finding a new normal

I think several people would agree with me that January can be a rough month. While it holds so much promise for the new year ahead, it also represents the passing of fun filled holidays with lots of family time and leaves you with long days stuck inside from cold temperatures. I struggled getting back into the routine of things after we said goodbye to December and the holidays this year. For those reasons but also because I knew it was time to wean Liam. I went into the process knowing full well that it would be a hard thing for the both of us to let go of but it took a pretty serious emotional toll on me. You women out there, hormones are sure something else aren't they?! I tend to hold back when sharing about experiences that have this kind of effect on me so I'll just say this ... there is a bond that is so profoundly special between a mother and a child when nursing and I feel incredibly blessed to have shared that bond with my son for 15 months. At first, I had a hard time not only letting go of that bond but finding it elsewhere. But, it was as if he intuitively knew and Liam has become the most cuddly boy since. Each day is filled with so many hugs and it is absolutely what I have needed. I will truly cherish all of those moments we shared. So where have I been the last 3 weeks (most of January) since I last hit publish on the first of the year? Finding a new normal. And I'm happy to say we are finally there! 

(from the last night he nursed) 

On a lighter note, this is what we've been up to ...

One of Nic and I's new year's resolutions is to work on one house project a month. While truthfully this was a project that began way back in November, our kitchen table is finally refinished! We got it as a wedding gift from my mom and it was originally painted black. Over the last five years it has been well loved and was showing it big time. Lots of chipped off paint and dings. It also didn't really match our kitchen in our house. It is amazing what A LOT of sanding, some stain, and several coats of paint can do! Now it is a beautiful two-tone and we LOVE it! It feels like a brand new table and definitely has some life left while our family is still small.

Before ...

(picture from our old apartment)

After ...

We've been spending quite a bit of time at the mall lately. They have a great play area with a slide that Liam adores and while I cringe at the idea that it is likely infested with germs, there is nothing I love more than seeing him light up and have so much fun playing. It has also become the second best place to enjoy those "summer walks" that we love so much!

When we aren't at the mall we find ourselves visiting the library. We are still working on a love for books with Liam because of his short attention span but he will now pull them off the shelf, sit, and look at the pictures for a few minutes. The library has a tiny little table with a few iPads on it that of course draw in my little technology loving guru like a moth to a flame. It is amazing how well he knows how to work them! He even has the finger swipe down! haha And those ginormous headphones on him that squish his cheeks together are my favorite! 

Once, sometimes twice, a week we have lunch at daddy's work where Liam discovered his love for both hot dogs and water falls! 

Occasionally we visit the pet store which is Liam's favorite place. If you want to hear the BEST sound in the whole world, you will want to watch this video of Liam and the birds!! I think I've watched it a bajillion times by now!

So January, finally by the third week we have you down. Daddy sleeps in with us until 8 and we have breakfast together every morning as a family. One of my favorite times of the day! After he leaves for work, Liam trashes our bedroom and bathroom while I finish getting ready for the day (haha!) and we go out and about together in the morning. Then comes lunch followed by a solid 2 to 3 hour nap for my little side kick where I get some much needed me time. Sometimes I clean, sometimes I craft, sometimes I fold laundry, sometimes I just take a bath but I am always ready to play again by the time he wakes up. We play blocks, look at books, play in his teepee, watch Home, etc. until daddy gets home for dinner and we spend the evening together as a family. And at 8:00 every night, when it is time for Liam to go to bed, he lays his head on my shoulders and we spend the briefest of moments, just the two of us once again. Even though it isn't the same, it is a special new bond and I hope he always hugs me like that before bed time. We finally found our new normal and it is a normal to be just as cherished as the last.