7 Quick Takes - Vol. 4 - Birthdays, Rice Cereal, Nursing, Troubleshooting, and Tardiness

--- 1 ---

Okay, so last week, as I was signing off my quick takes, I told you it was my oldest boy's birthday (the preschooler). He turned four last Saturday.

(Random Aside: I have the *HARDEST* time just typing a number like "four" or "4" without combining them into the lawyer construction combo "four (4)" . . . Sigh. #LawyerHabits, #OCD, #NeedALife).

For a four-year-old, he had a pretty exciting birthday! We got him a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bike with training wheels, helmet, the whole shebang, and he absolutely loved it! It took him all of about 40 minutes to completely master riding it. Then, after naps, we took him to the carnival for his birthday party (we even brought his favorite cake with us and, during dinner in the carnival tent, lit it up with candles and sang happy birthday). My parents came, hubby was there (and, most importantly, was able to take a break from working), and it was a great event!

I promised pictures, and who am I not to deliver? Here is the birthday boy riding the rides with his younger brother (the two-year-old).

An excellent birthday all-around!

--- 2 ---

In other child milestones, we started the baby on rice cereal this week. He turned four (4) months (sorry, can't help myself --- "four" needs to be "four (4)", #CrazyLawyer) last week, and his pediatrician said we could start him when we were ready. Well, this being my third child, I was in no particular rush. But my husband was chomping at the bit.

Now, in hubby’s defense, the baby is going through a MAJOR growth spurt at the moment and has been super hungry. ALL. THE. TIME. My theory is that, during his 4-month check-up, the baby must have heard the doctor remark that his weight put him in the 34th percentile. Which is a first for my boys. My husband is 6'2". My boys have never been lower than the 60th percentile, and, usually, they are somewhere in the 80th or 90th percentile for both height and weight. In fact, when the baby was born (at a whopping 10 lbs., 9 oz. -- whew!!!), he was well into the 90th percentile for weight. While the doctor wasn't concerned that he is in the 34th percentile now, that seems like a rather significant change to me (especially since his height is in the 71st percentile). And, apparently, to my baby as well. Hence, his eating binge (or so my theory goes). He has to catch up with his brothers!

Now, to cope, I've added extra milk to his daily bottles, but it just hasn’t been enough. If I were home with him 24/7, I am sure he would be cluster feeding constantly, which would probably have increased my supply by now. Unfortunately, it is really hard to replicate cluster-feeding with a breast pump. Which makes me sad, as it is an indicator that my nursing days will soon be limited by supply and demand . . . While that has happened with each of my kiddos, it doesn’t get easier. Sigh . . .

But, whoa, I digress.

Anyway, on Wednesday night, hubby whipped up a batch of rice cereal. And the baby LOVED it! (Granted, he didn't try to swallow the whole spoon like my preschooler did when he first tried rice cereal, but he was definitely more excited than my two-year-old who pretty much spit everything out that was shoveled in). And he was a natural!!! There was pretty much no learning curve with the whole "eating from a spoon", "thicker consistency", "swallowing cereal" thing. It was amazing!

And, afterwards, he was sooooooooooooooooooooo content and full and happy. Winning!

--- 3 ---

Speaking of infants eating, check out this AMAZING post.

Best. Nursing. Post. Ever. And it gets better. When the post was originally written, it included a bunch of HI-LAR-I-OUS (but potentially copyrighted) photos and cartoons. You need to read that archived version for the full effect. It's that awesome. Click here and scroll down to the post from Monday, August 5, 2013.

If you are nursing, have ever nursed, or are a dude and are married to someone who has nursed, you will relate. And, if you are like me, you will laugh yourself silly.

--- 4 ---

Does anyone else have this problem where Blogger flips a photo that you upload? How do you get it to flip back to normal? The picture is saved on my computer in the correct direction. I open it on my computer, and it shows it in the right direction. I've uploaded other photos on Blogger, and they all show up in the right direction. So, what's up with this one? Help!

--- 5 ---

As someone who is perpetually late, I have never understood the old adage: "If you can be five minutes late, you can be five minutes early." It just doesn't make sense to me.

I mean, don't you think that, if I *could* be five minutes early, I would actually BE five minutes early? Instead of five minutes late? But, if I am running late, then, by definition, I am *RUNNING* (literally, most times) late. So, how the heck am I going to make up the five (5) (#OCDLawyer) minutes required in order to be on time, much less the ten (10) minute swing required to be early?!?

Now, maybe, maybe, if some super-smart person invents time travel or introduces "Beam me up, Scotty" (for a fascinating tangent on that phrase, click here) technology to replace my car or my legs, maybe then I could make that time up. Maybe.

--- 6 ---

Good Catholic Reading for the Week:

Continuing last week's theme involving children at mass, this week's topic is missing mass to care for children.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2181, says: "The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin."

In my blog-reading, I came across this post entitled “The ‘Sin’ of the Week: On Missing Mass to Care for Children.”

First of all, it makes me super sad that ANYONE is telling a mother that she can't miss mass to care for a child who cannot attend mass (whether that child is sick, too little, has special needs, etc.). I'm pretty sure that Jesus said something about, "'Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone at her.'" (John 8:7). Who are we to judge whether someone else has a serious enough reason for missing mass? Isn't judging up to the Big Guy upstairs? I'm not trying to undermine the importance of attending mass (obviously, it is an important obligation for Catholics), but it hurts my heart to read a post such as this one where the Body of Christ is being anything but Christ-like.

--- 7 ---

Cute Kid Moment of the Week:

Setting the scene: Yesterday, I walked into my preschooler's bedroom to help him get dressed in his uniform for school. He had done almost the whole uniform by himself, and I was so proud of him and feeling sentimental because he really is growing up so quickly. I told him he had done such a good job, and he was so proud of himself and smiling.

Me: Buddy, you know how much I love you, right?

Preschooler: (smiles at me) Yes mom. (Look of uncertainty crosses his face) But, but . . . (trails off) . . . sometimes I wish you were a different mom. (Looks at me warily -- he was obviously struggling with this feeling and worrying about it and how I would react.)

Me: (gently) Why buddy? (Feeling sad, immediately guilt-stricken, and terrified that he was going to tell me that he wishes I was a stay-at-home mom).

Preschooler: (still uncertain) Well, mom . . . I, I kind of, I kind of, I wish you were . . . (pause) a boy.

Me: (trying not to laugh and breathing a huge sigh of relief because he is at the age where girls are yucky) Well, honey, I think one of the rules of being a mama is that I have to be a girl.

Preschooler: Why, what if I don't want you to be a girl?

Me: (smiling now because I can't help it) Well, I think that's one of the rules, so you'll have to ask God about it.

Preschooler: (mulling this over) Well, I love you mom. (smiles) I don't wish you were different. (Gives me a big hug as I pick him up and carry him off to brush his hair.)

Whew! What a week! For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!