**FINALLY got the pictures up...dont why they were being such boogars**
I must say that I am glad we changed day cares. Even though it was an abrupt transition....it all worked out for the best. Grant LOVES his friends there. ITs great that he can hang with and learn from so many aged children. I much prefer that over the segregated day cares ...although im sure that has its benefits.
Hes got his baby friend Billy...who he ADORES. He loves to take care of him...and pull his pacifier out..put it back in...and on and on for days! He gives him lots of hugs and kisses to and pets his little head. He is very gentle surprisingly enough.
Then he has his best bud TJ. TJ was his friend before Day Care...and now they get to spend hours and hours every week being boys. TJ is 13 months old..so just a tad younger...but he is advanced with the walking and stuff...so they toddle along and keep up with each other similarly. Its too fun to watch them interact. CUTE STUFF.
Next he has his after school entourage. These are the 5 - 11 year olds that just LOVE Grant. I might add that Grant seems to be very popular hehe. They run in the door ...and he runs back at them for big hugs all around. Grant loves older kids he really does.
**Edited to add...here is grant with michael..who is 3...and who was very shy, timid only child just a few months ago when he started at Desiree's day care. However..he has taken the new kid grant under his wing...and has himself become more of a leader. Its wonderful to watch him tenderly teach grant his abcs and play with him in a brotherly way. They are true friends.
Grant no longer cries when he leaves for "school" in the morning. We sing the off to school song, hugs and kisses over and over between us 3 and then he is out the door as happy as a clam. No more crying! When I visit at lunch...and say goodbye....no crying! He is secure, settled and pleased to be there. Im worried I might be boring at home all day with him. We certainly will need to have play date when if I get to stay at home with him.
Point being...day care can be awesome! Just ask Grant.
Does this picture remind you of an alien abduction? Does me.
Yesterday I visited briefly with a general surgeon who specializes in hernia repair. He confirmed what I already knew...that I have a hernia...just above my belly button. The only way to deal with it is to repair it with surgery....and even then its not 100% definite. There is a 5 - 15% chance it could re open and need more repair in the future. He wants to go in laproscopically and put a big piece of mesh, held down by titanium tacks, in my belly!
First off I want to say...honestly...im not out to bitch. Honestly...i dont want to pick apart doctors and the medical establishment. I dream of going to visit a doctor and coming out feeling educated and comforted.....but it rarely happens! This instance was no different. At first I was feeling great because they got me in early and the Dr was quickly in the room, shaking my hand, being cordial and friendly. Things were great! After a quick feelaroo...he started talking surgery. I had a lot of questions...its true. I showed my concern over jumping into surgery...and had questions about the actual procedure. I had questions about whether there were things i could do at home to help myself. I had questions about expense, general anesthesia, recovery time and any interruptions in nursing that may happen.....but before I was finished asking my questions...before I was comforted and educated...he STOOD UP and said to call him when I am ready! That was 10 minutes into our visit. So I only get 10 minutes for Im sure over $100 specialist charge? I only get 10 minutes and you want to cut me open and put a foreign piece of material inside of me to live forevermore (and these mesh pieces have been recalled in the past btw)? I was shaken up by the idea of surgery, with the idea of paralytic drugs that stop my organs from working while he sews me up...and the idea of being intubated and on a breathing machine...and my son was on my mind...i just have to come to him...and i was worried about pain meds and antibiotics that could disrupt nursing...and could disrupt my care of him and our time together....and here i was with all these emotions, concerns and valid questions...and HE WALKED OUT ON ME.
If I had my shit together...if I had my wits about me...I would have thrown a controlled and decent fit. However...i was weak at the time...i was tearful and felt alone and just confused...and so i just went to billing to ask questions about expense instead. I had to ask the receptionist what the next step would be IF i decided to go ahead with the surgery..and she said to call and talk with kathy. Kathy? Oh thats his nurse who NEVER bothered to stop in and introduce herself or talk with me. The receptionist acted surprised that I didnt know her. GREAT.
This was the second 40 minute one way trip I have taken to visit with this DR. The first time I took off work, sat in the waiting room for 1 hour just to find out that he had been called out for a trauma. Ok...thats legitimate...I mean it was very inconvenient for me...but dude...its a trauma situation. So yesterday was my second time to take off work drive 1.5 hours roundtrip to get the hernia confirmed (obvious) but more importantly to be consulted by a professional and get my fucking questions answered. Do I sound angst riddin? I am. I am sick and tired of dealing with assholes in the medical profession. Why cant they care? Why cant they be decent? Why cant they see me as a human being?
