Hurricane Irene

Thankfully, Irene was hyped up by the media to be a bigger storm than it actually was. There was far less damage than anticipated for pretty much all the states in her path. There was lots of damage where Irene made landfall, don't get me wrong, but significantly less than the media was thinking there would be. I got some non-perishables Wednesday or Thursday, things we wouldn't have to cook if we lost power. By Friday night and Saturday afternoon, store shelves were bare in the bottled water and toilet paper aisles. Apparently, hurricanes are also laxatives because people think they're going to be trapped in their bathrooms for 5 weeks. We hunkered down Saturday night and awaited the storm. It was windy and rainy here, but I think we've had some worse thunderstorms lately to be honest. The only reason so many people lost power is because of how big the storm was, how much area it covered, and how long it lasted. We lost power for a minute or two Saturday night but it came right back on. I put Joey in his basket from his bassinet on our bed (Dan had no problems sleeping on the couch and playing the 360 until he was tired) so even if we lost power, I could still hear him and feed him.

Dan's family didn't have it as easy as we did. They live down a no-outlet community with TONS of trees everywhere. Dan's mom ended up spending Sunday night with us because she couldn't get home from work Sunday morning, there were downed trees and power lines blocking the entrance to the road! By today it had been cleared and she could go home, but they still didn't have power so frozen and refrigerated things came to live and be cooked at our house for dinner.

Word of the Week: Hurriquake

Leaving The Nursing Cover At Home

1. I wrote this post before Irene became a very real threat to the east coast. I'm still publishing it because I wrote down some of my feelings about breastfeeding and how I got to the level of comfort where I am now. I only changed the last part to reflect that I won't be going anywhere this weekend.

"Lactivism (portmanteau of 'lactation' and 'activism') is a term used to describe the advocacy of breastfeeding. Supporters, referred to as 'lactivists', seek to promote the health benefits of breastfeeding over formula-feeding and to ensure that nursing mothers are not discriminated against."
-Wikipedia.org

I have been a lactivist since childhood, according to this definition. There are LOTS of breastfeeding mothers in the homeschooling circles. I grew up around breastfeeding, it is so completely normal to me. It was even normal in front of *GASP* teenage boys *FAINT*. Breastfeeding has been so ingrained in me that there was never any doubt that it was what I would do for my babies when I was blessed with them. While I was pregnant, I had more breastfeeding dreams than I did weird/scarey pregnancy dreams. It wasn't until after Joey was born and after I did even more reading on the subject that I became more vocal about breastfeeding. More active in my lactivism.

Prior to becoming pregnant, I knew breastfeeding was pretty awesome. I knew it was healthier for the baby, I knew that it excellent for bonding, but what especially appealed to me was that it was free and super convenient--you can do it anywhere you go because your boobs don't detach! You can't lose a boob in the bottom of your diaper bag because you don't put your boobs in the diaper bag. That was about the extent of my knowledge of the facts of breastfeeding. And that was fine because I wasn't nursing yet.

I have a lot of conversations at work. A LOT. It's what helps the time pass and keeps us sane. Lots of different conversations with lots of different people, and generally the conversations stick to neutral topics. If you've known someone for a while though, topics can get a bit more spicy. I have a distinct memory of a conversation with a (female) co-worker about breastfeeding in public. It actually wasn't really a conversation, it was more a story about a time when she went out to dinner at a restaurant. There was a woman at this restaurant who was nursing her baby apparently. My co-worker was gravely offended. She did not say that she went over to the mother and asked her to move or anything like that. But I, someone who grew up around lactating boobs, could offer nothing in the poor nursing stranger's defense or even politely educate my co-worker. I had nothing. I didn't want to get into a heated argument with no ammunition, especially since our shifts can be pretty long and I wanted to continue passing time by having conversations with this woman (who is perfectly nice btw). So I nodded in understanding of her discomfort and we moved on to other topics.

I think that was the first time I was truly aware of the level of discomfort that breastfeeding in public (covered and otherwise) can cause in people. I knew that there were people out there who didn't like it, I had seen nursing covers and knew that people used them, but it hadn't really occurred to me just how controversial breastfeeding in public is. Growing up around it, I didn't realize that it wasn't the norm. Granted, I didn't see it in public outside our circle of friends, but I probably just didn't notice or figured that any babies we saw weren't hungry at the time.

