: hahahahahahaha

i really suck at blogging

2010-12-20T13:28:00.004-05:00

yeah, its been a year. what can i say? shit got crazy. i changed the blog profile as i am no longer having any more adventures in lactation... i am now a toddler wrangler/entertainer/teacher/guru aka 'ma-mee' as my daughter calls me. its not as easy- but its surprisingly more fun than the giggley age where they just kick kick kicked their legs and hung out. oh but that age is pretty awesome, too. its been a while, so ill catch you up:

-no, i did not accomplish a g.d. thing on my resolution list.

-my boobs up and quit on me at month #9 of lactating. hooray for formula! but hooray for 9 months!

-i worked for 3 months over the summer. i hate working. i know why michelle dugger keeps pooping out those kids- she never has to work for anyone! smart smart smart.

-my house is still a disaster of mess!!!!! how on earth do people keep a neat house with children? who are these people? i know they are out there. i have faith that they exist and some how, some way, i will find one and get them to help me have one of those fabulous houses that are organized, clean, tidy and not a raging biohazard of filth and laundry like mine.

so there you have it- my baby is now a toddler and instead of obsessing over the right bottles, formula vs breastmilk and worrying if i'm practicing attachment parenting (i still am- it still rocks!)- i'm in the thick of it now!! she's almost 18 months old and i am now obsessed with making the most of our time together- she's absorbing everything so life has this wonderful magic to it. everything is new, fun, exciting and i'm learning to be present in the moment. instead of trying to get things done quickly, there is this new purpose to what i am doing- i'm teaching my daughter. and its soooooooooooooo freakin hard. ugh. learning to have the paaaatiencccce is definitely on my resolution list for this year. but that's another post. now, time to find some fun links!

screw you, laundry

2009-12-29T12:01:00.004-05:00

so here i am, about 3 months later updating my bliggity blog. just a *few* things have changed- mainly- the baby doesnt sleep quite as much during the day making it just a little harder to write to you about the randomness going on in my head about all things milky and mothery. also, baby is catching some zzz's in her swing right now and i really, really dont feel like doing the laundry. so here are some resolutions that i may or may not keep this year:

1) i will keep pumping as long as possible. i become one with my destiny of not nursing my baby, therefore i pump. many, many times a day because girlfriend here can EAT. my friends think im a complete lunatic for manually pumping- but whatever, it gets the job done. i made a promise with myself that i would breastfeed for 3 months and now im cruising on through the 5th month like its nothing! yay me! well im doing it for my baby AND of course because i keep hoping that i can lay around and do nothing but lactate to lose these 20 lbs.

2) i will lose the damn baby weight (im really mad at pregnant me for eating nothing but sweets for 9 months straight). i couldnt wait for summer to be over because it was too hot to take the baby out for walks. now its too damn cold and windy. alas, it must be done. im promising myself (and to all 2 of you faithful readers) that when its not windy and above freezing, im taking my homegirl out for a walk around the neighborhood. i might even throw in some crunches and lunges while we hang out at home. might.

3) i will clean more often. being a mom isnt so much hard as it is tedious. with all the time i spend at home i should have the squeakiest clean house that looks like something out of a martha stewart magazine. instead it looks like hell. gotta get on this.

4) i will send birthday cards. or at least acknowledge your birthday. ugh this is my resolution every year, and every year i blow it. in case i forget, happy birthday!!!

5) last one: i will try to be less judgmental and more loving. no specific examples (to protect the innocent) but im trying to undo a lot of bitchiness in my heart and having a baby has really helped me realize that life is too short and wonderful to clog it all up with being upset at stupid things.

so there you have it. a few little resolutions to get me through, oh at least half of january. theres a few more that i would love to add... like 'i resolve to be better with money!' or 'i will stop smoking!" because honestly some resolutions are ridiculous. :D

so not all formula companies are evil??

