... or if you don't care to hear me talk about breastfeeding.  I don't talk about it very often anymore, but it has been a daily part of my life for about two-and-a-half years now.  Despite a very few challenges associated with breastfeeding, it is easily the single most rewarding part of motherhood for me to date.  In my heart of hearts, I have easily become a "lactivist" after nursing two children past their first year of life.  It is something I am passionate about, but I try to maintain some reserve on the topic because I am usually in the company of (a) men - who are not interested at best and squeamish at worst, or (b) mothers who formula feed - who are, of course, within their right, but just don't see things as I do (or, to be fair, face different constraints).  I try not to be judgmental... honest... because women are already so judgmental and harsh when it comes to the choices of other women.  We don't need more of that. 

But then I read things like this: http://www.motherchronicle.com/watchyourlanguage.html. 

And then this: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/11/04/helping-themselves-breastfeeding-advice-nestle-style/. 

And so many other extremely convincing things... ESPECIALLY this: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/05/14/the-scientific-benefits-of-breastfeeding/!!!!

And then I see ads like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-qX4EwocbI&feature=player_embedded (which translates to "Nothing like mom. Nothing like breastfeeding."... full translation at http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear.com/2009/09/nada-como-mama-nada-como-mamar.html) and I think we soooo need to change the way we think about boobs in this country!  I lugged these (enormous) boobs around my whole life and NEVER, until I used them to nourish and comfort a baby, did I love them.  For all the squeamishness I have encountered in the past few years about breastfeeding (and it really hasn't been that much because I live in a breastfeeding mecca), it has done more for my self-esteem and self-worth than I would have ever thought possible.

Back to your regularly scheduled program of cute kid pictures and videos.  Thanks for listening (unless you took my advice in the title).