Update on Breastfeeding Saga

Since we were at the Y for our weekly Homeschool Group swim date the leader of the group got this on an e-mail from the Y aquatics director:

I also wanted to touch base with you about the incident this week when our guard spoke to one of your group about breastfeeding. I wanted to apologize on his behalf and assure you that we have taken steps to make all staff aware of our support of breastfeeding anywhere in the YMCA. I assume that, as a young man, he was personally uncomfortable. However, that does not reflect our facility's policy and he should have not approached the mother in any way. If you will, please pass on our support to your group

So I am glad for other moms that they will train their staff so this won't happen again to someone not as outspoken as I.

I also want to thank everyone for the support on this very important issue. Thanks for all the comments!

Don't Mess with my Lactivist Self

I have a pretty big outspoken mouth. I also graduated from Law School . I am a Certified Lactation Counselor. I have been nursing my children for 6 years this coming June having Tamdem nursed for at least 19 months.

Having said all that what would happen if I had been told that I had to stop nursing my child?Keep in mind I am in Minnesota where the Law specifically addresses nursing mothers and the right to nurse their child anywhere public or private where she and her child are allowed to be.

Minn. Stat. § 617.23
Indecent Exposure; Penalties(d) It is not a violation of the indecent exposure statute for a woman to breast feed.
Minn. Stat. § 145.9051998 Minn. ALS 407; 1998 Minn. Chapter Law 407; 1997 Minn. S.F. No. 3346
145.905 Location for Breast-FeedingA mother may breast?feed in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother's breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breast-feeding.

Isn't the YMCA supposed to be family friendly??

This young male life guard had no idea who he was dealing with. He walks towards me and my nursling and out of his mouth comes the (for the lac of a better term) profanities. I answered between my teeth that what he was doing was against the Law . So he said he would call the manager after I told him that it was my right and I was protected by said Law.

Them comes this other male manager and a girl from the reception and they get close to me and my nursing 27 month old Gigi and starts:

"We are feeling uncomfortable..."

As I stopped him on his tracks with "discrimination" and "front page of the local newspaper" ( I have people!).

So after I was done with them they put their little tails between their legs and said they would check into bringing the information to their staff.

A few minutes later the girl comes back and apologizes profusely and says she talked with another manager who said they have the Law posted and that they are indeed a "Breastfeeding Friendly" institution.

I gracefully accepted the apologies and asked them to do a better job training their personnel.

They never saw the train coming......

My new obsession.

This is my new obsession on the TV. I just love this serial killer. I am paying more for satellite TV so I can watch the show sooner than on TV.

I always love those kind of shows, movies and books anyway....

My dark side??? ( hey I did graduate from Law School)

It has been a while....

We have been busy and we have had computer problems.
We have been playing a lot of Roblox and MD has gotten into Star Wars.
The Force has been with us.

New drug to treat childhood syndrome

The bottle say:
"If they can't see it your way than it is time for Obay"


The story
from:http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/?p=48


"These fake pharmaceutical ads began appearing round Souther Ontario early in February. There was much speculation at first as to who was behind the ads. There was no obvious provenance on the ad pieces themselves. Suspected culprits ranged from the Church of Scientology to street artist Frank Fairey (aka OBEY). On February 15th, Colleges Ontario fessed up and then unveiled the 2nd phase of the campaign on February 25th. The general point of the campaign was to encourage parents to let their kids make up their own minds about pursuing post-secondary education and more specifically to consider a college of applied arts and technology as an alternative to university, evidently something most parents were reluctant to do according to Colleges Ontario."

Thanks Jan Hunt ( Naturalchild.com) for the e-mail!

check out:

http://whycollege.ontariocolleges.ca/en/obay.html

Awesome photography

My father is a photographer and I grew up around advertising and arts. I love photos and can't get enough of looking at great ones. It does not need to come from a professional or artist. I like even just regular home stuff.

I came across this site today :

http://www.artphotogallery.org/02/artphotogallery/home.html

Some amazing photography here. I can look for hours on end. Here are some of my favorites:

This is Ansel Adams

Found my brother's kids.

I lost a brother in his early twenties 20 years ago. He had a baby girl and a little boy at the time. Last I saw them was in 1998. Since then I talk to their mom sporadically. But I found them at ORKUT, a Google network that the Brazilians love to use.
I have been elated the last 24 hours to be able to see them and message them and catch up on how they are doing.

My brother was a special person. I miss him.

Family Bed

We have a family bed in our house. The kids also each have their own room that they love. MD even spent a couple of months sleeping in his new bunk bed in his room last year. But her is back with us and Brian and I love it.

We usually also sleep with Gigi's stuffed animals ( usually cows, a pig or guinea pigs) and Mario, Luigi and Yoshi.

Also sleeping time is when Gigi becomes our little blue princess. Thanks to Danielle's beautiful daughters for the costume.

Here are some pictures of our BIG Family Bed!

Super Mario Galaxy Music

Not only Super Mario Galaxy is beautiful to watch and play but I love the music. Here are a few samples:

I love everybody in the world

Brian gave me a laptop for my birthday. It is really a family present. Having two computers is a must right now with MD playing on-line a lot.
One of the reasons to get a laptop was that MD does not like to stay downstairs in the office at night alone. We all come up and he comes but he would rather play a little longer.
The laptop makes it easy for him to play in bed while daddy sleeps next to him and I can be with Gigi in the room next door until she falls asleep ( and I catch up on my DVR'ed shows)
So one day last week I come in the room to get something while he was playing and dad was zonked out and he turns to me and say: "I love every body in the world! I love everyone!"
What a bliss to be 5 years old and feel unconditionally loved and respected and above all heard.
Yes, we always get what MD and Gigi want, or try really hard and strive for it. Not always possible right away. We put our best effort and the children trust that we will do and if it does not happen they are so understanding.
Also Sunday I was a bit stressed out with a messy house so MD picked up his room all by himself after saying he was going to do so. I didn't even see it until hours later when we came to play upstairs. Picking up tends to overwhelm him after a few minutes. I guess it took me by surprise to see him get it done because he felt mom needed help.
Having said that I have to add that Gigi is jealous of the "dang" laptop and is always in between, nursing just because it is in my lap.
So Alex put that thing down and give her all the attention she needs!NOW! (OK It is almost 1:00AM everyone is sleeping now but me...)