It's Fall, why are we still sweating?!

The past few nights Julian has slept HORRIBLY due to teething (molars). But, I'm not too bothered by it because for the past couple WEEKS he's been sleeping great!! When a family chooses to breastfeed and co-sleep, they're basically choosing to have a baby/toddler who nurses frequently at night. I know that's not always the case, but it is the norm. I don't regret that decision one bit.

Julian is now 17 1/2 months old. It may have taken 17 months, but I'm happy to say he is now almost sleeping through the night, going to down easily, napping for 1-2 1/2 hours straight in the pack n play and also starting the night out in his own bed. He's letting me pat his back to get him to sleep and he's cuddling instead of nursing right before he drifts off into sleepy land. It has taken a lot of patience, yes, but it was definitely worth it. Bed time still takes 30 min to an hour and I'm still the only one who can successfully do the bed time routine with him, but I feel good about the progress we have made. We're still nursing because I enjoy it and he still needs it. So, it's a win-win situation.

Having a toddler in the home is...interesting/trying/delightful/exhausting/exciting. :) It's so fun watching him learn and grow. His vocabulary is booming, although his words are only intelligible to the trained ear, aka, his mommy and daddy. For example, "shish=fish" "wawa=flower" "chi=cheetah" "gahr-garh=tiger" "raf=giraffe" "baah=bear" "ba=ball" "hawa=hello" "ba-ba" is a sippy cup of cow milk (because "milkeys" are for nursing") and he also says "mama" and "dada".

Alongside being a wife and mother, I've also doing my own business called "Jewel Kade". I became an Independent Stylist a few weeks ago because I wanted to earn a little income, try to be more social and I REALLY love their jewelry! It's really hard to not buy everything in the catalog. ;) So far things are moving slowly, but I know the first year is always the toughest. I just need to stick with it and not get discouraged. Check out my catalog here.

I hope you all are able to enjoy this loooong summer! 90's in October?!?! Oh, California, you clearly did not get the "Hey, it's Fall!" memo. Take a hint...we all want to wear our sweaters, boots and drink hot Pumpkin Spice Lattes without sweating.

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, folks! I made it through my first week of "getting dressed". And by "week" I mean Monday-Friday. ;) I also survived Jordan going back to school on Thursday. Going back to school means he's on campus (whether that be for actual class or studying) Monday - Friday, from about 8-5 and then work Friday - Sunday from 6pm - midnight. I was definitely spoiled over the summer having him home to help me with Julian ALL.DAY.LONG. This week began my first week of truly being a full-time homemaker and stay at home mom. A little daunting, but extremely exciting.

I began my week by reading from FlyLady.net Super inspiring, as I told you on my last blog post. The past four days I really got on top of the laundry, went to bed with and emptied and shined sink, laid my clothes out the night before, woke up, got fully ready for the day and "swished and swiped" the bathroom every morning. (The means I wiped down the sink, mirrors and toilet). Notice how I said "past four days"...This morning I didn't exactly "swish and swipe" and I didn't really do ANY house cleaning. We did, however, go to the San Diego zoo with a good friend (Abby Sostre) and her little boy, Desmond. It was a hot and humid adventure, but lots of fun!

Today began with Julian and I being (rudely) woken up by my alarm at 6:30 and being out the door by 8am. Ummm, if you know me at all, you know that I am SO not a morning person. :| Julian loved seeing all the different animals with the elephant and the orangutan being his favorite. (P.s. "Orangutan" is a very tricky word to spell.) He took a little 20 minutes cat nap in the car on the way home and that was it for the day! Apparently that's all a 16 month old needs to be rip roaring ready to go all afternoon! When we got home I was exhausted from being in the sun all morning so I turned on a video and plopped onto the couch until dada got home to take over for a short bit. Yay for dada!!! The only good thing about Julian not taking a good nap is having him go down early for bed. (Can we say 6:45pm?! Holla!)

Okay, next bit, the last 2 days of my "Getting Dressed" for the week:

Thursday

Paisley top - Target

Jade necklace - a gift!

White denim shorts - Express (I really do own some more "fancier" items, see???)

Friday (okay, so not the most stylish outfit, but I was going to the zoo...)