So sure....I probably need to shop around for a surgeon...and find one that is a decent human being...but how much time do i want to spend on this search? And how much money? The copay is $35 a pop. First...I continue to do my own search online (thank god for the internet...can you imagine how lost they felt before information was accessible?). I need to decide IF i want to go for surgery. Sounds like it is inevitable...because they tend to just get larger with time. There is no exercise that can fix it unfortunately.
I am scared. Honestly i know in the grand scheme of surgery...this is nothing! I mean...people (albeit crazy ass people ) sign up for elective surgery more complicated than this (like liposuction and boob jobs). But I am not those people. I avoid intervention when possible. However...its not an option in this case. The truth is...i need surgery. UGH. Being a mother puts everything into a spin...I just want to make sure and come home...and not disrupt his life...and not have complications etc etc. So I guess I need to find a humane surgeon who will hopefully perform the operation under local anesthesia (i would feel SOOO much better with this option!!!!!) or maybe a spinal (like a c section). I am just completely creeped out about the paralytic drugs and breathing machine)...oh and the mesh...but that seems to be a given. Will i ever be able to walk through a metal detector again with going off?
Oh he did say that its better to do this before getting pregnant again. Because if my intestines would become trapped and twisted during pregnancy..then i would need emergency surgery and that would put us both in jeopardy. NOT that I am going to pregnant...but its a tiny possibility... SHIT SHIT SHIT. this sucks! But it could always be worse. I AM SO BLESSED.
Anyone have any recommendations or know of an awesome surgeon? I am willing to travel.
What a fabulous weekend. My mom came up for a visit and dave left town so it was girl time (with the exception of grant but he is pretty like a girl). I knew i needed winter clothes so the plan was to get er done. Grant visited his first mall and he liked it...but as usual i detested it and remembered exactly why i dont frequent such places. However, I did load up on warm soft things and so the trip was well worth it.
I love seeing my mom with Grant. She is such a fun Grandma (or nana we think she is becoming). She loves and adores grant like i do and we have fun just enjoying him.
I took a picture of our sleeping arrangement for your viewing pleasure (entertainment). We took our king size mattress off the frame and box springs to be as close to the ground as possible. When grant falls off...I want it to be as short a vertical flight as possible. As some point I brought in his little crib mattress...with the grand idea of having him sleep on it next to us...and its still a grand idea...but we have yet to do it over night. Its just too much trouble moving him back over there after he nurses. However...it has turned into a delightful step / toy / fun place for granto. He digs it seriously. And a couple times it caught him on his way over board...so that was awesome. Thought you might enjoy a glimpse into my nightly quarters..i admit its slightly unique...although i do recommend sleeping with your babies and keeping the mattress low low low.
So off to work i go...must catch up on many things...hope to blog again soon!
When you hear the word "commune" I bet you invision dirty hippies in the sixties smoking pot and living on love. Would it suprise you to find out that they are still going strong and there is a thriving community of forming and established communes? Sure some of them probably live up to that stereotype, but most of them are doing great things, and offer a variety of altnerative lifestyles to those seeking change.
Once upon a time, I was a 20 year old who was very disappointed (ok completely overwhelmed and & pissed) with the condition of the planet and the state of humanity. We (dave, ex husband and myself) found an article in the Riverfront Times about communes and immediately knew we had to research this intriguing concept and visit as many as possible! I honestly thought communes were a thing of the past until we found that article! So we wrote letters, sold everything, packed the van and off we road into the sunset with the intentional community directory as our guide.
The term intentional community is a more apt desciption of these havens for free thinkers. They are in fact, intended. "An "intentional community" is a group of people who have chosen to live together with a common purpose, working cooperatively to create a lifestyle that reflects their shared core values. The people may live together on a piece of rural land, in a suburban home, or in an urban neighborhood, and they may share a single residence or live in a cluster of dwellings.
This definition spans a wide variety of groups, including (but not limited to) communes, ecovillages, student cooperatives, land co-ops, cohousing groups, monasteries and ashrams, kibbutzim, and farming collectives. Although quite diverse in philosophy and lifestyle, each of these groups places a high priority on fostering a sense of community--a feeling of belonging and mutual support that is increasingly hard to find in mainstream Western society."
Here is a video of one such commune that ROCKS. They were just a fledgling community when we were in the heat of our home search. Have you seen or if your lucky..tasted East Wind nut butters? Yum YUm. Well East Wind is you guessed it...a intentional community. And they got it going on too. You might be suprised how industrious some of them can be.
