Milk it

D's a year old on Sunday...WHAT?!? Yeah, 12 months old. Yipes! Who can believe it?

And, I have made it through 12 months of breastfeeding. WHAT?!? Who can believe THAT? Especially coming from the girl that spent a day on my first week home with D in the lactation consultant's office bawling my eyes out...and the girl that had to pump and give an ounce after every feeding for my preemie for his first few months at home...and the girl that pounded Fenugreek...and the girl that lived and breathed by how things went with the breastfeeding group.
More significantly, it's the same girl who went back to work when her baby was 9 weeks old and had to pump at least twice a day at work during her full time job over an hour from home everyday in order to keep up with her baby's needs. That girl, ME, made it to 12 months.

I can't believe I made it to my ultimate goal. I figured I would have had to abandon it a long while ago. And now it turns out I'm not even done yet! I am slowing down though. I'm beginning the slow process of abandoning my pump. I will continue to breastfeed as I can from home at night, and in the night (because my child never sleeps). I will see how long it lasts.

D can now try cow's milk products, and he did just that yesterday. We introduced YoBaby organic baby yogurt...and he loved it.
YoBaby yogurt is made by Stonyfield Farm, the leading organic yogurt manufacturer, committed to healthy food, healthy people, and a healthy planet.

The next thing coming up is milk - Organic whole milk. I'm adding a LITTLE to each of D's bottles (need it anyways, as I can't keep up anymore). We'll see how it goes. I'm hoping that his eczema doesn't get worse and it turns out to have been a dairy intolerance. Maybe he'll love it.
He probably will.

Walked for Hope

The Walk for Hope that I was doing fundraising and posted earlier about was this past Saturday. It was amazing. The turn-out was truly inspiring, not just for our 'team' but in general.

According to the website - the total raised was more than $57,000! About $2,000 of that total was Team Andrea! Go team!
Thanks to my generous family, friends and co-workers - I raised $315.00, and we contributed for registration - so all in all I feel great about the efforts. Dain, D and I completed the 5K walk on a beautiful, yet chilly, day - and loved being a part of it.

Here are a few great photos from the event:

D, of course, asleep at registration and the opening ceremony:

Some members of our team walking the walk:

Team Andrea - post-walk:

My family:

D and his cousins Kellan & Dylan:

Thanks again to all who supported our efforts!

Make Lemonade

Not too long ago I posted about a charity that used bake sales to raise money for childhood cancers. Turns out you can have a bake sale OR a lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer.

After buying a box of Mike & Ike's (one of my FAV candies) the other day, I discovered another unique charity that is most definitely blog-worthy.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation first began in 2000, when a then 4-year-old cancer patient named Alex voiced a simple wish - she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help "her doctors" find a cure for all kids with cancer. The idea was put into action when Alex held her very first lemonade stand on her family’s front lawn in July of that same year. For the next four years, despite her deteriorating health, Alex held an annual lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer research. Alex raised a great deal of money through her annual stands, but in the early months of 2004, she set what to some seemed like an unreachable goal – Alex wanted to raised $1 million. Though her health was failing, Alex was determined to reach her goal, and when her parents asked how she would do it, she just said – “if people all around the country hold lemonade stands and send in their money, I think I can do it.” Alex was right, and during the weekend of her last lemonade stand in her neighborhood, thousands of volunteers of all ages from all corners of the country held lemonade stands, propelling Alex and her cause to reach $1 million. Shortly following, on August 1, 2004 Alex ultimately lost her life to childhood cancer, but her legacy of hope continues to live on through volunteers young and old.

This foundation is another inspiring organization - and it's easy to get involved by hosting a lemonade stand of your own - visiting one of their events - joining one of the walk/run benefits - visiting their online gift shop (guess where I'm getting my holiday cards this year?) - or even just donating online.

And the winner is....

Get ready for the cutest freakin crustacean in the US!

Pumpkin

We took D to the pumpkin patch - Sunny Acres - yesterday with Uncle Evan & Aunt Marcy. I love love love everything to do with Autumn and Halloween and pumpkins - so it was a great time!
Here's some highlights:

D on a massive hayrack full of pumpkins:

Uncle Evan loving the llama:

D's first fun slide & pony ride (against my better animal-rights judgement):

Growth chart "How Tall This Fall?" at Sunny Acres - yes I'm holding him steady:

The coveted pumpkin:

Dain's highlight? D discovered how to pick his nose - now it's happening daily:

Hunk

Who needs this?

When I have this?

Walk for Hope

A few weeks ago I sent out an e-mail to family/friends about sponsoring my little family and I in the "Walk for Hope" - - here's what I sent...see the link on the side for more info or for a direct link to my fundraising site:

On October 17th Dain, D and I will be participating in the Walk for Hope to benefit Mutual Ground - a shelter that provides free services to victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

Both Dain's family and my family have been affected by domestic abuse.
I am walking with "Team Andrea" a group formed in memory and honor of Dain's cousin who lost her life as a victim of domestic abuse.

Please see the site below where I'm starting my fundraising efforts which also includes further information on Mutual Ground. Any donations are tax deductible, and can be made on the website - or I can accept cash/check donations as well.

http://www.firstgiving.com/mariemeyer

Please do not feel obligated to donate - I also just wanted to spread the word about this great place that could possibly be a safe haven to someone you may know that may also be affected.