Oh Christmas Tree

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving. We sure enjoyed our time with family in WV!! We even brought home a beautiful Christmas tree from our favorite tree farm. That is a tradition we will continue for a loooooong time... cutting our own tree. Milo was pretty impressed with his father. He still points to the tree and says "Daddy!" Oh and you should hear him sing Oh Christmas Tree. We don't know the words so we all sing "Oh Christmas Tree. Oh Christmas Tree. Da da da da da da da." So Milo proudly sings "Tree. Tree. Da da da da da."

Our love for that boy just grows greater and greater every single day.

Hmmm. I don't really have much more to blog about at the moment. December is going to be busy busy busy, but we are anticipating 2012 to be a great year and are happy to start it. =)

Oh. I know my last post was about names. I'm starting to come around to some more... mainstream names for a girl. You still won't find me intentionally giving my kid a name in the top 10 but I'm really liking Charlotte, Josephine, Annabel... Sweet but not too jazzy or trendy. =)

Alrighty. Happy Weekend!

Names. Names. Names.

Hmm. What to blog about...

Ooo. I know. I'll blog about baby names. Yep. Its that time again. We had the name Milo picked out for at least four-five years before Milo was born. It was just a name that we heard and loved. And eventually I came to pray for Milo by name. For about two years I prayed for Milo by name.

Now as we begin to think about trying for a little brother or sister for Milo, I have started playing the name game. We have some names at the top of our list... but nothing as definitive as Milo was. I take that back. There is a girl's name. When I was praying for Milo there was an "or... blank" included in that in case it was a girl.

Oh. You want to know what the blank is? Some of you may remember. Allegra. I don't know what it is about this name but it sings to my soul. Allegra Lane to be exact. My only deterent, and its not that big of one, is of course the allergy medicine. But who the heck cares?!

Let's play a little game. Which of the following names is the name of an emergency contraceptive pill? A. Peggy B. Ella C. Bailey D. Alice E. Maggie

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Answer. Ella. That's right. This beautiful name that is becoming quite common is also the name of an emergency contraceptive pill. Allegra is just an allergy medicine. And the reason they chose that name for their allergy medicine is because it means joyful. Who wouldn't their daughter being named something that means joyful?

Ok. Off my soap box. I just had to defend my precious girl's name. Hmmm. Apparently Allegra is still at the top of the list in my heart. ;)

As for boys... there are just a couple names on that list, but again... nothing definitive like Milo was. And we kind of decided against family names. How do you honor one person or one side and not the other?

Anyway... my brain is just constantly running through names. =) If and when God blesses us with another little miracle from the five embryos we have chillin' out in the freezer... they are sure to have a well thought out name.

We'll see.

I may have failed to mention this, but Nathan is half way through his last two courses to complete his photojournalism degree with a minor in folk studies. You may or may not have known that he was two minor courses shy of graduating when he accepted the position in Midland over three years ago. It was definitely the right choice, but that unfinished degree had to be finished. It has definitely been time consuming. He drives to BG on Thursdays for one class, and the online class meets every M, W, F. Then weddings on many Saturdays... plus being a husband and father. Its been busy, but just a few more weeks and we'll be celebrating his graduation! See. Had he finished three years ago... Milo wouldn't be here to join in. So its actually perfect timing. ;)

Boy. Life has sure been interesting around here. We never know what is around the next corner. I'm beginning to think God likes surprises... or at least likes surprising us.

I will be finishing up my breastfeeding counselor training in the next couple months as well. Then, I'll be a certified breastfeeding counselor. I have learned SO MUCH! And I still have such a great passion for supporting new moms.

... Nathan just got home from shooting a wedding, so I'm going to close. Happy Weekend!!

Well hello there. I know my blogging has been pretty pathetic these days. Oh well. Priorities and such...

So today marks 12 years since Nathan and I became boyfriend and girlfriend. Yep... our dating anniversary. That just sounds impossible. That scariest part is how fast those 12 years have flown by!

Milo is nearing his 16th month of life. That, again, sounds impossible! And we are still nursing. Why? Why still nursing? Why not... My biggest motivation is for the immunity boost, but there are really many reasons to nurse past a year. The World Health Organization actually recommends it until 2 and beyond. So again I ask, Why not?! =) Just had to throw that in there.

Milo's personality is really starting to become more and more evident. He may look like a Rothrock, but he's just like his daddy in about every other way. Today we were on a hayride... and Milo kept looking at this pile of dirt on the floor of the wagon... and kept saying, "dirty. dirty." THAT is Nathan. We are also starting to see that he is a bit... passive. Not at home. At home he is independent and outgoing and very vocal about what he wants. But with his peers, he does a lot more watching rather than playing and interacting. And if another kid takes something from him, he lets it go. Hmmm. Now that I think of it, the name Milo means 'mild, peaceful, and calm.' That is exactly how he is with his peers. This isn't necessarily a negative trait, but we just don't want to see him be walked on or taken advantage of down the road. I think a sibling might help with all of this... but don't expect that too soon!

Milo is an excellent communicator. He is using lots and lots of words and attempts to say just about everything. I am never at a loss for what he is trying to say or express. Right now we are working on using 'words' instead of squeals/cries. And he has a habit of pulling on the neck of my shirt when he wants to nurse while saying "meeelk," so with gentle prompting he'll stop and say "meeeeelk peeez." Oh and Nathan was in Atlanta for a few days this week and Milo made his first attempt at saying I love you to Nathan over the phone. It was so sweet. He didn't get the sounds quite right, but he mimicked the tone of how we say I love you.

Nathan has a busy month with weddings and mid-terms, but we'll make it through. And this week I will start watching two little kiddos from our community group two-three days/week. They are a two year old boy and three year old girl. Should be lots of fun!!