I want to stress that the variety of purpose is vast within the movement. There is everything from freakishly cultish (although not usual) to anarchy to miliant to gay to sustainability etc etc. If you can dream it you can do it. What I love about them as they offer another way to approach this life. IT doesnt have to be 9 - 5, white picket fence, owning 1 of everything. You can shake things up a bit and do it different.
So WHY...dont i live in a commune right now? There is a glimpse of the answer in my profile....but overal...its because Im not that good at living with people, and beyond that I found everything i cant stand about politics in community too. However...I never lived at one for more than 3 months...and I would also like to add that I was in an unhealthy relationship, was unstable myself and didnt have a dime...so that was scary. If you have a trust fund...it can be less stressful (unless of course you are in an income sharing group). There actually are a lot of trust funders doing the commune thing believe it or not. But thats besides the point. We might still give community another shot in the future. It would be one where you own your house and share common ground, work, events etc. The farm is a good example of residential land trust arrangement. An urban cooperative is another intriguing set up.
I made a new friend over at My Little Drummer Boys who posted good information on how to defend yourself and fight the plague of scams that is sweeping the world over especially now...with the internet tool at their dirty finger tips. Go over there and scroll down a few posts to check out her recomendations and great links.
And on a lighter note....she posted the cutest, funniest and all too true Toddler Rules:
Toddler's Rules
If Mummy's hands are full, I must be picked up IMMEDIATELY If it's paper, it must be torn. If it has buttons, they must be pressed. If it's a phone, I must talk into it, unless there is someone on the other end. If Mummy wants me to go away, I must cling on for dear life. If it's sticky, it must go in my hair. If it's bath time, I must run around naked until I'm caught. If it's food, it must not be tasted.(twin1).If it's food, it must be tasted now (twin2)If it's not food, we will eat it anyway. If it's not trash, it must be thrown away. If it's in the trash, it must be removed, inspected, and thrown on the floor (or tasted). If it's closed, it must be opened.If it doesn't open, it must be screamed at. If it has drawers, they must be rifled. If it's a pencil, it must write on the refrigerator, computer monitor, or table. ....one more If it's full, it will be more interesting emptied ... especially the tissue box !
I am at work....busily updating the website..in a first floor office in my small town down town...when I get the urge to stand up and look out the window. What a beautiful vision...my son with his day car brigade walking home from their rousing play at library story time. Honestly...I had completely forgotten that they might be passing by...but my instinct brought our paths together. My heart leaps, my pulse races...and I bound out the door greeting them all.
The parade comes to a stop, Grant starts jumpin up and down in his seat and we have a scrumptious reunion of hugs and kisses. I take him outta his front seat of the double stroller and he fits perfectly upon my birthing hip. Im going to keep him i exclaim in exuberant joy! yes indeed i will keep him.
I ask him once before they get away...if he would like to go with desiree and tj (he knows exactly what im talking about) and i pointed in their direction...he said no. So i took his work for it.
Inside he asks for milk and we join together in a mid morning snack. Within minutes he is asleep, where he stay for 30 minutes. I continued to work on the website with babe in lap. AHhhhhhhhhhhhhh....I LOVE this! Supermama feeling. Anyhoo, upon waking I tell him we are going back to Desirees for bites (lunch). In the car we go a whopping 4 minute drive the beloved home day care in my neighborhood. I love living in a small town...especially times like these.
This was a lovely serendipitous blessing - a suprise babe visit and nap while nursing on my lap at work while im being productive and no one interrupts...does it get anybetter?
Mother in law "jokes" that if he can ask for it...he is too old. Casual acquaintance ask, if we are STILL nursing. Godmother wonders...when it will end. Its kinda hilarious...kinda distorted how the general american culture negatively views breastfeeding beyond infancy. Whats the big deal? Guess because my tits are supposed to be for implants and commercials...not the evolution of the species.
Nursing beyond the first year is considered "extended" or "sustained" breastfeeding. I believe the nutritional, immunological and emotional benefits continue for as long as the child nurses. Children do require solid food for additional nutrition after the age of 1. I consider breastmilk as a major nutritional bonus - even after solids are the primary source of nutrition. The fact that Grant is still getting as much mothers milk as he wants, makes me feel more confident in his overall nutrition. Especially considering that toddlers tend to be picky eaters and most days he doesnt eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. So the fact that he is getting a " mama health shake" is comforting, and another great reason to continue nursing.