White ribbed tank - Old Navy

Black cami - Kohls

Dark wash denim - Target (in "long" so I cuffed them)

Black uber comfy sandal - Nike brand from Famous Footwear

Cool pewter pendant necklace - from my beloved Grandma Shirley's costume jewelry box

p.s. my hair definitely ended up in a pony tail right away, I rolled up my jeans even more and lost the white tank. It was SO hot at the zoo!

Tomorrow is SATURDAY! 

I'm going to focus on chores and grocery shopping! I might even "get dressed". ;)

Getting Dressed

I'm not big on fashion. Sure, I like to look cute and presentable, but what I really like is to be comfortable and functional. As a SAHM of a 16 month old I don't really feel like it is practical to be dressed to the nines every day. I don't wear a lot of jewelry. I don't cake on the make-up and I don't spend hours on my hair. I don't have the time or patience for all that stuff. Throughout the day I'm cleaning the house (which involves scrubbing the toilet, doing laundry, wiping down the litter box, mopping the floor on my hands-and-knees, vacuuming, etc), walking around outside or playing on the floor with Julian, nursing, and laying in bed attempting to get aforementioned toddler down for a nap.

Being a SAHM, oftentimes I don't feel like getting dressed or even brushing my hair and putting on a hint of make-up. That's bad. That's very bad. I should still take pride in my appearance and instill the value of "routine, put-togetherness, hygiene and self-care" to my son and future children. I also really should want to look good for my awesome husband. I started reading from the website www.flylady.net. She's really encouraged me to get myself together in the morning for the sake of my home and my family and of course, myself. I'm on day 3 of "getting dressed, fixing my hair and putting on make up". True, yesterday this didn't happen until after noon, but those days will happen. Julian was being extra clingy and needed me to take care of him more than I needed to get out of my pjs.

Now, I'm a really big believer in being natural. Letting your skin breath and bring comfortable going make-up free. Typically, in the past, I would only put on make up on Sunday for church. But, I'm making a change for myself. I DO feel comfortable in my own skin sans make-up, however when I put on a little tinted moisturizer, some bronzer and mascara, I feel better. I feel like I'm ready to really face the day. If you really feel ready to face the day without a stitch of make up, that's awesome! More power to you! Like I said, I'm a firm believer in letting your skin be bare. But for me, I have to make this change.

My make up routine is simple. I put on a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15. Right now I'm using Physician's Formula. It's light and feel like I'm just putting on a little screen. Then I I use a little bronzer to help my pale face look "alive". (Can we say "vampire-esque w/o it?!). Next I run a small amount of eye-liner over my top eyelids. Then I curl my eye lashes and apply a generous amount of waterproof black mascara. And finally, I dab on some lip gloss. It takes me about 5-10 minutes. I think because I have dark features (i.e. thick, dark (unruly) eyebrows, hazel eyes and dark eyelashes) I never really look like I'm wearing a ton of make up...even when I put a lot on. I guess that's a good thing?

Along with putting make up on every day I've also started "getting dressed". For me, getting dressed means throwing on something that I didn't sleep in. Whether that be a clean pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt or some shorts and a tank. The FlyLady suggested laying out my clothes before I go to bed. So I've been doing that. I think it's really helped. I've even picked out a necklace or bracelet to spruce up my outfits. My daily wardrobe is simple, comfortable, cute enough to be seen in public, and most importantly functional! I can chase Julian around, nurse, clean the house and run errands in it. Most of my clothes are from "cheap" places such as Target, Ross, Old Navy and Kohl's. I don't have the money or the patience or the fashion-sense to go to some fancier type place, pick out something cute and attempt to make a great outfit. I can pin stuff all I want, but when it comes right down to it, I'm not going to wear that puffy vest with the cool necklace and the awesome knee-high boots. Oh, and let's not forget the spiffy sunglasses and over-sized bag. Maybe in my dreams, but this is reality and reality says it's a no-go until I have a)enough money and b)a personal shopper.

