Attention, judgmental omnivores
No, not YOU, darling. You’re wonderful. I mean those OTHER omnivores. The ones who insist that a vegetarian mother can’t possibly nourish her baby on breastfeeding alone unless she gives up her herbivore ways and starts eating meat. Or at least starts eating fish. (Though fish is meat, and most certainly not a vegetarian food, thankyouverymuch.) THEY said the same thing during my pregnancy, and the kid was 8 lbs 6 oz at birth without even a morsel of anything that had had a mother passing my lips.
Well, I most certainly have not started eating meat. Vegetarian for nearly 18 years and I’m not going to change that now. And yet, in spite of my vegetarian ways, please do note that my child, one Thumper Dogs Steal Yarn, is seven weeks old today and has now (literally overnight) outgrown his 0 to 3 month clothes.
Does that count as thriving, or is it just freakish? I swear, this kid is huge. Wearing 3-month-size clothes at 7 weeks! I mean…seriously. It certainly explains why yesterday was one long breastfeeding session peppered with regular intervals of screaming (his) and desperate chocolate-eating (mine). He’s gotten very fussy and hungry with each growth spurt. I shoulda known. Today he’s still ravenous, but I’ve coaxed a good number of smiles out of him and he’s more content between feedings (Though still mostly wide awake all day. So much for getting any work done on that freelance job. Ah well. He’s asleep right now in my lap for the first nap of the day lasting more than ten minutes. It’s nearly 6 pm. This is the flip side to the fact that he sleeps through the night.)
Nothing soothes our fussy boy quite like a dance with Daddy. They were dancing to Al Green.
Clearly I need to rethink the size I’m going to knit for the little coat I’ve planned for him for this winter. Check it out. The Debbie Bliss Donkey Jacket. How cute will he be in this, assuming I actually do manage to find the time to knit it?
I want to use stash yarn whenever possible, so that probably means making this one out of Mission Falls 1824 wool. I don’t have any black or white Mission Falls, so the jacket will most likely be in two shades of oatmeal. I love the kid more than anything else on earth, but if he’s going to grow this fast then stash yarn of whatever color I have on hand will do just fine for his jacket. Especially since he may well outgrow it before it’s even finished. And every donkey I’ve ever met was tan, anyway.
That jacket is adorable! Kudos to you for your commitment to stash yarn.
Posted by: emily
If you’re making enough milk (and you are) then whatever you eat is fine.
And who ever tells you differently probably works for a formal company or something. Like women since the dawn of time (who ate what was available which was mostly not meat) didn’t make milk or anything. Sheesh.
I love the sweater-so so cute. If you need more Mission falls let me know, I have a bunch of odd balls floating around.
Posted by: Steph
Ah! Glad to hear you are not giving in to the omnivores out there. I am a vegetarian from birth. Everyone told my mom she should eat meat, but she didn’t and we didn’t and we still don’t. My brother and I were both totally healthy kids who grew to be totally healthy adults – 6’5″ and 5’11” respectively. Keep it up!
Posted by: alesha
I always stocked up on bigger clothes for my boys. You are SO right. One day it all fits and then the next NOTHING fits. I tried to have several outfits in bigger sizes (6, 12, 18 months) so each time I forgot , I was not stuck cramming the boys into too small clothes. And my hot, unsolicited, advice about babys: pick 3 people whose opinions you trust and want. To all the rest say:”Thank you very much!” I know, advice on advice= goofy. Thumper is BEAUTIFUL.
Posted by: KT
Don’t you grow weary of all the advice and judgemental attitudes? Sheesh. Good job nourishing an obviously beautiful baby. 😉
Posted by: Holly Jo
That jacket is adorable! Kudos to you for your commitment to stash yarn.
Posted by: emily
If you’re making enough milk (and you are) then whatever you eat is fine.
And who ever tells you differently probably works for a formal company or something. Like women since the dawn of time (who ate what was available which was mostly not meat) didn’t make milk or anything. Sheesh.
I love the sweater-so so cute. If you need more Mission falls let me know, I have a bunch of odd balls floating around.
Posted by: Steph
Ah! Glad to hear you are not giving in to the omnivores out there. I am a vegetarian from birth. Everyone told my mom she should eat meat, but she didn’t and we didn’t and we still don’t. My brother and I were both totally healthy kids who grew to be totally healthy adults – 6’5″ and 5’11” respectively. Keep it up!
Posted by: alesha
I always stocked up on bigger clothes for my boys. You are SO right. One day it all fits and then the next NOTHING fits. I tried to have several outfits in bigger sizes (6, 12, 18 months) so each time I forgot , I was not stuck cramming the boys into too small clothes. And my hot, unsolicited, advice about babys: pick 3 people whose opinions you trust and want. To all the rest say:”Thank you very much!” I know, advice on advice= goofy. Thumper is BEAUTIFUL.
Posted by: KT
Don’t you grow weary of all the advice and judgemental attitudes? Sheesh. Good job nourishing an obviously beautiful baby. 😉
Posted by: Holly Jo
He’s gorgeous!
I’m certainly not planning on eating meat when I have babies. And I’m not planning on feeding it to them either, although I don’t think I would stop them from eating it – what’s your line on that?
I may eat the odd bit of fish if I feel like it – very occasionally (like once a year) I find myself craving it and give in to the cravings.
Posted by: Sarah
You should definitely make that. The ears are priceless.
Posted by: claudia
Wow – they better tell the cows they should start eating meat! As an IBCLC, I usually cringe at the comparisons between nursing moms & cows but when the vegetarian topic comes up, I like to use that one….
