You know you are a woman and a mom when...

TMI WARNING!!!

You know you are a woman when you have explosive diarrhea and think "Oooh this is an unexpected calorie free day."

You know you are a mom when you have explosive diarrhea and look at being stuck on the throne as an opportunity to wipe down the things you can reach in the bathroom with a baby wipe all the while talking to a nurse about your baby's cough. Normally you would (like most non-disgusting people) hang up the phone and call back but your child is sick and you've already waited on hold for 30 minutes.

Does gender factor into your reproduction plan?

We have two small children. Many of the moms I know also have two and inevitably when we are in groups the conversations turns to the question who is brave/crazy/coping well enough to try for a third? Usually the discussion includes questions like would we have enough time, money, & space? Then of course there is the question of are we willing to play landlord to a teeny tiny being in our uterus for the better part of a year again? Some think about the work and sleepless nights while others think about the squishy baby chub and sweet baby smell.

Whatever you and your partner have decided the outside world seems to have its own set of rules and while gender is usually only a minute part of the conversation among new moms its seems to be the main question from outsiders. We have two girls and we have gotten the “are you going to try for a boy?” question many times. Still that question is a lot less frustrating than the “Was your husband disappointed when you found out it was another girl?” question.

As I am told parents with one of each gender are not immune. I had one friend who was annoyed because after she found out her second was a girl people kept saying things like oh you must be so happy/relieved to have one of each. She said she loved her son and would have been just as happy to have another boy. Many of my friends with one of each get the exact opposite question we get which is “Are you done having kids since you already have one of each?”

So should families that have one of each be limited to two if they desire more and should people who only wanted to have two keep reproducing until they get the opposite gender?

Honestly, at this point if we were to try for a third it would be easier to have another girl. For me gender doesn’t play a role anymore. I will admit it did when I planned my family in my head I had the genders and the birth orders picked out. Of course my real family is nothing like I planned and I am so thankful for that.

I do however have a few slightly crazy reasons for wanting more children. 1) I sometimes dream of twenty years down the road and giant thanksgiving feasts where I am surrounded by my 10 well adjusted and productive children and even further down the road excessive amount of grandchildren. Of course this dream does not include giving birth to 10 children or paying for 10 college educations 2) I do worry that something might happen to one of our children and then our other child will be left to navigate the world without a sibling but my husband has firmly put his foot down against reproducing just to have a “backup.”

What are your sane or slightly crazy reasons for staying on the baby train or calling it quits?

Now that we've all been through the baby stage what are the things you wish you had known about toddlers?

I'm making my own list. Can't wait to hear yours.

Belly Butter

I am sure that maybe stretch marks are worse with your second child but I blame my own laziness. I buttered my belly daily when I was pregnant with my first one and got lazy with the second.  I have a huge set of stretch marks that come just above my belly button and are about the size of my hand.  Butter that belly ladies, just in case!

Bath Time

After the first washcloth bath and the first mini-tub bath (taking the 'pink' tub they give you at the hospital home is perfect for this), the shower is such a blessing.  Both of my kids have loved showering with parents even from this young age.  It is so easy.  Of course, we always make sure that there two of us home so we don't step over the bath wall with them.  It is a bit tricky during soap time but worth it. 

Feeding Whtie Board

I'm back.  My last post was when my first son was almost 1 and I found out I was pregnant with number 2.  So I stopped writing as I felt that I had my hands full.  Well they are still full but sharing makes you a bit less crazy.  My daughter arrived in early August. 

So my first post was mentioned as a joke!  I have family in down and am always asked "when was she feed last?" so I told my husband, I should just get out a whiteboard.  There is is.. I should of that would have been so helpful.  Unfortunately, the last of my baby help leaves in 3 days but until then I have put a "LAST FEED" sheet on the fridge.

The first two weeks of breastfeeding are definitely the hardest, I really had to fight to get through (even the second time).  I think it is natural to assume a crying baby is a hungry baby... this whiteboard idea would help folks know that MAYBE it is something else.  It is really hard to not feel like a cow while you are breastfeeding.  Serious but true.

Anyways, maybe one of you will take up the Feeding White Board idea. Until next time, V

Never Done

It seems like I'm never done. As soon as one dishwasher load is empty, it is ready to be loaded again. As soon as one laundry load is done, the basket is already full. One poopy diaper after another requires diaper pails to be emptied constantly. The toys are finally all put away but then a baby wakes up and wants to play. We finish breakfast, but then I have to think about lunch, not to mention dinner. The work list is just never ending. I have come to realize that being "never done" is just a way of life... part of being a mom. So I try to keep up but also just enjoy the moments I do have with my little ones because they won't be so little forever!