Multicultural or Mixed Race families - Page 3

[CA Country Girl]

Welcome Anya- You and your partner are both gorgeous, two lovely smiles, so it is a safe bet Nico will be too (I tend to object to the idea/comment that babies will be cute just because they are mixed; it kind of rubs me wrong). The name thing with different cultures is really interesting, isn't it?  I have a friend in the real world who is Brazilian and German and whose husband is Sri Lanka.  They have had to pick names that could be recognized by speakers of three very different languages.  Baby number 3 went like 6 weeks without a name as a result.  

Dakipode- Thank you!  We are blissed out around here.

[AnyaRose]

Thanks for the nice comments CA. (: I had a a bunch of reasons for Nicos name... haha. I even made a little video on the whole Naming matter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko6oJCDBIz4&feature=plcp

[gitanamama]

Thanks for starting this thread CAGirl--and congrats on your new little one! I periodically peep into the Multicultural Families thread hoping for some action, but it's usually very quiet over there. A proud multicultural family here--- DH is from Peru and I'm from the US with Scottish/German heritage. We have pretty diverse looks---I have bright red hair and DH has dreads down to the middle of his back. DS (age 2) is a great mix of both us---he has red highlights in his dark brown hair and the most gorgeous, glowing skin tone (but I'm probably a little biased :) We're currently TTC #2, and I'm super curious to see if our next child will look anything like his/her brother.

We haven't really struggled at all with issues related to our appearances (although one woman did come up to me and say, "Excuse me, are you sure they didn't give you the wrong baby at the hospital?" She was trying to be funny. I just looked puzzled and told her my son was born at home. I see so much of myself in my son that it didn't even occur to me that others wouldn't think he looks like me because his coloring is different.) But my DH and I have definitely had our share of culture clashes over the years---aside from just appearances, we come from very different backgrounds (nationality, language, socio-economic, etc.). I love that my son will grow up with two very distinct cultural backgrounds---I hope he feels proud and comfortable with each of them and finds a way to merge those aspects that may clash.  

[CA Country Girl]

Welcome Gitanamama.  I was disappointed about the lack of activity in Multicultural Families on the parenting board, so I am really glad this one seems to have legs.  We all have the right to be biased about our beautiful babies .  The wrong baby at the hospital comment is a weird attempt to be funny.  People actually think my 6 year old DD looks a lot like me until they see her dad and decide she looks exactly like him.  I guess it is all perspective.  Our new DD does not look much like her sister did as a newborn, so we really have no idea what she will look like when she gets a bit bigger.  It sure is going to be fun to find out though.  Everyone else.  Hope all is well with you and your families.

[Hijynx]

Hello all!  I am due in November with a boy :D

Originally Posted by Mama Monez 

This is an interesting thread and one that really relates to my family! I am multi-racial, my mother is white and my father is African-American and American Indian (Lenni Lenape)...

I feel like I'm looking into the future, Mama Monez - my husband and I fit your parents' description almost exactly (he's part of the Lenape tribe but I think it's the Nanticoke-Lenape?) :P very cool!

We haven't had any issues as a couple but I know it can be harder on kids.

My cousin (adopted from Korea) and her Irish husband just had a baby so it's going to be great getting the family together with all of our diversity :P

[stegenrae]

Welcome to the newcomers! I haven't participated much, but we did find out last week that we're having a GIRL! We already have two boys, so this will be very different. Luckily, my older dh has *hair*--it's long, and at the moment, it's in cornrows, but he also likes wearing it down, so I have some styling know-how. I can't get his cornrows tight enough to stay long at all, so  my MIL does them, but I used to do box braids and do it in about 5 rows of french braids when he was littler. (incidentally, he's also worn it shaved and in dreads, and everything in between!) BUT there's nothing like having a girl to bring on the white-mom-of-biracial-kid hair pressure, lol! At least cute ponytails/puffs will be more acceptable on a girl. :P

[Hijynx]

Rae, do you watch Grey's Anatomy? There's a hysterical scene/running joke in one episode (towards the end of last season) about multiracial families and hair :P Made me panic a bit as well - lucky I'm starting with a boy I suppose! :D less pressure!
 

