Thursday, January 28, 2010

Dear NBC (and any other media this may apply to),

I hear that you are having 'issues' with wanting to air the Tim Tebow commercial. Seriously?

I don't see you sweating over my children seeing the basically nude women on the Victoria's Secret commercials.

I haven't noticed you being overly concerned with the fact that a lady's *ahem* is right in our faces in a certain Riccola commercial.

I don't even see you being selective about the story lines of certain tv shows that my children see commercials for. And those commercials leave very little to the imagination.

I am curious why all of a sudden you are concerned with possible "backlash" from people whose views are opposite those that would be shown in the Tim Tebow commercial. You were not as concerned about what MY childrn would learn from the other commercials I mentioned and others like them.

You did not sit down and heavily wiegh the fact that some people do not care for sex, drugs, alcohol and such things to be thrown in their faces on a daily basis.

You did not give condsideration to me or my family when you ok'd the airing of the other commercials, which I might add elude to far worse things than preserving a life.

I say if you are big enough to not care about what I, and others like me, think about the daily onslaught of trash you put out there without so much as a thought to what you are teaching young impressionable people, then you should not even blink at airing the Tim Tebow commercial.

You talk a good game on fairness and tolerance....but when the tables are turned there seems to be a sudden imbalance in that fairness and tolerance.

I now dare you to run the ad. Do you think you are big enough?

Sincerely,

A mother of 7

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Just another day in paradise

Wednesday. Yes. That is what the day is.

Just a typical day in the life.

It is a beautiful day outside. Slight breeze, sunny, and mid 60's.

Diapers changed, dishes washed (though more have found their way into the sink), kids fed, baby napping, schoolwork going, and it's not even lunchtime yet.

Organization is the theme of today. So much stuff in such a small space. Needing to get creative and get a burst of energy too.

So many books and clothes in this house. But, with so many people here, hard to avoid that.

I have downsized. I have tried to organize with what I have and keep the house looking like a normal house.

There's my problem!! *V-8 slap* I do not have a NORMAL house. LOL

I have 7 kids. We homeschool. I need to get my house the way that our family needs it....not the way that would be acceptable to other people because *they* do it that way.

So, here goes...throwing normal out the window and embracing the ME that God made me to be!! :D

Unique, quirky, not like anyone else's ~ that's me and my family!!

TAWANDA!!!!!!!! Hee hee hee!!!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Just For Today

Just for today....
I am going to look up and not down,
I am going to smile and not frown.

Just for today....
I am going to praise and not tear down,
I am going to stay afloat and not drown.

Just for today....
I will give thanks in all things,
I will open my heart and sing.

Just for today....
I will lean on His Word,
And learn to soar like a majestic bird.

He gives me His grace,
and He lights my way.
It is always enough....
Just for today.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Going against the grain

This is my first blog. Not sure how it will turn out. But here goes.... :o)

I am a mother to 7 children. Ages range from 14 (soon to be 15) to 9 mths (soon to be 10mths). I have 3 girls and 4 boys.

I have nursed all except my first. I am a very firm believer in breast being best. BUT, I am also a firm beleiver in doing what you need to do for the good of all involved. And yes, that means if you formula feed it is not the most horrific thing that you could ever do.

I formula fed my oldest. I wanted to breastfeed. But there was no support system in place to help me reach that goal. And I was not aware of all of the resources out there to help me (LLL for instance). So, after 2 wks of trying and a pediatrician who was not pro-breastfeeding, I put him on formula. No biggie.

Then comes baby #2. With her, I was determined to BF. No one and nothing was going to stop me! I had read up on it and also had a friend now who knew about it and was very supportive. So I successfully nursed her to a year old.

At that point in time I was very much a BF advocate. But never ever thought ill of a mother who formula fed (remember my oldest was FF). I started noticing that there was such division in the mothering world on this. And eventually I started to take sides....without even realizing it!!!!

I began to think (but never voiced) "There is ALWAYS a way to bf. There are no excuses as to why someone can't!" I am so ashamed that I ever thought that way.

Over time, there was never a question as to if I would BF or FF. BF hands down. No bottles, no nothing. Just me and baby. I weened only 1 early...and I didn't ween them, they did it themself. She was about 9 or 10 mths at that point.

