Little One had Her class picture taken at school.
The photographer was great. He was silly and goofy and made all the kids laugh! So they would smile! For the picture! !!!
He could never have known that his benign antics would terrify one little Little One in the second row.
Little One: "Mommy, today when it was picture day it was so scary."
C: "Scary? What happened?"
LO: "Oh! Mommy it was so scary because the pic-ture man was telling us say CHEESE! And he said that when we all say cheese, some cheese is going to come! Some real CHEESE mama! And Oh! Mommy! I was so scared because the cheese was going to come, and then it was going to get on me and I was goin' to be all-wer-gic, and I was gonna be SO ITCHY and I thought, mine gosh this is VERY DANGEROUS!"
C: "...Oh my."
LO: "YES. BUT! (holds Her hands out to calm me down) But Mommy, don' worry. We all said 'cheeeese', but even we said it, still the cheese didn't ever come. (She sighs with a look of relief) Ahhh. Ok, mommy. The cheese did not come. It's ok now. But it was a pretty scary picture day."
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Options
On the way home in the car:
C: "Ok, Little One. Since we stayed and played so long today, when we get home we don't have time for stories. Straight to bed when we get there."
LO: "Umm...Mommy I don't think so. I might not be sleepy for sleepin time".
C: "Ok, well. Only you know how much rest you need, so you can decide that. You may choose to take a long nap, or a little one. Or you can just lay in the bed quietly and rest a bit, that's ok too. But it is rest time when we get home."
LO: "....I think I might do a ballerina show instead."
C: "You may do that after, sure. But when we get home, you have three options: long nap, short nap, or rest quietly. You choose whichever option you think is best; it's up to you. Mommy is telling you what your options are."
LO: "Hmm. No, Mommy, these are not MY options. These are your 'deas, so these are YOUR options. You can take naps, ever you want to. I'm tellin' YOU what MINE options are, and they do not 'clude sleepin. Mine options are about kinds of dancing shows. Got it?"
** Lest you think, as Little One does, that She runs the show around here, let me just follow this up with the fact that She did of course go straight to bed when we got home, and so far seems to be "opting" for the long nap.
C: "Ok, Little One. Since we stayed and played so long today, when we get home we don't have time for stories. Straight to bed when we get there."
LO: "Umm...Mommy I don't think so. I might not be sleepy for sleepin time".
C: "Ok, well. Only you know how much rest you need, so you can decide that. You may choose to take a long nap, or a little one. Or you can just lay in the bed quietly and rest a bit, that's ok too. But it is rest time when we get home."
LO: "....I think I might do a ballerina show instead."
C: "You may do that after, sure. But when we get home, you have three options: long nap, short nap, or rest quietly. You choose whichever option you think is best; it's up to you. Mommy is telling you what your options are."
LO: "Hmm. No, Mommy, these are not MY options. These are your 'deas, so these are YOUR options. You can take naps, ever you want to. I'm tellin' YOU what MINE options are, and they do not 'clude sleepin. Mine options are about kinds of dancing shows. Got it?"
** Lest you think, as Little One does, that She runs the show around here, let me just follow this up with the fact that She did of course go straight to bed when we got home, and so far seems to be "opting" for the long nap.
It's a New Dawn, a New Day, a New...Year.
So by the way....happy 2012.
Did you celebrate? We took the kids to the "kid friendly celebration" downtown, where we had a nice time being creeped out by drunk people and Little One got to jump in a bounce-castle. Something for everyone!
The highlight, for me, was the look on J's face as he viewed the high-school girls "dance show" on the street stage. J, a man so stoic sometimes it seems like we might find electronics instead of organs if we opened him up, looked like he had been slapped in the face with a live codfish.
"WHO would choreograph something like THAT for those GIRLS?!" He asked, horrified, as Lady Gagas voice lent a beat to the 15-year-old standing in sideways splits so that another "dancer" could wirthe around her leg like it was a stripper pole.
"Oh, hunny, don't be silly! I'm quite sure they choreographed it themselves."