Fast forward to being pregnant, knowing I was going to breastfeed both in private and in public, and remembering the conversation with that co-worker, I researched. Despite her discomfort with that stranger nursing her baby, she did more for breastfeeding than she realized. Because of that conversation, I read up on the laws in my state, I read all that I could in relation to why breastfeeding is so healthy both physically and emotionally, and yeah, I still loved that fact that it was free and convenient. That nursing mother who so offended my co-worker has my thanks because without her, that conversation wouldn't have happened and I wouldn't have been inspired to research the hell out of my boobs. That nursing mother put the active back in my lactivism and all she did was nurse her baby. She probably didn't even realize my co-worker had seen her or been offended. She was just nurturing her baby.

Now my baby is 3 months old and still nursing strong. I had so many great examples of breastfeeding growing up and both sides of the family have shown us tremendous support and I can't thank them enough. My childhood exposure combined with my research has given me a level of confidence I've never had before. I'm strictly a non-confrontation person. I avoid it at all costs. I am affected physically by confrontation, I literally get butterflies in my stomach, my face gets hot, my heart races, and depending on the confrontation, my hands may start to shake. This confidence for breastfeeding that I have feels incredible. I breastfed at a restaurant when Joey was 3 days old with a priest at our table (Fr. Daniel is awesome). I had a cover on, because we were still learning (Joey took forever to figure out how to latch properly), and we were with my parents, so I didn't feel like the conversation would stop while I tried to get Joey fed, I didn't feel like all eyes were on my while we struggled with the cover. The conversation continued normally, Joey ate, I ate, we all ate, it was awesome. I would never have been able to do that comfortably if I hadn't seen it so much growing up and if I didn't have that conversation with the co-worker.

All of this has a point and I'm getting there. Two of my very good friends are currently pregnant, one due in October and the other due in January. Both of them want to breastfeed their babies for at least the first few months. That is AWESOME on so many levels. Obviously because it's super good for their babies and all that but on a selfish note: we're going to hang out and have play-dates and nurse our babies together just like my mom did. We're going to have this super cool shared experience in addition to motherhood and I LOVE that. Not that I wouldn't support them if they chose formula, and we would still have play-dates and hang out, and our babies would be exposed to both methods of feeding. But this is still really awesome to me. Getting back to the point. I've already had a sort of breastfeeding lesson with the friend due in October. Dan and I were at their house for a gathering and she had questions. I happily went upstairs to a bedroom with her to give her a better view and answer the questions as best I could. October was grateful that I was so willing to show her because she didn't grow up with the same experience that I did. January also had questions and while she was over at my house, I answered them as best I could and also nursed Joey in front of her (he was hungry anyway, that boy will eat unless he's sleeping...). Because there's only so much you can describe.

This weekend the three of us were headed to the beach for a "just girls" trip. Hurricane Irene changed that and Ocean City is currently under evacuation and no new people are allowed in. January's mom has a condo and was going to let us stay there which totally rocks. Other than swim in the condo's pool, we didn't really have plans, which I was fine with. I like going with the flow. I'll was going to be taking Joey with me, because he is still nursing and I had decided to leave my cover at home. I'll post some links to blog posts and articles that gave me the extra boost of confidence I needed to make this decision, but it does all boil down to that mom nursing her baby who offended my co-worker. She was a catalyst, she inspired me to do research and not just blindly accept what I'd seen. I'm not going to strip off my shirt or whip out my entire boob, and I'm not degrading any nursing moms who are more comfortable with their covers, but I will not be ashamed to nurse my baby and I will not be MADE to be ashamed of what I'm doing.

The decision to leave my cover at home, even though I don't get to hit the beach now, has been so freeing. Despite the possibility of confrontation, not having my cover eliminates a level of anxiety I didn't realize I had. When I use the cover, usually, more of my breast is bare than if I don't use one. This is due to the fact that it's just easier to feed Joey that way, without any clothing in the way. However, the cover can make nursing more difficult because a) I can't see him as well b) he likes to play with it and c) it's just really annoying. When Joey plays with the cover, there's a chance that any onlookers will get a glimpse of some side-boob. When I'm using the cover it's because I'm in mixed company (specifically males that I am friends with or related to) and that affects MY comfort level when I'm nursing. There would have been no such males on our trip to the beach. The cover is one less thing to pack, one less thing to worry about. I have not really cared about what others could see, more like I cared about their reaction if they did see skin. I am not going to worry if a nip slips and someone sees it because their discomfort with a breastfeeding baby is their issue not mine. This decision renewed my excitement for this trip on a whole new level because I was leaving what's left of my anxiety at home with the cover. That's one reason I'm disappointed we won't be going now. I anticipated a stranger approaching me. I'm not naive. I would have had printouts of the law in the diaper bag. If asked to leave an establishment, I planned on waiting for the cops or until I finished my business, whichever came first. Despite not going to the beach, my decision to only use the cover sparingly still stands.