I eventually had twins. One boy and one girl. I was DETERMINED to bf them. Let me tell you, the first few days after giving birth to twins is HARD. And harder when you are trying to bf them both!!

My little boy was a champ, latched on perfectly and jsut ate and ate. My daughter however was another story. Her latch was terrible. She was a lazy nurser, jsut kinda hung out there until she decided to take a few sucks then rest. Now, my boy developed jaundice. No biggie....I had successfully nursed through it before, no reason why I can't now. NO excuses, remember??

When a baby is jaundiced, they are very sleepy. Hard to get them to eat, though that is the main way to help them through the jaundice...the more they eat and poop the better.

So, now I have a sleepy jaundiced boy and a lazy nurser of a girl. She would literally wait until her brother brought the let down then eat. Well, he needed to eat above and beyond anything but was so tired (due to the jaundice) that it was just not happening. I can clearly remember it being 3 am and me tryin yet again to nurse and crying hysterically because my daughter wouldn't latch on, my son wouldn't wake up to nurse and my body was so tired and hurting. The Hunny (God love him) went to Walgreen's and bought a can of (GASP) formula. Came home and the babies both took it with no problems. I felt relief and sorrow all at the same time.

I figured I jsut couldn't feed 2 babies at once. The hormones after giving birth to twins didn't help either. I cried everytime I gave them a bottle.

After about 3 wks or so, I was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee in my hand. And I heard clearly, "go nurse." I know that was God's prompting, but I said, "if Miriam does not latch on, I am not even trying!" I didn't even think I still had milk. I go into the room and she latched right on!! So I grabbed her brother and sure enough he did too. They nursed exclusively until they were a year old. And, oh my gosh....no side effects like 3 heads, or extra limbs or anything from using formula!!!

Again I got back to the thinking that since *I* did it, anyone can do it. You jsut have to be determined.

Now, we are at baby #7. I have nursed 5 prior children over a 10 yr span. I am not as young as I was in the beginning of all of this.

Took my Bug for his 4mth ch up. He was 17.2 lbs. Due to some issues with insurance, I had to wait until his 9 mth ch up to take him in again. During that 5 mth period, I was under the impression that he was doing great. He was happy, alert, and chubby. At 6mths he started solid food. LOVED it. LOL He seemed to be thinning a little bit, but he was growing in length, so that is what I attributed it to.

Over the last say 3 wks, he began getting so rough when he would nurse. OMGosh!! HORRIBLE. I cried at night. He wanted to be on me CONSTANTLY. He was a cranky little guy. I thought jsut teething. He was attached to me constantly, I thought growth spurt coupled with being a momma's boy. He looked chubby still, but when you went to pick him up, he was light. Weird.

Well, he got sooooo aggressive, I had no choice. I had to ween to a bottle, and I would pump. Did that....excruciating 3 day ordeal. Finally he took the bottle. And seemed content. But then I noticed that my milk production was not up to his eating standards, even with taking almost every herb imaginable and friends praying fervently. So, I had to start supplementing with formula.

During this process that started 2 wks ago, I took him in for his 9mth ch up. They weighed him....he was 18.8 lbs. WHAT!!? Only 1.6 lbs in FIVE months??? His dr didn't see a problem. SHe said they kind of taper off at a certain time. He got a praise worthy check up and we went on our way.

The weight still didn't sit right with me. So I made a weight check appt for a week after his 9mth check up. During that time, it became evident that my milk would not keep up with him, so the decision to ween altogether came about (with a big help from the Lord.....another story).

I took him in for that weight check.....lo and behold in ONE WEEK'S time, he gained 9 ounces. That is almost half of what he gained in FIVE MONTHS.

I have come to few conclusions through this journey:

* Listen when God speaks.
*Yes, breast is best....but not the ONLY.
*There is no ONE way to go about anything. No matter what the majority says.
*Research and others' experiences are wonderful, but only you know what will be the best for you and your family.
*Be careful of an "all or nothing" mentality. Sometimes change is needed and can be welcomed.

Sometimes you just have to go against the grain for the good of your own family.

Thank you for taking the time to read......

Blessings,
Becks