Saturday, May 11, 2013

Same old, Same old

I can't think of too much interesting to write.  Isn't that sad?  I feel like I should update, but it will be a boring one, that's for sure.  Read some random thoughts .... now!  :-)

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This next week will be 2 months since I started work at my new job.  So far, I do really like it.  Are you the kind of person who immerses themselves in their new situation, while the old one seems easier & easier to forget?  I think I am that kind of person.  For the first week or so, I missed our old house, my job, my friends, all the familiar locations, my routine, etc.  Not that this new place wasn't exciting, but I hate change.  A few more weeks pass, and I rarely think about the kind of life I had before.  A few times during the week, I will think about what is happening at my old job (do they miss me - hope so!  I like to feel "needed"), what the new owners of our old house are like (how are they treating it?  do they like everything we did?  I hope they're not hoarders & ruin everything!), and how much I miss the familiarity of the streets, shopping & atmosphere in Kansas (it is definitely more hilly!  I grew to love those hills.).  But after a minute or two, I realize what I'm thinking about & then mentally step out of the reminisce I'm doing & back into reality.  Most days, it seems like a long ago, far away life.  I've packed it up, stored it and take out a few memories now & again.

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DH & I have been helping my dad mow lawns.  Did I tell you I'm pretty good at it?  Since dad didn't have any boys, my sister (a few years younger) and I were treated as equals in that regard.  We got to do what boys do ... yard work!  I remember starting to mow in about 3rd grade.  Looking back, wow, that's young!  I was about 9 at the time & started with my parents' yard.  And a push mower.  :-)  Thank goodness for self-propelled mowers!
I did take a mowing break when I left my hometown to finish college in 2001.  It seems like yesterday I was twelve years younger and behind that same mower. Mowing is almost second nature to me, as I mowed up to my highschool graduation and maybe a year beyond (about 10 years).  We still have some of those same mowing customers from all those years ago.  Last night, I had the pleasure of talking to one of the ladies again.  It had been so long!  When I started to do the math, it kind of freaks me out a little.  How did I get to be so old?  At almost 32, I can now say I've known that lady for almost 20 years.  CRAZY!!!

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Parenting ... sometimes I feel so confused on what the proper protocol is.  Especially with all the new things people are doing now ... spacing vaccines out, new ways to teach your baby to sleep, baby sign language ... the list goes on and on.  My question is:  when do you wean your baby off of formula?   I realize that some women are still breastfeeding at this point, which is a different discussion, but that's not us.  We rock the nutritious formula.  :-)
 Luke is 13 months old (ok, ok, 13-1/2 months old, but I like to remove the 1/2 and keep him young as long as I can).  He wakes up in the am & sometimes takes a bottle if it is 5:30 or 6 am and goes back to sleep.  If he gets up at 8 am, then we eat breakfast (no bottle).  Then a half juice/half water bottle for morning nap.  Then lunch (no bottle).  Then half juice/half water bottle for afternoon nap.  Then supper (no bottle).  Then either a bottle of formula or juice bottle for bedtime.  We typically try and do the half juice/half water instead of formula, but if he is still awake at nap/bedtime after a half hour, then we give him a bottle of formula & he's usually asleep pretty soon.
Do we still keep this plan?  Do we use real milk?  Do I use soy milk?  What have you done???
I'm not a fan of the pasteurized milk or soy (as I think soy is bad for you), but know we're not the type of people to get cow/goat milk from a farm & skim off the cream (did that when I was younger as my parents wanted us to be uber healthy, look how healthy I am now.  Hello, IF!  I'm being kind of sarcastic here, as I do want Luke to be healthy.)

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On the eve of a commercial holiday tomorrow celebrating mothers, know that I am praying & will continue to pray for all those who will suffer through the day tomorrow, wanting to hold children in their arms or have them grow inside them.  I pray that this is the last Mothers Day with that ache in your heart.  And for those who long to have their babies on earth with them to celebrate, know that I mourn with you.  I ask Mary to wrap you all in her arms and give you comfort.


13 comments:

  1. I like reading your updates and I don't care if they are the "same old, same old"!

    Yes, I think I am like you in that I pretty easily move on to something new after a couple of weeks. That being said, I don't like the change in the moment!