I will sit down and nurse in protest of our culture's oxymoronic sexualization/prudishness of female breasts.

I will do it because there's a chance I'll inspire someone else to nurse their baby or get more information. Just like that random nursing mom in the restaurant.

I will do it for my friends because it is easier to learn if you've seen it.

I will do it for myself. (Yay decreased risk of breast cancer!)

Most of all, I will do it for Joey--whenever and wherever he is hungry.

I am woman. Watch me lactate!

Only a few hours old!

The links I promised:
The Real Reason Not to Cover Up Nursing Mothers
Do mothers breastfeeding in public make you uncomfortable? Yeah, me too.
The Day I Was Told To Stop Breastfeeding at the YMCA
You Got A Problem With My Boobies, PUNK?
Covering Up is a Feminist Issue
Nursing Uncovered
Just Cover Up?
Just pump a bottle?

These were all written by amazing moms who have helped contribute to my breastfeeding confidence!




ETA: Since composing this post last week, I have nursed in public without my cover. No confrontations, no angry looks (that I saw), just me and Joey. My favorite interaction was when I went down to meet a friend at a restaurant/bar in Annapolis. We had this awesome back table in the corner, surrounded by walls on three sides. My friend is a regular and all the employees know her and come talk to her. This table in the corner that night became the "employee table", they would come chat, roll their silverware, even eat their dinner. I was wearing one of my favorite nursing shirts, it covers even my massive boobs to the point where you can't see any skin unless Joey pops off. Joey got hungry, so I started feeding him with a female server and male bartender at our table in addition to my friend. After several minutes, the bartender realized what was going on and decided to take his dinner elsewhere to eat (not suggest that I leave, so points for him). I told him I was fine if he stayed but he said, "No, it's ok, I don't want you to be uncomfortable." When I explained that if I were uncomfortable, I'd use a cover, he added, "I'm just from a different generation" (he was 10 years older than me, max) and headed off to finish his dinner elsewhere. It's worth noting that the female server stayed until one of her tables needed her.

My friend was amazed that I wasn't phased by all the people walking around, I continued talking and eating with Joey latched on. I was proud of myself because it took a while for me to get to that comfort level. I also explained to her another possible reason for the bartender moving from our table. He was uncomfortable, despite saying that he didn't want to cause me discomfort. I explained that he probably felt uncomfortable for me, in a similar way to me feeling awkward for Michael Scott when he does crazy things on The Office. But he (the bartender) was very gracious in his discomfort and did what people should do when they're uncomfortable with breastfeeding: he did not disturb the nursling. He came back later, long after Joey was finished, and we all had a good time chatting and laughing like nothing ever happened. Because nothing did happen. I fed my baby. A baby eating is not a big deal, it's not national news. It's an every day occurrence. So bartender, I can't blame you for your discomfort, but I can thank you for the way you handled it. Well done sir.

Earthquake!

We had an earthquake last summer. I was in my car and didn't feel a thing. I got to work and everyone asked, "Did you feel it?" and I had to ask what they were talking about. Today, was MUCH different.

My job assignment today was working outside. The contractors we were working with are painting up on scaffolding, so we sit outside and watch. I was scheduled to work a 12-hour shift, I did sort of volunteer for it because I need the hours, but I didn't have time to really prepare and have enough milk for Joey stashed away. It's unpredictable how much he'll eat while I'm working on any given day. Sometimes, it's an average of 1oz. per hour I'm gone, sometimes it's 2oz. or more! I had talked to Dan around noon and found out that Joey had already downed almost half the stash in the freezer! This morning, there had been around 16oz., and Joey ate 6oz. when he woke up! Anyway...

After hearing that the weather was supposed to be beautiful all day long, no chance of rain making the job end early. I accepted the fact that Dan would probably have to dip into the emergency formula (that we did NOT purchase, btw, it was sent to us as a sample) and settled into what I thought would be a long shift. Around 1:50pm, I noticed a weird vibration. I didn't notice it at first, because whenever a big truck drives by our house, a similar vibration is produced. I first noticed that it wasn't going away and thought maybe someone was messing with my chair. I looked over at the two co-workers I was with, and they had the same confused look on their faces that I did.
"Are you feeling this?" One asked.
"Yes." We chimed in.

