For some reason, this past month sticks out in my mind as THE month.
THE month your personality has blossomed. THE month that has brought the most changes. THE month where you are morphed from a baby into a toddler.
I'm not sure if that's completely true...you've done tons of growing and developing throughout your entire first year life...but for some reason that's how my brain remembers the month of December: as you growing, laughing, changing, and blossoming like crazy.
It has worn me out. It's also been TONS of fun.
You're not walking yet, but it feels like you've become super active. You're everywhere!!! Climbing on and in and through and over and under whatever you can find, opening any cabinet or drawer that we haven't secured. You LOVE to climb into chairs (like this little seat and our small rocking chair) and rock back and forth. You also LOVE to stand in said chairs, which has become a little bit more of a challenge.
You are quick when it comes to climbing up the stairs, too. We didn't even know you knew how to get up the stairs, but we left the gate open just a little one day (the latch is tough for Babe to open sometimes) and you opened that bad boy up and took off!
The big kids love it! You've climbed up their step stool in the bathroom and do your best to attempt to reach their toothbrushes, you try with all your might to climb up the ladder to Harris' top bunk, you climb onto the scale in our bathroom in an attempt to make it into the bathtub...you are literally all over. It's hysterical.
You're still wearing size 4 diapers and 12 month clothes. I think part of the reason it's so funny to see you get around so quickly is because you're still so small. Santa brought you a push toy for Christmas and you love to walk behind it. You like to walk holding hands as well and will hold tight to Daddy, Harris, and me as you walk all over the house. Dad and I can even get you to walk some while holding just one of our hands and your furniture cruising skills have become lightning fast.
We got you your first pair of shoes right after Christmas. It took a day or two for you to get used to them, but things are all good now. They are tiny...size 3 1/2, which includes a little room for your foot to grow. You love them, though, as you do all shoes. "Shoes" is even one of the words in your ever-expanding vocabulary and it's lots of fun to watch you as you try to put shoes of all sizes on those teeny feet of yours.
You're a GREAT eater. You've never been bad, but, again, in the last month things have taken off. I never worry about you getting enough milk from your sippy cup; you suck that bad boy dry at least twice during the day. You also eat a pretty good variety of foods, with fruits and veggies being your favorite. We are completely done with baby food (and have been for most of the month) and it's fantastic! Favorites for you include: grapes, broccoli, green beans, peaches, pears, bananas, corn, hot dogs, meatballs, and any kind of bread/carbs. You eat breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, and dinner daily. Bottles have been gone since the beginning of December and your passy has been regulated to your crib. Daddy and I had every intention of taking it from your crib a few weeks ago, but it's absolutely adorable to watch you pop it out of your mouth and throw it back in your bed when we scoop you up from sleeping. And I love the fact that you always follow up that move by "high-fiving" me. Oh, you make me smile.
You're still a great sleeper! You're down by 7:30 in the evenings and, on the weekends, sleep until at least 8 (we have to wake you up at 7:00 during the week). You nap for about three hours in the afternoons, too.
You've got favorite toys. Here's a picture of you reaching for the newly discovered pink purse. It's the first thing you go for every time we play in the living room.
And the first thing you dig out of the purse-ALWAYS-is Hadley's old green string of beads. You know exactly how to put it around your neck and will wear it all day long with no complaints.
I have no idea where you learned about necklaces...
You babble all the time. Long strings of babbling, with lots of tone and inflection. We have no idea what you're saying, but we love listening to you. You do have a few words, but refuse to say anything on command. You understand lots of words, too, and will give kisses (with a HUGE open mouth), hugs, and high fives when asked. You'll also reach "up" when you want to be scooped up from your high chair or the floor.
You've finally moved out of your infant seat and into a convertible car seat. We've still got you rear-facing, though. You seem to enjoy the roominess of your new chair.
Harry and Babe continue to be your favorite playmates. It's obvious that you're not always sure what to do with yourself when they're not around. While you still prefer being around Daddy or me, you've outgrown a lot of your clinginess and are willing to let just about anybody hold you.
You laugh all the time. You've learned to do something and then look around for our reactions. You scrunch your nose and cheeks up in a big, goofy grin whenever you're especially proud of yourself. You beg for food from anyone who is eating anything. You've got seven teeth...four on top and three on bottom. Your hair is thickening up like crazy and starting to grow into a mullet. It's still red.
And your sweet little world is about to get rocked...
I can't believe you're going to be a big sister. You'll be great!!!
