SB 2013 - Phoenix - Day 3

"She is adorable!"

After another early rising of BOTH children, Susie & I took a quick & short 2 mile walk in her neighborhood on Saturday morning before we headed to PHX farmer's market - excited to see all of the yummy locally grown produce. : ) There were tons of booths with lots of great food offerings - fudge, brittle/toffee, pickles & jams, yogurt, produce of course, meat & eggs, breads, cheeses (goat & dairy) and a bunch of food trucks. It is a cool place.

"Midwives Rising"
Jacqueline has not been drinking as much soy milk from her sippy cup before and since our arrival in Phoenix. With the increase in temperature and more sun exposure, I've been breastfeeding her more. At the Farmers' Market, I see this booth for midwifery services and home birth options. Of course I'm curious. In the tent, there is a sign said breastfeeding lounge and changing station and also a rocker chair. There are a bunch of people in front of tent talking with a worker. I approach and ask about feeding Jacqueline; they immediately say yes and the woman sitting in rocker gets up (she's just sitting with her baby). Another family arrives with their 3 children, including a newborn who is HUGE! They also have a scale and the mother asks to weigh the baby. They uncover him (really just take the blanket off him), he looks even bigger, and put him on scale. He weighs 12 pounds. I asked dad about birth weight and he said baby weighed 7+ pounds ... so he's gained 5 LBS in 4 weeks. DANG! The original mom in chair returns to booth; we chat and discover they used to live in Nashville, near Portland Brew on Eastland in EAST Nashville. Crazy coincidence! I also ask the midwife about Arizona's nursing in public law and she says 2 years. Susie was right! That is crazy that AZ protects mothers & babies' rights to feed longer than TN.

"Girls' Night Out - Mom style!"
Weeks ago Susie had asked me about going out on Saturday evening to hear some cover band she & her friends like. While the girls were napping simultaneously (thank you!), she asks me about going. Susie said her friend texted her hours ago & she debated asking me as we all were so tired. She said something about 9pm ... what? That's my bedtime. : ) Then she mentioned something about Happy Hour before 7pm and her friend likes to get there early for a good table. After serious consideration, I said sure. Why not? I'm on vacation! I told Susie we'd have to leave when I got too tired plus I didn't bring any "clubbing" clothes. Seriously! I had khakis I wore on plane, a dress for church, otherwise shorts, t-shirts, flip flops. I cannot borrow jeans from Susie ... not yet (probably not ever again with these birthing hips!). I was wearing a skirt and sleeveless polo shirt with my flip flops. Oh well!

Right before 7pm Susie and I meet Carrie at a restaurant/bar called the Blue Martini, very hipster kind of place ... for a mature crowd. It felt like I was in Cougar-ville. Ironically I think we're some of the youngest people there, maybe no one younger than 35. I got a mango mojito - yum! We also ordered crab cakes, also yummy, spinach artichoke dip and a huge slice of chocolate cake - 50% off on the Happy Hour menu. Again I'm on vacation & someone else is watching my children. FUN! However, 1 drink is my limit, never been much of a drinker, but since being pregnant & breastfeeding for better part of last 5 years, I'm definitely less than skilled.
The music was OK, I knew some of the songs. The best part was the people watching. Lots of high heels, big hair, groupie clinging, inappropriate amount of visible cleavage, especially from the female servers. I joked that I could have just worn my nursing tank and fit right in!

Last observation relates to my solo visit to the bathroom right before we left.  First of all there was a bathroom attendant - it was kind of creepy, kind of stalker like as she followed me into the bathroom (she had been standing in back listening to music when no one is in bathroom). Of course I don't need assistance and I don't have any money for tip which I have no reason, but I feel slightly guilty.

As I washed my hands, I looked at the various items available for use ... hair spray, mouthwash, big toe clippers ... excuse me? WHAT?! Really! No. Seriously NOT! I'm trying imagine what that would look like. Who used them before me? Also where is the blue sterilizer liquid? I don't think so! : )