Gravey and Rice

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Flea: Green Poop

Flea: Green Poop

What I'm reading today. It's good to have variety. Even if it is in your newborn baby's diaper.

Revelation.

It occured to me yesterday, after the opening notes of "Keep the Faith" reduced me to a giddy 13 year old and I sang along at top volume the whole way home, that I will always be a Bon Jovi girl.


My husband has, of course, filed for divorce.




Monday, March 27, 2006

A few of my favorite things

On this cold, wet and windy day I've been thinking of some of my favorite things...

- Arizona Spring time when the temp. is rarely above 75 and the breeze is gentle and the sun is still like a warm blanket and not yet the scalding horror it will be in July.

- Tesco's Pineapple and Coconut Juice. Originally 50p when we discovered it 2 weeks ago, now that we buy like 6 cartons a week it's jumped to 64p. Bastards.

- Tesco's Butter and Toffee Cookies. Originally I wasn't impressed, but while DH was out yesterday I had a nibble of one of his and couldn't put it down. YUMMY. I can't wait to go out for conditioner today, so I have an excuse to get MORE COOKIES!

- Red Grapes dipped in strawberry yogurt. Nothing better.

- Apple Turnovers with Cream. Oh, god. Yum. So far I think Heidi's has the best ones, but Sainsburys arent to bad either.

- My new son's head. It smells and tastes delicious. I swear I might take a nibble out of his ear at some point.

- A hot bath- with one of those fizzy things in it. Ahh...yeah.

- The way the light looks first thing in the morning. Clear or overcast, it always has an amazing quality to it that just makes me so grateful to be alive and to be here.

- Dooce

- The Expats


Oh, and my coccyx hurts. No word why though. Goodbye luxury of sitting down and standing up- you served me well.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Happy Mothers Day!


For mothers day my husband got me a bag of skittles and a package of dark chocolate kit kat, after I had mentioned how I was craving sweets since the baby was born. LOL. I love him.

Here is a picture of him taken yesterday at the local Rugby Club, the members of which presented my husband with an engraved pewter tankard and a bottle of champagne to celebrate little ones birth. Awesome people! My wonderful husband is a photographer, by the way.


For mothers day I also got a lovely painting of a flower and a little paper box with two candies in it from my 5 year old daughter. She made the flower using potatoes and my husband said it looked very "Jackson Pollack". I loved it.

My poor son said he had forgot his gift at school, so I guess I have something else to look forward to, tomorrow! Yey!

Putting lansinoh on after feeding The Littlest Emperor, and it helps alot! Now, if I just had a cream to relieve the latching on agony, and the burning that sears up the left side of my body when he's finished. Take what I can get though, I suppose.


Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there. Hope it was lovely!

Today he woke up

I've been growing concerned about the amount of time The Littlest Emperor spends sleeping. Since he was born he has slept at least 22 hours a day, with the other 2 spent feeding and even then he's half asleep. Apparently most newborns sleep about 16 hours a day, so I felt that maybe he was taking it to the extreme.

Well, today he woke up! After his 10:00 feeding he was alert and awake and quiet for half an hour! He looked around and I cuddled him and kissed him and threatened to eat him all up because he smelled so good. He even held his head up and looked around. And then he went to daddy for a little bit and they made faces at each other.

He became fussy and started to cry when he got tired, but he fell asleep on my shoulder, and I didnt have to feed him again! I am so happy and excited!

But, I guess it means he's getting bigger, and once they start they don't stop. I don't want him to get bigger! I want him to stay my little newborn baby for awhile longer.

Why don't WE get to choose when they grow? Wouldn't it be great? We could fast forward and rewind their developmental milestones as we see fit. Three year old throwing a tantrum in the frozen food section? Fast forward to school age, and she won't even be there! Sixteen year old getting a little to free spirited? Rewind to when he was that precious little baby who just curled up and slept in your arms all day.

Like TIVO for parenthood. I like it.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

10,000 Babies

While describing to her brother exactly how fat he would become if he really did eat 10,000 taco's, it occured to my 5 yr. old daughter...

"Hey! Mommy isn't fat anymore!"

...

"Well, not that fat"

...

"Since the baby's come."

...

"what...?!"

