I have cherished nursing most of my babies beyond their first year. But it has not come without a few tears, and lactation experts, and ointments…and did I say tears? I’ve had my fair share of clogged ducts, bouts of mastitis, thrush…This time last year, I was struggling with a 10 week long thrush that wasn’t resolving! It was strangely aggravated which led me to consider nursing exclusively from only one side. Through the tears and laughter, I count my blessings – he is still happy to nurse.

The great big news around here is that Samuel is walking! This is why I cannot get any decent pictures of him anymore – he’s too quick to zip around the corners. His walking began a couple of days after he turned 13 months in September. We were still sitting at the dinner table, but he was done and had crawled into the piano room. We could hear him banging the notes – ha! Then it was quiet long enough to make me wonder what he was up to. When I crept to the door and peeked in, he was pacing three or four steps at a time back and forth, back and forth, right next to the coffee table for stability. I have never seen any of my babies practice before!

It is always such a joy to get to know the differences in the personalities of our children! Samuel loves to watch the sheep, and makes a faint “Baaaaaa” when he spies them out the window or from the yard. He’s constantly occupied and busy and loves all things with wheels. The crib is in the girls’ room, and he loves to sit and watch the girls in their beds talking. But as soon as his feet touch the floor, he’s off to the boys’ room. He swings the door wide open looking for all the fun. He is quite the little sergeant – all day long he points to the doors or windows commanding his siblings to take him outside. Most recently, he’s found a an interest in music and “does a little jig” anytime he hears a tune.

Every night, little Samuel comes alive when Nathan and I are just settling into bed with a tea to get some computer work done. Since we can’t resist his begging, we bring him into bed with us well-knowing that his intent is to play with our nightstand clocks and sip our tea as soon as it has cooled enough. We dote on him for the next half-hour, then he’s happy to lay in his crib with his muslin blanket ’til the next morning.

So there we have it, a walking tiny baby, whom we are over the moon excited to have among us!

For this child I prayed,

and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to Him.

I Samuel 1:27

with love. Damaris