I have a series of related ideas that are coming together disjointedly like raindrops on a window pane. I am almost tempted to stop, make a paragraph organizer similar to something I give to my students, and then try to continue with this blog. I think instead I will try the stream of consciousness approach that usually leaves me feeling a few burdens lighter, if nothing else.
When I was a kid and I wanted to be a writer (some dreams never die) my mother used to tell me to write about what I knew. It was the thing she always came back to when I complained that I couldn't finish something: "Write what you know." The problem was, I didn't know anything. I knew about my neighborhood and my family and my third grade buddies, but that wasn't the stuff that I wanted to create novels about. So I wrote hundreds of fanastical Chapter Ones before realizing I had no idea where to go with a plot line and characters I couldn't empathize with.
Many years later, when I was in my twenties, my mother said to me, exasperated I'm sure: "You always have to learn things the hard way." I can remember at first feeling defensive at this statement but I soon realized she was right. I had been headstrong and independent my whole life and when I reflected on the many tumults life had handed me, I had definitely brought a lot of them on myself, choosing always to venture into situations that I could have been protected from had I heeded the advice of others. Like a typical young adult, I never thought anyone really knew what I was going through or what was best for me. Now that I'm a parent, I can't imagine what I put my poor mom and dad through. Disclaimer: sorry Mom and Dad. :)
I guess there were times when I regretted decisions I made and experiences I've had. The thought has crossed my mind that if I had just listened to my father I wouldn't have had to suffer through that last hardship, etc. But most of the time, when I look at where I am now, I'm not mad about my mistakes. I think my mother was right when she said that I always have to learn things the hard way--but I don't think that I am wrong for being that way either. I came to the realization that maybe there were lessons I needed to learn on my own so that I can better empathize with the rest of humanity. What kind of a writer would I be if I hadn't struck out on my own and had a little bit of pain, fear, or heart break thrust upon me?
Where is my point? I'm not trying to wax poetic about the cliche "You can't be old and wise if you were never young and crazy." motto that so many people cling to before they've even realized what kinds of trouble they could be getting their "young and crazy" asses into... and I'm definitely not selling some line of YOLO (translation: You Only Live Once) crap. What I'm saying is, I constantly have to remind myself that it's okay to live my life the way that is true to who I am. Sometimes people seem to have opinions about how I should do things and how I should live, which is so weird because I could mostly care less about what other people choose to do with their life, as long as it is what makes them happy and of course that they are not hurting themselves or others. I think maybe I just view life differently than people assume I do...I don't accept norms and rules on life that so many people attach themselves to---more so than even just the whole gay marriage issue---I truly don't think there is a right or a wrong way to live your life as long as you are living in peace. I am not bothered by tattoos or homosexuals or transgender people or hipsters or fat people or anyone else. I encourage people to be daring and different and shed the shackles of sameness and blah, I think it makes them more beautiful. I don't welcome restrictions on happiness in general. I wonder why then, do people feel the need to restrict me? And why do I sometimes let them?
"The challenge is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you just like everyone else."
Friday, August 17, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Dreaming
I had a dream last night that I had the baby and that no one let me hold it for like four days. I say "it" because in my dream the baby was a girl, but I am having a boy. I was upset because by the time I got to hold her it was too late to try nursing and I hadn't even named her yet. Early in my pregnancy I had a dream in which I gave birth (again to a girl) and carried the baby round in my pocketbook as if she were a new lipgloss. I was horrified when I woke up.
Pregnancy dreams are so weird and telling. Not that I'm going to carry him around in my purse, but there has been this constant worry that I won't be able to give my new baby all the attention I was able to give my first son.
On a side note, my son has learned how to turn on the stereo in the living room. Ironically he only knows how to turn the volume up, not down. :) that will be a handy trick once his brother finally makes his long awaited appearance. We have learned to leave the record player cued up to something we feel like listening to. Right now I have James Taylor blasting while he watches Martha Speaks... Eventually I will get up and turn one of them off.
Time to go play.
Pregnancy dreams are so weird and telling. Not that I'm going to carry him around in my purse, but there has been this constant worry that I won't be able to give my new baby all the attention I was able to give my first son.