    Formula - We switched Elizabeth over to whole milk after her 1 year check-up and she has done great. She doesn't drink juice - just milk or water. I tried a couple of times with the juice, but she didn't like it, so there we are. That being said, our pediatrician was very pro milk and said she could have up to 30oz a day. She doesn't drink 30oz, but maybe 20-25oz in a sippy cup throughout the day and then water throughout the day as she is thirsty. I am actually kind of freaked out by the raw milk stuff (I know, I know it has a ton of great health benefits, but still...), so whole milk is how we go and it still has a bunch of the healthy fats that she needs, so it has worked for us.

    We don't drink any soy milk here, I think my DH would probably look at me like I was crazy if I tried to put that past him, he goes through 2 gallons of 1% a week. I don't drink milk, but that is just personal preference, but I love me some cheese and ice cream!!! LOL!

    Glad to hear you are settling in nicely! Oh, and I almost forgot, I have never mowed a lawn ever. No, I am not kidding. :) My dad was a perfectionist and we had a 3-4 acre yard and he didn't trust us with the riding lawn mower and he liked straight lines, so there you have it. I was a bit sheltered... :( But that is cool that you have recurring customers that you have practically grown up with.

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  2. Thank you for all your info!!! I'm going to be a little dumb here ... But is whole milk 2% milk? I've always had 2%, so I'm a little vague about the other types of milk.

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    1. Whole milk is different than 2%, but is located right next to the 2%, 1%, skim, etc. It is labeled Whole milk, or sometimes I have seen it labeled "Vit D fortified". I just buy the regular gallons at the store - when I am at Target their Market Pantry line is great. And yes, I love the savings!

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  3. We switched to milk at 11-12 months with both kids. At the same time, we switched to sippy cups instead of bottles (well, for Anthony. Anna ditched the bottle at 9 months). We give our kids 2% because they have constipation issues. Most doctors recommend whole milk for the fat content, but it stopped my babies up too much! We just get the regular gallons of milk from the grocery store. Anthony drinks one cup in the morning when he wakes up and before bed. He has water the rest of the day in a cup.

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  4. And you'll be surprised how much cheaper the milk is than the formula! I couldn't wait to switch them!

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  5. Def give him some milk! Whole milk is homogenized milk or 3.25%. It will be way cheaper than formula! :) I'm still breast feeding, but I've been trying to give him some organic homo milk with no luck really yet. He drinks water from a big boy cup no problem though! We skipped the sippy cup, as many dentists and doctors have said its bad for babies' teeth and gums. I would stay away from soy. Studies have shown it is bad for boys especially because of photo estrogens.
    Glad to hear your new job is going well and that you're settling in easily! :)

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  6. I can't wait to switch to whole milk, 2 weeks to go!! I am regular milk kind of girl though, my BIL is an organic dairy farmer and I think the raw milk is gross.

    I have only mowed one time ever. My dad got so furious with my crooked line (I think I mowed for about 4 minutes.) I was promptly removed from that job.

    Glad you're settled! And that you like the job!!

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  7. We're just going to start introducing whole milk now that R is 12 months old. I just bought some organic whole milk at the store. I feel better about the organic stuff than regular. I sort of get weirded out by all the growth hormones added to milk.

    And we have R on sippy cups now with water. There are different stage cups according to age (9 month+, 12 months+). The higher the stage the more they have to work to get the milk out, in my opinion. You might try one or two different cups and see how Luke does.

    We haven't done any juice with her. The pediatrician said it's not necessary. Just milk with meals and unlimited water throughout the day (and I'm still nursing a bit at night, upon wake up, etc.)

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  8. I love any and all random updates. :) I'm glad you're getting settled in and feeling at home.

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  9. My nephews started whole milk(vitamin D) at 12 months.. Also, at about the time of transition, the doctor told them to mix half formula/half milk, for the first couple of days. If you still have formula, don't throw it out, I would look to switch, when you are close to done w/ your canister of formula. Also if you heated your formula, you might want to heat the milk & then slowly wean him to cold milk. We also instituted no bottles in the crib. So he must drink his bottle & brush his teeth.. before he lays down.. He was still getting up during the night for a bottle for a while, the doctor recommended a snack, about a half hour before bed, to fill up his tummy. Good Luck w/ the transition.

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  10. I love the updates, have been thinking about you, especially when in S town last week. :)

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  11. Love the updates! I am the same as you are when it comes to change, I tend to look forward and move on. It doesn't mean the first step (or each step for that matter) is easy, but I don't tend to look back too often.

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