Summer Mamahood

My summer is more than half over - but I still have a few weeks left to go! While I'm sad about the summer coming to a close, it's not like Cole is going away once my school year starts. I just see him less, which sucks yes, but I think his day care rocks, and I know he will have a blast, so it does not bring me to tears (yet). I am also excited about this coming school year (for me) - people are really coming through and helping a traveling teacher out! Yay for that.

I am loving this summer so much because it is teaching me so much (well Cole is teaching me so much), and I have really gotten to know Cole on a deeper level. When you spend so much time with someone day in and day out, the advantage is that you know exactly what they want - even when they can't articulate it.

This is how he generally lets me know what he wants: He says "This!" and points vigorously to something in a certain direction. Usually I have to pick up the item and say "Your sippy cup?" "Yogurt?" and so on and so forth. If it's the correct item he will take it, if it is not, he shakes his head a bit and says "This?" and continues to point. Sometimes, I have a sneaking suspicion it is an off-limits item like my iPhone or a screwdriver, and I try to pretend like it's not there. But when he keeps pointing and insisting, I have to (reluctantly) pick it up and say, "This screwdriver? No. This isn't for babies." Sometimes he wants what I am having (water, pretzels, my phone, etc) and he says "Eh. Eh. Eh." until he gets it. If he doesn't get it, then there is a potential for a brief tantrum, until I can distract him with something else.

Spending so much time with him has also given me an insight into his interests and his motivations. I can see that he drops the wooden circle because he enjoys hearing how it rolls. He sticks his hand in the cup because he wants to feel the water. He hugs the cats because he likes the feel of their soft fur against his skin, and he thinks it's funny when he gets their fur in his mouth. "Blech!" he usually says when he's done hugging. After trying to clean his mouth out, he goes back in for a second hug moments later. It is really the sweetest thing. At first I was worried he'd be rough with them simply because he's a boy. But he couldn't be more gentle.

The littlest things also make him laugh.  He loves to hear sound effects of things he's done (like throwing rocks into the lake - THUNK!). He loves to be tickled on his belly. He loves to see me try to pretend eat things. He loves to talk to his dada or be chased around the yard.

I try to let him dictate what we do each morning before Nap #1. Usually it involves going outside and playing in the yard, but lately, he is so into taking rides in the Cozy Coupe that we never make it to the backyard because he takes a detour for the car as we go through the garage. I'd love the thing if it had a proper handle. Instead, I have to bend over a bit and push him. This is not good posture for a person with a bad neck and a bad lower back. I don't understand how they can make this product without a push handle for parents. The parent in the picture must be extremely petite, because she barely looks as if she's bending over. In case you were wondering, he will sit in the stroller, but it's definitely not as exciting as being in your very own "car." When we went to Andreea's house last week, he and Lucas took a ride in Lucas' wagon and he loved that as well. I loved it too, especially since it had a push handle! I'm currently trying to find one on craigslist.

I think Cole is also transitioning to one nap a day. His naps are pretty long, and he fights me tooth and nail on the second nap. However, since he likes to take that one nap in the morning, and with daycare starting their toddler nap time at 1 p.m., I have no idea how to transition him without having a very cranky toddler on my hands. It's also really hard to keep him from falling asleep when we go somewhere. Not to mention - it makes driving easier when he does!

Babywearing has been a big part of my summer as well. I've become more confident and adept at putting the baby carriers on without Keith's help. I baby wear when we go somewhere for a short walk or shopping trip, and I baby wear around the house to get stuff done. I also do it to calm Cole down when he's teething or just plain tired. He may fight it sometimes, but once he's on my back, he's usually content to watch what I'm doing or look at the world from up high.

This summer I've also seen an increase in my milk supply. Cole has been teething for a full month now with new teeth coming in every few weeks. Consequently, he's been asking for "Doo doo" so much more than I ever expected. I almost made it through the whole summer without a clogged duct/milk blister combo, but this past weekend, while camping with our friends, I unexpectedly got one. It could've happened for any number of reasons: lack of sleep, pressure on my breast because of babywearing, or the fact that I was wearing a tight nursing bra. Fortunately, Cole got rid of it (as usual) in under 24 hours.

Because of this milk supply increase, I am going to have to pump in September so that I can slowly wean off of nursing during the day and avoid (hopefully) any major mastitis.  I'm actually looking forward to those 20 minutes a day when I can give myself an excuse to relax and read. I will, however, be pumping in the other school, so this will be a different pumping room. Hopefully it will not be dingy.

One last thing that is pretty major is that I have been getting together with friends who have kids Cole's age. I've had lots of visits either here or at their homes, but I haven't always taken pictures. Here are some pictures from three recent visits...

Pianos are the coolest

May I have this dance?

Crackin up in Hailey and Emma's kitchen

Juni and Cole

Toddlers love to chase and be chased

Cole and Lucas chillin' in the wagon

This is the life, Mom.