Attorney Work Product

I love you too.

Nothing compares to the first time your child says I love you. Nothing.

A-L-E-X

Ok, so I try not to be one of those mommies who brags that my child does things that he can't possibly really do. I didn't say he said his first word even when he was babbling da-da-da-da, I waited until it clearly meant something.

But this one, I am going to call. Alex can spell his name. Ever since he was old enough to hold a crayon, I would always start a session of coloring by writing out his name and telling saying as I write A-L-E-X. Then I say the letters again as I underline it. For awhile he has been trying to say it with me. He could never quite get all the way to X. Well, today at brunch, he did! His X isn't quite properly pronounced -- he sticks his tongue out when he says it -- but boy, is it cute!

Oh, and while I am in full frontal brag mode, Alex can also count to 4. Usually counting comes in threes, like when one of us is going to pick him up or put him down. I usually have to start with one, but then he picks up and says twoo-- theeee!. This morning I was cracking eggs for breakfast and he counted after the first one -- two, theee , four! He doesn't do it totally reliably, but he did it today.

Where's Mommy?

This is the month of FIRSTS MOMMY ISN'T READY FOR. I didn't actually go anywhere, but I spent my first 24+ hours away from Alex due to work pressures. Friday night he was asleep when I came home, and this morning I had to leave before he was awake. We were finally reunited at around 6:30 pm. I don't know who missed whom more.

A first I didn't want

Well, Alex is on his first-ever course of antibiotics. Poor litle guy got sent home from day care with a fever, and really hasn't been feeling all that great the past few days. Runny nose, slight cough. Mike took him to the pediatrician and it turns out he has signs of infection in his throat.

The good news is, he takes the meds like a champ. My little baby bird. I have friends who tell horror stories of their children kicking and screaming and fighting taking the pink stuff three times a day, but so far Alex has just opened his mouth and chugged it down. In fact, he got mad when it was gone and I refilled the syringe with water to give him the last drops.

We made it 20 months, for which I am grateful. Still, I was hoping to put this day off a little longer. Feel better, baby boy.

The begining of the end

For the second day in a row, Alex has gone without "gak" in the morning. For those of you who need a translation, that means he hasn't nursed for two mornings in a row. We've been down to pretty much morning and night for quite a while, and I thought he would never want to cut out any more sessions in the forseeable future. But yesterday I was running a little late and just brought him directly to a waiting breakfast (waffles and yogurt, for the history books) and he seemed happy to just go straight to the real food. I did the same this morning, and he was fine again.

Is this the beginning of the end of nursing? Perhaps. Likely. Part of me will be glad to have my body back, but I will so miss the cuddle time as well. And from here on out, I will be particularly mindful to cherish every session.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is not supposed to be the most fun of holidays, but we managed to have quite a nice time. I came home from work early and had dinner (poached fish) waiting on the table. After dinner, we rushed off to church to get ashes. It was a long service, but we were seated in what I lovingly refer to as the toddler ghetto -- an area to the side of the regular seats that has a little extra space for the kiddos to wander around. And after that -- well, we didn't give up ice cream for lent, so we decided to go to Cold Stone for a little ice cream. Alex found a penny on the floor and put it in the tip jar, which engendered a little serenade from the ice cream jockeys. All in all, a fun, fun evening.