Evidently there is something magical about 12 months where everyone assumes you will stop nursing.  When we got into this I was committed to six months. After I got past the first month, I committed to 12 months mainly because it had been such a hassle to get there.  At nine months we almost stopped when she was cutting 4 teeth at once. 

Now here we are at 13 months and neither of us is interested in stopping.  And yet, I’m getting tired of people asking when we will.  The answer is, I don’t know.  At some point either LJ or myself won’t be enjoying it anymore and so we will stop.  I do not totally subscribe to child led weaning because I admit that occassionally I will see a mom and tot nursing and feel weird about it (the kindergardener?) But really who am I to judge if it works for them.  

This week she named it…  she calls it nummies.  She comes over and signs more and then says nummies.  Seriously.  She also responds to “wait” if I am busy or don’t want to nurse in public.  After we are done she sighs very hard and then gives me a kiss on my hand or cheek.  

I love the increase in communication it just reminds me that there are reasons why the two of us are still nursing.  I know it doesn’t work for everyone – but LJ and I are doing just fine.

Happy Halloween. The good news, the kiddo enjoyed herself. The bad news, the wife has had the swine since Thursday and couldn’t go. I took an insane number of pictures of our butterfly. Here are my favorites.

first party...loved the candle...not so much on the cupcake...

It’s finally chilly! This weekend we went to the Shenandoah valley to visit some college friends. We visited wineries and then an orchard and pumpkin patch. It was like autumn heaven.

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I’ve been cheating on my blog with Twitter and facebook. Actually I’ve been working with Twitter and facebook. I am teaching a class for nonprofit professionals on social media and I’ve been using both a lot to get ready. That’s actually the reason for less blogging too. This is a new 10 hour class and i’m having to start from scratch in creating the curriculum. So visit my blog where my Twitter feed is and follow me so we can chat there.

Oh, here are some pictures. Back to my four part time jobs. Part sahm, part school job, part household manager, part small business owner.

very excited about the pumpkins.

The babe, she walks.  How exactly this happened I do not know.  1 week before she turns 1(holy cow) she walks.  It was a teeter tooter 4 steps into my arms and then back into her mom’s arms.  I prayed for a slow walker but the sheer joy on her face from having accomplished this was worth it.  

I’m currently working on her birthday presents.  We decided we would only buy her one present but that she could get as many handmade gifts as we could make.  So I made her a felt birthday crown (see soule mama blog, too lazy to link), an owl pillow, a lovey blanket, and I am currently working on a doll.  Amber is making her a rocking horse…

 1……good lord. 

mouth full – oh, but the curls!

Six years ago today I showed up at a friends house for brunch postively smitten with the girl I had met at their house the night before. Little did I know they invited her to brunch too. Hours later, after a long walk in a park and dinner I ran to meet my bff and tell her about this girl.

How could I have known then that she would be the mother of my child and my wife of almost three years. And yet, I knew it was something.

I would be lying if I told you that LJ neve cries. So I thought I would show you a sad picture.

Throughtout pregnancy we slowly became crunchier and crunchier. Things I thought we wouldn’t do just seem so natural so now almost a year in we are working to guide friends and family when they are thinking of gift giving. Today I sent out her birthday gathering email and included links to some great natural toy stores. The reason? Granny, who Is generous and loving and basically the perfect grandmother asked what kind of computerized game she should get lj for her birthday. Ugh.

So yeah, we are those people who don’t let her watch tv, and prefer wooden toys over plastic ones. And I’m typing this while nursing. Who knew.

So great ivp- what kind of birthday traditions have you started? We are looking for things that are not food or present related. Our current consideration is a birthday ring. Other ideas?

Beach vacation is going well. Not too disturbed by bill. Lj continues to love the sand and the water and her pool. I love her new black bikini.

Very close friend is jumping on the TTC train this morning with their first IUI. She has been temping for a few months and waiting for August… and here it is.  Yesterday I got a txt from her that tomorrow is the day.   So, sometime around this moment the two of them are embarking on the crazy journey.  Im holding my breath…and doing an egg drop dance… 

I toured her around the IVP yesterday and showed her some of the people I’m cheering for and some of the babies.  I showed her the vocabulary list on someone’s blog.  I’m so excited and nervous for them.  I hope like hell that it works quickly and so much want to honor their own journey and not influence them too much.  So, BFF if you do find this blog know that I am rooting for you and your eggs.

When LJ wants to play we have started to do something we call the toy-splosion.  We tip over her toy box and spill them everywhere..  Its a fun little game.  We also clean up the toys together before we leave the room…  as together as you can at almost 11 months.  

But LJ herself has become a baby-splosion.  Her learning is moving so fast we can barely keep up.  Yesterday she started dancing…  currently she prefers the beatles, regina spektor, and our friend Kim  (video below) .

She also learned a new word yesterday – off.  When you turn out the lights she says off.  Add that to yum, up, baby, uh-oh, and bye-bye.  Thats six real words..  geeze kid…

It is hott here today. 100 is the high so lj and I are camped out in the basement/playroom. I figured it would be a good day to strip diapers because the laundry is down here too. 5 washes later and the diapers are out on the line. Hanging them up reminded me of helping my grandmother hang out her laundry. She didn’t have a dryer (by choice).

I begged for a clothesline for a long time and finally found a retractable one a few weeks ago. Hanging out clothes and towels and rugs has become something I really enjoy. It’s funny to think of the progress in conveniences like dryers disposables and baby food that we are abandoning in favor of other things. I don’t judge what other families do, but for us – at this time – it’s working.