SAHM

SAHM. This is an abbreviation used online for the term Stay At Home Mom. Now of course, any mom knows that we SAHM, don't really just stay home all day. I mean some days, sure. But its more like we are MTDWOTH... Moms That Don't Work Outside The Home. But that would be silly. Anyway... this is a title I am proud to hold.

I know being a SAHM isn't for everyone. And that's fine. I'm just talking about myself. But my friend Kendra and I had a lovely conversation the other day about being a SAHM. Being a SAHM mom means we are sacrificing a crap load of money. Ok, so maybe not a crap load. But a significant amount. Being a SAHM is expensive. Its hard. I know being a working mom has its own set of immensely difficult challenges. I. Could. Not. Do. It.

But our conversation continually turned to the subject of God's provision. For both of our families God has provided us with a safe, clean home. Food on our table every day. The ability to pay our bills. Wash our clothes. Diaper our babies. Yes. We stress about money. There are times where we question how we'll get through another month. But we do. God always provides.

Nathan and I were talking and Nathan asked the question. Why? Why would God be so good to us, when we are constantly letting Him down? Why would God be so faithful to us, when we are so unfaithful to Him? Then the real big question. Why would God send His son to DIE for us???

Us. Ungrateful. Sinful. Us? I would not send my son to die for the likes of us. But we are His children. He loves us. Just like our parents still love us even when we disappoint them.

We do not deserve His provision, His grace, or His love... yet He still offers it freely. I know we will never be worthy... but we will try. We will fail day after day, but we will try. And in our efforts, God will see our hearts were pure in our attempt to please Him. I hope that the struggles and sacrifices of being a SAHM are some how pleasing to God. {That's not to say that being a working mom is not pleasing to God. I'm just talking about my own personal life and journey. We are not all called for the same thing in life.}

I spent months and months and months playing around with the nursery before Milo was born. It was such a great way to pass the time until his birth. Well... the crib very quickly moved from the 'nursery' to our room... and you know the rest... co sleeping and all. Well we have decided to begin the transition to Milo having a room of his own. We are going to do this with no pressure and few expectations. Maybe by two he'll be sleeping on his own. Like I said, no pressure and few expectations. But I am SUPER excited about putting his room together. It should be a lot of fun!

Milo is as busy as ever, and his language is really progressing quite quickly. He's now using two word sentences and repeating everything. Today he said Kroger?! LOL Not too bad for a 14 month old. He also has NO sense of personal space. He will see another little kid, walk up to him or her and stand within two inches of their nose... just about ready to give them a smooch. Its hilarious! He's such a little lover. And his feet. Oh his big ole feet. He is currently in a size 8. Yes. A size 8. That is with the fingernail amount of space at the toe for a little growing room, but yeah... I think he is going to be a tall one.

That's about all I've got for now.

Goodbye Grandpa. We Love You.

This morning, my mom called with the sad news that my Grandpa had passed away during the night. We had been anticipating this day for years now. The last few times I saw him, I always assumed it'd be my last... making that goodbye even harder. But nothing gives me more comfort than the fact that he passed on the same day as my Grandma, six years earlier. That is not a coincidence. While I am sad that Milo never got to meet Grandpa {They would have been two peas in a pod, as neither one of them has ever known a stranger!} I know that Grandpa is finally resting peacefully. He was loved and will be dearly missed.

Milkshake Update

Hey guys.

So I thought I'd give a quick update about Milkshake Breastfeeding Education & Counseling. Things are progressing... a little slowly, but still progressing. We are on hold with a few things at the moment... but I anticipate things picking up as we near fall. I have a consult tomorrow with a friend of a friend who has an almost two week old. And as far as the diaper bank... my plan is to connect with an already established nonprofit to get that up and running. So all in all things are going well.

This past week was World Breastfeeding Week. Milo and I went to a Latch-On in Louisville which was supposed to break the world record for most breastfeeding women at one time... and to raise awareness. Well... I was pretty disappointed. It was not well organized... not very exciting... and it was not in public view so how does that get the community involved at all?! That got me thinking...

It would seem that there is enough support in place to support breastfeeding women. Most hospitals have lactation consultants, WIC offices have peer counselors, and there are always the hippies. {I say hippies with complete respect...} See... the crunchy families are all about breastfeeding. I am crunchy enough. Not politically but in terms of liking to do things naturally. I fit in just fine with the hippies... but I realized something. What about the new moms who may not feel as comfortable or as welcome among the crunchy folk. And again, I do not mean to be insulting... but I have found crunchy people are often lacking in organizational skills. So even if there is good support... you may not know about it unless you are on the inside circle in Crunchyville. I have a friend from high school who lives in rural WV. She has NO support. She has three young boys and had to sit on the floor of a Walmart bathroom to breastfeed her newborn while still getting nasty looks from people. She said that the counselors she has encountered act like you're bothering them if you call with a question. And WIC offices have formula... so its easier for them to give out the formula than to invest the time in breastfeeding support. That's what happens with the government. Then there are the hospital lactation consultants... tangled up with hospital bureaucracy. The one I had was AMAZING (I know GREAT hospital lactation consultants are out there), but the other at our hospital was... not. And I don't know how many women have said that they asked to see a lactation consultant and no one ever came. I'm sure they're busy with paperwork and getting their big old breastfeeding initiative on paper... but what about the real women who need real support. This was the story with so many women in several different states.

Its has just given me great perspective on where the gaps are. And where I can step in to make sure that ALL WOMEN ARE GETTING GOOD BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT.

{SO sorry for the rambling. My thoughts aren't terribly complete these days with this busy boy!!}

Quick Milo update... he has pooped on the potty so many times now. Just a few minutes ago... he came to Nathan saying, "Potty. Potty." We took him in and he was actively pooping. He is really doing great with the laid back potty training approach. He's definitely starting to understand. And he can pray with us now. When we say let's pray, he folds his hands and will say, "Amen." at the end. It just warms our hearts so deeply.

