A Week In The Life...

Weaning Chronicles - Day 8

Well, we're a day off schedule because of vaccinations yesterday at his 1-year appointment making Wyatt so fussy that I didn't have the heart to take away another feeding. Today we've eliminated our morning feeding leaving only those at bedtime and throughout the night. What's really hilarious is that since we've begun this weaning process when Wyatt is presented with a breast he let's out this diabolical laugh and comes running!

Later in the day 8 UPDATE: (I'm a poet and didn't know it ;)
I was finally able to get Wyatt to drink from a bottle today!!! YAY!!! To smoothly transition his tastebuds to good ole moo cow's milk I blended 4 ounces of Vanilla PediaSure with 4 ounce of whole milk and tossed in 3 scoops of powder formula for the extra nutrients--baby's one year check up didn't show a weight gain from his 9 month check up due to all the ear infections he's been having which is a whole other post that is soon to come--and after 3 or 4 attempts at prodding, he gulped that bottle right on down. What a relief, this is going to make things SO much easier! :)

Coming Clean

Give me warmth, indeed. That was the title of my last post, except for that latter word, and boy, did Mother Nature deliver giving us almost 80-degree weather in February, so odd that it confused the daffodils and cherry blossoms into blooming! Now, it's March and although not quite spring yet, the warm weather is much more seasonable and so comes with that, spring cleaning. I've always questioned this urge to clean when the weather becomes nice out. You would think one should want to clean in the wintertime when they are bundled up in warm houses, out of the cold with nothing else to do. Of course when bundled up so nice and cozy with loved ones, namely the dog peacefully curled up sleeping at your feet, who can really stand to move and wake him. Not me. And so, spring cleaning it is.

I got this so-called spring cleaning urge yesterday when finishing some last touches at the house before everyone arrived for Wyatt's party. I was steam cleaning the kitchen floor, (which by the way if any of my crawling or toddling baby mama's out there don't already have one of these...run, run, run to the store to get one, it is amazing! No more nasty mops, buckets, or mop water to contend with and you don't have to worry about harmful chemicals because it steams and sterilizes with hot water alone. Most importantly, it is lightweight and so easy to use that you can use it every day). But as I was saying, I was steam cleaning the kitchen floor when I noticed that my cleaner didn't quite get into the corners of the underside of the cabinets, you know where those stray bread crumbs run to hide after you've made the kid's lunches the night before school? So, there I was, down on my knees with a wet paper towel wiping down these corners....

In the middle of writing this blog I found out that someone that I used to know passed away after an almost 6 year battle with breast cancer. I'm completely heartbroken at hearing this unfortunate news. I didn't know her terribly well, in fact, I met her through my old boss who introduced me to Silpada jewelry, and in turn, to Tara, who was very successful in the company. I got together with Tara several times hosting parties for her in my home. One of those times she brought two of her daughters, both just as sweet and lovely as she was. She hoped to recruit me as a representative working under her and while I was interested, the timing just wasn't right. Tara was an incredibly genuine person, her smile infecting anyone it came in contact with. Happy, my old boss and I used to playfully joke about how she always answered her phone, with a cheerful and emphatic "HI Christy!!!" She was pure sunshine, the kind of person we can all only hope to be in this lifetime and yet I find it so dishearteningly unfair that she had to leave this earth, her husband, and four beautiful girls behind while other people, horrible people like Michael Vick and Scott Peterson, are allowed to share the same air we breathe.

In saying all of this, I originally intended this blog to be about cleaning or coming clean, as it were, an idea that just seems so trivial now, petty even. With Tara in mind, I think I'll leave the last of those bread crumbs in the corner of my kitchen floor to congregate with their families for a little while longer. I can clean another day. I want to spend a little extra time with my family...time that is so incredibly precious. You should do the same, dear reader. Rest in peace, sweet Tara.

Weaning Chronicles - Day 4

So far, so good...today will be Wyatt's 4th day without a daytime feeding. I'm planning to begin phasing out our morning feeding on Tuesday giving him a full week without daytime feedings. I don't want to rush things as you can see from the photo of the day, he's still having a bit of a hard time. I've been keeping him sustained during the day with Pediasure and snacks, his current favorite (and mine): Vanilla Cupcake Graham Goldfish. Delicious!

Happy Birthday Wyatt!!!

Dang, this year FLEW by!!!

Weaning Chronicles: Day 1

Here we go...well, I successfully managed to cut out Wyatt's daytime feeding yesterday. I kept him preoccupied with other snacks and drinks. Hopefully we can keep this up for the next week or so and then we'll work on cutting out our morning feeding.

Give Me Warmth

Today, the first of February, it was an unseasonably 70 degrees outside. Typically, February is the coldest month of the year for all of us here in Virginia but given the warmth of the season, so far--it has been so much like spring that bees, snakes, and even daffodils have been sighted, all obviously confused by the warm weather--I'm not so sure that will hold true this year. While I do enjoy the loveliness of spring, I'm usually only prepared for it after a nice, chilly, snowy winter. Despite my disappointment in the lack of flurries I'm still holding out hope, after all it has been known to snow in April here, and I'd love a good snow day with the munchkins. In keeping with the recent warmth, I thought I'd share this fantastic excerpt from Hold Me Up A Little Longer, Lord by Marjorie Holmes. As the golden sun warmed my skin today, this prayer warmed my soul.

For All Warm Things
-A Winter Prayer-

For all warm things of this season I thank you, Lord.

For the warmth of my house as I come in cold from shopping.
For the Fragrant warmth of my kitchen as I turn on the oven and sift and measure and stire and bake. For the snug warmth of the bedrooms where (finally, after much commotion) my children sleep.

For the warmth of this cup of steaming coffee in my hand as I settle down (exhausted, and at last) before the fire that dances so warm and festive on the grate.

And for warm clothes, Lord. These slippers, this rob--all the untidy closets bursting. That car coat tossed across the chair. And the car itself, a warm car to take us places (once we get it started). And those warm places: the homes of neighbors, friends, a warm church to worship in.

And the warm people there. The warm smiles and greetings. The generosity and kindness of people everywhere.

I am full of this warmth, Lord. It comforts me, it calms me. It makes me feel a glow almost as rosy as the embers in the fireplace. I want all people to be warm and rested and at peace.

Thank you for this blessed season of warmth in the midst of so much that is chill and stormy. Let it draw all of us together against the coming cold.

Amen.