Menstrual cup update

So, my menstrual cup arrived on day two of my period.

When the postman rang my doorbell  (Hello?! My kid is napping. You don’t have to ring the bell incessantly. I heard it the first time. I don’t live in a mansion.), my frustration turned to giddiness when I realized what was in the package.

After doing quite a bit of research, I settled on a cup manufactured by a Czech company that has a good reputation in the reusable menstrual products community.

Unfortunately, here in Canada there are only a few cups distributed through online resources or even in stores. I’m sure if I went scowereing the streets of downtown, I would of found a store that had an array of cups to choose from, but I don’t have time for that.

After finding out that Amaz.on.ca did not carry the cup I was looking for, Amaz.on.com had the cup but does not ship to Canada, and the manufacturer will ship to what seemed like anywhere but Canada, I turned to E.bay. Ahhh…

Not only did they have the cups and ship to Canada, they also had packages that had a combination of small and large cups, and two large cups made in the original firmness and soft.

I opted for the two large ones. After reading that some women fare better with a softer cup (the firmer cups can push against the bladder), it was more important for me to have both options available to me.

It was a no brainer for me to choose the larger cup. My cervix is high, even when I’m on my period. This was confirmed the first time I wore the cup. There’s a little stem on the bottom to help you retrieve the cup. Some women trim it if it hangs outside the body. When i put my cup in, that little sucker was gone!

After it was in, I forgot that it was even there. It was great!

I only dared to wear it at home and switched to my disposable products when I ventured out to work.

It is a bit finicky to put in, but I suspect it will get better with practice.

I didn’t really pay attention to whether my flow or cramping was any different, so I’ll be sure to pay more attention next time.

I think I’m going to give myself another cycle or two before I attempt to wear it to work. Emptying and rinsing out the cup can be challenging in a public washroom.

The last thing I need is to drop the darn thing in the toilet, or accidentally drop it on the floor or myself. Can you say crime scene?!

Anyway, I’ll keep you posted on how the next cycle goes. I have a feeling though that I’m never looking back on this one. Tam.pax, O.B. and all the other tampon manufacturers can kiss my butt! They are not getting any more of my money! Ha!

Reusable what?

Warning: If you are male, you may want to skip this post as it may be TMI.

So ya’ll know my disdain for my period; especially now that my childbearing years are behind me. It’s just a painful and expensive monthly reminder that I’m not having any more kids.

I’ve heard stories that once you have kids, your periods may be lighter, you may experience less cramping, and your menses may be shorter. In my case, LIES! ALL LIES! I’ve haven’t experienced any of this. Actually, quite the opposite!

My periods are actually heavier now than they were before kids. The cramping is about the same, and my menses is actually a day or two longer than before. As if six days wasn’t bad enough.

Sometime last year I recall reading a few articles on feminine hygiene products and the correlation between women’s periods and the chemicals that are used in the products. Similarly to when I made the decision to stop chemically straightening my hair, I had a lightbulb moment.

So I started looking into reusable menstrual products. At first I thought, no way! Too messy, too much to clean, etc. But, for a bit of peace of mind that I’m not slowly poisoning my nether regions, even if I’m not having any more kids, I’m going to give it a try.

I had no idea that there was such a huge RUMP (ReUsable Menstrual Products — isn’t that a neat acronym?) community out there. There are women that make their own reusable pads. And some of them are like works of art. So beautiful.

I’m not venturing down that road, yet. I decided to test the waters with a menstrual cup. I will test it out at home first before venturing to work with it on during my next cycle. There’s an art to putting in and removing these things and I want to make sure I have my technique down before I venture into public washrooms.

Do any of you moms out there use or have tried RUMPs and are willing to share your experience?

I’ll be sure to let you know how things go. I only ordered my cups a few days ago and is coming from Czechoslovakia, so I don’t anticipate that I’ll get them before the start of my next cycle which is due any day now.

God Moment – Blessings

So, a while back I ordered a sample pack of diapers and wipes from an online source. When you do so, they automatically sign you up for a subscription to receive the same products once a month.