Ok. Bath time. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. And Praise God for all of the new life being born in the past few months... Phoebe, Caroline, Silas R, Silas T, Barrett, Reese, ... So many beautiful babies. And a fellow IVF-er friend is expecting twins. I just love it.

Quick Little Update

Happy World Breastfeeding Week! In honor of WBW... I just want to say THANK YOU to my mother for breastfeeding me. <3

This past weekend, Nathan and I celebrated seven years of marriage. My parents came up to spend time with Milo while we enjoyed a lovely meal and went to see a movie. And I'm pretty sure Milo didn't miss me a bit. :( I was a little sad, but really happy at the same time. Its nice being able to sneak away and spend time with my hubby, especially on our anniversary.

Last week Milo had kind of a mystery fever. It spiked up to 104 at one point. Aside from the fever and low appetite, there were no other symptoms. It lingered for about three days, then went away. Well... the next morning he woke up with a lovely rash from the top of his head down into his diaper area. Our first though was chicken pox... but a quick call to our pediatrician, and she said it was Roseola. Fortunately Roseola is a mild illness and the rash is a sign that its nearing its end. I'm pretty sure Milo probably caught it at the zoo. Roseola is very common in daycare centers. We visited the zoo... I let Milo touch the dirty windows in the gorilla area... with all the smudge prints from the massive number of kids that pass through (lots of daycares...) and then that night the fever came. Regardless... the rash is gone and he is feeling just fine now.

Aside from that... not much else is new. We got to go to the Shelbyville Horse Show... which is kind of a big thing in these parts. It was actually a lot of fun. Sticky and hot, but still fun. Milo loved the horses and tractor that combed the field. All in all, it was a great evening.

OH and shoes. Milo has such big, wide, fat feet that we struggle to find shoes for him. And the shoes that fit a week ago... no longer fit. I have a feeling over the course of Milo's first 18 years... I'll be spending a small fortune on shoes. Ugh. That's why I will be buying them on consignment!

OK. That's all I've got for today. :D

Weaning

{This is a post I wrote a week or so ago that never got posted... and I added to it at the bottom...}

You knew it wouldn't be long before a breastfeeding related post came up.

As I have gotten more involved with the breastfeeding community, I've found that a lot of "lactavists" are very extreme in their beliefs. It is their way and their way only. I LOVE breastfeeding. I think it is a beautiful thing when women choose and/or are able to breastfeed their babies. It is absolutely the BEST thing for your baby. There is no debating that. It is worth the fight, BUT I went through that battle. Not to toot my own horn, but most women would have given up. So I can understand why a woman might give up. And I have no judgement against women who do not breastfeed. As a breastfeeding counselor... I see myself as simply a support person for women who do want to breastfeed their baby. I like to encourage women to at least try, and educate them on why its such an amazing thing.

That being said, I have also found that women who did not successfully breastfeed are also extreme in their feelings against breastfeeding. Maybe its jealousy. Maybe its insecurity. I don't know. And they want to discourage breastfeeding. I recently had this happen to me.

I have a new friend who did not successfully breastfeed her baby. Through some of the conversations I had with her, I mentioned weaning, Milo nursing to sleep, etc. Basically, she asked if I had weaned, I said, "No I lost my motivation for weaning." {Will explain in a minute} And she said well you can still wean without a reason... implying I should stop. She was encouraging me to wean. Why do I have a problem with this? 1. She is discouraging me from doing something that is GOOD. No. GREAT for my son.

The AAP recommends nursing to at least a year. The WHO suggests to the age of two. And the natural age of weaning for a human, based on the natural age of weaning for mammals in nature, is between 4-5 years old. Now I don't plan on nursing Milo that long... but nursing a toddler still has a LOT of benefits.

1. That wonderful bond. 2. Still wonderfully nutritious. 3. Helps baby fight infections, keeping them healthy and helps build a strong immune system. 4. Comfort, pain management.

Milo has been cutting four molars at once... two are in, two are very close. During this time, he has done a lot of nursing because it is comforting, easing the discomfort of teething. On these oh so hot days... I don't worry about Milo becoming dehydrated or not having enough water... breastmilk does the trick! And as Milo becomes more and more independent and busy... I cherish those moments of skin to skin, nursing and snuggling.

My friend is simply wrong.

To explain losing my motivation... We were seriously considering baby number two. With IVF that would require full weaning. We started some gently weaning and Milo actually did very well... he was down to only nursing once or twice in a 24 hours period. But, I had a sleepless night where I think God was just saying... Not yet. And I was so relieved when we decided to wait a while longer. With that decision... I said, "Well I'm going to keep nursing Milo then." I struggled with weaning earlier than planned or try for another baby. And I think for now, we made the right decision.

OK... Time for some hubby time. {To the person who left the last comment. Thank you.}

::

So a while back my IVF doctor told me I shouldn't nurse past a year because it was unnecessary and "a lot of milk." That really bothered me initially. But I sucked it up and got over it. Then today, because we are doing six month follow up stuff on my lung nodules, the pulmonary and cardiac specialist told me we would need to do another CT scan with contrast. I said that I was still breastfeeding and confirmed that I will need to pump and dump. His response was not, yes... you need to pump and dump. His response was, "Well home much longer are you planning to breastfeed?" I don't know. Does it matter? It just made me feel like I shouldn't be breastfeeding. It just shocked me that our nation's specialists, our highly educated medical professionals... are questioning breastfeeding beyond a year. Again. The WHO recommends breastfeeding to two! So there.

West Virginia

We made a quick little run up to Morgantown last weekend to see Nathan's family. {My parents were also going up, on the way to PA to see some family... so we had another opportunity to have Milo with both sets of grandparents together.} Anyway, it was a wonderful trip. Milo traveled really well. We stopped probably every two hours to let him stretch a bit, but all in all he did very well.