[stegenrae]

No, I don't...I just get stares for letting my older son out of the house with his hair all disheveled. (Younger son has "white" hair w/ big curls...and he barely even looks biracial, so his hair can look CRAZY messy and I don't get "the look" lol.)

[Hijynx]

Haha I'll tell it then... The main character and her husband adopt a baby girl from - I think Africa? anyway, one day, he's carrying her around and keeps getting strange looks. eventually he goes off on someone, thinking they are judging him and his daughter because of their different races. Then a black nurse (a friend who can be blunt) yells and says that's not why they are looking, he needs to do her hair right (although she used a more colloquial phrase that I can't recall entirely :P like "get her hair did" or something). And then she teaches him how to do it. It was much funnier than I'm explaining though :D

[thesunthesun]

ooooh it's been 7 years since i've been on mothering!  i just found out i am pregnant for #2... i am 4 weeks along, holy crap!  i am polish/german (pale as can be with dark dark hair + gray) and the baby's father is native american and german (light brown skin, dark features).  so excited, still in shock! 

it's so early to even talk about, i know (heyyy family doesn't even know yet!), but what a trip to get to do this again after 7 years! 

xo

[MeAndVee]

I don't do hair.  If I ever have a girl she is out of luck.  Most Indian girls I see around here have short cuts so I guess lots of Indian mommas also dont do hair. 

DS started school today.  Bored.  After 5 years of doing everything together I feel lost and out of sorts.  Counting the days until new LO arrives and I'll have some company again!  LO is very quiet and still today.  Probably wondering where the loud noise went.    Only 3 more hours left.  I cant wait to hear about his exciting new experience.

[Kaydove]

Originally Posted by thesunthesun 

ooooh it's been 7 years since i've been on mothering!  i just found out i am pregnant for #2... i am 4 weeks along, holy crap!  i am polish/german (pale as can be with dark dark hair + gray) and the baby's father is native american and german (light brown skin, dark features).  so excited, still in shock! 

it's so early to even talk about, i know (heyyy family doesn't even know yet!), but what a trip to get to do this again after 7 years! 

xo

My husband is also Native American & German! Half and half. I'm Scandinavian, Scotch Irish, and Native (grandmother was some amount more than half, not sure). My DDs skin is darker than my non-tan skin tone. My DH looked like a blonde Indian boy growing up. I'm torn with how to approach her native culture growing up...DH isn't in much contact, besides for Facebook with some cousins and an aunt, with his native family. And we moved far away too.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[thesunthesun]

Kaydove, that's awesome!  And congrats on your daughter!

I am now 7 weeks along, sick as a dog, trying to be nice.  Ha.  I feel you on how to talk about and integrate culture into the life of my new little one next year.  My fella is from a small tribe out west, Paiute, and besides his mother there are no other Paiute's here in Grand Rapids, MI that we know of.  He always says that the local PowWow celebrations (mostly Little River Band and Anishinaabe)  have more white people than Natives these days, and feels like they are really watered down.  So I guess we will read a lot, talk about history (both the rich traditions and the unfortunate things like genocide, theft of land...) and celebrate as best as we know how.  His mother used to own a bead shop back in the day, and still does traditional beadwork, so I think that will be an amazing part of having a family member close-by! 

In the meantime, I am trying not to barf and worry about being an older mama (again).  Best to you all!

[CA Country Girl]

Don't we have a bunch of babies due around her now? Mamma Monez? Canadian Hippie? Elleemee? ILoveJeff? ZoeStarshine? Anya- your due at the beginning of September, right?  How about some baby announcements?

[AnyaRose]

Originally Posted by CA Country Girl 

Don't we have a bunch of babies due around her now? Mamma Monez? Canadian Hippie? Elleemee? ILoveJeff? ZoeStarshine? Anya- your due at the beginning of September, right?  How about some baby announcements?