So this is what I wore this week, so far (please keep in mind that I am NOT a fancy person. I am simple. My style is simple):

Monday

Burgandy yoga pants - Target

White boyfriend T - Old Navy

Beaded multi-color bracelet - Target

Pink/Black/White "converse" - SUPER OLD from Payless

Tuesday

Dark washed denim shorts - Target

Black comfy T - Target

Black/grey beaded bracelet - Target

Pewter heart necklace - The Parable

Silver flip flops - Old Navy

Wednesday

Pink cami - Kohls

Tan tank - Forever21

Light wash denim shorts - Target

Pink beaded bracelet - handmade by my sister, Tessa

Charm necklace - Forever21

Gold sandals - BellaB (SLO)

All this "getting dressed" stuff may not seem like a big deal to some, but for me, it is. I'm lazy by nature. I want to be comfortable. I want to lounge. I want to sit at the computer and watch movies. I want to lay in bed and play on my phone. I NEED TO STOP BEING LAZY. Getting dressed and putting on make-up is what is inspiring me to DO WORK. 

A Shamelessly Proud Mama of a Toddler Growing Up Far Too Fast

Today I nearly cried. Now, that's not that unusual of an experience for me. I'm quite naturally an emotional person to begin with. Add to that naturalness the hormones related to breastfeeding and you occasionally have a blubbering fool on your hands. But I digress.

Without a doubt, every mother has this "sudden" realization occur once in a while - my baby is growing up! Yes, yes, that was the epiphany I had this afternoon as I watched my sweet little toddler romping about, darting back-and-forth between the deck and the living room. He's running. He's walking backwards. He's walking backwards IN CIRCLES. He's learning what "jumping" is and how to "walk slooooow" and "walk FAST!". He can point out countless animals and objects in our (multiple) daily reading sessions. 

Today when we were looking at a picture of me on Facebook I said, "Julian, who's that?" (While pointing to said photo). "Mama!" He sweetly said! OH.MY.GOSH. Melt my heart, child! That was the first time he's actually verbally acknowledged who I am. I'm his mama. I love being his mama...his very shamelessly proud mama. 

The Latest Nitty Gritty

It's been a while since I've given a Rossi Family Update...aka "here's what's up with Julian these days!"

He's a handful; we'll start with that! An adorable, lovable, hilarious, precious, crazy handful. He's always been kind of a "high needs" baby, to use the phrase by Dr. William Sears. Defined by another blogger as: "a special brand of little ones that must constantly be held, constantly be "bounced" or walked around, eat around the clock, refuse to self-soothe, reject pacifiers and bottles, hate to be cuddled -- and the list goes on." Sounds like Julian!

I wanted to write this next part to just lay it all out; to answer any questions there may be on my choices and "just how long are we going to co-sleep and breastfeed". (Because, DUH, that's everyone else's business, right?)

How have I handled this "high needs" baby and now toddler of mine? I still co-sleep and I will continue to do so until we all (Jordan, Julian and I) feel comfortable with stopping. We currently live in a one bedroom apartment, so he's going to be in our room for the next two years of seminary regardless. We all sleep better in our respective beds. Our full-sized bed is on the box spring on the ground - that's where Julian and I sleep. The twin-sized mat (it's actually two mats on top of each other that end up being the exact size of a twin) is literally right next to our bed, touching it, and that's where Jordan sleeps. I can reach out and touch him, no worries there. Jordan works nights and also gets up a lot earlier than Julian and I during the school year. (5:30/6am compared to 8isham). We LIKE this sleeping arrangement. Even if Julian had his own room, he would still be sleeping in my bed. I like it, he likes it, Jordan likes it. Really, that's all that matters. It works for us and it's not harming anyone. In fact, it helps. It helps Julian and I bond. If we've had a rough day (ie: if Juilan was a pill and mommy had to pray for patience) all of that tension disappears when I am lying in bed nursing him to sleep and cuddling whenever he wakes up. It calms him down. It helps us both sleep better at night. It encourages breastfeeding. 

