Babies are...

Let's get one thing straight.

Babies are not convenient. 

Not from the moment they attach their minuscule selves to our insides, making us crave bologna sandwiches for breakfast, yet sending us running for the nearest thing to hurl into at the faintest whiff of a vanilla-scented candle.  And certainly not when we become completely wiped out after such rigorous activity as, say, making ourselves a piece of toast.  And later down the road, when their presence is more visible and they instigate a fun game of Guess Which Limb That Is, Jabbing Me in the Ribs/Stomach/Bladder/Kidneys/Liver and God Knows What Else.  And as for the poor mom who endured the bizarre sensation of her baby using his teeny, pokey little fingers to tickle the very bottom of her uterus before he was born, and  no amount of jumping, pressing, or yelping would make it stop, her baby was certainly not convenient. 

Most of us are familiar with the numerous trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night, the attempts at turning over onto our other side without trying to wake up all the way, and the ridiculous feeling that we've swallowed a beach ball as we try in vain to put on our own socks.

Certainly, none of that is convenient.

The simple, natural act of relocating those babies from within our bodies, into the outside world, is probably the least convenient thing that I can think of.  Natural, yes. Convenient, no.

Guess what?  That amazing creature who amused us with its inconvenient antics, gave us great material with which to bond with other mommies, not to mention a trump card to win any argument with our spouse for the rest of our lives, will not suddenly become convenient after he has moved out of our uterus.

We accept the fact that our children do not come into the world ready to use the toilet.  We spend a bundle on diapers and accept the whole poop thing, and hope we have a camera ready the first time daddy gets squirted in the face by his new baby boy.  We have a child knowing we will change their diapers and wipe their bottoms some eight or nine thousand times before they are potty trained.

Then why on earth do some not accept that feeding and nourishing their child may not be the most convenient thing for mom?  Why do some parents decide it isn't worth the investment of a little more of their time and effort to give their baby the most superior nourishment, designed just for them?  Let me put in the disclaimer here: This post does not refer to that tiny percentage of moms who, despite their absolute, very best efforts, and due to very special circumstances, wound up having to bottle feed.  I am talking about all parents who decide it's just not worth the "hassle" for mom to have to be the one to feed the baby all of the time.  There is a biological reason for this setup.  A baby is meant to have lots and lots of close cuddling with their mama, and nursing encourages this close contact. 

It has been proven that breastfed babies have lower obesity rates later in life, along with fewer allergies and a better immune system, along with countless other benefits.  Plus, it's free, always at the right temperature, and frankly, I thought this was a tremendously convenient way to feed my baby.  No powder, cans, measuring, or getting the water to be just right. Baby's hungry? Lift shirt. Baby's happy.

I just think it would be lovely if people everywhere would view breastfeeding as the most natural, logical thing.  I never want to hear another story of a woman being told to feed her child in the bathroom or being given dirty looks for nursing in public.  I would love to hear mothers, aunts, grandmothers, sisters and husbands encouraging the new moms in their families to breastfeed.  A positive environment can go a long way for a new mom who is nursing. All of us can support them. Yes, it can have its challenges, so negative comments, or talk of giving up breastfeeding, in favor of what is "easier", can be very discouraging to an already tired mom.

We are supposed to be an evolved society.  Let's behave as such and encourage all new moms to give their babies the best possible start in life by breastfeeding.  It has been scientifically proven to be the superior baby food, the absolute best thing we can nourish our babies with.  Don't they deserve our absolute best?

Feeding my family and getting organized

I am now a mom with all of my children in school. This has been quite the transition for me, much more difficult than I ever could have imagined. I still work part time, and right now hours at work are fairly low. I have been immersing myself in getting caught up around the house. Life was pretty chaotic when we married a year-and-a-half ago. My husband was working his usual 60+ hours every week, I was working 20 hours a week, and we merged our families and had to figure things out as we went along.

When we all moved into our lovely home, some things never really got unpacked, and some things that did, never really got a home. So I've been catching up and organizing like crazy. I am currently obsessed with a few organizing blogs: iheartorganizing.blogspot.com, orgjunkie.com (I'm an Organizing Junkie). These women have great ideas and are inspirational.

I am also putting a concerted effort into the art of feeding my family. I have learned so much about the crap that passes for food in our country, and just how imortant it is to read labels and be proactive about what we bring home and prepare for our families to eat. I absolutely adore Jessica Seinfeld's two cookbooks- Deceptively Delicious and Double Delicious. Both books feature recipes that include sneaking vegetable purees into dishes that even picky kids and husbands will like. I am making better use of my slow cooker, thanks to the A Year of Slow Cooking blog.

A cupcake I made from Deceptively Delicious- it has pumpkin puree and a yummy cream cheese frosting with a bit of cinnamon added. No plastic-y frosting and the kids loved it!

Something else that has intrigued me: making bento lunches for my kids! This is a whole thing in japanese culture. And now American moms all over the place are creatively cutting out veggie, cheese and fruit shapes, sometimes making faces on them, and tucking them artfully into teeny silicone holders that form to the corners of the lunchboxes, keeping everything beautiful, fresh, and neat for lunchtime. I even discovered hard boiled egg molds! You peel warm eggs and put them into the various molds, submerge them in cold water for a few minutes, and voila! Your child gets to enjoy a bunny-shaped egg for lunch later. There are so many moms blogging about this- taking pictures of what containers they use and what yummy, pretty lunches their kiddos get to enjoy. I was so excited to get started with my bento lunches, that yes, I too took pictures.

My first bento-style lunch. I have since bought larger silicone "cupcake" holders to hold trail mix, fruit, and the hard-boiled eggs in various shapes. The kids are really enjoying these!

So in addition to sharing all that is crazy in our blessed, child-rearing, family-blending lives, I will pass along some practical things that are making our family life easier, healthier, or enriching it in any way. After all, we mommies need to stick together!