However, you have the option of deferring your shipment a month or two at a time, maybe three.

I loved the products and the philosophy behind the company, but the products are quite cost prohibitive when you factor in the US to Canadian dollar exchange rate and shipping to Canada. So I never purchased any of their products beyond the sample.

Usually they send me an email to say that your shipment is about to be processed, which gives me time to go in and change the shipment date if I forgot.

Well, last week I received an email from UPS saying that my shipment is on the way.

Wait, what shipment?

I fire off a text to hubby to ask if he knows what the shipment could be. At first I thought it was the replacement phone that my cell provider promised my hubby a few months ago, but unless technology was reverting back to this:

…22 lbs seems a bit heavy for a phone.

The next day I received an email from the company saying that my shipment (with a list of what was being shipped) should arrive the next day.

When the parcel arrived on Friday I tried to get on the phone with customer service to find out how I could return it.

Money has been extremely tight since my husband child support payments increased and spending $112 on 150 diapers and four packs of 75 count wipes, no matter how eco/health friendly, would be irresponsible.

Unfortunately I was too late in calling, but I managed to get a hold of someone yesterday.

A lovely CRS told me that it would be no problem to return the shipment. Just leave it at the front door and they will arrange for a pick up. And the restocking fee would be waived.

Super! I was relieved, until she called back.

As my phone rang, all I could think was, she better not be calling to say I can’t return it.

And that’s basically what she said:

“I just realized that you’re in Canada. It would be really difficult to return the parcel. So you go ahead and keep the products and we’ll reverse the charge to your credit card.”

Thank you, God!

New chapter: Junior Kindergarten

Yes, I’m alive. I haven’t abandoned this blog. To be honest, I haven’t had the motivation to write anything. I’ve thought about it, but then I moved on to doing something else like knitting or reading.

By the way, I’m making this for Peanut for the fall:

Super cute, right?

So next Tuesday Peanut goes to junior kindergarten. I know, it seems too soon. Where did the time go?

I have such mixed emotions about her going to school. I’m excited for her to be heading into this stage of her life. And, I’m also a little scared knowing what some kids go through nowadays. Plus, it means my baby is growing up.

I’m going to be a mess next week.

I don’t know what shape my hubby will be in. As much as he complains about taking care of the kids and the challenges he encounters every day, he admitted that he’s going to miss her terribly and won’t know what to do with only one kid. He may be an even bigger mess than me. Stay tuned.

I debated whether to take one day off versus the whole week, but opted for the whole week. I could be wrong, but I think Peanut will transition well. She didn’t have any issues when I unexpectedly had to go into the hospital when I was pregnant with the Little Man and she was shuffled from my parents’ place to my aunt and uncle’s.

And she did brilliantly when she went to morning camp at our church last month. She’ll be fine.

I’m taking the time off moreso for my hubby and to help him get in a routine. He grossly underestimates how long it takes to get the kids ready sometimes. It’s one thing to show up to a play centre past the time you were aiming for, but it’s another to show up late for school.

And then there’s the Little Man. I don’t know how he’s going to be without Peanut being home during the day. I have these heartbreaking images of him running to her room to find her only to find her toys, an empty bed and no Peanut. As much as they torment each other, he loves her so much.

He could surprise me though. My kids do that a lot. Little Man was such a mummy’s boy (and still is) and I was worried what his temperament would be when I returned to work (which is almost a year ago). He was fine.

To bring me peace of mind about everything, I’m praying for my family and the educators at my daughter’s school. They have an incredibly tough and important job and I feel they could use the spiritual support (whether they are believers or not).

I’m an auntie (again)

My half sister has four children, so I’m already an aunt. However, since they live in the Caribbean, I’ve only met one of them and sadly I’m not super involved in their lives.

So when my husband’s half sister told us that she was expecting, I was hopeful that I could be a proper auntie. More importantly, my husband was hopeful that with his half-sister getting married and starting a family, they would grow closer as a family and he would get to be the awesome uncle I know he would be.

