Cake and Milk

My friend Rachel made this cake using some of my gnomes:
It was so cute, I just had to share it with you! I am sure it was delicious too... mmm. cake. And now of course, the wheels in my head are turning with ideas for the girl's birthdays... which are oh, so, far away. *sigh* Maybe a half birthday would be fun! LOL. I always thought, because I have fall and winter babies (and yet another winter baby on the way) it would be neat to have a half-birthday party in June for everybody... and just do small family affairs on their real birthdays. Because we can never invite everybody to our tiny house that we would like Especially when the weather is cold!
I am currently weaning Isabel. I know there is a lot of controversy over wether or not it is healthy to nurse while pregnant, but I personally didn't feel like it was a good idea. I am not eating a normal diet, I am suffering the whims of cravings and severe adversions thanks to the whirlwind of hormones in my life right now. On top of that I was just so, entirely tired and very, very cranky. More so than with either of the girls. I seriously could have laid on the couch all day and it still wouldn't have been enough rest.

I am already gaining more energy, even though we have had a rough couple of nights (after two smooth nights). We just snuggle on the couch instead of nursing to sleep and I tell Isabel stories about our day, and things she loves. She is fine with this, and cuddles until she is in dreamland. It is really sweet. But the middle of the night nursing is a little less smooth. She wants to nurse, and I won't let her. She fusses a bit on the couch before she slowly falls asleep. It sounds fine... except when I try to move her, she wakes up and is generally not happy about it. I give her a snack and some milk to fill her up a bit... but no dice. Last night, around 5am I finally laid her in her crib... crying. She cried for 5 minutes and fell sound asleep until 8:00. That isn't really the solution I am looking for.... but I assume it will get easier in a couple of weeks... when she forgets about that mama's milk she so loves. Like I said, I am much happier, energetic and less cranky... making for a better mama for everyone. It will be worth it! And onto another milky subject... I want a goat. Really bad now. I wonder if it is just this irrational, pregnant lady, desire or if I really, absolutely must have a dairy goat. I am loving the all-white Saanen breed from Switzerland. We are now buying 3 gallons of milk a week. Half of that is raw (I would get more if I could). At $7 a gallon... that is $21 a week.... $84 a month... and that doesn't include the gas, running to get the half gallon of milk after running out. And it also doesn't include the butter, yogurt, cheese and sour cream we go through. I don't even want to think about all that.... but I do want to think about having a pretty white goat in our yard, mowing our lawn, trimming our brush and making us a lovely gallon of fresh milk every day!

But then there is the commitment. For 10 months every year I have to milk the goat every day. Every single day. We go on vacation to see family in Chicago. Who would watch and milk my goat? And I would need a dishwasher to sterilize all the jars and stuff.

But I really, really want one. Perhaps the hundreds of dollars I save per month would give us a little extra money for hiring a goat-sitter. People do that right? Hmm. well it is something to consider. I mean REALLY consider. Imagine all the cream... all the milk... all the savings!!! All the cheese!!!!! Need I say more?

So, that was a really random post for you to read today. Now I actually need to DO something with the rest of this lazy, overcast day! Happy Wednesday! We're half-way there!