MyBaby - rockergirrl Journal

Suck This Facebook

Posted November 26, 2007 at 8:34PM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

I don't think the young owners of Facebook knew who they were messing with when they chose to just mess with a bunch of lactating moms. This generation of moms ain't sitting around eating bon bons. We are outspoken and loud, we are proud of ourselves, and we can spread havoc all over the Internet faster than you can say boo.

So what did they do? According to an Australian paper they removed images of breastfeeding mums and banned others for posting "obscene content".

So what did mothers all over the globe do? What they always do. Fight back. Remember when a breastfeeding mother was kicked off a plane last year in VT? Withing a day mothers all over the country organized a country wide protest against the airline via the Internet. This time it is against Facebook.

The League of Maternal Justice is one blog who is speaking up and spreading the news. They are urging people to delete their facebook account and tell them why, then blog about it and add one of the Facebook Sucks buttons they made to your blog.

You underestimated a large and powerful online population Facebook. Shame on you.

Tags: breastfeeding, Facebook, lactivists

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vtmomof2 responded November 27, 2007 at 10:02AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

Good for them. We need to realize that when any group works together we can accomplish a lot.

Where have I been?

Posted November 26, 2007 at 1:09AM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

I feel like I have been gone month. I didn't really go anywhere but the computer was the last place I have been in the past several days. I felt a cold coming on a week ago. My youngest son was getting over a nasty chest cold and I felt mine starting to brew. My husband felt his coming on about the same time. I managed to run around last weekend and finish up picking up my kids Christmas gifts. By Wed I began feeling worse. Perfect timing I thought. Right before Thanksgiving. Thankfully we didn't have any plans to travel and were were not expecting any guests so when I woke up on Thursday with a full blown chest cold, feeling like crap, at least I knew I could stay home. We managed to have a nice Thanksgiving despite the fact that I felt horrible. By 4pm we were feasting on Tofurkey, stuffing, potatoes (thanks Dustbunny for the crock pot potato recipe), mixed veggies, rice bake, mushroom gravy (homemade by DH), and for desert pecan pie (also homemade by DH).

Friday I relaxed and tried to get well. DH had the day off so I was able to let up on my Mama duties. I started a new book. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I ended up reading it in 4 days. I highly recommend it. Anyways, I was dreading the weekend because I had paid a space in a two day craft show. The biggest in our area. By Friday I was not feeling like I could pull it off. DH and I came up with a plan. I would get up Saturday morning and go set up my booth (7am) and work it as long as I could. If i could' hack it I would drive home and switch with him. I would stay with the kids and he would go work my table for me. JB selling my jewelry at an all Women's craft show. Now that would have been a sight to see. But he was willing and I was grateful. I ended up being able to pull off both days myself. It was very hard but I did it. Unfortunately the show was very slow, I didn't make that much (no one did) and by the time I got home Sunday night I realize I had over done it. I felt horrible. DH had made chili and dealt with the kids. He even unpacked my car from the show for me. I got my but in bed early and prayed for a quick recovery. The next day was Monday after all. Back to work for DH, back to school for DS#1, and back to race around, Mama duties and work part time on the side for me.

Here we are now. It is 1:05AM on Monday morning. I woke up having a huge coughing fit thinking it was almost 5am or something. Nope it was 12:30 am. Shit. If I wake up this early coughing I know I won't get back to sleep without taking some cough medicine. I don't like taking it normally but if my cough wakes me up in the middle of the night I know I have to. So here I am waiting for it to kick in before I head back to bed. Wishing I had rested a bit more. Wishing I hadn't signed up for a two day craft show on Thanksgiving weekend. Wishing I had done it all just a bit differently, but thankful too. I am thankful I was able to have a nice quiet holiday at home with my family. I am thankful to my DH who stepped up and took such good care of me and the kids while I was down. I am thankful for the new friends I met at the craft show this weekend. Sometimes it isn't always about making money.

