Peanut Post: 14 Month Update

 

Wow, Peanut, 14 months already! As a side note:  when do we stop counting your age in months?  At 2 years?  I suppose that's when clothing sizes stop counting in months, so that's as good a time as any, right?  Anyway, for now, it's easiest to say, "you are 14 months old."  And man are you rocking it. You've all but mastered walking, running, and climbing, even outside on uneven surfaces these days.  You have your daddy's "curiosity for life" and don't even think twice about, oh, climbing the wire baby gates or walking (not crawling) up the front porch step after Avery, our neighbor girl.  Exploring the world around you is absolutely your number one priority.

playing in the yard

On top of that, new words are coming out of your mouth everyday.  Like your Mama, everything you do and say is very calculated.  It's so funny to watch you move your mouth (with no sound), trying to figure out how to say each new word and sound. Until you think you can master it, you will rarely try it.  Which makes the words that you can say clear as day.  You're starting to randomly repeat a lot of words we say, but these are the ones we hear more regularly:

Mama 
Dada 
Baby (your absolute favorite word)
A-na (sometimes it sounds more like na-na which is what you call bananas)
Nana (see above)
Pup-pup-pup  (you really like hopping on poor Gus lately, and barking "arf")

Up, up (probably second favorite/most used word, to be picked up)
Down
Hungry (you say/sign this one constantly!  Can we say, growth spurt?!)
Pooh (you love your Pooh bear cup/book/toothbrush)

Hat (you also learned this sign- pat top of head)
Pretty
Potty

Speaking of potty... potty training is still a lot of ups and downs at this age.  You know that when you sit on the potty, you should go.  You don't, however, always want to sit for long enough.  You actually take great pride in jumping off the potty and yelling "up!" as you run to bury your face in my lap and giggle.  On my days off, I've been trying to put you in training pants more and more, and depending on the day, we go through 2-4 of them before Daddy gets home.  But, it will come... more on that later.

New foods you've tried include the ever popular PB&J.  Daddy actually gave you this for the first time, and per his report - you weren't all that trilled.  You also tried BBQ sauce down in Nashville and weren't too crazy about that flavor either.  You did try YATS (a creole place near and dear to Butler students and alumni) and absolutely loved the Bee & Bee (a vegetarian dish with black beans and corn), despite the fact that we thought it might be a little too spicy for you.  I guess you have your Daddy's stomach!  Mandarin oranges, bananas, mixed veggies, and Goldfish crackers continue to be definite favorites.

It's unbelievable how many teeth you have now!  Last time I checked you let me check, you were up to 6 on the top (including your first molars, no canines yet), and 3 on the bottom (two front ones plus the one molar in the back that has cut through... other ones are close!).  Just when we think you are done for awhile, a couple more bump up and pop through days later.  Poor little lady!  Despite all of this, you are back to sleeping like a champ.  You sleep 11-12 hours each night (with occasional wake-ups for snuggles or tooth pain), plus two 1.5 - 2 hour naps each day.  We are spoiled and we love you for that.

sweet sleepy baby

 

Just this month, you are becoming a major Mama's girl.  For the first time, you cried "Ma-ma! Ma-ma!" when I left for work (on a Saturday, you're usually still asleep when I leave during the week... thank goodness!).  Even though Daddy swears you stopped 30 seconds after I shut the door, it just about broke my heart. Later that week, he brought you in to see me at work and get groceries (such a good Daddy!), and you did the same thing when he tried to push the cart away from the pharmacy.  Being the sucker that I am, I insisted he bring you back so I could scoop you up and enjoy the "I miss you" snuggles.  Yea, yea, I know... shouldn't give in so easily.   But I just couldn't stand it.  Go ahead, scold me for my horrible parenting skills.  Call me crazy, but when your baby's crying, love supersedes all the parenting books / advice in the world.

clingy girl

 

Gosh, there's been a lot to report in just two months!  Unfortunately, I don't have any real stats for you since we don't have a doctors appointment until next month.  You are wearing pretty much all 18 month clothes now, size 4 diapers, and size 4W shoes.  We know you're getting taller because you can suddenly reach things you couldn't just weeks ago... like magnetic frames on the fridge (you keep bringing me the one of you and Remy - sans frame), or items on the kitchen table, or even the edges of the counter tops.  Despite the constant hunger, you've slimmed down a lot since you're birthday due to all the walking / running / climbing.

As always, you are such a source of joy in our lives.  We savor every little moment, the good and the bad, of this journey called parenthood.  Thanks to you, Annalyn, we have the privilege of being Mama & Daddy.  We never understood how entirely incomplete our lives were until you came along and made us a family.  For that, we will forever be grateful.  Even when you're a teenager... though we may need reminded of it more then.  But I don't want to think of that... as far as I'm concerned, you'll be my silly, crazy, curious, sweet, spunky little toddler forever.  Yep, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Love,

Mama