On to my next point. Julian is now 15 months old and I don't see any sign of weaning. And I LIKE this! Jordan likes it. Julian likes it. Again, that's all that matters. He's refused the paci. Never liked a bottle until recently, and let's be honest, I don't really need to be pumping and giving him breastmilk via a bottle at this day and age. Those who say "why don't you just pump and feed your toddler with a bottle?" Um, do you realize how much *work* that is? How *impersonal* that sounds? I've been happily and successfully breastfeeding my son for 15 months. Why would I suddenly stop a good and easy thing in favor of: using an expensive pump, attempting to get more than an ounce in 20 minutes, washing a bottle, etc when I could just: pull down my shirt, nurse my son and be done in about 1-5 minutes flat? Nursing toddlers aren't the same as nursing newborns. He used to nurse for about 20 minutes every 90 minutes, give or take. Now he nurses, well, there really isn't much of a schedule! He nurses a few times at night, before his nap, after his nap, before bed time and any other time he's feeling a little need for the milky. To him, it's not just nutrition. It's comfort. I tried to get him attached to a lovely, a paci, a teddy, or what have you. I'm "secretly" happy he didn't care for any of those things. He just wants his mama and the yummy, comforting milky I provide. Nursing Julian allows for us to have a calm, cool and collected moment together (except for when he's doing nursing acrobats). 

Why don't I wean? You may ask. Why would I? Is my question to those pondering this. The World Health Organization (WHO) states this: "Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond" And then there's this: "the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months of a baby's life, followed by breastfeeding in combination with the introduction of complementary foods until at least 12 months of age, and continuation of breastfeeding for as long as mutually desired by mother and baby." You can also read this article from La Leche League. Anyhow, these are just a few snippets highlighting why it's "okay" and even "beneficial" to continue to breastfeed well past 12 months of age. In fact, I'm not going to take the time to look up and post all the websites/links, but here's one quote from www.kellymom.com: "Child-led weaning occurs when a child no longer has a need to nurse – nutritionally or emotionally. A baby who self-weans is usually well over a year old, is getting most of his nutrition from solids, is drinking well from a cup, and cuts down on nursing gradually. If children are truly allowed to self-wean in their own time, most will do so somewhere between the 2nd and 4th year. Obviously, some will wean before this time and some will wean after this time, too."

I truly believe that the co-sleeping and (extended) breastfeeding have helped me to meet Julian's physical, emotional, and physiological needs. It has helped me, as well. It puts less pressure on me, for sure. I don't need to "get him to sleep in his crib", "learn to fall asleep without nursing/rocking/bouncing/whatever", have some sort of "feeding schedule that fits MY needs". I'm a stay at home mom. It's not like being this kind of parent has caused me to lose who I am. This IS who I am. I am a child of God. I am a wife. I am a mother. I am homemaker. I am SO many things.

What else has been going on in the SoCal Rossi household? (Because there's the SLO-Cal Rossi household as well, so I must differentiate. :) ) Well, on July 6th we signed a lease for a new apartment complex in Escondido. We moved out of our comfortable 2 bedroom condo in Scripps Ranch, San Diego to an equally comfortable 1 bedroom apartment in north Escondido. Our desire was for me to be able to fully focus on Julian and being a better wife and for Jordan to be closer to seminary. So far it has been awesome! I am frightfully busy...although I most certainly can be making better use of what little free time I have. Our little apartment is coming together nicely! Our neighbors are great and the area feels safe. It's still summer, so things aren't truly in full-swing just yet. Jordan starts school full-time in 2 1/2 weeks. He'll be entering his 2nd year of the Masters of Divinity (M.Div) program here at Westminster Seminary California. There is the option to get through it in 4 years, but I'm quite confident that he can do it in 3. He's studly like that. On top of his full time grad school he's also working 18-30 hours a week as a security guard. I'm not gonna lie, I think he's awesome. Sure, we're still flat broke and in the red due to student loans, but we're getting through, trusting God and working hard!

When September rolls around I plan on doing weekly play-dates with fellow church and seminary mommies. I used to be a social butterfly back in my single and pre-Julian days. Since having a baby I've become somewhat of a recluse! Eek! Not wise I tell you, not wise at all! I end up doing things like spending too much time on Facebook or watching Netflix! I need to get out and make friends! I also looked up the kid's library schedule here in Escondido. Definitely going there a couple times a week! Storytime and music for toddlers? Yes, please! Julian loves to be out and about, be around other children, and see new sights. This will be good for us. 

Of course, last but not least, I MISS MY FAMILY!!! My parents and siblings are in Templeton doing their thing and my wonderful in-laws and in San Luis Obispo doing their thing. *Le Sigh*. Oh if only there weren't 300 miles between us. I last saw them in June/July. Not too long ago, but when you're tight-knit family, every week seems like so long! Thankfully I get to see my lovely sister-in-law, Courtney, and her boyfriend, Uncle Marky, in just 4 days! We can't wait! In September I hope to take Julian and head to SLO/Templeton for a much needed visit with the fam. It can't come soon enough!