Then it got stronger. Not trees-falling-over or (thank God) scaffolding-collapsing strong, but the ground was visibly shaking. It was the strangest feeling in the entire world, I felt like I was in a movie. Large objects on the site were swaying back and forth and we feared for the men working on the scaffolding. Once the vibration stopped (after about a minute), we got the guys down and evacuated to the parking lot with a bunch of other workers. When it was clear we weren't going to get any more tremors, everyone headed back in, but that was pretty much it for everyone's work day. A "voluntary evacuation" was announced and everyone-and-their-mother got in their car to leave. Traffic was backed up for a while, and I knew it would be a while, so I took the time to have another pump session and let everyone else go nuts trying to leave. My stall tactic did the trick because while traffic out was still a little slow for a random Tuesday afternoon, it was moving pretty consistently and only about 15 minutes was added to my commute home.

I couldn't get a hold of Dan on the phone but text messages were going through, so I was able to make sure that they were ok (and that the house was still standing). Apparently Joey slept through the whole thing, which is ironic because one of his favorite games is "earthquake" where we shake the bed or couch and say "earthquake!!!" and he laughs. I'm not kidding, we've been playing "earthquake" for several weeks now, lol.

Here are the facts about the quake:
The quake was a 5.8 magnitude. It originated in Virgina, and was rumored to have been felt as far south as the Carolinas and as far north as Canada. It was a mile deep and the biggest quake to hit VA since May of 1897. No super major damage was reported and there were really only minor injuries, thankfully.

The $6 Pirate

Whenever I'm in Target or Walmart, I always try and stop by the baby clothes section to see if anything on sale is in the next size up for Joey for the next season. We have a TON of short sleeve onzies, never had to buy any of those either, he's been set all summer from our friends and family who bought them for the baby shower. Fall is coming up and we do have some things that are long sleeve that are a little big, but not much and I doubt they'll be big for long. Thus the shopping in the sale sections. We went to put Joey in a sleep & play for bed last night and, wouldn't you know it, he was too long for it. So Dan went and pulled out another one, same thing. Both of them 3mo sizes. The sleep & plays he has been sleeping in (which are all in the wash right now) are 3-6mo. I asked Dan to grab the pirate one I had recently picked up to see how that fit him, it's a 6mo size and it's by Target's brand Circo--which runs bigger than Carters and Gerber. It's only a little big for him, but he fits it and it should last him at least into some of the chillier weather. Even if it doesn't make it into winter, it was $6 (another reason I love the Circo brand) and I'll easily get my money's worth. Right now, Joey is sleeping on our bed. I really do think that he slept better next to our bed in the bassinet than he does in the crib outside our door. He seems to wake up at shorter intervals. This morning, he woke up between 6 and 7 so I brought him to bed to nurse and cuddle and he's been asleep since--it's now 9. I only do it when it's light outside and I need a few extra minutes of sleep. I don't sleep soundly enough with him in the bed to do have him there all night, plus I'm still scared to death of SIDS and rolling over on him. Cuddling with him works well in the mornings when I need some more sleep and it seems like he needs to be held. He's such a snugglebug :)

Knitting is progressing! I finished the 20-row chart (whatever it's called) and started it over for the second repeat. I'll be doing this all the way down the scarf and if I get daring enough (and depending completely on if I find yarn that's the same weight) I may try to add a stripe or two. I am glad that I stuck with it, I'm especially glad that I finally have something to show for my hard work and it has started to look pretty. I love this color and while I said before that I won't want to keep the scarf, I just might change my mind before it's done. The 20 rows do go pretty quickly. They're repetitive enough that I can memorize the row when I need to, but each row changes so it's enough to keep me interested. I'm still doing this while Joey's sleeping or while Dan's watching him. I do have Dan's scarf on the couch to work on while Joey's awake because that is definitely a more mindless knit than this one is. Before Joey was born, I can't remember the last time I was working on knitting, my free time was spent sleeping. I didn't anticipate not only wanting to knit after he was born, but actually having time to knit. Who knew that newborns/babies slept so much ;)

Joey and Daddy having a staring contest ;)

1 Month vs. 3 Months

Joey at 1 Month Old

Joey at 3 Months Old

Where did this big baby come from? I can't believe how big he's getting. For further proof:

He's so tall that he can rest his feet on the toddler seat part of the tub!