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dhiya responded November 26, 2007 at 7:13AM

Glad you looked at the positive side of it...Hope you get well soon...

vtmomof2 responded November 26, 2007 at 8:36AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

Chest colds are the worst. Take care of yourself and rest. Chest colds can turn into bronchitis and that is awful. Feel better soon:)

rockergirrl responded November 26, 2007 at 9:19AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

I know that is what I am scared of. How do you know?

vtmomof2 responded November 26, 2007 at 9:58AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

If you are not starting to feel better after a week, and you still have a productive cough, in other words if after a week you are still coughing up a bunch of crap especially if it is yellow then you should probably see a doctor. I have asthma so I am prone to bronchitis. So if you see no improvement in how you feel, a little more energy and you feel like it is starting to clear up, I would go to the doctor.

vtmomof2 responded November 26, 2007 at 9:59AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

Oh, and if you do start to feel a little better and then you feel it coming back and you start to feel lousy again, go see a doctor.

dustbunny responded November 29, 2007 at 8:19AM

dishing the dirt, cleaning the chaos

hope you are feeling better. I apologize for not going to the show. we made last minute plans to extend the weekend. I hope you are feeling better. we need to schedule a playdate or at least a mommy's night out...

Seitan Stew and Biscuits

Posted November 19, 2007 at 9:34PM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

cooking the seitan

The finished product

Tonight I made home made seitan stew and biscuits. It was my first time making homemade seitan. I was so proud of myself. The biscuits were yogurt biscuits and they were melt and your mouth good. I will post the recipe later. Don't know what seitan is? Read here.

The first picture is of the pot it cooked in and then while it stirfried for a bit before I put it in the stew. The second picture is the finished product. The liquid in the pot I saved to use as soup stock.

Tags: dinner, homemade, biscuits, seitan, stew

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cosmoblue responded November 19, 2007 at 9:57PM

I have a bag of vital wheat gluten (I too lazy to do it the right way) that is just waiting to be become seitan. Yummy stew. I just got a slow cooker too.

dhiya responded November 20, 2007 at 2:41AM

Wow,it looks soo yummy,I am sure it is gonna taste good...Please give us the recipe soon....

Sticky_Mommy responded November 20, 2007 at 9:24AM

I love my job, it gives me a break from my kids!

I just had breakfest and now i'm hungry! looks so good on a chilly day like today.

Talking to children about death

Posted November 16, 2007 at 8:52AM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

Last night at dinner all of a sudden my 6 year old started crying. He finally was able to get out in words what was upsetting him. He said he is afraid to die because he doesn’t want to not be able to live anymore. My heart sank. Tears came to my eyes. I wondered to myself how do I talk to my child about something that is also my greatest fear? The only death we have talked to our children about so far is of pets. Our neighbors lost a cat that we used to take care of. Next was our fish. My oldest son took these loses very hard. We discussed it with him but never gave more than what he asked for information. We never even brought up the fact that people die. We figured at one point the switch would go off in his head and he would put two and two together. Well he has.

It was a very difficult discussion to have with him. I myself went though years of therapy after I had babies because I suddenly suffered from health anxiety. After I had my first child I found myself terrified that something would happen to me. I didn’t want to leave my children. I didn’t want to die. I think everyone has these thoughts and feelings but for me the hormones raging through my body after having a baby made it worse. I guess it was a form of postpartum depression. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helped me through those times. Becoming a parent thoughts changed me forever and I will always teeter on the edge of letting those thoughts consume me. Everyday I have to choose to look at life instead of death. Everyday I try to not be afraid.

So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to talk to my son last night. I held him, cried with him, and told him I am afraid too. Without promising eternal life to him I tried to comfort by saying he has a very long life to live and that it is very important to focus on living and being the best person you can be now.

It was hard on me but good in a way too. Facing the dreaded topic and being forced to look it in the eye is a great way to deal with it.

I found this great article about talking to children about death. It gives a helpful breakdown to ages of children and where they typically are with their thoughts on death. I am sure there are many many wonderful resources out there.

Tags: death

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kelardo responded November 16, 2007 at 9:22AM

Where am I and what have they done to my body?

Boy, I feel for you. That wasn't an easy thing to talk about but you did it and that's what matters. You just showed your son how strong you truly are by being able to tell him that you are afraid too and that it's ok to have concerns like this but that he will have a full life.

