Neglectful Blog Owner...

Baby: What a strange little existence she has. Hands in food, feet up on the high chair, dragging self along the floor, naps (sometimes parent-mandated.) Just learning how to be a person. I think she's doing a pretty good job. She has fed herself her entire lunch twice in the last few days, started to "crawl" and tried to pull herself up. Big accomplishments! It's quite interesting to watch.

Rock: The big show this weekend! I'm still attempting to plan the going away gig for Tall Guy, I'm sure I'll figure something out. Girl Band is going well, though I wish we could practice more. I feel like this is going to work out, like this is the right time for me to be doing it.

Philosophy: Hmmm, nothing really but an addition to the "Baby" thought. When do you really become a person?

Life: I often hang around an online forum by the magazine "Wedding Bells." There is a section called BabyBells that has provided me with many answers and assurances when Dr. Google has revealed that the issue I'm having with P is in fact the worst thing ever. There are also a number of interesting characters that post there. Today I read my favourite kind of thread...I knew it was a good one because it was already at 6 pages by the time I saw it. It's the "fired up!" thread, where everyone is up in arms for one reason or another. The poster was writing about a Facebook group called "Boycott Redbook Magazine." Apparently Redbook published an article about a woman's struggle with breastfeeding that ultimately came off as being kind of anti-breastfeeding. I read the article and I agree it wasn't terribly balanced, but it was also one woman's personal experience. Anyway, the zealots have come to this group in full force, figuring they have a safe place to sound off on how lazy and uncommitted non-breastfeeding mothers truly are. Formula is described as "poison." It's all quite offensive to say the least.

Why are mothers constantly forced to explain and justify their choices? There seems to be a dichotomy when it comes to child care, and there always seems to be a "vs." between the options. Breastfeeding vs. formula feeding; cloth diapers vs. disposables; jarred food vs. home made; Baby Lead Weaning vs. spoon feeding; babywearing vs. strollers. Constantly in opposition, always a battle.

P is my first and will be my only child. I had no idea how to care for a baby before she arrived, and with every new stage she arrives at I learn new skills and make more choices for her. She doesn't rely on me to worry about the choices other mothers are making. Sometimes when I talk to other mums they tell me why they do the things they do, sometimes I tell them. It generally leads to interesting discussion and one or both of us may learn something. My suggestion? Replace "vs." with "and."