On a side note, my son has learned how to turn on the stereo in the living room. Ironically he only knows how to turn the volume up, not down. :) that will be a handy trick once his brother finally makes his long awaited appearance. We have learned to leave the record player cued up to something we feel like listening to. Right now I have James Taylor blasting while he watches Martha Speaks... Eventually I will get up and turn one of them off.
Time to go play.
Friday, August 10, 2012
To Each His Own
Well, I've been saying all along that this baby is huge and I'm going to have him early. So why should I have been so surprised when at my 35 week appointment my Dr told me that I'm two centimeters dilated and that my cervix is 80 percent effaced? For anyone who finds this jargon foreign language, it basically means I'm already in the stages of pre-labor and this baby could come at any time.
Literally...any minute.
Or it could be a few days.
Or weeks.
See that's the thing about pregnancy and birth and babies. They do what they want and every woman's body is different and each pregnancy is different, which is why mothers love to sit around and tell their labor stories over and over again even if you have heard from your friend a million times about how her 30 hours of labor which lead to a C-section was worse than anyone else's, you will absolutely hear it again as soon as anyone you know has a baby or even hints about becoming pregnant. Trust me, I'm not hating on birth stories. I love telling my own. It's probably the most exciting, terrifying and life changing thing that any woman will endure, so why not brag a little? I did just bring a human life into the world if I want to reminisce for a few minutes I will.
The thing with having my second baby is that for the past eight months I kind of assumed that the labor process would be similar to my first experience. I woke up one morning--my water literally exploded--and then contractions ensued. Everything was extremely by the book and I was lucky to have a fairly quick--but not totally painless--wonderful birthing experience. This time, I'm walking around for days with dull contractions that sometimes come consistently every two minutes and then taper off to twenty to thirty minutes between them. I know it is just the process of preparing my body for what is to come and that's cool. But I guess I'm a little anxious to know...if the beginning of labor is so different with my little #2...what is the rest of it going to be like?
More to come. Of course I will have to share my birth story on my blog...and then re-post it several times...in case anyone forgets what I've been through is so much worse than you. ;)
Literally...any minute.
Or it could be a few days.
Or weeks.
See that's the thing about pregnancy and birth and babies. They do what they want and every woman's body is different and each pregnancy is different, which is why mothers love to sit around and tell their labor stories over and over again even if you have heard from your friend a million times about how her 30 hours of labor which lead to a C-section was worse than anyone else's, you will absolutely hear it again as soon as anyone you know has a baby or even hints about becoming pregnant. Trust me, I'm not hating on birth stories. I love telling my own. It's probably the most exciting, terrifying and life changing thing that any woman will endure, so why not brag a little? I did just bring a human life into the world if I want to reminisce for a few minutes I will.
The thing with having my second baby is that for the past eight months I kind of assumed that the labor process would be similar to my first experience. I woke up one morning--my water literally exploded--and then contractions ensued. Everything was extremely by the book and I was lucky to have a fairly quick--but not totally painless--wonderful birthing experience. This time, I'm walking around for days with dull contractions that sometimes come consistently every two minutes and then taper off to twenty to thirty minutes between them. I know it is just the process of preparing my body for what is to come and that's cool. But I guess I'm a little anxious to know...if the beginning of labor is so different with my little #2...what is the rest of it going to be like?
More to come. Of course I will have to share my birth story on my blog...and then re-post it several times...in case anyone forgets what I've been through is so much worse than you. ;)
Monday, August 6, 2012
Why Worry?
There is so much to be done before Baby #2 gets here that most of the time I have to ignore the fact so that I don't get too overwhelmed. We are turning our attic space into a new bedroom for Lil Bo and then using his current bedroom as the nursery for Lil #2, which means that we have a long road behind us of cleaning out the attic space and still have a long road ahead of us which will consist of insulating and building real walls in there, not to mention painting and furnishing the room for Bo so that I can THEN get the nursery ready for Twosie.
Besides the huge daunting task of the bedrooms, there is normal new baby "stuff" that has to be handled and set up. From laundering the new clothes and setting up a baby swing to making sure I have the right sheets for the bassinet, it feels like I haven't done anything to prepare for my new little guy....where are my infant bottles with the slow flow nipples anyway? Did I pack them away into storage when we were cleaning out the attic? ugh.
