hello. we are still here.

i thought i would give a quick update on the hardin family.

we are busy!

my business has really picked up. this is a wonderful (albeit a bit surprising) development. i am working very hard to balance work and family. some things are definitely falling through the cracks - like cleaning for example (those who know me know how difficult letting go of my daily cleaning routine has been) - but i am doing my best to maintain some semblance of order and balance in my life. the transition has been a bit difficult (it all happened so fast), but it gets easier every day. what i have learned (or, rather, am still learning) is that it is very hard to do everything well. i tend towards anxiety when things get busy and stressful - when i feel as if i am losing control. i have to constantly remind myself that some things - like daily vacuuming for example - must be sacrificed for the greater good. sometimes, you have to prioritize and let go of the things that really don't matter. that is what i am learning to do.

but, enough about me.

bradford is off in NYC today (he left yesterday) on work related business. he is still doing well at work (as we all knew he would!). they keep him very busy, but he is doing an incredible job with the work/life balance - which i so appreciate. he has been my biggest fan during this new business venture. i couldn't (and wouldn't) have done it without his never-ending support.

next week we leave for birmingham, alabama, where we will see family and friends and witness my cousin ashley get married to a wonderful man. i couldn't be happier for her and couldn't be more excited about heading back down south. we will leave from birmingham to go down to mobile, alabama, to visit bradford's family - which will be a blast i am sure. can't wait! we plan on seeing as many people as we can during our trip and have already made plans to visit with Judge Fuller and chambers. maybe we will see my judge as well?

okay - now for what actually interests you -

lillian is doing well. she started sleeping all the way through the night (yes!!). we knew she would when she got good and ready, and she did not disappoint. we are both glad that we stuck to our guns about not "sleep training" her - of course, some people swear by it but we felt it just wasn't for us.

another big announcement - lils also stopped breastfeeding! she is a full time drink from a cup baby now. this transition went extremely smoothly - she was ready apparently! i started to notice that her feedings did not seem to interest her as much and cut back a little bit, which she did not seem to mind. then, we stopped feeding before bed (because she didn't seem that interested). i did not think that she would fully wean, because she was waking during the night to eat. but, once she dropped her before bed feeding she immediately started sleeping through the night (imagine that) - this means so more breastfeeding!

i miss my little baby and am sad that our breastfeeding days are over. we made it one year and one month, which i know is a big accomplishment, but i will miss it. with that said, i am glad that the transition went smoothly. i told myself that i would not hang on to breastfeeding for me, and would take cues from lils about when to stop, and that's what we did. i am proud of lillian! she is growing up.

now, i must admit that i tried to get her to sleep with us again the other night. i miss co-sleeping and had forgotten why we stopped. i immediately remembered, because lillian did not like sleeping in the bed with us. she couldn't get comfortable and slept horribly for a few hours. it made me sad to transfer her to her own bed in the middle of the night, but that's what she wanted. she really has grown into an independent little thing.

what else? lillian now does a forward roll by herself. at least, that's what she thinks is happening. she bends over, puts her head and hands on the floor in the forward roll start position, and then flops over with the biggest smile. we clap and congratulate her on her acrobatic abilities - but, can barely hold back our laughter. it is the funniest thing.

she still loves her "monkey-doggy," which is what she calls her curious george monkey now. she loves to sing "the itsy bitsy spider" and does the hand motions. singing this has replaced breastfeeding at bedtime. (oh how the times are a changin').

she loves her uggs - a gift from aunt val - and carries them around the house (and tries to wear them to bed). she says "yucky yucky" when she makes a dirty diaper. she likes to put her cloth diapers on monkey doggy. she says "ut oh" when she drops something. she seems to say new words daily!

okay, so i must get back to work. i hope you enjoyed the update.

and, i must apologize for not blogging more often. i promise i will get back to it when things calm down. (maybe no one even reads this blog anymore?)

and, to all of those i love - family and friends - i apologize that i have not been in better contact these days. i have just been so busy. but, i do love you all and appreciate your support. please, know that!

have a wonderful weekend.