Sunday, January 9, 2011

Chaos Ensues: Part I

Well it's been quite some time since I've posted anything. 2010 was a whirlwind year. It was filled with some of the highest highs and lowest lows. My son turned two in November and just before then, I realized I had resented him somewhat since he was born.

That's not something a mom likes to admit, especially to the entire world through a blog post. I got married at 22 and started a family at 24. I realized I went through a quarter-life crisis last year. There's so much pressure on people in our age group to be at a certain place in our lives at this age. I had to grow up so fast, and hold so much responsibility that I cracked under all the pressure. It damaged a few close friendships and countless other intangible consequences.

In times like this, I like to focus on what I gained and learned from my experiences. I learned more about life and myself in one summer, than I had in the last few years. I'll start from the beginning but this is going to take more than one post. I'll try to get the whole story up too...

It started about a year and a half ago. I suddenly had a renewed self-confidence that was bursting right out of me. At the time I had just graduated from college and landed my dream job.  I had a hard time in college. It was a lot of pressure to keep up with school, work, buying a house and being a wife - and that was before I was pregnant. I remember crying on my way home one day thinking, why can't I handle all of this? There are so many more people in this world who do it in worse circumstances than I am. Why can't I handle it as well as them? After graduation in June of 2009, I of course felt relieved. Relieved that I no longer had to be a wife, mother, full time student, and super star employee (among other things like sister, daughter, best friend, etc.). I could scratch one thing off the list of responsibilities.

My career was thriving. I was promoted to Senior Account Executive in late 2009. Though it seemed I had everything a girl could ask for, I had a feeling deep inside that I was missing something. An emptiness I couldn't understand.

Friday, January 7, 2011

That's a Cute Baby You are Wearing Today!

Cali here! Took a little break over the Holidays, I hope that all of you enjoyed time with your families. I know we did!
Along with the holidays comes a lot of shopping! That meant crowded stores, the last thing I wanted to do was maneuver a giant suv stroller around. So, I didn't! I have a great baby carrier, a Moby Wrap to be specific. It was perfect for the holiday crowds. I love wearing my baby, as in my intro post stated, she really is the cutest accessories I have. Left me with free hands to wrangle my four year old, without having to leave my baby in a stroller.
Here is where I could relay different facts about baby wearing... Like babies that are worn are less fussy. BUT it's all perspective there. I can only say what I know to be 100% true to me. I know that wearing my baby gives me two free hands when she wants to be held and other things need to be done around the house. I know that I love to have her near me, that I love to feel her warmth, and I would imagine that she feels the same way. It has sure had other advantages, like, a safe semi-private way to breastfeed.
So really quick... Just to answer the two most asked questions I get in public:
1. Is that hard to us? Not at all, they have great directions with them and really helpful videos on youtube
2. Is that safe? Absolutely! Follow all the directions and as always, pay attention to your baby!

I really love wearing my baby, and they're are a lot of ways to do it, a lot of resources out there as well.

I will leave you all with my baby wearing picture from the holidays:
Sleepy Santa at her big brother's Christmas Concert.

For those of you that practice baby wearing on a regular basis, what do you love about it? What kind of carrier do you use? For those of you that don't, what's stopping you?