For The Fam

One delightful index of the movement away from the “feminist mother” mentality of “other-than-mother” care is the percentage of new moms who are breastfeeding. While it is possible that some women squeeze out breast milk into a bottle for the hired help to administer to their baby, the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicate that 77% of new mothers breastfeed their infants, which is the highest rate in the United States in at least 20 years!

The percentage of black infants who were breast-fed rose most dramatically - to 65%. Only 36% were ever breast-fed in 1993-1994, the study found. For whites, the figure rose to 79% from 62%. For Hispanics, it increased to 80%, from 67%.
The rates of breast feeding were lowest among women who were unmarried, poor, rural, younger than 20, and had a high school education or less.

Experts emphasize that breast milk is better than formula at protecting babies against disease and childhood obesity.

I read this this morning and found it so interesting because last night I was sitting with a bunch of other women and mothers at a mountain biking race and they were all sitting around waiting to hand their husbands water bottles, as was I, talking about or actually physically nursing. You may say, "That sounds about right for Utah." Well these were different type of ladies, tattoo clad with a little edge, not the typical Old Navy, Target gal. And here they were swapping seats to nurse their babies and talking about nursing all their kids. I found myself stereotyping thinking, mmm... I thought it was such a conservative type thing. But apparently not anymore. I think the beauty of motherhood is it brings women together, no matter what "type" we are, we can still have prolonged conversations about how well our babies nurse, how our boobs fared after, Soothie binkies, if Target brand clothes hold up, and the beauty of Old Navy kid's clothes prices... whether we have a tattoo for our wedding band, one around our ankles, or are staring up at the temple on the mountain being built in awe. All while waiting to hand our men their water bottles.

Thanks Mrs. Radical for this hilarious website. Here's one I thought was hilarious.

I am so frustrated right now. I am happy too, but frustrated. I just spent the day with K8E one of my truest and dearest friends. She lives out of state which is why I am frustrated. I was thinking about how a lot of the people who I am closest to and connect with the best and have the most in common with are the farthest away from me. How I long for the days of proximity. But I guess such is life. It would be a too easy life if everyone I cherished the most lived in my neighborhood and I wouldn't have the cursed and blessed opportunity to find my way on my own, learn who I am, find value in my own family, and branch out and make new friends, which I must say are becoming nearest and dearest. Anyway...

I value my friends whether I talk to them everyday, email only, text often, or return calls every three months.

If Katie was one who had time to mindlessly read blogs like I do and would ever possibly see this I would tell her how much I love her and respect her. She just puts out there who she is and is just that. She makes no excuses or white lies, doesn't cover up anything. I love it. It's hard to find someone like her. She is moving here in a year and there will be countless prayers for a way for us to have a closer proximity.

And for the other person, you know who you are, with the good news.... thanks for the awesome secret. I am here for you regardless.

My Weekend In The Saddle

A few things I learned this weekend.

Just a little tip: Don't hop on your road bike the day after loping around the arena on a horse. Ouch and double ouch.
Those two saddles are not interchangeable.

Also don't ride too far with the wind no matter how fun, you have to go back home against the wind.

Make sure your toddler puts a pull up on when you go out. Otherwise you will be burying her poop in the community garden as it falls out of her underwear after she dumps pee out of her shoes.

Wear gloves when weeding, or else you'll grab cat poop.

Don't open your mouth too often while atop a road bike in major wind, you don't know what will go in your mouth.

What did you have for dinner?

I think we should have universal park day. Once a week we have park day, anyone and everyone can come. We can bring lunch and let our kids play at the park. I missed the last one on Friday and me and Lex were saying how fun it'd be. What day works for you? I'll post on our other blog too, but this one reaches a wider group. I was thinking the Riverdale one would be good since it's apparently a hot spot and central.

I think it's funny you go to fast food places and don't know the correct term for some item (aren't Mexi fries just that?) or crisp, fried, soft, burrito? So who cares- whatever I don't order fast food I don't know all your distinctive- to- your- hole- in- the- wall- names, and it's like I am the idiot for not knowing what they call all their crap. Let's punish ME for not having all the different fast food places' menu items memorized. Anyways I did that the other day and thought it was funny that I was being ridiculed for not knowing what they called Mexi fries and not knowing they are not the ones with the crisp bean burrito, DUH TONI.

More Of The Trip To Disneyland

Here is small dip into the array of photos I took in Disneyland. The best is Minnie and Piper, she is after all, Piper's BEST FRIEND. Don't be confused. Then there is our whole group, minus me, sorry for the disappointment if you were hoping for pictures of me. I'll be sure to crop me into some of them, perfectly posed if you insist. But it was a fun trip. The happiest place on earth. Beckett pretty much smiled the whole time. I'll post more photos later when I don't have a hungry baby in the other room crying and scolding me.

HI HO HI HO ITS OFF TO DISNEYLAND I GO. Don't worry, I will give my love to the princesses for you.

P To The C To The PC

HEEEYYYY.. welcome back computer of mine that makes it possible for me to efficiently blog. It has been at the computer healer's. Thanks to him for doing some massive plastic and internal surgery on my time killer I like to call my PC. So basically that is my excuse for all you who have been hanging on by dear life waiting for me to post, wondering what the heck has she been up to??? I know you where dying to know and missing me like crazy, so lucky you.. I am back!!! Stop checking my blog every five seconds to see if there is a new post.
Anyway... what have I been up to???? Wouldn't you like to know.... stay tuned for more and maybe just maybe I will give away some juicy details!
I did learn one thing while I was gone, clothes look a lot better on when you are at home than when you are in the dressing room at the stores. Why is that????

Well I thought what better way to re enter the blog world than with this biker stud. I don't know who he is, but dang he is a hotty with a body. Look in the first picture how he is wasting the rest of the bikers. Man, whoever land that hotty is a lucky gal!