Humidity in Utah?

Definitely lettuce weather this summer. Rain most every day in June and now into July. My garden has only had to be watered a few times since I began planting in March.
I have never felt such humidity in Utah. When the sun is out it feels like a New England summer.

A*S*S

I heard Preston spelling A*S*S over and over outside. Then shouting ASS, ASS, ASS to himself. He told me he learned it from Home Alone (he saw it months ago at Christmas). He thought it was a great word until I taugh him what a poor quality, uneducated, crass word it is.
While eating my birthday cake on the front porch tonight we saw the police chase a car into the drive across the street. Scott instantly was on the chase for the suspects, in bare feet (I am proud he likes to help the law, but I worry EVERY time he does it). I shooed the boys into the house while we watched through the window and they asked questions.
"Is Dad going to get the bad guys"
"When can I chase the bad guys with Dad"
"How old is an adult"
"Mom are the police chasing them because they said ASS and HELL"

Once again Scott's eyes, that never miss a detail, located the "Bad" guy hiding in the bushes. An exciting bedtime story was had tonight as Scott reinacted the chase.

Clare Laughs

Preston just wants his best friend Ezra to come and play today. He was on the verge of tears when he found out this morning that he can't come over today. Little Clare, with belly full of milk, smiled at Preston and said she would play with him today. She might even give him a full belly laugh today like she did TWICE last week for her favorite Garrett.

8 LBS 6 OZS

Preston has had an awful snotty nose for 3 months now. It started in March with an ear infection, turned strep, then cold, then allergies? We were at the pediatricians every other week it seemed. As I was talking to the pediatrician about his illnesses I told her I hadn't given him the antibiotic for the strep 2 + months prior because he had just ended a round for the ear infection and he seemed to be doing better the next day. He got over it on his own . I found out that not giving a child antibiotics for strep could lead to heart damage, kidney failure, and blood disorders. That's when I started crying. I had scrappy Clare who is ready to be labeled "failure to thrive" and Snot of 3 months Preston who could have been seriously damaged. Can you say, Crap Mom!"

Sue Ann and her assistant did their best to console me and tell me "we know many Moms are worried about giving their children too many antibiotics, ya, ya". I still felt crap.

So Preston was prescribed an antibiotic for sinusitis and is finally snot free. Seriously, 3 months of every 10 to 30 minutes blowing his insides out. Bad, really bad.

And little, little Clare bear what to do about her? I finally called La Leche League and was given the advice to stop supplementing with formula. No binkies, no bottles, nurse every one and half to 2 hours. Skin to skin contact, co sleeping (although this was said in a hush, hush, way). I tell ya there is so much advice on what to do and not do raising babies and everyone has their opinion on what works and doesn't work. Now with my third I finally realize every child is so different. You do what works for you.

La Leche Julie came over that night with more information for me and talked with Scott and I for a long time. As she left, she looked at Scott and said, "Scott right?" He replied, "Julie". They then began talking about a date they went on high school. Funny, no? His friend from high school giving me breast feeding advice.

Julie I thank you a thousand times over, because it is working. She has gained 3 ounces in 5 days. She was at an 1/8 of an ounce a day. Progress!

I have read scheduling books "Healthy sleep habits, Happy Child", "Babywise". These are looked down on by La Leche. La Leche is demand feeding. Well Clare doesn't demand. I still have to wake her to eat. She likes to sleep, my genes (that is half our problem she doesn't wake to eat and it has been too easy for me to let her sleep too long between feedings). La Leche says breast milk is digested in 1 1/2 hours. Scheduling books say 2 1/2 to 3 hours between feedings. When I told my pediatrician what I am doing she said, "I am glad that is working for you, that doesn't work for all women." She said it is hard to maintain quality and quantity when feeding that often. La Leche says that quantity stays up when feeding that often and that quality is the same. Qauntity is certainly up for me especially since I stopped the formula. So who is right? For me it is La Leche for another mother and baby it might be different. From this I have learned there are guidlines to child rearing but much is a guessing game.

I am hoping I have finally figured it out with Clare and she continues to gain. Wishing myself and all of you LUCK.

No Carpet Ever Please!

Preston just ran from his bed into our room, passing the bathroom on the way. By the time I had detached Clare and ran to our bedroom the stream of pee was ending. He stood there in a daze as I laughed. He skirted the puddle and ran right back to bed. I love wood floors, a quick damp towel to the floor and done.

Backyard Chickens

Garrett used to say he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up. I took great pride in this thinking it was from the time we spend together in the garden. At 18 months he was helping me harvest potatoes with his chubby hands putting them into the wire storage basket.

Now he is the main caretaker of the chickens. When they escape (usually from me forgetting to close the door at night) he magically woos them back into the coop. They love him and let him carry them around. We are proud of his chicken caretaking skills.

When they began producing more eggs than we could use Scott encouraged him to call a friend to see if they would like to buy the eggs. No answer from the friend. He really wanted to earn $2.00. I wasn't paying attention to what he was doing when he got out the ward directory and began calling another friend. A fine proper British woman. I heard Garrett say in a gruff voice, "DO YOU WANT TO BUY SOME EGGS?" This friend was at work and thought it was a practical joke. I quickly figured out who he had called and had him tell her who he was and why he was selling eggs. He takes his egg selling business seriously.

We decided to get six chicks to replace some of our older hens. Three disappeared within the first week. Animal, neighbor kids, escaping the coop? Garrett took it hard.

What happened today was hardest of all.

We had friends over, he got out the 3 remaining chicks for the friends to see. Kids inevitably begin chasing them as they try to catch them. Poor little Fea"d"er Feet (Feather Feet) was stepped on. Garrett was sobbing as he came to tell me. The poor bird looked awful. I had to take her in the back yard and put an end to her misery.

I grew up on a farm accustomed to animal death. From cats caught in the combine, calves dying from scours. The devil cat that attacked humans, that had to meet its end. Death on the farm was routine.

My stomach churned knowing I had to end this chicks life.

We sat on the back steps as he asked me if she would be resurrected. When would he see her again?

The funeral helped to ease the pain of her death. Sad day indeed.

7 LBS 9 OZ

I almost cried at her two month checkup, when I saw she had only gained 2 lbs since leaving the hospital. She has had a hard time eating, from her nursing strikes after being given a bottle or binkie, to barely waking to eat. Up to week 7 or so. 

I tried supplementing again after the doctors visit. She nursed first and then drank 3 0z. from a bottle I did this 3 times and she took 3  oz. each time (she didn't go on a nursing strike this time). I started to feel like the crappiest Mother thinking I had starved my baby until the following day when she had a hard time taking in more than an additional ounce after nursing. After pumping I realize I am producing enough for her. Everyone always talks about how they don't want to see their babies growing so big, lamenting the loss of the newborn stage. It's sweet and cute, such a tiny baby for so long, but also worrisome.