We've got ourselves a walker folks! After many fake-outs and moments of teasing with us watching you with camera laden hands, you are finally taking steps. We aren't running any marathons any time soon, but you can take a few steps before lowering yourself back down to your bottom. You've been ready for a few weeks, but you just needed to build your balance and confidence. I know that now that you can do this, things are really about to change at our house. Most of the baby-proofing from your sister is still intact, but there are few loose ends that will need to be taken care of. You have such a logical mind like your Daddy. I can see you watching us as we do things and then trying to do them for yourself. You are already trying to get into the cabinets, and your Daddy caught you trying to fit your head into the space between the gate and the stairs to try and gain entrance to your holy grail--the stairs. You can climb up those stairs as fast as lightening. Thankfully the first time you tried it, I was standing right behind you so I decided to see how far you could get while I was there to catch you. YOU MADE IT TO THE TOP! Then to make matters worse, you turned around and smiled at me like "Ha ha. I made it." My poor little heart isn't ready for such a charming little dare devil.
You are 22.1 lbs and 28 inches. I think some of the weight gain can be attributed to the fact that we are letting you try all kinds of new foods lately. I was a by-the-book kind of girl with your sister, and I have been pretty good with you until recently. I think I have fallen off the wagon though, and I'm not sure you will let me go back. You really love all of it, and with every fork that is brought to my lips, I can feel you staring me down for more of whatever I have.
You traveled to go buy your daddy a new car and out for dinner and shopping several times, but we were too busy with parties, church, and work to go anywhere too far from home. Spring break is coming up though, so I'm sure I will get you out and about soon.
You Eat: any vegetables and fruits that you want (other than strawberry), chicken and turkey mixes of baby food, and Gerber treats. You also got to try some special things like tea (thanks Papa), banana pudding, whipped cream, refried beans, rice, avocado, and other soft things. Your teachers and I decided that they can start letting you try some of the regular daycare food on days when it is something you could manage eating. I can't get over how eager of an eater you are. We haven't really found anything that you don't like.
You Like: your gumball machine that we got you for Christmas (you can even pick up the balls and put them back in yourself now), going for walks in the stroller, riding in the tank carts at the store where you can see everything, drinking things from a straw, eating "table food," snuggling with Mommy, comfort nursing, walking around and showing off for your adoring audience, playing with your toys (or Emmy's toys), getting into Mommy's shelves, general mischief, using that new tooth, playing hide and seek, and being outside.
You Dislike: teething, being alone in the dark, being hungry, running out of snacks, having to be patient, lying down to take a nap (but you love sleep once you are out for the count), having to sit still to get dressed or get a diaper change, being told no, falling down while trying to walk, Maggie (and she doesn't deserve your scorn), and not being able to do your own thing.
You Say: mama, dada, buh, bye, ba, and rah. You also make a motorboat like noise and have loud shrieks. I also could have sworn that you said nah the other day which means the dreaded no is just around the corner.
Teeth: 1 (bottom right).
Here you are by week: