A few more Maggie B-day pics

Nora attends her first B-day party

Last week Nora Lee attended her first B-day party. Maggie turned a year old and apparently tried cake for the first time and then proceeded to vomit it up. That's what I heard at least. Matt and Nora went on their own while I had some much needed alone time.

Matt said everyone got a kick out of seeing all the kids together - most of them going every which way and Nora Lee sitting with both of her little hands held up like the dainty thing she is!

What I Did This Summer by Nora Lee Young

Lots has changed since my last post. First let me tell you the most exciting thing...Nora Lee slept for nine straight hours last night!! When I awoke to find I hadn't been awakened for a feeding in that long I thought my boobs would explode. Apparently many kids sleep this long much earlier but I just recently got serious about giving Nora Lee some food and this seems to keep her more full during the day and evening.

Let me back up a bit.

A few weeks ago Matt's stepfather turned 70 and took all 20 family members to Club Med Sandpiper for a holiday. There were many firsts for Nora Lee. She had never been on a plane before for one. This went surprisingly well. On the way out there she slept for an hour and then happily (and quietly) played with us for the remainder of the trip. The way home was a little more challenging. Luckily we had an extra seat for her on this leg which allowed her to crawl back and forth between us over and over and over again. She was exhausted but wouldn't sleep so was a bit cranky but no big deal. We were all happy when it was over and she got many compliments from the other passengers for her good behavior. Nora Lee smiles at everyone these days and wins even the coldest hearts over quite quickly.

We were the last ones to arrive and everyone got to meet Nora Lee. Her cousins were especially excited. After talking with my very experienced sisters-in-law and mother-in-law I decided to get more serious about giving Nora Lee food. They were all surprised to hear that she was still nursing every few hours in the night and felt confident that since breast milk digests so quickly that her hunger was waking her each night. So, at each family meal I gave her a little food. This was a big hit. She loved being a part of the dining experience and eagerly would grab for more food. Each time she would take a bite she would make the most awful face and shake her head with disgust as if I had just given her dog food, then she would swallow and then open her mouth for more. By the end of the week we were both pros.

The other big new thing on vacation was her swimming. I had taken her several times to the pool near our house and she liked it each time. On vacation, however, we got to spend lots of time in the pool. She would squeal with delight and splash her arms around. I would hold her out in front of me and put my face in the water and blow bubbles. Then she would put her face in the water. Sometimes she would come up choking and other times it went smoothly. She seemed fearless and very comfortable in the water. By the end of the week she was moving her arms and kicking her feet as Matt or I moved her along the water. This all made me very excited since I love to swim and really want her to be as experienced as possible in the water. Both for enjoyment and safety.

When we returned home she started making major steps (no pun intended) toward walking. We finally baby proofed the house so she is free to explore quite a bit. Very quickly she went from dragging herself along the ground on her stomach to crawling on her knees. About two days after this happened, she got VERY fast. She can go from one room to another, very quickly - this keeps me on my toes.

Today she began holding onto me/the couch/the wall/the refrigerator and standing up. I'm sure she'll be taking the car out soon.

Her sweet demeanor just gets more and more apparent. She smiles all the time and giggles when we sing songs or make animal noises. She is causing me to really experience freedom from my inhibitions. I find myself making the funniest noises and gestures in an attempt to make her giggle without a thought in the world about what those around me are thinking. It really is such a sweet experience because making her happy brings me more joy than any approval ever has. I hope I continue to strengthen this part of myself and carry it with me even when she and I are apart.

This stage is so much more rewarding than the previous stages and so much more challenging as well. When she is awake I am on full duty, chasing, carrying, cleaning. Its wonderful and a lot.

I don't have any photos yet from our trip but will post them when I do. For now, here are a few from the last month. Ironically the remote control continues to be a favorite toy even though if I have it my way she won't ever watch TV.