2009-11-06T16:21:00.007-05:00

so to go along with this weeks topic of being a hippy earth mama (make that dirty hippy- im not sure the last time i brushed my teeth...) i am tackling yet another mom issue to some: formula.

ive been supplementing my breastmilk with formula since day 1. why? because im lazy and its easier. oh yeah, and because the whole breastfeeding thing didnt work out so well. so she gets maybe a bottle a day of formula- sometimes not at all (those days im particularly proud of my boobs) and we are all happy campers. but lately ive been skeeved out on the formula thing after reading scary articles, so i decided to do some research on organic formulas.

while i was on diapers.com- the new satan after babies r us since its sooo easy to spend entirely too much money there- i was going green in the formula section and found vermont organics baby formula. omggg i lived in vermont for a year and the cow to people ratio is out of control. they love being earthy, mountain-climbing, tree huggin people up there, so i knew the 'made in vermont' seal was the real deal. i checked out their website and couldnt find their address... so i called! a very nice lady in virginia said that the organic formula plant is located in georgia, vermont- a little south of burlington. i found that the parent company is pbm nutritionals (also i found more info on the baby organic site and pbm's site- and its the only USDA certified organic formula manufacturer in our lovely usa and also has very happy cows.

another fun thing i found (though only after buying the vermont organics formula) that they sell the vermont-made organic formula under other brands- ultra bright beginnings organic and surprisingly- parents choice organic formula....get ready... sold exclusively at walmart!!

ANDDDDDD the bestest part of all is that the parents choice (literally the same stuff as what i just bought for $23.99) can be purchased for way cheaper- around $15. seriously. the sugar is lactose from organic cows milk not cane sugar or corn syrup like other formulas (regular or organic).

if youre considering going organic, check out this site that has a bunch of reviews. what an interesting investigation!

hippy earth mama

2009-11-05T11:54:00.005-05:00

so here i am, posting something a week after my last post. god, im lazy. well a combination of lazy and busy. so this time im posting about 3 of my new favorite things!!!

the first is the new green to grow bottles that i had to get. i have the avent manual (and electric) pumps but i cant stand the avent bottles. i mean, theyre great for reducing gas and they have the nifty little vent system. and when i need to supplement with some formula in the middle of the night, the nice wide neck is great for 3am scooping of formula... but they leak!!! i guess most bottles leak, but after pumping and then giving my baby the wonderful milk, then have a ton of it leak all over her (new outfit time!) and all over the couch (new couch time? nah, i love this one) i get quite angry that my hard work and lactation has gone everywhere. so i started searching out for new bottles. unfortunately, if you have one of the fabulous avent pumps, they only fit avent bottles. boo! i want something cute! and something green (see post title) and most importantly, something that doesnt spill my precious moo juice.

the place that i think has the greatest advice for buying anything is amazon.com. i love how everything has a zillion reviews by real people like me who actually review the things they buy. so i checked out the green options and found the cutest freakin bottles ever from green to grow. the little smiley fruit on the front killed me with the adorables, so i did some review research. they got great reviews- didnt leak, babies took to them- even after feeding from the avent bottles. plus they are bpa free and made by a great company. there were two downsides: 1) the narrow neck bottles would definitely not fit my pump and 2) they are kinda pricey. so i scoured all over the place for bottles on the cheap and found them at another wonderful company- get n' green which was having an awesome sale which, my gorgeous friends, is still going on as i type.

anyhoo- so i found the bottles for 40% off their retail price and now all i needed was a pump to use with them. i discovered the lansinoh pump on sale at walmart- only $27!! seriously people, a manual pump that WORKS and that is inexpensive should be given out at hospitals. long story short- the narrow neck bottles fit the lansinoh pump perfectly and baby took to them right away. yay! i bought a wide neck one too and it kinda fits my avent pump...but whatever, i can pump carefully for the sake of green cuteness. :D

next favorite thing: seventh generation chlorine-free diapers. i bought them from diapers.com to try them the other day. i would totally use cloth diapers if i wasnt so lazy- i hate all the trash that the disposable diapers make- along with how they are killing our environment, landfills, etc. i also dont like that eerie powdery scent from the regular diapers and really- does my 3-month-old need blues clues or sesame street advertisements on her diaper? so weve been using the seventh generation ones and wow!! i am totally impressed! no blowouts yet and they even lasted leak-free overnight. fabulous in my book. they arent that much more than the name-brands so i can justify getting them. andddd i am totally not a penny pincher either, so why scrimp on my little girl? they are only 10 cents more per diaper... i guess over time that adds up, but i suck at math, so whatever- hippy mama wants her green diapers!!

