life does change, doesn't it?

I looked at the blog today and realized I haven't posted anything for a month! Well, February was a busy one....

What happened was that I agreed to help a friend of mine with her maternity leave (she works at Delphi). She was due at the end of February, but the baby decided he was ready at the beginning of the month! I've been (hectically, but happily) running ever since!

I don't think it's worth trying to write a lengthy summary of what we've been up to the past month. Suffice it to say, I have been checking students' literature papers again (so enjoyable!) while Jack has been having tons of fun at "school" -- a co-op nursery for kids whose parents work at the school. They practice the alphabet, counting, colors, and so on.... He is eating it up!

I'm not sure if it's because of school or just because of Jack's age, but the watchword for our interactions has really been "adaptability". He is always surprising me with something new! I thought I'd share two funny things that happened today:

Exhibit A:

At tonight's bedtime, Jack was intermittently asking for "blanket, blanket!" (Which can mean he's asking for a physical blanket, or to be tucked in.) Well, he had two blankets in his bed and when I first tried to tuck him in he wouldn't lay down. Therefore, no tucking-in blanket! And the rule is that once he's in his room for bedtime, that's it. We will come help him if he's hungry or thirsty, but no more.

Well, this time he was being pretty darn civilized in his request, and he kept asking when I told him his blankets were in his bed. He was coming to the door and politely trying again at about five-minute intervals, but starting to get upset that I wasn't responding. After a while I thought, This doesn't have the normal bedtime avoidance flavor. Hmmm.... so I came over to his door and said, "blanket, huh?"

To which he nodded and let out a watery, relieved giggle. "Blanket!"

"It's really that important?"

Vigorous nodding and a wobbly "Yeah!"

Well, shoot. If he's going to say "yeah," for the first time.... I couldn't resist, even if he was conning me! So I tucked him in nice and snug. He was happy as can be, and out within two minutes!

Well. Apparently he is REALLY doing big-boy bedtime now!

Exhibit B:

We went to Lowes with Alex while he picked up some stuff for work. Jack and I wandered over to the gardening section while Alex was looking at plumbing fixtures and boring stuff like that. First thing I know when we reach the gardening section, Jack pulls a watering can off the shelf and tells me "spout" -- while pointing to the right bit.

"Wow!" I say, "that's right!"

All business, he points to the handle. "Ahn-doo," he says. Pretty good for someone who hasn't mastered "h" or "l" yet!

I am grinning like an idiot at this point. "Like a teapot!" I exclaim, figuring it out. (They sing "I'm a little teapot" at school sometimes.)

He grins at me and tips the watering can over.

We sat there and sang "I'm a little teapot" four times before he allowed that we could move on, and he was SO happy.

What I've really concluded from these events (and many others) is that the biggest thing you can do for your kids is to understand that they are growing up quickly, and to expect these ridiculously grown-up, surprising or "advanced" things to appear all the time - because for every time he throws a toy with an angry yell, chews on something he shouldn't, or takes a swing at someone (something picked up from school, which he is testing) there is also a time when he offers to shake hands when he meets someone, helps to do the laundry, or reveals that he knows a good dozen letters in the alphabet!

How much nicer for both of us to focus on the grown-up parts. I'm sure it invites more of them; he looks so proud when we notice he did something well and praise him for it. :)

bread and counting

Jack helps me to cook all the time. Here he is measuring the flour in. All of a sudden he started counting. It was too cute not to get video. :)

play time!

Jack and I are having a silly afternoon at home, in which we do whatever comes into our heads. Jack figured out this amazingly cute game! I can't decide which video I like better. :)

Skype!

I just had a half-hour video conversation with my niece and nephew -- 3,000 miles away. How cool is that? :)

Scotty's -- a very cool place

There is a really fun indoor playplace here in town where kids can come and play for free. It's run by a church and it is just GREAT for children! It has a giant structure of tubes and various rooms, with some big slides and stuff. There is also an area off to the side for smaller kids to play in little Fisher Price houses.

I thought it was worth mentioning because I have been taking Jack there off and on for a while now and he has FINALLY gotten the hang of it!

By this I mean, he is willing to leave my side and run around with the other kids. This is kind of a huge deal. I've been kept on a 5-foot leash for weeks now, so it was a huge relief to see him running around and only circling back every so often to check in with me with a HUGE grin! Maybe now I can join the other moms who get to sit at the side of the room and knit. :)

the boy counts!

It goes a little something like this:
Wah!
Doo!
Eee!

time marches on

All day there has been a thought nagging at the back of my mind: This morning was probably the last time Jack nursed.

When he was born, I never really intended a strict timetable for weaning. I knew that 6 months of nursing has many health benefits for mother and baby, so I decided we would go "at least that long." Well, 6 months came and went. The next milestone was 10 months, where both my sister's babies self-weaned. They just weren't interested any longer. I wondered whether Jack would do the same. Then 10 months drifted past, and then the big 1-year mark. Jack obviously got more and more interested in solid foods, but was still nursing steadily. In fact, he could be downright demanding!

However, the frequency was winding down, as is normal as a child grows. About a month ago, we cut out daytime nursing entirely. Jack does just fine with a snack and a snuggle instead, and it was darned inconvenient to try to keep up nursing when we were frequently out and about. (He was never good at nursing in public settings when there is so much else to do.)

Well, apparently my body took that as the cue that the nursing phase is over. My milk supply has been rapidly dwindling, and last week I found Jack waking me up every 45 minutes throughout several nights. He kept trying and trying to nurse, and just wasn't able to get a bellyfull to go to sleep properly on. We were both waking up tired and grumpy after our long nights. This wasn't working!

To make a long story short(er), we decided to work on weaning fully. He didn't much like the plan, but I didn't know what else to do. We have just been substituting milk or water, snacks, and plenty of love and cuddles. Well, last night he went to bed with a bottle of milk, and had more for a quick drink when he woke up at 3:00 a.m. He nursed just a little this morning (I was bursting at the seams) but was much more interested in eating an entire bowl of oatmeal.

All of a sudden he is totally on board with the plan!

Needless to say, it has been an uncomfortable day (and night) with an overabundant milk supply. However, I am determined that while Jack is in agreement, we really do need to get him weaned fully, or we are going to have a very upset and confused child on our hands. This is no time to be wishy-washy, especially when dwindling milk supply is already deciding the issue for us.

So I find myself finishing up this day wondering if I have said my final "goodbye" to his baby time. Oh, I know he is still in diapers, but that can last well into the toddler years. This is the last milestone of my 10-lb little baby boy, added to the growing proof of the young man he is growing up to be. I know we will have many more ways to be close with each other (right now snuggling with a constant stream of kisses all over his head is a big hit!) but I will miss the special bond that nursing brings.