Posted by: hornblower
I ate, and eat meat, and my daughter had a terrible time gaining weight at that age. So, meat doesn’t fix a weight gain problem, not that you have one. I breast fed until she was three, and now at five, she’s still small. She’s meant to be that way, it seems.
Posted by: cherylc
I’ve got an exceptionally healthy, 18.5 year old vegetarian-since-the-womb daughter to prove the raving omnivores wrong, if that helps your cause you can pull her out of a hat whenever you want to.
And Daddy & baby? I’m sorry, that’s the cutest picture yet. I’m a sucker for dads and babies.
Posted by: Cassie
I am currently pregnant and with these hormones, if ONE more person tries to tell me that my babies are not going to thrive because I’m a vegetarian, I’m gonna loose it! Thanks for being even more evidence to support the real truth. I eat more balanced and healthy than most omnivores I see and have more energy and strength.
Posted by: kristo
Not to burst your bubble about your baby being freakish (chuckle), but yeah, the 0-3 mos. clothes definitely don’t last any baby I’ve ever known, more than six weeks. Those sizes don’t mean much, except maybe in 1940 when mothers smoked to keep their babies small, ya know. It’ll be 12-mo. size when he’s 6 months old, for example, and 18-mos. when he’s 12 mos. Ish. It depends on the brand name a bit.
That argument is retarded, that you need meat to nurse a baby. Entire cultures don’t have meat. The British hardly had any meat for many years after WWII – it was still rationed until about 1970 or something. Etcetera.
I, however, reserve my right (now) to be a raving omnivore. But I’ll direct my raves inward, not outward. 😀
Posted by: Norma
So, if you take the omnivores logic, then Thumper is not thriving, and if you started eating meat, then he would thrive – and in so doing, grow, umm, so, how big would that make him!!!!
He aint called Thumper for nothing 😉
And that jacket – you HAVE to make it because that was made for those cheeky chop cheeks of his.
Posted by: Alison
He’s gorgeous!
I’m certainly not planning on eating meat when I have babies. And I’m not planning on feeding it to them either, although I don’t think I would stop them from eating it – what’s your line on that?
I may eat the odd bit of fish if I feel like it – very occasionally (like once a year) I find myself craving it and give in to the cravings.
Posted by: Sarah
You should definitely make that. The ears are priceless.
Posted by: claudia
Wow – they better tell the cows they should start eating meat! As an IBCLC, I usually cringe at the comparisons between nursing moms & cows but when the vegetarian topic comes up, I like to use that one….
Posted by: hornblower
I ate, and eat meat, and my daughter had a terrible time gaining weight at that age. So, meat doesn’t fix a weight gain problem, not that you have one. I breast fed until she was three, and now at five, she’s still small. She’s meant to be that way, it seems.
Posted by: cherylc
I’ve got an exceptionally healthy, 18.5 year old vegetarian-since-the-womb daughter to prove the raving omnivores wrong, if that helps your cause you can pull her out of a hat whenever you want to.
And Daddy & baby? I’m sorry, that’s the cutest picture yet. I’m a sucker for dads and babies.
Posted by: Cassie
I am currently pregnant and with these hormones, if ONE more person tries to tell me that my babies are not going to thrive because I’m a vegetarian, I’m gonna loose it! Thanks for being even more evidence to support the real truth. I eat more balanced and healthy than most omnivores I see and have more energy and strength.
Posted by: kristo
Not to burst your bubble about your baby being freakish (chuckle), but yeah, the 0-3 mos. clothes definitely don’t last any baby I’ve ever known, more than six weeks. Those sizes don’t mean much, except maybe in 1940 when mothers smoked to keep their babies small, ya know. It’ll be 12-mo. size when he’s 6 months old, for example, and 18-mos. when he’s 12 mos. Ish. It depends on the brand name a bit.
That argument is retarded, that you need meat to nurse a baby. Entire cultures don’t have meat. The British hardly had any meat for many years after WWII – it was still rationed until about 1970 or something. Etcetera.
I, however, reserve my right (now) to be a raving omnivore. But I’ll direct my raves inward, not outward. 😀
Posted by: Norma
So, if you take the omnivores logic, then Thumper is not thriving, and if you started eating meat, then he would thrive – and in so doing, grow, umm, so, how big would that make him!!!!
He aint called Thumper for nothing 😉
And that jacket – you HAVE to make it because that was made for those cheeky chop cheeks of his.
Posted by: Alison
Not freakish at all. It seems pretty common with kids I’ve taken care of to be wearing a size above where they “should be.” Thanks goodness adult clothes don’t come in ages or by weight or anything! And good for you for keeping with what you believe in. Goodness that donkey jacket is cute!
Posted by: Vicki
oh gosh! you’re the first person i’ve heard taking vegetarianism through pregnancy! how did you do it? do you have any resources on vegy-pregnancy? i’ve been following all of your natural parenting choice with much happiness, but i never realized you were a herbivore as well. anything you could share with us future vegy moms?
Posted by: michal
Oh, please DO knit that donkey jacket. It’s to bray for. Dances with Daddy were my cranky guy’s favorite thing, too, though he preferred The Kinks. Still does, at age 2. My pediatrician told us that the crankier the baby, the smarter s/he will turn out to be. Maybe just trying to assuage my frazzled new mom nerves, but it worked!
Posted by: JulieFrick
That’s one thing you can always count on as a mother — someone will tell you you’re doing everything wrong. Sounds like you’re getting used to tuning them out and just doing what feels right.
He looks so chubby and delicious!
Posted by: Frith
That jacket is so cute! I hope you do make it for Thumper.