the third favorite thing is on todays list is lansinoh diaper rash cream. all i have to say is wow, this shit works FAST. baby had a rash going on and i tried the pricey mustela stelactive...didnt budge. then got the industrial strength triple paste my sister recommended- that didnt work either. i use the lansinoh wipes so i figured id give it a whirl...and im so glad i did. it rubs in really well, and clear, too. after two days my sweet babys ladyparts are almost rash-free. plus, since it rubs in you end up using less.

ooh news flash!!! baby just took a gigantic poop while i was typing and the diapers held it all!! hooray!

milky links

2009-10-28T09:16:00.003-04:00

battling obesity and the debate

are you an alpha mom?

mastitis: facts you should know for when your boobies say ouchhhh

celebrity mamas- minnie driver's new mom experience

china's growing formula market

homemade baby formula??? definitely skeeves me out, but who am i to judge?

milky links

2009-10-27T12:35:00.002-04:00

milk, formula and dairy farmers

compliments only, and don't touch

boycotting nestlé? they make a crapload of things

high fat diet while pregnant/breastfeeding can have an effect on brain chemistry

milk flow and your mer... fun science experiments for those boobies

formula with fluoride, as if i didnt have enough to worry about...

stress and your milk

sleeping better now that i'm no longer a judgemental bitch

2009-10-27T12:00:00.005-04:00

i've definitely learned a lot in the last 3 months of motherhood. i've also learned that what is supposed to be 'normal' is far from it. its like i've entered an altered reality where everything you thought you knew about babies is nothing like what happens when it is your baby in your house with your husband and your family. i feel like a maverick- for breaking these stupid 'rules' that we have set up in american culture, when in fact i think i'm part of a silent majority. a few things i've learned along the way about sleeping:

dr. sears is the MAN. why? because i bought his the baby book instead of the american pediatrics one because of the cute baby butts on it. really. once i started reading, the scales fell off my eyes- my little baby was a person- and individual, who needed to be treated as such and nurtured in a way that felt right and good to my husband and i- who cares what the rest of the world/media/parents think. first 'rule' i broke was having our little one sleep in bed with us. i was a total judgemental bitch to my one friend who had her baby in her bed for his first year. she couldn't bring herself to train him to sleep in his room-it was too hard on her and she just let it go. i was like, omg i cant believe he's STILL in their bed!! shocked. SHOCKED that such a thing could still happen in our modern society. then i read about the benefits of it. well first, we bought a bassinet because our friends had one by their bed. step two was having one right next to ours- but i just felt like it was so easier just to have her with us. we do it the safe way- shes in our king-sized bed, on her own little wedge, with a mesh barrier thing keeping her from falling onto the floor. voila- happy parents (she loves to snuggle, we never wake up to crying) and happy baby- she's nice and warm and safe with us. she also knows that bedtime means sleepy time. when she wakes up to eat, shes strictly business- eating then going right back to sleep. who knows how long it will last, but to me, its one of the most wonderful things about her- snuggling up and listening to her sleep next to us, and seeing/hearing/feeling me as soon as she wakes.

i know its not for everyone, but it ended up being for me and my husband. crazy thing is that last friday i was talking to my sister- who did everything by the book (unlike me- I'm more casual about it) and found out that she had my niece in her bed for about the first year or more. i would never have thought that- well, i guess i never thought about it because i never knew it was an option. even my mother in law told me that she wanted to have her first baby in the bed with her, but got nixxed by my father in law. why? hes not a heavy sleeper, hes like my husband- awake all night. maybe it was that crazy societal pressure of being 'normal.'

another thing i've learned about myself is i have an incredible ability to adapt my sleeping pattern. i am amazed at how aware i am of my daughters presence while I'm sleeping. very few times has my husband woken me up because i was in a bad position with her (twice, actually). crazy considering once i am asleep i can sleep through most everything. i also enjoy sleeping. for like, 10-12 hours at a time. and somehow i can function with waking up one or two times a night for feeding my baby bird or if she coughs or sighs or whatever else she decides to do at night. and i don't even mind doing it! if you had woken me up in the middle of the night, pre-baby, i would have totally freaked out on you, possibly punched you (sorry, honey) or even throw you across the room (sorry, kitten).

so what are my sleeping plans for the future? who the f knows. what i do know is that i like our sleeping arrangement at the moment. we agree that this is what we both want and we are having a fun time snuggling with our little girl while she is so cute and tiny. but every baby is different- who am i to say that its right or wrong for anyone else? brings me to the point of my bliggity bloggin- do what makes you and baby happy and do it with love. screw any judgemental bitches who make you feel bad about it.

