So, the blog...

has quite obviously gone private. It makes me a little sad because I feel like people won't be as likely to read it now, but it had to be done. Someday maybe I'll be able to be one of those cool bloggers who doesn't have to worry about it but now is not the time.

So, I've been a little discouraged, but I know if I don't keep up the writing my poor little bloggy will die a quick death. I certainly don't want that, so here I am!

Anyway -- I had to take off work early today because Ethan was inconsolable at daycare and they called me to come get him. I haven't really figured out what was wrong though, because Darrell took him to the Dr. and it isn't his ears. He seems to be feeling okay now, though he's still kind of cranky so we'll see how he does tomorrow. Darrell has a class this weekend so it's me and the boy for the weekend. Then on Monday evening we're picking up the girls and we'll be a family of 4 for some part of the summer at least. :)

Something to smile about

I've been informed that I've become a Sap. It's true, and I don't mind. So, in that vein... a new list.

Things that made me smile this week, in no particular order:

• Darrell going out to get chinese, even though he didn't want it.
• A military mom at the daycare, obviously tired from working a full day, taking time to skip up and down the sidewalk a few times with her son before putting him in the car.
• An older couple exchanging a quick parting kiss in the parking lot.
• The smell of sugar cookies.
• Ethan cooing and giggling at Ty every time he sets eyes on him, and then recoiling when Ty licks him in the face.
• Hearing from an old friend and finding out that she is also doing the mommy thing these days.
• The "It's a girl!" text message from Kevin after Jaime's appt. today
• Seeing my husband recognized for a job well-done and knowing that I am married to a good man.
• Ethan's horrified face when I offered him another taste of big-boy food. (Apparently the first time was a fluke, or he's changed his mind between now and then, because he was SO disgusted with me tonight.)

lately

There has been a whole heck of a lot going on in my head lately. Somehow though, I’ve had a hard time sitting down in front of the computer to blog it. I still find ways to compulsively show my life, in the form of tweets and facebook status updates --the subject of another blog post that has been brewing in my head—but am rarely in the frame of mind to crank out more than those 140 characters in any given moment.

So, here I sit, with one million new things to tell the blog world, but no idea where to begin. I know that if I write, in detail, about every little occurrence that I think should be shared no one will still be reading by the end. Enter, the Twitter inspired blog-list. I don't promise to strickly adhere to the character limit though, since I'm too lazy to count and blogger doesn't do it for me.

• Ethan: had another double ear infection that put him out of commission for three days, still travels only by rolling and tried big-boy food for the first time on Monday.
• Mother’s Day: Darrell bravely took the ailing baby for portraits, and happily, even got into a couple of the shots. I’m totally the luckiest mommy in the world.
• Darrell: Finished the semester from H-E-doublehockeysticks with A’s and B’s. I’m so proud, and feel like we both deserve a round of strong alcoholic beverage. We’d settle for a night out together though.
• Random: I can never spell the word ‘alcohol’ right the first time. Same with ‘Restaurant.’ This is why we have spell-check.
• Work: Some of the challenges are making me want to crawl under a rock, but I’m just so grateful that there are challenges.
• Girls: Will be here for the summer on the 24th. So happy about that but we’re scrambling to make plans for them during the day while we work.
• Sports: For some reason we watch basketball now.

Water Baby

Ethan, I have discovered, loves the shower. Sometimes instead of giving him a bath (which he also loves) I just bring him into the shower with me after I've washed my hair. He reaches over my shoulder to put his hand in the water, and when I turn so that the full force of the shower is on his back, he is completely content. He even lets me lean him back into the water to rinse his head off and doesn't seem to mind a little water getting on his face. Hopefully this means we can get him started early and he'll be the swimmer that Darrell and I definitely aren't.

Boobie Biters

So, Ethan started getting terribly fussy this afternoon, an hour or so after he woke up from his nap. I couldn't really figure it out, so I just went with it. Finally this evening, when I was watching him alternately yelling at and trying to chew a burp cloth to death I stuck my finger in his mouth to rub his gummies. That's when I discovered tooth number TWO. The first one has barely finished coming through completely and he already has another.

I've realized that I'm a little paranoid about being bitten, even though technically, WHILE he's nursing he can't bite me. I could get technical, but basically his tongue is in the way. It's when he gets bored with nursing, or is teething of course, that he might decide to do a little chomping. He has done that a little, but I'm keeping an eye on him...

In other news, I finally replaced the hard drive in my laptop, going from 80 GB to 300. It's nice to know I'm not going to run out of room for the one million pictures I take of Ethan daily. Like this cute one, where he's practicing his sitting-up skills

And this one, which we took today. We were just chilling together because Darrell was at drill all day. Chilling, way earlier than I would have wanted to be up though. Ethan woke up when Darrell left at 6 am and refused to go back to sleep. In fairness, that's in keeping with our normal weekday schedule, but I'd really have loved to get a little extra sleep. As it was I gave up hope and got out of bed about 7:30.

