Why I Formula Feed

I formula fed Drake and I plan to do the same with his little brother.

Here are some things I want you to know about my experience formula feeding:

• Formula works for our family. I never had a desire to breastfeed so formula feeding was an easy choice for me.


• I have never felt guilt over my choice. This has made it easy to back up my choice a well as allow me to really enjoying feeding my son.


• I know that breast milk is best. I've done my research. I also know if you are not fully committed to breastfeeding formula is just as good.


•  I have a OB, family physician, pediatrician, family, and friends who all support my choice, making formula feeding enjoyable and stress-free.


• I loved watching Drake take a bottle from Ben or his grandparents. I loved how they felt included in the feeding process and the special time it gave them with our little guy.


• I am proud of my choice and never try to hide the fact that I did not breastfeed. I hope that by being open and honest about my choice I can help another woman let go of her guilt of giving her baby formula.


• I think breastfeeding is great. I have no opposition to it and fully support any mother who does it.  I do not think it is gross or unnatural. I think it is the right choice for many women, just not myself.

I will leave you with this- a little something I wrote in this post right after Drake was born.

I did not write this post to be all “Pro Formula”. I wrote this because whether you are nursing your child at a restaurant or you are shaking up a bottle of formula at the mall, we are all mothers. Mothers who are feeding our babies the best way we know how to. We are mothers that love our babies…and that is what is important.

 

A Picture Reminder

Sometimes you need a picture like this

To remind you how sweet your boy can be.

Especially when has colored on your walls with markers twice in less than 12 hours.

NCAA® Division I Women’sBasketball coming to Wells Fargo Arena

See NCAA® Division I Women’sBasketball action at Wells Fargo Arena March 24 & 26

The road to the FinalFour continues on Des Moines!The Regional Finals will be held March 24 & 26, 2012 at Wells Fargo Arena.This marks the first time Des Moineshas hosted an NCAA Women's Basketball event since 2008 when it hosted the NCAAWomen's Basketball First and Second Rounds. The regional champion will advanceto the 2012 NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in Denver, Colorado.Pairings for the Des Moines Regional will be announced Monday, March 12, at 6p.m., Central time on ESPN.

So You Want to Know What is on My Mind?

I'm linking up with Blair over at Heir to Blair today for a little Friday Brain Dumping!

• I finally joined the craze and I'm reading the Hunger Games. I'm done with the first book and making good progress in the second book.  I need to finish this series ASAP so I can start paying attention to Drake again!


• 10 weeks left of this pregnancy. For some reason this pregnancy has been much more difficult than with Drake.  I remember when I hit the 30 week mark with Drake I had a serious freak-out about how close it was getting, this time I practically jumped around knowing this would all be over soon and I can meet my sweet new boy.


• I cleaned out my closet yesterday, like really cleaned it out. It felt great and also got me all excited to wear my non-maternity outfits again. I'm planning on starting Weight Watchers as soon as the little guy is born. Can't wait!


• Whenever Kelly Clarkson's Mr. Know It All comes on Drake wants to dance with me. He calls it "Mommy and Drakie's song" and will dance with his head on my shoulder. I pretty much drop anything (even reading the Hunger Games) for a moment like that.


• I organized and redecorated my laundry room last weekend. I'm in love. Pictures to come soon, but think yellow walls with touches of aqua accent pieces and lots of cool subway art on the walls.


• I went to couponing class last night with my neighbor. It was interesting and I learned a lot, but also think it could become a HUGE time suck. I think I will take bits and pieces of what I learned and apply to our life. I DO know that I will be getting lots of use out of this Totally Target Blog.

 

Oh Target

Apparently Drake does not love Target as much as his Momma does.

No, he is not sleeping, just expressing his extreme frustration at the time I'm taking to look at the clearance kid clothes.

 Afterall, there are aisles of trains and cars waiting for him.

Also? My husband did an amazing job capturing this photo with his cell camera. LOVE IT!

Edited to add

After I published this post I sent this Tweet to Target:

And got this Tweet back from them:

My love for Target has just grown (even though I'm not sure that is possible) and I guarantee you that Drake's thoughts of Target will be changing real soon when he gets to pick out something special for himself. .

Good to know that some companies still care about the customer. It is the little details that show they care, and Target just did the PERFECT little thing. I'm happy, Drake will be happy, and they got me talking about them and their awesomeness on my blog. A win for everybody!

Thanks Target!