milky links

2009-10-26T13:16:00.002-04:00

doctors save world's lightest baby! yay!

not everyone can breastfeed... i like how she calls formula the f word

indecent exposure? not if you're an exibitionist! (or breastfeeding in public)

not everything goes as planned with breastfeeding (duh)

why i tan with my baby- gotta get tha vitamin D

yet another thing to worry about: fluoride

awesome! ameda is now offering a 30 day guarantee on pumps!!

today's absence of posting brought to you by:

2009-10-26T13:11:00.003-04:00

getting shit done! baby is sleeping soundly so mommy is doing some much needed cleaning. so to the two of you who read this, i'll post more soon! :)

mmmm... baby

2009-10-26T09:51:00.012-04:00

these costumes make it easier to nom nom nom on those delicious baby cheeks.

i'll take mine with pepperoni, mushrooms, and baby!

perfect for those pb, banana and baby sandwiches

for that sweet tooth...

milky links

2009-10-23T13:11:00.004-04:00

oh canadaaaaa...good job toronto for setting the world record in breastfeeding!

the 'mommy herd mentality' ughhhh why is motherhood a competition???

are you a damsel in distress?

breastfeeding mentors helping in mali

good samaritans donating their milk- so inspiring!

another woman exclusively pumping

today in ridiculous baby items...

2009-10-23T12:51:00.003-04:00

when you ARE the father!

see below for what to do if you aren't

does stefan come with it?

2009-10-23T09:58:00.006-04:00

oh babybjorn, i don't know what i would do without you. for real. it starts with the advertisement... mmmm gorgeous swedish dude carrying his baby on that perfectly muscled chest, undoubtedly taking his child for an enriching walk on the beach while his thankful wife is receiving a full body massage at the spa. conjures up images of relaxation and making more babies with thor the hot swede. it levels the playing field- makes us moms think YESSS i can have some me-time while daddy does some of the work. ha!

the bjorn (swedish for bear... awww baby bears!!!) was revolutionary. it set the stage for the mass market for baby carriers and allows parents the choice to be close to their babies while having both hands free. ill save the carrier conversation for later (they seriously are freakin' awesome) and focus on my bjorn.

my little one absolutely hated her car seat at first. wailed whenever we put her in and if she got worked up while i was driving i cried right along with her. i felt like the worst mother ever for torturing my sweet baby just so i could do some dumb errands. so we stayed home a lot during the first month. i attempted going to the store like i saw so many mothers do- putting the car seat in the cart and merrily going about my grocery shopping. that ended with ordering pizza for dinner for the next few nights. i just couldn't put her through it!! then------- i started doing things with her in the bjorn. she was happily snuggled up to me and i was happily getting shit done. now, whenever we go to the store, i pop her in the babybjorn and shes a happy little camper. when I'm home and need to do dishes, cook, vacuum, take a walk- i reach for the bjorn. yay, bjorn!!!

new ones aren't cheap but all the second-hand children's shops have them for way less. (my local shop sells them for $20)

thank you swedes, especially you, thor (or stefan, jan, anders....)

not sure how i feel about this

2009-10-22T17:22:00.004-04:00

so i got a coupon in the mail today for enfamil's restfull formula. at first i thought, wow! that sounds great- i haven't slept longer than 8 hours in forever! upon further pondering i wondered if this is more nutritious than the old standby of mixing rice cereal with babys milk for a longer sleep that my mom told me to do (but haven't)? then i thought- how many sleep deprived mothers (and fathers) of newborns will rush out to buy this product? arent most babies are programmed to wake up and eat around the clock because their tummies are so tiny and can't hold enough food for a whole night?

enfamil claims:

'Enfamil RestFull Powder Formula gives your baby a RestFull Night. Your baby needs a proper amount of sleep to keep her healthy and happy. That's why we created new Enfamil RestFull, the formula specially designed to naturally encourage a good night's sleep. A natural way to help keep your baby feeling satisfied. Thickens gently in baby's tummy and digests slowly.'

my coupon says, "sleep is more important than rest-its also when important growth and development happen"

something just doesnt seem right about this...

