Giggle Fest

Baby Blessings

Another reminder of how lucky we are to have Brody in good health...My friends Billy and Ashley have been dealing with their son Weston's Biliary Atresia - he has been waiting for a liver transplant since very early on in his little life. Weston is only one month older than Brody.

As of right this second, Weston is in the OR receiving his brand new liver. Also right now, the donor's family is mourning the loss of their child. What a tremendous gift it is to donate organsand may the donor's family be blessed and find peace in knowing that a wonderful little boy is receiving a badly needed liver. They are saving Weston's life today.

Please pray for/think good thoughts for/send good energy towards the Golden family as well as the donor's family tonight.

Nine Random Thoughts from Today

#1 - I'm still amazed that my son came out of my body. I still remember exactly how it felt the last few hours of labor. Only now (exactly 5 months later) am I open to the idea of having another child. First, we will have to get this sleep thing down, but the thought has crossed my mind. I'd say I'm about 25% willing to try for another baby sometime down the road.

#2 - Running blogs are boring. I'm finding myself less interested in running blogs these days. Eh, maybe I'll change my mind again, but I'm into reading about other things.

#3 - I'm so excited for next Tuesday! I get to begin my "reduced work responsibilities" on my path to being a SAHM. All I can think of when someone at work sends me an email about something or tells me something over the phone that I think is annoying is "oh, go blow it out your a$$!" Really. I'm there.

#4 - I used a pot in the kitchen last night for the first time since Brody was born. I actually read a coulple of recipes and tried new things. Teriyaki Quinoa and Simple Swiss Chard. Combine with Tamari Salmon and you have homemade dinner, folks.

#5 - I have a new distance PR with Brody in the stroller - 1.57 miles. Brody is finally strong enough to sit forward facing in the stroller (not in his car seat), which means I'm on the way to maybe trying running again someday. If only he can get over his aversion to shoulder straps. He screams bloody murder when being secured in his car seat and now in his strollers, so it may be a while before we can stay out long distances away from the house. Literally one step at a time, folks.

#6 - Thought brought on by a conversation I had earlier today- America will be a much better place when everyone understands that being gay is not a "lifestyle choice." Being gay is as much in a person's biologic make-up as hair color or skin color, but yet some people still think that it is okay to withhold rights from. Seriously makes me sad to think of how many ignorant people there are out there in the world on this issue. Religion can't even be used to justify the discrimination - if people want to claim "some line" in the Bible against homosexuality as an excuse to discriminate, they also should look to the other things in the Bible that reference sexual behavior between men and women and see if it is applicable to the relationships we know today (virginity at marriage, polygamy, divorce, stoning of adulterers). Sigh. Why do some adults fear two people of the same gender who are in a loving relationship marrying, when they would insist their own teenage daughter marry the father of her child, even if it is not in her best interest? (not my situation, but double sigh)

#7 - Torchy's tacos are yummy. The taco of the month in January is super good, too - The Revolution. I get it on corn tortillas without cheese. yum.

#8 - Lots of preggos still happening amongst friends. I'm thankful that Brody will have little buddies to play with.

#9 - Breastfeeding is awesome. It is also kind of weird. I'm not sure if I'll ever think of my boobs as being sexy again now that they are used for their intended biologic function all the time. Also, nobody ever mentions how you are trapped in time when you are nursing. You can't miss a feeding or pumping session or your boobs get really full, and that is uncomfortable. I'm thinking in terms of going for a run, or a date with your husband, or even just being able to sleep comfortably through the night. When the baby sleeps for longer stretches, you still might wake up to really full, tight, uncomfortable boobs and have to pump at 3:00 in the morning. It just gets complicated, that's all. Anyhow, my boobs make milk, and that is really cool because when I see how well my son is growing physically, I know that it is because of me :).

Goals for 2011

• Start running again this year. I would like to be able to run 10-13 miles by the end of the year. Yes, I'm that far out of shape. I'm gonna start slowly by walking first (haven't even really walked since Thanksgiving) then adding in some short distances running.
• Stop using profanity. I don't want Brody to say his first curse word by imitating anything I have said. If you really knew our little family, you would know that I'm the cusser in the house. My main words to work on...fudge, shoot, ace, dang...but the real ones. I figure I'm going to start saying durn, dang, argh, booty, and the like this year, just to keep my sense of humor.
• Eat more vegetables. Despite what a few of you think, I really have become lax in my vegetable eating. With all of the food restrictions I am now under (no beef, chicken, pork by choice, no wheat for my GI issues, no dairy or eggs for Brody's eczema issues), it is essential that I focus on eating the right foods. I am slowly becoming a junk food pescatarian.

Those are the main goals. There are lots of other things that I constantly strive to do better on. Having three main things to immediately focus on for the year is about all I can handle.