Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas yesterday and a very busy Christmas season. The boys birthday is one week before Christmas, and I threw them a party at my house. It's been non stop!

One thing I love about Christmas is that it's not just about Jesus, it's also about his mother Mary. It's about birth and life and motherhood and babies too. If you haven't seen this already, here is a link to a blog post about some artwork depicting Mary nursing Jesus. It's really neat!

I remember when I studied in Jerusalem for a term we went to the church that was built to commemorate Mary nursing Jesus. Supposedly a drop of milk spilled in that spot so they built a church over it. This was before I was even married, but I really loved the idea of nursing back then so I have a picture of myself in front of the sculpture of Mary's squirting milk.

I love being a woman and being able to conceive and grow and then continue to nourish my children once they are born. Here's a picture of me nursing Audrey last Christmas.



Last year she was just barely starting solids...now she barely nurses. Just once either in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. She's just not interested in it any other time. I love nursing and I do look forward to nursing a baby again someday. I think I will feel really sad when I know it's my last time.

where we get milk

My Kindergartner said the cutest thing the other day. "Do you know the three places we get milk? Cows, mommies, and coconuts!"

Since they see my nursing Audrey, breastfeeding is totally normal to them.

Nursing Audrey

I still nurse Audrey a little bit, a very little bit. I'm surprised I still have milk, but I do have enough for a morning feeding, which is the only time she is interested in nursing. She still sometimes wakes up at night and I nurse her so sometimes it's two feedings. I plan to just continue until she gives it up completely. I still think it's cute and sweet when she nurses and since it's not very often it's not inconvenient. Plus I enjoy ten minutes extra sleep time while she nurses first thing after she wakes up. I think it must still have some health benefit because when I got sick with the flu a few weeks ago she didn't get it. Maybe she got my antibodies through my milk.
I know not everyone can or wants to nurse, but I think it's such a wonderful aspect of childbearing, and just as important as birth (if not more because it lasts longer). I do feel proud that I have nursed all my children for over a year.

Thank you everyone for your kind comments from my last post.

I just read a great quote and I want to implement it more in my life:
"With realization of one own's potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world" Dalia Lama