But alas, the child is almost two weeks old and we have yet to lay eyes on the child in person.

We tried to go visit them in the hospital since she had to have a c-section, but we were discouraged. OK,  I get it. A c-section is hard. I had two of them. I was up for visits, but everyone is different.

When we found out that they were released from the hospital, we tried to arrange for a visit. We were told that there’s not tons of space where they are living (they are renovating their house and staying with her husband’s grandmother), and weekends aren’t the greatest time for a visit; weekdays are better.

OK. “Are there any days that are absolutely out?” Radio silence.

I’m a little disappointed (although not surprised), so I can only imagine how my hubby feels. He feels that his family is never really there for him. His mom only contacts him when she needs or wants something, and it’s very rare that she would ask how the rest of us are doing when she does contact him.

His relationship with his older sister is better than it has been in the past. They don’t talk every week, but they make a point of checking in with each other.

The only time he hears from his half-sister is when she’s returning a call. Same with his dad.

The year we got married, I asked my hubby to humour me and not call his dad or invite himself to his house during the summer to see if he would get in touch. Nothing!

I believe we didn’t hear from him until hubby called to wish him a happy birthday and then again around Christmas.

I will always support and encourage my husband where his family is concerned, but the last thing I want to do with my “spare time” is waste it spending time with people who could care less about me and my family.

I think it speaks volumes that neither my hubby nor his older sister have been invited for a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner at their dad’s. N.E.V.E.R.

That’s crazy to me. Although my hubby and I have kids together, my step-daughter is part of our family (although we never see her anymore — that’s a whole other post) and will ALWAYS be invited to any family function hosted by anyone in my family.

I have to try to not hold any bitterness towards my in-laws, and I can’t compare them to my family, which is the bomb dot com!

My parents have blessed us in so many ways since we got married, and it makes my husband sad when he reflects on it and thinks about his own family. I tell him that they’ve done the best they could.

I don’t know if I buy that anymore.

A series of totally random thoughts

Dumb period! It just keeps coming back. It’s so annoying! Mind you, my cycle has gotten longer since having Peppy, but (TMI moment) my flow is crazy. It’s probably nothing,  but I’ll mention it to my GYN the next time I see him.

Peanut starts junior kindergarten in the fall. Where did the time go? How is she old enough to start school?! She’s still my baby! The past few months have been a bit challenging. Two for her was no problem. But three? Ha! Threenager is a totally accurate term. Oh, the attitude. And the meltdowns are sometimes epic.

I’ve been reading this book called The Five Love Languages of Children — I’ve also been reading the one for marriages — in hopes of zeroing in on what may help reduce the attitude and meltdowns. The basic premise is that we all have a dominant love language, and when our “love tank” is empty, things go off the rails. The author says that it’s difficult to pinpoint a child’s love language when they are under five years old, but I totally think that Peanut’s love language right now is quality time, and Peppy’s is physical touch.

For instance, I noticed that when we “rush” through Peanut’s bedtime routine, she tends to scream down the house before settling down; complaining about everything from not being able to sleep to wanting 15 more blankets on her bed, to wanting all of her stuffies moved from one spot to another, to wanting 50 more books in her bed. However, when we don’t rush, she’s all, “I love you too mummy/daddy; goodnight.” Lights out, door closed and not a peep comes out of that room until the morning.

I already know that my hubby’s dominant love language is also physical touch. I wonder if that would be the case for most men.

Mine is acts of service. It’s not that I need/desire to be waited on. But you want a way to my heart? Cook a meal without asking me what to cook. Do some laundry. Clean the house. That’ll get my heart racing. 😉

Peppy is growing up so fast. He turned 19 months last week. His vocabulary is exploding. He adores his big sis even though they work each others nerves sometimes. I’m a bit concerned how he’s going to be when she goes to full-day kindergarten. I probably shouldn’t worry since he did so well when I went back to work.

He’s also a big ham and so very affectionate. He gives the best little hugs ever. He always has a smile for the camera and whenever music is playing, he’s dancing. Even in the car. Often when my hubby goes to get him out of the crib in the morning when I’m at work, hubby is greeted with a smile, clapping and Peppy screaming, “Yeah, yeah, yeaaaaah!” He melts my heart and makes me laugh on a daily basis.