The older Milo get's the more and more fun we have with him. He had a blast on Uncle Freddie's farm. There were chickens, dogs, a cat, a pony, his cousins! He also got to go to Aunt Lisa's house up in the mountains, which again was a blast with the four wheeler he got to sit on, Uncle Steve's stuffed trophies, and more cousins! It had been six months since he had seen his cousins, aunts, uncles, and great-grandma, but he really warmed up to everyone so quickly.

Its really amazing how our kids personalities are evident so early on. Milo is proving to be very warm and loving. But in a more deep way. Nathan's Uncle Chip is usually intimidating to most people. His mom said that they were in a store, and the clerk asked his mom if he needed any help instead of directly asking him. I think its the long beard and biker look (he is really a biker, and looks the part for sure.) While Milo wouldn't have any reason to understand why that would be intimidating, I think a lot of kids would still be a little stand-off-ish. Not Milo. He instead tickled Uncle Chip's feet.

But the most heart warming thing to see was the way Milo and his great-grandma interacted together. She adores him. I mean... adores him. I'm pretty certain he's the first thing she thought of when she'd wake up and the last thing she'd think about when she went to sleep. And while her dementia induced temperament is normally, less than chipper, Nathan's mom says she is a different person when Milo is there. He brings her so much joy. And he really seems to sense that. While she'd have her feet propped up in the recliner, he'd walk over and put his head on her legs, or tickle... even kiss her feet. When she'd nod off, he'd sneak over beside her and stare at her. Within a couple seconds, I think Susie would sense he was there, and wake up with a giant grin on her face. Knowing that they get to have that special little relationship is
so neat. But at the same time, we have several other grandparents who we really wish had gotten to meet our sweet little boy.

And of course, Milo LOVES all four of his grandparents. He has started saying grandma and grandpa which again warms my heart, because he's definitely remembering them thanks to Skype and living two hours away.

We also go to meet our newest Morgan cousin, Levi. Boy oh boy is he a sweetie. Milo got to hold him too. And again, my loving little boy couldn't stop kissing him and pointing to his nose. {That is how I wake up EVERY morning. Milo pokes my nose and says, "Nose."} Levi also has two older brothers who have a TON of the coolest toys a boy could every imagine. =) Getting back to visit family is bittersweet. Its wonderful, but at the same time, we wish we lived closer to everyone.

Speaking of the body parts... Milo can name them all. Eyes, ears, nose, hair, eye brow, mouth, teeth, head, belly, belly button, hands, feet, toes, butt, penis {Yes... its important to teach your children the correct names for ALL parts... in a way that is just as normal as feet or nose.} I think that is it. Oh and nipples. He knows his nipples. LOL

Other Milo updates... his language is really starting to take off. Verbal and non. Very, very rarely does he say something that I don't know what he is trying to communicate. At the same time, he is starting to test the limits. And throw tantrums. Yep, we've got that lovely throw-your-head-back-drop-to-the-floor thing going on. Love that. But we expected those to come early.

And just this evening, I discovered Milo has two top molars in. Like, in. In. I hadn't felt back there in quite a while... and there they are. So that's been today's excitement.

It looks like I might get back into blogging. I can think of a million other things I could blog about, but I'll save some for another day. Hope you are all surviving the Heat Wave. After three years in Michigan... I'm not complaining.

Finding Focus

Do you every doubt God? Not doubt God's existence. I've seen God work too many times to doubt his existence or that He is GOD. Maybe forget is more of the word I am looking for, forget that He is in control. Of course. I know we all do that. Or at least, I think we all do as some time or another. I get caught up in regret. I regret not making better use of my time, pre Milo, in terms of education. We regret Nathan didn't choose a career that made lots of money. So on and so forth.

But then, God gives me that moment of clarity. Where He reminds me, that back in 2003, he put WKU on our radar through my college advisor. Even further back, he reminds me that He gave Nathan a true talent. He orchestrated a lot of events and opportunities for Nathan. God wouldn't do that if He didn't have a plan, a plan that would support his family. And same thing with me. I do wish had made better use of my time in college, BUT I also know that the He put this passion for supporting new mom's in my heart. And I would not have known about this calling until I went through the experience I did.

I, briefly, stopped trusting that God will use me to support new mom's in a way that blesses women, but also contributes to providing for our family. Oh that moment of clarity is so sweet. Raising my family is job number one in my life. A job, that doesn't come with financial reward, but instead with financial sacrifice. But I am doing so in obedience of God, because that is what He is laid on my heart, heavily long before Milo was here. And for that, I know God will provide for our family. Another great thing about my second passion, breastfeeding, that is so great is that its a job that I can do while being a WAHM (work at home mom.)

So while I spent the majority of today having a little pity party, God came through to remind me that He is in control, and to trust in Him. I will do just that.

Remember Me?

Well hello there. Long time no see! I thought with Milo's first birthday just a day away... I would give you a little gift... of my rambling words. =)

Wow has the past year flown by. "They" said it would. It did. Milo so quickly went from a sweet, little baby to this amazingly bright little boy. Wednesday is the big birthday... and here is what he is up to...

Speed walking. He doesn't have the bounce of a run, but boy can he book it.

He has several words. Most of the words aren't complete... they may be like the first syllable of the word, but he can verbally communicate with consistency. His list includes: Mommy, Dadda, up, down, hop hop (a stuffed rabbit), more, more milk, yes and no (with appropriate head shakes), ha ha ha (fake laugh), cup, duck, quack, quack, nose, bath, Grandpa, Vroom Vroom (motorcycle), Voom Voom (Vacuum)... that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

His comprehension is even more amazing. He can follow instructions, like "Go pick out a book." "Put the book back." "Go get your ninny (pacifier) and bankies (Blankie)." Really any simple instruction.

He can point to his head, hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, feet, and belly. He can point to yours, too.