So what is it like to nurse a 15 month old? It sure is different from having a little lump passively suckling away. Instead I have a mini contortionist wiggling about. Sometimes he stands (while im seated), sometimes he sits on my lap and leans forward, sometimes he laying on top of me etc etc. He prefers variety! Sometimes he nurses for thirst, sometimes for hunger and many time for comfort or a combo. What is certain, is that he loves to nurse. It is very meaningful to him. I can tell this by the way he looks up at me with adoration and love, his since of urgency when he needs it bad hehe and the way a nursing session re energizes him and soothes all wrongs. Bottle feeding seems SO difficult compared to the ease of whipping it out :).
He signs for it so I know exactly what he is requesting. Of course there is the occasional shirt pulling, which I discourage (its rude - especially when you have the ability to communicate with sign language). The only time I wont nurse him is if we are in transit (believe it or not i did nurse in the car till just recently! not when driving of course. it is ridiculous i agree).Im fortunate in that he doesnt request it when we are out to eat or generally in public. This is very nice bc its so much more convenient for old mom. However, I am not at all opposed to nursing in public. Its just not something I solicit (hey want some of this :)) I guess because he is an active toddler, he just doesnt have time for it, or need it when there is so much to do and see. My 15 month old definitely nurses less frequently than he did as a baby.
Since I work - he doesnt get much milk during the day. I do have the luxury of spending my lunch with him. So he nurses then...somedays a lot, other days hardly at all. I gave up pumping at around 13 months (hooray). Evenings are sprinkled with nursing sessions...lasting from 10 seconds (hi mom you are still here and i love you so much )to 5 minutes (man i needed that) to 20 minutes (im so sleepy). We certainly reconnect through our nursing sessions. It also forces me to take some down time and focus on my son. This is a huge benefit of nursing...slow down, enjoy the simple pleasures and this brief point in time where your child is but a babe. I have found nursing to be perfect for me as a working outside the home mom(wohm)...because you are with them even while working (through expressed milk) and it jump starts your connection even after long separations.
We are a co sleeping family. Little guy does wake frequently to nurse still (from gasp...2 - 6 times a night) but i just get us comfortable and go back to sleep. Im usually only awake for a few minutes total. YES he does wake a lot. YES i would prefer to sleep uninterrupted. BUT it feels right to me. He can grow up when he grows up. He knows I am close, sometimes he just reaches out to touch me. He is secure, confident and attached. Many folks worry that I am spoiling him or reinforcing bad habits. Whatever. This is a tried and true method that has been bad mouthed for oh about 200 years. Before then...it was what people did. Co sleeping is natural for me. It is working for now, and when it stops working we will transition into another arrangement. But nursing at night is when grant gets the majority of his milk and I am not putting an end to it. It is the best thing in the world to cuddle with your baby, see his cherub face in the night light and wake up to big smiles, kisses and hugs! Its so delicious.
I will add that Hathor said it best when she equated nursing a toddler to being a rotisserie. Grant is an equal opportunity nurser...he likes both sides the best. So he tends to go back and forth. Its kinda funny...kinda annoying depending on the situation. Toddlers can be bossy, so I make sure and set limits so that I stay happy and comfortable. One thing he does that drives me INSANE...is reaching over to the free boob and playing with it. "Hi over there...sure do miss you...dont be sad though..i still love you". If he would just caress I might be able to handle it...but no..he insists on tweaking the nipple. Sorry boy...no can do! It is like someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard! So yes we must set limits. Unfortunately he is very stubborn. Its like he has eyes in his head, bc he knows when i have my guard down and goes in for the tweak. Argh.
Even with the annoyances, Im still so glad we are nursing. Its been quite an adventure. I have learned so much! One thing I recommend to all pregnant women who want to nurse, please line up your support network before the birth. Fumbling around for contact numbers while your baby is screaming, you are exhausted and bleeding profusely is not the time to do your research (i can tell you from experience). Please call your local hospital and see if they have a breastfeeding support group. This was a godsend to me! Unfortunately I didnt know about it till 2 weeks into the challenge, but when i arrived i knew i was home. Tears were shed as i saw a dozen other new mothers with their boobs out asking questions of the guru (lacatation consultant)and supporting each other. Also, start attending La leache League meetings to ask questions and just be around the culture. Have your LLL phone numbers handy just in case you need advice from someone who has been there before. Know what your options are if you end up needing a private lacation consultant. My insurance company ran me around in circles till I finally gave up. If I had done this work prior to giving birth, I would have had more energy and fight in me. If you do your homework and plan ahead, the challenges that nursing can pose, will be handled with less stress and more success! Even though nursing is natural, it is still a learned behavior.