Oh, and did I mention that my 10 year high school reunion is coming up this weekend?!?! Sadly, I won't be able to attend, but I just wanted to point out that I am now 28 years old and have been out of high school for 10 years. Time flies! 

Whew! This was a LONG blog post! I had a lot to catch up on. Thanks for reading!

My Baby Must-Haves: PART ONE

As I near the one year mark of Julian's birth (crazy?!?!) I'm recalling all the items I've used and continue using these past 11 1/2 months. I remember when I was pregnant and scouring the internet/birth boards for just what I might need when the baby arrives. There are the must haves, nice to haves and don't needs. :)

Here's just a sneak peek:

• My Brest Friend nursing pillow. Better than the Boppy! It clips on, which keeps it in place - a very useful thing when nursing a tiny newborn. I no longer use a nursing pillow because Julian just sits in my lap these days as he nurses, but for the first couple of months, it is vital, otherwise gnarly back and neck aches will occur. I got mine used/free from a friend.
• A Boppy pillow, or Boppy Newborn Lounger pillow. I had the Boppy and I used for Julian to rest in and I also, occasionally, used it underneath My Brest Friend pillow for extra height, since I'm long-torso-ed.
• A white noise maker. I don't care what kind, just as long is it makes some darn good white noise! For the longest time I used this website. 
• A bouncy chair. It doesn't need to be fancy, but one that vibrates (and most do) is really nice. Julian slept in his for the first few months when he wouldn't sleep any where else. He also chilled in it while I took a shower. We got ours used/free from a friend.
• A travel swing or regular swing. We have a travel swing, however I think a swing that plugs in would have been a better investment. At this point in Julian's young life, a swing is the only thing he will fall asleep in! We've taken it to friend's houses and on visits to the family. It also moves from room-to-room, when needed. We got ours used for $25.00 at a consignment shop. (Are you catching my trend here? Some things are better new. Other things are perfectly ok used!)
• A good stroller/travel system. No explanation needed. :) 
• Baby carriers galore!! I *heart* baby carriers. I'm slightly obsessed.   Babywearing is AWESOME and I highly, HIGHLY recommend it beginning from day one. I have an Ergo which I still use, a Moby wrap, which I used when he was tiny (recently sold it on ebay), and a Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Breeze wrap which is awesome for getting him to sleep when I'm at church! I think if I had to do it all over again, and if I could add to my current stash, I would have someone custom make me a stretchy wrap, like the Moby, only a good foot or two shorter. It was way.too.long for me! Maybe I could follow this tutorial? I would love a Sakura Bloom ring sling. They are simply gorgeous! I *almost* won one on ebay! Of course, I'd also love a Mei Tai, who wouldn't?  And then there's a new wrap. Oh how I'd love to buy one of these! Anyhow, that's about it for my obsession. ;)

More to come...

My Little Monkey

Life as a mother is a whirlwind. A whirlwind of sleepless nights, poopy diapers, aching arms, back and head, nearly constant entertainment, food prep, bath prep, nap time routines and bed time stories, bruised arms from little pincers, and scabs from razor-sharp fingernails. It is also snuggles, precious moments, night time cuddles, slobbery, open-mouthed kisses, the knowledge that you are so needed and so sought after.

Sometimes I think back on my life before Julian and although it was lovely sleeping 9+ straight hours a night, going out after 7pm and taking a shower whenever I felt like it, I can't even imagine going back to that sort of life. I love being a mother. I love being depended upon and needed. Julian is quite demanding, intense, dramatic...dare I say a "strong-willed child"?!?! He doesn't sleep well, his mood changes very quickly from super happy playing with the crayons, to "oh-my-goodness-I'm-freaking-out-because-you're-changing-my-diaper-and-it-IS-the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it!!!". (You should hear him; you'd really think I was cutting off his little toe). My child. My sweet, sweet, difficult child. Oh how I love and adore him! I can't even fathom life without my baby Julian.

