My friend Shannon Colleary's response to Samuel in this photo: This is his suave ladies man face. Don't introduce him to George Hamilton, they'll paint the town. -Shannon (The Woman Formerly Known As Beautiful) … [Read more...]
My Better Half
July 1, 2012 | 19 Comments
Who is the strong silent man behind the blog? No one seems to know. He does need to keep a bit of mystery on here, but we will let you in on a little more of his personality. Brian and I met the month I turned sixteen. He was almost twenty-one at the time. He wanted nothing to do with me because I was so young. Needless to say, I was fuming by this rejection. I didn’t hear from him for two years... until the week before I turned eighteen, when I received a convenient phone call. He’s … [Read more...]
why sometimes it is good to get lost
June 25, 2012 | 16 Comments
It’s no secret- I have no sense of direction. GPS was invented for people like me, and ironically I still have yet to own a vehicle with built-in GPS, or the device itself. Anyway, a few days ago I managed to get lost with the with the kids again. We were driving around aimlessly down an alley-like side street when the clouds parted and this lovely sight appeared: That is right, we literally … [Read more...]
My Home And Three Y Chromosomes.
June 23, 2012 | 7 Comments
My family sometimes points out how ironic it is that I ended up with a house full of boys. I think we have a pretty good thing going on. I play "Clone Wars" in heels, and Samuel and Aram wear citrus face masks with me while we watch Cars. I don't know about you, but I call that being well-rounded. … [Read more...]
Is It Okay To Touch Someone Else’s Child?
June 21, 2012 |
When Samuel first arrived home it was very important for him to get a sense of our roles as a family. This is another way to build attachment and help him grasp that he is part of a new family. This was initially difficult for us to do, because when Samuel first arrived home he showed signs of indiscriminate friendliness. I.F. is a common issue among adoptees (especially in orphanage or multiple caregiver settings). We haven’t completely worked through this challenge with him, but we have … [Read more...]
Getting Fed To The Wolves
June 19, 2012 | 39 Comments
Well, I finally watched all the interviews I did the day the TIME cover was released. Brian said it was important for me to see. I can’t stand hearing a recording of my voice, so you can imagine how horrifying it was for me to hear audio accompanied by video! Being shell-shocked is not the best way to be interviewed, I've decided. Where was my Xanax when I needed it? Here are my thoughts on what I just witnessed. Nothing deep- all superficial reactions. Just doing some therapeutic … [Read more...]
Blogging- A Love Affair
June 12, 2012 | 29 Comments
When I first started this blog my intention was to keep our family informed during the adoption process. I had no idea blogging would connect me with so many like-minded people, as well as provide an outlet for my thoughts. Here are the top reasons I love to blog: There are no rules- I can dedicate an entire ridiculous post to why I have a phobia of blood pressure cuffs, and no one can stop me. Okay, there are rules- mine- Truthfully, this blog has turned into a safe haven and I … [Read more...]
This is Why I Let My Children Watch TV
June 10, 2012 | 32 Comments
My brilliant idea last week was to ban TV from our house. That lasted about two minutes for my movie buff husband, but I was determined to make it last with the kids. The TV fast was going strong the first few days, but one evening I got lost in South West, South East, and South Central LA for two hours because my iPhone map froze. I wasn't concerned, but then I realized I was running out of gas and there was no gas station in sight. I pulled over and almost immediately was approached by a … [Read more...]
Examples of Societies Where Children Nurse For Many Years
June 6, 2012 | 6 Comments
Dr. Katherine Dettywyler sent me this information about societies where children breastfeed for many years. (shared with permission): NOTE: Anthropologists no longer refer to any society or group of people as being “primitive” or “savage” or “barbaric” – people who have very simple technological resources may nonetheless be quite sophisticated in terms of religion, philosophy, kinship systems, art, music, etc. Therefore, please excuse the following authors for using the … [Read more...]
Clever Cleavage- Jessica’s Story
June 2, 2012 | 10 Comments
Everyone Meet Jessica! Breastfeeding, for me, typifies mothering. It nourishes, comforts, heals, and soothes. I love nursing my children, and I love to talk about it. When I had my first son 5 years ago, I assumed that I would put him to the breast and he would eat. Not quite. After flat nipples, pumping and feeding with a little plastic tube, nipple shields, bleeding, cracking, being diagnosed with Reynaud’s phenomenon of the nipple (blood vessels spasm, crippling pain), and a poor … [Read more...]
