Answers!

Thank you for all of the great questions. I'm answering a little early. It's Thursday night... almost Friday morning. I'm going to go see my sister on a spur of the moment visit.

Here are the answers to your questions:

Shannon @ Gabi's World said...

How did you meet your hubby? (If you haven't already answered this)

How many kids do you and your hubby plan on having? When are you going to be trying again?

That's all I got for now!

I met my hubby when I was sixteen and a half years old at church. I grew up in a very small town called John Day. You can look it up if you wish. It's really small. His parents were ministering at a nearby town thirteen miles away (that's nearby for there!). I first heard of their family moving in probably when I was thirteen or so and I remember my mom telling me that the oldest boy was cute. I thought I was a smarty. I decided to ignore my mom. Who wants to listen to their mom on that kind of advice? Not to mention, I was pretty sure that all pastor's sons were huge losers. You know, the Star Wars-acting-out-kind who likes to watch Power Rangers in their spare time (ok... so I was looking at my pastor's son for this particular conclusion lol. We met on an Easter Sunday just about six months before his family moved away. I thought he was CUUUUUUUTE. He was one of those guys with the baggy jeans and the chain around the neck lol... nothing like I'd seen before (all guys in JD wore Wranglers if that's a hint to you). I helped him fix a high chair for a little boy his family watched. Soon after we started talking and writing letters to one another. It was that summer, just a few months later that I knew I was going to marry him. We told each other we loved one another. We married three and a half years later after our first year in college. I love my husband. I'm so thankful that God gave him to me. I'm also thankful he doesn't wear chains or jeans that show his butt-crack lol anymore!

If I had a choice I'd be working on number two baby right now. Can't because of finances right now. I love children. I adore being a mother!!! I'm not sure how many children we will have, but I hope that we have a large family (more than 3 children.) But I'm pretty sure God will give us what he wants to. Maybe we'll be one of those families with just two kids... maybe we'll be one of those families with ten lol! We will see!

Jenn said...

Hey that's what I was going to ask,hmm Who picked out your daughter's name you or your husband or both? There you go , now you have a few .

May 19, 2008 9:16 AM

I have always loved the names Anne and Anna. I was the one who decided on Anna. Anna's middle name was harder to decide. I felt from the beginning we were having a girl (totally God) so I spent my time looking at Girls names even before I was pregnant I was looking at Girls names (God again... that story another time!) Anna was at first Anna Beatrice, but I felt that was all wrong, so we kept searching. I wanted it to be a unique name (not Marie or Grace or Elizabeth... all common middle names for girls... even mine is Marie!) Paul always sang to me this song, "Daisy, Daisy give me your answer true. I'm half crazy all for the love of you!" You know the song? Anyhow, he sang that song to me one day when I was 17 weeks pregnant and we had a EUREKA moment. From that time on she was Anna Daisy!

Lisa & Gerald said...

Hey how is Anna going now with potty training ? Hope she's going great for ya

May 19, 2008 12:54 PM

So far Anna is doing great. We're not really actively potty training. I've decided to put her on the potty once a week and give her a chance to get a feel for the potty thing. I don't want her to scare away from it. But we are considering getting her a potty chair and panties and letting her do her thing and test the waters a little more... maybe go for a dip? :D We'll hopefully be buying the potty this weekend, depending if I can talk hubby into it. We'll see... I'll update any new potty details as they come. I'm hoping she'll be an easy trainer. So far all signs point to YES on the easy scale! ;)

Heather said...

Congrats on 18 months of breastfeeding!! I'd like to know who have been your biggest inspiration/encouragement in your breastfeeding journey. And who are the most influential in your commitment to breastfeed?

