I’ve promised for a little while I’d write up my experience of breast pumping at work. Once I started writing for Liberating Working Moms, I decided I could share my pumping tips there since it’s most often a working moms issue. My good friend Brandy is also covering breastfeeding & pumping at work on LWM {she gives great advice too that you’ll want to read}.
In the past almost six months, I’ve done lots of pumping which means I have a lot of thoughts on the subject. Once I started typing, I realized I was writng a mini-novel instead of a post. Oops! So I’ve broken up my pumping at work tips into two posts.
My first six thoughts to make pumping at work easier are up on Liberating Working Moms today. Check them out & let me know what you’d add to the list.
My Life Map by Kate & David Marshall was yet another BlogHer Book Club stretch for me. I don’t typically read books in the ‘self help’ genre & thanks to BHBC, this makes my second in the last few months.
There were parts of My Life Map that reminded me of Daring Greatly. They both pushed me to think about my past, plan for my future, & define goals.
I’ve never made a life map or goal board before. While I’ve thought about my future, I’ve never put pen to paper on it.
I don’t think I made or shifted any big plans. I’m happily married, with two young children & living in an area I plan to stay in. I enjoy my job situation & My Life Map reinforced that idea while still helping push me to think of how I can improve my work life.
The discussion on ‘play time’ did make me think about this ole blog. I’ve never made a future plan or business plan for Suz’s Treats. Is it a hobby? Is it {very small paying} part time work? I think I’m happy for now that I can call blogging both. A fun hobby that allows me to be a bit creative, has helped me find a community of online friends & still adds a little change to my pocket.
I wish I had read My Life Map sooner. I think it would be a great book to give to anyone on the cusp of a big life change. Such as soon-to-be college graduates to help them focus, as a wedding or bridal shower gift to help a new couple make life goals together, or even as a retirement gift so the retiree can plan for their open days ahead.
As with all the BHBC books, I’ll be discussing it with others on the My Life Map BHBC page. Feel free to hop over there to read more.
We took our first trip as a family of four {with my aunt in the way back of the van to help} to my parents’ house this past weekend. I’ve been waiting to post about it until I had a chance to get on my laptop & upload/edit the photos.
Since who knows when I’ll have time for that, I thought I’d share the few from the weekend I took from my cell. I’ll update later because there are some good ones on the DSLR too.
Mom made pumpkin waffles from a mix she got at Costco. While we were eating, we put Zach & Lucy in borrowed bumbo & bouncy seats.
Zach loving the bumbo & the new toy cell phoneHappy bouncing Lucy
They were enjoying the attention from their Cici & Pops & checking out their new surroundings.
I took photos of the babies in my parents’ den during Saturday day that I used in the North American Bear Co giveaway. My brother stopped by early afternoon for some baby snuggles & to watch the Wolfpack win a game!
I’d be chosen for a Sabra Hummus House Party Saturday too. We were able to serve Sabra Mango salsa & tortilla chips & Sabra Spinach Artichoke hummus with carrots, peppers & pita chips.
My family cheesing it up for the Sabra House Party.
Mom had also made a pumpkin dip that we put out with apples, pears & ginger snaps, BLT tarts, buffalo chicken dip with scoops & celery & pumpkin muffins. And no sip & see at my mom’s could be complete without plenty of beer & wine to go around!
Lucy & Mommy {my new favorite}, Lucy rolling!, Zach in the bumbo as the party wines down, friends & Zach, Marsha with Lucy, brother & Quinn
Our great family friends Molly & her mom Amy holding a sleeping Lucy girl.
Amy & Molly holding Lucy
The babies did great while being passed around among 20+ family friends during the Sip & See Saturday late afternoon. Before we changed Lucy out of her owl dress, Mom & I had to get a girls photo.
Three generations!Sleeping Zach
Zach took a little nap in the bouncy seat while we fixed dinner. He cracked me up because he fell asleep with his finger still hooked on the ring.
