Belle is 13 Months Old

Belley Boo is 13 months old today. Not much has changed other than her constant attachment to my hip. She is absolutely in love with her mommy. I can't get her leave my side but I don't mind very much. She is still crawling away but has started to pull up and be a little more brave with her cruising around. Lately, however, we have entered the crazed 4-6:00pm time around here with Belle. Nothing makes her happy during that time and have found that we have entered the norm of child raising. With Allie-Ann we never got this but had heard from so many parents that that is the roughest hour. It wasn't an issue for us but now I see what they were talking about...wow. Unfortunately for Belle, I find her cries and moodiness hysterical. It doesn't bother me too much and we just work through them, (basically she does) because I just ignore it most of the time. I will tell you, I'm not going to be at her beck-in-call with these crying spells. I just put her in her walker and let her go at it until she works it all out. Call it bad parenting but I'm not going to stress myself out that's for sure. 


I've been reading Bringing Home Bebe, which has been a quick and humorous read about French parenting methods. I find that reading about other cultures parenting techniques so interesting. I'm obsessed with it in a way. This book is written by an American woman who moves to Paris and can't understand how the French women are so calm and collective when raising their children. She begins researching to find out what their secret is. On any note, I find that I like the French parenting method, other than the going out for croissants during labor. It was interesting that they don't use the term discipline when referring to parenting but more of educating. It's all a process that starts very early for them, which in turn teaches their children autonomy. 


Here are Belle's 13 month pics...

 I found Allie-Ann and Belle like this the other day and thought it was so cute!