July 2009 Mamas- It's already been a year!!!

[tracymom1]

Can you believe it??!! I was just spending some time tonight remembering how I was feeling when July FINALLY got here last year. I can't believe that our babes are going to be (if not already) turning one!

What a crazy ride it has been so far for us - Kaya Rose is one loud, active, demanding and downright indignant little one - full of spunk and laughter (the total opposite of her older brother!). She is crawling but nowhere near walking, totally loves all kinds of foods but only has 2 teeth, and the swimming pool in our yard is her new favorite hang-out. She is truly the absolute joy of our lives

I had a miscarriage last month (we were NOT ttc) and realized that even though I am overwhelmed with the kids, I really do want another baby - just maybe in another year or so!! I want to be able to spend some time figuring out the homeschooling thing for DS and keep my energy up for chasing after DD!

How are all you mamas? How are your babes??!!

[July09Mama]

It's crazy, isn't it! To be perfectly honest, I, for one, and really pretty glad this year is over and I'm so looking forward to the next! A is our first baby, and I'm sure a lot of it was just adjusting to parenting in general, but it's been HARD. As she's getting more mobile and independent, I'm finding everything much easier.
A has been crawling forever and is a strong cruiser, but not walking quite yet. She has 4 top teeth and 2 bottoms, but I wouldn't be surprised if she gets a couple more before the big 1 year mark. She's been teething like mad lately. She loves to eat and seems to be gearing up for a big growth spurt. Overall, she just really seems to be coming into her own, if that makes sense. Like, after horrible colic and just a lot of trouble adjusting to life on the outside, she just seems so much happier than she was for the first 8 months or so. I can't wait to see what else she learns and does in the next year. Bring on the toddlers!

[femalephish]

Hi Mamas!

It's Josephine's birthday TODAY! I'm with July09Mama- this year has been hard. The first 6 months tougher than the last. I'm proud of myself for getting through it. Jo is SO active now and I feel like I am getting to know who she is, you know? What her personality and prefrences are. Which is great. I feel like baby-proofing (Or is it 'toddler-proofing' now?) is a constant struggle! I just can't keep her away from things she can't have.

I'm happy it's summer andw we can spend more time outside. I feel like I should be more of an 'expert' by now. (New Moms look to me for advice!?!) I try to remeber that I know more than I think.

Hang in there, Mamas and CONGRATS!

[jellybeanmumma]

Crazy huh? My bub's b-day is tommorrow but we had the party today. He took it like a trooper - tonnes of chaos and relatives and piles of toys - have never seen my crazy busy bub so overwhelmed and mellow. Isn't it funny how grown-ups can forget that babies are happy with the simplest of toys and minimal fuss? Have just managed to whisk him away from all the stimulation and I think he must have been as relieved as me cause he didn't even fight nap time!!! Days like today I just have to remind myself that he's lucky too have a big loving family even i it does get crazy when they get together. At least they listened to me on the no sugar and junk food request. Happy birthday to all your July bubbas. Here's to toddling!

[curious&eager]

I've been meaning to post this for almost a week now. My baby's one! We made it! Wow, it's been a hard year, but I love my little man.

He has passion, energy, and drive. He loves everything about life. He's been walking for a couple months now and can almost jump to his feet when he falls down. Climbing though is his specialty. Basically, if he wants something, he will find the way to get it now matter how high I put it out of his reach.

And, if he wants something that he can't have and I intervene, watch out! He's been throwing some pretty major baby tantrums. They're a bit less intense now because he finally realized that throwing himself over backwards on the floor hurts. Now he'll go over more sideways and scream.

Oh, the crying, screaming. That's what makes him hard. He whines all day it feels like. But, he also laughs and enjoys new experiences and wakes up at 6am with eyes that say, "Yeah, daylight! Time to play!" He loves going outside and to any store or anywhere. Tons of new things to touch.

I like that finally he may give me a hug. He holds on tight when he wants to swim or ride on my back. It's cute.

8 teeth. Some days he eats well. Other days nothing. He has many creative ways of letting us know that he will not be eating his food.

He doesn't point like most 1 year olds. I think it because he has no reason to point. He doesn't ask me for help getting into anything. He just goes for it. If he can't do it, he'll move on to something else eventually.