He participates in songs like Pat a Cake, Little Bunny Foo Foo, etc.

He can climb up on all our living room furniture, the kitchen chairs and bench, my hope chest... the bed... he attempted to scale the side of the pack n play... almost successfully.

He loves playing outside, animals, swinging, sliding (by himself!), helping me vacuum (he just runs around with an attachment frantic while I vacuum around him.)

We are still breastfeeding... Praise God! Eating... he is not picky. He is a good little eater, loves fruit and most veggies. He likes to munch on Sonic ice with me. And most recently he is getting very good at using a fork and spoon. We are done with the sippy cup... he uses a reusable juice box with stray or just a straw or just from a cup.

This morning, he did a solo somersault... I did nothing to prompt him or encourage him. I was on the other side of the room. He was bent over, with his head on the floor, and just flipped himself right on over. Silly boy.

Hmmm... What else is he doing?? He is showing signs of having rhythm... which is good... Nathan doesn't excel in that area. ;)

He likes to dance and instantly starts clapping or dancing when he hears music. OH and the waving. He doesn't know a stranger. When we go to the pool or to a restaurant... he just waves and waves and waves and flirts to everyone around us. Literally everyone. He doesn't stop until everyone has acknowledged him and waves back. So funny.

Sleeping is also going very well. He is still sleeping in our bed with the crib attached to the side. Its not uncommon now for him to fall asleep without actually nursing to sleep. And I am able to finally have some time to get some stuff done. I have NO regrets about our sleeping arrangements. It was what we all needed and I love it. We have such special family morning time usually with lots of mushy Milo kisses. What a way to wake up.

OK. I was going to write some more but I think its long enough. Sorry for the rambling... I just want to get enjoy some evening time with my hubby. I'll try to post some pictures before too long.

Until next time.

Hey Y'all

Hey Y'all...

We made it. The sun is shining. The boxes are {almost} gone. And my accent is slowly returning.

Our apartment isn't perfect, but its fine. Its older, but well maintained. When I first walked in... well it was blue. Blue carpet, blue walls... but then I realized its more gray. Well with our brown and white stuff... it looks quite nice. I definitely think we can make this place home for a while. The grounds are beautiful with thick, lush grass. And there's a pond with five feisty little ducks... that Milo loves. My only complaint about this place is that it smells like a motel room that was once a smoking room... you know what I'm talking about. That smoke smell that is just imbedded into everything. So that stinks... but all in all it will be fine. And everyone at the complex has been very friendly. We are also a block away from a brand spankin new Kroger Marketplace... its basically a really nice Kroger that sells everything, like a Walmart or Meijer. They also have an excellent organic section. :) So this morning Milo and I took his morning nap on a stroll to Kroger... while he slept, I shopped. We also are less than a mile form downtown. So this evening we took our walk into town and grabbed a drink at our local coffee shop... then headed home. And the demographic of residents in our complex is simple... Americans... there are three police officers, a soldier that lives across the street, young families, old families, handicapped, singles, of all ethnicities, etc. Just a nice array of people. Oh and there are tiny little ants that are driving me crazy... but I'm hoping its just the rain driving them indoors.

The town of Shelbyville is small but charming. There seems to be a great appreciation for historic charm. The people are exactly what you would expect in a small, Kentucky town. Sweet. Checking out at Kroger... I had both the woman in front and behind me chatting me up. It was wonderful. I feel like people down here just enjoy the simple things in life. And its contagious. I have already been invited to lunch by a fellow breastfeeding advocate who I cannot wait to meet. And our insurance guy, who has 13 month old daughter, invited us to a game night next week. We are going to be with my parents this weekend for Mother's Day and Derby Day... YAY!! but I'm really looking forward to trying out some churches over the next couple of months as well.

Thank you for your prayers and support during our transition. This move was a risk. We had to trust God fully and step out of our comfort zone. Its still a little scary, but we are so excited about where God is leading us.

And I'll end on this note... My talented, hard working hubby was awarded a second place photo editor award by the National Press Photographers Association, Best of Photojournalism. This is a huge honor. I am not surprised... but he deserved it. {Which made us go... crap!? Did we make the right decision leaving a job he was obviously successful at?! But we followed God's leading... Can't go wrong doing that!}

One Last Post from Michigan

Tomorrow we will be loading up the moving truck. Today, we attended Nathan's going away luncheon at work, had one last, special playdate with a few, dear friends, and then said our goodbyes to Anya's family. I made it all day without crying, until saying goodbye to Linda. I will never truly be able to articulate just how much they have meant to me.

We came to Michigan 2 3/4 years ago as a family of two. We quietly snuck into town, knowing very few people. But here we are, leaving, as a family of three... having made some relationships that I know will last a long time.

This is the very bitter part of this bittersweet move.

To all of the people we have met, and now call friends, Thank you, We love you, We'll miss you.

Surprise.

I know I said I was done... but then I finally had stuff to blog about. Let's see how fast I can do this.

#1. I thought only toddlers screamed and arched their backs when you put them in the car seat. Oh... toddlers and MILO!

#2. I'm reading a book right now called Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn. Its very interesting. The basis is that the messages we are sending our kids with conventional parenting... is sending a message that our love for them is conditional upon their behavior. OF COURSE... that is not how we truly feel, but a different message is being sent. I could have an entire post about spanking. We will not be spanking Milo. But this book goes on to say that Time-Outs, too can be sending a mixed message. A parents love and attention is not something that should be given or taken away based on their behavior. Interesting stuff. Now... this guy takes it to an extreme. He says that even praise based on behavior can send the same, mixed message. But that's a tougher one to swallow. Two other things I liked were not making a child say "I'm sorry." You can encourage them to say it if that's the way they feel, but making them say it is teaching them to basically lie... that they just have to say it even if they don't mean it. The same goes for I love you. And physical affection. So often 'we' say, "Give so and so a kiss." "Give so and so a hug." I even do that now. "Give mommy a kiss." Its said as a command. Affection should not be given because someone said to do so. It should be given when felt. So I will be changing my words/actions to... "Mommy wants to give you a kiss." I will give him the kiss... and he can return the kiss when he desires to do so. I don't know. I just like some of what this guy has to say. I don't know that I agree with everything... and I still have a lot to read before I finish... but I have definitely looked at parenting a bit differently than before.

