EXCITEMENT

Well... I said I'd be back with something more exciting, right?

This week has been a little crazy. The following is news that will likely appeal more to family and friends...
We started out week with calling J home on Sunday to take me to the emergency room with potential pregnancy problems. What we got out of it was four hours of exams, an ultrasound that showed the baby is doing OK, no explanation for bleeding or cramping, and a doctor who said "Well, sometimes these things happen. What will be will be . Have a nice day. COme back if it's worse."
Oh, and Beans caught herself a good cold while we were there, too.

To make sense of all that: so far, the baby is fine. Most of the physical trouble has stopped and things seem to be okay for now. I am still morning sick as ever, exhausted, and just trying to keep up. Oh, and I got a good long lecture about how I shouldn't be nursing Beans anymore now that I'm pregnant. That's fine, but the nurse doesn't have to live with Beans, either.
We tried formula for a couple days. What came of it was Beans refusing to eat, formula spit onto every item of furniture we own, and I even got a black eye. Beans decided that if I wasn't going to nurse her, she'd just start beating me in the face with blocks until I did. The current score? Blocks:1, Mommy's Face, 0, as in "goose egg". A good one. On my eye. And the little punk was terified by the sight of me with an ice pack on my face, so I didn't even get to ice it down.
Between the black eye, lack of sleep, and Beans on a hunger strike, we gave up on the formula.

Look, the stuff (formula) is disgusting anyway. And completely inferior to breast milk. AND, with Beans having a cold, she NEEDS the antibodies that my milk provides.
Some readers may not agree with the following statement, but it's my blog and I can say what I want, so here goes:
After very careful consideration abut what the nurse described as "risks to the unborn baby" by continuing to breastfeed (which are not supported by fact OR research, by the way, and completely refuted by La Leche League and even most pediatricians), this is what I've decided:
I can't make Beans-the baby who is already here- suffer (since she has made it clear that she's not ready to wean) for a baby who's NOT here and may or may not make it here.
God's gonna do what God's gonna do. And nursing or weaning my daughter isn't going to change that.
I think nurses forget that we don't get to be God, ya know?
So... Beans continues to nurse.
In compromise, we did start increasing her solid food meals and cancelling out what I call the "comfort feeding sessions".
So far, all is well.

AND MORE FAMILY EXCITEMENT:
Beans is walking! Yes! Not just a couple steps then falling down, but actually walking! She's very proud of her new skill and often uses it to manipulate any nearby grownup into giving her a treat. She's been spending the last few days toddling around the house, finding what kind of trouble lurks for someone who stands knee-high. A new favorite game is to toddle around the corner and say, "Oh! HI, mama!" and then giggle hysterically and toddle away.

OK. So for those of you who find that story completely useless and boring... well, sorry. But I DO have a family that needs to stay in the loop.

ON TO MORE EXCITEMENT:
Like that wasn't enough...
So, our sleepy little town was not-so-sleepy this week, and even made the news! J, beans and I were at the library the other day when a lady burst through the doors and warned us not to head back into town. She proceeded to tell everyone in the library the same, so we didn't take it personally.
Apparently, someone went bananas this week and headed to the Texaco with a shotgun. I'm not sure why, but they also blasted a handful of holes into the windows and walls, then proceeded to have a stand-off with police.
I guess most people would find that pretty exciting. Maybe I'm still jaded from my days as an inner city paramedic, but I mostly just found it annoying that I had to drive through a dozen or so side streets to find a way back home from the library.
Anyway, I hope the guy who shot up the Texaco is feeling better, and got his point across. Whatever that point was. The news didn't elaborate on his REASONS for shooting up the Texaco, just that he had done it.

I dunno. It DID occur a couple days after Moose Season opened. Maybe the guy was mad about his hunting trip?

****

We spent the rest of week doing things most people probably consider "boring". You know, housework, going to the playground, taking a couple short drives to see the leaves changing.
Fall is definitely here in Delta Junction! Not only is more and more snow creeping down the mountains (almost every day!), the leaves are beginning to fall. Yesterday's drive off base was a surprise of a golden carpet of leaves laying under the trees. The air is crisp, and starting to cool. Nights are in the 30s now, we wake once in a while to frost on the cars, and the afternoons are a balmy 60 or so. As much as I've been told it won't last long, I want it to! It's perfect weather, and hard to believe that frigid days are coming soon.
The moose are scarce these days, probably due to the fact that lots of people are in the woods trying to turn them into dinner. A habit I totally support and would be glad to relieve any hunter of excess meat, by the way. Especially since we won't qualify for in-state license fees until next year.

****

Readers, please don't think that I have forgotten to make mention of the Sarah Palin VP pick. Oh, I have opinions all right, BUT...
1. I haven't been here long enough to be considered "Alaskan", so my opinion likely won't matter much.
2. I probably stirred the pot enough with my breastfeeding speech above. I'll have to return some other day to discuss politics.
3. I am so confuddled by this year's election options that I am still undecided. I know, I know. I can't even believe I'm saying that. But either I've gone soft in my "old" age, or this tree-hugging business is really rubbing off on me, OR all the candidates pretty much sound like they are blowing a bunch of the same old political hot air. And I'm already sick of the mud-slinging. Are any of them EVER going to actually talk about issues? What their plan as President is going to be? All I know is this really has ruined my plans to watch mindless television in the evenings. Now I feel like I HAVE to pay attention.

Seriously, both sides have some good attributes. It's too bad we can't combine the best of both worlds and put THAT into office. Meanwhile, I'll just have to watch the debates and decide who's less, um, "full of it" that the other.

****

Alrighty then...
If my own week wasn't exciting enough, it seems like I've left all you readers with enough hot topics to cause some ruckus and excitement on my own blog.
Just so y'all know, I prefer to get my anti-Moose Nugget sentiments on the comments rather than my email inbox, unless you really are soliciting a response from me...
I've gotten a few of you shy readers putting your negative comments in my inbox. And while I really do love hearing from everyone, whether you agree or disagree with me, well... I have to say that I really respect people who are willing to put their opinions in the open.
All opinions welcome.
Really. I'm always up for a good conversation or difference of views. Besides, you might be able to enlighten me, or I, you.

OK. Enough of all that. I've got a crochet project I'm desperate to finish up and a sleeping baby finally giving me the time to do it.

Until next time,
Happy Moose Trails