Gratitude Journal, week of 2/18/13

2/18/13

1. Michael licked his fingers after eating bacon.  It was too cute.
2. We spent the morning at the Austin Nature and Science Center with River and Jen, and Michael had fun.  He didn't want to leave, even with the promise of "num-nums" once we got to the car.
3. I had to leave Michael with Jen while I ran to the car to get lunch, and Michael didn't cry.  Apparently he started to and they started high-fiving and... well, we all know the power of high-fives.

2/19/13

1. Michael got his storytime stamp by himself again today, and it was more packed than last time.
2. Ben came home from work early.  Always a welcome surprise!
3. My goat share friend decided to go in on a half share with me.
4. Michael went down his slide all by himself for the first time.  He's been able to climb the two sets of stairs by himself for days but then once he gets at the top of the slide, he sits there until one of us gives him a little push.  He laughs with glee when he slides down... but it wasn't until today that he actually was adventurous enough to go down without a push.

2/20/13

1. I went into Footlocker and told the sales lady that I like the feel of my Nike Frees but they're not padded enough and I have knee pain now.  After spending 40 minutes trying on a dozen pairs of shoes (I have weird feet and I learned if it doesn't fit perfectly it gives me foot pain) I gave up on their selection and asked where the Lady Footlocker was.  I walked into Lady Footlocker, gave the same speech with the caveat "and I only have 20 minutes" (before I had to pick Michael up from therapy), and the brilliant young Irish lass said "Well, how about Nike Frees with added insole support?"  Duh!  I didn't even consider that before, but I bought the first pair of shoes (with support) I tried on.  Genius.  I was in and out in like, ten minutes.
2. Michael is at an age now where he loves to cuddle with me and read stories.  It's very sweet.
3. I tried oil pulling tonight (with extra virgin organic coconut oil) and I was amazed at how well it worked at loosening the tartar between my teeth!

2/21/13

1. Michael slept in again so I got my morning chores done in peace.  My morning routine is relaxing when I don't also have to add in Michael's.  (My routine:  put away dishes, take my FCLO and probiotics.  Michael's:  cuddle, skin brush, diaper change, clothes, shoes, sometimes nurse, sometimes games, and breakfast.)
2. My experimental spiced beet kvass drink is really delicious.
3. We spent about three hours outside today, well exceeding my goal of an hour and a half per day (often not met).  There was a little more than two hours at a park playdate with Ava and Daniel (Daniel is Michael's age; Ava is five), and forty-ish minutes going up and down the slide right in the backyard.
4. The previous night, Michael stirred next to me to nurse.  He usually does this without waking up.  I still think he was asleep this time... but he started clapping his hands when he latched on.

2/22/13 -- I forgot to record it today!

2/23/13

1. I read through the first chapter of my new book, The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby And Child Care, which is a follow-up to one of my favorite nutrition books (the basis of the Weston A. Price Foundation Diet, Nourishing Traditions).  The first chapter is the pre-conception diet, and I'm grateful that there aren't a whole lot of changes to my foundational diet to be made (this book doesn't cover the temporary detoxing that I'm doing).  I'm looking over the list again and I have pretty much everything covered -- cod liver oil, raw cheese (once Lent is over), eggs, pastured ghee, liver, seafood, lard, coconut oil, fermented and fresh veggies, bone broth.  My proportions might be a little off (not enough meat and seafood) but I've got a good start.  I'm hopeful that I'm building up my nutritional stores well enough to have a healthy baby #2 someday. (Since I brought it up, I'm hoping that Michael will be fully self-weaned and sleeping through the night before I'm pregnant again, plus I want to do a liver detox after I'm done nursing but before getting pregnant, so we're not rushing towards having another for awhile.  Michael needs extra tender care and I don't think I have enough energy for a newborn, too.  Besides, I'm still amenorrheic.)
2. Ben laid the finishing touches on the playscape today (I think).  It looks great, and Michael loves it.  He climbed up the rock wall for the first time today and insisted on using that route to the slide once he discovered it.
3. The goat milk lady wants me to milk all four goats (instead of my paid-for two) until she finds someone to take over the other half share, which is actually a really great deal because it counts for my chores AND I get to keep the extra milk!  May no one else take that spot!  I'm supposed to start Thursday the 7th.

2/24/13

1. We didn't get to take Michael to the park, but he still got an hour and a half outside thanks to the awesome playscape in our backyard.  I'm really grateful we have that!
2. We made it to the earlier mass this morning, which meant:  no guitar!
3. Mark!!  An accidental visit from Ben's best college friend, thanks to an overnight layover in Houston.  He drove up here and had dinner with us and is staying the night.  It's the first we've seen him since our wedding, and Michael's first time meeting Mark.
4. I performed Michael's bedtime routine by myself, which is certainly possible but fairly unusual because it's much easier with his help, but I got to give Ben extra time with Mark.
5. Cheese day!  (Today was Appalachian Tomme and Murcio Curado.)