On top of those concerns, I have been stressed out about the fact that I might have waited too long in general to wean Bo off of some "baby" habits as he has grown into a toddler. At 14 months he was still drinking milk from his bottle in my lap three times a day. I didn't even realize that around his first birthday is when a lot of moms chose to lose this ritual. I still rocked him to sleep for every nap and bedtime, and he still uses a binky. By one he was still in his infant carrier car seat. Because he is my first born I was slow and reluctant to change these "baby" habits, but along with my ever growing belly also grew my concern that I was soon going to be mother to not one but TWO babies and something would have to give. Bo's infantile habits also took up much of my time, since I was the one fostering the bottle feedings and long bedtime routines.
In July, with about two months left in my pregnancy, I decided to get serious. My "baby" was already 14 months old and he needed a serious lesson in maturation. We changed the bottle feedings into independent sippy cup sessions where he could play AND drink his milk like a big boy. I started a sleep training program that took almost a month but has been astronomically worth it since he can now put himself back to sleep when he wakes up in the night instead of crying for me to come in and rock him back to sleep at 1, 3, and 5 o'clock in the morning. He is fully walking and amazes me every day with how much he talks and understands. I can hold his hand instead of carrying him everywhere and he rides in the front seat of the shopping carriage instead of needing to be lugged in and then mounted on top of the wagon in his infant carrier. Success!
The only problem I could see was his bedtime and nap routine. The sleep training program recommends that you have a nice, soothing bedtime routine so that your child knows what to expect and can comfortably ease him or herself into sleep. For me and Bo, this routine is nearly an hour long. Many times while I read to him or sing him lullaby after lullaby and note that he is still not at the drowsy state recommended by my sleep-lady, I am in a constant panic. Imagine if #2 were here already and he needs to be nursed while Bo is supposed to be having his soothing bedtime routine? What if next month when Baby Boy is here he wakes up from a nap and needs me while I am locked in Bo's room trying to get through "Goodnight Moon" in record speed? Sometimes when Bo fights his naps I find myself in tears worried that I am spread too thin and that I'm never going to be able to handle a new baby! What was I thinking?
Then it hit me. I don't want to hurry up reading my nightly "Goodnight Moon" to Lil Bo, and I shouldn't have to. Both boys are my babies and always will be. I will always, for the rest of my life, be trying to figure out how to spread myself equally between these two angels. Just because a new baby is entering our lives, I don't have to hurry the other one up. Part of having a sibling is learning to take turns, not to lose out on something completely. I will still have a nice special bedtime routine with Bobby and when his brother cries that doesn't mean my first born gets pushed aside, it means I have to figure out a way to nurture both of them fairly. I don't know how I'm going to do that yet, because #2 hasn't made his earthly debut, but when the times comes, we will figure it out. With Big Daddy Conlon's help and some serious patience we are all going to get through it. It's just that maybe Lil Bo won't be getting rid of the binky as soon as we'd originally hoped. And that's going to have to be okay.
Besides the huge daunting task of the bedrooms, there is normal new baby "stuff" that has to be handled and set up. From laundering the new clothes and setting up a baby swing to making sure I have the right sheets for the bassinet, it feels like I haven't done anything to prepare for my new little guy....where are my infant bottles with the slow flow nipples anyway? Did I pack them away into storage when we were cleaning out the attic? ugh.
On top of those concerns, I have been stressed out about the fact that I might have waited too long in general to wean Bo off of some "baby" habits as he has grown into a toddler. At 14 months he was still drinking milk from his bottle in my lap three times a day. I didn't even realize that around his first birthday is when a lot of moms chose to lose this ritual. I still rocked him to sleep for every nap and bedtime, and he still uses a binky. By one he was still in his infant carrier car seat. Because he is my first born I was slow and reluctant to change these "baby" habits, but along with my ever growing belly also grew my concern that I was soon going to be mother to not one but TWO babies and something would have to give. Bo's infantile habits also took up much of my time, since I was the one fostering the bottle feedings and long bedtime routines.