I love nursing my 15 month old. Knowing that I am giving him that extra UMPH makes it all worth it. Get a grip people. Nursing is good, haters are bad.
"Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)
Grant had a 103.8 axillary temp last night...that translates to 104.8 core temp...give or a take a bit for error. Anyhoo....its a high fever. His first ever! Originally, I was thrilled bc considering the docs said he may have a compromised immunity...combined with the fact that he hadnt had a serious fever...was a concern to me. Maybe his immune system wasnt strong enough to wage in real battle. However...this is not the case! Grant is duking it out with the bad guys! It was scary when it got that close to being rare (106 is considered rare and worrisome). I did have the doc in town glance at him last night...and his ears are clear and his throat is "fire red". So that is good information...bc now i know he isnt just teething..and that its not his ears again. Oh and the biggest most exciting news is...that he ISNT COUGHING. I should say...he isnt coughing any differently than the normal handful of coughs a day. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME in his life that he hasnt responded to a bug with major respiratory distress! SO EXCITING! Its kinda weird being thrilled with your child being sick....but considering the variables..its a real break through.
So i am at home with my son today. Cuddling, kissing and healing.
Well I ended up coming home to take care of my sick little guy. So part 2 of the saga will have to wait. I have started working on it...but I must say its more of a challenge.....to put it into words...than i had expected. Its good though to think about it all - something as ordinary as peeing now adays...yet as miraculous as a butterfly's metamorphose. I too have pupated...into a milk producing superhero :).
To tide you over...I wanted to share the National Priorities Project website with you. It has an ongoing tab on the glorious war in Iraq which will boggle your mind. Take a minute to click around and compare the cost with children's health care to get a better idea of the scope.
With that in mind I think i will go nurse my feverish babe meditating on peace and honest politicians.
One of my passions is breastfeeding. I certainly never saw this coming! I remember wondering about what it would be like to nurse a child during those long 9 months of pregnancy. It was bizarre to think of how that would feel. My breasts had been a part of my sexual identity for the most part up until that point. How would it feel to use them differently? Would my body even perform correctly? One of the funniest things I said after delivering my darling son was....that I because i had never had any leakage and I couldnt see any holes in my nipples..did I need to use tacks to get them started (i was joking btw)? Sounds gross ..but at the time my midwife thought it was hilarious. Oh the naivety of a first time mother. Sweet, innocent and stupid to some degree.
Well the milk did indeed start flowing. It was day 3 at the dr visit, that my breasts became hard and I realized that things were changing. My body was doing what it was programmed to do...and milk was being made! Wow...thats just crazy. Bet Grant was happy bout it. And it turned out...that nursing wasnt weird...it felt natural..meaningful instead of awkward, loving instead of strange.
My original goal was 6 months. I had NO idea what it was going to be like, or how I would feel about it after I started nursing. Like I said...i didnt know going into it that it was for me or that i could handle the demand. And it was not easy in the beginning. Grant was not a great latch..in fact he was a terrible latch! My first hours after delivery was spent encouraging him to get a grip. He kept slipping off and at first it didnt phase me (i was in a hormone induced trip of sorts). But as the hours turned into days into weeks...i was exhausted from the process. We were nursing 12 out of 24 hours. The process of getting him latched took longer than the actual feeding. It was crazy! Im so glad i stuck it out though.
It didnt help that he started screaming bloody murder while eating at about day 4. I was at a loss. He wanted to nurse but then would start screaming. It was truly an aweful feeling ...not being able to help him. I desperately got on the computer and looked up my local le leache league contact. Crying and exhausted, we decided that it was probably the spicey food I had been eating. Long story short...it was more than my diet. Grant had GERD, or infant reflux. He was in a great deal of pain from the stomach acid coming back up his throat. It took us 2 months to figure this out. Those early weeks were filled with fear and stress...but through it all I held on to the fact that breast milk is best...and kept nursing even when speciality formula was pushed on me.
Once he became a master of the latch...and the GERD was controlled with medication...things became easier. I was still creating a ritual out of nursing though...on the couch & with 3 pillows to keep me comfortable. Day or night we journeyed to the living room. We did not have a tv in there at the time so late at night I would listen to NPR and stare at my sweet baby. His contented coos was all the reward I needed. For a while there I would even pump (express milk) after the nursing session. Damn...i was dedicated! Shocks me when i think about it.