The picture of Dad & Thumper is very sweet.
Posted by: Jaime
HE IS SO CUTE. And big. I’m veggie/veganish and not yet pregnant, but will definitely be veg through any pregnancy and nursing. Glad its working for you!!
Posted by: Mia
Tell your critics to chill. My mom’s parents raised 8 children as vegetarians. That generation is leaving us now…80+ years later…Remember that George Bernard Shaw’s doctors warned him that vegetarianism would kill him. When he was old and in good health, he was asked why he didn’t go show those same doctors what good vegetarianism had done him. He replied, “I would, but they all passed away years ago.”
Posted by: knitnana
Oh yes, please make the donkey jacket! It’s fabulous. Love the Daddy and Thumper pic. My wee feller was pretty much All About The Mummy when he was a cranky/fussy baby. And the nursing marathons during growth spurts and ‘naps? what are these naps of which you speak?’ attitude was there too.
Why anyone would choose to tell the mother of an obviously thriving baby she’s doing something wrong on the nursing side is beyond me. How rude.
Posted by: Rachel H
Not freakish at all. It seems pretty common with kids I’ve taken care of to be wearing a size above where they “should be.” Thanks goodness adult clothes don’t come in ages or by weight or anything! And good for you for keeping with what you believe in. Goodness that donkey jacket is cute!
Posted by: Vicki
oh gosh! you’re the first person i’ve heard taking vegetarianism through pregnancy! how did you do it? do you have any resources on vegy-pregnancy? i’ve been following all of your natural parenting choice with much happiness, but i never realized you were a herbivore as well. anything you could share with us future vegy moms?
Posted by: michal
Oh, please DO knit that donkey jacket. It’s to bray for. Dances with Daddy were my cranky guy’s favorite thing, too, though he preferred The Kinks. Still does, at age 2. My pediatrician told us that the crankier the baby, the smarter s/he will turn out to be. Maybe just trying to assuage my frazzled new mom nerves, but it worked!
Posted by: JulieFrick
That’s one thing you can always count on as a mother — someone will tell you you’re doing everything wrong. Sounds like you’re getting used to tuning them out and just doing what feels right.
He looks so chubby and delicious!
Posted by: Frith
That jacket is so cute! I hope you do make it for Thumper.
The picture of Dad & Thumper is very sweet.
Posted by: Jaime
HE IS SO CUTE. And big. I’m veggie/veganish and not yet pregnant, but will definitely be veg through any pregnancy and nursing. Glad its working for you!!
Posted by: Mia
Tell your critics to chill. My mom’s parents raised 8 children as vegetarians. That generation is leaving us now…80+ years later…Remember that George Bernard Shaw’s doctors warned him that vegetarianism would kill him. When he was old and in good health, he was asked why he didn’t go show those same doctors what good vegetarianism had done him. He replied, “I would, but they all passed away years ago.”
Posted by: knitnana
Oh yes, please make the donkey jacket! It’s fabulous. Love the Daddy and Thumper pic. My wee feller was pretty much All About The Mummy when he was a cranky/fussy baby. And the nursing marathons during growth spurts and ‘naps? what are these naps of which you speak?’ attitude was there too.
Why anyone would choose to tell the mother of an obviously thriving baby she’s doing something wrong on the nursing side is beyond me. How rude.
Posted by: Rachel H
Do people really email you and tell you what to do?? What idiocy!!! And nerve!!! That’s just absurd. And bizarre behavior on their part, I must add.
That coat will be really cute! They do grow amazingly fast. Mine were never in their proper month size clothing. Wow, he’s gorgeous. 🙂
Posted by: Patti
PSSH–“those people” are so ridiculously uninformed!! The crap that is in meat these days (besides the naturally occuring fat and cholesterol) is so scary. I enjoy meat now but I a. eat it infrequently b. buy organic when I can afford it and c. plan to be closer to vegetarian when I start spawning little ones. Geez.
Also–I laughed out loud TWICE at this entry. That baby is sleeping HARD. And Debbie Bliss jackets for babies are so funny. She has a whole menagerie.
Posted by: Cirilia
Thumper will look great in that donkey jacket! As far as the herbi/omnivore goes – PUH-LEEZE. Thumper is happy, healthy, and a friend to the animals; what more could a mother want?
Posted by: treehugger
Oh, please. If you had blogged “yesterday I had a hamburger- so delish!!” some wahoo would start yapping about the dangers of meat. Seriously, that kid is THRIVING. To heck with the finger waggers.
Thumper is looking cuter every day.
Posted by: Iris
Way to go! I’m also a vegetarian, have been for at least 15 years, and most certainly stayed that way through my pregnancy. My 22 pound nine-month-old is still breastfeeding and loves her veggies and tofu. She’s perfectly healthy and growing faster than I can keep up with! An added bonus that I attribute to my healthy eating habits – less than 10 months after giving birth and with no “dieting” or exercise other than walking to work, my body looks exactly the same as it did before I got pregnant.
And that picture is sooo cute. Ahhh, daddies and babies!
Posted by: Megan
If it’s not one thing it’s another with this motherhood thing. I’ve got whackjobs trying to tell me I need to give my fully breastfed 7 week old water as well because of the heat. If that’s not going to mess up my supply I don’t know what is!
Tell the whackos that it doesn’t matter what mum eats, her body makes the breastmilk that her little tacker needs.
Posted by: ginchy
Don’t listen to the whackos who don’t know the difference between a healthy vegetarian, breast-feeding mama and those parents who malnourished their baby trying to raise her on a vegan diet (not breast feeding).
