Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Milk a goat

At some point in high school my parents decided we need a milk goat. Sure great idea. Oh boy I hated to milk that goat. Every morning really early I had to get up, in the cold and milk the stupid stinky goat. I whined about it everyday. Now that I'm grown, married, and in charge of grocery shopping, I decided we needed a milk goat too. And you know what? I love it! 
The milk is easier on my stomach and my baby's too. He seems to get real colicky when I drink cows milk.
Yes she stinks and early winter mornings are no fun but she's become part of the family. We also have one of her kids from her last batch. She's now two and, cross your fingers, pregnant. We're working on drying up sweetheart, the milking nanny, so that when belle drops her baby's we can switch milkers and breed sweetheart again. It's been a strange experience drying her up. I suddenly have half as much milk and have to buy a gallon from my parents. The taste is so different. It's amazing the difference location and feed will have on milk. 
We've recently started letting the girls out to graze the weeds down, not recommended if you're actually drinking the milk, weeds give it a.. weedy taste. It's been funny to watch them wander the yard and follow my husband and I around. I've always teased my husband that his horses are big puppy's. Now we have two more. They even wag their tails and rub up against you for some loving. 
We also let the baby play with them. He loves animals and just laughs when he's near them. Hopefully growing up with animals and chores he won't hate it as much as I did.



Monday, August 19, 2013

A few of my favorite things

Julie Andrews and The Sound of Music comes to mind right?
My favorite things aren't quite so poetic or musical but just as wonderful.
My rocking chair. - I spend a large portion of my day in this chair. I love how comfortable it is.
Hearing my husband pull into the driveway. - After spending the day being mom it's nice to have daddy come home so I can relax and find me again.
Feeding my baby. - Breastfeeding has become a huge part of my life. And such a wonderful part at that. I love the bonding and closeness. I'm so grateful it has been such an easy journey for me. 
Holding my baby. - He is the bright spot in my world. Motherhood is amazing. 


Thursday, August 15, 2013

An exercise in futility

Breastfeeding, ever done it? Rough stuff. First there is the initial mind numbing pain of getting the baby to latch, then the next two weeks of sore nipples, cracking, blistering, and the bleeding, oh the bleeding. After week 3 it is sweet bliss, the baby latches well and is gaining weight. Bonus side effect momma is dropping weight like she has a tape worm. And then momma discovers she's starving. So she eats like it's her last meal. All. day. long. Now it's time to exercise.


 And then feed the baby again, and then eat again. How do you balance the hunger with the needed calories to upkeep healthy nursing baby and still drop the rest of the baby weight? It's a question that remains unanswered. 
All I can do is take it one day at a time, one walk at a time, one... oh is that a donut?! 


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Sweet summer time

I am loving summer this year. It's always my favorite time of year by far, but this year it has been awesome. I have been able to spend the warm days gardening, camping, and plenty of swimming. 
All of this has been accomplished with my favorite new guy by my side. I love experiencing motherhood and learning how to do all my normal things all over again. 
The best parts of motherhood: 
Seeing my sweet baby smile
Hearing him giggle at his daddy
Snuggling him to sleep
Watching him discover new things
Knowing someday soon he'll learn to say, Momma

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Parenting advice

What so you do when someone; a close friend, in law, random stranger, offers you unsolicited parenting advice and it makes you feel like dirt? Of course there is the "take it with a grain of salt" method, but until you figure out how to deal, what do you do when they make snide remarks about your mistakes and learning experiences? 
It's a frustrating world we live in. Filters are gone and people just say what they think. Sure honesty is a valued trait but rudeness is not. 
I understand others have been there done that, with their own children, but this is my child, my parenting experience, my mistakes, my time to learn. I need to find a way to kindly say, "thanks for the advise but I'm going to try it my way. You can keep your opinions on parenting to yourself and your partner. In good going my thing." Right now it just comes out, back off jerk you don't know me!"
Maybe I have issues... We'll discuss that another time.