Breast Feeding

So I've made it 11 months breast feeding James. My goal has always been to make it a full year. Let me say that I thought this was going to be an easy journey and boy was I wrong! James has become horrible at just laying still and eating. He constantly tries to stand up and look around. He can tell when I am starting to get mad and he will climb up me and give me kisses and then rest his cheek on my face. I can't be mad at him when he does that to me! But dang it's frustrating that he won't just eat.  I really hope that the next baby I have will be better at nursing, cause I don't think I can handle another one like James.  I don't regret my decision to go a year at all since I know I made the best possible choice for him.

I had heard from tons of people what a joy it is to breast feed, and that there is such a strong bond from doing it.  I have to be honest and say that I don't find it joyful, or think that it made my bond stronger. I compare it to how everyone says that when you are shopping for a wedding dress when you find the right one you have that "feeling", well I didn't get the "feeling" then. I guess I'm just different.  I do love that I can look at James and ask him if he wants to eat and he will get excited and crawl over to me, cause he knows that I supply the food. It makes me happy to be able to provide the best nutrients for him. I have to honestly say that I am looking forward to his birthday because it means I will have reached my goal, and that for the first time in almost 2 years my body will be mine again!!  That is until we decide to have another baby, and then it won't belong to me again for about 2 years. It's all worth it in the end, I know that for a fact! 

Check back after James turns 1 for a whole recap on my nursing journey. I know that I will love having it written down when the next baby comes along and I want to remember that it wasn't all sunshine and roses. It's really a full time job.

11 Months Old!

James turned 11 months old today! I can't believe that he will be 1 in just a month. The past 11 months have flown by. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was seeing my baby for the first time. I have enjoyed every single moment since he was born. It truly is a blessing to be able to be this little guys mom. I can't imagine life with out him. 

I stuck him on the scale this morning and it said 20lbs 2oz. He's my little guy, pants that are size 9 months are big in the waist and long on him. lol!  He can wear 12 month t-shirts, and onsies. He's got a long torso and short legs. He is still able to wear some 6 month pjs, but is mostly in 9 month stuff. I did buy him some new overalls that are 12months and they fit him good. Buying shirt and shorts sets are not good right now cause they pants will be too big, and the shirt will fit. Hopefully the shorts that have been bought for him already will fit him next summer. 

James is a crawling machine, he crawls so fast.  He pulls up on everything, climbs on his chair, climbs in the cabinets, walks with his walking toys. He loves to pull on the cats collar. The cat loves to swat at him!  He loves to be outside. Thankfully we have a balcony, so we have been spending time each afternoon out there. Our apartments are brand new and do not have a playground yet. They are supposed to be putting one it. So once it's in we will be there swinging every day! 

James is currently saying: mama, dada, nini, nina, di, ma, na. He babbles all the time. I swear he is speaking his own language. He is waving bye bye, can do the touchdown signal, and will try to give the home run signal too. 

The Zoo

On Wednesday the 17th we went to the Cincinnati zoo with the mom and me group I'm part of.  Joshua didn't have to work, so he went with us!  This was James' first time going to a zoo, and we had never been to this one.  We really enjoyed it. It's a zoo and botanical gardens in one. So there were beautiful flowers everywhere! The tulips were in full bloom and it was so colorful.

 

 

We got to the gorilla area right as one of the keepers was coming out to talk about them and throw them carrots. It was so neat to see them interact with the keeper. No she wasn't in the area with them, she was outside of it. There was 1 silver back male, and 4 females in the area. One of the females kept clapping trying to get the keeper to throw her carrots. She was a very good catch too. She put on a very good show. One of the other females was over 30 years old and was hiding in a little cave area and only came out to get food. It was funny.

 

I would love to go back again one day. They are building a new addition to the Africa section. I know as James gets older it will be even more fun for him.  He seemed interested in what he was looking at during part of the day. Most of the time though he was just looking the opposite direction of the animal we wanted him to see. We got there at 10am, which is right in the middle of nap time. I figured he would sleep on the way there, but he didn't.  He stayed awake until around 1 and then crashed in his stroller for about 30-45 minutes. Then he fell asleep on the ride home.  He is so used to his schedule, but you would have never known we had thrown it out the window that day. He was in such a good mood all day and was full of smiles!