In July, with about two months left in my pregnancy, I decided to get serious. My "baby" was already 14 months old and he needed a serious lesson in maturation. We changed the bottle feedings into independent sippy cup sessions where he could play AND drink his milk like a big boy. I started a sleep training program that took almost a month but has been astronomically worth it since he can now put himself back to sleep when he wakes up in the night instead of crying for me to come in and rock him back to sleep at 1, 3, and 5 o'clock in the morning. He is fully walking and amazes me every day with how much he talks and understands. I can hold his hand instead of carrying him everywhere and he rides in the front seat of the shopping carriage instead of needing to be lugged in and then mounted on top of the wagon in his infant carrier. Success!
The only problem I could see was his bedtime and nap routine. The sleep training program recommends that you have a nice, soothing bedtime routine so that your child knows what to expect and can comfortably ease him or herself into sleep. For me and Bo, this routine is nearly an hour long. Many times while I read to him or sing him lullaby after lullaby and note that he is still not at the drowsy state recommended by my sleep-lady, I am in a constant panic. Imagine if #2 were here already and he needs to be nursed while Bo is supposed to be having his soothing bedtime routine? What if next month when Baby Boy is here he wakes up from a nap and needs me while I am locked in Bo's room trying to get through "Goodnight Moon" in record speed? Sometimes when Bo fights his naps I find myself in tears worried that I am spread too thin and that I'm never going to be able to handle a new baby! What was I thinking?
Then it hit me. I don't want to hurry up reading my nightly "Goodnight Moon" to Lil Bo, and I shouldn't have to. Both boys are my babies and always will be. I will always, for the rest of my life, be trying to figure out how to spread myself equally between these two angels. Just because a new baby is entering our lives, I don't have to hurry the other one up. Part of having a sibling is learning to take turns, not to lose out on something completely. I will still have a nice special bedtime routine with Bobby and when his brother cries that doesn't mean my first born gets pushed aside, it means I have to figure out a way to nurture both of them fairly. I don't know how I'm going to do that yet, because #2 hasn't made his earthly debut, but when the times comes, we will figure it out. With Big Daddy Conlon's help and some serious patience we are all going to get through it. It's just that maybe Lil Bo won't be getting rid of the binky as soon as we'd originally hoped. And that's going to have to be okay.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Up hill....BOTH WAYS!
As a high school teacher I found myself thinking the whole "when I was a kid things were different..." phrase many years earlier than I am probably supposed to. I've only just turned thirty and I have friends that are still trendy and still listen to top 40 music so I shouldn't be so quick to put myself in such a distant category from my twelve-years-younger students. But really, if there ever was a decade that dramatically separates generations it has to be this last one. Maybe every old geezer thinks the same way and maybe this is a totally unoriginal feeling (which is fine because that means you can relate!) but I strongly feel that since we partied like it was 1999 and it became the 2000's (Husband Bobby calls this past decade the "ots") kids in high school have become exposed to a drastically different life style than we had in the 90s, 80s, 70s, and so on.
The introduction of cell phones to children has made this entire world a crazy place. I'm not being unnecessarily dramatic here. I got my first cell phone when I was eighteen years old and a freshman in college. It was the year 2000 and suddenly cell phones were more than just the chunky car phone that chilled in the center console of Dad's car that beeped now and then to remind us of it's existence. Friends were moving away to school, we all had jobs (mostly) and we were technically adults, so the acquisition of the cell phone made sense.
But this blog is not about justifying why kids today are different... it's about how the world...country...everything.... is going completely bonkers and I am sometimes struck by the seriousness of the situation that I wonder if I should move to Pennsylvania and become Amish.
Three nights ago Bo Hubs was suddenly interested in watching the news. I should mention that we never--NEVER--watch the news in this house unless it is sports or weather related and even then it's minimal. There was a few stories about local seriousness, a supposed shark attack, a severe thunderstorm watch, etc. Then there was the story that inspired this rant. "The Distracted Walker" story. First we see a black and white video clip from a security camera that has recorded a man walking in a Boston underground T-station while looking intently at his phone (maybe playing Song Pop, I don't know) as he drifts towards the empty railroad and >kaboom< falls off the edge and onto the tracks five or so feet below. The anchor then goes on to report how dangerous "distracted walking" is becoming to Boston's citizens. A guy on the street in the city then gets interviewed where he sheepishly admits that he, in fact, has walked distractedly before(!) and underneath his name is the subtitle: "distracted walker". Oh. The. Shame.
