Mama-powered

We are on our way to Macon, and I have time to write while Derek drives, B sleeps, and Dreycin watches movies on the DVD player. Macon is a 2hr drive we go 1x a month for B's pediatric gastro appt.


If there was a week I have never felt more empowered it was last week. Since we have moved here it has been difficult for me to adjust. Being a new mom 2nd time around, in an area that is new to me and let's just say close minded, I have struggled. But I have to say in the last few months I have felt liberated, and my social butterfly wings have begun to fly again. It's so hard those first few months of being a new mom, then throw in health issues with both! About two months ago I started going to yoga, and instantly felt a connection with my teacher who was like minded, green and vegan. We shared about where we go shopping for our organic foods(1.5hrs away from where we live). Then she began teaching for donation out in town and I was able to start in the last month going to yoga an additional 2-3x per week. We both talk about how back "home" yoga classes are filled to the max, it's a way of life. So different from here! She is also here due to husbands job with Marine corps. The other activity I had wanted to get involved with was volunteering at the base. Around Christmas time I started asking around who I needed to talk to and got directed to a class to take. Last week I took the class called LINKS for spouses, it was nice to be around other military wives! I took the class to become a LINks mentor, to other wives coming into the Marine Corp family. I also took a training to be a family readiness officer assistant, we call them our FRO. again both were empowering for me. I have struggled with being a stay at home mom, feeling like my kids need me and then again looking at those two degrees in their beautiful frames just sitting in the back of my closet. Makes me sad, but I know my kids will only be small for a short time. I was asked by my mom if I have a closer bond with Lil B at this age compared to Dreycin, and I would say absolutely. It was my mom taking care of Dreycin, but I still felt jealous of her time with him, while I was at work. At the time I had to work, we had two car payments, my school loans, and for myself I wanted those two years of experience post graduate degree on my resume. But today Dreycin and I have a bond like no other. I stopped working right after he turned 1, and we got to experience some pretty awesome times! So that's where I am today, in realization that for right now volunteering, giving back to my military & surrounding community is what I need to do for my sanity and my boys. On thursdays we go to a library class, and since I have recruited so many of the military wives the childrens director has asked me about the possibility of coming to base to do the class! I am very excited to pass her information along the "chain of command" to get something educational on base for kids for free for ages birth-3. When we started the class B,D and I were the only ones coming to the class for a few weeks, but I slowly got the word out and interest sparked among some of the wives! It is a drive for us, 30min there 30min back to base but in my eyes totally priceless. My mom use to pay a monthly membership $56 to Gymboree for us to go to classes every week from 3mos-15mos! I finished up my awesome week by going this past Saturday to an awesome breastfeeding support group. I have been going since October, but recently told a few women on base who came to the meeting which made an excellent turnout and great conversation/experiences with breastfeeding! I told Derek today that sooner than later I am anxious to get back to working, not just for myself but for us, our kids, and our future! I mean let's face it, I won't get a retirement plan with volunteering and the way our society is going we are gonna need more than what we think to survive after retirement!

B's appt went well, we have a f/u in 3mos. We were told that after 1month of no blood we can start solids. My plan is to do baby led weaning to solids anyways, so I bet it will be a while before we even introduce anything! Frankly I'm scared, with what additional allergies we may encounter? On Saturday I talked about how naive I was to start Dreycin on rice cereal and solids at 4mos, I was being the OmG parent I can't wait to see what he does! I never knew that breast milk is truly the only thing your baby needs the first year! We still have blood occasionally I showed the doc pics but he wasn't concerned? So again he is happy and healthy and weighing in at 19lbs 7oz at 5months! Oh yea, Lil B is already 5mos????