You said you didn't say anything about eternal life. Do you have any religious beliefs? Its of no consequence one way or the other, I just wondered if you did, if that would possibly help you and him. You know like some people believe in an after life or in reincarnation. Just a thought nothing to dwell on. Because I think you did a fantastic job and only hope that one day I'll be able to handle such a conversation with as much honesty and caring.

rockergirrl responded November 16, 2007 at 9:35AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

I did talk about my religious beliefs. I just chose not to talk about it here. I used the wrong word when I wrote that I didn't promise him eternal life. I meant that I didn't promise him he would live forever here on earth as a humane. I didn't want to say he would never die. I did find comfort and I think he did too when I discussed what I believe happens after you die. That in itself is a big and scary concept but an important and comforting one to share if you have specific beliefs.

vtmomof2 responded November 16, 2007 at 11:09AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

Rockergirl I went through that fear of dying after both of my kids were born. I had such a fear with my daughter I took out a huge policy on myself just in case. I think it was because her father wasn't involved with her, and when my hubby adopted her I told him thank you for allowing me the ability to live without the fear of dying. I was so afraid that her father would take her, I had even written a letter to a future judge I was so terrified. After my son that same fear came back, but in a different way. I was afraid of every ache and pain thinking I had something awful, and would leave my babies. I finally had to talk myself through the fear, and be realistic. I decided to embrace life and still tell myself that there is no guarantee of tomorrow, but I must live today to the fullest because right now I'm alive. I'm so happy I'm not the only one that has had that fear. It can be paralyzing if you let it. I think you did a good job with your son. He seems very sensitive to his spiritual side, that can be a good thing.

rockergirrl responded November 16, 2007 at 12:03AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

thanks for sharing your story vtmom. It made me cry to read that someone else went through what I did. Once I was able to come up with the term health anxiety and learn about that helped me to cope more when I went to therapy for it. It can be paralyzing and it was at times for me. I too had to decide to embrace life. I am in a much better place now. I have been for several years now but I still have the tendency. It will always be there for me now. CB therapy did so much for me though. It gave me the tookbox I needed to cope when those thoughts start to take over. I have had to use it less and less over the years but it is something I always must be aware of.

vtmomof2 responded November 16, 2007 at 3:26PM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

I know every now and then it comes back and I have had anxiety attacks which doesn't help, but I can talk myself out of them now. It is strange I can feel it coming and I can tell myself to calm down and I'm ok and I can feel the anxiety go away. It is a process. It is nice to know I'm not crazy or alone.

kelardo responded November 18, 2007 at 5:57PM

Where am I and what have they done to my body?

I get it now. Well, my hat's off to you. I can't imagine having that conversation and it being easy. And to have handled the way yo did, I am in awe. It's so nice you shared such a tough story with the rest of us. Thanks for that. you're a real treasure.

Why Money Sucks

Posted November 15, 2007 at 9:01AM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

When I was working full time with my first child and hating every minute of it I felt stuck. I wanted so badly to stay home with my child but at the time it seemed impossible. We were struggling like so many and the idea of losing one of our incomes seemed insane. We worked hard and paid down a lot of our debt. We have always been a one car family. We cut our budget as much as we could. It still seemed like we could never do it. Then I got pregnant with my second child. I planned on going back to work because I thought I had to. In my heart though I knew this time I could not do it. The cost of child care for two kids seemed outrageous. I wasn't going to work just to pay for childcare. It wasn't worth it to me. We made the leap and I quit my job. This was in 2005. We have been living on one paycheck for two years now. We even bought a house two months after I left my job. I think this actually helped us out a lot because we went into a house payment that we knew we could afford on one income. It has been tough but worth it. We just adjusted how we spent our money. No more going out to eat, no more shopping on a whim. I learned a lot about money.

Here we are two years later and I made the decision to take on a part time 2 month contracting job. Besides the struggles I have had with juggling working from home and raising two kids which I have posted about the biggest change has been with money. I took the job to help out with the holidays and pay off some house debt we built up this year when we had some work we had to get done. I never imagined how the switch from responsible to irresponsible could change so quickly. The old saying of the more you make the more you spend is absolutely true. All of a sudden we have some extra money and quickly went right back into the mentality of ordering pizza this night, going out for dinner that night, being out in a store and not hesitating to buy something because you know you have a little extra now. The first month went by and I went into a rage when a lot of the money I had brought in was gone and I couldn't use as much of it to pay the bill I wanted to pay.

