Truth be told, Little Sprout is weaning from breastfeeding.

I'm one of those "green" momma's that believes that nursing her really helps to boost her immune system and has gotten her through our awful cold and flu season. The babe has only had 2 nasty little colds to speak of. Even with her sisters having had strep throat again and again, and whooping cough. Sprout has stayed really quite healthy. I had the same experience with my twins who I nursed until 20 months. They also stayed really healthy when they were so little. Once they are bigger, bring on the germs. I always thought the bigger they are the better they can handle being sick as opposed to when they are so tiny.

And so we've held on and kept at it as long as we could to give Little Sprout all the good stuff she needed to stay healthy. And now we are winding down. Which I believe has my hormones in a bit of an uproar.

Hence why my posts have been a bit "crazy" lately. I call it the "winter blues" or "postpartum" um, 22 months later but whatever. I'm trying to work through it and being honest about feeling "blue" I think is perfectly ok.

I didn't even know what it was as we started to wean down to one feeding in January. Why was I feeling so tired? Depressed? Weepy? Turns out that postpartum depression does occur when you are weaning from breastfeeding. Who knew? Now I know it's not in my head and I'm not crazy. Or weak.

For some reason, as women, we have to be it all, not be weak, go, go, go, be all things to all people, never complain, never sit down, never stop and smile through it all and keep our kids and husbands happy. I admitted to my husband the other day as I was crying while ironing that I was in fact, probably a bit depressed and hormonal. To which he snickered and said some typical man kind of response. I think it was like, "No kidding? That's a surprise" or something like that. He's seen me cry on my way to work, cry when I get home, cry while I'm reading blogs, cry while I'm cooking dinner...and when I can't quite put a finger one why the heck I'm crying...well, this is why I've adopted the mantra lately, "hormones suck".

I have nothing to cry about. So, I've decided to slow down a bit to enjoy my family more and more. Sleep more. Make sure I get my vitamins. Eat better. Enjoy every moment more. I think it will help me get past this shift. It's weird to feel generally happy yet depressed at the same time. To feel happy yet cry for no reason. Have you experienced this? If so, it's ok. Make sure there are no little ears around and say it with me. "Hormones suck".

I have so much to look forward to.

Like what you ask?

Well...I have two new patterns I'm working on that I hope to have done before April. The Madison bag and an apron.

On the blog this month I'll be recapping a how to on our Jr. Ranger party, a tutorial for a really basic and simple softie, and I'll share my valentines storage box instructions.

I have two magazine articles I'm working on for submission.

I have a fun set of Jr. bridesmaid dresses to make for a wedding in New Orleans.

My birthday is...this month! (on the 24th actually!) I have a really cool giveaway I'll be doing (Something fun from Patty Young for your iphone! and something from me)

LOST is in it's final season and I'm totally loving it. Seriously. LOVE.

Spring break is coming up this month and we are going swimming with the two peas and sprout.

And my Pocket Full of Posies projects series is currently being featured in Sew Hip magazine...I'm in the current March/April issue - issue 14. In the next two issues 15 and 16, you'll find an apron pattern and a wristlet pattern. All based on the pocket from the apron - same pattern, 3 very different projects. Here's a sneak peek at the flower banner from the current issue.

Thanks for sticking with me. I think it's really important to support one another. I think many of us have experienced this at one point or another in our lives and it's always so hard to admit. But, me saying it out loud to my friends, my family, here on the blog - has helped me to see it and focus on making it better rather than to continue to let it suck me down a black hole.

And mostly, I write this blog and print the posts out for my girls to read someday. I never want them to think they have to be perfect. I want them to always know it's ok to be less than perfect, to admit it, and to ask for help and support.

This week - my focus was on Sprout. Here's what made me smile...