13 Months Young

This kid is growing like a weed!

All About Emily:

• Wearing mostly 12 months clothes and 12 months footie pjs; still wearing size 4 diapers.
• Current stats (as of 6/1/15):  weighs 22 lbs 15 oz, 30 inches long, 45.5 cm head.
• 7 teeth!!!!!!!
• Eating 3 meals a day, plus some snacks.  Emily loooooves her purees, but we're working on introducing more solid foods.  Research shows it takes most toddlers at least 10-15 exposures to a new food before they accept it, so we just keep on keepin' on!  Unfortunately, we discovered that Em might be allergic to peanuts, because she broke out in hives after eating some PB&J.  :(   Currently, she eats mostly fruits, and especially likes:  grapes, apples, bananas & blueberries.  This month Emily tried hummus (which she liked) and pierogies (which she didn't -- is this my kid????) for the first time! 

• Outgrew her infant carseat and has a new "big girl" convertible carseat!
• Graduated out of the infant room at daycare and is now with the "waddlers", ages 12-18 months.
• Started clapping, and did it several times throughout the day, on 6/15 while we were home together, but for some reason she'd only clap when she went and sat on the floor in the corner of the kitchen next to the trash can!  Crazy baby  :)

• Started saying "la la la la".
• Starting to assert independence and has thrown her first temper tantrums when she doesn't get her way!  Mainly, she doesn't like getting into her stroller and our prior methods of "coercement" are no longer working very well.  :)
• Loves running around non-stop, giggling adorably at her own silliness, and playing peek-a-boo tag with Daddy!
• LOVES dancing, and now she even spins around while she's dancing!  In another week or so, her moves will far surpass Shep's on the dance floor.  ;)
• Knows how to make hand gestures when I sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider"!
• We celebrated Emily's first birthday in a big way this month, which was sooooo fun and memorable.  She got to meet several new people at her party, including cousins Scarlett, Stacey & Robert!
• Something so unbelievable happened this month that I would question it if I didn't witness it with my own eyes.  Emily FELL ASLEEP in her high chair while she was eating!!

She also fell asleep on her own a few times IN HER CRIB!!!  Wowzers, call a press conference because this is remarkable!

• Loves talking to Daddy on the phone...

• Finished up her first semester of swim classes with Daddy!

• Visited Florida for the first time this month (2nd plane trip, but the 1st time with a layover!) where she finally met her other great grandma and cousins April, Jenna, Deanna & Jesse.  She also got to see the beach for the first time and although she was hesitant at first, she quickly decided she LOVED it so much she ate the sand!  Lots of memories from Emily's first trip to the Emerald Coast, including her first toga party & first pinata! 

In other news, I'm a Mommy Ninja.  No, seriously.  We were in CVS waiting on line for something when you-know-who decided to fling her sippy cup out of the stroller.  My hands were full, so I just nonchalantly caught the cup with my legs.  Wha????  Really!!!  #nobigdeal

Here are some of my favorite photos from this month.  I know I'm biased, but I honestly don't think she could get any cuter!

And this is my MOST favorite...... Emily's first "class" photo!  I could just eat her up.

Happy 13 Month Birthday, Emily!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I hope your second year has lots of fun in store for you!

52 weeks young!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

52 weeks young!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

364 days of diaper changes, smiles, feeding, playing, growing, sleepless nights, many "firsts" and lots of fun!!! 

Tomorrow this little beauty will be O-N-E!!!

She's grown sooooooooooo much over the past year. Here was her very first weekly photo.

She was such a tiny little peanut!  Those first few weeks are such a blur.... I remember trying to soak up every scent and touch of her.  I knew the time would pass by quickly, but I really didn't think one entire year would just FLY by this fast.  Wow.

This time last year I had just taken a long bath to try to regulate my contractions, which didn't exactly work.  I tried to eat some gnocchi that Shep had cooked, but couldn't stomach it.  After a call to our doula and then my OB, we were getting dressed and packing last minute items to take to the hospital. 365 days ago to this minute I was getting ready to walk out of my front door for the last time as a "soon-to-be mom".  I had no idea what labor, delivery, becoming a parent, and caring for my little one would really be like.  It's been such a wild ride.  There are moments from the past year that I will cherish as beautiful memories for the rest of my life.

Emily's arrival changed me as a person, changed us as a couple, and changed the world as we all know it for the better.  It's been absolutely incredible becoming a mother to such an extraordinary, fun, spunky little person.  I know I say this a lot, but I can't emphasize enough how very blessed we are.

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." ~ Anonymous

And now for Emily's last weekly update!

• Tried beef for the first time!  She chewed on a couple little pieces for a while, but she was pretty unexcited about it.  She also very carefully picked around the little pieces of cheese we put on her tray with the beef.  {Deconstructed cheeseburger, anyone?}
• Tried a tiny little bit of peanut butter for the first time, on the tip of a sliced apple stick.  I can't imagine what a weird consistency peanut butter would be for a baby.... she wasn't a fan.  :)
• Tried yogurt for the second time and liked the vanilla flavor a lot more than the plain yogurt mixed with cut fruit that we gave her the other day.
• Took 1.5 hour long nap TWO days in a row over the weekend!  It was so surprising!
• Soon-to-be passenger of a "big girl" carseat!  Bye bye infant carseat... hello convertible carseat!  We're really hoping that Emily likes riding in her new carseat more than she has liked either of her infant carseats!  Fingers crossed that we picked one she'll be comfortable in!
• Attempts to climb out of her pack-n-play and makes it about a third of the way up the mesh side with her feet, while pulling on the top with her hands. I've said it before but I'll say it again -- this kid is STRONG!