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)

Thirty Plus One Equals Twice the FUN! J and L's Birthday Party

We had a big birthday celebration in 2010!  J turned 30 and L turned 1, on the same day!

 J and L just minutes after she was born, on his birthday.

Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography



Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography

 My sister S made the cake and ALL the decorative items on it! So beautiful!

Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography

Photo Credit: Roz Johnson Photography

J as an infant compared to L.

Premier Anniversaire! (First Birthday!)

What you do as a one year old:

• Clap your hands to cheer (noted at the Twins game!) and for songs (If you're happy and you know it...)
• Say 'touchdown' and lift your hands over your head
• Blow kisses (with a loud Mwwahh for effect).
• Recognize yourself (and other babies!) as 'L'.  It is SO cute hearing you say your name when you see yourself in the mirror.
• When we ask "Where is L?" you point to yourself.  You can also identify the dog, mama and dada (both mama and dada only some of the time.).

• Point at everything!
• Wave Hi and Bye
• Crawl all over (started at around 10 months)

• Pull yourself up to standing on most things (starting to stand without holding on for brief periods of time).  When you first started standing you would start to fuss/cry because you couldn't figure out how to sit back down!
• You are fascinated with water, you recognize it in many different forms (in a lake, bathtub, river, dog dish, cup, in a picture, a painting, etc) and sign excitedly when you see it.  This translates well to bath time, which you love, but not to swimming in pools, which you hate.
• You LOVE dogs and cats, your favorite books are those where you can see dogs and cats, point to them and say their name with their sign.
• You like to sit on rocking horses, wagons and other ride-along toys.

• You can find your head, ear, eyes, nose, mouth, foot/toes, belly button when asked.  You also like to point to all of these things on others when asked "where is ___'s ____?'
• You help us get you dressed (pushing arms through shirts, holding legs nicely to put on pants, etc), although you dislike having your diaper changed and more often than not complain/whine during this process.
• You love to carry things in your mouth while crawling.
• You are great at finding mulch, dog toy fluff (after the dog destroys a toy) and other little pieces of garbage and handing them  to an adult. 

• You like to yell, and have someone yell back (Ahhh....Ahhhh, etc.) this could go on for 10 minutes at least and you smile the entire time.  It's not so cute when we try to take you to a nice restaurant and you decide the 'yelling game' will be a good idea...maybe not the best 'game' for us to teach you? 
• You like to play chasing games "I'm going to get you, etc"  You laugh and laugh when someone 'gets you' or when you 'get' daddy especially!
• You have started trying to startle us by roaring/yelling at us.  Your dad started doing this to you, and you have now started to do it back to him.
• All things Roxy: hiding in the dog kennel, petting, trying to eat (gross...can't believe I'm admitting this) dog food when we forget to put it up (we always catch you and make you spit it out), or splashing in her water dish...

L dancing at her Auntie S's wedding. Photo Credit to Emme Photo Design
• You love to dance, you recognize the OMG song by Usher as a dancing with daddy song and look for him to pick you up and dance whenever you hear it.  You do a cute side to side head wiggle when you are dancing.
• You have a funny bottom scoot that you use if the distance is fairly short instead of crawling. You use your legs in front of you to pull your bottom forward until you get to your destination.
• You like to be thrown up in the air, startled/scared and anything else thrilling or exciting.  You laugh and ask for more.
• When you were under 6 months old, we could do anything, go anywhere with you, no schedule needed.  Now you need to be home before nap/bedtime and need limited distractions when nursing (you are easily distracted and like to look around!)
  
