13 months

I hate to say this, but at the moment I think things are getting easier...in fact I am bored.  I see why people may want to have another kid at this point, because all of the knowledge that has been acquired over the past year is still fresh and therefore one might be lulled into thinking the second one will be a breeze.  I, however, am going to enjoy this moment of thinking things are getting easier.  Here are my favourite things about the Sprout now:
1.  He snuggles.  He has been snuggly in the past, but it only lasted a couple of seconds.  Right now, he will climb on the couch (he is very good at getting on and off the couch all by himself) and have a snuggle for a good 15 min if he is tired.
2.  He does things on his own.  He loves to play by himself.
3.  He eats whatever I give him.
4.  He is just so freaking cute.
5.  He is putting things in his mouth less (although we recently had a kitty litter scooper fiasco, but we are all ok).
6.  He mimics us.  When we play the Wii, he mimics our movements, we have some pretty funny video.

What I don't like:
1.  He gets cranky when things don't go his way (but we are all like this).
2.  He gets bored.  He has always reached a point where he gets bored, but now I have to think a little more advanced to get him interested in something.  I can't wait until he likes to use crayons.
3.  He thinks "NO" is funny and is the beginning of a game.
4.  His poo REEKS.  Diapers go straight outside, no fooling around.
5.  He wakes up at night and I still have to nurse him to get him back to sleep.
6.  I can't do anything on the computer when he is around because he tries to steal my laptop keys.

We are working on complete weaning.  We have done pretty well.  He gets a bottle at 9 am before the morning nap and 7pm before he goes to bed.  He might get a 1 pm bottle if he won't take an afternoon nap and is super tired.  I still nurse him to get him to fall asleep at night, however, he doesn't do it for long before he rolls around and finally falls asleep.  I also have to nurse him in the middle of the night when he wakes up to get him to go back to sleep.  I realize that the night nursing is me wanting the easy way out because I want to sleep.  I know I should just let him figure out how to get back to sleep, but I don't feel like it.  Eventually, I will probably just have a bottle ready (or even force the binki, which I do put in his crib, but he doesn't really do binkis) and use that.

Having a baby who eats food has been a real good way for me to loose weight, apparently because my pre-pregnancy clothes are getting to be too big.  I have never been a good eater, but now I have to constantly think of things to eat for 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks.  I have used this opportunity to get me to eat less more frequently.  I have heard that many mom's gain weight when their babies begin to eat because they eat their portion and then whatever the baby doesn't eat.  I make my portion and then the Sprout dictates how much of it I get to eat.  He usually eats 1/3 of my food meaning I am most likely eating a REAL portion (a correct serving size).

At first I was overwhelmed about the feeding because I was obsessed with giving the Sprout variety, unfortunately, it is expensive.  So, I still try to slip new things in, but I have had to have some meals and snacks that are common place.  My favorites are macaroni and cauliflower with cheese, vegetable risotto, scrambled eggs with zucchini, zucchini and onion pancakes, butternut squash pancakes, spaghetti, chili and what I call "cheesy peas" which is macaroni and cheese with peas.  We also eat a lot of roast chicken with sweet potatoes.

I have a real good time with the pancakes.  They started off as the scrambled eggs and zucchini and then became pancakes.  I pretty much grate zucchini or butternut squash (and you could do this with anything you can grate) add an egg, milk and flour.  Then decide if you want it sweet or savoury.  Sweet: add brown sugar and cinnamon.  Savoury: add some onions.  Then fry 'um up.  I also play with the consistency of the batter.  It is fun and yummy.

The Sprout is beginning to be real good at walking.  Now he just needs the confidence to let go.  He loves pushing his ride and push cars around.  He has even figured out how to turn them around to go the other direction.  I have started walking with him whilst he holds on to one of my hands, but we don't make it very far.

He is also very vocal and loves to say "dada," "dot," "dat," and "doot."  He says "mamamama" on occasion usually when I am doing something he doesn't like.  I love that he makes his version of car sounds, can say "UH OH!" and now can say "boom" but comes out "boo."  I know he means "boom" because he says it when he falls down.

I am looking forward to the holiday season, I think it is going to be really fun.