Marriage

I found this poem today - I love it. I think it's perfect in its wording. 

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

on marriage - kahlil gibran

Natalie - Month Four

Age: 4 months 

Weight: 12 lb, 1 oz

Height: 24 inches

Clothes: 3-6 months 

Natalie,

You are 4 months old girl! You are a giggling, happy, hilarious baby. Most of the time anyway. 

You love when we play with your legs, from "run piggies" to "toes to the nose". You giggle like crazy when we lift you in the air, when we dance with you, and when we bounce you on our laps. Your smile is infectious and huge. You talk like crazy to us, and include some screams as well. Because, well, you must be heard. 

You recognize your grandmas on FaceTime too. You know the sound of the camera ringing, and look straight towards it, waiting for one of them to answer. 

Bedtime is strict, set by you of course. If you miss bedtime by more than a half hour, and if it's not in your bed, it's awful to get you down. Like, screaming bloody murder. Hopefully we can get you to be more flexible, because it makes game night hard (or impossible). We've actually had to leave because you wouldn't calm down. And when you get mad, you scream until your face is as red as a tomato. And tears! Oh baby girl you cry real tears now. I think we'll see plenty more as your stubborn Irish personality developes. ;)

Over the next month we have tons of weddings to go to and your first plane ride! 

Lots of love, 

Mama

9 years.

Today, Sean and I have been together for 9 wonderful years.

It's crazy to me. Absolutely crazy how we've changed, grown, and become closer.

Milestones over these last 9 years?

240,000 miles driven
12 moves
10 states travelled to
4 countries visited
2 pets
2 Bachelor degrees
1 Juris Doctorate
1 house
1 baby

Here's to many more!!!

Breastfed or not?

How in the world do I answer this question?

My daughter gets breast milk every time she eats.

She has never nursed.

She only knows how to drink from a bottle.

I can't tell you the amount of articles I read that nursing is best and breastfeeding is only natural. It drives me crazy. You know what happened to babies that couldn't breastfeed? They died. Yeah. How about keeping my kid alive is best? Some babies can't nurse (Natalie included - she has a ridiculously small mouth - she'll need a jaw expander by the time she's 8 or 9). Some babies are breastmilk intolerant (did you know you could be allergic to what you're supposed to drink?). Some babies are allergic to things like supplemental iron or vitamin D - things that their mothers could be required to take. Some moms have to take medication that babies can't have.

Guess what?

It. Doesn't. Matter.

Is your baby eating? Is it growing and thriving?

Then it doesn't matter what you feed your baby.

For now, I say Natalie is breastfed. She may not take the breast itself, but everything she eats is from it. I still feel a little guilty lying about it. Often, I explain why I exclusively pump. I think it's a world that not too many mamas know exists, and support in a pumping world is definitely needed.