So I had intended on giving away a few carriers during International Babywearing Week and I was thrilled to do my very first giveaway.

Then, the kidney stone showed up!

My stone baby was a whopping five centimeters and was stuck in a duct, making me feel like I was trying to push a REAL baby out of a vein. I would’ve gladly given birth to five real babies naturally if it meant that I’d never have to feel the pain that a kidney stone brings EVER AGAIN. I was in the hospital for one day, and they went in and actually surgically removed the stone because the surrounding tissue was so swollen and irritated, the doctor feared that if he busted it up, the pieces wouldn’t flush out. This all happened in one, 24-hour period, and the pain came on so suddenly, I was brought to my knees. I went to the walk-in, thinking it was a UTI (which I have a history of having), but a urinalysis was saying I didn’t. The doctor at the walk-in thought it sounded like a kidney stone, so he gave me some 800 mg ibuprofen and sent me on my way.

Two hours later, I was vomiting to the point of dry heaving, and we knew it was time to go to the ER.

Poor Ezra. See, Ezra has never had a bottle. Ever. So when Adam tried to give him one of my pumped milk, he pointed at it and laughed….then spit on it. Okay, not really, but he was not down at all. For my entire stay, my baby refused my milk in a bottle. I pumped at the hospital after my surgery, and as soon as I got home (late at night), I slid into bed and woke him up. He was upset upon waking, but when he realized mama was there (eyes still closed, by the way)? He nursed for what seemed like an hour straight. Baby boy just gulped and gulped like it was his last nursing session ever. My heart melted into a puddle, and it felt like the day he was born, all over again. After he was done, he couldn’t stop smiling. He’d look up at me and smile, then lay his head on my chest, over and over again. I found out later that he cried for the majority of the evening before I got home, and no one could really soothe him. That killed me, but it also made me realize how deeply we are bonded. I’m truly so attached to my babies, and even though it was rough for a day or so, I’d never change the way we parent. Attachment parenting makes our hearts joyful, and our babies happy, confident, and loving.

I didn’t put that sweet baby down for a week straight. Being away from my boys, and especially my nursing baby, physically made me even more sick than I already was. I couldn’t get back home fast enough once my surgery was over.

So the carrier giveaway is still going to happen, and I’m rounding up my giveaway loot now. I’m so sorry I’ve been gone for so long, but kidney babies are a real bitch to birth. I’m planning on blogging a lot more regularly, and a lot more honesty, so I hope you’ll stick with me. Come back tomorrow, I’ve got a great post lined up.

It’s International Babywearing Week! Yay!

Anyone that knows me is well aware of my love for babywearing. I always wear Ezra. Always. We have a BOB jogging stroller, which I’ve used a handful of times for walking, but Ezra prefers to be carried and I prefer to carry him! When he was a baby, I never left him in the infant seat and put him in the cart at the grocery store. Who would want to be in a hard, plastic bucket for hours at a time when they could be held close to their mother’s heart and warmth (not to mention her boobs)? I have two kids, and I honestly do not find it easier to lug around a huge car seat in lieu of wearing Ezra in my ring sling or wrap. To each his own, but that was just my logic. Plus, wearing your baby helps your breastfeeding relationship. Did you know that? Yep! Pretty cool, huh?

So this week, I’ll be doing a giveaway of A REALLY AWESOME CARRIER that you want to have in your babywearing arsenal. Trust me. Come back later for that.

I also wanted to tell you all about my wonderful friend Rebecca, the author of Mod N Natural. Rebecca is not only a cloth diapering guru, but she’s knowledgeable about all things attachment parenting and natural parenting. I value her opinion, heed her advice, and truly adore everything about her. Please go to her blog and read! Rebecca is also having a giveaway this week in celebration of International Babywearing Week, so go enter!