A's Cupcake Birthday Party was a Complete Success!

I am so excited to report that my daughter's Cupcake Birthday Party was a blast for all the kids in attendance.  The idea for this party was a spur of the moment decision to have cupcakes for the neighborhood kids on the afternoon of A's 8th birthday.  It was spur of the moment because last Saturday I was on the phone with hubby finding out - much to A's disappointment - that he would have to work on her birthday.  This was very disappointing to A for 2 reasons:  1.) Hubby used to be self-employed and had made the habit of being at home on each family member's birthday.  We are still not used to him always being at someone else's beck and call.  and 2.) A was hoping to take her birthday trip to the New Orleans Aquarium ON her birthday day.   Since I couldn't bear to see the disappointment on A's face, I told her we would have cupcakes for her neighborhood friends.  The cupcake idea quickly turned into a full fledged birthday party with homemade invitations and coordinating party supplies!
We invited 8 friends and 7 of them attended the party, and the 8th friend visited earlier in the day.  I say 'attended the party' loosely.  You see, the hours for the party were from 2 to 4.  Two of the children showed up at 11 !  Two others came and went a few times in a 30 minute time frame around 11:30 - 12 ~ one of those children returned at 2 for the party.  Another 2 children came at 12:30.  And 2 children arrived around 2 for the party.  The last guest left at 6.  These children are all used to coming and going around here, so I guess they figured birthday party day should be no different!   So, my daughter ended up with a 7 hour party!  LOL
All the children enjoyed decorating their own cupcakes - yes, plural.  They were all asking to decorate another, so I let them all have 2.   All the cupcakes were very pretty, and apparently very yummy also!
I hope my kids get enough rest tonight because we have to get up early and head to New Orleans for A's birthday trip.  It is almost 2 AM and I am sitting here blogging while the cloth diapers wash.  I didn't have time to get the diapers washed - what with 10 kids running around at a 7 hour long birthday party!  I need a vacation.

Happy Birthday A !

My 2nd daughter, A, will be turning 8 today.  I can't believe she is already 8! 
She is very, VERY excited.  She actually just walked up to me grinning ear to ear and bouncing, singing 'I'm al-most e-i-gh-t!'  LOL 
She should be in bed.  It is 11:20 pm.  She is not in bed because my oven broke.  Just. stopped. working.  So, we went to my in-laws to bake cupcakes for her cupcake party tomorrow afternoon, and a cake for her family party tomorrow night.  We just got home.  She and two of her siblings are still wreaking havoc on the house because I am on the computer checking e-mail, e-mailing a shopping list to my hubby (who is working a midnight madness sale and will stop by Wal-Mart on the way home), and posting about A's 8th birthday.


Happy Birthday A !
You are precious to me. 
Your smile can light up a room. 
I am so very glad to be your momma!

Why I Breastfeed.

 I have 4 children and with each one I struggled with the decision to breastfeed or not.  I know breastfeeding is best for my babies.  I know the bond between breastfeeding mother and breastfed baby is intense.
So, why the struggle?  Well, I'm a bit clumsy :oP so I don't like breastfeeding in public.  I know the pain of clogged ducts, thrush and mastitis.  I know the emotional and physical fatigue of being an around the clock milk machine.  I know the tears shed over trying to get a baby to latch correctly.  I know the struggle to increase a low milk supply.  And I know the disapproving glares of the doctors when baby isn't gaining 'enough' weight based on their formula fed baby charts.
The truth is for each of my babies I made the decision to breastfeed in the hospital and THEN make my final decision whether to breastfeed or not.  Each time I was hooked - IMMEDIATELY - on breastfeeding my newborn baby.  The desire and determination to breastfeed was very intense after nursing each of my children for the first time.
Breastfeeding is natural.  Breastfeeding is beautiful.  Breastfeeding is best.*
And so I breastfeed...

* Formula has it's place.  So, please don't leave mean comments.

Why do you breastfeed?  Or  Why do you not breastfeed?

Frack or Quack ??

We recently spent 2 days with my parents.  My 3 yo son, N, loves collecting and eating pecans with Popaw, so soon after we arrived N and Popaw went out to have some bonding time over pecans.  They were out sitting in the easy chairs sharing their feast when my soon to be 8 yo daughter, A, walked up and overheard N asking Popaw to 'frack' another pecan.  A quickly stated,  "It's not 'frack' it's 'quack!'"
Popaw and I had a good tickle over that one!  LOL  Bless them!

My Goals to Focus on for the Next 12 Weeks

 

Kelli at Three Boys and a Dog has issued a challenge for bloggers to choose 4 goals to work on for the next 12 weeks!
I wrote last week about my goal and resolutions for 2012.  My main goal for this year is to become better self-disciplined.  Several of the resolutions I wrote about are either not measureable via my blog or I believe will just take much more time than the allotted 12 weeks.  I have decided to focus on resolutions 4, 5 and 6 for the purposes of this challenge.
Here are my 4 goals for the next 12 weeks:
1.)  I will post to my blog at least once each week.  (resolution 6)
2.)  I will join at least 2 blog hops.  (resolution 6)
3.)  I will learn how to make a fleece diaper cover using a pair of Carter's fleece pajamas - and actually make it.  (resolution 4)
4.)  I will help my daughter get 5 more reviews posted to her new blog, Mariah's Bookshelf.  (resolution 5)