May 19, 2008 1:57 PM

Oh gosh, this is probably going to be the hardest question because I don't know the answer. From the beginning I wanted to breastfeed. I wanted to do what was best for her as far as diet goes. I knew about the benefits for mom and baby with breastfeeding. I never bought one bottle, although my MIL did. I never bought one thing of formula, although Similac sent me plenty. They sat untouched in my cupboard. I was basically determined. Not to mention my finances (college kids, we were) did not leave much room for formula, bottles, all of the things that went with that. I also knew what my body could do. I knew it could feed my daughter and do well. I knew my body would do a good job at it. Why give up free milk? So I breastfed from the beginning. I didn't have failure as even a distant option. This was how my daughter was going to survive and live. From me. And I loved it from the beginning. I remember crying... BAWLING while nursing my newborn. The connection between us while nursing was just amazing and IMMEDIATE. After such a rough labor I was... AM... certain that God gave this ability to me as a blessing. Every moment has been a blessing!
I never really had anybody in my life who was an example for breastfeeding. I knew my mom breastfed me until I was 6 months old. My MIL stopped at 3 months with all of her kids, but she was really supportive and still is of my extended breastfeeding. Thanks Mom!

MCC said...

Just started reading your blog so, if you've already answered this..sorry.

When I had my 3 daughters, the DR. encouraged me to breastfeed (of course). But since my Mom didn't breastfeed, she didn't support me doing it. I didn't have a group of ladies to help me or encourage me so I gave up. Do you find that common? That if Mom did or didn't, daughters follow suit?

May 20, 2008 6:55 AM

I've met lots of ladies who breastfeed and yes, I've found that lots of the ones who either wean early or don't breastfeed at all were not breastfed by their mothers, especially if the influential women in their lives don't support it. My own mom has been sending my subtle hints to wean my daughter since she was still little, ten months or so. "I told you you should've weaned her!" That kind of thing. But I can admit that we do not have a very close relationship at all. I love her very much, but we have never been emotionally close. So that did not effect me in any way. I'm thankful that my MIL who only breastfed for 3 months with each of her three kids has been so supportive. I remember reading once an article to her about the benefits of extended breastfeeding from Kellymom.com. She said afterwards, "Well, it's working for Anna! She is so bright and so healthy!" I'm very thankful for her. I've had lots of friends who have also tried to talk me into weaning, but I have ignored them also lol. But I've also had friends who have encouraged me (Violet, if you're reading this, Thank You!)

Margie G. said...

Since I am due w/my 2nd in just about a month, my question for you is how you keep the milk flowing!? LOL I seemed to dry up around 9 months with my son but I would really like to nurse longer this time.
I was so concerned about not feeding on demand but it backfired and my son used me as a human pacifier!? Ugh...I definitely need to get a nursing cover this pregnancy.
What is your best advice to help me nurse as long as I can (but I still like to do the bottle thing 1x day so my hubby can participate & so I can get out once in a while for some drinks!!!)

May 20, 2008 7:21 PM

Good question! Oh boy, but I'm not an expert. I can only tell you what I did...
I exclusively breastfed Anna. I also Breastfed on Demand (not scheduled, fed her when she was hungry). She had formula on three occasions. The first time was before my milk came in and my hubby talked me into letting her take a bottle because she was cranky and I was laid up in bed and in pain and on pain killers which made me loopy (PS NEVER take Perkoset!!! Not only is it addictive it also causes horrible constipation!) The next time was when my daughter was 6 days old. I was in the ER for 6 hours (thank you Perkoset!) The next was when she was 2 weeks old. I hadn't slept in so long. My darling hubby fed Anna all night long and slept on the couch while I got some much needed sleep.She didn't like the formula, she spat it up a LOT. She was covered in stains the next morning and had the worst smelling poop ever (you know, with the exception of post introduction to solids poops lol). I have let her pacify herself on my breast as well. She stopped using her binky at 7 months old (weaned herself... although when she finds a binky that was hers a while ago, she'll start sucking on it go figure) but then decided mommy was better. At first I didn't care. She was sleeping. I was tired. It worked for us. Some people suggest letting baby pacify on the mother's breast if you are using BFing as birth control. But after a while I became very tired from it, especially as she neared a year and was bigger and hungrier.
I don't know what to do, but I would suggest that instead of using formula for your hubby's bottle feeds, I would use a pumped bottle of breast milk. The more formula introduced, the less your breasts will make. Your breasts are supply-and-demand. Once you are demanding less milk, then you will make less. Hope that all helps... sorry for the rambling. ;D

FireMom said...

I just found your blog (subscribing now!) from a random click. So happy to meet you!