For a moment, he looked relieved, "Oh."
...and then a bulb flashed above his head. "OH..."
I caught him glancing with horror at his own two girls, innocently playing with napkins where we waited for falafel on the 
greek-food patio. I think this was the first time he considered That Side of the parenting girls Thing. Me? I consider that stuff all the time. I've got a whole post coming atcha about that soon, in fact. But watching it dawn on J? Priceless, Peanuts, I tell you. Priceless.
At any rate, about that time we headed home to tuck the girls into their last night of 2011. We had exchanged a few nostalgic words about how some people would be getting fancied up and drinking champagne at fetes, while we played with stacking cups in the tub, brushed little teeth, and stayed in. So we decided to have our own party; fancy clothes, champagne and all. Why not?
By the time I got the girls in bed and dug the dress out of the back of the closet, J was feeling very ill. I'm guessing it was effects from the "dancing" he'd seen. Either way, he didn't get too fancy after all, but we still toasted the new year.
More new years will come. Sometimes it seems they are coming at us like oncoming locomotive cars, and before we know it our girls will be the the same age as Lady Gaga's minions there, and J might have to be hospitalized. So this year I think the best resolution I can make is to just savor the time. To let the silly games and the innocent grins and the grubby, loving hugs really sink all the way in. To marinate in it. This year I resolve that whatever happens, happens. And whatever we do, we do.
But that as many times a day as I can possibly manage I will pause my racing thoughts for a few tiny milliseconds to soak up the sweetness into my bones, let it fortify them. So they will be strong enough, when we hit 2022, to take a good shaking.
For now, my resolution for me is the same as my wish for you.
Happy 2012.
 |
| Ready to Party |
 |
| Downtown |
"WHO would choreograph something like THAT for those GIRLS?!" He asked, horrified, as Lady Gagas voice lent a beat to the 15-year-old standing in sideways splits so that another "dancer" could wirthe around her leg like it was a stripper pole.
"Oh, hunny, don't be silly! I'm quite sure they choreographed it themselves."
For a moment, he looked relieved, "Oh."
...and then a bulb flashed above his head. "OH..."
I caught him glancing with horror at his own two girls, innocently playing with napkins where we waited for falafel on the 
greek-food patio. I think this was the first time he considered That Side of the parenting girls Thing. Me? I consider that stuff all the time. I've got a whole post coming atcha about that soon, in fact. But watching it dawn on J? Priceless, Peanuts, I tell you. Priceless. At any rate, about that time we headed home to tuck the girls into their last night of 2011. We had exchanged a few nostalgic words about how some people would be getting fancied up and drinking champagne at fetes, while we played with stacking cups in the tub, brushed little teeth, and stayed in. So we decided to have our own party; fancy clothes, champagne and all. Why not?
By the time I got the girls in bed and dug the dress out of the back of the closet, J was feeling very ill. I'm guessing it was effects from the "dancing" he'd seen. Either way, he didn't get too fancy after all, but we still toasted the new year. More new years will come. Sometimes it seems they are coming at us like oncoming locomotive cars, and before we know it our girls will be the the same age as Lady Gaga's minions there, and J might have to be hospitalized. So this year I think the best resolution I can make is to just savor the time. To let the silly games and the innocent grins and the grubby, loving hugs really sink all the way in. To marinate in it. This year I resolve that whatever happens, happens. And whatever we do, we do.
But that as many times a day as I can possibly manage I will pause my racing thoughts for a few tiny milliseconds to soak up the sweetness into my bones, let it fortify them. So they will be strong enough, when we hit 2022, to take a good shaking.
For now, my resolution for me is the same as my wish for you.
Happy 2012.
10 Months
Here's the run down on Miss at 10 (OMG seriously- 10?!) months:
She SPEAKS
Miss started out with "Mama" and "Dada", then hit the big-time with "More". A word She loves to use when She actually wants more, or just when She wants anything. She reminds me quite a bit of those seagulls in "finding Nemo" that incessantly chant "Mine. Mine. Mine.", only Miss's version goes "More? More? More? More?!"
