Uncle Alex Toddles With Oliver

Am busy this week getting ready for vacation and tying up some projects, swimming lessons, and Oliver is walking, as in hanging onto everything in site and going between the baby bed and the stove, refrigerator and drawers. I bet Joe that by his first birthday he is a-walkin'. His little buddy Asa from swimming is 1 year old and walking. YIPES!!! When I am in stores, I sort of mentally measure the percentage of toys that are derived from the television and motion picture industry and it is astounding. Totally reaffirms our decision to raise Oliver in a non-television household. We'll do dvd's, but they can keep the rest of it. I watched Sesame Street when we were in Monterey and decided within a few seconds that it was an insult to any childs intelligence, completely banal. And it's not that I am going to rob him of his childhood, I can't wait to read Pinocchio and Harry Potter to him. Anyhow, enough of my ranting!

Mama Ter's Natural Childbirth Retrospective

Ok, well I'll dive right in here...Wednesday night, I took a hot bath, hadn't in so very, very, long. Laying in the tub with low lights and relaxing, I thought of first stages of hard labor (which I did in the tub) and then the entire birth experience. It was absolutely traumatic, but I would do it again. It is what our bodies are designed to do. Women have done it since the dawn of time, are doing it right now. And after the brief period of pain, you have this amazing little person in your arms. What could ever be better than that? And being pregnant and experiencing the bodily changes was absolutely magical, I never felt more beautiful, one of the greatest experiences in my life. If you are in shape before you get pregnant and you breastfeed, getting your body back is no big deal. Breastfeeding burns a boatload of calories - you'll have to eat like a horse to keep up with the babies feeding needs. I was at the pool the other day and there was a woman there with an infant, maybe 6 mos. old and she looked awesome. Totally fit.