It's just me

Starting breastfeeding is hard enough by itself, but having a household full of capable people who refuse to help with the mundane tasks of life makes it harder.  If someone is supposed to be helping you achieve the goal of making it past a few weeks of breastfeeding, because that is what had been decided by both of you, you'd think they would be more helpful with the other parts of keeping the household running.  Dishes are a great place to start.  Helping make sure there is food in the house for everyone, not just you, is another one.  Helping prepare food for the person breastfeeding would be another great place to put some effort in.  Making sure there are clean clothes for everyone is also very helpful.  I get so frustrated with the lack of help from the other capable adult in the house.  I should have seen this coming.  Hey I know you are working and that is great, but when I am responsible for everything else in the house while trying to d...

I feel like a failure each time I look at the clothes I have for the baby that won't fit for a long time.  I don't know what I did, if I did anything, that made him be so much smaller than expected.  The ultrasound at 35.5 weeks estimated him to be at 6 and 3/4 pounds, and I know that measurement can be off by up to a pound either way but I was not expecting a baby that weighed 7 lbs 8.6 oz at just over 40 weeks gestation.  I was expecting another close to 10 pounder.  I got clothes that would have fit his brother at birth and he swims in them.  I know he is healthy, has all his parts where they are supposed to be and is breastfeeding well.  I know I should be happy with that, but I just can't seem to get over the fact that he seems oh so tiny and it is somehow my fault.

I read a blog today about being treated rudely by customer service personnel because they are a female that has chosen to stay at home with their children.  This reminded me of how I get treated most times I go to an auto part store or junkyard to locate parts to fix a car. Since my mechanic father was lucky enough to be blessed with three daughters instead of sons, we all know the basics of car maintenance like tire rotations and oil changes. A couple of us were even ambitious enough to learn more involved car repairs like replacing the exhaust from the manifold back, and how to change brakes.  I have chosen to add more things to what I can do, just because I actually like the work, and still like learning about things. At the parts store I usually get the question of "Who is going to install this for you?", as if I am unable to install the parts myself.  Its even better when I have arrived covered in grease from the car with the part to be replaced in hand.  I...