Wordless Wednesday...

TMI? Maybe.

Ack! It’s 11:55. My designated spot in the Mothers’ Room (pumping room, milk mama room) is 11:30 and I missed it. I look online to find the calendar for the room, booked until 1:30. I have a 1:30 meeting. This means that the first time I will be able to pump in the room is 2:00. Doing this will not allow me the time to get in the two pumping sessions that I need so Addie has enough milk for tomorrow.

Now what? I will try the bathroom in the basement. Damn! It’s in use, back to my desk. Minutes later I try again. Score! Bathroom is open. Not Score! Bathroom smells like pooh.

I stopped using the bathroom basement to pump when they changed the amount of time needed between motion and the lights turning off but this was going to have to work, I am in a pinch.

I wash my hands, plug my nose (not literally, as I need two hand to pump) and get my gear all set up. After 10 minutes… bam, darkness. Now what? I stand, breast shields attached to the boobs (sorry, dad) and it’s pitch black in this room. Now this wouldn’t be so bad if the light sensor like at Babies R Us and Archivers (yes, I’ve pumped in these places too) was in the room. I’ve danced around, breast shields attached (sorry anyone else who didn’t really want this vision) and the lights miraculously turned back on. However, in the bathroom in the basement of MPR the sensor is OUTSIDE of the room. And not just outside the room, outside the door and down a little hallway. It’s not like I can just scoot down there, breast shields attached and wave my hand in front of the light switch. Can you imagine?

So, I stand in the bathroom, which is not an ideal place anyway to be making my babies food, in the dark. I close my eyes and think a variety of things: why oh why me? I hate pumping! How do other mothers do this? I’m just not cut out to be a mom. I’m selfish and I don’t want to pump another stinkin’ day!

I turn off my pump, pack up my gear all by feel hoping that I don’t tip over the four ounces that I’ve managed to pump down the drain because I can’t SEE to put the caps on! I pull my 10 pound pump up over my shoulder, walk down the pitch black hallway and click, the light turns on.

It’s been eight months and thirteen days since I’ve been pumping. A month ago Addie got her first tooth. She bites me at the end of every nursing session, every single one. I tell myself every week that I will no longer pump, but I keep going and going.

Two wheels! (Okay, four)

The boy is growing so fast and in some ways I feel sad for the toddler he no longer is, but excited for the boy he's becoming. As he rode away from me for the first time on his new bike tears rolled down my face. I don't cry easily, never at a Hallmark commercial but seeing my first baby turning into a little boy is hard for me to accept some days.

Jackson was a little leery at first about shopping for a new bike but he did show some excitement. He's a cautious kid and at this time scares easily and is afraid of new things. I was fully prepared to have Ron spend the time constructing the bike and Jackson refusing to get on it. However, this time was different, Jackson was excited to try out the new bike. He got on after some instruction from Dad and before we knew it, he was doing circles around Dad's van.

Jackson even rode down the block with me to get our mail and all the way back on his own. I'm so proud of that boy. And I think I told him so oh.... sixteen times last night!

Knock, Knock...

Out of nowhere and very random Jackson says to Ron:

Jackson: What did the underwear say to the pull-up?
Ron: (Confused, but playing along) I don't know, what?
Jackson: Underwear can't talk!!! Ha ha ha ha!

Where does he learn this?

8 months

Addie is 8 months old today, and time is passing us by faster than ever. Seems like just yesterday I was feeling her kick inside my belly.

At 8 months Addie is...

- babbling up a storm.

- about to get her very first tooth.

- is content much of the time.

- likes playing with dad's watch and mom's necklace.

- thinks her big brother is the greatest.

- sleeps mosts nights through until 6 am.

- likes her bath, swinging and being snuggled most.

- is still nursing.

- spent her first night away from home at Grandma Pam's house.

- in a carseat facing backward. (She grew out of her infant seat)

Moustached Man?

Easter in Photos...

Dying eggs. As Easter neared I opted for just using traditional Easter egg dyes. Maybe next year I will try a better approach.


Making cookies. After cutting out two or three Jackson said: "This has worn me out, I'd better go watch a t.v. show.


But he did come back in for the decorating round.



Jackson found his Easter basket hidden under his orange stool in the kitchen. I told him that the Easter bunny had a hurt foot and couldn't make it up or down the stairs so his basket would be hidden on the main level. He found it all on his own.


Addie liked the grass in the basket, so we had to be extra careful.


Addie in her Easter dress.


Cousin Dame holding Addie.


And the hunt begins.

Random Thoughts...

I wish I could post my Easter pictures today, but there was not time to download them.

Addie says Mama and Dadda! It's so adorable, I love that she's babbling and saying words. She talks mostly when no one is looking at her and she's playing alone and when she's being changed on the changing table.

Addie is wearing 12 month clothes. She still fits into 9 month, but they are a bit snug. I broke down and put Addie in an adorable dress for Easter. I had purchased a springy pant outfit, but decided at the last minute to be impractical and put on tights!

Jackson has had a really great week of listening and I am so proud of how much he is helping out. Yesterday at the Easter gather he had some moments... he bullied his much bigger cousin Luke and got in hot water! Grrr. But he was without a nap and had far more sugar than any little one should.

Ron's dad is failing and needs 24 hour care. This means that we have lost our great babysitter, Grandma Jan, for now. We have a new nanny that we are trying out starting next week. She'll work for us most of the day and Grandma Jan will take over for the last couple hours of the day. This arrangement will work until Jackson's old teacher is done with school at St. Ben's... she'll be taking over for the summer.

We are lucky to have great family members. Mom, Bill, Mell and Terry came over this weekend and helped us with yard work. The previous owners of our home did not keep up with the bushes and trees, so there was a lot of work to be done. I feel so relieved to get help with the major things and now we'll be able to keep up along the way. It's so hard to get big projects like this done with two little ones.

When the MN Rollergirls start up again next season... you should go. What fun, it's a hoot.

Jackson likes to bake. When asked "would you rather watch a t.v. show or bake with mom?" he bakes with mom. I was hoping a bit that he would choose to watch a show so I could get the baking done with less mess, but he's always fun to have in the kitchen.

Baseball season has begun. Jackson told us during the first exhibition game that he was a "Cardinal Fan" Uh? HELLO? THIS house is a Twins house. Any Cardinal fans want a three year old boy?

Thank You Easter Bunny...

Decorating Christmas trees is not enough. The tradition has been started to now decorate the tree at Easter time as well. Grandma Pam and Bill brought over Easter eggs to hang from the tree in the front yard. Jackson had a blast hanging them and deciding which color should be tied to each branch. Since they have been hanging he's also getting a kick out of batting them around.

The eggs have been hard-boiled, so next up is dying. Anyone know of a natural way to dye eggs? The shells of eggs are porous and I don't like the idea of ingesting the chemicals that are used in egg dyes. Perhaps I will be using blueberries and beets this year?



There should be a green one here, please!