My mom & aunt took babies’ duty Saturday night & I slept for six straight hours. It was quite a blessing. So was the 2+ hour naps Zach & Lucy took on the way home Sunday afternoon!
It’s fairly surprising to me, but the babies don’t have many stuffed animals. Their Nana gave them a small lamb rattle & little bear at our first shower. My aunts gave them the huge stuffed owl that’s in their monthly photos. And they have a brown bear from my Mom. That’s pretty much it. I was thinking the babies needed some additional soft toys to hugs & play with just about the time I was contacted by North American Bear Co.
I was already a fan of their stuffed toys. I’d unsuccessfully entered to win some North American Bear items from pretty*swell. For a few months, I’ve loved getting behind-the-scenes glimpses via their twitter & instagram pages. So when they offered to send Zach & Lucy some new stuffed animals to love, I of course said yes.
Soon after, Zach & Lucy received little Baby Long Legs in Puppy & Bear and they were also sent the big Baby Long Legs in Puppy & Bunny.
I gave the babies the big Baby Long Legs during their 5 month photos, suffice to say, they love them. Lucy was fascinated by the long ears & legs.
Lucy & her Bunny
Zach in typical fashion, was a little more reserved & just enjoyed snuggling with his Puppy.
Zach & his Puppy
The small Baby Long Legs are perfect for their small hands. At their age, they’re just beginning to grasp toys {& bring them to their mouths}. Soft, light, cute stuffed animals like these from North American Bear Co are great. I went a little photo crazy this past weekend, but they were having fun with their new favorite toys & I was loving the light in my parents’ den.
Zach & Lucy love their Baby Long Legs squeakers!
Since North American Bear Co is so awesome, they’ve agreed to share the stuffed animal love with one of you too. That’s right, just in time for Christmas, one of you can choose anything from their ‘What’s New’ category {$50 limit}. If I were you & had a little girl to shop for this Christmas, the beautiful Muffy VanderBear would be my pick. I think Lucy & Zach might just have to have these Chrismouse squeakers in their stockings!
To enter, just check out North American Bear Co & leave a comment telling me your favorite item.
For a second entry, make sure you follow @suzstreats & @NABearCo on twitter, & tweet about the giveaway. Something like, “I entered to win up to $50 of stuffed love from @NABearCo & @suzstreats. You can too! http://tinyurl.com/d9k8rp7“. Be sure to leave a comment with the link to your tweet.
I’ll end the giveaway next Tuesday 11/20 at 10p. I’ll draw the winner using random.org & stay tuned for the winner to be announced on Zach & Lucy’s 6 month bday 11/21!
2012 has brought on a lot of changes for us. For Jason & I. Mainly, of course, the birth of Zach & Lucy. And with their arrival, things have been shaken up. The vast majority have, thankfully, shaken up for the better.
I think some people & couples will disagree with me here, but I’ve always thought of a married couple without children as that. A married couple. Not a family per say. I guess to me, the word ‘family’ means/involves/includes children. So for the first {almost} five years of our marriage, I thought of us as a couple trying to eventually, one day, then hopefully soon, become a family.
The term family for me was my parents, brother, grandparents, aunts etc. It extended to Jason’s family too. But they were more ‘your’ family or ‘his’ family. As for our families now, they are still very if not even more so present. New babies mean that they’re now excited new grandparents, aunts & uncles, & great-grands. They are loving it & we’re redefining relationships there too.
Now that Zach & Lucy are {oh-so-thankfully} here, we are a family. Our own precious, perfect & complete family of four. And we’re in the process of defining what that means to us.
For now, this month, it means getting our first fall/winter family photos for Christmas cards. Negotiating holidays where we decide when it’ll be time for it to be celebrated with just us as a family of four. {I’m not quite ready for that yet.} Creating family traditions for the babies to look back on through pictures. Being together as much as possible. Calling each other “Mommy” & “Daddy”. And being thankful.
