#us lately

[the-council-system-did]

[raising-wildlings]

Moments have been passing rapidly. Since beginning school I have to be even more conscious of being present in every moment. It’s easy to go into auto pilot mode and enjoy the ride but I try to actively participate in life. 

Nico this month has learned to walk. She walks about 80% of the time but when she’s on a time crunch she’s crawling. Every time she stands it’s even more fun for her. I love the smiles and laughs she’s been giving lately. I really need to make sure I get footage of her “drunken” phase because before too long she’ll be a pro at walking. 

I’ve switched her closet over to autumn attire. Although it still reaches the 80′s it’s been nice to wear something different. I typically like to keep about two weeks worth of clothes after that no more purchases unless of course it’s special. It’s been nice knowing she’s pretty stocked and no worries for a few months. Although I do have to keep my eye out for some clearance items because in January we will be in Puerto Rico and sweat shirts will do no good there. Shoes! Finally I can buy her shoes and it serves a purpose. She’s still barefoot most of the time since there is no need but when fall truly arrives we have to keep those toesies warm. 

I have also recently went through her toys. I have switched some baby like items over to toddler toys. No more push walker, hello rocking horse. I’m always hiding toys because if everything was available to her all the time she would be overwhelmed and easily bored. When I bring something out she hasn’t seen in a long time or something new it’s like Christmas all over again. 

I definitely can tell she’s becoming a toddler. There are days I ask myself “where has my sweet baby gone?” It can be quite overwhelming at points. She’ll cry when we tell her to stop doing something or ask to have something that she can’t have. She has become more picky about what foods she eats or how she eats them. Whether it’s with utensils, sitting in her highchair, or walking around. I’m trying to follow her cues. She’s learning new things every day and always leaning on me to help guide her in this confusing world. I have to catch myself from not raising my voice and remember to try to explain things to her. I never want to shame her or ever have her be fearful of me. Yet I have to be firm, assertive, and caring. It’s freaking hard parenting! I just don’t want to mess up her life. You know? I don’t want her to go to counseling because of me. I’m always reading up on parenting guides and what not so surely I can’t be doing too bad. Ha. One thing I do know, it’s easy to love her. She’s the best.

We plan on taking a mini family vacation on a camping trip. I’m going crazy. I need nature and the local park has not been good enough. We’re hoping to plan something within the next two weeks before the nights start getting too cold. It’s something I’m really looking forward to and it can’t come soon enough.

P.S. Please remind me to never drink coffee at 3 p.m. again. Although she doesn’t nurse a million times a day anymore she still does nurse. Any wee bit of mama’s milk mixed coffee still keeps this child up.