I got so angry for making these bad choices. Once the anger left the lesson began. On two incomes we never thought we could make it on one because we had bad spending habits. It wasn't until we actually went down to one income did we learn how easy it is to actually spend wisely. I am not saying it has been a walk in the park but I am glad we did it. I am also glad for this opportunity to come back to the other side and see that me bringing in some extra money for the family right now isn't really worth the stress I feel over working. I am glad I was able to do this to validate the choices I have made in my life. I will go back to work one day. I will make more money one day. But for now I say pooey to it all.

Tags: money

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kelardo responded November 15, 2007 at 9:09AM

Where am I and what have they done to my body?

Wow, good for you. We did similar things when I was pregnant with our son and you're so right, you do learn what you can spend and what you can not. I was just thinking of getting a part time job to help a little more and because of the holidays coming but I do feel so stressed out as it is. Maybe I'll hold off and see where i can budget a little more. Thank you so much for your very insightful "tip" You are doing more than helping your sanity and your family, you're really helping others too. Thanks a bunch!

vtmomof2 responded November 15, 2007 at 10:30AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

You are so right. When I got pregnant for our son and lost my job at the same time, we thought we wouldn't be able to do it, but when I was unable to find work, we made it work out. We have lived off from one income primarily for 5 years now. I spent 2 years of that looking for work. I was able to find some part time work at home work, but you are right, as soon as you have steady income you do increase your spending. If we could figure out a way to have the extra income and not increase the spending then we would have the prefect combination.

FrecklQn responded November 15, 2007 at 11:24AM

That's so true. When we have money, we seem to eat out every night, and i spend 3 x what we actually have on stuff we don't need. When things are tight, we get by much easier!

Slow Cookin' Sunday

Posted November 11, 2007 at 8:15PM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

It has taken me a long time to like Sundays. It is hard to really enjoy the day because I never can get out of my head that the next day is Monday. I have started a new ritual that I call Slow cookin' Sunday. Around mid morning before I start lunch I begin a crock pot meal. Today it was chili. Last week I made Italian bean soup. It means more time in the kitchen earlier in the day but I find the time it saves me later on is priceless. For some reason I feel like my day is longer because I don't have to interrupt my Sunday afternoon to start dinner.

Tags: cooking, crockpot, Chili

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LatteMommy responded November 11, 2007 at 9:19PM

LatteMommy

looks yummy. good idea. I really need to start using the slow cooker/crock pot. got some good vegetarian recipes?

Sticky_Mommy responded November 12, 2007 at 8:58AM

I love my job, it gives me a break from my kids!

Yum. RECIPE! RECIPE RECIPE! We want your RECIPE!

GreenMtDad responded November 13, 2007 at 12:21AM

Thanks for the nice idea, I too often find myself quite interrupted by Sunday evening meal preparation.

My son ate meat! Argh

Posted November 10, 2007 at 10:03AM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

Ever since my oldest son started kindergarten this year (which is public in our elementary schools) I have felt like I have lost control. First he started drinking milk for the first time in his life because that is all they serve there and now to top it off my vegetarian child has had meat for the first time. I have been allowing him to have hot lunch a few times a week when they have vegetarian options. One of the days they offer a hamburger, cheeseburger or veggie burger. He has been getting the veggie burger so far. I picked him up from school on Friday to find out he had eaten a cheeseburger. When he asked for it he thought he was getting a veggie burger with cheese on it. He doesn't know. He has never eaten meat before. Come to find out he has eaten this the past few weeks thinking he was eating a veggie burger. I felt crushed. I just felt it like was one more thing I have lost control over. Like all of my values no longer matter because once he walks in those doors he is in a different world.

I have always said when he was old enough to make his own choice of whether or not to eat meat I would let him. Although I will never cook meat in my house. I have asked him over the years and so far he has not wanted to. I also make sure I tell him what meat really is. I think it is important for children (of a certain age) to understand that meat is not just a package of food you buy at the grocery store. I have told him that animals are killed to get the meat.

I am not sure what is going to happen. At this point he seems to be looking at me to still make the choice for him so I have told him that we will have a deal. For now he will continue to not eat meat at school lunch but if he ever wants to try it again to tell myself or my husband (who does eat meat) and we will allow him to do so. He seemed to like this deal. I think it was too much for him to choose on his own right now.

