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I know I'm late to the outrage over the Time magazine cover party, but I want to throw in my two cents. The two best responses to the horrible cover photo were from Haley and Kate. As Kate said-the only thing "attached" in this picture is the boy's mouth to his mom's breast. And that's simply not what "attachment parenting" is all about. Ted and I have used many tenants of attachment parenting in our own parenting methods because they work for us. Not because I'm "mom enough" or any other reason. And Haley compared the cover to an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary nursing the toddler Jesus. Yeah-I think I'll strive to do it Mary's way....
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And while we're on the subject, I'm so tired of getting asked, "So how long are you planning to breastfeed?" I have no plan. These types of things are not planned. We just take it a day at a time. I'm sure there will come a day in the distant or not-so-distant future that Hannah and I no longer want to nurse. That day is not today. It probably won't be tomorrow, but again-no planning. For now, I'm increasingly grateful of the benefits that come with nursing a toddler:instant calming when she's escalating into a tantrum
magic boo-boo band-aid that stops tears in their tracks
quick little rest when she doesn't need a real nap but can't keep going without one
snuggles
giggles
five minutes to sit down
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Hannah and I spent the morning at the local museum/zoo with two wonderful mamas and their kiddos. Perfect weather, perfect company. And then I came home and scrubbed the shower for the first time in a month...or two. Great Friday morning!
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Is Hannah the only one who can't get enough of this video? Only a few days left of Colleen's campaign-she's sooo close! My giveaway will end on May 25-so there's still time to enter!
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And I'll end with more pictures of my favorite girl.
Laughing. It's what we do.
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The sprinkler in fun.....
but I'd really rather just run aimlessly in this open field.
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We bought a peach tree! This is our first peach. She loved it so much that she kept the pit in her hand for the rest of the meal and picked up bits of hamburger and ate them with peach juice.
Happy Weekend!
Adorable photos! :)
ReplyDeleteWe had a peach tree growing up... so yummy! Warm peach pie with vanilla ice cream... heavenly. :)
I hated that article! So ridiculous! And I wish MG was still nursing! Several times a day I think about how it would help so many things!
ReplyDeleteYour kid is adorable! I miss her!!!
peaches are my favorite...especially fresh, ripe, juicy....yum.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter is beautiful.
Was that a Moe's cup I spotted on the table?
ReplyDeleteActually, I'd rather not know. Then I don't have to go to confession for "coveting my neighbor's things."
I see you got a learning tower! Is she loving it?!
Holy cow. Now I REALLY want a peach. Yummers!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you gave her that juicy peach without a bib! haha
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who scribe the shower eventually rather than regularly. Ugh! My least favorite chore. Hannah is too cute!
ReplyDeleteYeah, cleaning the shower is totally overrated!
ReplyDeleteThat cover pic was so disturbing. Like you said, it shows none of the beauty of attachment parenting. Such a shame. Yet another exploitation by the media. Lovely.
And so great to hear that you are still nursing Hannah! I hope to be able to nurse Joey longer than my previous two. We shall see!
Was I the only one to freak out that the Time article mentioned that the Sears were in mortal sin for the entire time they wrote all their great parenting books? (The article says they were Catholics. Left the church to become evangelicals for 20+ years. Came back home 4 years later). I loved the Sears books. I'm hard pressed to think of a Catholic family I know in person or online who doesn't quote them regularly. I just had never, ever heard before that their faith was square the whole time they were exploring new types of attachment parenting techniques.
ReplyDelete(I'm sure this objection makes me sound like a bigot. If they were Protestants the whole time, I'd have no trouble following their parenting advice. Just the fact that they were Catholics who excommunicated themselves for a major period of time has me suddenly doubting my whole attachment to attachment parenting).
After reading the whole article I'm now all about "finding the narrow gate." I like holding my babies and nursing. Yet I have a colic kid now, so finally at baby 5 I'm giving myself much more permission to put her down into what Dr. Sears calls "baby prison" i.e. a rocking crib or a baby swing. It feels weird to do the things my Dad wanted me to do with my oldest daughter (i.e. put the baby down, walk away, give yourself time to rest). Yet I think its just proof that parenting advice can never take the place of the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help you adapt to the unique personality traits of every child.
Extended BF is fabulous for all those reasons you mentioned
ReplyDeletePlus, that video is the new go to activity when Maria is just plain cranky, as soon as she sees Colleen at the beginning she smiles so big!
I love what you wrote about extended breastfeeding. We stopped at 13 and 1/2 months, and it was just as you said. It wasn't because of a plan unless you can call "responding to your child" a plan.
ReplyDeleteCute photos!