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?! 

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

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.