I'm due in a month almost exactly (9/27). I'll definitely post some pictures as soon as I can though! I'm so pumped to see what Nico looks like... 

[Kaydove]

Originally Posted by thesunthesun 

Kaydove, that's awesome!  And congrats on your daughter!

I am now 7 weeks along, sick as a dog, trying to be nice.  Ha.  I feel you on how to talk about and integrate culture into the life of my new little one next year.  My fella is from a small tribe out west, Paiute, and besides his mother there are no other Paiute's here in Grand Rapids, MI that we know of.  He always says that the local PowWow celebrations (mostly Little River Band and Anishinaabe)  have more white people than Natives these days, and feels like they are really watered down.  So I guess we will read a lot, talk about history (both the rich traditions and the unfortunate things like genocide, theft of land...) and celebrate as best as we know how.  His mother used to own a bead shop back in the day, and still does traditional beadwork, so I think that will be an amazing part of having a family member close-by! 

In the meantime, I am trying not to barf and worry about being an older mama (again).  Best to you all!

I realised that a lot of early American history taught in schools glosses over the atrocities done to Native Americans (DH calls himself Indian so saying NA is weird but I think there might be some people from India on this thread and I don't want it be confusing). She might have a lot of quesyions when she first learns about pilgrims in Kindergarten. I don't imagine my DH will water down the history and very well could explain it all in graphic detail to a 5 year old :/. Oh well, I guess we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

There's been some debate between my DHs brother and him on what tribes they are. They're a quarter from two different tribes through grandparents marriage. I was all prepared to find stories from the one of them and make a children's book but now I feel like we don't even know. They grew up on the Klamath reservation and DH was told by his mom that's he's a quarter Klamath and a quarter Choctaw. BIL is saying that they're mom told him that they're Choctaw and Cherokee. So confusing especially since they grew up Klamath. They're mom passed away when they were teenagers. Grandparent have passed on as well.

I did find a children's chapter book on the Norse gods beliefs! DHs birth last name was Oden. I joked that's its her first Bible since we're Atheists and that's the most religion shes going to get.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[thesunthesun]

hey it's been awhile, but kaydove i wanted to say thanks for your postings here.  i had some complications for a few weeks and i didn't know how/if things would proceed, but... i'm now 14 weeks, the heartbeat is strong and my health is almost back to normal.  hot damn! 

i am looking into registering the baby with the oregan paiute tribe after the birth.  seems like a good idea, since the tribe doesn't appear to be all that big, and i like knowing that my child will have a mapped-out ancestral log, even though she or he won't know most of anyone on the list.  feels a little weird, like hey here's the white lady listing her kid who is 1/4 native, but i know for me i wish i knew more about my own heritage. 

names are tough though, wanting to have some connection to my fellas lineage, though he had next to no upbringing with his maternal family (besides his mother and brother).  the family name was shocktooth, but it's so heartbreaking that his mother and her siblings were sent to non-native boarding schools, adopted into white families and have had name changes (and years of abuse as children).  such a tough thing, as my fella and i want this child to have family connections and to learn about their history, but so much of it is full of devastation and disconnect that sometimes i feel like i am forcing something that is hard to make fit.

did any of that make sense?  oi.

[thesunthesun]

hey just jumping in again to see how everyone is doing and to stay connected!  i am at 20 weeks this week, booooom!  ;)
 

[stegenrae]

Congrats on getting halfway! I'm just past 36w here, and I swear I have seen more biracial (Af-Am + caucasian) girls in the past two weeks than ever in that span of time! For some reason, this thread doesn't seem to update me quite so well...or at least it didn't before the site update. Hopefully we can keep it bumped, too.

I wonder if it doesn't make more sense to form a "group" rather than just a thread here, but bringing it to newly pregnant mamas' awareness would still be necessary. Thoughts?

[AnyaRose]

Mommy: 1/2 English, 1/2 Italian

+

Daddy: 1/2 Chinese, 1/2 Polish

=

Baby boy Nico: 100% Adorable ^^