He's starting to splash in the water now :)

He still likes bath time, or still doesn't hate it, however you'd like to look at it. I'm glad because otherwise I wouldn't enjoy bath time. As it is, I love giving him baths, he looks like an old man when his hair is all wet and still doesn't have teeth ;)

I fought The Lace and The Lace did NOT win!

Rivulet is my first venture into lace knitting. The pattern doesn't call for a lace weight yarn, but a yarn slightly heavier. I was actually able to start this project with materials I already had, which was awesome. I was thinking I'd had to buy yarn but at the last minute I looked through my stash and found a whole skein that would be perfect for the project. Technically, it's baby yarn, but it seems to be knitting up nicely. After I ripped out the first 3 rows several times (I believe I'm on my 7th attempt at this scarf) and got past the yarn that I had re-knit with, it became less splitty. It's still kind of splitty, but not nearly where it was when I was redoing the first several rows that had been ripped out. This is a "Nap Time Knit" because it actually requires that I pay attention to the chart and what I'm doing. It's not a mindless knit that I can memorize and work on while Joey's awake and needs things. So I can really only knit it while he's sleeping or while Dan's home to help. Right now, Joey has woken up from his nap, but currently seems to be fine entertaining himself in his crib. He hasn't cried or fussed yet, so we'll see how long he seems happy. It's definitely not a bad thing that he get used to his crib. Right now, he's trying to roll over, lol.

Who took my newborn and left me this big baby?!

Joey turned 3 months yesterday, holy cow! Where has the time gone?? Summer is winding down, I've headed back to work, and I can't believe that my baby isn't a newborn anymore :( Each new phase is so cute and interesting. He's much more interactive, much more vocal, and sooo smiley! He's getting into a routine now that's fairly predictable. It's not a schedule, more of a rhythm. Depending on when he goes down for the night, he'll wake up 1-2 times in the middle of the night and then a few hours later when the sun comes up. Sometimes he's awake for a little while, sometimes he goes right back to sleep but by that time I'm wide awake and I'll stay up and knit or read. Once he wakes up again, he's hungry and usually after he eats he's up for a couple of hours. This is when he's at his happiest, when he talks the most, when he smiles the most, because his tummy is full and he's well rested. Some days he takes long naps during the day, sometimes it's only 20 minutes at a time. In the evenings, he gets cranky more easily, sometimes he fights sleep (but he can't resist the swing! The swing always gets him to sleep when he's fighting it!), sometimes he just wants to comfort nurse. He has started staring intently at the TV (he loves faces) and so I make sure that we turn it off for a while (usually after Dan goes to work) and play or do chores without the background noise of electronics. Then Dan comes home and we have dinner and eventually Joey is too sleepy to fight it and goes down for the night between 9-11pm.

Joey's thinking about lunch ;)

Sleeping babies are the sweetest!

Oh hai there!

Curtains!

I managed to actually go shopping sans-baby this morning. Joey was sleeping and I was planning on heading to Target to get some rubbermaid containers for organizing, so Dan watched him while I went alone. It felt weird not having Joey with me, I definitely felt like I was missing something. Although, it was nice not lugging the diaper bag around the store. While at Target, I decided to finally get some curtains! Joey's room has actually needed curtains but since we don't really use it regularly yet, it wasn't that big a deal. I got some blackout kids curtains for his room and then these awesome green curtains for the living room. The white curtains I got at Ikea a while back, with the intention of putting them up when I got some color ones to go with them. Joey slept the entire time I was gone, which was pretty awesome. Dan was kind of trapped on the couch though, because sometimes the only way Joey sleeps is on top of someone, but that's generally how my evenings go when he's at work.

And just for fun, a picture of Joey :)

Another Lazy Sunday

Aside from Joey waking up every 45 minutes between 1:30am and 7am this morning, today was pretty awesome. At 7, I just put him in bed next to me where, after 20 minutes of playing, he fell asleep and then stayed asleep until 10 or so, finally giving me a solid chunk of sleeping time. I want him to get used to sleeping in his pack 'n play because when the weather cools down, it will go back into his room and not be outside our door anymore. Granted, I'll still use the monitor and get up to feed him when I hear him fussing, but he won't be as close to us anymore. I love co-sleeping, but we only have a queen size bed and bed-sharing for longer than a few hours of light sleeping scares the living daylights out of me. Especially because Dan still elbows me in the face while he's sleeping, and I'm a full grown adult.

