1 year

Well now that you're a week away from being 13 months, I guess I should blog about you turning 1 year old!!!! Holy cow you're a year. One. Whole. Year. That is jsut completely crazy. I can't believe it. It is so amazing to see how much you've grown this year. You went from a tiny baby doll that slept on my chest to a mobile, talkative, funny, girl that takes up my whole lap. It has been so much fun (and sad) to watch you grow. I look at pictures of you from your first few days of life and you're just so small. I tear up every time I look at them. As much as I miss you being so sweet and tiny, it's been amazing watching you grow and learn new things. You are the light of my life and you make me smile every day. You melt my heart and I love you so much!!! This year has been truly wonderful and I look forward to what all you will do and learn the next year!

Stats:
length: 30"
weight: 20 lbs 5 oz
head circumference: 17"
these are from your 1 yr check up on Mar. 28
-eating: table foods. You still love your fruits, especially bananas, strawberries, blueberries and grapes. You ate vegetables well as baby food but have been slow to eat them as table food. You eat green beans and most recently have eaten carrots and sweet potatoes (both cooked in brown sugar...)
-bottles: At your 1 yr check up, you were still getting a bottle with formula in the morning and before bed. A few days after your 1 yr check up, after we ran out of formula, we took away your morning bottle and switched to cow's milk. We used whole milk, but it made you gag so we diluted it. We're still diluting it. You refuse to drink milk from a sippy cup and since we took away your morning bottle, the only time you drink milk is from your bottle before bed. We will soon be taking that away as well. I'm very nervous for that day......
-sleeping: You still sleep like a champion! You sleep from 8/8:30-7/7:30 every night!! Most days you still take 2 naps, although there are days when you skip your morning nap. I was not okay with this at first but now I am. So long as you get your afternoon nap Mommy's happy.
-words: the words you can say are 'please', 'more', 'dada', 'momma', 'yeah', 'eat' and 'milk'. It seemed like you said 'banana the other morning, which came out 'ba na'...so cute (P.S. you have the sweetest little voice ever!!)
-teeth: 2 on bottom and 2 on top

All about Lainey:
-Still love to look at books. I really hope this stays with you for a long time!
-Love being outside. I'm glad it's staying lighter longer and warming up so we can spend evenings outside.
-Climber --- not sure where you acquired this activity. You really like to climb into your car seat. You can even get yourself turned around to sit in it the correct way.
-Big helper --- really like to help unload the dishwasher and take clothes out of the laundry basket
-Independent -- Like to do things by yourself and you get upset if you can't
-love music -- there are certain songs from certain toys that you like to listen to over and over
-you have a favorite video (Nursery rhymes) that you love to watch. You like to pull the dvds off the shelf until you find your video, then you keep saying 'please' until we put it on
-social -- you love to be around other kids. Every time I drop you off at Ms. Mel's house, I can barely get you to even wave bye to me because you're already busy playing with everyone.
-walker -- you can walk very quickly around the house pushing your walker. And as of 2 nights ago, you started walking all by yourself!! I knew you had it in you to walk alone but you still wanted to hold a hand for security. Now that've done it, you've gained more confidence and are walking all alone more and more. You'll still crawl sometimes but once you reach the couch or something else to pull yourself up on, you take off walking again. I love watching your little self toddle around the room. You have the biggest smile on your face as you do it (or you stick out your tongue).
-Dental hygienist -- you've started brushing your own teeth some. Some days you let me do it, some days you do it all by yourself and some days you want nothing to do with it.
-bathtime -- love bath time. Especially sticking your hands under the water while it's running.
-Family -- you do a good job recognizing your family. We'll say 'where's _____' and you turn until you find them. It's so neat to watch!
-observer -- you like to take in your surroundings before you do something, esp. meeting someone new (which isn't a bad thing)
-comedienne -- you like to joke with Mommy and Daddy. We'll ask you to have something that you're holding and you'll pretend to give it to us and then pull it back. You think that's pretty funny.
-lover -- you love loving on your baby doll. You'll hold it, hug it and give it kisses. It is so sweet to watch you do this. You also give the best kisses to Mommy and Daddy. We love them!!

You are just the most amazing thing in this world!! I love you so much and am so thankful I get to be your Mommy!! I love you my sweet Lainey Jo!!!!

"Why are you all singing to me?"

"Hmm.. this cake stuff is interesting..."

"I guess I'll try some"