Saturday, August 27, 2011

Romance

growing up i based all my romantic chivalrous behavior on '80's romances involving john cusack, molly ringwald, patrick dempsey and mary stewart masterson. but really, who didn't? i wanted the boombox blasting peter gabriel outside my bedroom window, attached to john cusack of course. i wanted the guy who i was best friends with to fall in love with me and give me pearl earrings, it wouldn't have hurt if he was eric stoltz as well. i wanted the hunky senior who i had a crush on to take notice of me and give me my first kiss on a glass table a la jake ryan. i wanted to ride off in the sunset on a lawnmower with patrick dempsey. i wanted THE make up kiss during the school dance, of course i rallied for ducky instead of blaine, but you get the picture. alas none of this happened. all of my reality was awkward, and not in a cameron crowe/john hughes kinda way. well, there really isn't any point to all of this, i love these movies and associate them with my growing up even though they have nothing to do with it. they put romantic notions never fulfilled in my head. the thing is, i'm okay with it. i think having my dreams in romance is better than none at all. so, thank you '80's romances, you have made my life a better place.

say anything

some kind of wonderful

sixteen candles

can't buy me love


pretty in pink

photos found on google

Monday, August 15, 2011

Date Night

it is so nice to spend some much needed one on one time with my Greek. we went bowling at dustbowl lanes downtown. this hole in the wall bowling alley looks much different than the empty warehouse that i refused to enter a couple years ago:) we had fun, we both own our own shoes and balls, we look like complete bowling dorks walking in with our bowling bags. i look such like a bowling poser, i am not good, but i own the gear. how could i pass up the opportunity to own my very own cute bowling shoes with flowers on them? after 2 beers, 10 pounds of cheesy tater tots, and 2 games we went to go see a little matisyahu at the cain's. i love matisyahu, i am not into jam band music but i do have a thing for his music and message. we listened to a couple songs and left, i can't handle glowing hula hoop jam band dancers. we went to ya-ya's to go pick up our bouncing bundle of joy and had lemon meringue pie! great night out.





Friday, August 12, 2011

Breastfeeding a One Year Old


in the US the statistic for people who still breastfeed at one is 22%, that is up from the 15% that was reported years ago. i am not sure the percentage of people in the US that go on after that year, but the fact that the american board of pediatrics only recommend a year vs the world view of at least two years might mean that number is low. breastfeeding is something i always wanted to do with my children. it was a no brainer. when juniper was born i went right to work trying to do what was natural. it never happened. juni and i struggled so hard to breastfeed. we went to lactation consultants, the la leche league, moms, books, anything to help me. it just wasn't going to work, but instead of me giving up my precious liquid gold and going to formula, i pumped. this was a hard choice for me, it was a hard choice for my body, but gosh-darndit, i did not want to buy formula and we have all heard it, "breast is best." my pump and i were best friends till about 6 months when the stress of exclusively pumping milk on demand for my daughter caught up with my body and my ample supply of milk dried up. i felt like i was a loser, like i wasn't a mom, like i couldn't do my job correctly. it was a hard thing to do, to let go of that breastmilk halo over my head. with lots of love and support i got through it, and when beila came along i was a blessed with a very hungry and snugly breastfeeding champ! we had a great run, 13-14 months, i can't remember. i only stopped because i wanted my body back, i would have gone on forever if i didn't feel like i needed my boobies back, the endorphins running through my body really wanted to stay there, I wanted them to stay there. i was so excited when i found out i was with child for the third time, one of the first things i thought of was breastfeeding!!! i couldn't wait. feeding popi was not without sleepless nights and struggles with the boob. we had plenty of that, the first 2 weeks were hard, but we kept at it, stayed calm, and carried on. we have been breastfeeding exclusively now for one year last tuesday:) she never would take a bottle or a pacifier, that is hard sometimes. beila was amazing, took a paci, bottle filled with b-milk, and boob. i should never compare kids. now i am at the one year mark with kalliope, she is so funny with the breastfeeding. one of her first signs many months ago was milk, she sticks her little fist out and squeezes her hand open and close over and over till she gets my attention. now a days the fist pump happens, she grabs at my shirt, when access is granted she does this dive bomb move, she opens her mouth and face plants my boob, and i mean face plants, she is intense. then there is her new new thing she does while eating, she sticks her bootie in the air while nursing, like she is standing up but still latched on, she wiggles and wiggles on her shaky legs while standing there in this odd position, it is so funny, i took video of it so i can remember it. so, i'm thinking i am just going to take this as far as she wants, but then i think about the kids who ask for "milk" and get freaked out. we are only a year, i don't have anything to worry about right now, i know i might catch some flack from some random peeps out there who see me feed my babe in public, but that is just their weird hang-up, they don't know who they are messing with.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Happy First Birthday Kalliope!

it's been a wonderful year with popi in our lives. looking forward to many more birthdays!






Wednesday, August 3, 2011

music That Moves You

i tried to think of just five albums that have shaped me, that move me, but there are six. these albums have been a part of me for most of my life. they are the kind of music that washes over you, gives you tingles up and down your arms. i can sit with my eyes closed and let the music take me away, they are magical to me. what kind of music takes you over?

THE CURE, DISINTEGRATION



THE SMITHS, RANK



ANDREAS VOLLENWEIDER, CAVERNA MAGICA



THE PIXIES, SURFER ROSA



NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL, IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA



PAUL SIMON, GRACELAND

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Please Excuse ME

i have been exhausted, i come to bed and fall flat. i don't have any energy to write. things will get back to normal soon, things will calm down, i will get used to our new way of life. i have a lot to catch up on with you:)