milky links

2009-10-22T12:43:00.004-04:00

thoughts on feminist motherhood and a TON of links... sure to keep you busy reading!!

you mean making all that milk is equal to liposuction?!?! dammmmit

win some stuff and learn while you're at it

another pumpy blog

unicef's take on our privileged american 'debate'

the girl next door is glowing!

preemies bill of rights by the creator of the soothie and gumdrop pacifiers

i have about 23 of these damn things

2009-10-22T10:35:00.004-04:00

if your baby is pacifier/suckie/paci/dummy/binkie free, you are amazing and can continue reading for enjoyment puposes only. as for the rest of us deadbeats, the soothie is probably the first and possibly the only pacifier your baby likes. oh ive tried the nuk ones (with cute penguins!), the mam ones (with adorable kittycats!), and even the avent ones (oh, classy clear ones!) with NO LUCK. baby loves that damn soothie.

why do i curse my babys go-to sleep machine? because they constantly fall out of her mouth. obviously someone who values a pacifier that stays put did not design the thing. maybe in theory thats a good idea- baby needs to suck- but not 24/7 like maggie simpson. however, while im dislocating my shoulder to hold it in her mouth while driving in traffic... i say soothie fail.

so what to do? well, i keep them everywhere. in my purse, in the carseat, on the coffee table, in the diaper bag, in my car's cupholder, on the ledge beside the bed, in the bassinet and most likely theres a few errant ones jammed in the couch or hidden in the basement by the kitten.

philips childrens medical ventures sells soothies that are given out at over 2000 hospitals... which is a good thing...they also make soothies compatible with CPAP vent/feed tube systems for preemies and so many other wonderful hospital products. the first years has capitalized on the soothie-addict machine by offering a line of "soothie-inspired" bottles, cups, sterilizers, nipples, etc. are they as good for babies as just the pacifier itself? have they missed the point and gone straight to the dollar bill sign?

i bitch about them, yes, but they make my baby happy. in researching this post i found two cool things that your soothie addict might enjoy, and might help you too:

did you know they came vanilla scented?? mmm delicious baby...

the wubbanub- makes it easier to reinsert the soothie (when it falls out...) in the cutest way ever

milky links

2009-10-21T12:45:00.005-04:00

real or fake? doesn't matter to baby or those fabulous milk ducts!

try telling this to my baby when she is in one of those sucking moods

breast milk is good for baby teeth. a bottle at night is not, which should be common sense by now. right??

more jewish guilt over the debate in response to yesterday's jewish guilt

weighing the risks and benefits of breastfeeding mothers with HIV/AIDS

non toxic-bpa free bottles should not have to be a choice (plus i just got bottles from green to grow- they're in the mail!)

double electric moo machine?

2009-10-21T10:21:00.008-04:00

i was just *mildly* freaked out when i saw the electric pump wheeled into my postpartum recovery room. even more when i turned it on. i asked for more tylenol 3 when my husband saw me use it (oh nurse, my pain level just skyrocketed from a 4 to mental horror). i understand why they are used- they are wonderful machines in many ways, plus they help us get that colostrum out and prepare us for those little non-electric suck machines: babies. for those that like them, you go girls! to me, it felt all types of wrong and weird. i was sent home with the bag of parts so i could add them to the medela electric one i apparently supposed to get at my baby shower.

like you, i registered for the ridiculously expensive double electric breast pump kit that came with an fancy bag to hold everything. that's what i was supposed to do, right? well, that's what babies r us registry helper told me. the books also say that though they are must-have items, you really should rent a hospital-grade pump from your local lactation consultant or hospital. but why? are they better? the companies that make these pumps also make manual ones... but they can make MORE money by selling you an expensive (read: electric) pump. so what is their incentive for having you do it yourself? also- who the hell decided that manuals should only be for occasional use? i have a feeling its the companies themselves. they gotta make money, right?

i said, f that, I'm getting a hand pump. i don't have enough money for one of those fancy ones (that no one got me at my shower- and seriously when you think about it, what a weird present) anyway. friends thought, isn't that old fashioned and tiresome? how do you do it? it cant work as well as this one that plugs into the wall and recommended by mrs. bukowski, ibclc. then they saw me pumpin... they were shocked! it really does work as well or even better-TRUST ME!

