Saturday, January 18, 2014

2013 was the best year ever.

Duh.

Becoming a mom.

Luca entering our lives has been the most disruptive and harmonious event in our history as a couple and family. Being a mom has been THE BEST THING EVER. The depth of which I fell into this mom thing didn't surprise me. But how much I didn't want to do anything else did.

My baby shower

Luca's room

Babymoon

Maternity Leave

Portraits

Sequoia National Park

Instagram

More babies

friendships

Luca's first holidays

Back to biz

Get ready for some TMI. In fact, skip this post if you are not a girl. Because I'm going to talk about girl stuff. I'll give you a moment to close this.

Just a moment ago. Sunrises change so quickly. (The sky has been showing off lately, hasn't it?)





Still there?





If you're still here it means you don't care, do care, or are about to be (regrettably curious). Anyway. I warned you.





Last Thursday, January 16, I got my period.

It's significant because it's my first period since I became pregnant with Luca, which was June 2012. It's been a year and 7 months! Nursing is nature's way of telling a new mama's body that she's not ready to get pregnant again because the little one is still little enough to be nursed. So hey, let's stop throwing those eggs down the tubes for a while - k? In fact, there's a name for it! (Thank you Internets.) The Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) is a form of natural birth control which takes advantage of how milk-making hormones also suppress ovulation. Nature really is grand and so damned logical. Now with the combination of me going back to work so I can't nurse on demand and Luca eating more food, my body is like - ok. Babe I'm back. Let's get back to it.

I knew this day would come soon and actually, I had suspected I was ovulating last weekend. I've learned to read my body so much better after trying to conceive. In fact, this whole baby experience has made me closer to my body than before. Honestly, we've never been best buddies. Usual girl angst and body issues. But now, I'm sort of in awe. I mean, it made - and pushed out - a human being and now it's just sort of back to biz as usual. What!

I'm sort of bummed because not dealing with a period is awesome. But also, excited to be...whole again. I was just talking with a girlfriend about how I finally felt like me again just a few weeks ago. It took me nine months from Luca's birth. And now my body's back too. Also, if anyone's asking, I'm NOT ready to have another baby yet. Quit asking. You all are so greedy.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Luca - Month 8 + 9

Again, impossible to remember details any more. But right now, right this moment, Luca is just days from crawling. He gets on all fours and kind of wobbles back and forth and scoots one knee forward, but then drops onto his tummy to slide himself forward via an army crawl of sorts. He can get around the house like that. But maybe he never will properly crawl because he's pulled himself up onto his feet in front of the couch and in his crib. So maybe he will walk before crawling? We hold his hands and he can pull himself onto his feet, and we walk him around while holding his hands - he goes really quickly actually. His little legs move in a quick march.

Luca_9_Months2 Luca_8_Months2
Note from 12/31/13: Luca almost climbed out of his crib today. He also learned how to fling food with his spoon and get to a sitting position from his tummy. It was a big day! We dropped his mattress lower to nearly the last position. Oh my. His crib looks so big and cavernous now.
Still no teeth but oh so close! It's like he goes through bouts of teething and then the angst subsides but still no teeth. That's ok though. For now, I'm quite loving that gaping gummy smile. Also, he bites when he nurses and it already hurts so much!

I'm giving him all kinds of food to taste now. He really likes tangerines and blackberries. And LOVES water.
Note from 12/26/13: Luca learned how to use a straw today!
He's learned how to suck out of the baby food packets which makes it so much easier. Though, it is quite messy the second he's done eating but there's still some left in the pouch. Basically he sucks it into his mouth and then squirts it out of his mouth. Sometimes he'll spit it out via making raspberries. I'm still pumping at work but my supply is way down. I'm trying to get it back up using fenugreek and Mother's Milk tea. It's kind of stressful because I want to avoid formula. We'll see. We're thinking of weaning by the time he turns 1 - only 3 more months!



He experienced his first cold while on our trip in Las Vegas. Which of course made it not really a vacation after all.

Sometimes, when he's really happy about something, he does this cute little wiggle and smile. It's so good. And his squeal! eeeeek! So loud! When he does it in public, I think it must annoy people. But I LOVE it so much. It's the sound of joy emitting from that little person and I kind of egg him on instead of shushing him. Also, he's been making the bub-bub-bub sound using this fingers and hand on this mouth. And he likes to put his open mouth on our arms and then lift his head up real quick while making a noise with his mouth. mmmmmm...bah!

We removed the little stopper in his whale tub since he's sitting up now. I think we'll try bubble-bath soap this Sunday.

He's really strong. And he's scratching a lot with his razor sharp nails. And slapping our faces. He just doesn't get that what he's doing hurts. Or maybe he does?

He has developed quite the flirty side to the ladies and we've caught him watching as a young girl walks by.





His little mustache is fading.