And She Was

Looking back over the past few weeks, I think my depression was in part caused by the change in seasons, Mark working too much and thus, no personal time for me, and the advent of the Manling's birthday exascerbating my desire for a child because I love him so and want to replicate that feeling. Maybe replicate isn't the right word, I want another child because I love the Manling so much and I want more kids to love in the same way. I think that's more expressive of my feelings. Plus, I want him to have hopefully comrades to share familiy memories with. I feel much better, by the way. I also am feeling a little different in the nether regions, so maybe the "Long Winter" is receding and the "Fertile Spring" will soon be here.

Before I move on to more serious issues, some random thoughts:

• Why doesn't Jeff from the Wiggles have eyebrows?
• I finally got my ticket to the Decemberists!!!

The Manling is 13 months old today. He is such a darling boy; I am so lucky to have him. Truly. His latest hijinks include hugging and kissing people, pets, and stuffed animals; slapping them in the head is so September 2006. His vocabulary consists of only 1 word now: "gaaaaaahht" which he chants over and over at the resident felines. He no longer says "mama" or "dada", and said "doh" (dog) twice one day, never to be repeated. My theory is that he has a checklist of words, and once he knows them, he checks them off the list and moves along. Hopefully, that is. (But he did do something similar with rolling over.) I also worry that maybe I don't talk enough to him and that it's retarding his language ability. In late September, he only just started pointing, albeit with a whole hand. Since his birthday, he has started pointing with just his index finger. And of course, I read somewhere that the earlier children point, the better they are with reading/writing/language comprehension at school age. Arrrrgh! But back to more achievements.

A few days after his birthday, I was looking at board books in the bookstore while Mark kept his eye on him. A few minutes later, Mark came rushing over with the news that the Manling stood up by himself from the floor without the help of furniture of any kind. He was so proud of himself, and all throughout the month would stand up and throw his arms up in the air, accompanied by an enormous grin, looking much like a gymnast dismounting from the uneven bars. Very funny to watch. Within the past 2 weeks, he went from just standing between our legs while we held onto his hands, to cruising rather quickly with only 1 hand being held. I suspect the days of upright moblity are drawing near.

Sleeping has been literally a dream this past month. There were only a few nights when he woke up in the middle of the night, and his bedtime, especially since the end of Daylight Savings, has crept closer to 7pm, with his initial wake-up time between 5 and 6:30am, followed by a nosh in bed, then sleeping until 8 or 9am. We are finally well-rested. I think it's too good to last and foresee the learning to walk stage interrupting this pattern.

I'm running out of time, but will talk more next time about breastfeeding, weaning, and the like.