She's also expanded Her repertoire to include such classics as "Hi", "B-Bye", "Up", and "All Done". Like "more", "all done" can be liberally applied. For example yesterday at naptime, I rocked Her until She was all chill and sleepy, kind of like a post-massage-and-martini kind of state, and gently lowered Her into Her crib, where She contentedly sighed, "Aaaaahh Done", rolled over, and went to sleep.
She is not at all afraid, however, to just get the job done when expediency is preferable; arching Her back and howling. If a grown up doesn't respond, no matter. Big Sister will.
Sibling Love
And Little One is really the worst danger we have of Miss getting spoiled like a peach lost under the passenger seat. Because Little One hates for Miss to cry. "Missy-Miss! There-there! Want sompin'? Want mine toy? Want bite mine snack? Need a snuggle??? S'okay fweetie! Sissy is HERE!!!"
The two have begun to play together more too. Tonight in the bath they had a game going where Miss would hold a cup out to Little One, who would say something silly into it, so that it distorted Her voice, and they would both crack up laughing. Then Miss would hold it to Her own mouth and try to repeat the sound, and they would both crack up. And round and round they went. Another favorite is "playing band". In which they sit together, and bang on things. Looove that one. Little Miss is getting more and more interested in doing whatever Little One is doing, and loves to follow Her around the house like a puppy.
The Moves
Something She's getting pretty good at. Not only has She mastered the full-on crawl, but She's up cruising the furniture and climbing anything She can. She wants to walk so bad She can taste it. She will walk around suspended by Her vice-like grip on your index fingers until your spine begins to disintegrate. She is constantly on the move.
Which leads Her to utterly and totally despise anything that forces Her to be horizontal. Diaper changes are an absolute affront to human decency as far as She is concerned, and She WILL GO DOWN FIGHTING. And hollering, and twisting in a very cirque-de-soleil manner until finally She is free. Changing clothes is also intolerable. Car seats, seat belts, or any other restraining apparatus triggers the back-arching, scrinchy-face, howl of dissent. FIGHT THE POWER! GIVE ME FREEDOM OR GIVE ME A BLOOD-CURDLING TANTRUM!
And for all Her sweetness, Miss can scream like Her eyeballs are being scrambled if She's mad.
The Faves
Fortunately, other than being held still, there's not much that upsets Her. She still smiles and flirts with everyone. She still takes punctual naps and eats whatever I put in front of Her. She adores kale and broccoli, devours fruits, veggies, rice and oatmeal, and Her all-time favorite is any type of raw leaf. Spinach, lettuce of any variety. She loves drinking water from a glass. She is getting pretty good at using a spoon by Herself.
Other favorites include a new interest in books, though She's choosy about which She'll sit through. Anything along the "That's not my ____" is the top choice, followed by lift-the-flap type books. She loves Her cabbage patch doll, the plastic dollhouse She got for Christmas, and the wooden activity cube. Though Her favorite toy and comfort object is- a spoon. Any spoon. I don't know, guys, She just loves them.
She's into games, too. Patty-cake is good. Tickling is always funny- and She might be the most ticklish baby I've ever met- and She loves to try to "tickle" us back. Waving the princess/homecoming queen wave at anyone who will respond (including Herself in the mirror) elicits big grins. The best is any version of peek-a-boo. Recently She even started initiating the game by covering/uncovering Her own eyes. She also likes to play baby marco-polo, in which She crawls off and I call "Miss! Where are you!" And She answers "DA!" until I find Her and She races away again.
She's still not the biggest snuggler, but She has a new thing She loves to do when I hold Her, where She'll suddenly lay on my shoulder, hold me tight, pat me gently, and say "aaawwww!" She'll rest there a few moments, look up to smile at me (and watch me melt into a pool of goo) and then do it a few more times (to be sure I'm completely liquified).
10 month Miss is slimmer and sleeker, gregarious and outgoing, mischievious and incredibly sweet, with a new hunger to learn everything there is. She's the kind of happy that infects whole rooms and brightens gloomy days. She is, if I may directly quote a gentleman from the supermarket, "sweeter than a lord-have-mercy dipped in a pot of glory be!"
Amen to that.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
New Top of The List of Things I Never Thought I'd Say
Today we went to the farmers market. I needed eggs. So we bought some. Never mind that they cost enough that they should perhaps have been golden eggs from Beanstalk Jack or something. They were farm eggs! How very organic and local of me right? I know!
I needed them for a chiffon cake, for Nikki's birthday tonight. Chiffon cakes require quite a lot of eggs of course so there I am, happily cracking and separating away, when I crack one egg and in the little fissure, there are vessels. Vessels, guys.
I peeped in a bit more, and the thing looked like a bloodshot eye. Oh my ew. My egg has been doing drugs. A bad sign. A smart person would have stopped there, but not me. I kept pulling it apart like I would turn it into a regular egg just by embarrassing it into sobriety with my disgusted expression. And let me just say that number one: My brief chicken-eating days are O.V.E.R. And veganism is looking rather tempting.
Number two: in the case I do not turn vegan, hook me up with the store-bought, pasteurized, trucked in from Malawi or wherever eggs. The farm is too fresh for me.
And three: I very much hope that I in no way, shape, or form have this conversation EVER ever again:
C: "J?! I'm sorry,Love, but could you please help me with something I do not want to handle? Literally or figuratively."
J: "um, ok...what would that be?"
C: "Oh, there are some fetuses in the kitchen sink."
I needed them for a chiffon cake, for Nikki's birthday tonight. Chiffon cakes require quite a lot of eggs of course so there I am, happily cracking and separating away, when I crack one egg and in the little fissure, there are vessels. Vessels, guys.
I peeped in a bit more, and the thing looked like a bloodshot eye. Oh my ew. My egg has been doing drugs. A bad sign. A smart person would have stopped there, but not me. I kept pulling it apart like I would turn it into a regular egg just by embarrassing it into sobriety with my disgusted expression. And let me just say that number one: My brief chicken-eating days are O.V.E.R. And veganism is looking rather tempting.
Number two: in the case I do not turn vegan, hook me up with the store-bought, pasteurized, trucked in from Malawi or wherever eggs. The farm is too fresh for me.
And three: I very much hope that I in no way, shape, or form have this conversation EVER ever again:
C: "J?! I'm sorry,Love, but could you please help me with something I do not want to handle? Literally or figuratively."
J: "um, ok...what would that be?"
C: "Oh, there are some fetuses in the kitchen sink."
Friday, January 13, 2012
Things I Love
After bath, I was drying off Little One while Miss, all clean and PJ-ed, restlessly headed out the open door and across the hall.
C: "Little Miss! Hey! Where are you crawling off to?!"
LO: "Mommy Mom! It's ok, Mommy. She just crawling into my room. It's ok She goes in there, mom. She can play with all my stuff in there! Mommy, don't worry. If She makes a BIG big mess, I can clean it up for Her. -Hear me Missy! S'okay you can play in there! You can do ever you want to do there! You can play my dress-up clothes you want to! - I will clean up mommy. Let's just make sure She can be happy and have fun, okay?"
I know there will be days that it won't be this way. So for the sake of balance, I want to record for posterity that tonight, it was. (And for the sake of those of you concerned I let my 9 month old roam the house, know that Little One's room is directly across the hallway from the tub, so I could see them both the whole time.)
C: "Little Miss! Hey! Where are you crawling off to?!"
LO: "Mommy Mom! It's ok, Mommy. She just crawling into my room. It's ok She goes in there, mom. She can play with all my stuff in there! Mommy, don't worry. If She makes a BIG big mess, I can clean it up for Her. -Hear me Missy! S'okay you can play in there! You can do ever you want to do there! You can play my dress-up clothes you want to! - I will clean up mommy. Let's just make sure She can be happy and have fun, okay?"