  
  Sign Language:
• Dog
• Cat
• Dada (daddy)
• Water
• More
• Milk
• Ball

Spoken Language:

• No (you say this more than anything else, usually multiple times in a row, No, No, No!)  You are getting more creative; dragging out different sounds Noooo, NNNNNoo, etc)
• Dog (usually said as Dog-Dog)
• Roo Roo Roo (What does the dog say?)
• Cat
• Dodo (Fais Dodo is go to sleep in French) This is how she asks for me to sing the lullaby Fais Dodo
• River
• Seriously (seriously...she really says this!  ;-) )
• Night-Night
• Hi
• Mama
• Dada

We have been on the go! Two weeks in St. Louis for work; J and L joined me and had all sorts of fun! Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour (twice!), top of the Gateway Arch, St. Louis Zoo (one of the best in the country!), and citygarden (neat sculpture/art garden). We met with family over the weekend at a waterpark in French Lick, Indiana (yes, I now know it's the home of Larry Bird!) and had a great time.

L has also been on her first (of many!) boat rides on the river.  She seems to like it and the lifejacket doesn't trouble her at all!

Swinging at a park by our house. 

Loss

Grandma, Great-Grandma, we will miss you! Thank you for all the things you always did that made all of us feel so special.

A special ornament at Christmas time, symbolic of the year (a swimmer, engaged, first house, baby's 1st Christmas...), underlining the most meaningful parts of cards, sending a card in the mail for every special occasion, always remembering every important event and holiday, aprons, making bread rolls in a tree shape, playing the piano and singing songs, helping me learn how to sing 'On Eagles Wings' for church, playing dominoes in the summer when we were off of school, letting me stay at your house during J-term from my first year of college, not being upset when I didn't have the house very clean when you returned home, letting me learn about gardening (a little) by helping water, weed and care for your roses when you were out of town, beautiful needlepoint work for our wedding, hugs and smiles always.
We will miss you and all the good you brought into our lives. I know we will always feel your presence through yellow flowers in the garden and every time we decorate our Christmas tree with ornaments lovingly chosen by you.
K, J and L

Travel Highlights Vienna and Paris 2010

Wow.  Our vacation was fantastic.  We had such a great time visiting with M and K and seeing the sights of both Vienna and Paris.  L did wonderful on all of the flights, with the time change and with all the excitement.  She was so interested in all the new sights and sounds (thank you everyone for speaking German and French to her!) around her. 

First Train ride into Vienna, from airport.

Highlights:  Having M and K see L for the first time and watching them fall in love with her during our trip, carrying the stroller up/down stairs, L's face while watching the Eiffel Tower 'sparkle', Der Mann hot chocolate, all the attention from strangers that L received (she attracted smiles, peek-a-boo, handshakes and kisses from all variety of people, young/old, hipsters/business men, children/flight attendants, the Austrian's especially love babies, it is beautiful), brunch at Cafe Gloriette overlooking Schonbrunn Palace and Vienna, coffee/wine/dessert in the restaurant on the Eiffel Tower, family photographs on our first vacation, L's new jacket, coffee at Hotel Sacher, talking/sharing/planning with M and K, four course dinner in Paris while L slept in the stroller at the table, the crazy drunk at the Paris Metro who was telling everyone "SHHHHH the baby is sleeping", seeing Vienna through the eyes of a child at the zoo and library, and so many others...

Smiling for a pic on M's phone.

K and K with L sleeping during one of many walks through Vienna.

Family Picture in front of Notre Dame Cathedral

Riding the lift down from Sacre Coeur in Montmartre Paris.

Family Pic in the Louvre...have to love mirrors so we can all be in the picture.

Der Mann with the Bread, The Man with the Baby.

Waiting at a cross walk.

L sitting up on the steps of Mozart's statue.

First Family Christmas 2009

Our first Christmas as a family was really special.  We had lots of time with family and friends and all our events were set to a beautiful back-drop of falling snow.  It made driving a bit more complicated, but the beauty of a fully white Christmas was magical for L's first!

Roots

I want to share stories and pictures from our daily life with family and friends.  Would love to hear comments on what you find interesting as I get going!

Why the name, Of the Oak Tree?  Our last name in French can be loosely translated "of oak" and I love the quote "Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow" (a 14th century proverb).  Hopefully this blog will detail our growth as a family (J, K and L; Roxy Pup may make some appearances too!)  For now, the first family picture to share with everyone.

(Photo Credit:  RJ Photo -Roz)
Here we go...