TWELVE Months

Leah is TWELVE months old!

twelve month stats:

Height: 31 inches (96%)

Weight: 21 pounds, 12 ounces (79%)

Head: 47 centimeters (94%)

Let this month be remembered as the beginning of a full nights sleep -- for both of us.  Oh, hallelujah!  Just a few days into the month your fragmented sleep turned into the most heavenly, uninterrupted eleven and a half hours.  It was overdue, but I'm so thankful that it came at all!

You spend a lot of the day chasing around your brothers, trying to steal their Lego pieces, and love to get in on the action when they're running around playing Star Wars. 

You also protest and insist on being held a lot of the time when I'm in the kitchen.  But I get it.  The view is better up there, and you can actually see what's happening and keeping your mama busy.  So I'm really good at holding a baby with one arm and making dinner, cleaning up, dispensing medicine to a sick brother, or whatever else is happening with the other arm. 

When the house gets too quiet I know to first check the bathroom, then my bedroom, and when one time I still couldn't track you down, I hunted until you were discovered in the garage.  You are on the move, curious, and your rascally personality makes for trouble sometimes.

And speaking of rascality, let's talk for a minute about trying to take some soon to be one year old pictures of you.  It was nearly impossible!  As soon as I set you down on the grass you were taking off, making faces, and rocking backwards.  It was all laughs for you though, I mean, look at some of these outtakes.

 

  That's a whole lot of personality coming out right there!

Hugs are still your favorite.  We're not hearing the cute "Ahhhhh" sound as much when you give hugs, but you are a lover for sure.  You give sweet open mouthed kisses every once in a while too.  Too many kisses make you giggle, so I try to smother you every once in a while.  You also love it when we play peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.  It's so fun to see you cover your own eyes and initiate playing the game.

You are a great eater!  I can't think of anything you absolutely won't eat, except for some gross cardboard flavored baby crackers I shouldn't have bought.  Can't blame you there. But your favorites include cheese, chicken, avocados, eggs, bananas, and pineapple.  This month you figured out sharing and like to reach out to give me some of whatever you're eating.  You sweet girl! 

I love this stage where you just seem to be understanding more and more every day.  When I ask, "Where is your paci?" you look down to see if it's attached to your shirt."  When I've said, "Grab your diaper," you pick one up next to you.  Even though your words are limited, that exchange between me talking and knowing that you understand is so fun.  You are repeating sounds, and we've heard you say 'this,' 'up,' 'apple,' and 'go.'  You also make a really cute turkey sound when we ask you to say gobble. 

Twice you took a step, but clearly, in your mind, that was enough.  You are NOT interested in walking.  Often when we stand you up, you immediately collapse like a wet noodle.  Hard as we try, you have definitely communicated to us that walking will come on your terms, and we just need to be patient.