Wired For Noise

As she edges into 11 months, Saffron is a wild mess. And I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.

She stands, trying to take more than a few ungraceful steps, before stumbling and falling on her butt or into the wall she was holding onto. Her face bears bruises from the failed attempts. She’s only about half as determined to walk as the boys were, but when you’ve got a big brother willing to carry you everywhere you go there isn’t as much need to make an effort.

Talking is limited, but excited. She rambles on, fast and screechy, in baby babbles and screams. Dada is still her #1 word, with mama, ni-ni (night-night), nah-nah (food), and ne-no (no-no) getting small spots here and there.

She has a bucket full of toys in the living room, open access to her brother’s room and their toys, and toys on the floor of the dining room. Yet the only things she wants to play with is A) the litter box, B) the plug ins, and C) the entertainment centers. My day is a big bag of redirect, redirect, redirect.

She’s stubborn, opinionated, loud, and in charge. Gods I hope she stays that way, shell need it when she’s older.

Even though we’re not doing a formal curriculum, I’ve been following the Classical approach to history. Which is basically following history in the order that it happened.

Right now we’re in Ancient Crete, about to move into Greece. The library didn’t have much, but the librarian suggested I take Ancient Greece!: 40 Hands-On Activities to Experience This Wondrous Age home with me. I flipped through and it and it seemed cute enough, but I didn’t really look at what all it said.

After today, I want to buy a copy to have.

I opened it up to the chapter on Crete and looked for a cute craft idea. What I found was a short history of Crete, a discussion on sexism and fat acceptance with changing cultural standards, and a craft idea that tied into it all. We read about the Minoan Mother Goddess, discussed her many shapes (she’s shown as thin, large, and a bird), did an art project on her, and then segmented into sexism both then and now.

It’s not like we don’t already have those conversations, but I’ve never seen them given so much importance in a history book. In a children’s history book no less! And fat acceptance! Even in the books that discuss sexism, I’ve never read the “health at any size” argument pushed instead of the “be as skinny as you can” argument.

I love this book. I love the person/people who thought it was important to talk about these things, instead of pretending they don’t exist.

photo credit: Mel B.

This is a guest post from Cherie Burbach – author of 21 Simple Things You Can Do To Help Someone With Diabetes. Since I’ve shared before about my family’s history of diabetes I wanted to share this post here.
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My latest book, 21 Simple Things You Can Do to Help Someone With Diabetes is all about understanding things from a diabetic perspective.  It’s like part guide, part etiquette book.  It is my hope that non-diabetic folks will learn how to help their diabetic friend or family member.  But the book is also great for diabetics in a number of ways.  Following are a few things diabetics can learn from my book.

Opening Up a Dialog About Diabetes

Perhaps first and foremost, diabetics may feel that they have a disease no one in their household truly understands.  One reason I wrote this book was to help with that.  The book is short by design, so it’s easy to read and non-technical.  It talks about the personal side of the disease, which is often overlooked.  Diabetics can use this book as a way to help talk to their loved ones about some of the things they have experienced.

Diabetics Should Continue Their Diabetes Education

When someone is first diagnosed with the disease, they often take a class with their family to find out more.  But as the years go on, their diabetes education may get stalled.  Life gets in the way, and people get busy.  Diabetics owe it to themselves to find out the latest research.  You might even be surprised at some of the changes in insulin routines and meal planning.

Having Diabetes is No Fun, But it Isn’t the End of the World Either

When you are a diabetic, sometimes all you hear is about the negative aspects of the disease:  the amputations, blindness, strokes.  But here’s the other thing – there has never been a better time in history to have the disease.  The knowledge that the medical and scientific worlds have today is so much greater than even twenty years ago.  Diabetes may not have a cure yet, but we’ve got the most advanced ways to treat the disease than we have ever had before.  Take it seriously, get information, and get as healthy as you can.

Reach Out to Your Loved Ones

Many diabetics go about their daily routine with hardly a word of complaint.  That doesn’t mean, however, that they aren’t frustrated at times.  Being frustrated doesn’t mean that you’re weak or not in control of the disease.  It means you’re human!  Ask your family to learn about the disease, so on a day when you’ve got a higher blood sugar, or your blood sugar dips quickly, you have their emotional support.  Let them be your cheerleaders rather than your “food police.”

Encourage Others to Get Healthy

Some people take good health for granted.  There are diabetics today who are actually healthier than many other people without the disease.  Encourage the people in your life to join you in your healthy attitude.  Quit smoking.  Exercise.  Eat right.  It isn’t just about “not eating sugar” but a whole lifestyle filled with healthy traits.  Getting everyone involved will help you with your diabetes and help your friends and family get healthier too.

Cheers, Cherie

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Cherie Burbach is an author, blogger, poet, crocheter, and geek.  She loves football and is obsessed with anything having to do with the Green Bay Packers or Tudor history.

A passionate diabetes advocate, Cherie has written the book, 21 Simple Things You Can Do To Help Someone With Diabetes.

Cherie used her experience with meeting her husband online to pen At the Coffee Shop, a humorous look at the world of Internet dating. Cherie went on over 60 coffee dates in just six months. She met lots of great people and one of those turned out to be the guy she would marry just one year later. Cherie’s new dating book, Internet Dating is Not Like Ordering a Pizza is available now.

She has penned her first novel, For Those Who Knew Zach, told in connected short stories about of a philandering charmer’s collision with fate.

She is a staff writer for b5media, and also the author of three poetry books, including A New Dish and The Difference Now.  Her latest, Father’s Eyes, has received the 2008 Editor’s Choice Award by Allbooks Review.

Readers have resonated with Cherie’s honest and inspirational ”This I Believe” essay, which is the second-most popular out of over 40,000 entries on the NPR website. For more information, please visit Cherie’s website, www.cherieburbach.com, her personal blogs, or follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/brrbach.

photo credit: christyscherrer

Saffron is 10 months old, still breastfeeding most of the time, and killing me.

OK, not literally. But the pain makes me cry out, grind my teeth, and tears to swell. For the last two weeks, every time she latches on I want to crawl in a hole and scream.

The reason for the pain isn’t clear. There are not cuts or bruises, she isn’t biting, her latch looks the same. The sharp, grinding pain is only on my left nipple, no where else. Nothing feels or looks off, except for the blinding pain that can linger even after she has stopped. The feeling of broken glass sandpaper being rubbed across my skin is the best way I can describe it.

I need help. Lot’s of it. And some prescription painkillers. But mostly, help.

Update -

I checked her mouth and myself for thrush, but couldn’t find any signs. Still, I was going to go to the store and pick up some gentian violet. Then I saw it…

A big blister-like thing popped up right on my nipple. When it came up the pain got even worse on that side. After a day it popped open, and now it is healing. It still hurts like mad, but not as bad as it did.

Thanks everyone for offering advice!