This is when I look at Bobby and ask if this is for real.
The very next news segment is a VERY important feature that discusses how to keep your technology safe at the beach. We all know that the hot sun and the cruel sand can make it extremely difficult to keep your children and cell phones safe, so I was so relieved to see that they gave a bulleted list of tips on how to keep my phone out of harms way. Bullet number one said that I should put my cell phone in a Ziploc baggie. No, no, let me back up a bit. I should actually recreate the bulleted list for you so you can experience the same relief I did.
I was just thinking...there is a pretty big election coming up in about three months...right? I mean, there are some pretty serious issues going on in the world...right? Like, oh I don't know, unemployment, famine, corrupt governments, lack of women's rights in like half the world... but we in Massachusetts need to focus on the important things---like cell phone condoms.
If for some reason I suddenly go missing check the Bible Belt. I'll be riding in the back of a horse drawn carriage, sewing patches on my own dress and shunning the creation of cell phones.
PROOF:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57483199/distracted-walking-injuries-quadruple-in-last-seven-years/
The introduction of cell phones to children has made this entire world a crazy place. I'm not being unnecessarily dramatic here. I got my first cell phone when I was eighteen years old and a freshman in college. It was the year 2000 and suddenly cell phones were more than just the chunky car phone that chilled in the center console of Dad's car that beeped now and then to remind us of it's existence. Friends were moving away to school, we all had jobs (mostly) and we were technically adults, so the acquisition of the cell phone made sense.
But this blog is not about justifying why kids today are different... it's about how the world...country...everything.... is going completely bonkers and I am sometimes struck by the seriousness of the situation that I wonder if I should move to Pennsylvania and become Amish.
Three nights ago Bo Hubs was suddenly interested in watching the news. I should mention that we never--NEVER--watch the news in this house unless it is sports or weather related and even then it's minimal. There was a few stories about local seriousness, a supposed shark attack, a severe thunderstorm watch, etc. Then there was the story that inspired this rant. "The Distracted Walker" story. First we see a black and white video clip from a security camera that has recorded a man walking in a Boston underground T-station while looking intently at his phone (maybe playing Song Pop, I don't know) as he drifts towards the empty railroad and >kaboom< falls off the edge and onto the tracks five or so feet below. The anchor then goes on to report how dangerous "distracted walking" is becoming to Boston's citizens. A guy on the street in the city then gets interviewed where he sheepishly admits that he, in fact, has walked distractedly before(!) and underneath his name is the subtitle: "distracted walker". Oh. The. Shame.
This is when I look at Bobby and ask if this is for real.
The very next news segment is a VERY important feature that discusses how to keep your technology safe at the beach. We all know that the hot sun and the cruel sand can make it extremely difficult to keep your children and cell phones safe, so I was so relieved to see that they gave a bulleted list of tips on how to keep my phone out of harms way. Bullet number one said that I should put my cell phone in a Ziploc baggie. No, no, let me back up a bit. I should actually recreate the bulleted list for you so you can experience the same relief I did.
- Put your technology in a sealed Ziploc bag
- Make sure to put the technology in the bag at home
- Do not take your technology out the entire time you are at the beach (in case that pesky sand should sneak its way inside)
- Change your Ziploc baggy frequently, so you don't get sand inside your technology
I was just thinking...there is a pretty big election coming up in about three months...right? I mean, there are some pretty serious issues going on in the world...right? Like, oh I don't know, unemployment, famine, corrupt governments, lack of women's rights in like half the world... but we in Massachusetts need to focus on the important things---like cell phone condoms.
If for some reason I suddenly go missing check the Bible Belt. I'll be riding in the back of a horse drawn carriage, sewing patches on my own dress and shunning the creation of cell phones.
PROOF:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57483199/distracted-walking-injuries-quadruple-in-last-seven-years/
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Perfect Timing
I started this blog about a year and a half ago in hopes of documenting my new journey into motherhood. However, (and if this isn't the perfect cliche I don't know what is) I got so busy as a new mother that I did not blog even once. In fact, my last blog was posted exactly ten days before I gave birth to my son, Bo.