A Step in the Right direction

Okay, so I didn't realize how long my post had gotten last night until I reread it today. Whew, I can get so long-winded.

Today was great though. I got in touch with the woman I met at the gym and was so pleasantly surprised to find out that she is not far from me at all, and the little room she is going to let me use is absolutely perfect! It's a teeny little room, so not going to be high in demand, and it's easy-peasy to schedule. We just write ourselves into the book on the door for about a week in advance. Arlene (that's her name) said that occasionally she'll give us a call and try to reschedule something but it's rare. I am so, so, so happy. It's such a hassle to call every day to schedule the conference room, and even though the scheduler of the room is very helpful, I feel like I'm putting her out.

I confess, I was tired of the hassle today and just decided to pump in the bathroom. For some reason, the perfect system that I was using before was a disaster today. The pump kept trying to fall off of the place I normally prop it, and the whole time I was trying to pump there were these girls cleaning/restocking the bathroom and yammering really loudly about themselves, their marital status and that weird noise. So.... I guess it serves me right for heading back to the bathroom after I'd determined not to pump there again. I'm such a weakling :)

I've talked to a few people about my 'project' and have gotten some good ideas, but also the idea that it's going to take a while to get anything done. I guess I knew that. However, I'm going to start keeping notes and compiling a list of whatever breastfeeding resources I do come accross. Eventually maybe I can be a help to someone.

Backing up a little...

I realized after my short post this morning that it made no sense. Sometimes I map out a post in my head when I'm driving, or at work, or otherwise occupied and then never actually get around to writing it. Actually that happens quite a bit. With that being the case though, it's amazing how many hours I have spent staring at the blank expanse of the "new post" window and wondering what the heck I should write about.

Anyway I had intended to write a post about work and the breastfeeding atmosphere this weekend but I never got around to it.

It's not that it's such a terrible environment. I would say I'm actually quite fortunate to work in such a flexible environment while breastfeeding. As long as I work 8 hours a day within a flexible timeframe, no one really questions me. I can take breaks to pump, and if my 'lunch' at the daycare runs late I can just work a few minutes extra to make up for it.

So, the issue is definitely not lack of time, and since that's probably the biggest issue that most working, pumping moms face, I know I'm fortunate. Insanely so. The issue though, is a lack of facilities and formal support. Aside from a memo that basically says moms who choose to breastfeed and pump should be given time to do so in accordance with the limited duty regulations etc. there is not an actual policy regarding accommodations and support. SO I've been calling around and uncovered absolutely nothing. The problem is this: I know that there are rooms where moms pump. One of the clinics actually has a pumping room complete with pumps, the moms just have to bring their own accessory kit. A woman I met at the gym said that there is a conference room that pumping moms can schedule a time to use.

So, the resources that do exist can't be found. I've decided to make it my mission to raise some awareness and hopefully get a formalized policy in place. I'd like to see a resource webpage as well as a designated point of contact, so that new moms, new employees who are new moms and moms who may be in an unfamiliar building can find what's available. How awful would it be to find out there was a resource available when you had been pumping in an icky bathroom stall?

I did pump in a bathroom stall the first several weeks I was on the job. It was easier than trying to forge a relationship with the woman down the hall who schedules the conference room. As a brand new employee I was intimidated and felt bad enough sneaking away from my desk. A couple of weeks ago I decided I was done pumping in the bathroom just based on principle. So, save a week and a half when I was in training where I did pump in the very nice bathroom lounge thingy, I've been calling to use the conference room and even using my boss's office since she is out of town. After she gets back I'll obviously have to find some other arrangements when the one conference room I have access to is booked. Thankfully I already have a couple of leads on some other rooms.

Obviously though, it's a never-ending process just to have a place to pump. And it's exhausting. And time consuming.

So anyway (picture my mental headshake as I try to recover from distraction for the millionth time), last week someone I met while pumping in the bathroom forwarded me an e-mail that went out asking managers to get feedback and provide information on whether the current breastfeeding situation is adequate or whether an official policy needs to be implemented. I don't know if it was sent to my chain of command but I couldn't resist sending a rather long-winded e-mail giving my two-cents and requesting more info. I got a nice e-mail back from the EEO lady today thanking me for my comments and saying she had added them to what she submitted. Good thing she was so nice about it... I was hoping I hadn't overstepped my bounds since she wasn't in my group. I'm still trying to figure out how that works.

Soo.... that's what's going on in my mind these days :)