Getting back to normal

If anyone told you that taking Cod Liver Oil wasn't that bad, they're lying. If you hear someone tell you about the wonderful benefits of it, they're not lying, and you should promptly initiate a hug because they've just opened a new door to Awesomeland.

After much thought and research, I learned that my nutrient stores are very, very low. I'm always tired, cranky, etc. Moo was born with a few midline defects (lip tie, sacral pit, stork bite on lower spine, gap in her teeth) and I did some digging and found that to be related to low nutrient stores during pregnancy. N just washed out everything I had and took it with her.

SO, I've got myself on quite a regimen. Here's what I take...

Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Unflavored, the Blue Ice brand. Yuck. I take 2tsp of it because I'm nursing. Joy... but it naturally contains vitamins A and D, both things that I need more of :)

Vitex/Chasteberry
I'm taking this because it's an adaptogen- it regulates your hormones. Mine are whack because of nursing, plus a little extra helping of whack on the side. And whack for dessert.

Maca Root
I'm taking this superfood in powder form. Again, it's an adaptogen and I'm attempting to get my hormones in check. Supa Dupa Whack.

Folate, in the form of 5 MTHF
I highly suspect I have an MTHFR gene mutation, which means that I can't take folic acid, so insted, I take Folate. No, I'm not pregnant, but it's something your body does need and I need to make sure my body is getting it.

Also, I'm going to be taking Floravital (gluten free floradix) soon because I think I might be anemic and I need the added B vitamins anyhow.

My diet is rather balanced now and I've finally given into grazing as opposed to having set meals. It just feels right for my body and I function better this way!

Ya know...

I really like a lot of Waldorf Education. Mostly the Waldorf, and not the Education. I think I was really drawn in due to the whole "closeness to nature" thing, as any aspiring bush hippie would be. I really love tradition, and our N set her own rhythms over time (um, that has gone to hell.. lol). HOWEVER... I have came to the conclusion that Rudolf Steiner was a quack. Quackadoodledoo. I don't buy into anthroposophy, I just like the warm fuzziness. So there.

Back to my original plan (nonplan??) of unschooling. I was going to Waldorf Inspired Unschool anywho... but that felt a little too Waldorky. Okay okay. Enough of that...

Oh, and I don't plan on giving up any of my projects or anything. I love that stuff :) :) :)

Okay, uhmmm

Nightweaning failed miserably on Day 3. I decided she wasn't ready (she voiced her opinion as well, haha). So all is well.

In the meantime... She's had a scare with retinoblastoma (!!!) but we thankfully found out that she is just a little nearsighted, so she sees the eye doc again in a year. Phew!

Adventures in Night Weaning- NIGHT 1

Night 1 wasn't as bad as I had anticipated it to be. Here's how it went:

10:45pm-Moo nursed to sleep.
11:00pmish-I fell asleep :)
12:00am- I woke up. N was fussing and tossing and turning.
12:30am- Moo woke up. N woke her up, actually, because of the ridiculous tossing and turning. Hubby's snoring probably played a roll in it, as did my anxiety over her possibly waking up.

I nursed Moo for a minute or so, and unlatched her before she fell asleep (but was groggy). She wasn't having any of it. She cried. A lot. Over the course of about 3hrs, she fought, cried, I sung to her, etc. Hubby decided to move to the couch. I don't blame him. About halfway through those 3 hours, I was feeling really cruddy (I almost never use that word, haha). I decided to take my temp, and had N (who was wide awake) turn on the light for me. I pulled out my old basal thermometer and I thought it said 106!! I thought that couldn't be right (battery was low, lol) so I pulled out the celsius thermometer. My fever was only 102, but since I was so out of it and dizzy (REALLY dizzy) I took some medicine. Back to bed, lights out, and continued with the "please sleep" fight with Moo.

3:50pm- Moo was finally asleep! I got her that way by rubbing her belly and singing a lullaby to her.... about 300 times.

I tossed and turned and finally fell asleep. Then hubby started snoring again, so I had to go to the living room and jostle him a little so he'd stop.

4:30- Moo woke up, largely due to the fact that big sister N was still tossing and turning and making a racket in her bed. BUT, she crawled over to me, laid across my chest, put her head on my shoulder, and started rocking herself to sleep! (I think she gets the big idea now!).

After she fell sound asleep, I laid her next to me. I then tried to sleep, but couldn't because our lovely cat Artemis kept sleeping on my head.

5:30ish- Moo woke up again. Wide awake and in a really good mood. I decided to call this the end of our "7 hours" (though it was only 6.5...) and nurse her. We're now up for the morning.

So in a nutshell, she woke up:
12:30am, 4:30am, and 5:30am.

We;re also trying to fix our sleeping patterns right now- but I'm fairly happy with how things went tonight. I got an hour of sleep and will be exhausted until naptime, but I think I'll survive!

Adventures in Night Weaning

So, the time has come. I've decided to nightwean Moo, if she'll let me. She has been waking all night to nurse, constantly, and I'm far too exhausted to be mama in the mornings. My back has also been killing me from nursing her in a weird position ALL NIGHT, so it's time. We plan to implement Dr. Jay Gordon's method, since it is fairly gentle and I've heard great things about it. The first three nights, from 11pm-6am, I'm supposed to nurse her, but put her down awake and soothe her to sleep. Fingers crossed it doesn't get too ugly. She's a brutal little kiddo.

I'm also battling a cold.. so I must get to bed.

Happy Winter Solstice!!

It is only 2 something AM, so our Solstice festivities are not yet underway. Photos are still to come.

I feel such a warm presence around me, I feel incredibly spiritual and filled with light. Today is the solstice, and there was a total lunar eclipse (though I did not get to see it, Mother nature was being quite modest with her cloud cover tonight!). The energy I feel at the moment is very profound.

I have taken this time to meditate, nurse M, shuffle around the snow outside, and breathe in the cold winter air. I have reflected on the past year quite a bit and there are some definite changes I'd like to make in the coming year. I feel like I need to get closer to Mother Earth. I need to feel more grounded. The feeling I've felt tonight is a feeling that I last felt when my mother passed on.

Right now I am making the garland for tonight's (later!) solstice celebration. N told me that she wanted me to make garland for the tree outside, for the "Snow Angels". I've been stringing dried orange slices, apples, carrots, and raisins into garland for the "Snow Angels" to come and eat. We're also going to hang a lantern or two in the tree so the snow angels can find their way on the darkest day of the year.

Whoops! (=

I just found out that the solstice is actually TUESDAY, not wednesday. Woohoo (=