8 Reasons I still Breastfeed

The babe is just over a year old and we're still nursing along. I find with each of my children I have nursed longer and longer and when left to make their own decisions they have been happy to keep at it. I know the benefits and even pumped for surro baby. I would never look down on someone who has chosen to or been forced to formula feed, but this is what works for us and here's eight of the many reasons why.

8 - It forces me to sit down and take a break. No matter how crazy my day is I still get to sit down and put my feet up.
7 - It's convenient. I have what I need when I need it
6 - It's frugal. If I had to buy formula it would be a real kick to our budget.
5 - It's healthy for him. I know he's getting the nutrients and antibodies he needs. Even the AAP advocates for breasfeeding.
4 - I'm teaching my children it's acceptable and normal to nurse. One day they will be husbands and they will be able to support and encourage their wives.
3 - It's like an extra workout each day. I've always lost my baby weight easier when nursing.
2 - He has a secure bond. He knows he can play and explore, but when he comes for nursies I'll be there.
1 - He sometimes unlatches. looks up at me and says "mmm". He likes it and is happy.

Knitstant Graftification

Knitting is among my newer obsessions. I find the clicking of needles to be soothing and hugging skeins of wool just makes me smile. Unlike sewing it's a very portable craft. I can knit in the car when I'm not driving. I can knit while waiting for kids to be picked up from school. I can knit while catching up on Bones or reliving my favorite episodes of Supernatural. Knitting while nursing proves to be an adventure in contortionism, but the bean and I are adapting. I think I know what it would be like to own a cat and be a knitter. He likes to help and often forgets he's supposed to be eating and instead has his way with the yarn or instigates a tuggin war over the current work in progress. Some skill is required to pry my needles out of his little hands while preventing the stitches from slipping off. I know these days are short lived so we embrace the chaos of babydom.

Most projects take several days or weeks. I have a certain project that's been taunting me for months, but I vow to finish it soon, -ish. I've reached the point in my knitting evolution where I have multiple projects in the works. It's fun to cast on a new project. But sometimes the time involved begins to suck out the joy and like a junky you need a quick fix. It's nice to say "I finished." Wash cloths and baby sized hats make for great instant grafication projects, but this week I learned the joy of bulky yarn and large needles. I test knit a pattern for a friend in bukly yarn and size 11 needles. I've never used needles that big before, but in a matter of moments I had put a sizable dent in my project and in hours had a hat. It was like magic! I immediately cast on my next bulky project and my size 13 needles are smokin' away.

*Same hat on bigger child*