He will be 11 months old on April 2nd; that's in 3 days. I've already started planning his first birthday party - in fact, invitations have been made and are going out soon! He's not quite walking yet, at least, not unprovocted. It we entice him or prop him up then he can literally walk accross the room with no problems. He simply prefers to crawl because, well, it is faster and safer. He's always been a cautious kid. He's not really accident-prone and thank goodness for that because Jordan would make him wear a helmet, I'm sure of it!

He loves coloring with his new bath crayons in the tub and also with regular crayons. He thinks it is hilarious to toss his sippy cup off the table and makes THE.BEST face while doing it, knowing of course that he's going to get a reaction from mama and dada. We try not to, but we crack up. He's just so darn cute! I know this will bite us in the butt later. Chasing after the cats with dad is another fav pastime; that always gets him going and keeps him happy. His BFF is Fisher J. Chase, who is 17 months old. They play so well together, it really is the cutest thing. His absolute favoritist thing, however, is being outside. As soon as I grab my sunglasses and open the front door he gets a huge open mouthed grin on his face. He crawls all around on the sidewalk, picking up sticks and leaves as he goes. He's my little nature boy. :) We have little bunny rabbits at our complex and naturally, he loves them as well. He always makes these cute little squeaky noises when he sees them.

He really enjoys being out and about in general. He's been doing great going on errands with me and even seems to be enjoying his car seat now. (Thank the good Lord because those days of endless screaming in the car were brutal!).

He's learned how to crawl up the stairs, clap, wave by-bye, cove his eyes when playing peekaboo, tip his sippy back, stand for long periods of time, and walk when he feels like it. Obviously, I'm a proud mama. I love my little boy and I have to remember to thank God every day for the blessing that he is.

Here is his precious 10 day old self. I remember those days...back when he would just sleep anywhere and everywhere. Ah, the newborn stage. Sometimes I miss it. Someday there will be another newborn in this household.  Look at his royal cuteness now! 6 teeth and 4 haircuts later at almost 11 months old.

That's my little monkey. :) 

Product Review!

I've been using some new products lately and naturally, here I am to shamelessly promote them. I enjoy using "green" products, even if they aren't 100% eco-friendly, every little bit of green-ness helps, I believe. I wanted a product that I felt safe to use around Julian and didn't need to open my windows to "air out" the place while disinfecting my home. I started using Melaleuca brand cleaning and bath products a couple months ago and so far here are my favorites:

For kitchen disenfecting needs I use Sol-U-Guard Botanical. This stuff is the bomb. I feel goood when using it because I know I'm not breathing in harsh chemicals and it works fabulously! It even gets off rust stains. I use it every day for cleaning my stove top, kitchen sink and counters, microwave, etc. It is awesome!

I recently started using Affinia Volumizing Conditioner and it is yummyful! My hair feels GREAT! Soft, smooth and detangled! What more could you want? It is safe for color treated hair, as well, aaand it contains zero sulfates. Good stuff right here!

Renew Intensive Skin Therepy hand lotion is superb! I'm not that dedicated to actively moisturizing my hands daily, but I should be...Anyhow, my hands have been uber dry/chaffed due to constant washing (hello multiple poopy diaper changes a day!!) and this stuff softens them right up! A lot of hand lotions irritate my skin, causing a red, bumpy rash, but this stuff causes me no problems at all. Woo!

This Body Satin Facial Cleanser Plus Toner is delightful! It smells nummy and has a great lather to it! My face feels so soft and clean. :) (And no irritations!). It has a nice, cool tingly feel which is always a plus in face wash, to me at least. 

Let's face it, dishes have to get washed, and thank goodness for automatic dishwashers! If you have to use anything, use Diamond Brite Automatic Dishwasher Gel. It's the best and you only have to use a tiny bit. (That's what's so great about these products, they are highly concentrated so you get more for your money!)

And then there's laundry...another daily chore in this household. A teeny tiny cupful of this awesome stuff does the trick: MelaPower Detergent. Get it and get it now. You won't be sorry! (Unless you're allergic to tea tree oil, in that case, don't get it. After washing Julian's cloth diapers in this stuff he broke out in a rash. Sad day, indeed. :( But I still use it for everything else!) 

Are you interested in their stuff? Check out their website! www.melaleuca.com. Talk to me about it! I'd love to get you hooked on these products. Know someone who might be interested? You can sign up together! (Each month you need to meet a points quota which means ordering about $75 worth of products. A little steep for most people. I actually have two other people that I'm signed up with so we share the responsibility most of the time.)

