14 Months

Gracie girl,

On Monday you turned 14 months old. Just like every month, this past one brought such fun and exciting things for you. The biggest milestone of all involved you walking! You actually started taking steps right before you turned 13 months, but in the last few weeks you've gone from steps to a full fledged little walker. In fact, you've also picked up some speed and I fully expect that we will be chasing you around by Christmas.

 You have 11 teeth...I want to say 12, but your last pesky one year molar is just barely starting to break through. I'm sure we will see it in all of it's chomping glory by next week. Now that you have so many teeth, eating has become quite an adventure. We never really know what you are going to want or what you'll turn your nose up to. I think your mac 'n cheese kick is finally winding down...which is exciting because isn't variety the spice of life?! You've enjoyed apple slices, cucumber, mini peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and have a new found love for yogurt that is so much fun to watch. Really I think it is because yogurt is easy for you to feed yourself (when I let you...mostly on bath nights!) and you won't imagine sitting down to a meal without your "big girl" utensils. You have gotten pretty good at using them too...although most nights they eventually find their way onto the floor. Like most things, when you are done, you just cast them aside...look at me wide eyed and say, "Uh oh!", like it was all a big accident. It's pretty cute...the first 3 or 4 times. ;)

Another new found love...teeth brushing...and you do it all by yourself. I'll sit you up on the sink and we'll brush our teeth together. Sometimes you are having such a great time you throw a fit when we have to put our tooth brushes away. Other times mommy is feeling generous and lets you bring your tooth brush on our car ride to daycare...where eventually it gets the "uh-oh" treatment and is relocated onto the floor with a variety of other car toys. In fact, this reminds me that we took a clementine (or "ball" as you say) with us today and it is still in the car somewhere...

Anything circular in shape is a ball. You point out the soccer balls that our next door neighbor keeps on their porch every morning and you try to steal the dogs rubber balls that they play fetch with when we go outside. At the grocery store you favor the produce section because apples, lemons, limes, cantaloupes...are all balls. 9 times out of 10 we come home with a lemon "ball" that you hold during our shopping trip to keep you entertained a few extra minutes.

Along with ball you have really taken up trying to copy words this month. You will point out animals in your books and say "That?", asking us to tell you what it is called. We will tell you and you will sometimes try to repeat. You are a very cute little bookworm. You also have started learning body parts. You can point out noses and belly buttons. You like to pull up peoples shirts to look for belly buttons...this gets awkward in public. Haha. My most favorite thing of all is when we ask if you have a belly button. You have to really lean forward and get your hands on your adorable little baby belly to see it for yourself!

Sometimes I worry about how sweet and sensitive you are. You get your feelings hurt easily. There have been a couple of times where we have moved something out of your reach, or taken away a pen that you were attempting to walk with (cue minor heart attack for mommy) and your bottom lip will pout and start to quiver, while you take deep breaths, trying to hold in big crocodile tears. This is the saddest, most adorable thing ever. I hate to see you upset, but you look so darn cute when you are. It's okay- I quickly scoop you up for snuggles and the tears stop almost immediately. You give hugs and kisses to daddy and I all the time and if I ask you for a kiss you lean in willingly and then give me a cute little smile. We LOVE this. Don't ever change.

You are getting more hair. Still not enough to put up in pig tails, but your little curls are getting longer in the back. During bath time (which you currently hate) your hair is all the way down to the bottom of your neck! Don't let your daddy's mullet jokes make you feel bad...he likes your curls even more than mommy does. :) You are in 18-24 month clothes, but we are starting to stock up on 2Ts. It will only be a matter of time. You are in size 4 diapers and size 5 shoes. You go through shoes faster than anyone I've ever met...a combination of growth and just playing them into the ground. Good thing your mommy enjoys shopping so much...

We won't be back at the doctors until your 18 month check-up, but I would guess you are still about 25 pounds and 32 inches. You can slow down anytime you want...mommy is having a hard time believing how quickly you have grown from a little 7 pound 12 ounce bundle of baby into such a beautiful, energetic toddler. You bring daddy and I so much joy...from the moment you literally pop-up with a smile in the morning until the minute we cuddle you back to bed at night, you have made our lives so much more exciting, adventurous, and full of love than we could have ever expected.

Can't wait to find out what surprises you will bring this month.

Love you baby girl,
Mommy