15 Months

My Darling Silly Face ~

Yet another month has passed while I watch you grow and learn. You are so amazing and entertaining as you continue to develop your personality.

This month, I've been astounded by the connections that you make. Once you learned the word and sign for "day", you began to use it every time you see a picture of the sun. When you see polka-dots (in pictures, on your clothes, etc.), you happily point and say "Ball!" Sometimes, especially when you're looking at your books, I can tell that your brain is hard at work...I can't help but wonder what you're thinking. I look forward to the day that you have enough words to tell me everything you know and want and think about every day.

You've made some little leaps and bounds with motor development this month, too. You learned to go down the stairs and are working with a spoon more and more. I'm trying to care less about the mess and more about letting you explore, but sometimes that's hard. In some respects, we are learning together.

One of your favorite toys lately has been the shape sorter you got for Christmas. You are so good at putting the shapes in each hole, as long as I help you find the right one to try. I'm amazed at how you will turn the pieces or wiggle them just a bit to make them fit. Every single piece that goes into the ball elicits such a proud grin that your whole face lights up. Such joy.

You are still talking up a storm. In addition to all of your words, you've added a few animals sounds. In your little world, cows now say MOO and sheep say BAA. What fun. You've also made up a few words of your own. You have a very specific word for "cat/kitty", but I can't do it justice in writing. I hope to catch it on camera. I know that my window of opportunity is probably small. Before we know it, you will figure out how to say "cat" and abandon your own little word.

As hard as I try, I just can't seem to capture everything I notice as I watch you day by day. I hope you know that I am watching and I am so amazed with what I see. You are such a joy to me.

I love you so very much.

Your Momma

Laughing Girl

The book we're looking at, Woof, has a hole in the middle for this little button you can push. Kaylee likes sticking her fingers back through the hole and I "munch" them with my hand.

First Haircut

Kaylee is just growing up so quickly, it's scary. Last night she got her first haircut. We really only trimmed her bangs a bit, but it's a milestone all the same.

My aunt is a hairdresser, so she gave me my first haircut. Continuing the tradition, "Auntie Mir", who is in school at B Street Design, gave Kaylee her first haircut.

She just looks so grown up now!!!

Kaylee's Vocabulary

Here are the words that Kaylee can say/sign right now...

Sign only - coat, thank you, milk, cracker, cat, hat, sign

Word only - momma, da (daddy), bird, moo, baa, eye, boo

Word and sign - moon, hi/bye (she waves, anyway), please, more, dog, horse, ball, bear, baby, day, bus, fish, book

She knows the following body parts...nose, mouth, hair, belly button, feet, eye

I just know that I'm leaving something out, but I can't think of it. Not too shabby, huh?

PIGTAILS!!!

14 Months

My Little Lovey ~

As we throw away all the packages and ribbon from your second Christmas, we still get to celebrate for one more day. You are 14 months old and growing more quickly every day.

The most notable thing about this last month has been the absolute language explosion that you've gone through. You are learning more signs and saying more words than ever before. I love hearing your little voice, especially when you're using your manners with the most adorable little "Pease!" I've ever heard. You are just so bright and quick and absolutely keep us on our toes.

Your second Christmas was far less eventful than the first. No massive snowstorms this year. You enjoyed everything we did, from ripping open paper and playing with the ribbons to trying out new toys and chasing your big boy cousins. You are such a happy, joyful, little girl!

I love you ever so much, my wonderful child.

Your Momma

13 Months

My Darling Little Girl ~

Time marches on and you just keep growing and changing before my very eyes. I am so grateful for you every single day and feel so honored to be your mother and the one who gets to chronicle your early years.

This month you drank your very last baby bottle! What a big girl you are now!!! We phased your bottles out slowly, switching you to a sippy cup with 2% milk. For a while you were only getting bottles at home, then just in the morning and before bed, then only right before bed. So far, you are taking the change like such a little trooper. You like drinking milk from your sippy or with a straw, and your bedtime routine is as solid as ever, even without the bottle.

In the last few weeks, you've been getting faster and faster, some days really running from one part of the house to another. My favorite is when you watch either Daddy or me coming in from outside and you run away from the door just before we open it. We've been playing a lot of chasing games, and you just run and giggle. You have such remarkable joy!!!

The other big milestone this month was your very first ear infection. I have to say, you are such a tough girl...the only way we knew something was wrong was by how crusty your left eye got. I was astounded when Dr. Parr said that you had a double ear infection. You hadn't been crying or moody or pulling at your ear at all. Let's hope that this isn't something that happens very often. I hate knowing that my little love is sick!

I love you so much, my love.

Your Momma