He’s also a serious mama’s boy, which is kind of understandable. During weekdays my kids see me for two and a half to three hours an evening, not including our five to 10 minute Skype sessions in the morning. On the weekends, he basically wants nothing to do with my husband. Like the other evening, I had a nasty migraine. Hubby offered to put both kids to bed and picked up Peppy to take him upstairs.

That child screamed blue murder until I came upstairs and was able to hug me. He was also super cranky though because he missed his nap.

So yeah, the kids are good, hubby is good and I’m good. 🙂

God Moment – Financial struggles

About a month ago we were really strapped for cash. Like so strapped I wasn’t sure how we were going to afford to buy groceries and pay for my transit pass to get to work.

It sucks being in that position.

That same week, my dad got back from his trip to Bar.bados for my aunt’s funeral. Him and my mom came over that weekend to bring stuff for the kids and to spend timw with them.

Not only did they bring a few groceries for us (they do this from time to time), but as I was hugging my dad, he slipped $100 into my hand.

😀

Crisis averted this week!

Guilty pleasures

I try to be careful with what I watch on tv. I try to stay away from gossipy type of shows, and stuff with too much swearing or violence.

But I have a guilty pleasure . . .

My.Big.Fat.Gypsy anything!

I wouldn’t say that I’m obsessed, but whenever it’s on, I can’t seem to look away or change the channel.

Their culture fascinates me and boggles my mind at the same time.

If I’m to believe even a bit of what is portrayed in these shows, I have an admiration for gypsies’ willingness to work hard to provide for their families, and although they may fight hard, they are very dedicated to family. They seem to be a very passionate set of people.

I may not agree with their belief that women HAVE to stay home, cook, clean and rear the children, and their opportunity to pursue an education is cut short to fulfill their wifely duties, but it seems that many women are happy to do so.

Not that being a stay-at-home mom is easy, but in some ways I think that doing so, living the lifestyle that these tv gypsies show us, would make our lives less complicated and stressful in not having to worry about juggling a career and family.

I think there is a lot of stress on women today to do it all, and a lot of guilt on our part when we seem to fall short.

What do you think?

Also, what are your guilty pleasures?
Confession time!

God Moment – who’s in charge of that?

Sometimes my God moments are little things, but it’s like God is whispering in my ear, “I got you!”

Part of my job includes updating several pages on our intranet site. I represent seven of 44 divisions.

Today I decided to login to the back end of our feedback form and tackle some of the inquiries that have been submitted.

I came across to two inquiries that had me a little puzzled as to how to respond to the inquirers.

As I tried to work out in my head who would be the best person I received an email from one of the women on the web team with whom I work fairly closely. We’ve known each other since I started with the company as an intern almost 12 years ago.

She’d been working on one of my client’s pages; updating and moving them from one directory to another.

I clicked on the link to the development site and started poking around the pages to check out the refreshed look.

Well, two clicks in, BAM! There was the answer to my question staring me in the face. I checked in with my client to verify some info and copy, paste and send. Inquiries closed.

God Moment – who’s in charge of that

Sometimes my God moments are little things, but it’s like God is whispering in my ear, “I got you!”

Part of my job includes updating several pages on our intranet site. I represent seven of 44 divisions.

Today I decided to login to the back end of our feedback form and tackle some of the inquiries that have been submitted.

I came across to two inquiries that had me a little puzzled as to how to respond to the inquirers.

As I tried to work out in my head who would be the best person I received an email from one of the women on the web team with whom I work fairly closely. We’ve known each other since I started with the company as an intern almost 12 years ago.

She’d been working on one of my client’s pages; updating and moving them from one directory to another.

I clicked on the link to the development site and started poking around the pages to check out the refreshed look.

Well, two clicks in, BAM! There was the answer to my question staring me in the face. I checked in with my client to verify some info and copy, paste and send. Inquiries closed.