Well, just as I finally seem to have gotten used to parenting and learned the trick of bringing my son up to bed by 6:30 instead of letting him fall asleep on me every night while we watch TV, I have also finally found a few spare minutes to check my email, play a few rounds of Song Pop, and write this blog. Finally, I seem to be getting the hang of things. Six weeks before my next baby is due. Riiight.
Hopefully that doesn't mean that you won't be hearing from me for another year. See, in the past month I have been sleep training Bo, who is about 15 months old and should have learned how to self soothe ages ago but Mommy wanted all the cuddle time possible and therefore created a bedtime-monster. In the hours upon hours of sleep training, I've been required to sit quietly by his crib while he figures out how to get comfy, then after a few days I move my chair further away so that he is aware that I'm still nearby but he is gaining the independence and security he needs to fall asleep on his own. All of this leads to my point that I have been reading several blogs that I have bookmarked on my phone (which I will give props to momentarily) because it's too dark to read a real book and I can't just simply sit there or I will lose my mind. Anyway, when I read these blogs I'm totally inspired and think of all the things I want to blog about, and not just about my experiences as a new mom which is why the blog is about "life and other stuff" because I'm one of those people who has so much to kvetch about (is kvetch the word?) in the most positive and humorous way that I can--but honestly, my husband falls asleep within seconds of climbing into bed and I still have like seven or eight things I never got to say. PS--My kindergarten teacher is NOT SURPRISED at that last sentence, I wont even tell you that she used to call me "Motor-Mouth Martin" for fear that the moniker will resurface. For your information, I still don't think that was very nice, Mrs. Nealon!
The blogs I'm currently latched on to:
For literal laugh out loud reading for women, moms, and anyone with a sense of humor: www.brittanyherself.com
For inspiration, this is a girl I went to highschool with that reminds me there are truly good people in the world: http://beccatatsea.blogspot.com/
For constant life improvement: www.marcandangel.com
For humor and insight from my coworker: http://runningmaestamami.blogspot.com
I will be back as soon as I can to vent about two stories I saw on the news last night that blew my mind... made me wonder what the world is coming to...ever see the movie Idiocracy?
Does Blogger do spellcheck???
Well, just as I finally seem to have gotten used to parenting and learned the trick of bringing my son up to bed by 6:30 instead of letting him fall asleep on me every night while we watch TV, I have also finally found a few spare minutes to check my email, play a few rounds of Song Pop, and write this blog. Finally, I seem to be getting the hang of things. Six weeks before my next baby is due. Riiight.
Hopefully that doesn't mean that you won't be hearing from me for another year. See, in the past month I have been sleep training Bo, who is about 15 months old and should have learned how to self soothe ages ago but Mommy wanted all the cuddle time possible and therefore created a bedtime-monster. In the hours upon hours of sleep training, I've been required to sit quietly by his crib while he figures out how to get comfy, then after a few days I move my chair further away so that he is aware that I'm still nearby but he is gaining the independence and security he needs to fall asleep on his own. All of this leads to my point that I have been reading several blogs that I have bookmarked on my phone (which I will give props to momentarily) because it's too dark to read a real book and I can't just simply sit there or I will lose my mind. Anyway, when I read these blogs I'm totally inspired and think of all the things I want to blog about, and not just about my experiences as a new mom which is why the blog is about "life and other stuff" because I'm one of those people who has so much to kvetch about (is kvetch the word?) in the most positive and humorous way that I can--but honestly, my husband falls asleep within seconds of climbing into bed and I still have like seven or eight things I never got to say. PS--My kindergarten teacher is NOT SURPRISED at that last sentence, I wont even tell you that she used to call me "Motor-Mouth Martin" for fear that the moniker will resurface. For your information, I still don't think that was very nice, Mrs. Nealon!
The blogs I'm currently latched on to:
For literal laugh out loud reading for women, moms, and anyone with a sense of humor: www.brittanyherself.com
For inspiration, this is a girl I went to highschool with that reminds me there are truly good people in the world: http://beccatatsea.blogspot.com/
For constant life improvement: www.marcandangel.com
For humor and insight from my coworker: http://runningmaestamami.blogspot.com
I will be back as soon as I can to vent about two stories I saw on the news last night that blew my mind... made me wonder what the world is coming to...ever see the movie Idiocracy?