#3. Nanny Drama. I can't get into the entire story... but long story shorter... The nanny that Anya's family hired was NOT a good fit. She worked with me two days this week and I quickly found that she did not have the experience she had indicated. Katie did not respond well to her at all. That may have gone away with time... but there were just several factors that played into their decision to let her go. And I think she lacked a sense of professionalism... or maybe just personal courtesy. And then, when Linda who is very kind, professional, and sensitive let her go... she turned the drama on... (she actually majored in theater or drama in college?!) She argued with Linda. She cried. She manipulated the situation. She ranted. She really showed her true character, which let them know it was the right decision. So now they are back to the drawing board. Anya's mom gave me quite the compliment, saying she'll never find another Nanny Kelly. I love those girls... and I know that God will work things out for their family.

#4. I'm SO ready for another baby?! What? Seriously? Did I just say that? Nathan is not surprised. At all. Even Anya's mom says that I'm meant to be the mother of many. We'll see how that all plays out in the coming years. {And tonight at a birthday party... Nathan found a sweet baby girl, 4 months old, nestled into his arms. I think Nathan is also ready for another... but I don't expect him to say it out loud. I could just see it in his eye.)

#5. Continued prayers for Nathan's Grandma. She was released from the hospital to the rehab facility my mom worked. She still needs lots of prayer... as do Nathan's parents. I know they have to be exhausted.

#6. My dear friend Kendra's daughter is turning one this week! Kendra and I would pregnant pals... spent many days waddling together... and have since spent many hours together with the babies. If her daughter is turning one... I know that Milo is just ten weeks from turning one. TEN WEEKS FROM TURNING ONE!

#7. Ok. Now I'm tired. Goodnight.

The official announcement was made! See it here. It's starting to feel real...

This week I had Anya (2.5 yrs) Katie (3 mo) and Milo (9 mo.) Honestly I was skeptical it could be done. But it's gone shockingly well. Oh it's still crazy (my child causing the most chaos) but I was able to keep everyone fed, rested, dry, and happy. So to me, that is success. But boy oh boy am I tired today!

I did have a first with Katie. I thought I'd be helpful and trim Katie's fingernails... Well I clipped some skin. I have NEVER once clipped Milo's skin. She just jerked and I got her. OMG. First of all... I cried myself I felt awful. Katie only cried for maybe 20 seconds... But that sucker bled. And just when we thought it stopped (Linda stopped by on her lunch break shortly after it happened) it started up again. Katie is fine, but wow! Lessons learned? #1. Use nail file or scissors on newborn (I had baby nail scissors for Milo) #2. Don't clip anyone else's child's fingernails. {And what was Milo doing while I was tending to Katie? Emptying a package of wipes, one wipe at a time! :)}

Ok. I'm going to attempt to watch Parenthood. I know Nathan is already asleep on the couch so I'm not terribly optimistic.

Oh and I think I'm going to take a blogging break for a while. I'm just not into it these days... It's almost a chore. But I imagine once we get all settled in to our new home... I'll pick it up again. And you can always find me on Facebook.

It's not Goodbye. Just a see ya later!

My Old KY Home

Dear Michigan,

When we first met, I wasn't too fond of you. I saw you as a cold, isolated state, full of unfriendly people. I saw you as simply a place to live for 2-5 years. And while I know you were never meant to hold our family roots... I have softened.

Over the past two and three quarters years... I learned of the beauty of your shoreline and lakes. I love that your people go on vacation to their own special Up North every weekend of your comfortable summer. I found that while many of your residents did lack tact or kindness... You also have some of the most genuine people who I know get to call friends. And you are home to some amazing medical professionals who allowed God to work through their hands, giving me my son.

Michigan, thank you for letting us live here, for blessing us with jobs, amazing friends, fond memories, and the most handsome little souvenir a woman could ask for. But don't worry we'll come back to make another baby or two, God willing, and for a summer vacation Up North!

With great respect,

Kelly

That's right folks. Our time in Michigan is coming to an end at the end of April. We're heading back to KY where we plan on planting some roots (at least regionally... We will never again leave KY/TN area.) This move is definitely a God move. We're trusting fully in Him that this is the right move at the right time. Please keep us in your prayers as their is a lot to do in the coming weeks. And I'm afraid we will miss spring this year going from 8 inches of snow to 80 degrees rather quickly.

This move will be bittersweet... But being closer to family definitely makes it more sweet than bitter.

*We will go FB public on Monday*

Today is going to be a very busy day for me and Milo. We have his 9 month appointment at 10:30, I have physical therapy at 12:00, I'm watching Anya and Katie from 3-5:00, then I'm meeting a friend for a quick coffee at 6:00. Fortunately I think I planned well enough that Milo should still get all of his naps in. I say think because with this kid... you just never know. Although, his half hour naps do make things easier to plan during the day. So far, we're both bathed and clothed and its not even 9:30... and I'm even blogging. Yay.

Milo is now walking about 90% of the time. I'm definitely going to have him walk back to the room when the call his name today. :) Yesterday was his 9 month birthday. I think I feel this every day of his life... but I feel like just yesterday I was bringing him home from the hospital... but at the same time its hard to imagine life without this little feller.

Things Milo loves these days... drumming on metal bowls and pots, waving his arms to music as if he is conducting and recently started dancing to music, eating paper, take baths, clean (he takes any kind of cloth he can find and wipes stuff... including our faces.)

OK. Milo is making it clear I need to go... I'll blog more later.

