I am not really sure why I haven't been blogging except that things seem to have gotten really busy here and I haven't had much time. I haven't taken many pictures recently either but I have a few videos for people to enjoy.
She loves our pots and lids!
What has happened in the last 2 months...
Weaning! At 13 months I stopped nursing. It wasn't very planned out. I just wanted to see how long she would go without nursing and well... I just kept distracting her.. and she hasn't nursed since. I found it incredibly painful and difficult though. It took a good two weeks for my body to adjust and despite using cabbage leaves - which really did sooth - I was in almost constant aches and pain the whole time. It is nice to have my body back to myself.
At St.Peters. Veronica kept going over to this area and dancing
Sleep! That's right! The little girl who wouldn't DOES!!! She sleeps from 10 - 12 hours a night WITHOUT getting up!! She also goes down 1-2 times a day without much trouble. Occasionally she does get fussy but usually something else is going on.. hunger, being overtired, needing to poop. It has been wonderful getting a solid 8 hours sleep uninterrupted. The only problem that has come up is she has stopped letting Mike put her to bed. When she was first weaned Mike put her to bed every night. She would cuddle, they read, and she would fall asleep in his arms happily. We had company for one night where I put her to sleep and since then she will not settle with him. Last Saturday I was out for the night and Mike just waited her out until she was too tired to protest. It is not ideal to do every night but at least we know that if we are ever out for the night she will go down.
Henry and Veronica playing
Playtime! Since returning from Canada I have made a huge effort to get out, get involved and meet other people. Veronica and I have been attending the Ladybirds playgroup twice a week. Here Veronica has been meeting lots of other children, learning songs, meeting other mothers, and learning how to 'share' toys with other children. It has been a wonderful experience for me as well. I have been talking to other mothers and I have realized some things....
Ramblings about the last year... As most of you know, at times I found the last year difficult. I found it to be difficult to move to a country where I don't speak the language with a newborn baby. I spent alot of last year worried about Veronicas arm, would it get better, would it grow, how would she develop, physio...trying to immigrate... not having anyone to talk to (thanks to everyone who skyped with me and watched me cry!!!) Dealing with her, mine and Mikes lack of sleep... figuring out how to keep up the apartment, laundry, have food here...generally just surviving. Often I would feel bad like I wasn't succeeding at being a good mother, wife, person. I felt I should be better at being on top of everything and dealing with being overtired better. Feeling like I was being selfish for wanting alone time to read or just not be around anyone or not want to do anything. taking incredibly long showers, while Mike needed to get ready for work, just so I could have some alone time before having to start my day. (Please don't think it was always like this because it wasn't - we had many wonderful times last year as well BUT there were definite hard periods and this ramble is a reflection of the difficult times)
At the playgroup I spoke to a new mom who had moved her a few months ago with her then 6 week old son. When I asked her how she was finding Rome-Italy she burst into tears. She was struggling with so many of the same issues I had struggled with. I spoke with another mom who had been here for 1 year and she told me about how she thinks she scares off other English speaking moms because whenever she finds someone who speaks English she gets so excited and talks so much that she thinks she overshares which scares them off. WOW. It was eye opening to hear people voicing things I had felt but never said to anyone here.
I have realized that last year was what it was. A learning experience. And, while at times I probably did not handle things as well as I could have, I-we got through it. I am putting it in the past and growing from all of our experiences. Mike, Veronica and I got through moving countries, nerve damage-arm paralysis, and we are stronger for it. I feel like we are a solid little unit who really can get through anything because we have each other.
I was changing the bed sheets and Veronica discovered
how much fun pillows and a duvet could be!
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