Our only venture out of the house today was Mass where Joey both needed to eat and a fresh diaper before Communion even started. The remainder of the day was spent cooling ourselves on the couch with the AC on and marathoning Star Trek Voyager. All in all, a pretty good day :) Joey has been practicing rolling over, from his back to his front. He can get to his side pretty quickly, but his elbow does him in and he doesn't know how to deal with his arm getting in the way. Occasionally, he can get enough momentum to roll over his arm and when he does, he gets the biggest proud-of-himself smile on his face! It's so cute, though it's only a matter of time before he's mobile and we have to baby-proof the house.

The Big Latch On

The Big Latch On is a worldwide event held during World Breastfeeding Week. It is an attempt to break the record for most women breastfeeding simultaneously. My location was the Annapolis Mall. I was very happy not to have to drive into Baltimore City to participate, I was also happy that Joey was cooperative and willingly nursed at the appropriate time. All around the world, women latched on their newborns, infants, and toddlers at 10:30am their time with witnesses recording the final count. It was a wonderful way to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week and I'm very glad to have been able to be a part of it this year. I had a blast hanging out and talking with other nursing moms while we waited for 10:30 and even after it was over. That early in the day, the food court wasn't too crowded, although we did get the attention of a random guy who was not related to any of the women in the group. Oh well, if he goes home and someone breastfeeds because he saw us there, then mission accomplished. After the Latch On, I headed back home to the grand opening of a homeschooling textbook consignment shop and community room, but we didn't stay long because it was hot and Joey was getting fussy because he needed a nap. One of the women who participated in the Latch On is either friends with or related to a professional photographer, so there were professional pictures taken during our record-breaking attempt :) Enjoy!

One of two dads to show up is pictured at left.

I enjoyed chatting with the other moms.

The mom in the pink is the one who organized our particular location.

I love this picture!

Raising our hands to be counted!

This was before we started, while we were getting ready to latch.

This is another of my favorites, I love depth of field shots!

There were lots more pictures that he took, I just grabbed the ones that Joey and I were in ;)

Joey's Photo Shoot

 

 

As always, Lauren is amazing :)

Not Quite Co-Sleeping

Joey's bassinet has been next to our bed since we brought him home from the hospital. For the last couple of weeks, I've noticed that he's probably getting too big for it. Both too heavy (he shakes it when he kicks) and too tall (he doesn't have much clearance between the top and his head and the bottom and his feet when he's completely stretched out). I've been putting off using his crib because of how much I like having him next to the bed. It's easy to check on him, it's easy to take him out and nurse, but mostly because moving him to his crib means he's getting bigger and isn't a newborn anymore. We finally put him in the crib because the sooner we transition, the easier it will be for all of us. He's still not in his own room, that transition is more for me, he's outside our door because his room doesn't get as much of the cool air from the window units. Once the weather is cooler and we start using the baseboard heat, he'll go back in his room. I am using a monitor, even though he's just outside the door because I still don't want him to get to the point where he's screaming because he's hungry before I wake up.

The last two nights, he was up every two hours to eat and be changed. Last night, he was back to his normal schedule. I was up because he'd gotten me on that schedule and because I'm still transitioning to the new sleeping arrangements. I really do miss having him next to me, I wish our room was big enough to allow the pack-n-play next to our bed but there simply isn't the space. A side-car co-sleeper would be too big and they're not huge. This is what's best though, and that's why we're doing it. I would feel awful if he got hurt in the bassinet because he's too heavy or too tall and this transition will be easier--for both of us--the younger he is. He's still close by, it's not like we're putting him in his own room all at once, so that's helping me. It's also been good that I've used the monitor because he knows that I'm still close if he needs me, he doesn't have to get super hungry and screaming/crying before I'll come get him, and it's good that he knows that. I still don't have to like it ;)

A real page turner

Dan scored a half-price Kindle last week and we have been taking turns with it since then! I LOVE the free section on Amazon and have only actually purchased two books so far (one was only 99 cents). Several of my favorite classics were also free so that was awesome! It's been so nice to be able to read while nursing because the Kindle only requires the one hand :) The Kindle is also really awesome because we're so limited on space in our house, we can have all the books we want contained in a smaller area than a paperback novel. I do miss the feel of actual pages, the weight of the book in my hands, but I do admit that I've read way more in the last week than I have in the last couple of months simply because of the convenience it offers. I do feel like I read slower on it than an actual book, that could just be in my head though. I could adjust the text size and everything if I wanted to, but I think it has more to do with being able to see how many pages you've gone through rather than a percentage at the bottom of the screen. I still love it though and while it's been awesome having this one, we'll probably ask for a second one for Christmas so that we can each have our own ;)