Happy Wednesday

I was just thinking about the name of my blog... The Morgan's Road to Parenthood. It really should have been the Morgan's Road Through Parenthood.

Milo is now walking across the room. His step are still wobbly and uneven... but he can walk across the room all by himself... even without our prompting or encouragement. He's also pointing at things he sees or likes... still lots of clapping, now to music. He found a picture of me on the fridge today, touched it, and said Mama. That was neat. He's really just growing by leaps and bounds. I just cannot wait for the weather to warm up so we can hit the parks and swings!!

In another week, I'll start taking care of Anya and Katie three full days/week. That will definitely be exhausting... with lots of baby juggling! I think it'll be good for Milo. He loves Anya and might learn some patience... since Katie's needs will be priority. I think the first couple days will be tough, but once we get adjusted... we should be just fine.

Within the next week or so... I'll get to tell you about some other exciting changes taking place in our life. (Not baby related) Sorry to leave you in suspense... but that's just the way it has to be for now.

Sorry my blogging has been infrequent... but I think you all know how it goes.

I love so-sleeping... Or bed sharing, sleep sharing, family bed, etc. I truly do. There is nothing sweeter than snuggling up to my warm, sleeping cuddle bug on these cold Michigan nights. however, the constant nursing that takes place isn't all that fun. I don't mind two or three times a night... But sometimes it's much more frequent than that. So there have been talks of night weaning in the Morgan home.

Take a moment and imagine sipping a nice warm mug of tea or maybe hot cocoa, better yet a chai tea latte before bed. Then imagine getting a few sips everytime you wake up during the night. Finally imagine waking up to that same warm cozy drink. For 8 months this is what you are used to. Now imagine someone else decides you will no longer have access to this calming, sleep inducing beverage anymore.

That's exactly what night weaning is to Milo. We know this will not be fun. We know our son will not go down without a fight. But eventually it's going to have to end. We are just trying to decide when to do so. I think we've kind of decided to wait until Milo hits a year. I know there is no good time but that's going to be a lot of stress on Milo. But I think we have found a gentle plan that should ease Milo out of the habit. Wouldn't you rather have someone slowly, gently, kindly wean you of your night time addiction? For now... Momma's Nightly Snack Shack will stay open. And that's ok.

I see I haven't blogged since asking for prayer for baby Miranda. She did not make it. She is now in her mother's arms, with Jesus in Heaven. I can only imagine the prayers the husband/father is in need of us he mourns his losses.

God has been answering prayers this week for a few friends that we've been praying for... One friend is regaining her vision, another friend had a divine appointment for a job situation, a good pregnancy report... It's a week of reminders that God hears us when we pray. And sometimes those prayers are answered in unexpected ways. But He definitely hears us.

We are praying for God to open and close some doors for us right now... while giving us clarity. Specifics aren't important right now, but please pray for our family as there are done decisions to be made in the coming months.

Milo turned 8 months old on Tuesday! He all boy. Aside from crawling very fast and pulling up on everything, he is also climbing on anything he can find... Like laundry baskets, jumbo packs of paper towels, my aerobic stepper, etc. He can now open the bottom and middle kitchen drawers, open cabinets, and crawl under and through things. He can also reach the edge of the kitchen table... And pull things off. He loves paper of any variety... Especially toilet paper; that's his favorite! And I am constantly playing refere to Milo and the cat. Neither of them understand what the other is doing. Milo doesn't understand what a slap on the forehead followed by a hiss means and the cat doesn't understand that if she doesn't want Milo to touch her... move!

And the most exciting thing Milo is now doing is walking. Not well or often. But over the past couple days, he has consistently taken 3-4 solo steps at a time. It's amazing! He doesn't quite understand what he's doing. I believe he thinks it's a game. But none the less, these are his first steps. And I think with each passing day... those steps will become more frequent.

I just thank God daily for my happy, healthy son.

Last night I heard about a very tragic story. A family from a nearby town here in Michigan was in a car accident. The mother was three weeks from her due date. She did not survive, but they were able to deliver the baby girl 45 minutes after the accident. The father also survived. This little baby girl, named Miranda, is now fighting for her life. This has been on my heart all day. The couple had been together for 15 years and struggled to conceive. The father has a blog that he started when they found out they were expecting that can be found here. Reading his words just now... I just pray that baby Miranda survives and grows up to be a happy healthy little girl... so that he can always have a little piece of his wife.. and so that despite his tragic loss can still have equal joy. Please say a prayer for baby Miranda and her family.

Blogging... Now What

Hello World. Are you still out there??

I feel like its been a really long time since I've sat down just to blog. Milo and Nathan are playing in the living room... I always love the sounds that come from Daddy-Milo time.

Here I sit. I almost have way too much I want to blog about.

My lactation courses are going VERY well. I am learning SOOOO much. The last course was about breastfeeding from a biological perspective. Oh how I wish I could go back and start all over again. I think breasetfeeding would have gone much differently had I known what I know now... and I don't even know everything yet!! Like so many other things these days, if we let things be, as God and nature intended... we'd have much fewer problems. Same with nursing. Babies are born with this AMAZING ability and instinct. Mothers have this too. That's not to say mothers don't and won't need guidance... but they need to be guided in a way that allows them to let nature work. This is definitely a perspective I will use in my journey towards helping women and babies breastfeed. And the deeper I get in my learning, the happier I am to be nursing today. And we will not be defined by an amount of time. Breastfeeding has benefits beyond twelve months. As long as Milo and I are both satisfied with nursing, we will continue to do so.

