LOL!

http://www.themompetition.com/2010/11/why-first-time-moms-lose-their-minds.html

You must watch this!
I am implementing "Sunday Funnies," meaning a new funny video every Sunday for a good belly laugh. Enjoy this one from Mompetition!

Let Them be Children

Earlier this week I was chatting with a friend and the topic of children behaving in public came up. Since I work in a store frequented by moms with kids and am a mom myself, I feel like I have a lot to say about this. In my opinion, children should be taught at an early age how to act in public. This includes basic manners (please and thank you), how to wait your turn, staying close to mom in stores, keeping hands to yourself, indoor voices, and so on. I don't expect children to act like mini-adults in any sense, but I do expect them not to act like wild animals.

My friend believes that children should always be allowed to act like children regardless of where they are, meaning it's okay to kick, scream, fight, and go crazy in stores or at friend's houses. I believe there is a time and place for this and it's not Walmart. Concidently, I was at Walmart today

Parenting Advice from the Childless

One or two days a week I work at a children's resale shop, and I really enjoy working there. That said, you meet some pretty "interesting" people. Today, for instance, I was chatting with a childless co-worker who decided it was appropriate to give me parenting advice. I generally loathe unsolicited advice and rarely give it out myself, so it took all I had to keep my thoughts to myself. I won't bother you with what she said because it was pretty useless.

Normally I just brush off the unwanted advice and in some cases even get a nice private giggle from it, but this time it really angered me. I wouldn't dream of dolling out advice on puppy training, ballet, or deep sea fishing because I know nothing about them. I have never participated in that particular activity, so I have nothing substantial to contribute to the discussion of it. I have no idea why people feel the need to comment on your parenting choices if they themselves are not parents.

That is just my little rant for the day. Something more positive and substantial to come tomorrow.

How my C-Section Changed My View of Parenting

Natural parents don’t have cesareans. In fact, they don’t even cover them in most natural childbirth classes. My particular class glossed over them with the sentiment that pity was to be taken on all c-section moms and this was something that was inherently bad. I was determined to have a medication free, vaginal childbirth. Unfortunately, my body had other plans.

I quickly found myself in the midst of a true emergency cesarean, akin to the ones the show on TLC specials. I had too much amniotic fluid which hid the fact my son’s umbilical cord completely prolapsed cutting off my son’s Oxygen supply. When my usually ultra calm, happy-go-lucky, super Southern OBGYN began yelling at me; I knew something was gravely wrong. In a flurry of nurses, needles, and chaos my son was born healthy.

I didn’t see my son until four hours after birth. I felt so detached when they let me catch a glimpse of him through the nursery window. I always thought I would have this cathartic, tear filled emotional experience when I first laid eyes on my baby, but all I wanted to do was go to my recovery room and rest.

My son’s birth was the worst day of my life, and I felt like I had failed as a parent. Everyone around me told me to focus on my son and forget the rest, but I couldn’t. I had failed at the most basic aspect of mothering, birth.  I quickly spiraled into depression and spent the next few months beating myself up over my failings. I did this until my last post-partum check-up when I met my OB’s new midwife. She took the time to care for my emotional self, and told me that cesarean birth does not make you any less of a woman. She recharged my spirit and empowered me to begin the healing process.

It took time for me to realize that being a mother is not about how closely you stick to your birth plan or how long you exclusively breastfeed. Being a good mother is about loving your child, sacrificing for your child, and doing the best you can for them. Many woman I’ve talked with feel as though they have failed after having a cesarean, supplementing with formula,  failing to cloth diaper, going back to work, buying jarred baby food, and a whole host of other things.

It’s okay, and perfectly normal, to grieve your birth experience. You can still be a “natural” parent, or an attachment parent, or any kind of parent you want to be regardless of your birth experience.  Parenting is all about adapting to changes and loving your children with all your heart.

Who I am

I am a stay-at-home mama of my little Ham. He has the personality of seven babies and a new obsession with his tounge and toes. He is just under five months old and consumes most of my life nowadays. Somehow I also find time to be a full-time student, a wife to my high school sweetheart, a very part-time thirft store employee, and an amateur vocalist.

I also dabble in cooking, sewing, painting, audio engineering, scrapbooking, photography, and writing.

All-in-all I am a pretty ordinary Midwestern twenty-something.