Snow!

Sassypants got her first real look at snow. We had plenty last winter, but she had no clue. She loved touching it this morning.

Still a Redhead!

This is from a failed attempt at a contest submission. I realized after I took the photo that I couldn't have a licensed character on her clothes for the entry. Guess I'll have to try again!

Hungry Girl... and then I went on a tangent

Miss B has been sleeping through the night with no dream feed for about 2 months now, I guess. It's soooo nice to go to bed at 9pm if I want and not have to worry about feeding her. However, twice this week now she's needed a bottle. Once at 11pm, and last night at midnight.

The first night I didn't realize she was hungry and just kept trying to soothe her. When nothing worked, the husband got the bottle she hadn't finished before bed. (Yes, she still gets a bottle at bedtime. It's just a part of our routine that I'm not ready to give up. B probably is, but not me.) She sucked down the 2 or 3 ounces of milk left in there and was looking for more, so we gave her another 3 or so. She went right back to sleep when she was done. Woot!

Last night she woke up at 12. I had just fallen asleep, so I went right for the solution that worked the night before - a bottle of milk. JB got her out of the crib while I filled a bottle. I came back and B started chatting it up. "Hi! Hi? Hiiiiiii." Sorry, kid, cute does not work at that hour, especially when Momma isn't feeling good. Just drink your milk! She settled in and started drinking right away.

While she was drinking I realized how big she'd gotten recently. Yesterday I put a pair of Gap jeans on her that were 6-12 months and they were tight at the waist, and way too short. They were still too long and too big last week! All of her 6-12 tee shirts are suddenly belly shirts, too. She's still got some smaller things that she fits in, like 9 month size Carter's onesies, and a few 12 month shirts from sets, but I don't really want her wearing just tops from matched sets because I don't want the shirts wearing before the pants.

There are 5 or 6 bins of baby clothes all stacked up in our bedroom. I've pretty much come to terms with being done having babies, and I'm pretty sure my bff, sister and sister-in-law are, too, so I'm considering selling them. We don't have any consignment shops nearby, and many friends have told me that you don't make much that way anyway, so that's out. I'd love to have a yard sale, but we don't have a yard or anywhere else to set up. I think yard sale season might be over anyway, and we're so busy we wouldn't be able to do it until a few weeks from now anyway. I think I might go the way of craigslist and sell lots of items. The prospect of cash right before the holidays sounds good to me. Whatever doesn't sell that way I'll donate. At least we'll get the tax write-off, and someone that needs the clothes can use them. What worries me about craigslist is actually selling it. I've already tried to sell a travel swing and bouncy seat, and didn't even get one email on them. Maybe I was overpriced, but I looked at other ads for similar items to price it, and you'd think I'd at least get some lowball offers. I ended up giving the swing to my cousin, but I still have the bouncy. I want to get rid of stuff before we move! At least the clothes are packed up, but OMG now that I'm thinking about all the other baby stuff that isn't packed and I don't have boxes for... ugh!

Crybaby

One of the worst days ever. I've recently been on my own a lot with B because the boy has been working a lot. Working a lot is great for me, because it just means more time I don't have to get a job, but working a lot sucks for me because taking care of a super active one year old is hard!

B isn't a crier at all. Today? Three hours straight of crying. Complete with a gloriously snotty nose, big fat tears, drooling, clinging... the works. The only thing that consoled her was letting her play with my cell phone. Then when that didn't work anymore I took her in for a diaper change. That also tends to get her refocused when she's having a moment, but this time? She fell asleep... STILL CRYING!

The poor thing. She was just overtired because she didn't nap well today at all. She completely refused dinner, but sucked down a bottle of milk... while still crying!.. in no time flat, then went right to sleep. She was out before 6pm. it's almost 11pm now, and I still haven't heard a peep from her.

I'm sure I just doomed myself to a long night and early morning.

Today

I don't know why this year is the hardest for me yet. Maybe it's my recent elevated anxiety (which has been in much better control lately), maybe it's because while it's the second year with a child, last year she was still a wee newborn and too much of a handful to dwell on the day. This year I have an easygoing toddler, and my mind has the freedom and time to wander more. Maybe it's the elevated tensions of the "Mosque at Ground Zero" issue, or the jackhole Koran-burning "Christian." Maybe it's because my husband is a block from where he was that day, and that wasn't a good place.

I hope my child never has to wittness a day like the one we remember today.

AARRRRGGHHHHH!

Girlfriend has learned to scream. Hold me. It's not cute little baby crying at the top of her lungs screaming. It's all out, "OMG I'M BEING MURDERED UP IN HERE!" style screaming. People in the general vicinity who don't realize there's a baby here must surely think there's some sort of torture going on in the neighborhood. The neighbors upstairs just moved out 2 weeks ago; I hope the new ones are prepared. They're in luck anyway - we're about to move, too. Howdy new neighbors! Enjoy the ear piercing screams! I'm already mortified.

Click!

It's amazing how everything has clicked for Sassy since she turned one. No more bottles, no more baby food (she refused most table food before unless it was mashed beyond recognition), she's just about walking! Best of all, no more 11pm feeding. We'd tried several times to see if she whether she'd wake up or not if we didn't dream feed her, and she never made it through. Most times she woke up just around 11 anyway, and once made it to 12:30. All of a sudden the other night she flipped the hell out when we got her up for her bottle, so we put her right back down and she went back to sleep. The next night - same thing. She cried and screamed, and slapped the bottle away. The next night I filled a bottle with milk, put it in a cooler bag next to the bed, fully expecting her to wake up. Nothing. Monday night - same thing. Last night I finally said I wasn't wasting another 6 ounces of milk (it's too warm in the morning for me to be comfortable giving to her). I'd get up and fill a bottle if she needed it. Nothing.

This is awesome!