so bought myself an avent manual pump and i have to say, i love it love it love it. i have a lansinoh one too (to fit into my awesomely cute, soon to be delivered bottles- more on that later). it only takes a few minutes to pump enough for a feeding. i do both boobs and voila- baby gets my milk. its quiet, except for the occasional squeak or loss of suction (aka boob fart). i have an electric attachment that i thought i needed (don't tell mom i don't use it, she'd kill me) but nothing works as well as my hand. why? because i can mimic the way baby sucks better than a machine. you go quickly at first pumppumppumppump until you let down and then its pummmmmp pummmmmp when the milk starts flowing. you can see exactly how your boobs work, how the milk comes out and make adjustments as needed. you can use your other hand to massage around to make sure you get all the milk. i do it on the couch. in the chair. in bed. in the car. in the bathroom of my grandparent's house. anywhere!! i pop it in my purse (since i rarely use a diaper bag) and I'm good to go.

the best part is that i can either refrigerate it as a cool treat for my tired boobies or leave it on the coffee table all day while I'm home. no tubes to clean (did you know they can get moldy? ew) the most wonderful thing about breast milk is that it can stay good for hours at room temperature, so i don't have to worry about sterilizing it while I'm out and about, either.

i know they aren't for everyone, but i think that if you're scared of the electric milker, you should try out a manual pump. they're cheap, easy, convenient and have the foxy mama stamp of approval!

so this all brings me to the biggest question raised by all this pump talk: shouldn't manual breast pumps be available for ALL new mothers? we get loads of formula samples, diaper samples- why not a cheapo pump sample? what kind of an impact would that have on breastfeeding success?

probably a big one.

what up, home skillet?

2009-10-21T09:59:00.006-04:00

is my baby going to ever know her carefully selected, intensely decided upon, rolls off the tongue perfectly name? because i never seem to call her by it. or even refer to her by it. 'the fussmonster', 'miss fussypants' and 'fussmaster k' are some that i call her when I'm bouncing around the room trying to calm her. then theres the quintessential 'sweet pea,' 'pumpkin,' and 'honey.' there's the plain ol' 'baby!!!' daddy says, 'hows my little girl?' and then there are the random ones that just come out of my mouth without thinking like 'baby bird.' my husband was like, where did that come from?

so when you say hi to my homegirl just don't feel bad when she doesn't recognize her own name.

i finally got a shower

2009-10-20T18:30:00.005-04:00

so it had been a few days, i didn't smell *that* bad. the big test is always whether baby still recognizes my new clean smell and my hair down and straightened. seriously, taking a shower during the day with a baby at home is like fishing. wait, wait, wait, waaaaaaaiiiiitttttt and finally baby is asleep soundly enough so you can tiptoe out of the room and jump in. in the beginning i wasn't so good at this so i heard the little cry, followed by wailing and had to jump out of the shower and drip all over the baby as i tried to feed and calm her. hilarious to whoever happened to see it through my wide open windows!

i cant wait until i can pop her in the bathtub with me for a quick freshening up during the day. tried that already with the baby tub and i had zero room to move. as much fun as it was to try to clean both of us at the same time without mixing up the soap bubbles, i did not enjoy the water spout digging into my back. eh, but it was one of those super cute whale tubs, so i forgive it. i cant be mad at something so damn cute!! but i think that's as far as i would go. i mean, I'm all about attachment parenting but i think this is a little much- i can just wait until daddy gets home.... and enjoy that hot, steamy, fabulous shower until the hot water runs out!

on a sexier note....

2009-10-20T14:34:00.017-04:00

in an effort to bring you the latest in all things foxy, here is a rundown of my favorite sexy nursing bras! save that nasty beigey/pink thing for sleeping; bust out the cute stuff for every day!

eve alexander
comfy and inexpensive!

bravado! designs
you can never, ever go wrong with leopard print

HOTmilk

seriously sexy maternity bras, thank you kiwis!

emily
and you can't go wrong with zebra either

passion spice

some pink for you girly girls

milky links

2009-10-20T11:23:00.006-04:00

yay! pumpers rejoice in north carolina

jewish guilt on the endless 'debate'

if it doesn't work, you can return it...right?

no need for hooter hiders in new zealand

sacremento says no nestlé

good job, chrysler...though this should be a right!

