Edit like this…

Edit like this… is a set of simple picture only photo editing tutorials. If you need something more clearly explained, or you have a question feel free to comment with it. I used Photoshop CS3 to complete this edit.

Sick mom.

I’m sick now too.

Bleh.

I’m too cheap and lazy to take myself in to the doctor’s. But I’m positive pretty sure hoping it’s just a cold. A bad cold. A crappy, bad, mean cold.

Yes, colds can be mean. When they strike on the week I’m off work and had big plans to have fun and go and do stuff with the kidlets they are in fact mean colds.

I bet God’s up there scratching his head, looking kinda embarrassed and going “Oh… Oh you thought you were going to be like enjoying this week off? Oh man… gosh… well… See no, I had it planned for you all to be sick this week, that’s why it was set up for you to get the week off. Man… this is awkward. Sorry.”

In ironic better news Mason and Bella both finally seem to be feeling better. So now it’s just me sick…. stuck at home with two bored and active kids.

Joy.

Sick boy.

Mason is sick. Again.

Thursday when I picked him up after work my mom told me that Mason seemed to be feeling pretty puny and rattle-y. Then all night Thursday he kept waking both of us up with this horrible loud, deep cough, and the only way I could him to stay asleep was to prop his head up on me. Even so it was a long, long night.

Friday morning I called and got him an appointment at the doctor’s. Turns out the poor thing has an upper respiratory infection and bronchitis. I’m glad I decided to take him in instead of waiting to see if it was just a cold or something that would pass. With how quickly he seemed to get sick-sick I’d hate to think of how bad he’d have been by Monday if we waited. Of course a respiratory infection is a pretty big deal for him since it hasn’t been that long since he had pneumonia.

Then this morning, even after being on the antibiotics, he woke up with a low fever.

I’m hoping that by tomorrow, after having had two doses of the zithromax, he’s feeling a little better, if not, well, it’s a good thing I’m off all next week so that I can take him back in to see the doctor.

To my dearest kidlets,

In your life try to be the ABC’s. Be amazed, it’ll keep life from being dull if you remember to be amazed. Be brave, life is much to short to be scared. Be creative, you don’t have to be talented but life is much enjoyable if you create. Be dreamy, dreams keep the world from going stale. Be enlightened, because being small minded is a waste of the brain you have. Be forgiving, don’t let bitterness harden you. Be giving, no matter how little you have someone else always has less. Be hilarious, even if only you think you are, life is nothing without laughter. Be independent, don’t let dependency on something define who you are. Be just, remember every story has multiple sides. Be kind, kindness given is usually returned. Be loved, find someone who will love you for who you are. Be multifaceted, always surprise people by having more to you than they first thought. Be natural, be the you that you are no artificial additives needed. Be open, don’t close yourself off to others. Be positive, remember what I said earlier about life being too short. Be quiet sometimes, listening is important. Be respectful of everyone, there is no one out there that you are better than. Be silly, it’ll help you enjoy life. Be thoughtful, decisions made too hasty can break you. Be wholehearted, doing things with half a heart is a waste of time. Be xenial, helping others is always the way to go. Be young-at-heart, growing up is no fun. Be zealous in your self-worth, people will only has as much faith in you as you do. But most importantly, be you. You’re a pretty awesome you, and I love that you that you are.

Love,
the Mom

(this post was done to complement my post today on the My Scrapbook Art blog)

Um, excuse me?

Mason turns one this month. Twenty-one days and my baby is one. That’s three weeks.

THAT IS FREAKING INSANE.
I mean how has it been 344 days since he entered the world?

(If you’re wondering what this has to do with the picture, just hold your horses, I’m getting there.)

I am so proud of Mason and me for making it almost a year so far with breastfeeding. If you’ve been following the blog since I started it last year you might remember how I struggled with the idea of breastfeeding Mason. Then Mason came out and there was no question, I knew I had to try or I would have even more messed up thoughts about myself and breastfeeding.

My previous trials with breastfeeding has made me really celebrate breastfeeding Mason. They’ve also made me slightly defensive and quick to anger when anyone has something negative to say about it or me sharing so much about it. I am of the opinion that after all I’ve gone through I can darn well share and enjoy this all I want, and no one can tell me not to.

Recently I have been getting odd looks and people questioning what is up with Mason and I in regards to the whole breastfeeding thing. Apparently him being almost one, still mainly breastfed, and nursing every 3-4 hours is odd. Apparently I should be forcing him to take more table food and less breastmilk. Apparently I shouldn’t still be letting him nurse several times (if at all) during the night.

Yeah, I have had several people tell me this. After they gave me looks like I was crazy for not already knowing this. Or they go “And how old is he again? And he still nurses THAT much?! Give that baby some real food.”

But wait, doesn’t the World Health Organization say this:

“Breastfeeding should not be decreased when starting complementary feeding”

and wait again, don’t they also say this:

“Continue frequent, on-demand breastfeeding until 2 years of age or beyond… Breastfeeding continues to make an important nutritional contribution well beyond the first year of life. Breastfed children at 12-23 months of age whose intake is similar to the “average” amount of breast milk consumed at that age (about 550 g/d in developing countries; WHO/UNICEF, 1998) receive 35-40% of total energy needs from breast milk.”

Don’t get me wrong, Mason gets table food. He has breakfast and dinner at home, plus a snack or two, and on days I work he also has lunch at my mom’s. He just doesn’t eat a lot of it, maybe 6 – 8 ounces of food per meal. Sometimes less. Sometimes more. The thing is, Mason doesn’t have much of a desire for table food and gets very vocal and upset when you try to make him eat more of it than he wants.

As long as Mason is healthy and happy – so his doctor says – we should continue following Mason’s cues. And that’s what we’re going to do.