I Never Want to Forget

Last night I had a truly magical moment- I experienced the love of a big brother towards his little brother for the first time.

Ben has this app download on his iPhone that allows you to use the microphone on the phone to listen to the baby's heartbeat. It is an inexpensive app that works about 50 percent of the time. Anyways, last night I decided to try it out. I plugged the headphones in and got the phone situated on my belly. Drake saw what I was doing and wanted in on the action so I gave him one of the earpieces. The baby was kicking like crazy and that was the only sound we were hearing.

Drake heard the sound and thought his brother was talking to him.

"What Baby?" he said as though his brother just told him something.

"I tell you something...Nana and Papa" he tells his baby brother.

He listens a bit more and says "Thanks for the present Baby" (We have been talking about how Drake will be bringing a present for the baby to the hospital and the baby will have a present at the hospital for Drake)

At this point I have tears streaming down my face, thinking it could not get any better.

Drake seemed to have enough and gave the headphones back and then quickly turned around and said "I talk to baby again"

He put the earpiece back in and listened to his brother. "I play trains and I share" he tells his brother.

Again he pauses to listen and looks up at me with concern in his eyes " Baby is sad" he says before he runs away. A second later he reappears with one of his much-loved blankets and says "Baby have blankie"

This is what make parenthood special, I think as I lock eyes with Ben who has been watching this whole exchange. 

Brothers.

These 2 boys already have a special bond that makes my heart melt and tears fall.

In that moment all my fears of being a mother to 2 fall away as I think of what a blessing my boys are to me and all of the things that are to come...as a family of 4.

* To make things even cuter Drake was not calling his little brother 'Baby' but rather by the name we picked out for him. The name I'm keeping secret on this blog until his arrival.

I Love This Age

Drake is almost 2 1/2 and he has been saying the most hilarious stuff lately!

Here are a few things I don't want to forget:

• Me-Drake what are you drawing?

Drake-A turd

Me-What is that beside the turd?

Drake- A big poop

• We were standing in the checkout at the grocery store and  the people in front of us checking out had a newborn baby. I told Drake to look at the baby. He looks at it and says "Baby is sleeping" and I said yep, the baby is sleeping and he then looks at me with a huge smile on his face and says "I'll just wake the baby up" So, we had a talk about how you NEVER wake a sleeping baby.

 

• He has started to say "Oh Yeah" when you ask him a question and he knows the answer to it.

 

• We started to potty train Drake on Friday. I brought his little frog potty down to the family room so he could sit and go when he needed to.  I was sipping my morning coffee when I spotted him carrying his potty upstairs and asked him what he was doing. "I'm putting this in Drake's bathroom" he said as he continued up the stairs. Once he got  to the bathroom he opened the cupboard where we keep the potty, put it away, and looked at me and said "All done now". After that he pretty much refused to have anything to do with potty training. Looks like we will try again in a few months.

 

• Drake is really interested in music and always asks "What song is this now?" when we are listening to the radio in the car.

 

I'm loving how I never know what will come out of his mouth and how he can always make me laugh!  For some reason I'm already picturing him as the class clown;)

What a fun little guy we have!

3rd Trimester

Well Hello 3rd trimester!

I swear I just found out that I was pregnant and blinked and the next thing I knew I woke up with 11 short weeks left to go until baby!

I'm starting to get pretty uncomfortable. I've been having a lot of trouble with pain in my pubic bone that makes sitting down, standing, and laying down all pretty painful. I've been told this is just my body relaxing and getting ready to have the baby. I wish my body would have waited a little longer ;)

I still have been dealing with awful acid reflux as well, but it does not seem as bad as when I was pregnant with Drake because I keep up on my Zantac so it never really has a chance to get out of control.

Not everything is bad though! I've really been enjoying feeling Little Brother move and kick and roll around. I've also enjoyed slowing down a bit and spending more time at home relaxing with Drakie and Ben.

I also passed my 3-hour glucose test on Thursday so that is one less thing to worry about!

We just need to touch up the paint and put the bedding on in Little Brother's room and then we will just wait on him to come.

Can't believe that he will be here before we know it. So looking forward to adding to our family and all the joy it will bring!

Iowa Proud

In honor of the Iowa caucus taking place tonight, I thought I would share this video that I just fell in love with. Every 4 years Iowa is thrust into the spotlight and many things, some kind and some unkind, are said about my state but I think this video says it best!

I am Iowa Proud.

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