Posted by: Annette
My cousin’s baby did that same thing – outgrew the clothes overnight. Crazy, eh?
Posted by: Steph VW
Do people really email you and tell you what to do?? What idiocy!!! And nerve!!! That’s just absurd. And bizarre behavior on their part, I must add.
That coat will be really cute! They do grow amazingly fast. Mine were never in their proper month size clothing. Wow, he’s gorgeous. 🙂
Posted by: Patti
PSSH–“those people” are so ridiculously uninformed!! The crap that is in meat these days (besides the naturally occuring fat and cholesterol) is so scary. I enjoy meat now but I a. eat it infrequently b. buy organic when I can afford it and c. plan to be closer to vegetarian when I start spawning little ones. Geez.
Also–I laughed out loud TWICE at this entry. That baby is sleeping HARD. And Debbie Bliss jackets for babies are so funny. She has a whole menagerie.
Posted by: Cirilia
Thumper will look great in that donkey jacket! As far as the herbi/omnivore goes – PUH-LEEZE. Thumper is happy, healthy, and a friend to the animals; what more could a mother want?
Posted by: treehugger
Oh, please. If you had blogged “yesterday I had a hamburger- so delish!!” some wahoo would start yapping about the dangers of meat. Seriously, that kid is THRIVING. To heck with the finger waggers.
Thumper is looking cuter every day.
Posted by: Iris
Way to go! I’m also a vegetarian, have been for at least 15 years, and most certainly stayed that way through my pregnancy. My 22 pound nine-month-old is still breastfeeding and loves her veggies and tofu. She’s perfectly healthy and growing faster than I can keep up with! An added bonus that I attribute to my healthy eating habits – less than 10 months after giving birth and with no “dieting” or exercise other than walking to work, my body looks exactly the same as it did before I got pregnant.
And that picture is sooo cute. Ahhh, daddies and babies!
Posted by: Megan
If it’s not one thing it’s another with this motherhood thing. I’ve got whackjobs trying to tell me I need to give my fully breastfed 7 week old water as well because of the heat. If that’s not going to mess up my supply I don’t know what is!
Tell the whackos that it doesn’t matter what mum eats, her body makes the breastmilk that her little tacker needs.
Posted by: ginchy
Don’t listen to the whackos who don’t know the difference between a healthy vegetarian, breast-feeding mama and those parents who malnourished their baby trying to raise her on a vegan diet (not breast feeding).
Posted by: Annette
My cousin’s baby did that same thing – outgrew the clothes overnight. Crazy, eh?
Posted by: Steph VW
Unscientific commentary: I also had heard that restless babies who nap very little or not at all, frustrating their mothers who can’t get a thing done, turn out smarter. My restless babies turned out smart enough although not way at the right hand end of the bell shaped curve uber smart, but two of their contemporaries slept soundly most of the day and at night, too. Their mothers were very proud as if they were doing something right that I was doing wrong. Both of those kids had trouble learning how to read. Any truth to this? Who knows? It could be so – the alert, wakeful baby is seeing, cogitating, connecting more than a sleeping baby and, at the very least, the notion that you are growing a smart baby can be comforting when said baby is keeping you hopping all day long.
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
I eat meat, breastfed and formula fed and my little tots are still tiny. (Norma, doll? Mine are still in 0-3 mos clothes, at 4 months). My understanding is that if they’re growing at a decent rate and pooping, ya shouldn’t worry too much. That’s my line and I’m stickin’ to it. 🙂
LOVE THE DONKEY JACKET.
Posted by: melanie
You are doing great, people need to keep their noses out of other’s business. My God the balls those people have. HUMPHHHHHHHHHHHHHh
Posted by: Betsy
Well it sounds like you are doing a fine job, so who cares what people say about being vegitarian? It is ridiculous that people would think that, much less say it out loud.
Posted by: Lauren
That argument makes me so damn mad every time I hear it…then there are the ones who say: “You’re not going to force your CHILDREN to be vegetarian too are you??!!” @#$%&!
Posted by: Paula
If i had a nickel for every time some well-meaning (but ill-mannered) person told me “you should” or “you shouldn’t” or “that baby needs” in relation to one of my kids, i could probably buy a new car.
He’s beautiful, and clearly doing wonderfully. I love, love, love that coat. He’ll be adorable in it (though frankly, i think he’d be adorably if he were covered in mud — and that will probably happen at some point).
Posted by: regina
You’ve done a great job and should be very proud of yourself. And don’t fret. Outgrowing the 0-3 months size at 7 weeks isn’t abnormal. Both my babies went straight to the 3-6 months size right from birth.
There is a much wider range of normal in children’s growth and sizes than the doctors and manufacturers would have you believe.
Posted by: LaurieM
Unscientific commentary: I also had heard that restless babies who nap very little or not at all, frustrating their mothers who can’t get a thing done, turn out smarter. My restless babies turned out smart enough although not way at the right hand end of the bell shaped curve uber smart, but two of their contemporaries slept soundly most of the day and at night, too. Their mothers were very proud as if they were doing something right that I was doing wrong. Both of those kids had trouble learning how to read. Any truth to this? Who knows? It could be so – the alert, wakeful baby is seeing, cogitating, connecting more than a sleeping baby and, at the very least, the notion that you are growing a smart baby can be comforting when said baby is keeping you hopping all day long.
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
I eat meat, breastfed and formula fed and my little tots are still tiny. (Norma, doll? Mine are still in 0-3 mos clothes, at 4 months). My understanding is that if they’re growing at a decent rate and pooping, ya shouldn’t worry too much. That’s my line and I’m stickin’ to it. 🙂
LOVE THE DONKEY JACKET.