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dustbunny responded November 10, 2007 at 10:56AM

dishing the dirt, cleaning the chaos

oh, that sucks! how aggrevating! it's like a loss of innocence or something- he's had a whole new experience that you couldn't control...I feel for you. that is maddening. we can start that school any time now:)

LatteMommy responded November 11, 2007 at 5:02PM

LatteMommy

that is so frustrating. i feel for you.

vtmomof2 responded November 12, 2007 at 10:12AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

That happens. They grow and experience things on their own. That is what is suppose to happen, there will be many firsts you won't be part of.

rockergirrl responded November 12, 2007 at 10:22AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

the problem is I don't want him eating meat. Especially school meat.

vtmomof2 responded November 12, 2007 at 10:51AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

I can see that. I just have to say as a daughter of a school lunch lady for 20+ years, school meat really is no different then what you buy at the store. They are pre-made and frozen, but still the same quality as the grocery store. I think school lunches get a bad rap. I know at my mom's school they work hard to make a good, nutritious lunch for children. My daughter's school had a family lunch the other day, and everything we had was delicious, and my daughter loves school lunches. I know you don't want your son to have meat, but please don't put down the school lunch program. They get their food from the same suppliers as restaurants.

rockergirrl responded November 12, 2007 at 10:55AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

and I think store meat is nasty too. I don't like it, I don't eat it and I don't want my kid eating at all. I didn't mean to bash school food. we actually have a good local food movement in our schools. I just don't want him eating meat.

Diabetes Awareness Month

Posted November 8, 2007 at 12:45AM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

November is Diabetes awareness month.

I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my first child. I was able to control it through a very strict diet and exercise. I was lucky and did not get it again with my second child but I still have a much higher risk of developing diabetes later in my life. It is something I have to think about everyday with the choices I make with food and exercise.

More and more children at young ages are being diagnosed with diabetes.

Please take a moment and read about this disease. Knowledge is power.

Tags: Diabetes

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vtmomof2 responded November 8, 2007 at 12:58AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

My grandma has diabetes and suffers awful. It is an awful disease.

Burlington VT locals

Posted November 8, 2007 at 7:27AM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

Holiday craft shows are coming.
I will have a booth selling my jewelry and accessories
at two of the best craft shows in the Burlington community.
These are not ordinary craft shows.
Shop handmade this holiday season.
Buy local.

November 24th & 25th Saturday/Sunday
18th Annual Women's Festival of Crafts
City Hall, Burlington, VT

December 1st Saturday
Queen City Craft Bazaar
Union Station, 1 Main Street, Burlington VT
www.queencitycraftbazaar.wordpress.com

Tags: craftshows, burlington, local, handmade

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vtmomof2 responded November 8, 2007 at 8:17AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

Is there an admission charge for either one of these? I love craft shows. I am going to about 4 this weekend. Are you going to be at any this weekend?

rockergirrl responded November 8, 2007 at 8:22AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

Nether of them have admission fees. Those are the only ones I will be at. I would love to meet you. My booth is Subsixstudios.

vtmomof2 responded November 8, 2007 at 8:29AM

Life is crazy but wonderful.

I've seen your jewelry, and I think my sister in law or niece might like them. I am really trying to buy either local, or at least as few things as possible from China. Plus it would be fun to meet you.

rockergirrl responded November 8, 2007 at 8:33AM

www.findbarefootbooks.com

There will be lots of unique gifts from many talented artists and crafters.

dustbunny responded November 8, 2007 at 10:05PM

dishing the dirt, cleaning the chaos

in an attempt to be organized, I am now writing things down on the calendar. I will write this date down and find another mom to leave her kids at home and we'll come crafting!

Skate Weekend

Posted November 4, 2007 at 8:38PM by rockergirrl
www.findbarefootbooks.com

I had the BEST weekend in a long time. We went to visit two of my best friends from college this weekend. They dated when we were in college and are now married with three kids. They live three hours from us so I don't get to see them too often. S came to see me after I had each baby but I haven't seen her husband B or their three kids in way too long. They are a family of skaters and their father builds skate ramps so he has this new one at their house. We went down for a weekend of skating and hanging out. It was amazing. I even got on the ramp. Here are some pictures.

Heck ya I am skating in a skirt.