The 6th month came...and by that time...I had gotten used to the lifestyle. I had even come to adore that time we had together...cuddling, staring into each others eyes, knowing he was being nourished. It is precious! Even when I aunt flow came back and pms made my nipples sensitive just when he was teething and decided to started nibbling (ok, biting hard)...i almost gave in...in fact i threatened to give up...but fortunatley my hormones settled down and i never had to use formula. So my new goal was 1 year. I was still pumping 3 -4 times a day (so he had milk at day care).
The next 6 months were a breeze. We settled into our relationship. I set boundaries when needed (biting mainly) and he adored me for my gift to him. The fact that he had health challenges reinforced my reasons for breastfeeding. The benefits are proven and even my mainstream drs were saying to go for it.
At 12 months..most people were asking me when i was going to stop. Why are people so against extended breastfeeding? Extended to me means beyond 2 years...but for the average person...beyond 1 year is truly revolutionary hehe. That is so wierd...bc the benefits continue. Why do the uninformed insist that we stop something that is good for babies which is essentially good for humanity? It doesnt make since. So after we hit 1 year...i didnt set another goal. We are going to keep nursing till it isnt working for one of us (or both of us) anymore. Right now...we are comfortable. Yes it can be taxing, yes it can be uncomfortable...but ultimately...it is amazing.
Im going to write this post in 2 parts bc it is lengthy...and bc DS deserves my attention on this gorgeous sunday afternoon.Tomorrow i will describe what it is like to nurse a big 15 month old! I guess most mamas dont make it this far. I can tell you that I wouldnt wish it any other way. I feel blessed to be able to serve him in this way. He is a lucky boy...and i am a lucky mama. It isnt always physiologically possible for women to nurse...but when it is...i strongly encourage women to dedicate themselves to the cause. Your child will benefit in ways we cannot even put words too.
Hey ...how ya doing? Im pretty good...just chillin at work...working on my new publication and subsequent promotions. The day is just perfect outside...the sun streaming in the Windows (not in my office for goodness sakes...i dont have that luxury...but thanks to the convex security mirror i had installed i can see the outside world and thus can see the sunshine! dang im brilliant). autumn has certainly arrived with a chill on the breeze a dampness in the air and darkness falling by 7ish.I love living in the midwest where the fullness of each season can be felt, experienced and loathed or loved. Im such a deciduous forest kinda person...although i do have a passion for the temperate rainforest's of the pacific northwest (one of only 3 in the world!). trees and me are tight.
So I wanted to share a very cool website with you....in case you arent cooler than I (which if this is the case i feel for you). Its a freaking phenomenal resource for buyers and sellers of homemade goodies! They call it etsy..and im already hooked. I might even have to get creative and start selling. Be a nice revenue source for this wannabe sahm. Check it out and buy something NOT made in China for a change.
Im working steadfast on my MEAL PLANNER for next week. Finally getting to that point in my endeavor to change my ways. Thanks Christina for giving me that push.
Looking forward to a weekend where we arent traveling and we arent stressed. Oh my MIL is doing great btw and is coming home tomorrow! She is such a trooper. We gotta keep those grandmas around!
Have a great weekend...and be nice...dont push and for goodness sakes....wash your hands.
Trendy Play: cooking! stirs and mixes then feeds everyone, loves to pretend eat, drink, and most recently throw away things. Also loves riding things...from bicycles to moms back. Still shakes his head till dizzy and screams with glee. .
Interested In: pottying on the big toilet (again), kitchen work, steps, small spaces, hugging and throwing food, music, dancing, babies! Bossing the dogs around and talking not stop (see video)
Scale: 31 inches long and 24 pounds 14 ounces, size 4.5 shoe
Thats my grant synopsis for today! His personality blossums more each day...and I fall deeper in love with each passing moment. Im so blessed to have him in my life....reminding me of the simple pleasures and whats really important!
Im not sure how I managed to be comfortable with myself..maybe I gave up because I knew it was useless to try and compete. I remember my mom begging me to wear makeup!
However,it is important for adults to be honest with children...and explain that marketing is not real...its a cartoon...and that true beauty comes from within yadayada. Being at one with yourself is a life goal. And the sooner you learn to love you...the faster you can move on and get to the good stuff.
This video is a good summary of the the scene.
it is sponsored by dove...but ive watched a few of their films...and they all seem to have good intentions. beware!:)
I rarely go to youtubes...but i did this morning...and a hang drums video was featured. Grant and I were glued to the screen all morning! They are fascinating and mesmorizing...and impossible to find! Turns out they were perfected only 7 years ago in switzerland. The couple now sells them by appointment only (as in you have to go there and visit with them). Im on the hunt though...maybe I can find them on eBAY etc. Grant just listened and watched, pointed to the screen and excitedly spoke and sometimes danced. We fell in love together..with the hang drum.