Posted by: melanie
You are doing great, people need to keep their noses out of other’s business. My God the balls those people have. HUMPHHHHHHHHHHHHHh
Posted by: Betsy
Well it sounds like you are doing a fine job, so who cares what people say about being vegitarian? It is ridiculous that people would think that, much less say it out loud.
Posted by: Lauren
That argument makes me so damn mad every time I hear it…then there are the ones who say: “You’re not going to force your CHILDREN to be vegetarian too are you??!!” @#$%&!
Posted by: Paula
If i had a nickel for every time some well-meaning (but ill-mannered) person told me “you should” or “you shouldn’t” or “that baby needs” in relation to one of my kids, i could probably buy a new car.
He’s beautiful, and clearly doing wonderfully. I love, love, love that coat. He’ll be adorable in it (though frankly, i think he’d be adorably if he were covered in mud — and that will probably happen at some point).
Posted by: regina
You’ve done a great job and should be very proud of yourself. And don’t fret. Outgrowing the 0-3 months size at 7 weeks isn’t abnormal. Both my babies went straight to the 3-6 months size right from birth.
There is a much wider range of normal in children’s growth and sizes than the doctors and manufacturers would have you believe.
Posted by: LaurieM
I can’t wait to see him in the donkey jacket! I think the colors you’re talking about using will look even better than the ones in the photo.
You’re doing a wonderful job with your little one. He’s beautiful and healthy, and you should be proud.
Posted by: Susan
That picture of Billy and Thumper is amazing. And Al Green to boot. Damn.
Posted by: Michelle
Hey, if you’re getting enough protein, meat isn’t necessary! Sometimes people just give advice without actually knowing what they are talking about. Hey let me try…
Had the same trouble with growth spurts and short naps with my little monkey – they seemed to last two months straight. Now he’s six months old wearing 9 months clothing. One suggestion would be to cut out the caffeine, it won’t make him nap longer, but it may help with his fussiness! They make Caffeine free diet coke which isn’t too bad!
Posted by: jenn
I love that jacket, and also had plans to knit it for my monster. I have to say… even though mine definately out weighed your little guy (and every other person ever born), he still fits the 0-3months, although not for much longer. So there’s proof that a vegan diet is just as nourishing! I mean, come on… beans and nuts have just as much protein and you can get more calcium from a cup of broccoli than you can from an 8 oz glass of milk! Just keep on as you feel is right and tell the rest to shove off. Or my personal favorite, “if you want to tell me how to raise my baby then you can help me pay for him too”.
Posted by: Cambria W
THEY just don’t understand nutrition and which foods supply what. Many uneducated eaters out there. It’s hard to listen to some people’s comments, especially when you hear the same ones over and over. My dd is 11 week old with perfectly average weight but above average length. People see her and comment on how “tiny” she is- then she stretches out and they say “she’s so LONG!” Really makes me want to comment on THEIR physical attributes sometimes, but I bite my tongue 😉 My dd is the same way with sleeping through the night but not napping much during the day.
Posted by: Amy
I can’t wait to see him in the donkey jacket! I think the colors you’re talking about using will look even better than the ones in the photo.
You’re doing a wonderful job with your little one. He’s beautiful and healthy, and you should be proud.
Posted by: Susan
That picture of Billy and Thumper is amazing. And Al Green to boot. Damn.
Posted by: Michelle
Hey, if you’re getting enough protein, meat isn’t necessary! Sometimes people just give advice without actually knowing what they are talking about. Hey let me try…
Had the same trouble with growth spurts and short naps with my little monkey – they seemed to last two months straight. Now he’s six months old wearing 9 months clothing. One suggestion would be to cut out the caffeine, it won’t make him nap longer, but it may help with his fussiness! They make Caffeine free diet coke which isn’t too bad!
Posted by: jenn
I love that jacket, and also had plans to knit it for my monster. I have to say… even though mine definately out weighed your little guy (and every other person ever born), he still fits the 0-3months, although not for much longer. So there’s proof that a vegan diet is just as nourishing! I mean, come on… beans and nuts have just as much protein and you can get more calcium from a cup of broccoli than you can from an 8 oz glass of milk! Just keep on as you feel is right and tell the rest to shove off. Or my personal favorite, “if you want to tell me how to raise my baby then you can help me pay for him too”.
Posted by: Cambria W
THEY just don’t understand nutrition and which foods supply what. Many uneducated eaters out there. It’s hard to listen to some people’s comments, especially when you hear the same ones over and over. My dd is 11 week old with perfectly average weight but above average length. People see her and comment on how “tiny” she is- then she stretches out and they say “she’s so LONG!” Really makes me want to comment on THEIR physical attributes sometimes, but I bite my tongue 😉 My dd is the same way with sleeping through the night but not napping much during the day.
Posted by: Amy
Hmm.. my keen intuition is telling me that you are inundated with unsolicited opinions… pretty tricky of me to notice this theme in your posts, yes? 😉
Posted by: Mandy
You actually get more nutrition from non meat sources than meat. (Most people dont know that) Thumper is definately thriving!
Posted by: bluberri
That picture of Daddy and Thumper is precious!
Posted by: Stephanie
Um- would you like some Mission Falls in black? I have around 10 balls, unlabeled because the length of each ball is not standard (off by a meter or two). I only have white cotton MF1824, but that MIGHT work-but if you pay the shipping- it’s all yours-let me know (after all, his highness MUST have the correct colours!) This is all because my mother said no baby should wear black- so I made Annie a black and white scandinavian style sweater and hat!
