Walking, stats and a tooth!

Lucy had her one year old check up on Monday and she was 19lbs., 9oz. and 28 inches tall. Her iron is a bit low, so she now has to have vitamin drops with iron in them and we will recheck it at her 15 month appointment. Other than a mild cold, the doctor said she was perfect!

She also cut her very first tooth about two weeks ago. It's halfway in now and you can easily see it. She enjoys scraping her Mum Mums across it. So far, that's the only one.

Today when I got home from work, I was playing with her on the floor and she started dancing and being crazy and I thought I'd see if she would walk. Typically she just falls forward into your arms, but this time, I thought I saw her step. I called Susan over and tried again and she did a little 1-2-3 step before falling forward. She was so proud!! I was so glad she waited until we could all be there to see her.

One.

DSC_0475, a photo by MelissaandSusan on Flickr.

Our sweet girl is a year old! And, oh what a year it has been. After the pregnancy from hell and the delivery to match, I was sure the universe "owed" me an easy baby. Well, the universe showed me! An easy baby she was not; the early days clouded with screaming, reflux and breastfeeding troubles. We soldiered on, often wondering if we would live through her first year.

For roughly the first 6 months, she only wanted me to hold her. While this was flattering, it was also extremely tiring. She had another wonderful, capable parent, but when she gets something in her head, that's all she wants (wonder where she gets it?). She cried when other people so much as looked at her, forget about holding her. It took a lot to right the ship, to hold it together and to just get through many, many months with her.

And you know what? It was all completely worth it. This girl and I - we have a bond forged in fire. So many days it was her and I walking through a war and we came out of it strong and together. This is important because it took me a long time to bond with her. It makes me sad to say that, especially since Theo and I were bonded about 4 seconds after he was born, but it's true. I don't know if it was because she was second born and learning to love anyone like my first baby was something I wasn't even sure I could do, or if it's just because she was tough. But, bond we did, and it is fierce.

She has taught me so much in the past year. I've learned how far a mother's love can carry you through really hard days, I've learned I can love someone else like I love Theo and I learned how much I need Susan. I am very lucky to have her. I also learned a lot about other people's judgment and perceptions. Countless times people would tell me about "so and so's baby" who just smiles all the time and loves anyone to hold her and then finish it off with "she's SUCH a good baby." This was usually after I explained why I wasn't able to hand Lucy off for a cuddle. I admit, this got to me. I cried one night to Susan that I didn't think anyone in the world liked Lucy but me and that no one thought she was a "good baby." Well, you know what? She's not a good baby. She's an incredible baby. Fierce in her loyalty, sunny, smiley and cautious with who she trusts. We should all be so smart.

Tonight when I put her to bed, we did our usual nursing routine in the chair. And then my favorite - I walk her to the crib and put in her paci. She crawls up a little higher on my shoulder, tucks her legs under her, wraps her arms tightly around my neck, lays her head on my shoulder and waits for me to hum her a song. She stays like that for as long as I will let her. I have to put her to bed because of the nursing, but truth be told, I'd be really sad to hand her off at bedtime. That's our special time together and I hope it lasts forever.

We love you so much, sweet Goose. You are the perfect addition to our family and we wouldn't trade you for all the "good" babies in the world. Happy Birthday!!

The last bottle.

DSC_0256, a photo by MelissaandSusan on Flickr.

Last week, at 11 months and 2 weeks old, Lucy drank her last bottle. She gets expressed breastmilk while I am at work and that was the last bag. While I still pump at work (until she is a year), I don't pump near enough for bottles anymore. That pump just isn't as efficient as a nursing baby.

We actually tried to give her some whole milk in a sippy cup (something we never did with Theo) since she's a peanut, but she wouldn't drink it. So, we are just going to let her have water during the day on my three work days and continue nursing as usual the rest of the time.

What's funny is that I've never seen her drink a bottle until these pictures! She's only ever had one when I am working, so obviously I am not around. She's pretty cute the way she holds it.

I know Susan will miss giving her a bottle, but I will definitely NOT miss pumping. I practically have a paper chain counting down the days.

She's never had even a drop of formula. As with Theo, I am extremely proud of that.

Almost apple picking (again).

I don't know why Lucy is cut off. Stupid blogger.

I think we officially fail at apple picking. Two years ago we set off for the orchard with our friend, Kelsi with visions of canning and apple pie in our heads. Got there to learn they were "all picked out." Did I mention the orchard is an hour and a half away? Then last year, we decided to skip apples and try peaches at the same orchard. It was hot, humid and stunk of rotting fruit. It was also FULL of mosquitoes and we got eaten alive. We quickly scratched that off the list of yearly activities.

This year, we were ready. We'd checked the website to ensure they had apples. We planned to go the day after they opened the fujis, but it rained. We rescheduled for a week later and got there to find that once again, they had no apples. Well, they said they had some, but heck if we could find any. We did find ONE granny smith (which I don't even like) that we let Theo pick, just so he could say he did. We went inside, bought a $6 bag of apples, staged some pictures, went for a ride on a tire swing and went home. We once again had some great pizza at Elizabeth's - if you are ever in Siler City, stop there!

We've resigned to the fact that picking apples this far south is just no good. Next year we are going to Charlottesville and hitting up Carter's Mountain with hayrides and cider doughnuts and mountains in the backdrop. I can't wait!

The kids had fun and we enjoyed being together as a family, and that's all that matters.