Wow, it's been so hard. He's only getting up twice a night usually, but I feel I still need a long time before I think about having a second. I want a calm cuddly girl. But, I'm hesitant about trying because if I got another strong, active, busy, willful little man, I think the grey hairs will start popping.

[red and lulu]

dd turns one in about 2 weeks... i cannot believe it's been a year. i look at her and am in complete awe of how much she's grown and changed and how much personality she has.... and that she came out of me! i have moments where i'm nostalgic for those first days, when she was so tiny and new (although at 8.10 she wasn't that tiny, i suppose) but i'm excited to watch her keep growing... it's incredible how much happens in just 12 months.

right after she was born, my doula held her and said to me and dp "this little one will have you guys running for it." and she was so right. dd is constant motion. the only time she's still is when she's sleeping or strapped into her carseat. she started walking last week. she's tenacious, goofy, and a serious mama's girl. she babbles non-stop, and loves books. she prefers the boob to solids, although when she's in the mood she eats well — even though she only has 2 teeth she chews all her food and loves a good apple, but she has to hold the whole apple. she thinks it's funny to share. she blows kisses, plays pat-a-cake, says "buh bye"... she's a total ham. a total ham that's currently clamoring for a boob

[curious&eager]

I love that "clamoring for a boob." I give in every time. It seems the first thing my LO could clearly communicate to me, I want boob now . It's so funny. He lifts my shirt and smacks his lips. If I don't respond to him then he tries to climb down my shirt. Both of which are really funny in public.

It's sad. Technically, they are no longer babies, but they still feel like babies. I'm tearfully at every reminder that he is now longer a baby-
1. Trading out car seats. Even my LO noticed the switch and he tried to carry his infant seat out to the car because it's his seat.
2. Packing away the breastpump/bottles. He only got one bottle a week, but it was still sad.
3. Discovering another round of clothes that are too small.

[bajamergrrl]

DS turns 1 in seven days! He's not walking yet but he's a strong cruiser/crawler. He also has 6 teeth -- 4 top, 2 bottom. He doesn't like solids (actively pushes them away, spits them out) so he still EBF. I haven't pumped much in months so now he refuses to drink from bottles. I bought him a sippy cup but he just thinks it's a toy. Right now I'm trying to teach him to say "Da-da," "mama" and "bye bye." He can say "Da-da" but I don't think he says it to mean daddy yet.

[red and lulu]

Originally Posted by curious&eager

I love that "clamoring for a boob." I give in every time. It seems the first thing my LO could clearly communicate to me, I want boob now . It's so funny. He lifts my shirt and smacks his lips. If I don't respond to him then he tries to climb down my shirt. Both of which are really funny in public.

It's sad. Technically, they are no longer babies, but they still feel like babies. I'm tearfully at every reminder that he is now longer a baby-
1. Trading out car seats. Even my LO noticed the switch and he tried to carry his infant seat out to the car because it's his seat.
2. Packing away the breastpump/bottles. He only got one bottle a week, but it was still sad.
3. Discovering another round of clothes that are too small.

It KILLS me when dd does that. She'll crawl onto my lap and grab my shirt and just stare at my chest, making kissy noises. Hysterical!
I so feel you on the sadness over them not being babies anymore. I find myself looking at dd with this intense nostalgia, like she's about to just disappear at any moment. I get all teary thinking how she won't always cling to me like a little monkey...

[LilMamiBella]

Caroline will be 1 in 11 days. She has 8 teeth, is cruising, says mama, papa, bye bye, waves, does butterfly kisses, and eats everything we eat. No baby food here! She's been fussy a lot lately cause of teething but otherwise she's a sunshine baby.

[koalove]

ds turned 1 on the 9th (yes, im late for this thread) and is quite a handful! its adorable how bonded he is to ds1 and tries like crazy to keep up. hes been walking for month and is now climbing everything. chairs, couch, any toy, whatever he can just to get up high! he learned this week to open the front door~ scary! he also learned 2 days ago how to open the oven and he burned his fingers. :-( we are using every type of security lock there is now! he babbles and does lots of signs. hes still waking every few hours all night even though hes bottle fed, and eating pretty much everything we eat in the day. whew! he keeping me busy! and of course, he is just such an adorable joy to me.