Posted by: Deb
donkey jacket rocks! you totally have to make it, doesn’t matter the color!
Posted by: shoofly
Aw, Thumper and Billy are sweet. And so is that little jacket! Knit it big, baby.
Posted by: alison
I was planning on making that for Boogermonkey for Halloween, probably either in Naturespun worsted or something from knitpicks, because I’m cheap like that.
And for the record, Thumper is growing at about the same rate Boogermonkey did. At 8 months now, 9-12 month clothes fit pretty well, but 12-24 month socks are necessary, oy.
Posted by: jen
Once, while receiving a well meaning lecture about the dangers my persistent vegetarianism has placed my children in the way of, a married-in relative suggested that if I wanted to hurt myself, that was one thing, but urged me not to take children with me. I said “Oh, —– (name witheld to protect the stupid) just think about it. Buddhists are vegetarians and there are hundreds of millions of Buddhists all over the world and their children do just fine. History has proven vegetarianism. Don’t worry.”
She stared at me like I was dim as a ten watt light bulb and then said “Buddhists? Buddhists wouldn’t know anything about it. They don’t have children dear. They are monks.”
I still laugh sometimes.
Posted by: Stephanie
Hmm.. my keen intuition is telling me that you are inundated with unsolicited opinions… pretty tricky of me to notice this theme in your posts, yes? 😉
Posted by: Mandy
You actually get more nutrition from non meat sources than meat. (Most people dont know that) Thumper is definately thriving!
Posted by: bluberri
That picture of Daddy and Thumper is precious!
Posted by: Stephanie
Um- would you like some Mission Falls in black? I have around 10 balls, unlabeled because the length of each ball is not standard (off by a meter or two). I only have white cotton MF1824, but that MIGHT work-but if you pay the shipping- it’s all yours-let me know (after all, his highness MUST have the correct colours!) This is all because my mother said no baby should wear black- so I made Annie a black and white scandinavian style sweater and hat!
Posted by: Deb
donkey jacket rocks! you totally have to make it, doesn’t matter the color!
Posted by: shoofly
Aw, Thumper and Billy are sweet. And so is that little jacket! Knit it big, baby.
Posted by: alison
I was planning on making that for Boogermonkey for Halloween, probably either in Naturespun worsted or something from knitpicks, because I’m cheap like that.
And for the record, Thumper is growing at about the same rate Boogermonkey did. At 8 months now, 9-12 month clothes fit pretty well, but 12-24 month socks are necessary, oy.
Posted by: jen
Once, while receiving a well meaning lecture about the dangers my persistent vegetarianism has placed my children in the way of, a married-in relative suggested that if I wanted to hurt myself, that was one thing, but urged me not to take children with me. I said “Oh, —– (name witheld to protect the stupid) just think about it. Buddhists are vegetarians and there are hundreds of millions of Buddhists all over the world and their children do just fine. History has proven vegetarianism. Don’t worry.”
She stared at me like I was dim as a ten watt light bulb and then said “Buddhists? Buddhists wouldn’t know anything about it. They don’t have children dear. They are monks.”
I still laugh sometimes.
Posted by: Stephanie
heh I had to read the comments just to see what Stephanie (YH) had to say about this one (I knew this couldn’t go unanswered by her).
I’ve never seen a healthier baby. And Norma’s 100% correct about baby clothing sizes – take heed – he will NEVER fit into the size of clothes associated with his actual age. 🙂
Posted by: Laura
just stick with what’s working. I’m also a longtime vegetarian. Stuck with it through pregnancy and two (yes 2!) years of breast feeding. My 3 year old is right in the middle of the height/weight distrubtions, cheery, bright, and opinionated — in otherwords, she’s just perfect for a 3 year old.
When in doubt, listen to yourself & thumper. You’ll realize you need a change long before anyone else will. My sister was also a longtime veg. While pregnant with her first, she started having cravings for hamburgers. After several serious hamburger cravings, she sent her husband out to retrieve the best hamburgers in town. She ate it, and it tasted so good, she had them several nights in a row. And then she started feeling perkier than she had in months.
She needed the meat – but I didn’t. I never had a meat craving and felt good all the way through pregnancy. (Not so much after, but tough delivery and a baby that doesnt’ sleep will wear anyone down.) She’s not a better Mom than I am because she started eating meat and I’m not more morally “right” because I didn’t. We both did what worked for our bodies. Moral of the story is that people are individuals – and our bodies need different things.
Posted by: Jessie
If you and he are thriving and you are eating a balanced diet of real food and he is drinking breast milk – what could possibly be the problem?
The donkey jacket is too cute – I made a Debbie Bliss lamb suit for my little guy when he was born. I love her kid stuff.
Posted by: Ruth
Have you all heard about the people complaining about the breastfeeding baby on the cover of Babytalk magazine? And of course one of the headlines is “Why Women Don’t Nurse Longer”.
Posted by: AMPM
That is adorable and would be just as adorable in tan or beige or whatever you said your stash yarn was.
Posted by: Karen
I started making that sweater for my nephew whos 16 months. Yea, I never finished it. I got close. The outter layer is finished, but I never finished the hood or sleeves of the lining. But my sister in law is pregnant again so maybe I can finish it and this baby will be able to wear it.
Posted by: Arynn
Um, ‘scuze me!?! Can’t nourish a kid because you’re a vegetarian! What utter rubbish, hogwash, and BULLSHIT. Mothers milk naturally provides all the nourishment a child needs as long as the mother is feeding herself. What she is feeding herself is not as important. (Well, its important, but hopefully you know what I mean.) Who said that to you? Can I fire pea-pods at their head?
