Lolo -Nursing a toddler

Something I usually say more than twice a week: "Yes I am still nursing L."  I am very proud to say that and very happy that it has worked so well for our family.  It is good for her, good for me, good for the environment, etc.  This fall, J took some pictures of L nursing one day when we went hiking.  They are so special to me as a reminder of this precious, fleeting time of babyhood that is over so quickly.  L went from doing the classic 'rooting' face when she was hungry, to signing 'milk', to saying 'lolo' while signing, to now holding my face in both of her hands, looking in my eyes and shouting "LOLO" (french 'informal/slang' term for milk, learned from her bedtime song Fais Dodo) over and over until I pay attention and respond to her demands! 

(lyrics modified from original, I call 'L' ma petite miette...)

Fais Dodo, 'L' ma petite miette (Go to Sleep, 'L' my little crumb)

Fais Dodo, t'auras du lolo. (Go to sleep, you'll have your milk)

Maman est en haut (Mama is upstairs)

Qui fait des gateaux (..making cakes)

Dada est en bas (Dada is downstairs)

Qui fait du chocolat (...making chocolate)

Fais Dodo, 'L' ma petite miette (Go to Sleep, 'L' my little crumb)

Fais Dodo, t'auras du lolo. (Go to sleep, you'll have your milk)

Je suis très petite. (I am very small!)

Le Printemps (Springtime!)

L loves being outside.  We were able to be outside for large quantities of time over the past few weeks, setting her bare legged in the yard, letting her explore crunchy leaves and just starting to turn green grass.  My grandma has a beautiful garden, and during Easter a large part of her yard was full of 'Glory of the Snow' blooms, L loved sitting among them, touching their petals and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.  I hope she always loves the beauty of a garden!  We have been taking walks around the neighborhood most evenings with Roxy, and L is so content and happy whether in her stroller or the baby carrier, as long as she is outside.  She is getting really good at following the direction of your gaze, or a pointed finger, to notice the ducks or geese flying in the air or a beautiful daffodil in bloom outside the front door of her daycare. 

 Le Printemps

par Théophile Gautier

Regardez les branches

Comme elles sont blanches,

Il neige des fleurs.

Riant de la pluie

Le soleil essuie

les saules en pleurs.

Et le ciel reflète

Dans la violette

Ses pures couleurs…

La mouche ouvre l’aile

Et la demoiselle

Aux prunelles d’or,

Au corset de guêpe

Dépliant son crêpe,

A repris l’essor.

L’eau gaiement babille,

Le goujon frétille

Un printemps encore !

Wien and Paris

We are taking a trip to Europe; all of us!  Are we crazy to travel abroad with an infant?  We think not.  Our reasoning:  L is nursing still, so no need for food or bottles (less to pack and worry about!), she isn't crawling yet, and loves being in the baby carrier, so should be easily portable, she is fasinated with hands (hers and ours) so no need for lots of toys or other entertainment and if we don't go now it will probably be 10 years before our family is at a point where we can all travel abroad together (I think travelling with a toddler or a toddler/pre-schooler and another baby (sometime in the future) would be much more difficult!) 

We are staying with friends in Vienna for most of the trip (Hi M and K!) and can't wait to have some face-to-face 'real-time' together!  Skype is nice, but nothing beats being together in person! 

I am also looking forward to listening to real people speak French!  I speak French to L at home some of the time and we do a lot of reading books and singing songs in French.  I'm hoping to attend a few library events and/or other children's events while in Paris to learn a little more about how real French parents speak to their children (common phrases, words, etc. that are not easily learned from a textbook or my college french classes!) 

Should have lots of pictures from the trip to share!  We are going for the last half of the month of February!