I highly suggest watching all the hang drum videos on you tube!!!!
Edited to add: These instruments are impossible to find and even if you did find one...they are very expensive! (rumor is $1700 directly from BERN...and have gone for as much as $8000 on ebay).
We thank you for your interest in our instrument and for your patience. In our Hanghaus lie the fruits of our winter’s work, and they are waiting to meet their new owners.
There are very, very many who have written us. Heartfelt letters have reached us from all parts of the world. We especially thank those, who along with their compliments have also asked us to proceed with this gift with great care. This we will do.
Please read the following lines through slowly, and try to understand in which sense and spirit we are thinking of passing on the instruments we have made.
A Short History of the Development of the Hang.
The new instrument known as the Hang was born in January of the year 2000 in Hanghaus in Bern. Responding to the impulse of a ghatam player we formed a great sphere out of a couple of raw forms for Steelpans that were lying around the workshop, which had in them a number of concave tone fields. At the time, no one recognized what this was to mean, and no one could play it, either.
However, this gave us, the Hangmakers, a unique possibility to make further progress in the art of tuning metal. Our understanding of the physics of various musical instruments of the world now flowed into this new thing. A new musical dimension was now opened for human hands, and this new thing was named the Hang, which signifies hand in the dialect of Bern.
In the years that followed we tuned these “resonance bodies” with all sorts of scales, eavesdropping on the particularities of the scales of the world: Arabic, Persian, Indian, Chinese. The journey went clear around the world, always keeping in mind the tuning of the new instruments. We sent these instruments to all continents and received music in return. It was a productive time!
It appeared more and more that this instrument was not just a percussion instrument, but something that raised new questions regarding the very nature of music. Hang players reported amazing experiences with the instrument, for themselves and also for their listeners.
Now we are proceeding to make the Hang even closer to people: The sound is becoming softer, deeper, and clearer. We found the courage to leave behind the world of scales.
In the spring of 2006 we presented a new generation of Hanghang (Hanghang is the plural form of Hang), which pleased people right from the start. Each instrument was unique in sound and tuning, and received a soft upper surface of annealed brass, with a ring of brass around the circumference, covering the formerly sharp rim.
Because the worldwide demand for ever more instruments could not be met, we decided to end all distribution through music shops. Interested people came in the summer and fall of 2006 to Bern, where they could find their instrument at their ease - or, to phrase it differently, where their Hang could find them.
Spring of 2007.
The Hanghang that came out of this winter look like those of last year. Yet, when seen up close, you will notice that the placement of the tone fields has changed. This innovation has led to a clearer sound that radiates outwards with more strength.
The harmonic fifths combine and produce a charming overtone music, which, in a manner of speaking, appears in the acoustical space above the playing. While with the Trinidadian Steel Pan the octave of the fundamental is the most powerful harmonic, with the Hang we give the fifth more power, with the dome shape of the tone fields. Pay attention to this, next time you hear a Hang. The allure of Hang playing does not lie in virtuosity, but in playing intuitively, in such a way as to allow space for these sounds.
Seven or eight harmonically tuned tone fields are arranged around the central tone, the DING. With all Hanghang the DING is a D3 (Re3). The DING resonates together with the GU resonance of D2 (Re2) when you play with the instrument in your lap. This is the ground resonance of the air which streams in and out through the GU, when it is activated by tapping the DING or the shoulder of the DING. The throat-shaped GU has its own high resonance (D5, Re5), aligned with the DING side. In the tone circles of all the new Hanghang you will find the fifth, A3, plus D4 and A4.
The remaining tones are tuned by the Hangmakers in artistic freedom. For example, here is just one possibility:D3 (central note); tone loop:A3C4D4E4F4 G4A4.
In all cases, the fundamental aspect of the tuning is D, its fifth, and its octave. In this harmonic cathedral, infinite dynamic musical possibilities are opened up for Hang players. The gentlest impulse from the hands is amplified by the tension in the lens-shaped resonance body of the instrument. The result can be a music that goes right under the skin.
How the instruments will find their players:
An appointment will be necessary to purchase a Hang. There will be a limited number of Hanghang made available during the month of April, and again for one month only, later in the summer (dates to be announced). Please do not just show up at the door.There will only be one Hang made available per person. Please come alone, as we will not have the facilities to receive additional guests. Payment is made in full on the day of purchase. We do not ship orders.