Julian is 9 Months!

Okay, okay, I'm sorry it has been way too long since I have blogged. I'm really not a very good blogger, so I'm sure you haven't miss it. Anyhow, this month Julian turned 9 months old! 9 months in + 9 months out = 18 months of total life. Every day I look at my son, squeeze him tight, and can't believe how much love I have for him. This is just a little bragging/update on Julian post, btw, so beware of the many proud mommy moments to come.

Some things he knows how to do:

· Clap on command and whenever he hears music or we say "yaaay!" He was clapping in church the other day during music worship (he was actually the only one clapping, lol. I'm still not used to how conservative our worship services are, especially growing up in a Foursquare church!) He also started clapping while in Trader Joe's when he hear the music on the overhead speakers. So cute, I must say.

· He waves "hi" and "bye"! He picked up on that one fairly quickly. He does it on command, as well. He's a genius child, I tell you. No, I'm not biased. ;)

· He can crawl/pull himself up/cruise. WOOT! That's my boy. All mobile and such. It's like he seems the world in a whole new way now and he loves it!

· He can even stand for a few seconds on his own, but only when he's not paying attention the fact that he's not holding onto anything.

· He imitates sounds such as monkeys and cats. He also imitates mommy and daddy when we make silly noises or sing.

· He can point and reach for objects that he wants.

· He can, and does, throw a fit when he doesn't get his way. It's pretty cute, really. He throws his head back and wails and then I proceed to laugh at him. Probably not the best response, but I'm only human.

· He can tip his sippy cup back when he's drinking out of it - finally! He's obsessed with water and drinking out of regular cups, too. And don't you dare take that cup away as he WILL freak out.

· He eats everything! (Except the usual no-no's like honey, etc). He loves food of all kinds, just not when we actually feed it to him. He likes to do it himself, because ya know, he's a big boy and all. His favorite is still plain ol' bananers, but he eats whatever we are eating for dinner, whether it be chicken enchiladas or a spinach and pasta casserole.

· He can point out the lion and the baby in his bed time story book. Impressive, right? I know, I know, I'm soooo bragging!

Some things he doesn't do:

· He doesn't "sleep through the night". I'm not sure if that will happen any time soon, really. I don't mind. I like being able to tend to his needs. He's waking anywhere from 3-6 times a night and I nurse him back to sleep. Since we co-sleep it is really quite easy. Thanks to the amber necklace, our night time sleep has vastly improved.

· Though I was having him sleep in his crib for naps, that has temporarily stopped. He just doesn't sleep well in there. He wakes up after 40 minutes still tired and cranky, yet cannot fall back asleep. He sleeps swaddled and in his swing. This method works for us and I honestly don't believe it is damaging to him in any way. Pretty soon he will outgrow it and we will have no choice but to put him in his crib, but for now, it is what it is.

· He doesn't self-soothe. He really has no idea how. I'm his soother (well, my boobie milk is his soother). I comfort nurse, I nurse to sleep, I nurse for nourishment. I nurse A LOT. But, I LOVE nursing.

I really love being his mommy. Some people might think I'm not doing things the right way. But is there really "one right way" to parent a baby? I don't think there is. This is the way that I have chosen to parent my baby. It doesn't make me better or worse. Sure, he may be in my bed till he's 2. Sure, he may never be left with a baby sitter. Sure, he may need the boob to fall asleep for another year. I don't mind. Jordan doesn't mind either. I think that's what is important. Mom and dad need to be on the same page when it comes to parenting. If Jordan were against me cosleeping or nursing for comfort, then there would be some changes. But I'm happy to report that he is all for it. He encourages it, even. I'm becoming crunchier and crunchier in my parenting expedition. It's kinda fun. I kinda like it. I like being a little "edgy" and dare we say, controversial??

I’ve had to learn the hard way how to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself. Those who know me know that I can get quite passionate about certain topics. (Such as childbirth and extended breastfeeding). I’m learning that if someone has an interest in these topics, they will come to me. Otherwise, I should zip it! Bear with me on this, I’m a slow learner, but I will do my best to stop being offensive!

I'm still learning, researching, making mistakes, changing my mind. That's what parenting is all about. None of us are perfect. :)