All by his Lonesome

This morning Stinx and I went to do some errands. We stopped at Superstore to pick up a few things, dropped by Value Village to check out the maternity clothes (the selection was terrible today!), then stopped in at Motherhood Maternity. Stinx was really into shopping today. Every time we left a store he'd say, "Another store!!". It was weird. He normally can't stand shopping and I don't blame him.

Anyway, on to the point.

After our shopping adventure we were driving down a busy street in our neighborhood and I saw a little toddler wandering down the sidewalk by himself. I pulled over right away and got out of the car. Sure enough, no one was around, and he was stepping out into the busy street. I ran over and grabbed his hand and got him back on the sidewalk. He looked about 18 months. I tried asking him where his mom was but it was obvious he wasn't a talker. I decided to just call 911 right away instead of wasting time trying to figure out where he lived. The operator sent a unit right away and asked me to stay on the line until they arrived. I ended up having to get Stinx out of the car so the two boys played on some one's yard while we waited. After 5-10 minutes I saw a woman coming down a different street and I asked if this was her son. She said he was and that she'd been looking for him. She said thank you for finding him. I told the operator the mother arrived and they told me to tell her that she needed to stay to prove she was the child's mother. I explained this to the mom which I found really awkward but she stayed a few minutes and then said she needed to go get her 2.5 year old son. Off she went and I was really hoping she would actually come back. I waited a few more minutes and the officers arrived. As they were opening their car doors the mom came back with both kids. I explained to the cops that she had shown up while I was waiting for them. They started talking to her and I asked if I could go and they said yes.

I put Stinx back in the car and as I was driving away the mother and kids were already walking back to their house.

It was really bizarre. The first thing I did was judge. Who's kid is this? Where is his parents? Why is no one watching him?

Then I thought about what could have happened. What if he had walked out into the street? He was so small no one would have seen him stepping out between cars. What if some creepy person found him? He easily could have been abducted!!

But then I thought about how this could happen to any parent. I mean, just this summer, I was at a playgroup where a 1 year old wandered off and stepped out onto the street while his mom wasn't watching. And I think some kids are just more adventurous and likely to be escape artists. I don't want to excuse his mom completely, but she may have turned her back for just a minute, or ran into the house to get the phone, or whatever. Maybe she was busy dealing with his 2.5 year old brother and he bolted out the front door.

To make this even worse though was that his mother looked like she had the crap beaten out of her. She had two black eyes and other bruises. It was sad.

I just don't know what to make of it. I guess I am just happy that he didn't get hit by a car or stolen by some creepy weirdo. I'm hoping his family is safer than it seems.

When I put myself in her shoes - say Stinx wandered away from the house and I couldn't find him for at least 10 minutes, and then I walked around the block and saw him sitting on the grass with another mother and her son, I'd be running over. I'd be balling! Definitely, I'd be balling. Talking to the police I'd be a crying mess. Maybe that's just my personality, or the mother guilt I'd put on myself.

I don't know. It was weird. Part of me still wants to judge her and yet the other part of me just feels compassion for her knowing it could happen to anyone.

Productive

Today we got a lot accomplished. Stinx and I went for a quick trip to the zoo. We saw giraffes, gorillas, koala's and some other animals. Afterwards we made our way to the Riley Park wading pool. Stinx was his cautious self. After a bit of time he decided it was safe and played at the shallow end of the water. At one point he got a little adventurous and went out to the middle of the pool. I saw him waiting there for a minute and sure enough he panicked. I'm not sure what set him off but he was too scared to walk back to the edge of the water. Thankfully an older boy brought him to me, I had walked in as far as I could without soaking my jeans. Stupid me for wearing jeans! Then Stinx fell in love with our friend's inflatable giraffe. He took it for a walk up and down the hill, in the water, up the hill again. I caught him talking to it several times. It was pretty cute.

Since we've been home I've done some gardening, laundry and dishes. I'm feeling pretty productive.

Kick It

In the past week I have finally been able to feel the little baby fluttering around. I thought I might have been feeling things earlier but it always turned out to be gas. But last night when waiting for Stinx to fall asleep I definitely felt the baby move. It was precious. I suppose I'll be feeling things more often now. Yay!

Doucies All Done

Stinx stopped nursing almost 2 weeks ago when I wrote this post. I had no idea the end would be that close. I also had no idea how easy weaning would be. Most of the weaning experiences I have heard from friends sound really difficult or bittersweet (Especially the younger the baby). I really dreaded the idea of weaning. I expected lots of tears from him and myself. But not a tear was shed from either of us.

Once I was pregnant my body felt like it was telling me it was time. Not in the painful sense. I was almost counting on that. I was hoping the pain I have heard about while nursing during pregnancy would show up just so I would have more incentive to wean. It never really came. Instead my body felt like it was telling me it was time. As well, the fact that I lose weight during the first trimester gave me reason.

I didn't want to wean him instantly, I wanted it to be a gradual process. I didn't want it to be me weaning him, I wanted him to self-wean as well. I never got to point where I resented our breastfeeding relationship - I think it really was just the perfect time for both Stinx and I.

