We're back up!
For those of you just joining our program already in progress, please start with the previous post.
I'm going to interrupt the saga of the Knittin' Mom family in So. Cal. to bring you this little bit of breastfeeding news. As in, my friend Chris made the evening news! Here is the story, which includes a video clip of the actual news segment. I got chills watching it. Too cool!
It's interesting to read the comments on her blog (Reluctant Lactivist) from people who think that breastfeeding advocates are all about having their boobs flapping around in the breeze. I have to say that I am one of the most modest people around. I wear shorts with my swimsuit because the bottoms are too spare for my taste. I breastfeed in public, but it's always difficult for me and I try to do it out of notice of most people. Chris is the same way - she wasn't trying to shove her boob in people's faces. When you've got a cranky, crying baby (who yanks his head away from your boob in order to scream), it's almost impossible to stay covered up even if you do have a blanket over you. Plus those blankets get darned hot. And as for suggestions about going to the restroom to nurse - um, would you want to eat your lunch in a public toilet?
My big problem with this whole debacle is the fact that breastfeeding women are treated like they're doing something shameful and it needs to be hidden. I am as discreet as humanly possible whenever I feed Owen, and I bet nobody even notices what I'm doing. I did have an experience in the Minneapolis airport last summer (when Owen was three months old and we were there visiting my family) when I was trying to feed a screaming baby who kept pulling away (the better to scream, my dear), and even though I wasn't showing anything much unless you were really looking, I still got some nasty looks from an older couple sitting across from us. After about five minutes of glaring at me, they got up and sat in the next row of chairs behind us. Ironically, they sat so they could see me but my back was to them. I'm not sure what was up with that, but why was I treated like some kind of deviant for trying to calm my son down? These are the same kind of people who glare at any crying baby. Well, if you want him to stop crying, I'm going to have to nurse him! And it might take him a minute to realize what I'm doing and stop trying to get away!
There are also some people who aren't happy no matter how discreet you are. I mean, is Chris discreet enough during her news segment? I was nursing Owen at Multnomah Falls once, out in the middle of everyone, and was showing absolutely nothing. Some 20-something girls walked by and kind of scoffed and rolled their eyes when they figured out what I was doing. As for those who think that nursing moms who don't want to be harrassed are being selfish...huh? Feeding my baby when he wants to be fed is selfish? I think that the uptight prudes who don't want to see a baby eating the way God intended are the selfish ones...
Okay, okay, I'm done. I could go on and on and on, but I won't. Now, back to our trip!
After meeting up at Jillian's house, we carpooled over to Unwind in beautiful (ahem) Burbank. I got this:
The purple stuff is SWTC Optimum DK, which is super soft squooshy wool that they were closing out at $5/ball. I'm going to use it to make my own personal copy of my Knitter's sweater. Then, after I saw they had Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, I decided to use my free day for the Sock Yarn Addict's Club and buy some Supersock.
We then toodled back over to a little coffee house near Jillian's and did some noshing and knitting. Before we left, we had a little photo shoot.
Khris managed to snap a really unattractive picture of me, which I pleaded with her not to post on her blog but she did anyway. Thanks, toots! After we'd had our fill of coffee and other good stuff, we headed to Monrovia to Unraveled. This is a lovely store with great seating and a huge selection. I came away with these little lovelies:
The bright red is some Opal Gems (which I have been craving but haven't run across around here yet) and the cranberry is some LL Shepherd Worsted. I am becoming a worsted-weight sock ho. Gotta love those size 3 needles!
I left totally exhausted and completely satisfied. To make things even better, Khris gifted me with a lovely little hank of hand dyed lace yarn in her Mermaid's Lair colorway. Go buy some of her yarn! Now!
On Sunday, we headed to Griffith Park at 7:30 am so Bill could run in the Jimmy Stuart Relay Marathon with some of his old co-workers. Ironically, the only person that he used to work with who ran in the race was the friend we stayed with. But it was still fun. Due to the grueling schedule of the previous three days (and all of his neck problems the week before), he didn't run as fast as he wanted to. But he still ran pretty good. Here he is, coming and going, at mile #3.
Sydney and Owen both ran in the Diaper Dash.
