Nursing Chronicles

Only words today.
I have entered a point with Asher now that I am starting to feel the pressure to ween, or maybe I am feeling the worlds judgement on the fact that he is a nursing loving 2 year and 8 month old who seems to have no intention on letting up in the foreseeable future. I have been thinking more and more about our nursing relationship. It really is an amazing thing. Three years ago when I decided that yes of course I would breastfeed my child I couldn't have imagined what a journey it would be. Learning from friends who had some difficulties, I was nervous about myself being able to overcome problems in nursing. I know people who nursed for over a year with a nipple shield, someone who pumped for a whole year to feed her baby the best milk from a bottle. Parents up at all nights worried about weight gain and milk supply. When you hear the stories of those who up against all odds still provided breast milk for those babes, I realize how lucky I have been. While Asher and I didn't lay skin to skin until he was an hour old, and his latch wasn't stellar then, within those first 24 hours he became a champion nurser and hasn't looked back since.
When I became pregnant with River I was really worried that I had compromised my nursing relationship with Asher. Again hearing about others milk drying up, the taste change when you revert back to colostrum, I was upset a bit with the surprise pregnancy that I had taken away my ability to nurse Asher until he was two- my goal way back when. I figured he would ween at some point, or we just wouldn't be able to do it. Wrong I was, he nursed all through my pregnancy and while there wasn't much and he knew it, I remember when the milk returned and how happy he was that his new little bro had brought it back with him. I really feel that it cemented a bond in Asher's mind. He would love River for always from that moment.
And now after months of tandem nursing, (I try not to nurse both at the same time, but on those days when I have two crying, I am grateful that it is an option) those lingering thoughts out there in the world about extended breast feeding are creeping in my head and I just feel quite alone.
He doesn't nurse often, but he does for nap time. I don't know that I can give up naps, we tried that for awhile, and it led to more misery than sleep in the long run. But my energy levels are suffering and I don't know how beneficial our nursing relationship is. Will he ever actually just stop nursing on his own?

Gun Play

Well it was bound to come up at some point.
We had two different experiences with gun play last week, one very, very disturbing to me. The first was at the indoor playground. Kids making guns out of the legos, Asher then building something and saying it was a gun. When asked what a gun was, he is still innocent and clueless. No reaction, just an okay whatever you want to do sort of thing.

Next day, change scene, the library, childrens department, playhouse. Two little girls inside the house, being the house bullies (not letting anyone else in). They then pull out their "guns" made this time from star type legos. I watch for awhile, a little disturbed that they seem to have guns and defending their home. Then they start pointing them at kids saying shoot, shoot, shoot. At this point I am definitely bothered, but waiting for their parent to step in as I really think this is inappropriate play for a public place. Then they point them at one of my kids and say shoot shoot shoot. Now I step in and tell them that it isn't nice to point guns at people, look around again for any parental support here, feel as though I am on crazy pills, make a bit of a stink about needing to get away from the shooters and go to the other side of the library. I was so bothered. I can't imagine ever having to go through something like having my child shot, and even as play really, really struck something in me. I actually felt anger and defiance in these children's play. They most definitely knew what guns could be used for, though I am sure they don't understand the consequences of such actions, I was left distraught and trying to figure out gun/weapon play and how I am going to deal with it as it enters our home.

I think that this is a point in parenting that can't be avoided or ignored, or banned really, weapons have been around forever and there exists an instinctual form to defend ones self. Hunting is a necessity in places and I understand the need for these tools, but I don't want my kid shooting his friends. I have read of parents that allow gun/weapon play at certain times in certain environments and as we venture into this realm with two boys, I would also like there to be rules with it. Number one: do not ever ever ever point your gun at another person! I don't care if it is just a stick, it represents so much more. I also really think that parents should think twice about where their kids do this sort of play. As a parent of a 2.5 year old, I would rather not have to explain this type of play to him yet and would definitely appreciate parents stepping in when their child is pointing there gun at the 1 year old and saying shoot, shoot. Guns are a part of life, but they need to be respected as does any dramatic play done with them.
I am still at a loss for how to handle this and actually okay with this for now as I don't even want Asher to know what they do, he can still live in his sheltered bubble.

BTW, Happy Birthday Uncle Bill! We love you.

Brand Labeling

All you locals: I'm sure you know what we are selling. An innocent pear? The Coop has branded you! Oh and me for that matter.
I have tried for so long to keep any type of logo, character and words off my child. I thought that I would never let him be an advertisement for anything. Our children are our children and I really do believe that I want to establish boundaries on their exposure to all the evils of the world. I know a lot of parents will shake their heads and not agree with me, but I do think that corporations are an evil that I want to shelter my child from for awhile. And corporations are all about Brand Labeling, Brand Loyalty and buying more more more. And guess what, those marketing geniuses out there? they are really really good at their job. That's why so many of those characters your kids love watching on T.V. are EVERYWHERE!! They are on fruit snacks they are on lunch boxes, clothing, backpacks, pasta shapes, they were created to sell things. Sure maybe they have a fun show that lets you get the laundry done, and sure maybe they taught your child their colors, but really their goal is to sell you more stuff! And sell it via that sweet vehicle, with those beautiful eyes threatening a tantrum in public. They are evil geniuses!

Back to the purple shirt... oh the color looks so good on Asher. I was so excited that he could finally fit into a kids size coop shirt. I love it on him. And then I took him out in public and it hit me that he was a walking advertisement. What am I doing to my kid? Sure, I completely support all aspects of the CGFC, I have served as a board member, been a volunteer and part of the staff (shortest employment ever), but do I want my kid to be an advertisement?

The kids is really cute, maybe he needs an I love the Food Nanny shirt- he really loves them. Then you can see why people want cute kids to wear their stuff. And as a business owner, I can start to see how it works and how it became the evil spiral that it is.

I know there must be a balance, but for us we are holding firm trying to keep it out of our lives. We will keep our advertising to local businesses and keep all that other stuff out of our clothing, our food and our books, oh and off our shoes and art supplies. I am very happy to report that Asher doesn't know who Elmo is (although he was totally attracted to Elmo as a character on a book, what is it with that thing?) and I would like to keep it that way.