Does Blogger do spellcheck???
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
questions about mommy-hood
Today has been frustratingly mind-blowing. First I found out that even though I'm four weeks away from my due date I'm already one centimeter dilated. Then I just finished watching a documentary called "Bag It" that I wish I'd seen nine months ago. It started out talking about plastic bags and what a crazy idea it is to use a material that will never EVER disappear for something that is supposed to be disposable. I mean, why would you use a material that will last FOREVER for something that is designed to be used for a few minutes. The doc went on to show how much plastic we use in our country, explaining that all disposable coffee cups are lined with plastic, everything packaged in the store is wrapped in plastic, etc. I'm already actively disgusted by how we abuse the environment but too lazy to really do anything about it. I usually try to use my reusable shopping bags, but only when I go to the grocery store... I never think to use them when I go to Target or the Christmas Tree Shop. I hardly use plastic water bottles, but I get ice coffees from dunkin donuts all the time. So what's really the difference?
Anyway, some of the things that I'm thinking about now that I'm becoming a mother are the following. I have been drinking beverages from containers that most likely had BPA in them for the last nine months. I've been heating up my food in containers that probably contain BPA and phthenolytes(?) all along. Studies show that ingesting these chemicals can be bad for you but also be harmful to your unborn child, causing all kinds of issues that effect millions of Americans. One of the things that can come from allowing your child to use bottles or sippy cups that have BPA in them is ADHD. It is no wonder why the amount of kids with ADHD has gone from 1 in 2500 to 1 in 150 since the 70s when we began using so many disposable drink containers. Also included in the list of possible issues? Diabetes, feminization in boys or masculization in girls, breast cancer, colon cancer, and the list goes on and on. These chemicals are also in all kinds of canned food and toiletries like body wash and shampoo and it is never listed on the label.
This sucks. I hate that our country protects the money making companies at the risk of our health and safety. You think you could trust that if you buy a can of corn you are simply eating corn. I wonder how much of the chemicals leak into my food every time I heat up a Healthy Choice meal? How healthy is it? Sure its low cal and low fat but it's full of chemicals that cause cancer and diabetes.
I also began thinking about using cloth diapers. I know this sounds crazy, and those of you who already have kids are probably laughing at me right now thinking, yeah sure, let's see how that goes after one week. I probably won't do it, like I said, I'm actively angry about the environment, but passively participating. Just think about all that plastic that goes into Pampers. And how many Pampers you throw away every day. That crap doesn't get recycled. No pun intended.
Anyway, some of the things that I'm thinking about now that I'm becoming a mother are the following. I have been drinking beverages from containers that most likely had BPA in them for the last nine months. I've been heating up my food in containers that probably contain BPA and phthenolytes(?) all along. Studies show that ingesting these chemicals can be bad for you but also be harmful to your unborn child, causing all kinds of issues that effect millions of Americans. One of the things that can come from allowing your child to use bottles or sippy cups that have BPA in them is ADHD. It is no wonder why the amount of kids with ADHD has gone from 1 in 2500 to 1 in 150 since the 70s when we began using so many disposable drink containers. Also included in the list of possible issues? Diabetes, feminization in boys or masculization in girls, breast cancer, colon cancer, and the list goes on and on. These chemicals are also in all kinds of canned food and toiletries like body wash and shampoo and it is never listed on the label.
This sucks. I hate that our country protects the money making companies at the risk of our health and safety. You think you could trust that if you buy a can of corn you are simply eating corn. I wonder how much of the chemicals leak into my food every time I heat up a Healthy Choice meal? How healthy is it? Sure its low cal and low fat but it's full of chemicals that cause cancer and diabetes.
I also began thinking about using cloth diapers. I know this sounds crazy, and those of you who already have kids are probably laughing at me right now thinking, yeah sure, let's see how that goes after one week. I probably won't do it, like I said, I'm actively angry about the environment, but passively participating. Just think about all that plastic that goes into Pampers. And how many Pampers you throw away every day. That crap doesn't get recycled. No pun intended.
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