Week Thirty-Three: The Great Minnesota Get Together

I love the state fair. I'm not entirely sure why. I think maybe because it is something Mike and I both really truly enjoy together. No matter the reason, it a highlight of every summer for us.

It's always such a bittersweet thing to look forward to. I'm excited for the fair. I'm excited for my birthday that always happens during the fair. But I'm not excited to be back at work. And I'm not excited summer is over. 

But what a fun last hurrah of summer! The food is obviously my favorite. Nearly everything else is tied for second. Except the rides. The only reason the rides should be allowed to exist is for the pretty lights. Call me crazy, but there's no way I'm getting on a ride that can collapse down into a semi trailer for easy transportation. Hells to the no! I like my rides firmly cemented into the ground!

This weekend we had plans to go swimming for tot time, but an overcast 65 degree morning was our reality. What perfect weather for the fair! An impulse trip to the fair was decided upon. 

Side note: On our way to the park and ride we stopped at target and bought a backpack to use as a diaper bag rather than killing Mike's neck with our messenger bag style diaper bag. Best. Decision. Ever. I can't believe we didn't switch sooner!

We had a blast at the fair as a family. This was O's second fair as an outside baby. We packed some of his favorite garlic and herb crackers and a bunch of clementines in the backpack since we don't give him fried food. He was delighted when he got a treat from the backpack- even if I was eating something else. He had a nice nap up on my back shortly after we got to the fair, and when he woke up he was delighted to see that we were on our way to see the Okee Dokee brothers! He sat with me or danced with me for the whole set and a great time was had by all.



Checking out a cow, piglet, and a lamb.

 

I'm cracking up because O was SO tired and zoned out on that horse.



Yummy all you can drink milk.

 



Loving the DNR fish pond.



Sleepy guy.



He could have spent all day playing with that "snow" table.

So much fun!

St Paul neighborhood puzzle.

Crepes and snuggles.

Whatcha got there, mom?

Fun in the alphabet forest! {I so wish this wasn't blurry!}

We ate all the foods, saw all the things, and left in time for bedtime. It was glorious. 

Week Thirty-Two: Back to School

How did summer go by so fast? I mean, I realize according to the calendar and the weather it is still summer. It is only mid-August, after all. But for me, it is already time to go back to work.

I so so so wish that I had been blogging at this time last year because I would have loved to compare this post to one a year ago. Last year at this time I was getting ready to leave my almost 4 month old little baby in the hands of a woman I liked, but didn't really know. I was a nervous wreck. Would she like him? Would he cry all day and she would kick him out? Would I pump enough? Would I cry all day?

This year is so much different! Over the summer we had a couple play dates with Miss Katie, so O wouldn't forget her. He is always excited to go to her house and play with her and with his friends. Seeing his excitement playing at Katie's house just a week before he went back to daycare made this year's back to school so much easier.

Afternoon snuggles after my first day back. Selfies, of course. 

One of the hardest things we do as parents is to leave our babies with someone else. I am so lucky to have found someone who truly loves our little guy. The trust I have in her to keep him safe and loved is priceless. {Not literally priceless though. Daycare is expensive!}

I feel myself slipping into a SAHM vs Working Mom post {labels that irritate me}. And I don't want to do that. I don't want to ever post things that pit mom against mom. But I do want to put this out there into internet land: Please, please stop saying things like "being a mom is the most important job you'll have" as a reason that people such as myself should "make more sacrifices" in order to stay at home. Even if you're not using it as a reason someone should stay home, that phrase just carries such a condescending tone to me. It seems to imply that because I have another job, I have chosen the wrong thing. There is no wrong thing! This is the thing that gets me most about this: guess what? Being a dad is the most important job Mike will ever have, too. Should we both stay home? Probably not? Ok then.

I know that comes off as super sassy, but it makes my heart hurt when people say crap like that. Would I like to stay home if I could? Yes no yes Maybe? Ideally I think I'd like to work part time, but that isn't our reality. And that's ok! I am a firm believer in every person following their own path. This is what my path looks like. It isn't what everyone's path looks like, nor should it be!

Some of my dearest friends stay at home with their babies. Am I judging them? Not even a little bit. Are they judging me? I surely hope not! I think I have made sure my mama village is filled with pretty cool cats who are above such judging.

Ok. Now lets all hold hands and sing or something. ;)

Happy back to school season!

xoxo
-H

Week Thirty-One: I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

I love my friends so dearly. But when you have a kid, no matter how much you tell yourself that your friendships won't be affected, they will be. They will take a pretty hard blow. Maybe not for every mom, but certainly for many I know. And certainly for myself!

Well, I finally made some time for a 2.5 day getaway with two of my besties. And it was HARD. Let me tell you. First finding a time that worked for 3 adults to get away for a few days was tricky, but add to that finding a babysitter and my anxiety....it was a challenge. {Not to mention the weeks long "should I bring my pump? Should I not bring my pump?" debate..oy vey. I went with no pump, btw, and all was well when I returned home. Plenty of mommy milk for my snuggly little guy!}

So glad it was a challenge I managed to overcome! Woo! 

Lakeside dinner the first night there. 

