This Week in Mommyhood

Cati is getting more and more daring. Before should would only stand holding onto firm and fixed things but now she loves to stand holding onto things that move like the glider and bouncy part of the Jumperoo. I guess she's testing out her strength and stability because she likes to rock while standing. It makes us nervous but it is great to see how strong she is becoming.

She's also getting more comfortable with moving around. She's only cruised a few times but what she has been doing a lot lately is moving between things. She'll start off on one piece of furniture and then reach for another piece of furniture, grab hold, and then step toward it. It's so fascinating to see how she just knows what to do. It's problem solving at its most basic level and Cati is figuring things out all on her own.

 

Cati knows a song! There's this old Cuban nursery rhyme that my mother-in-law would always sing to Cati about a little hand that gets burned off (I know, morbid). While you sing the song you do a waving motion with your hand. Alex hates this song and I remember telling him that because he hates it, it will be the first song Cati knows and, sure enough, she does. I mess up the lyrics to the song all the time but Cati knows what I'm saying:

I've started increasing how much solid food Cati is getting. I can't say exactly how much she gets but she eats about 4 Tbsp plus 4 oz of breast milk for breakfast and about 6-7 Tbsp of veggies, protein, and fruit for lunch. I'm basically feeding her until she doesn't want to eat anymore. She has been getting a solid meal for lunch this week because she'll eat a combination of vegetables (usually squash with something else or pumpkin with something else), lentils, and half of a banana. It amazes me how she will gladly eat fruit so long as it's fresh and shared with me.

 

Cati saw her friend Emma this week and it was the cutest thing ever. Emma is 2.5 months older than Cati and I love to see these two girls together because not only do I get to see the developmental differences inherent in being 2.5 months apart, but I also get to see what I have to look forward to over the next 2.5 months. Emma is walking, chatting, and she has a tooth! Cati had no clue what to do with Emma and actually started to cry! I think Emma intimidated her and Emma wasn't too happy that Cati didn't want to play back.

This was a big week in pumping. I dropped my AM pumping session, stopped storing milk, and am only pumping in the evening. Every time I drop a session I feel a weight being lifted. In the beginning of my pumping days I could never imagine getting to the point where I'd only be pumping once a day. I honestly thought my boobs would explode or be in agonizing pain. None of those have happened. Now I am pumping enough for one of Cati's three bottles. Pumping once a day is so convenient that it has me wondering whether I should keep this one pump going for a little longer than my 9 month goal just so that Cati gets some fresh milk a day (all her other bottles are frozen milk).  For as much as pumping has been a thorn in my side I am having difficulty thinking about stopping. Mommy guilt is present as ever.

I want to do the best for Cati. I just wish I could approach my decisions regarding her with more rationality and less emotionality.