Wednesday, December 28, 2011

opinion please

So it's nap time and my back is out so i'm sitting on the couch browsing the web. Breastfeeding sites, pages, etc and I came across some pictures and I want your opinion.
The picture was of a father consoling his baby with his breast while (I believe) Mom was taking the picture?? Maybe she was busy and came in the room!?! I found the picture quite disturbing so I won't share it, but it got me to do some research on male lactation. I know that physiologically it 'is' possible, but I know that it isn't something that I find natural in any way. Yes, my girls have both been kangaroo(ing?) with Daddy and have found his breast, but he has immediately changed positions with them and if they were really hungry, passed them to me. So what do you think? Am I the only one that thinks that this is completely unnatural and IMO, wrong? And if you do see it differently, please let me know why.
Thanks :)

Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was busy, busy, busy! Thankfully the house was ready for Christmas before Josh got off work. He got off 2 hours early, which was a wonderful blessing because we were trying to figure out how to do all our Christmas Eve fun before bed...and wake up for church bright and early!
Before Daddy got home both girls decided that they wanted their hair in sponge rollers for Christmas. They made for some cute pictures!
The girls loved their new nightgowns and that their dolls got matching gowns!
After reading the Christmas Orange we settled down to listen to Josh read the Christmas story.

I just love this picture of Kira looking at the tree while Daddy reads the Christmas story.

Then it was time for thank you notes and milk and cookies for santa then off to bed where sugar plum fairies danced in each girl's head.






It wasn't too long before I was joining them. Both girls slept wonderfully through the night and I didn't. For the first time the baby was up ALL NIGHT doing flips in my tummy. I guess he (or she) were just too excited for Christmas dinner to sleep. It sure made me feel like a little girl again unable to sleep on Christmas Eve!

Christmas Memories


Christmas this year was great! We woke the girls up with just enough time to get ready for church. You would think that with it being Christmas morning Kira would have been excited and pop out of bed...wrong! Getting up by 8:15 was soo hard! Church was great. They had a beautiful Christ centered program that was such a wonderful way to bring into focus the true meaning of Christmas.
After church it was finally time to see what santa brought.

Rora got a trampoline and within 5 seconds of being on it, had fallen off :) Of course, we missed the falling picture.

Kira got a Our Generation (target version of American Girl) doll and couldn't be happier.

Rora's favorite gift was the chapstick that she got in her stocking.

Kira's was the sewing machine for her doll that Grandma gave her. The awe on her face when she finally opened it (after Santa didn't give it to her, even though it was the only gift she asked for...thanks for coming through with that Grandma!)


I had a couple favorite presents. Kira took the time to get presents for everyone. She gave Rora a mirror that Rora always plays with. It makes me so happy to see that she took the time to give her sister something so thoughtful. Kira also gave Josh and I a sweet present. She traced and cut out both hers and Rora's handprints and then taped them together. How sweet is she!?! I sure love my girls!

After presents we had a great time hanging out, playing with toys and later had friends over for Christmas dinner and of course, birthday cake. (No pictures as I was enjoying myself.)

It was a fantastic Christmas! Merry Christmas Everyone!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

3 Days Until Christmas

Only 3 days until Christmas and I am feeling fantastic! My house spotlessly clean, my children are happily eating vegetables and ignoring the leftovers from their gingerbread houses, bread is baking in my oven, all the presents are wrapped, etc, etc, etc! HAHAHA!
It was fun to dream right? Even though life isn't magically perfect, in some ways even though my house still needs quite a bit of TLC, there is store bought bread on my counter *shocked look* and Kira has spent the better part of the day "cleaning" her room, life is wonderful. Drama aside, stress aside and a baby who does not want to cooperate and show us if they are a boy or a girl(GRRR!)....Christ was born, he lived and because of that I am able to sit here and look at my Christmas tree while Kira tells me all about the wonderful star that was sent to let the world know the miracle that just took place.
Maybe one of these days I will have a clean home and my to do list crossed off, but until then I'm just grateful for my Saviour.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

TONIGHT HE IS YOURS
Tonight He is yours, Mary.
For this is the hour of His birth.
Count His little toes one by one.
A million mothers have counted newborn baby toes,
A million times before.
Marvel at His baby feet.
Tomorrow He will walk the shores of Galilee,
And there's a long hard hill ahead to climb called Calvary
But tonight He is yours.
See Him curl His tiny fingers around your own.
Out in the darkness of the night.
The deaf, the sick and blind await his touch.
But tonight His little hands are yours, alone.
Tenderly trace the outline of His lips.
Tomorrow flow the words of Life Eternal.
The world awaits the story of the lillies -
But baby lips were made to be caressed.
Touch His birth-wet hair and,
Kiss His soft, warm baby cheek.
Tomorrow the crushing multitudes will
Press and push and reach to
Touch the hem of His garment;
But tonight He is yours.
Hold Him, oh so close, to your heart.
Tomorrow He must be about His Father's business,
And all the world is waiting for salvation.
But tonight He is............................
Listen!
Can you hear the angels singing?
And look! The star's already shining.
Wrap Him in swadling clothes, Mary,
And lay Him in the manger
For shepherd will be knocking at your door.
-Leotha Wade Slagowski-

I read this poem just now and was brought back to Bethlehem and that joyous moment when MY Saviour was born. As a Mother I know how close Heaven is the moment my child is born. There is a reason I cry as I take my baby in my arms for the first time. And the same reason is making me tear up as I think about it now. There must have been so many extra emotions running through Mary's heart when Jesus was born. She knew who he was, why he was on the earth. And I know that she shed tears because her baby was born perfectly and heaven was there. Just like I do. Mary, thank you for bringing MY Saviour into the world. Thank you for sharing with me the story of his birth and making Christmas possible. Merry Christmas!

Being a Mom is tough...

Tonight is one of those nights where being a Mom is hard. I can handle fighting, potty training, tantrums, fits, etc...most of the time. There are times that I can't handle those things. Like 2 days ago. I was so sick of the girls touching the Christmas tree and almost knocking it over by falling into it that I snapped. I told Kira that next time she touched the tree she was going to bed. I know they were touching it last night, but I wasn't in the room and didn't see so I let it go. Tonight Kira walked past and pulled an ornament off, intending im sure, to place it somewhere else. So she went to bed. I hate that I let my frustration issue a huge punishment and I hate that I had to follow through with it. But as I sit here wondering if I did the right thing by putting her to bed, I am still torn. Do I follow through? Or am I lenient? Most of all I just wish that I hadn't let anger guide my parenting the other day. Tomorrow I want to be a better Mom...