Support

I realized today that it has been a while since I have sent an update or any thoughts on life. So here we go! The kids are both doing great. Barrett is wonderful to have around and is really starting to get into a grove and settle on a good schedule that meshes well with everyone else. He is a great nursing baby and is always eager to eat when he is hungry. I think he will grow fast and continue to eat well. He also sleeps very well which as you know is every mother’s concern. He wakes up once sometimes twice a night, around 1 or 2 am and then again at either 4:30 or 6 am. I guess it just depends on how he feels. I personally like it best when he waits to eat until 2am and then not again until 6am. Other than that he is pretty much a go with the flow kind of guy. This is good since his sister has stuff she likes to do as well.

Isabelle is doing great and is adjusting very well to having Barrett around. She adds new words and understanding to her little world everyday. Ben and I really think she is something pretty special. But we are a little bit biased. But who would not be with two wonderful children. She helps out with putting Barrett’s diapers in the trash for, since the diapers I made him were all to small from the get go. Who would have thought that one, the pattern would run small and two that he would have been so big. Oh well, that just means I get to be a little more creative the next go around and figure out what will work the best for him.

As a side note I hope that everyone would openly support breastfeeding. After all that is what God intended the breast to be made for, not just as a sex object. The August issue of Baby Talk, magazine has a picture of a baby nursing, in profile, on the front cover. Over 700 people, including women who breastfeed, have written in to complain about the cover. Rather than show support or nature at its best. I hope that if you see a breastfeeding mother that you would tell her she is doing great and to keep up with nursing, instead of adverting your eyes or just walking by. For some women it takes courage to nurse in public while for others it is just a matter of daily life. That is how it is for me and many of you know that I would be the first person to make someone feel poorly for not showing support of a breastfeeding mother, no matter how old her child is. As with Isabelle I plan to nurse Barrett until he is done with “mommy milk,” no matter how old he is, nursing will always be an open option for him.

My irritation runs deep when you hear stories about women who are asked to leave stores, restaurants or parks because they have chosen to nurse their child. In most states, it is against the law to turn a woman away because she chooses to nurse. And for those people who have a problem with it they need to write their State Representative, instead of making rude comments towards the mothers. Fortunately for those negative people out there no one has made a comment to me or turned me away from any place I choose to nurse my child. After all it is his birth right.

Well enough for today and my soap box, but please do show your support for nursing mothers everywhere by congratulating those mothers who you see nursing. It is not so easy for everyone, as it has been for me.

New Arrival

Ok so I am a little slow with the update but here we are now. A family of four! We are three no more. We are very excited to announce the birth of Baby “O” at last. And so we welcome our new addition of Barrett Jack to the family tree. Big sister Isabelle is starting to figure out that Barrett is here to stay and I’m sure it will be no time at all before she figures out how much fun he will be to have around.

We did pick the day the Barrett would arrive which it seems to have turned out to be a great decision, because we could not be happier to have him home. Plus he was so big I think that if we let him stew any longer he would have been that much bigger. But you can never tell with these things.

Barrett is doing great, he nurses like a champ and is sleeping really well too. Only time will tell how that will go in later days. He has enjoyed much attention from Grandpa and Oma in the first few days of his life and will love all the attention he gets from everyone else when he gets the chance to meet them.

Isabelle can say brother and Barrett so we are well on our way to having a great big sister who loves to help out. She will bring over his diapers and try to get him clothes, if only she knew where to find his clothes. I’m sure one day I will find her trying to put on some of her clothes on Barrett who will most likely just sit there and not say anything about it. Needless to say she is adjusting very well to having baby brother at home. Plus I think with Grandpa and Oma here she has been seen to pretty well.


Mom and Dad are pretty happy as well and are doing great. Ben was a supper star during labor and delivery. He really helped me get through it all. The real challenge was waiting for the doctor to arrive when I really wanted to push, the nurses were saying, no you need to wait. But once the doctor arrived we got down to business and Barrett was out in six (6) minutes. I thought it was much longer but apparently not. I think they were all very surprised. I even remember apologizing for taking so long, now that seems a little funny to me. So for future reference, in my opinion, squatting while pushing out baby is the best way to go.

I even heard Ben say that we can wait to find out the sex again at birth. He decided that was pretty cool. I would have to agree, to here those words or see for the first time was just amazing. I think I even cried. I am very happy to have Barrett here in the world with us, not just because I am no long prego but also because we now have this new wonderful life to care for and love. Who could ask for a better gift?