I know there will be days that it won't be this way. So for the sake of balance, I want to record for posterity that tonight, it was. (And for the sake of those of you concerned I let my 9 month old roam the house, know that Little One's room is directly across the hallway from the tub, so I could see them both the whole time.)
Little Hostess
As we are all just waking up and gathering in the kitchen:
Little One: "Good mornin' miss Nikki."
Nikki (our houseguest): "Good morning Little One!"
Little One: "Do you want sompin'? Can I get you, like, some coffee? Or some wine?"
Later at dinner:
Little One: "You have some salad, there. You like to try mine special dressing? I can share some with you. Try it! It's really good!"
Brian: "Oh, no thanks Little One. I have a weight problem....I can't wait! Haha!"
Little One (resting Her chin on Her hands): "Oh you do? Really. Tell me, tell me all 'bout it."
Little One: "Good mornin' miss Nikki."
Nikki (our houseguest): "Good morning Little One!"
Little One: "Do you want sompin'? Can I get you, like, some coffee? Or some wine?"
Later at dinner:
Little One: "You have some salad, there. You like to try mine special dressing? I can share some with you. Try it! It's really good!"
Brian: "Oh, no thanks Little One. I have a weight problem....I can't wait! Haha!"
Little One (resting Her chin on Her hands): "Oh you do? Really. Tell me, tell me all 'bout it."
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Miss's First Word!
As I mentioned in Her last Birthday post, Little Miss hath spoken.
It's as if She just finally decided that we are all dunces. "These people are apparently never going to be bright enough to learn my language", She figured. "So I might as well try English. "
At first, we suspected that She was using a "real" word, but we weren't sure. Time has told, and Her official first word is (drumroll, people, drumroll please!):
Such a perfect first word for our Miss! Also Her first baby sign, you may recall, "More" is the thing Little Miss most wants to say. It is the thing She most wants! More food (especially), more water. More toys, more mommy/daddy, more Little One. More, please!
A perfect first word from the girl who simply wants more of life. I love it. And Miss, we all want more and more of your talking! More and more, and more of you.
It's as if She just finally decided that we are all dunces. "These people are apparently never going to be bright enough to learn my language", She figured. "So I might as well try English. "
At first, we suspected that She was using a "real" word, but we weren't sure. Time has told, and Her official first word is (drumroll, people, drumroll please!):
"More"
Such a perfect first word for our Miss! Also Her first baby sign, you may recall, "More" is the thing Little Miss most wants to say. It is the thing She most wants! More food (especially), more water. More toys, more mommy/daddy, more Little One. More, please!
A perfect first word from the girl who simply wants more of life. I love it. And Miss, we all want more and more of your talking! More and more, and more of you.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Eight Months, Nine Months
Ok, ok. Sorry Little Miss. Sorry. It's been a crazy busy couple of months! So we have to do a two-in-one birthday post this time. But that just means double the fun, right? Right.
Eight Months
First and foremost, She got teeth!
Teeth for eating every solid food possible! The solid-er the better! Teeth for flashing at every human being that dares to glance Her way in the perpetual Little Miss Grin! Teeth for biting sisters/teddy bears/mommies with when we get frustrated! Oh yes. We will be hoping to nip this in the bud, so to speak.
But Miss learned more fun things besides the various uses of chompers.
Like how to wave "bye-bye"
How to sign for "more"
And my personal favorite, how to say "Mama"!
She Mama's me a lot these days. Especially when tired or displeased (mamamammamamamama!) but very often just when we play or cuddle. It melts my heart, no matter what brought it on.
She started to become much more an interactive member of the family this month. She perfected the military commando-crawl. And it's hard to remember what else, since so much happened at nine months...
Nine Months
A landmark birthday! She has officially been out in the world longer than She was in my tummy.
She brought J into the loop, learning to say "Dada". Although Little One has been working very hard to get Her to say "Sissy" also, so far Little One is simply referred to by Miss as a general grunting sound, or sometimes also "Mama".
