Smiling Through the Rain

My sweet little baby boy is one today.  He has been such an amazing blessing in our lives and I adore him so much.  I love his sweet, laid-back personality.  He lets us drag him around all over the place to do the things that his opinionated big sister likes to do and he even seems to enjoy it. He has the most beautiful smile I've ever seen and his laugh could melt your heart.  I am so glad that I put my tremendous fear of having two kids aside because he truly completed our family. Happy birthday, little man.  I hope all of your dreams and wishes come true.

Why is it that it annoys me SO much when people (always women) tell me that my kids look like their dad???  I obviously think he's attractive and chose to have kids with him.  But it grates on my nerves every time I hear it. Maybe it's that I don't agree.  Sure they both have resemblance to us but even our own parents don't think the kids are spitting images of either of us.  Aaron and I agree that they are a perfect combination of us. Maybe it's that it takes me out of the equation.  As if I didn't carry these little people around in my uterus for 9 months and squeeze them out of a tiny opening and nurse them for a long time, often overnight, and completely become sleep deprived in caring for them.  Only seems fair that they would resemble me a little.  Right? And I know it doesn't matter.  They are beautiful kids and are perfect.  Somehow it just makes me crazy when people are so determined that they look just like daddy.   

These two children have been impressing me lately.  I feel like each is changing and growing so much right now as they are both creeping up on birthdays.  He is playing with Paisley more on his own and becoming increasingly mobile every day. I still think he may be a late walker but he can cruise well now and crawls FAST.   Paisley's language development is astonishing.  I swear every morning I feel taken aback by how adult-like she sounds.  It's so much fun having conversation with her now and she is a funny little person.  I adore this child. Watching the two of them play together has been the most rewarding part of parenting so far.  Last night she was doing a "check-up" on him and he was laughing hysterically.  One of those memories that I wanted so badly to capture on video but couldn't risk ruining the moment. Like when Graham stretches his head around while I'm holding him to smile sweetly at my face.  Or when Paisley wraps her tiny ar...

Operation "Please-Stop-Nursing-For-The-Love-Of-My-Sanity" is looking to be a failed mission.  I am ready to be done with this phase and Graham needs to agree with me. We are so lucky that we had two great breastfeeders.  Paisley gradually transitioned to the sippy cup and whole milk by 9 months though while Graham is 11 months old now and still wants to nurse every 2-3 hours even if he is eating solids well. He hates ALL sippy cups.  It doesn't matter to him if they have handles or straws or cute patterns or awesome shapes.  They all suck compared to mom' bottles.  And he's never taken a bottle. But as much as I've enjoyed the sweet, quiet nursing time with both babies, I need to reclaim my body.  I want to get back on regular birth control and feel like I have energy again.  I want to drink three glasses of wine without worrying about it.   And I want to leave my house without fear that he is going to lose his marbles without being able to nurse....