Loving Pregnancy - 4 months!

Finally the belly has officially popped! Not just looking round(er), finally looking pregnant. It's amazing to think that I'll be 20 weeks tomorrow - halfway through this pregnancy. I'm loving it! We're feeling the baby regularly move, and the baby does seem to be more active whenever I'm nursing Hyatt. I have gotten the "You're still nursing?!" comment pretty regularly (even though it's said lovingly). Yes, we're still nursing. I just finished reading a book called "Adventures in Tandem Nursing", and nursing both of these babies at the same time I'm sure will be an adventure. However, many studies (and other mothers) have shown that it's best nutritionally to nurse for at least two years, that tandem nursing creates a stronger bond between siblings and also decreases jealousy issues regarding the new baby.

Our happy boy!

13 Month Big Boy

What an amazing month! When I compare this January to last January... obviously having a 13 month old compared to a 1 month old - there are huge changes and life has much more rhythm to it. Hyatt is the happiest child I have ever been around. He is really starting and trying to put words with objects and he's learning SO quickly! He can identify and say ball and dog and then look at or point to nose, ears, fan, diaper, water... the list goes on and on. He is a kissing machine and has so many funny looks, especially when he wants someone new to really look at him!

I am also purely loving our nursing relationship... he can sign nurse (the sign for milk) and it's made our relationship so much easier. Now I know when he's feeling needy for some special mama time, rather than just having to guess. I am so thankful that we are extending nursing past one year, and that I'm able to continue nursing through this pregnancy.

13 month stats:
32.5" tall
22 pounds
12 teeth

kisses for Aunt Teri bear

(no more sitting still for mama!)

Who's ready for another little Spencer?!

We are OVERJOYED! Another little baby on the way - due sometime in the first few weeks of July! I think Hyatt is going to be an amazing big brother - he loves giving other kids kisses, hugs and he has such a gentle soul. We have another planned homebirth... it will be a whole new adventure having a baby in such HOT weather! Mama and baby are feeling great - we feel so blessed.

Hyatt is ONE!

Weighing in at 21.6 pounds and 32", he's a long and lean eating machine! He's started sign language and we're LOVING it. He's not able to always TELL us what he wants, but he sure can sign it to us! His favorites are "more", "all done", and "nurse". Everything else we seem to figure out! His first cake - no big deal to him. It was a sugar-free applesauce and banana cake and he dove right into it! He is so full of light - we just adore this little man! He's taken to dancing every time music is on, twirling around the room and singing in a little voice.

First time in the snow... probably not his most favorite experience!

He LOVES the chickens (and 4-wheeler)!

Christmas!

What a busy and wonderful time of year. As our first Christmas as parents, we wanted to focus as much as possible on the non-material parts of Christmas, and just as much on each other. This time of year last year was so different - tons of snow, quiet waiting for baby, fully prepared in every aspect of the house... THIS YEAR - woah! We're trying to move in a direction where we make as much as we can for our friends and family for "presents" - whether it's canning things, sewing, knitting. The older we get, and the more that we notice what Hyatt gravitates to, it's the items that were made with natural products, made with love.

My family came to visit the day after Christmas, to celebrate Hyatt's birthday and to spend a night here. I wish they were able to stay longer!

We initially weren't going to buy a Christmas tree, but every place we went, Hyatt was obsessed... so about a week before Christmas we found a small tree that we loved. Our little boy would just stand and stare, gently touch the tree, take off the few ornaments I put low enough on the tree and just walk around the house.











He looked like a big grown-up boy on Christmas Eve!

He didn't open a SINGLE present! He did spend a lot of time sitting in this Lego Truck that Allen and Brianna bought for him.

Visitors before Christmastime!

We're so lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful family, and to have an excuse to bring family over to our home. Hyatt just lights up when he sees other people smiling at him... besides his parents faces everyday! Jason, Elizabeth, Nolan and Davis Firek came to stay for a night. We stayed up late talking - makes me realize how I've always viewed Jason, Keri and Elizabeth as the brothers and sisters that I was lucky to grow up with (before the Big D came along)! The next day, Uncle Al, Aunt Teri and Keri all came to visit for our annual cookie bake! I was amazed at how much we churned out in this kitchen!

(I have the best godparents!)

SO much to catch up on!

I know, I know... I'm a month behind with Christmas, Hyatt's birthday, our BIG surprise. The new year has started off with so much action! Spencer Manufacturing got a huge job done, which means we have our papa home again to spend time with us (for more than an hour or to sleep), our visitors have all gone home (but it was great to have so many people show their love to us), and we finally have snow!

I've really been reading and focusing on attempting to move toward a positive rhythm in our house. In Waldorf homes and mentality, every child (and person) does better when each day has a typical pattern or rhythm, including household chores, being outside, dancing and singing to music, story time, etc. It's different from a "schedule" because it's not set in stone and has room to flex and grow with the day and as your children and household grows. There's a wonderful blog we love, called the Parenting Passageway. She's been writing a lot about rhythm this new year and here are the links!

http://theparentingpassageway.com/2012/01/13/eight-facets-of-a-healthy-family-culture-rhythm-part-one/
http://theparentingpassageway.com/2012/01/15/rhythmpart-two-eight-facets-of-a-healthy-family-culture/
http://theparentingpassageway.com/2012/01/16/rhythm-part-three-eight-facets-of-a-healthy-family-culture/
http://theparentingpassageway.com/2012/01/18/rhythmpart-four-the-eight-facets-of-a-healthy-family-culture/