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Cause for celebration

He's asleep. Now, some of you may be thinking "No big deal- that's all they do at that age!" And you are right. My new son is not suffering from insomnia. But what you don't realize is that for Daddy, little Oi needs only a pat on the back and a quick swivel in the computer chair before he's out like a light. For Mommy, ha HA, going to sleep involves 45 minutes of abject torture. The first 30 are simple enough- he latches onto my boob and starts to feed. I assume the fetal position over him and desperatley try not to cry out or squeeze him to hard as he slowly and methodically sucks my soul out through my nipple.

It's the next 15 that are hard. Because after he's finished eating he is alert for about 5 minutes before it's time to go back to sleep. And that means more of the soul sucking. And for 15 minutes he follows the same procedure- latch on, suck (ow) suck (tears) suck (cry out, try not to rip nipple out of mouth) drift off (dear god, thank you), release (please don't wake up...), startle awake (no, no, no) , repeat. Until he has fallen asleep. Truly asleep. God forbid I've forgotten the little emperors pillow- because if he's not on his pillow, you will not be able to move him without waking him up, and then the vicious circle continues.

But not for daddy- oh no. Pat, pat, swivel and everything is zen. Even without the pillow. Daddy can move our baby even if he is NOT on his pillow. *sigh*

So, now you you understand why last night I was in tears knowing David would be at work today. And why I am celebrating now. I got the baby to go to asleep. Laying on my chest! Like daddy does! And when I moved him, he stayed asleep! No crying! No soul sucking! He's asleep, on his pillow! For an hour now!

Ha!

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

"Breastfeeding is Best!!!!"

Now, I agree with that statement- wholeheartedly, I do. But, I'm just a little perturbed at the sheer amount of propaganda that goes along with it. Now, on one hand it's a good thing. The midwives and doctors, the NHS- they're all on board with it. Which means perhaps big business doesnt have a grip on everything after all. After all, the more mothers that can be strongarmed into breastfeeding, the less profit the formula companies are making.

But here's where I start getting a bit peeved. From day one of pregnancy the soon to be mum is assaulted with literature on breastfeeding. Pamphlets, fliers, posters you name it. At her birth class she will spend an hour hearing all the great things about breastfeeding, while the negatives are smoothly glossed over and formula feeding is easily demonized. At the end of the class, however she will be told it's "her choice". Yeah.

But all during these 9 months of constant exposure to how wonderful breastfeeding is and how baby will surely get sick and perish if it's formula fed- noone ever actually asks the woman how she feels, what she wants or what her concerns are. Does that same midwife who is so dedicated to breastfeeding ever once break out a doll and actually show the woman HOW to breastfeed? Where is the video showing how to get baby to latch on properly? And after baby is born- does the midwife spend an intense 20 minutes with mum and baby showing them what to do?

It seems that after all this- when baby is actually born and mum is expected to do her duty, she is left out in the cold. It doesnt take long for this well meaning mother, who was so ready and excited to breastfeed her child, to realize that it isn't quite as natural as they like to make it out. That the slogan "at first it was hard, but after a little help...." is anything but realistic. As she sits hunched over her nursing baby, quietly sobbing because it feels as if her nipple is slowly being ripped off, the midwives bustle around her. When she tearfully begs for help, they tell her to "aim the nipple at the roof of baby's mouth", and are off again. When the pain has morphed into an intense burning that engulfs the nipple, and races up the breast into her arm and she again begs for help she is told "baby is latching on fine- it's swallowing, hopefully the pain will go eventually".

This mother is left alone with a poor baby who only wants to eat and has no idea of the pain it's causing. She is left in tears from the pain, wracked with guilt as she dreads the next feeding and can't help wishing she could avoid it. Knowing that if she doesnt breastfeed she is certainly doing her child a grave injustice as it will cause allergies, obesity and disease later in life. Knowing she can't even express and bottlefeed as it will cause "nipple confusion".

She is left feeling guilty and wracked with pain as she trys to do nothing but what's "best" for her child.

Perhaps our midwives aren't as comitted to breastfeeding, and the health of mum and baby as they like to make themselves out to be.

Perhaps the breastfeeding mission has gone a bit to far, when the mothers who are persuaded to nurse are not even given the support and help that they've been promised, that they need. When they are left feeling guilty, alone and in excruciating pain.

Monday, March 20, 2006

He's here!


Thursday March 16, 2006 12:35 am 8lbs. 4oz

Our little baby "Oi". An absolute angel. The last few days have been hell, but more on my part as I go through the recovery process and learn how to breastfeed. (You wouldnt think something so natural would be so blindingly hard and painful). So far he mostly just sleeps and eats, though he's getting more and more alert each day. We took a long walk yesterday to enjoy the sun and he was awake for most of it.

