12 months

We’ve got a 1 year old! And in my opinion (I’m not biased), the cutest little 1 year old ever!  We see you thinking and becoming smarter and smarter every day.  You love to mimic things that you see us do like comb your hair, use the remote to change the channel (you just point and press…not actually change the channel), and put your toys on top of your head just like we do.  Physically you’ve slimmed down from the steroids, have lots and lots of blond hair, and the prettiest, biggest blue eyes.  You love to people watch and are so flexible in most situations that we put you in even if there are lots of strangers around. 

One year ago I tried, but still could not imagine just how in love with you I am.  We would do anything for you and you bring so much joy into our lives everyday.  I look forward to celebrating so many more birthdays with you in the future and watching you grow up.

Size:
You weighed in at 21 pounds & 8oz at your 1 year appointment.  You actually have lost a bit of weight from a couple of weeks ago, but are still growing and getting taller.  You are currently 29” long and gaining on the height chart.  As the doctor said, we’re starting to see your “genetic potential.”  You are still in size 3 diapers and wear majority 12 month clothes. You wear 18 month sizes in t-shirts and some clothes that I’ve bought for the future.

Sleep:
You are on a very good, predictable sleep schedule right now.  You wake up around 7:15 each morning, nap from 10-11:30, nap from 3-4:30, and then are asleep by about 8 each night.  If we have to change your schedule up a bit (keep you out later or change your nap time) then you are a flexible baby.  Your one requirement for sleep is a blankie so you can cuddle with it when you’re going to sleep.  You’re not picky on which one as long as it’s an Aden & Anais (and we have a lot of them).

Activities:  
You still love to use your walker and any toys that you can stand and play with.  You love playing with doors and opening and closing them.  You also love to get into the tupperware cabinet and crawl around the kitchen with the tops under your hands (we call it skiing). 

You love going on walks in the stroller (I think this comes from riding on the buggy twice a day during daycare).  On the weekends, I try to follow your same routine and take you on a walk before your bottle & nap and it relaxes you.  You still love playing with all your toys, especially your golf club set & little people toys & bus. 

You also still love playing in the bath, even though it’s towards the end of the day when you’re starting to get grumpy.  Your favorite thing is to drop things out of the tub and then try to pick them up.  This involves you standing in the bath tub which we are trying to get you to stop doing!

Food:
You still aren’t the best table food eater, but we’re going to keep trying!  The pediatrician said that some babies just don’t like/can’t eat certain textures until closer to 15 months.  We offer table foods at each meal, but will normally back it up with baby food.  You are good at picking up food and putting it in your mouth, it’s just making sure that you don’t gag and then throw up (which happens more often than I’d like to admit).  Recently, I’ve been giving you whatever Tyler and I are eating for dinner in very small pieces (chicken, veggies, cheese, turkey, breads).

You snack on yogurt and puffs or gold fish.

For milk, you have been taking a 4oz bottle when you wake up, a 6-7 oz bottle at 10am, a 6-7oz bottle at 3pm, and a 7oz bottle at bedtime.  

New Things:
You are a walking cruiser.  You hold onto objects and just cruise around them.  You have gotten faster, but still are not walking or standing on your own.  You feel more confident crawling to get where you want to be. 

You have 3 new teeth this month!  Both top center teeth and then a tooth on the top left side.

You love to point at things and often will just point at everything.  You have also learned to wave to people, although your version of waving it just sticking your hand up in the air towards them and giving a huge smile. 

You also started clapping your hands together.  You have always banged objects together, but not your actual hands.  They don’t make any noise so it’s cute to see how gentle you bring them together. 

This is how you feel about ear infections

You have still been sick again this month and have had a couple of ear infections.  We met with the ENT doc on the day of your one year appointment and we have set the plan to get tubes into action.  I had tubes twice in my younger years and both doctors said that it is often hereditary so I’m sorry for giving you messed up ears L. 

Like I said earlier, you mimic things that we do and are always studying us.  It was so funny the first time we saw you pick up the remote and turn and point it at the tv.  I don’t know if that’s a good thing that you know how to do that!  You also always bring the comb to your head try to comb your hair (although it’s not successful).  When we read a certain book together at night, it has a mirror on the back page.  You always get excited to see yourself and me in the mirror.  I kiss the mirror and then you kiss the mirror each time.  It’s so cute.

Dad also gave you your first haircut.   Your bangs often get too long and will get in your eyes and need trimming so you can see!  He has also trimmed the sides of your hair.  We just have to make sure you’re watching Baby Einstein while he’s doing it.

The last 12 months have flown by and it is crazy how much you changed in a year.  It is so drastic and I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened.  At each milestone like holding your head up, sitting up, and pulling up it is foreign to see you do it on your own for the first few times.