We {Jenna, Kelsey, and I} spent most of Monday, all of Tuesday, and then half of Wednesday at Kelsey's uncle's cabin and it was delightful. Because we are such crazy kids ready to get wild on our vacation we played a ton of wild drinking games dominoes. That's right. Dominoes. Mexican train, to be specific. Which, to us, typically looked like a game of "awkward swastika" by the end of the game. Neither titles seem all that appropriate... Nevertheless, it was a hit. We played at the kitchen table, we played on the dock, and we played on the patio table. Wild and crazy gals that we are. ;) 

Awkward swastika?  Mexican train? They both seem politically incorrect to me...

Lewy's Lake Place custom Tervis= great for coffee in the morning, and beergaritas all day long. 

After plenty of floating in the lake and all around lounging, I left feeling refreshed. Some much needed "me time" that is oh so very, very hard for me to justify taking. 

<3

Week Thirty: Cramming

This summer is flying by. Flying. There is still so much I want to do, and not enough time to do it. I think that's the case with anyone who has a summer break though.

One of the things on our summer bucket list was to head down to Mankato for a no-other-obligations-visit with Mike's family. It seems like most of the time when we go down there it is for a wedding or some other event. This weekend we headed there just because, and it was pretty lovely.

One of the highlights from the trip, by far, was a trip to Sibley Park in Mankato. Now, years and years and years ago when Mike and I were just starting to get serious he took me to Mankato to meet his family. One of the things he and I did was visit the Sibley Park "Zoo". It has been a running joke ever since because it was such a sad excuse for a zoo. There were a couple cages of chickens and I think prairie dogs..? Anyhow- it was a joke. 

When we were planning this little weekend visit Mike's mom suggested Sibley Park and he and I died laughing. Of course we said yes, telling ourselves it was important for O to get experience our little inside joke as well. 

We got there and the place had been totally redone and it was awesome. Seriously. So cute and SO fun--everything was farm themed. There were three separate climbing/slide structures, big animal statues to climb on, and then a separate area with big red barns and actual animals. O got to meet goats, chickens, calves, and {his favorite} little pot belly pigs! It was adorable. 

Here are some photos of our adventure. Can't wait to visit next time we go visit!

Barn playground! See the chickens? So cute. 

Weeeee!

I think Mike had as much fun playing as O did. 

Mooooo!

Ok, ok. I know no one looks all that impressed in this photo, but I wanted to capture how far up O got all by himself on the "hay" bails!

Grandpa, O, Daddy, and a goat. 

O was so excited about the pigs and kept making his snorting noise. 

Touching the little pig's nose! {Not pictured: the little pig's tails wagging like crazy!}

O loves steering wheels!

Daddy and O driving a tractor.

Another area of the playground-- check out those bean stalks to climb on over to the left!

Another look at the playground-- pig statues in the pig pen!

Breast is Best {aka I'm an asshole}

In honor of Breastfeeding Month I decided to finally post this blog that I have been kind of sort of working on for the past 6 months or so. Enjoy!
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How do you believe in something with all your heart, and simultaneously fully support not that thing?

How do you find success in something and watch friends struggle with the same thing? 

How on earth do you go about advocating for something and putting yourself out there as a support person, and not feel like an asshole to those that are on a different path?

Basically, how do you avoid being a total asshole when it comes to anything breastfeeding?

I breastfeed my baby. It is a decision I made long before I gave birth, and maybe even before I was pregnant. I truly believe that with the right support and resources most women can have a successful {success as defined by each individual woman} nursing relationship with their littles. 

I have been so lucky that it has worked out for us. Thrush once, jaundice troubles panic at the beginning, a low supply scare, pumping woes, and a few bites here and there. That's the extent of our troubles over the past 15 months. I know so many women who have gone through hell trying to make it work. I know women who never tried. And I support them all. 

This is probably the thing I have struggled the most with since becoming a mom. There is such pressure to take sides on this. I have struggled with how I can encourage/empower/support other moms who want to breastfeed their babies, and how I can balance that level of involvement with supporting moms who don't. I want to shout it from the rooftops that I'm here for you if you need support in making breastfeeding work. And I want to not sound like a condescending jerk when I say I support you if you don't. 

How can I post an article on FB talking about making nursing in public the norm because 'breast is best' and still have friends and family who don't nurse their babies believe me if I say it doesn't matter to me how they feed their baby? That I don't judge them?

And then there is the length of time a mom and baby nurse. Yet another layer of controversy. Some people have a specific goal in mind. Some people don't. Some people quit when they want to quit. Some people quit when baby wants to quit. Personally I didn't think twice about nursing O past the magical 12 month mark. He wasn't ready to be done. I wasn't ready to be done. So we're not done. Someday we will be, and other people might go longer. And that's ok. Other people have stopped much sooner. And that's ok too.

When O was about 3 months old I was at a patio happy hour with friends from work, one of whom had a new baby herself. As I fed O without a cover and she fed her little from a bottle we laughed about how half the place was probably judging me for feeding him without a cover in public and the other half was probably judging her for feeding a bottle. Really...everyone was probably judging us for having our babies at the bar.

{you have a baby at a bar! Sweet Home Alabama...anyone?} 

My point is this: Feed your offspring. Love your offspring. For crying out loud, love other moms. It takes a village, and we need each other.
Knock it off with the judging. Knock it off with the "I support breastfeeding, BUT" mentality. Knock it off with the condescending "oh, you feed your baby formula?"

Know that you cannot actually walk in another mom's shoes and you cannot actually understand her motives or opinions or experiences that shape her path in how she feeds her baby.

Our babies love us for loving them, not for how we feed them.

365 days into our now 470 day journey. See that guy on the far left? Wouldn't have stuck with it if it weren't for him.