As far as my recovery goes, again it's been hell. Honestly. I've had two other children and I don't remember it being anything even close to this. I was up and about right away, and not in any pain. I guess I'm just older now, or something. It'll pass soon, I hope.

We havent agreed on a name for him yet- so for now he's just little "Oi" and the family has lots of suggestions. Like "Oswald" and "Albert" and... well, you get the idea.

The children enjoy him immensly and I think Daddy is still getting used to all the crying. He's amazing though and I couldnt ask for a better man. :D


Sunday, March 12, 2006

Bagel....

It's not my fault. I fully blame these
people. If they didn't post such threads I wouldnt get engrossed in them and forget about the bagel I have under the broiler.

But, don't worry- they didnt go to waste. After smothering them in cream cheese, the kids were none the wiser....

Saturday, March 11, 2006

An interesting read and some great music

James Blunt- you either love him or you hate him. I'm firmly in the love him camp. But as great as his album is, and as impressive his military record- he may not be as "beautiful" as thought...

An interesting blog points to Blunt as dishonest, bigheaded and selfish. Even more interesting than the story itself is that, apparently some of Blunts royalites have been frozen until it can be sorted out, though I couldnt find anything to substantiate that. Could be someone at Warner isn't happy with the Golden Boy...?

You can read about it here

Couldn't find any mention of it on Blunt's website, here

And if you don't read the entire blog- at least check out the music the guy claims he made with Blunt

"Cry"

"Really Want You"
-Not on Back to Bedlam-

Friday, March 10, 2006

Things I love about my husband #364

He cuts my initials into the potatoes before dropping them in the boiling water. Is that love, or what?

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

The joy of family

Before I moved over here last May, I had a nasty falling out with my siblings.

See, I was apparently a nasty, horrible person for getting married to a fantastic man and moving the kids to England, away from everything they knew. My brother called to inform me he was angry that he hadn't met my husband on either of his two trips to see me, because as my older brother he is supposed to "approve of my husband", whatever. (by the way- During my husbands last trip, when I called to invite siblings out to dinner to meet him, it was made clear to me that my brother wasn't speaking to me and wanted nothing to do with me.) It was during that phone call that my brother actually slagged off my 7 year old son, his beloved nephew, telling me how much better behaved his daughter was and how he never had any problems with her and how I must be doing something really wrong for my son to be having all the problems he was.

My sister called me to rant and rave about how horrible I was, how I was taking her niece and newphew away from her and how could I take them away from their only family? This conversation was made particularly pleasant when she called me a bitch and told me I had ruined everyones lives and she couldnt wait for me to be gone. My sister, who I have always had a lets say rocky relationship with and who I only spoke to once in a blue moon, usually to arrange birthday party times and holiday stuff. I had ruined her life. Wow, I must be GOOD, I hadn't even been trying.

The day we got married, my parents and kids were the only ones there. A couple of days later my sister called my mother and told her how offended and angry they were that I hadnt invited them. What? Had she forgotten that she hated my guts and that I had ruined all their lives? Suddenly she wanted to be there when I got married? Was she NUTS?

Our last night in the states my parents took my kids over to my siblings for a going away party. I sent over big bags of candy for my nieces and cards for my brother and sister. I stayed at home. The kids werent even given so much as a card. We left the next day and I havent looked back.

10 months on and I havent received so much as an email from my brother or sister. They didnt even bother to send my kids birthday cards, and Christmas came and went without so much as a word. I sent both my nieces cards and birthday gifts, and I sent Christmas gifts to my nieces and brother and sister. We even sent a get well card to my sister after a recent operation. No word if she even got it. Late last year my sister suddenly decided that she might come visit with my mom in April. She had all but bought the tickets when I heard about this from my mom. Boy, think she realized how conveinant it is to have a sister living abroad? I think my mother must have made my displeasure clear, though as my sister apparently decided to spend the money elsewhere.

Apparently my kids arent quite so beloved as I was led to believe. Any mention of their Aunt and Uncle is now met with a puzzled look until they remember who they are. On Christmas my daughter had no desire to talk to them on the phone, preferring instead to go to bed. My son had a very short conversation with them, and only because he's not 5 and I can make him speak to his family back home.

Ah, family. Over rated, I think.


 


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