Eeewwww...people really do that??

We were at the park yesterday when a young mom and her 3 kids (all under the age of 4 by the looks of it) walked up and started to play. They didn't have any strollers or baby carriers (though the littlest was, I'm guessing, younger than Dean), so I figure they must live pretty close. Not more than five minutes after arriving, I hear the sound of boy pee hitting the ground. The mom had taken oldest (approx. age 4) underneath the "climbing rock wall" that was connected to the slide area and had him go pee under there. SICK. I mean, I understand that there are no bathrooms there, and that she had 2 other kids, but is this normal/acceptable behavior? Would you have done the same? (If yes, I seriously want to know and you can leave an anonymous reply.) I guess I could be over reacting, but it just seemed so...gross. It's very plausible that kids walk and play under there.

On a similar note, it seems like I've been finding lots of dog poo and broken glass bottles recently on our walks. I am very, very anti dog poo. I mean, how would people like it if I let my baby poop on the ground without cleaning it up? Some dog poo is grosser and more plentiful than Dean's poo. And littering is just plain wrong to begin with, but when it's a dangerous item like glass I just want to spank someone's bottom and give them a stern talking to. Even if (especially if) they're adults.

Six month stats and shake, shake, shake

Weight at birth: 8 lbs. 6 oz.
Length at birth: 21 3/4 inches

Weight at 2 mo.: 13 lbs. 10 oz.
Length at 2 mo.: 24 1/2 inches (77%)

Weight at 4 mo.: 15 lbs. 14 oz. (65%)
Length at 4 mo.: 26.5 in. (90%)
Head circumference: 16.5 in. (36%)

Weight at 6 mo.: 17 lbs (37%)
Length at 6 mo.: 27 1/2 (81%)
Head circumference: 17.25 (48%)

So we just got home from his well visit. And once again I find myself mildly irritated. I can't quite put a finger on why I'm not perfectly satisfy with the doc., but there's something that chaps me slightly. We actually went to another (highly recommended) pediatrician at his 2 week check up and I disliked him even more than her, so we switched back. I LOVE her office atmosphere, the staff, and her nurse is the best. But every time she (the doc) starts talking, I find myself on the defensive. She's really nice, so I can't figure out why. Is it because she doesn't have kids herself? Is it because she seems to think milestones are set in stone? There are other possible reasons. Maybe it's all of them. Maybe it's none. Matt says it's no big deal and doesn't think we should change pediatricians again.

Anyway, she was concerned that he'd only gained 1 lb. and that I'm not giving him iron supplements. Also, she was surprised that he was sitting but hasn't yet rolled from back to front. I tried to explain that he HATES his tummy. He can twist his body all the way around from back to front, but he doesn't ever go the last little bit to his tummy. Why would he if he hates that position? When I place him on his stomach he immediately flips over. Whatever.

At his 2 month check up she told me he needed iron drops because winter babies tend to not get enough. That seemed odd, but I went out and bought it, gave him one disgusting "rusty nails" dose, and decided to research it further before I gave him any more. I found this blog and read the lines, "Iron supplementation is not usually needed and may in fact be detrimental to the breastfeeding baby in the first half-year after birth. Excess iron tends to saturate lactoferrin and thereby diminish its antiinfective properties." Now, I know this is from a breast milk advocating site, but there were lots of sites that said similar things. So I decided not to give him the iron supplement drops. And because I make my own baby food, he's not getting "iron fortified" commercial food. I've been scouring the internet looking for answers on this. The responses are pretty polar. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. My initial reaction is to not give him the drops until we see if he really is anemic at his 9 mo. check up when they do the blood work. Any responses?

As for him only gaining a lb. and needing to come in for a weight check in a month and a half, GIVE ME A BREAK! You've all seen him. I'm not worried. She also mentioned supplementing his feedings with formula if at his next weigh in he hasn't gained much. Too bad lady. Until he's in the negative numbers or starts losing, I'm going breast all the way. Period.

Anyway, he was doing a funny head shake today. All I can think is that he was imitating something I do that makes him laugh. I really love this little boy more every day.

Guestimating stinks

So I ordered four 6-gallon plastic food storage buckets from Grandma's Country almost 2 weeks ago online. Under "shipping info" it says, "Most orders are shipped within 3 days of the time they are placed and arrive within a week." Sounds normal.

But then a week went by and nothing was showing up at my house or on my credit card. I was wondering if something was wrong with my order, so I finally called them today, 2 weeks after my initial purchase.

I found out 2 things.

First, they finally shipped my things (and charged my card) last Friday, so maybe it will get here tomorrow with a little delay due to the holiday.

Second, they charged me $13 more than their "shipping estimate"!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. I didn't know it was an estimate (maybe it was in fine print somewhere, but it never says on their shipping info page that they just estimate the price), and to go from $11 to $24 is a big jump!

I'm a bit peeved right now, but what can I do? Not a whole lot.

Why can't Texas grocery stores (or Costco!) just sell food storage buckets like they do in UT?

Your Civic Duty: A letter to the lady

Dear lady at work,

I don't know who you are, but I've seen your dirty work. Have you no shame woman? Were you born in a barn wherein they had no running water? Good Heavens.

Your personal hygiene in your own home is your own deal. I don't care what you do there. It's you and your family who have to worry about that. But in a public place (as a public servant no less) you have a civic duty on your hands. Literally.

Let me tell you something your mother should have told you loooong ago. After you use the restroom, you wash your hands. Preferably with soap. Preferably about 20 seconds or so, but even a courtesy rinse would be better than nothing. NOTHING! I am still in shock. And while I was standing there watching you as you came out of your stall and immediately headed for the door with your grubby little hands! Did you feel no shame? Did you feel no embarrassment that I knew your dirty little secret?

Well if you didn't, you should have.

I'm not saying I'm perfectly clean, but hand washing in public is a given. I mean, think of how many people touch that door after you! Are you also the person who isn't such a sweety and forgets to wipe the seaty? Because that's sick too. I know you don't want to recognize the fact that you may have sprayed a little, but I don't want to sit in it. Nor do I want to have to wipe up after you.

I don't generally have germ issues, but it is people like you who drive others to become OCD about hand sanitizer and Lysol.

Please reconsider your nasty little habit. It does not become you.

Nasty little habits

Everyone (I'm generalizing and assuming here, and you know what happens when you assume...) has their own little list of pet peeves, annoying habits, or big time no-nos when it comes to interpersonal exchanges.

Since we all have our own personalities and our brains are all wired differently, our lists vary from person to person. This means our behaviors, personalities, and habits are likely to get under someone else's skin at one point or another. That's why I try to not get bent out of shape when someone finds that I'm not their BFF or their soul mate. Sometimes it's not just meant to be. And for every person who finds you more annoying than endearing, there's most likely someone who just "gets you". Now, there are people we love who have one or two "nasty little habits", but luckily our love outweighs our annoyance and we are able to get along 99.999% of the time.

I started thinking about this today when I checked my email to find 10 new messages in the last hour! "Holy emails!" I thought. I was hoping some spam distributor had not somehow hacked my account, rendering it useless and forcing me to change email. Luckily it was just one of my friends who I recently added to my contact list. She just sent me 10 forwards. And then I thought.

"Oh no! I have a forward frenzied friend! Must...stop...soon...before this gets out of hand..."

You see, this is on my list. I don't mind getting a forward on a very, very rare occasion if it comes from someone who knows me well enough to know what I'd find interesting. But how often is that really? Not very.

I very kindly let her know I didn't really care for forwards, but to keep me in her contacts because I care for to hear from her, about her. She was very understanding, and you know what?

She doesn't like forwards either.