What else... Milo is becoming such a tough little boy. I underestimated him. He has a HARD head... and only rarely hits it hard enough to cry. I guess I haven't mentioned this, but I had a mini melt down the other day about Milo getting hurt. It still makes me nervous, but he's getting much steadier on his feet. He's crawling FAST, pulling up on EVERYTHING, opening drawers, standing on his own, and is done with baby food. I think one of his favorite meals is tofu, green peas, and apple sauce with cinnamon. He is also enjoying shredded cheese. He's also waving and giving high fives. While I do miss that tiny little baby I brought home from the hospital... I'm immensely proud of this "big" "little" boy he is becoming.

Right now... we are supposed to be getting a blizzard. They have hyped it up so much, I have a feeling its going to be disappointing. But the anticipation is fun anyway. And they did double time at work today to prepare, so Nathan will get a snow day tomorrow. =)

I feel kind of pathetic. I was all excited about blogging, and I'm afraid this post was a bit of a bore. Oh well.

I hope you all stay warm and cozy.

Let's see... what's been going on around here?

Milo is crawling... like hands and knees all the time now. No more army crawling. I truly cannot believe this boy. He's also pulling up on things, and starting to climb things like his music table. And just this morning he finally got from crawling back up to a sitting position. And every day he gets faster and faster. And he's so over toys... he's much more focused on exploring and finding the things that he's not supposed to play with. It is sad that he is growing up so fast, but each day he brings more and more joy into our home.

He is also doing very well with finger foods. Purees are definitely on their way out the door. He uses the pincer grasp most of the time and does pretty well using a spoon (considering he's a baby.) Meal times are just SO messy these days! And he is not one of those babies that doesn't like getting their hands dirty. I nannied for two of those babies who don't like messes... Milo is not one. He loves smearing the food between his hands and rubbing his gooey, slimy hands together... then the hands go to the hair...

Another new thing, just this morning, is that his third tooth came in. Its one over from the middle, top two. It freaked me out at first, but I think its normal.

I think that covers most of what's going on with Milo. Nathan's busy and pretty stressed at work. But he's taking things one task at a time. And I'm now on my fourth lactation course which is Infant Assessment, Growth, and Development. I was told the first few classes are the most dense with info, so that was encouraging... hopefully I'll be able to work more while Milo's napping. I just felt like with the first classes, I needed to have complete concentration with out any potential distraction, but I think the next courses should be a bit easier to start and stop as need be.

And when I am ready to begin my lactation work... my business name will be Allegra Lactation. When we were trying to conceive, I prayed for Milo or Allegra. If Milo had been a girl, I guarantee her name would have been Allegra. Allegra is a name that means, happy or joyful. That is exactly what breastfeeding should be. My job will be to help women get to that point so they can experience the joy of breastfeeding.

I think that sums things up for now. I hope you're all staying warm. Spring will be here before we know it!! :)

Another iPod post...

First of all... A big Congrats (such an inadequate word) to our friends Stephanie and Bryan who announced today that they are expecting their second baby in August!

I have a ton of friends having babies this year. And it feels so good not feeling jealous. Not only am I ridiculously over-fulfilled with Milo but I have kind of embraced my infertility. I still wish I could just "get pregnant" but I have embraced it as part of our own special journey. Same with my traumatic labor (yes I do consider it traumatic... Once the interventions took place), my post partum depression, my Breastfeeding difficulties... They've all contributed to who I am today. So my congratulations are now longer bittersweet.. just sweet!

I watched my first lactation lecture today... Anatomy and Physiology of Breastfeeding. It was so interesting learning just how this whole making milk business really works. It was a lot to take in but I loved it. I am absolutely certain this is the right career path for me.

On a side note... Milo now claps when I say "show me big boy!" Its so cute. He's also waving and crawling and pulling up on stuff. He can get up to five consecutive crawl steps in before going back to the wounded soldier crawl. And tonight he discovered his shadow on the wall. And a shout out to Mom and Dad... He looks ADORABLE in his new puppy dog jammies! Thanks!

I'm blogging from the tiny iPod keyboard so please forgive any typos or abbreviations.

First of all... We praised God today for a good report from my followup chest X-ray. I talked to my doctor and he said the X-ray looked good. My question was... So what was it? He used the words infectious and fungal?! So I'm not sure exactly what that means but a good X-ray report was all I needed to hear. We'll do another chest zest in six months. If things do not look good at that point we'll do the lung biopsy.

At my parents urging, I held off until I got the good report before I enrolled in my LC program. As soon as I got my report I enrolled. I had over 25 comments on a Facebook post I made about why moms chose to breastfeed or bottle feed. I loved hearing from all of the Breastfeeding moms... But it was also nice to hear from the moms who couldn't or chose not to breastfeed. It was a good reminder that A) there is a great need for good, encouraging support because Breastfeeding can be very difficult B) That it's a difficult choice and a woman should never be pressured into it or criticized for not. My job will truly be to support the Breastfeeding mom for as long as she desires to breastfeed. It was just great dialogue!!

Ok I'm tired of typing on these tiny keys. Thank you for the lung related prayers... They were heard.

When I Grow Up

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

My parents have been in town, so we are having a blast showing off all of Milo's new "tricks. His latest trick, aside from army crawling... almost REAL crawling... is clapping his hands. Its super cute. He's growing, growing, growing. And he did see the ENT doc about his sleep apnea. He ordered a sleep study that will be done down in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan. I'll post more about that later.

I will be starting the new year, with starting my education towards becoming a lactation consultant. Breastfeeding is something that is very important to me. Every mother who desires to breastfeed should have the support to do so. We would not have been able to do so without the support and encouragement of our lactation consultant, Danae. I quickly realized this is "what I want to be when I grow up." I will be completing a program that will first give me the knowledge of everything from basic anatomy to breastfeeding the special needs baby... and EVERYTHING in between. Then I'll work on gaining the 1000 contact hours required to sit for the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners certification exam. My goal is to sit for the exam in the summer of 2012. Its a good feeling to finally... after close to eight years after high school... know what I want to pursue aside from mommyhood. Wish me luck!

I hope good things comes your way in 2011.