Food & Milk!

I made my monthly trip to Whole Foods today and loaded up on produce and other delicious goodies for the little guy. He's going to try some kale tomorrow and tried a bit of kiwi tonight. Asher is not too picky overall, which makes my life easier. He especially loves bananas and peas. About a month ago, I gave Asher Stonyfield organic yogurt and it's been a huge hit. I even put the thinner kind in his sippy cup from time to time because it's easier for him to drink than most liquids. He's not too crazy about egg yolk, but is beginning to like it more. He has liked mozzarella cheese and even has had some tahini, but wasn't too sure what to make of the that.

There are a few food books that I have found especially helpful in navigating the world of baby feeding. They are, Super Baby Foods, by Ruth Yaron and Real Foods for Mother and Baby by Nina Plank. I can't rave enough about Plank's book and think everyone should read it. It's particularly good for women thinking of having a baby -- lots of info on what to eat both prior and during pregnancy. I wish I would've read it earlier!

And now the dilemma of when to stop giving Asher breastmilk? I HAVE NO IDEA! His nutritionist, therapists, etc have all suggested a year (next month!), but I don't know if I'm quite ready to stop. I've been pumping this entire time and Asher is getting about 50% of his daily calories from breastmilk. Those of you who know me well know that I usually want to throw my pump out of our 3rd story window, but the benefits of mother's milk are so extensive that it's hard to imagine stopping now. I know babies can be introduced to cow's milk at a year, and Asher will definitely be getting some at that time, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to stop giving him breastmilk entirely.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

For all you pumping mama's out there, there are a few products I simply cannot live without. One is the PumpEase, which allows me to pump hands-free. I cannot recommend this enough for anyone who pumps a lot! The other 2 product I couldn't live without are Traditional Medicinals mother's milk tea and More Milk Plus supplements. Pumping without nursing can be very difficult, and these things really have made it easier for me to be in it for the long haul!




Here we are tonight. Asher is showing off his post-bath flufffffy hair!

smile!

Here are some new pictures of our little cutie!

my sister's keeper.

I recently watched the movie "My Sister's Keeper," or "sobfest, 2010" as my husband refers to it. For those of you lucky ducks who have not witnessed this film, it is based on a book by Jodi Picoult that follows a young girl (Anna) who enlists the help of an attorney to gain medical emancipation from her parents. Anna's older sister (Kate) is battling leukemia and Anna has underwent numerous surgery's and procedures to help her sister live. Throughout the course of the film, there is a rapid decline in Kate's condition. As I watched this movie, I noticed that every character was hurting; some in response to Kate's illness, but many because of other reasons. People felt forgotten, afraid, unloved. Even the judge overruling Anna's case was grieving the loss of her daughter in a car accident.

Take away the dramatic music, computer generated scenes, and Cameron Diaz, and this film is so representative of real life. I don't mean that in a depressing way, I mean it in a redemptive way. Everyone is carrying around their own pocket (suitcase, storage bin, you can decide the size here) of hurt. It's easy to compare "pockets" with those around you, but the truth is, we are ALL hurting. And many hide their pockets well.

At one point in my life I thought that most babies were born "healthy". However, the more I've opened my eyes to life around me, the more I have realized that many babies are born with complications, some life long, some less permanent. My dad and I were recently discussing this realization of mine. His response (in a very dad way) was, "well, if you buy a blue car, you start to notice all the blue cars on the road", meaning that since my own child has had struggles, I start to notice those around me with struggles. True. However, it's been helpful for me to drag myself out of my pity parties by remembering that I am not in this alone. There are many other people hurting out there and we can learn from one another and encourage each other through this walk.

So whether you have a child with a genetic syndrome, a sick parent, martial problems, insecurities, financial hardship, failing health, or any other possible difficulties in life -- I challenge you to stop comparing your pocket with others, stop wishing your life away, and start choosing hope and encouragement today.


Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

valentine's day & beyond

Hi! It's been a while since our last post. This is Will's LAST week working out of town, which we are all very thankful for. Life has been fairly uneventful around here. Valentine's day was last weekend and hopefully you all received a little lovin' from those you love. Will & I went out to this great Italian place. He was so sweet and got me a ton of stuff with the theme "stress relief" -- candles, lotion, etc. Do you think that's a hint?

I think a few posts back I mentioned that Asher & Pearl have become BFF's. He giggles when she walks into the room and is constantly reaching for her ears and face. Thankfully she tolerates a 9-month old pestering her. Anyway, here is a picture I captured from a recent cuddle session between the two of them (it may have been SLIGHTLY posed).

a failed attempt

I tried to do a photo shoot with Asher & Pearl today. It was not a success. Obviously I woke Pearl up from a long winter's nap for the attempted camera session. I thought I would share a few of them anyway just so you could get a giggle out of them.

New video

Here is the little guy just chatting away!

another photo shoot

Well it's been awhile since I've last posted, mostly because there isn't anything exciting to report on. This marks "week 3" of Will's stay in Wisconsin. I feel like we are living for the weekends these days. Will has loved seeing Asher on the webcam, even if it's just for a minute while he is napping. Will & I were fortunate to get a date night in last weekend and even have another one planned this Saturday. Only 2 weeks left of the traveling! I am thankful for my wonderful friends who call, stop in, eat dinner with me, and just do an all around amazing job of keeping us busy during this time!

On another note, Asher has consistently been taking just one long nap a day. And quite frankly, I love it! I love getting to have him up all morning long. We play with his blocks, read books, yank on Pearl's ears -- all sorts of fun things. I caught Asher with Pearl's entire ear in his mouth (have you seen that dog's ears? this is no easy task!). I took her ear out and it was literally soaking wet. Yuck? Or cute? I'm not sure. All I know is that I love that dog and that boy!

If you're a mom with a camera, you probably do photo shoots with your little one on a daily basis. Here are a few pictures from most recent shoot.