Well, father time has kicked my behind – yet again.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading and reflecting this month. I’m trying to fit everything in… Enjoy everything… soak in everything and prepare for someone’s first birthday.

I’m so unprepared and in complete denial about the fact that his birthday is next month.  In fact I still haven’t taken his 11 month photos because I just can’t believe that a month from now I’ll be out of ties:

I recently started preparing myself for the weaning process and the thought really sort of depresses me.  On so many levels I’m ready to be done with a lot of it…  The pumping is exhausting but the actual nursing sessions are still a super crazy bonding time.  I’m the only one who can share those moments with him and the thought of that ending is really weighing heavily on me.  You see, when you are not a nursing mom, you don’t understand it.  I remember not being a mom and being sort of uncomfortable with the idea because of how the media and our culture really doesn’t embrace it these days.  So many people are like “yuck” put that away… Now being that I have nurtured my child this far anyone I see nursing their baby in public, I want to give them a high five – because it isn’t easy.  I know everyone bonds with their children in their own way and I know many people go the formula route (high fives to you too!) but for the past year my life has revolved around feeding my little guy.

Being a mom isn’t easy and I just want to hug everyone out there who works hard to give their children the best lives they can.  I must say though, nursing is something so many people are uncomfortable talking about.  It shouldn’t be that way.  It really is the most natural thing in the world and I feel very lucky to have had such a wonderful experience and am really really proud of Evan and myself for making it this far.   I mean this guy lights up every room:

So be prepared for sobfest blogs in the very near future…

On a lighter note – I’m still so impressed by the beauty in my yard:

My lilies on steroids have bloomed and they are GORGEOUS.  Seriously!  So pretty I have at least 5 different colors of lilies in my yard including some yellow day lilies that are not pictured.  I’m in awe of the constant bloom in my garden.  Sure, these only bloom once but there is constantly something new and pretty blooming… I hope I don’t kill any of this stuff because it is fun to watch it grow.

I have about 300 projects going on.  My auto focus stopped working on my Nikon which is forcing me to either buy a new lens, or new camera… Both hefty purchases.  I really want a Canon but $$$$$ is holding me back.  So I’m going to do some research.  I’m also going to start to edit my photographs and trying to decide between Aperture for my mac or Lightroom 5 (on either my desktop or my mac… still unsure probably going to do a trial run) – Photography has really been fun lately for me… Taking pictures of Evan, Oso… my plants our adventures… My camera is always with me 😉

Also, if you didn’t know my family and I are pretty huge Chicago Blackhawks fans (sports fans as a whole really) but my sister and mother are HUGE Blackhawks fans and follow them when the are not so good.. and when they are amazing… Like recently because uh.  We won the Stanley Cup!  Yay for Chicago.  I’m lucky enough to work in the City and have gotten to enjoy the Sea of Red and an amazing view of the parade that took place yesterday:

I have more that I’ll share later as weird things are going on with this computer of mine…