The last time Sydney ran, when she was 1, the celebrity judges were Chris O'Donnell and Robert Wagner. This time, we had Goofy and Pluto. When Sydney was getting ready to run, I told her to run down to Goofy and Pluto. Afterwards, she was telling everyone that she ran to "doofy and play-dough". She is still SO proud of her participant's medal and wears it everywhere.
On the way back to Northridge, we made a stop at one of our regular haunts when we lived there - Krispy Kreme! Mmm.
I think Sydney is part Krispy Kreme, I ate so many of them when I was pregnant with her...
After all this, Owen and I napped for most of the afternoon while Sydney ran around in the backyard and kept Bill on his toes by dancing around on the edge of the pool. All in all, it was a great, if exhausting, trip.
When I got home, I found some good stuff waiting for me in the mail. First, a box of sock yarn from Keohinani.
Wowza! And here is a close-up of the Wildfoote, which will be our sock-a-month prize for April.
I also got my copy of Aran Sweater Design by Aran goddess Janet Szabo (she's the FLAK mom). Can I just say, it is AWESOME! If you're at all interested in knitting Arans, get it. It is going right up there with Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Knitting In The Old Way (another must on your knitting bookshelf).
Finally, I'll leave you with a picture that Sydney took when she snaked the camera today without me knowing it.
Isn't she just the artistic one?
I'm going to interrupt the saga of the Knittin' Mom family in So. Cal. to bring you this little bit of breastfeeding news. As in, my friend Chris made the evening news! Here is the story, which includes a video clip of the actual news segment. I got chills watching it. Too cool!
It's interesting to read the comments on her blog (Reluctant Lactivist) from people who think that breastfeeding advocates are all about having their boobs flapping around in the breeze. I have to say that I am one of the most modest people around. I wear shorts with my swimsuit because the bottoms are too spare for my taste. I breastfeed in public, but it's always difficult for me and I try to do it out of notice of most people. Chris is the same way - she wasn't trying to shove her boob in people's faces. When you've got a cranky, crying baby (who yanks his head away from your boob in order to scream), it's almost impossible to stay covered up even if you do have a blanket over you. Plus those blankets get darned hot. And as for suggestions about going to the restroom to nurse - um, would you want to eat your lunch in a public toilet?
My big problem with this whole debacle is the fact that breastfeeding women are treated like they're doing something shameful and it needs to be hidden. I am as discreet as humanly possible whenever I feed Owen, and I bet nobody even notices what I'm doing. I did have an experience in the Minneapolis airport last summer (when Owen was three months old and we were there visiting my family) when I was trying to feed a screaming baby who kept pulling away (the better to scream, my dear), and even though I wasn't showing anything much unless you were really looking, I still got some nasty looks from an older couple sitting across from us. After about five minutes of glaring at me, they got up and sat in the next row of chairs behind us. Ironically, they sat so they could see me but my back was to them. I'm not sure what was up with that, but why was I treated like some kind of deviant for trying to calm my son down? These are the same kind of people who glare at any crying baby. Well, if you want him to stop crying, I'm going to have to nurse him! And it might take him a minute to realize what I'm doing and stop trying to get away!
There are also some people who aren't happy no matter how discreet you are. I mean, is Chris discreet enough during her news segment? I was nursing Owen at Multnomah Falls once, out in the middle of everyone, and was showing absolutely nothing. Some 20-something girls walked by and kind of scoffed and rolled their eyes when they figured out what I was doing. As for those who think that nursing moms who don't want to be harrassed are being selfish...huh? Feeding my baby when he wants to be fed is selfish? I think that the uptight prudes who don't want to see a baby eating the way God intended are the selfish ones...
Okay, okay, I'm done. I could go on and on and on, but I won't. Now, back to our trip!
After meeting up at Jillian's house, we carpooled over to Unwind in beautiful (ahem) Burbank. I got this:
The purple stuff is SWTC Optimum DK, which is super soft squooshy wool that they were closing out at $5/ball. I'm going to use it to make my own personal copy of my Knitter's sweater. Then, after I saw they had Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, I decided to use my free day for the Sock Yarn Addict's Club and buy some Supersock.
We then toodled back over to a little coffee house near Jillian's and did some noshing and knitting. Before we left, we had a little photo shoot.