Posted by: PuppyMomma
heh I had to read the comments just to see what Stephanie (YH) had to say about this one (I knew this couldn’t go unanswered by her).
I’ve never seen a healthier baby. And Norma’s 100% correct about baby clothing sizes – take heed – he will NEVER fit into the size of clothes associated with his actual age. 🙂
Posted by: Laura
just stick with what’s working. I’m also a longtime vegetarian. Stuck with it through pregnancy and two (yes 2!) years of breast feeding. My 3 year old is right in the middle of the height/weight distrubtions, cheery, bright, and opinionated — in otherwords, she’s just perfect for a 3 year old.
When in doubt, listen to yourself & thumper. You’ll realize you need a change long before anyone else will. My sister was also a longtime veg. While pregnant with her first, she started having cravings for hamburgers. After several serious hamburger cravings, she sent her husband out to retrieve the best hamburgers in town. She ate it, and it tasted so good, she had them several nights in a row. And then she started feeling perkier than she had in months.
She needed the meat – but I didn’t. I never had a meat craving and felt good all the way through pregnancy. (Not so much after, but tough delivery and a baby that doesnt’ sleep will wear anyone down.) She’s not a better Mom than I am because she started eating meat and I’m not more morally “right” because I didn’t. We both did what worked for our bodies. Moral of the story is that people are individuals – and our bodies need different things.
Posted by: Jessie
If you and he are thriving and you are eating a balanced diet of real food and he is drinking breast milk – what could possibly be the problem?
The donkey jacket is too cute – I made a Debbie Bliss lamb suit for my little guy when he was born. I love her kid stuff.
Posted by: Ruth
Have you all heard about the people complaining about the breastfeeding baby on the cover of Babytalk magazine? And of course one of the headlines is “Why Women Don’t Nurse Longer”.
Posted by: AMPM
That is adorable and would be just as adorable in tan or beige or whatever you said your stash yarn was.
Posted by: Karen
I started making that sweater for my nephew whos 16 months. Yea, I never finished it. I got close. The outter layer is finished, but I never finished the hood or sleeves of the lining. But my sister in law is pregnant again so maybe I can finish it and this baby will be able to wear it.
Posted by: Arynn
Um, ‘scuze me!?! Can’t nourish a kid because you’re a vegetarian! What utter rubbish, hogwash, and BULLSHIT. Mothers milk naturally provides all the nourishment a child needs as long as the mother is feeding herself. What she is feeding herself is not as important. (Well, its important, but hopefully you know what I mean.) Who said that to you? Can I fire pea-pods at their head?
Posted by: PuppyMomma
Thump-AIR!!!! My Man!!! He is such a cutey.
Maybe make that Donkey Jacket from somethin’ Extra Chunky!
Cute, cute, cute.
Posted by: Pippy
Everyone has an opiniion but that doesn’t mean they get to give it, huh? This is just the beginning of ignoring that which does not work for you and doing what does work. I remember those pre-growth spurt eating frenzies — sure gets the milk production up. My son (and many of my friends’ babies)always wore his age times 2 — ie, when he was 3 months, he wore 6 month size. So I always use that as a rule of thumb when buying baby clothes.
Posted by: Donna in Virginia
Hey, I’m a lurker to your blog.
I mentioned your post to my mom tonight and she told me that she was a vegetarian all through pregnancy with me! Funny thing is, I grew at the rate your little one did, lifted my head/rolled over right after birth too. Maybe there’s something that animal hormones in meat suppress in child growth that you and my mom were onto!
Your baby is gorgeous, I just wanted to say hi 🙂
Posted by: Laura
My mom was vegetarian her whole life (being a devout Hindu), and my sister and I don’t lack for either brains or brawn (sigh). So more power to you girl.
Oh yeah, have these naysayers heard of India? Population 1 billion, large portion of said billion vegetarian? Doing just fine in the reproductive department, needless to say.
Posted by: Deepa
The sizes in that particular pattern run HUGE!!!! I made one for Tino oatmeal w/contrasting orange and I modified the pockets so it could be completely reversible and oh yeah, no donky ears and it is HUGE!!!! I made the largest size and he is a pretty big boy (like 36″ and 34lbs)and I swear it’ll fit him when he’s 4 (he’ll turn 2 years old next month). But it is a super cute jacket!
Posted by: Mery
All the baby clothing companies should just agree once and for all to include poundage and inches rather than months. babies vary so much! my little vegetable (my veggie mother also raised me veggie and so on and so forth) just grew into her 3 month clothes at 3 months and she’s neither notably big nor small. In fact, today she is wearing at outfit that declares “up to 7 lbs”. Well, she’s at least 12. Maybe my call to action is moot too.
Posted by: kaitlyn
When my mother and I praised my husband for having “the touch” which put our first baby to sleep, he kept rocking but said “And I know what that gets me…” All hail human dads.
Posted by: rams
Lucky, lucky you to be able to remain a vegetarian throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding!
I had a vegetable garden the summer that I became pregnant with our first child. When the garden had grown enough early in the summer, I made the first, huge salad of baby greens, snap peas, and the first baby carrot thinnings and then sat down and ate it with such satisfaction at the idea of feeding myself, and thus our baby-to-be, with fresh-from-the-garden, home grown, organic food…and then promptly threw it all up. Along with that salad, I also threw my vegetarian diet of 10-15 years out the window. I was only able to stomach meat, cheese, eggs, and bread for the entire 9 months, hiding only a thin slice of tomato or a single piece of lettuce in a sandwich packed full of bacon, of all things! My body craved protein all the time, although a good-sized bean and rice burrito did the trick some of the time.
