The end of an era

My little girl is growing up. She's now more than a year old and we are adjusting accordingly.

She is a little sponge. She holds phones and earbuds up to her ear and is becoming a master of imitation. It's amazing how much she sees and understands. I try to talk to her like she can understand me and I'm fairly confident she actually does. It's kind of like talking to someone who has lost their ability to speak but still hears every word you say.

We just got back from my baby brother's wedding! Aww! So sweet! It was wonderful to be around family. They are so sweet together. Unfortunately, though, Amelia got pretty sick. She stopped eating much right before we left--she was just getting over a cold and a new tooth was coming in. So we figured that was related. Then, she had horrific diahrrea and pretty much all she would eat or drink was breastmilk straight from the tap (and not a bottle). So for days I was nursing her around the clock like a newborn. And, because everything distracts her and she was disturbed by being a new place around tons of new people and totally sick, she needed to be nursed in a dark, quiet room every time. And, let me tell you, that was no picnic. Fortunately, my mother-in-law and brother's mother-in-law were available to step in to help quite a bit.

She's also started this attachment thing where she's getting very attached to me in particular, but both Aaron and I in general. Also, she's got a few toys she carries around with her everywhere that she's very attached to. This was all very new when we were on our trip. She would cry anytime I'd walk by and reach for me, but when I wasn't around she was totally fine.

She's walking very well and has really started getting a kick out of being around people. She loves to walk around with a few adults watching her and then clap for them and get them to clap too. She laughs and smiles and claps like she's trying to get people to do it too. It's so cute!

And, finally, she's now eating most of her meals as actual solid foods. Which means she's not nursing that much and which means I've taken my 3-times-a-day pumping all the way down to 1, which feels a little sad! I've really enjoyed those pumping breaks and the knowledge that they were helping my baby be nourished. But now, she barely drinks breastmilk during the day and nurses in the morning and at night. I think that will eventually be the only time we nurse, if at all. I know things are changing and headed towards a difference, but it's a bit of an adjustment and makes me a little sad. I'm glad, though, that she's growing up and learning so much. I love helping her learn. She's such a fun little sponge!

A House!

We put an offer on a house and it got accepted! Hooray! So now we have to go through all the mortgage mumbo jumbo, the inspection, and more. And then, maybe, just maybe we will have the perfect place to live! Hooray! It's beautiful and has been completely redone and has an AMAZING view of San Francisco and the bay. Yay!

Happy First Birthday, AJ!

My baby is 1 today. This time last year I was laying on the hospital bed getting cleaned up after a harrowing 8 hours of intense, painful labor. But, my baby was out and beautiful and she has changed our lives forever. She loved her first birthday party and went nuts with the cake!