Juliette is 15 months old today!  In celebration of her 15 month birthday, we took her to Epcot!  We were planning on going yesterday, but when Juliette woke up she had a really swollen red eye.  We took her to the doctor and it turns out she somehow had an eye infection.  She got some antibiotics and looks like a new kid today!  So she got to go to Epcot! (Please note: I should know by May that it is 2014.  It's been a long day in the sun & heat, please pardon my boo boo.)

Top picture=Today
Picture below=Yesterday

Juliette has FINALLY started to walk without holding on to things.  I was starting to think she would never do it!  She still is a picky little eater.  She will not eat anything that is bigger than a dime (unless it's a banana or a PB&J sandwich).  I now understand the extreme importance of naps.  When it's time for a nap, it is time for a nap.  There is no pushing the envelope.  She has a Blabla doll named "Chuck" that is her best friend. Chuck has helped us get the kid to walk on her own and is the biggest aid in getting her to go to sleep.  Chuck went to Epcot today too.  

Juliette's pink birthday party was today!  I had so much fun planning and creating her party.  We went with a pink theme.  Pretty much everything in...pink.  Juliette was hesitant at first to try her cake.  After five minutes of poking at her cake, she dug in!  Needless to say, she had icing everywhere!  

It was so nice to have so many wonderful friends around!  Thanks to all that were able to join us today!  

Juliette is one busy little girl.  Josh has been doing a great job documenting all of her "moves."   She LOVES her walker/car.  She zooms around the house with great precision.   Here's the past week according to YouTube.

This video says it all (watch the whole thing with the volume on).  

Josh and I were trying to get Juliette to laugh last night...hence why you hear us making all kinds of funny noises in the video.  At the end of the video, you hear Josh.  He smelled the cabbage.

After five months of exclusively pumping,  I decided to "pitch the pump" this week. I struggled with the decision.  Breast milk is sooooo good for babies and I had devoted 4 hours a day for the past 5 months (580 hours!) to making sure Juliette got her share of the "liquid gold"...but I'd had enough.  So after many hours of weighing the pros vs. cons, I decided I wanted to drink Red Bull again. I wanted to sleep 8 hours straight without waking up to hook myself up like a cow. I wanted to sleep without a bra. The time was right. Yes, I may sound selfish but trust me, the output had been declining to the point where we have been giving her a few bottles of formula a day already. So, the other night I pumped my last bottle. And the cabbage leaves went in. Google "what to do to dry up breast milk" and "apply a cabbage leaf compress" will come up just about every time. I decided to give it a try. I put the cold cabbage leaves in my bra and immediately the smell of coleslaw hit me. According to most accounts, you should leave the cabbage on the breast and change them every few hours until milk is gone.  I am 36-hours in and the smell is bad. I honestly don't think I will ever look at cabbage the same.

Yes, that's real cabbage in there.

Hopefully, the pain will be gone in the next day or so.  For the mean time, Juliette will be enjoying her bottles of formula and Mommy will be enjoying her Red Bull!  

The many hours spent pumping were def worth it!  I would do it again in a heartbeat!  I love this girl more than anything!

Juliette changes each day.  This past week she has found her left thumb.  She likes to try to suck on it...but somehow her whole hand is in her mouth.  We are wondering if she could possibly be a lefty?  She also smiles when you talk to her.  It's one of the best things in the whole wide world!  No, wait. It IS the best thing in the whole world!  She really is just the sweetest baby.

Josh has started her on the "Baby Einstein" videos.  For the entire 30 minutes, she sits entranced watching them.  I have personally tried to watch them and can only last about five minutes.  If you ask me, they are awful.  But man, this kid LOVES them.  Check her out...