A friend of mine who eats vegetarian only and who’s third and smallest child was over 9 lbs at birth also gave birth to her second son who weighed in at a whopping 12 lb, 11 ozs! Yes, you read it right, AND it was a drug-free, home birth, by the way, AND she made it look easy, AND after being convinced by others that she didn’t have enough of her own milk she bottle-fed her first, she then breastfed her second child for over 2 years, and is currently breastfeeding her 16 month old.
By the way, our 8 lb, 4 oz and 8 lb, 8 oz babies were into 3 month old clothes before 2 months, too, and also, at that same age, our first son was nursing 45 minutes out of EVERY waking hour and the other 15 minutes he was either sleeping or in the arms of his father who was waiting patiently by for those few moments to hold him and then handing him back to me for more when he was screaming for it after the 15 minutes was up.
Sorry so long of a post. What you wrote just brought back many memories.
Enjoy that wee one. He’s beautiful.
Posted by: Siri
Thump-AIR!!!! My Man!!! He is such a cutey.
Maybe make that Donkey Jacket from somethin’ Extra Chunky!
Cute, cute, cute.
Posted by: Pippy
Everyone has an opiniion but that doesn’t mean they get to give it, huh? This is just the beginning of ignoring that which does not work for you and doing what does work. I remember those pre-growth spurt eating frenzies — sure gets the milk production up. My son (and many of my friends’ babies)always wore his age times 2 — ie, when he was 3 months, he wore 6 month size. So I always use that as a rule of thumb when buying baby clothes.
Posted by: Donna in Virginia
Hey, I’m a lurker to your blog.
I mentioned your post to my mom tonight and she told me that she was a vegetarian all through pregnancy with me! Funny thing is, I grew at the rate your little one did, lifted my head/rolled over right after birth too. Maybe there’s something that animal hormones in meat suppress in child growth that you and my mom were onto!
Your baby is gorgeous, I just wanted to say hi 🙂
Posted by: Laura
My mom was vegetarian her whole life (being a devout Hindu), and my sister and I don’t lack for either brains or brawn (sigh). So more power to you girl.
Oh yeah, have these naysayers heard of India? Population 1 billion, large portion of said billion vegetarian? Doing just fine in the reproductive department, needless to say.
Posted by: Deepa
The sizes in that particular pattern run HUGE!!!! I made one for Tino oatmeal w/contrasting orange and I modified the pockets so it could be completely reversible and oh yeah, no donky ears and it is HUGE!!!! I made the largest size and he is a pretty big boy (like 36″ and 34lbs)and I swear it’ll fit him when he’s 4 (he’ll turn 2 years old next month). But it is a super cute jacket!
Posted by: Mery
All the baby clothing companies should just agree once and for all to include poundage and inches rather than months. babies vary so much! my little vegetable (my veggie mother also raised me veggie and so on and so forth) just grew into her 3 month clothes at 3 months and she’s neither notably big nor small. In fact, today she is wearing at outfit that declares “up to 7 lbs”. Well, she’s at least 12. Maybe my call to action is moot too.
Posted by: kaitlyn
When my mother and I praised my husband for having “the touch” which put our first baby to sleep, he kept rocking but said “And I know what that gets me…” All hail human dads.
Posted by: rams
Lucky, lucky you to be able to remain a vegetarian throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding!
I had a vegetable garden the summer that I became pregnant with our first child. When the garden had grown enough early in the summer, I made the first, huge salad of baby greens, snap peas, and the first baby carrot thinnings and then sat down and ate it with such satisfaction at the idea of feeding myself, and thus our baby-to-be, with fresh-from-the-garden, home grown, organic food…and then promptly threw it all up. Along with that salad, I also threw my vegetarian diet of 10-15 years out the window. I was only able to stomach meat, cheese, eggs, and bread for the entire 9 months, hiding only a thin slice of tomato or a single piece of lettuce in a sandwich packed full of bacon, of all things! My body craved protein all the time, although a good-sized bean and rice burrito did the trick some of the time.
A friend of mine who eats vegetarian only and who’s third and smallest child was over 9 lbs at birth also gave birth to her second son who weighed in at a whopping 12 lb, 11 ozs! Yes, you read it right, AND it was a drug-free, home birth, by the way, AND she made it look easy, AND after being convinced by others that she didn’t have enough of her own milk she bottle-fed her first, she then breastfed her second child for over 2 years, and is currently breastfeeding her 16 month old.
By the way, our 8 lb, 4 oz and 8 lb, 8 oz babies were into 3 month old clothes before 2 months, too, and also, at that same age, our first son was nursing 45 minutes out of EVERY waking hour and the other 15 minutes he was either sleeping or in the arms of his father who was waiting patiently by for those few moments to hold him and then handing him back to me for more when he was screaming for it after the 15 minutes was up.
Sorry so long of a post. What you wrote just brought back many memories.
Enjoy that wee one. He’s beautiful.
Posted by: Siri
Hey, I was a veggie mom too (and still am, with a very healthy, athletic and energetic 7 year old). And yours is adorable!
Posted by: alliesw
Can’t wait to see Thumper in that jacket! Too cute.
Posted by: The Purloined Letter
Hey, I was a veggie mom too (and still am, with a very healthy, athletic and energetic 7 year old). And yours is adorable!
Posted by: alliesw
Can’t wait to see Thumper in that jacket! Too cute.
Posted by: The Purloined Letter