Khris managed to snap a really unattractive picture of me, which I pleaded with her not to post on her blog but she did anyway. Thanks, toots! After we'd had our fill of coffee and other good stuff, we headed to Monrovia to Unraveled. This is a lovely store with great seating and a huge selection. I came away with these little lovelies:
The bright red is some Opal Gems (which I have been craving but haven't run across around here yet) and the cranberry is some LL Shepherd Worsted. I am becoming a worsted-weight sock ho. Gotta love those size 3 needles!
I left totally exhausted and completely satisfied. To make things even better, Khris gifted me with a lovely little hank of hand dyed lace yarn in her Mermaid's Lair colorway. Go buy some of her yarn! Now!
On Sunday, we headed to Griffith Park at 7:30 am so Bill could run in the Jimmy Stuart Relay Marathon with some of his old co-workers. Ironically, the only person that he used to work with who ran in the race was the friend we stayed with. But it was still fun. Due to the grueling schedule of the previous three days (and all of his neck problems the week before), he didn't run as fast as he wanted to. But he still ran pretty good. Here he is, coming and going, at mile #3.
Sydney and Owen both ran in the Diaper Dash.
The last time Sydney ran, when she was 1, the celebrity judges were Chris O'Donnell and Robert Wagner. This time, we had Goofy and Pluto. When Sydney was getting ready to run, I told her to run down to Goofy and Pluto. Afterwards, she was telling everyone that she ran to "doofy and play-dough". She is still SO proud of her participant's medal and wears it everywhere.
On the way back to Northridge, we made a stop at one of our regular haunts when we lived there - Krispy Kreme! Mmm.
I think Sydney is part Krispy Kreme, I ate so many of them when I was pregnant with her...
After all this, Owen and I napped for most of the afternoon while Sydney ran around in the backyard and kept Bill on his toes by dancing around on the edge of the pool. All in all, it was a great, if exhausting, trip.
When I got home, I found some good stuff waiting for me in the mail. First, a box of sock yarn from Keohinani.
Wowza! And here is a close-up of the Wildfoote, which will be our sock-a-month prize for April.
I also got my copy of Aran Sweater Design by Aran goddess Janet Szabo (she's the FLAK mom). Can I just say, it is AWESOME! If you're at all interested in knitting Arans, get it. It is going right up there with Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Knitting In The Old Way (another must on your knitting bookshelf).
Finally, I'll leave you with a picture that Sydney took when she snaked the camera today without me knowing it.
Isn't she just the artistic one?
posted by knittinmom at 4:46 PM
7 Comments:
that's just great about the restaurant chain changing its policy!!! Go, girls!
and it's wonderful that they hold a diaper dash! (I guess they wouldn't over here with sports being all serious and no play...)
We have a chair in the back room of the store for breast feeding mommies. I breast fed twins, so I'm simpathetic to their plight.
Amu
Diaper dash! I love it. Looks like you guys had a fun trip to Lala land. That wildfoote yarn is lovely! Jill is so generous.
People who are annoyed with breastfeeding in public annoy me. Heh heh. I don't know why people care, frankly.
Ok, ok- I took the picture off! Sheesh, it wasn't that bad ;)
Looks like you finally got some sunshine on Sunday - what a nice day!
I had so much fun yarn crawling with you and the gals! I hope it's not the last time!
As to the breastfeeding issue, I just don't get how people are offended. I love how practically nude women can adorn TV, magazines and billboards for the purposes of selling s*x for advertising, but remind people that breasts are actually for an actual purpose other than titillation and it's offensive.
OMG, yarn porn galore! Lucky you:)
If I squinch my eyes up at a breastfeeding mom it's because it brings back that guilt of being an inadequate breastfeeder when my breastfeedees were infants :(
Heh. You go girl! Hungry baby first.
wow, how cool that your friend made the evening news! nothing like media exposure to heighten awareness. in our society today, it's (unfortunately) not unusual for people to create skewed perceptions of etiquette based on personal beliefs. necessities as basic and natural as breastfeeding a child are socially taboo? lacking feminine modesty? i find difficulty justifying that society would prefer a screaming baby over a content one.
ANYWAY, great job on increasing awareness. :)
sounds like you all had fun in Cali :)
did i ever tell you? your kids are just so darn cute!
i had a feeling you'd like the plumicious. if you need anything else, just let me know! i could spare you another skein or four... :P
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