Did your daughter grow at a normal rate? Was she small or big? I'm about to fight the good fight with my pediatrician at LittleBrother's next (6 month) appointment. He's falling below his own set curve and ... I'm scared of what the doc is going to suggest.

Anyway. Nice to meet you!

May 21, 2008 11:34 AM

Hi Fire Mom! Nice to meet you! I'm glad you are reading my blog! Sorry I won't be around until next week, but I usually blog quite a bit.
Did my daughter grow at a normal rate? OH HECK NO!!! but not in the same way LittleBrother has not grown at a normal rate. She was 7 lbs and 11 ounces at birth and 20 inches long. At two months old she was 12 lbs 12 oz and just one week later she was 8 ounces heavier and over 13 pounds. By 4 months old she was 4 ounces shy of 18 pounds. By 6 months she was 20 pounds 3 ounces. She was always in the 90th + percentiles in height and weight. But she has since slowed down quite a bit. She is only (I use the word only lightly) 25 pounds now. I say only meaning that she has only gained 5 pounds in the last year. She gained the majority of her weight in the beginning of her life. I blame that on fatty rich milkshakes in these breasts and on demand feeding (not a problem... made it easier on me as far as not needing a schedule, but boy howdy did she grow fast!!!)
I hope that LittleBrother's appointment goes well!!! Good luck!

Fire Mom, Leah added in the comments:

The only thing I would add is this...to Firemom: MOST breastfed babies fall off the standard growth chart after 4 months. The growth charts are made for FORMULA fed babies, not breast. She can check with La Leche League or probably even google a breastfed baby growth chart to show her pediatrician that the standard of growth is different for exclusively breastfed babies. This has been the case w/ all of mine and yes, I have had to fight the good fight as well.
((from me, I am sorry, I forgot about this... I'd check out Kellymom.com I saw a growth chart for breastfed babies there. Kellymom is a great resource!!!)

Stephanie said...

Do you co-sleep with your little girl...and what led you to your decision?

Yes, I do co-sleep with my daughter. You know, I never thought I would co-sleep. I was so paranoid about all of the risks that people talked about with co-sleeping. When my daughter was born, from the very minute she was born, she refused to sleep in the little isolette at the hospital. She only slept while being held. By about a week later, my husband and I were exhausted. I was falling asleep mid-sentence (very interesting experience), mid-everything really. We were so tired it wasn't even funny... well, it was a little funny! But one day after breastfeeding Anna while lounging in bed with the pillow behind my neck and Anna on my nursing pillow, I just fell asleep. I woke up maybe an hour later with Anna peacefully STILL SLEEPING!!! How could it be? This little girl woke every minute, right? Nope, she was peaceful as ever next to her mommy's warm body. From that moment on, we knew our miracle answer to sleep. We began to co-sleep. I am such a light sleeper (seriously, even uneven breathing wakes me up!!! How strange, huh?) So I knew that rolling over on Anna was not even a possibility with us (although I did wake up and check her breathing like every half hour for the first year of her life lol!!! I still do, but not so often!) I also researched safe ways to co-sleep with your baby. And if you are wondering if it's an issue, Paul and I do not consume alcohol... more for religious reasons, really. Not because we are commanded to, but we like to keep our minds clear... plus, I don't like the idea of vomiting in a toilet with a migraine--ok I'm off track again! I think with the next baby, though. I will still co-sleep. It made it so much easier for breastfeeding (and for my paranoia... LOL) but I think that when he/she turns around 6 months, we'll start transitioning to a crib more, or co-sleeper, or something like that... especially for naps. With Anna I let her nap in my arms for every daytime snooze until she was around 5 or 6 months old. Literally. She didn't sleep in her crib until then! I just wanted to be around her for every moment and not miss one new thing... it's hard to describe. But I'm realistic and I know that with the next baby that won't be too possible. Anna will need me more and my attention will be divided. With how fast Anna grew, if the next baby grows that fast, then baby-wearing won't be possible either. I couldn't carry Anna in a carrier after she was 3 months old. She was too heavy for my 5 foot 1 inch frame! But we sure did do a lot of cuddling on the couch!!! :)