oh lawd... here we go again... formula is evil

you just don't get it

2009-10-20T10:04:00.005-04:00

ugh, screw you hanna rosin and judith warner. you are so out of touch with reality, its scary. "ban the breast pump" and "the case against breast-feeding" are the most ridiculous pieces of shit i've ever read.

oh i get the idea behind it- as american women we are forced to choose something that women in other countries are almost guaranteed- the choice to stay at home with their babies. our american work ethic has pretty much fucked over a few generations of women (like me) who find it incredibly empowering and wonderful to have the opportunity to raise their babies themselves without having to look to outside resources (nannies, daycare) to do it for them for reasons out of their control (jobs, bills, whatever). blame it on our raging materialism here. blame it on our good-in-theory-but-missed-the-point feminist movement. blame it on our shitty health care system that basically ignores the fact that pregnant women may not be guaranteed health care for themselves, their unborn babies and their infants. but for gods sake don't blame the breast pumps and the women who use them to feed and nurture their babies!!!!!!

look-there are PLENTY of things you can do to your children that can screw them up and leave them baggage-ridden adults. i don't believe that how you feed them as infants will do it. call me crazy, but the breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding debate is insane. how can women can judge one another on how and what they feed their babies if its fed with love and good intent?

read and decide for yourself. the comments after the articles are all gems and show that like fingerprints, mothering is unique to everyone.

lactation consultants aren't magicians

2009-10-19T10:43:00.012-04:00

though i spent almost $400 before i came to that realization. if you've ever breastfed, attempted to breastfeed or read about breastfeeding you might think a) its sooooo natural and b) why the f is it so hard if its supposed to be so damn natural?

books upon books are written to explain how to insert a boob into a baby's mouth and i was ready to breastfeed my newborn with knowledge it might be hard but not impossible. attempt #1 foiled by passing out after giving birth. attempts 2-78 foiled by baby who just couldn't latch no matter what position. she would suck a little, but then immediately fall asleep. i bought a breast pump and acquired carpal-tunnel syndrome, but baby was eating my milk. yippee!

i finally decided to try a lactation consultant two months later. i think medela is making a crapload of money off these people. she said that i was positioned all wrong, that baby was tongue-tied, and my nipples were inverted. before she left i bought a sns which is like a canteen of milk with tubes to your nipples hanging from your neck. and you have to be topless to use it, so just imagine how hot i looked. i also bought new nipple shields since the ones i had weren't the correct ones/medela brand. and she charged me $120/hour to tell me what i already read.

foolish of me to think she could fix my 'pumping problem.' an unsuccessful week later, lactation consultant #2 (who was free, thank god) said lactation consultant #1 wasn't helping correctly (no shit) and sold me more medela nipple shields before referring me to a pediatrician who would fix baby's tongue-tie. after the procedure, latching on would happen naturally, no sweat.

skip to a month later. baby no longer tongue-tied but after many tearful, screaming, milk-everywhere attempts of latching on, i gave up on trying to feed her at my breast. sure, the nursing nazis out there might say that i should have tried harder- but pumping works for us, even with me being home. baby still gets her breast milk (so i am still technically breastfeeding) but daddy can feed her and i don't have to whip out my formerly sexy boob in public.

does pumping 5-6 times a day get annoying? sure it does, but i don't mind. things could be worse- i could still be forcing my baby against her will to nurse at my breast in hopes that it will magically just 'click' for her. but its more fun to give her a bottle of my milk and watch her smile.

boobs, r.i.p.

2009-10-19T09:39:00.000-04:00

i treasured my tatas for their sexiness. my cleavage for quick service at a bar or 'i want you NOW' looks from my man. the inherent ability to look fab in v-neck shirts and adorable bras. they were fabulous. were. :(

let's fast forward oh, about 9 months- pregnancy took its toll. my beautiful bosom now has those stupid squiggly stretchmarks- wtffff! i lotioned up with everything and they were the first to go. cocoa butter was no match for my raging hormones.

now as I'm breastfeeding my daughter, they are more like milky moo udders than the glorious girls they once were. will they ever be the same? do plastic surgeons offer layaway?

one thing is for sure- they some milk making machines. I'm lucky enough to stay home with my baby so its open bar all day. if that bar was warm pumped milk. oh did i say pumped?? welcome to my crazy life of breast pumps, a new baby and my kitten with 6 toes.

and the hot rack that was once flash-worthy.