It took 3 months of using the "Don't offer, Don't refuse" approach, as well as shortened nursings with the abc song. It worked perfectly for us. Stinx never put up a fuss about the shortened nursings. He just slowly stopped asking. Maybe this is because of the pregnancy - lack of milk? change in taste? I'm not sure. I like to think it was just the right time for him.

For myself, I don't feel bittersweet. It just feels sweet. I enjoyed the deep connection we had during breastfeeding. From the moment I first nursed Stinx in the hospital it was something I loved. It was beautiful. Sometimes I think it's the one thing I have managed to do well at in motherhood. I've fallen short in so many other parts of parenting but breastfeeding, I did ok.

So it just feels good. We nursed for 28 lovely months and it ended as lovely as it began.

Twilight Saga

So I'm all done reading the Twilight Saga. I can't believe how addictive it was. I just couldn't put any of the books down. It was like a desperate need to know what was going to happen next. I think I read them too fast because each book doesn't stand alone in my memory. They kind of just blurred together. On Sunday night I started the last book "Breaking Dawn" and I seriously had a lot of trouble sleeping because I kept dreaming about how it would end. Stinx woke up at 5 am monday and I couldn't fall back to sleep after he did so I just got up and kept reading.

But now I am all done and I can go back to my normal life. Maybe I should do some dishes. I need to do groceries too. Maybe I could pick up the movie on the way home...

Juice Box?

So this week I had my 16 week doctor's appointment. I took Stinx along for the little trip. The receptionist passed me the plastic cup to go put a "sample" in. Stinx and I went to the bathroom and I did the routine "pee in the cup". After I left the stall Stinx spotted the cup and asked, "Mom, is that a Juice Box?".

Little Itty Bitty Diaper's Stash

I hate to admit this but I have been collecting little diapers since they day I got my positive pregnancy test. I didn't really plan it that way, I was just trying to think ahead and I thought I was buying them more for Anti-Kels. All of these diapers have been lovingly used. Most are in prefect shape. I have (in order of picture) 3 Gabby's Newborn AIO's, 3 Gabby's Newborn Fitted's, 4 Kissaluvs Size 0 (I actually got 5 more since I took the picture), 2 small Little Beetle Fitted's, 3 Newborn Loveybums Organic Fitted's, 4 small Thirsties Fab Fitted's, 1 Thirsties Cover and 2 Bummis Super Brite Newborn covers. I think I am mostly all set... I'd like to get another cover or two.

With Stinx I am mostly a pocket diaper user so it will interesting to see how I like using so many fitted's. I figure most of the newborn diapers will only be used for a month or two and then we'll be using the one size pockets.

And my biggest splurge of all was this Good Mama one size fitted diaper. It's soooo soft inside. Lovely.

Such a nerd

So a friend of mine lent me the book "Twilight" from the 4 book series. I had seen the comercials for the movie but didn't think it looked like something I'd be into. I'm not typically a "vampire" type. But, I am a sucker for romance. I had also read about it on the Half Pint Pixie blog . I should have known just by reading her posts that it would be addcitive.

I've had it for about a week and a half and hadn't bothered to pick it up until tuesday night. I picked it up thinking I'd read a few pages and then go to bed. Ha! Impossible! I sat up reading that book until 12:30 or 1am. I never stay up that late by the way. I almost always go to sleep about an hour after Stinx. All night I dreamt about the story... so lame. When I woke up the first thing I wanted to do was read the book but of course motherly duties call. But once Stinx was playing with his trains I couldn't help it. I had to! Anyways, needless to say I finished the book by the time I had to work last night.

I desperately want to read the next one but I have sooo much cleaning to do before the week end. I am throwing Anti-Kels a baby shower and we're also having some friends over. And the house looks like a tornado hit it. I really can't waste all day reading again.

So instead I am killing time blogging. Typical.

Little Gardener

Stinx is turning into a little gardener.

We've been spending a lot of time in the backyard in the last month since the weather has been warmer (although this week it is quite rainy). We have filled our huge pond with soil and planted some perennials in it. Generally I don't have a great track record with plants but I am hope full I can keep this garden. I'll post some pics once the sun comes out.

The end may be near

So it's not the end of the world, maybe just the nearing end of a wonderful saga for Stinx and I. It seems that the past few months of gentle weaning have come to some progress. It started out with just shortening the nursing sessions. Surprisingly he took to it well. He never seemed upset about the change. I have mostly used the "Don't offer, don't refuse" approach.

In the past week he has only nursed once every other day. It was hard to believe, the first few times we went a whole day, without even a short 10 second nurse session.

So while he isn't weaned yet, it seems he is on the journey to weaning himself.

I am really happy about this. I have really enjoyed every bit of our breastfeeding journey. I am happy that I didn't wean him early on when "society" tells moms it is appropriate. I am thankful that I was able to nurse my teething toddler during the rough nights. Breastfeeding my boy has been a wonderful experience and I am glad I gave my self the chance to extend it longer than "normal".

If I wasn't pregnant would I have encouraged the gentle weaning? Probably not yet. But perhaps this is just the right timing for Stinx and he may have self weaned at this age anyway.

I'm thinking of throwing Stinx a weaning party. Maybe I will call it the "Doucies all done" Party. I think I'll throw it once he's gone a few days without any "doucies".