What to do next:
In the event that you are interested in acquiring a Hang, please send us an e-mail. Please include your telephone number in all e-mail correspondence.
In our reply we will send you information on the price of the Hang, its protective shells, bags, boxes, and how you can make an appointment to visit.
We will not be in a position to respond to calls and faxes and e-mails before the first of April. You will not receive confirmation of an appointment before this date. Please do not come to visit if you have not received this confirmation.
Once you have an appointment, indulge yourself with a train trip! Hanghaus lies but a few minutes’ walk from the station. If you have made an appointment, we can offer you a free night in our guest rooms.
Ron Kravitz and David Kaetz will be here in April to receive you. Both are musicians, and Hang players right from the beginnings. Between them our colleagues speak English, French and German, and we Hangmakers can also speak with you in Spanish and Italian.
We thank you for your attention and send musical greetings from Hangbauhaus,
Sabina Schärer and Felix Rohner, Hangmakers
ISNT IT FASCINATING!!!! My newest dream is to travel to Switzerland and meet my Hang!!!
Just found out my mother in law is scheduled to have bypass surgery tomorrow morning! UGH. The little scoundrel has been in the hospital since monday but didnt want to worry us...so only divulged that bit of information last night! What a naughty naughty grandma.
I am concerned for her. No surgery is a small undertaking. I know she is anxious and tired of being in the hospital. Poor sweetie.
My DH is a wreck. He hides it well..and most would not be able to tell...but I hear his change in voice and energy level. He loves his mother to bit and is not used to seeing her laid up. It has us both twitching.
So I am waiting to hear if DH thinks (and is able) to leave tonight or if we shall wait till after work tomorrow to head to st louis. My selfish side is disappointed because I had a fabulous weekend planned for the family. It included Oktoberfest at the winery, pumpkin patch visit and a romantic date (babysitter scheduled and everything). Looks like now we will be having a hospital family reunion. The important thing is that we come together to support dear mum. The blessing is that they found the blockage before a heart attack or stroke! Bonus! If we could all be so fortunate.
In Grant news...his eyebrows became red and started swelling...so we discontinued the antibiotic. After visiting the doc this morning...he said...if the drug caused the strange reaction...grant is 1 in 1000...i said ...yes thats my son...always unique. The huge huge huge bonus here is that his ear is dried up and healing well so he just let it go. No more antibiotics! pretty cool. way to go grant :).
Please pray or do whatever it is that you do...for my mother in law. Hopefully she will feel great after they get her blood flowing better!
I had left a basket of clean laundry in the living room. Next thing I know, Grant is estatically running around the house with ...my UNDERWEAR over his head. It was hilarious! In his mind he had put on a shirt himself. Very proud he was indeed. The goobery smile says it all.
man today has been BUSY and hectic but fun at the same time.
Grant has a perforated ear drum (bummer). What i had chalked up to teething anger on saturday and sunday ended up being intense pressure building up in his head and the BAHM....bursting. My first clue was the "honey" seeping from his right ear. Other than that...he never tugged or rubbed on his ear at all. He had pointed inside his mouth..while cursing and sighing in exhaustion. Guess the pain was in his head -inside there.
So Monday I took him to the local ol dr stevens (a gem!) who declared what i knew to be true. He strongly encouraged us to use the antibiotics bc there is a serious infection less than an inch from his brain. We upped probiotic to double strength during the treatment. Other than that...we are using cotton balls during showers to reduce entry and keeping him comfortable. The little guy is such a trooper though...has a high pain threshold.
We also took him to the chiropractor monday and tuesday. It helps so much to drain the ears and his jaw was even out a bit. We love love love our chiropractors. They are such good souls..that they treat children for free so they dont miss out! Grant has truly benefited from their goodness. I counted up and he has been there 18 times since January! He really digs getting adjusted...lays there with great anticipation..and usually hugs them afterwards. Its something else.
anti establishment in my 20s......tried finding utopia..realize after visiting intentional communities...that people = politics = bullshit = power struggles = life. its a great thing to rethink everything you learned and "know" and discover for yourself what is "real" to you..not just relying on your parents...or religion or whatever to base your entire existence upon. so thats what i did...i re examined my beliefs and the world i thought i knew...and discovered that things arent as they seem.....so i spent my twenties testing the limits of my sanity and finding what i am not..as well as what/who i am...and here i am now in my 30s living out my dreams..and still in the school of life...bc whats life without learning?
