Hi Netters,
I know it has been a long time since I have been on.  Maybe another month
and I can get active on lactnet again.  I had to share this "mothering"
scenario with you all.  I could relate to it all when my children were
babies  and hear it so frequently with the BF mothers I work with.

My husband came home today and saw me sitting on the couch, toddler on one
knee, and baby nursing on the opposite breast.  I was trying to turn the
pages of a book with the hand not attached to the infant, while listening
for the sound of the stove buzzer, which would indicate that tonight's
porkchops were at the stage between "well-done" and "the dog gets tonight's
entree."  My husband looked at me innocently, and asked, "So, did you do
anything today?" It's a good thing that most of my appendages were
otherwise engaged, as I was unable to jump up and throttle him to death.
This was probably for the best, as I assume that asking a stupid question
is not grounds for murder in this country.  Let me back up a bit, and
explain what led me to this point in my life.  I was not always bordering
on the brink of insanity.  On the contrary, a mere four years ago, I had a
good job, steady income, and a vehicle that could NOT seat a professional
sports team, and me, comfortably.  I watched television shows that were not
hosted by singing puppets. I went to bed later than nine o'clock at night. 
I preferred sex to sleeping in. I laughed at those people who drove halfway
across the country hauling a tent trailer, three screaming kids, a drooling
dog, and called it a holiday.  Now I have become one of them. What
happened? The stick turned blue.
I have traded in my Victoria's Secrets lingerie for cotton briefs and a
firm-support nursing bra.  Good-bye, Garth Brooks. Hello, Sharon, Lois and
Bram.
My idea of privacy is getting to use the bathroom without a two-year old
banging on the door, and the baby spinning the toilet paper roll from my
lap.  And I finally understand that the term "Stay At Home Mom" does not
refer to a parent who no longer works outside the house, but rather to one
who never seems to get out the front door. So here I sit children in hand,
wondering how to answer my beloved husband.  DID I DO ANYTHING TODAY!!
Well, I think I did, although not much seems to have gotten accomplished. 
I
shared breakfast in bed with a handsome young man.  Of course, the
breakfast
consisted of a bowl of porridge and leftover cookie crumbs found between
the sheets. The handsome young man is about thirty four inches tall and
only gets really excited at the sight of purple dinosaurs, toy trucks and
French fries. I got to take a relaxing stroll in the woods. Of course I was
on the lookout for frogs and lizards, and had to stop to smell the
dandelions along the way.  I successfully washed one load of laundry, moved
the load that was in the washer into the dryer, and the dryer load into the
basket.
The load that was in the basket is now spread out on the bed, awaiting my
bedtime decision to actually put the clothes away or merely move them to
the top of the dresser. I read two or three classics. Outloud. Of course,
Dickens or Shakespeare cannot take credit for these works, as we have moved
on to the works of Seuss and Munsch.  I don't think I will be making any
trips to the Adult Section of my local library anytime soon.
In between, I dusted, wiped, organized and rearranged.  I kissed away the
owies and washed away the tears. I scolded, praised, hugged and tested my
patience, all before noon.

DID I DO ANYTHING TODAY?
You betcha.

I now understand what people mean when they say that parenthood is the
hardest job they will ever have.  In my LBD (life before diapers) I was
able to teach young minds how to divide fractions and write complex
sentences,but I am unable of teaching a strong-willed two-year-old how to
use the toilet.  I was once able to navigate urban streets while talking on
the car phone and looking for a decent radio station, but now I can't get
the wheels on my stroller to all go in the same direction.  I've graduated
from university, written newspaper articles, and won awards, but I can't
figure out how to get carrot stains out of the carpet.  I used to debate
with my friends about politics, but now we discuss the merits of cloth
versus disposable.  And when did I stop talking in sentences that had more
than five words? So in response to my husband's inquiry, yes, I did do
something today.
In fact, I am one step closer to one of Life's greatest accomplishments.
No, I did not cure AIDS or forge World Peace, but I did hold a miracle in
my arms. Two, in fact.  My children are my great accomplishment, and the
opportunity to raise them in my greatest challenge. I don't know if my
children will grow up to  be great leaders or world-class brain surgeons.
Frankly, I don't care, as long as they grow up to be happy and fulfilled.
They are my greatest joys, even though I sometimes cry myself to sleep at
night in frustration.
The point is, that today I got to watch my children take another step on
the great journey of Life, and I even got to point out some of the sites
along the way.  As challenging as parenthood is, it is also equally
rewarding, because we are using all our wisdom, our talent and skills to
help forge a new person.  It is this person, these people, who in turn will
use their gifts to create our future. So every nursery rhyme I recite,
every swing I push, every little hand Ihold is Something.
And I did it today.
Have a good weekend everyone.  "Experience is not what happens to you, it
is what you do with what happens to you."  by Aldous Huxley

Pat Bull, RN, IBCLC
The Breastfeeding Connection/Medela, Inc.