But that's not all Miss has been saying to us! She babbles on and on, squeals and gasps, and generally loves to regale us all with the amazing adventures She has. We smile and nod. But more exciting (to us) is the use of actual English! Sort of a big event, isn't it, so it gets its own post soon.
She also knows only to well how to hold Her arms up and "Uh! Uh! Uh!" to be held. For a baby who loves to explore and move as much as Miss does, it's an odd paradox that She wants even more to be held ALL THE TIME. She doesn't make a fuss over it always, but if given the choice She'd far prefer to be riding around on someone's hip. She's not super snuggly though. Anymore, it's only every now and then that She will hold still for two seconds to really lay down on a shoulder or consent to be held tight. So although I do think She likes the closeness of being carried, I'm suspicious that maybe we have a chihuahua thing going on here. That maybe She likes to be carted about because it gets Her up off the floor in accordance with Her preferred stature.
Wanting to be conveyed to and fro on a gilded litter is not the only sign we have seen of a little diva lurking under that sweet mellow demeanor. Oh no! Miss is the easiest most sweet tempered baby there is. Unless you cross Her. Take a wad of paper from Her hand? Remove Her from the Hazardous Whatever? Attempt to, heaven FORBID, changer Her clothes or diaper?! Tell Her "no"? Fail in your secretary-to-the-queen scheduling duties and cause Her to miss a nap!?!?!? Oh no.
These outrages will not be permitted. Miss goes from cooing, smiling at you, batting those angelic eyelids, to "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD YOU FIENDISH PEON!" in about 0.082 of a second. The girl will tell you off with words that I may not understand but I would never repeat in fine society. And if you really tick Her off? Watch. Out. The child has teeth now, and She is NOT afraid to use them.
At the moment, it's all really quite funny. I can't help but envision Her as a tiny Queen of Hearts when She does this. And as a person with a bit of a Streak myself, I was starting to worry that She was going to be almost too mild-mannered. Not a problem. We will have to work on taking frustrations in stride, and certainly on keeping our fangs to ourselves, but on the whole She is still sweet and happy 99% of the time, and is so very easily re-directed and quick to forgive that Her little rages aren't much bother for now.
At least Little Miss knows what She wants. One thing She wants very much, as I've mentioned, is to be on a perfect, by-the-book sleeping schedule. On an ideal day, Little Miss is up like an set alarm clock at 6:30am, in Her own soft bed to nap at 9am sharp, back for another siesta at 1:30pm, and bathed, fed, read to, tucked in and snoozing by 8pm. Or else.
She also wants whatever you're having. Whatever anyone is having. Miss has got the dogs beat for giving a "please please?" puppy-dog face to anyone with food. I am as staunch about what I'll allow Her to eat as a baby as I was with Little One, so the majority of the time She is denied. But when it's Her turn to eat? ANYthing? Woo hoo!!! I haven't found anything yet that She won't eat. Including lemons and raw onion. Her favorites, in the weird style of the rest of Her family, are: kale, tofu, rice cereal, and lettuce. Yes, lettuce. A leaf to hold and gum for 8 minutes until it's soft enough to swallow. LOVES it! Generally speaking She does prefer table food to blended baby food, I think just because She's more likely to be allowed to feed Herself. An extremely messy but apparently very fulfilling endeavor.
All this good eating and sleeping is working out. She is still growing all directions, sharing shorts, skirts, dresses, leggings, jackets, and most shirts with Little One. She's still on the small side of "normal" size for Her age, but only just. Overall She is a healthy, strong little thing and I LOVE it. In fact, She is so strong that She is now able to get out of that eternal commando-crawl and see the world from the great aerial height of about 24 inches.
That's right, She's gone vertical! She pulled to a stand on the wooden play cube and J called, "C! Come look come look!" There She was, teetering precariously and grinning ear to ear, just oozing with pride. So what did I do? Went for the camera, of course. And while I adjusted the setting, Miss wondered where my attention went. 'Hello?! Major accomplishment here mom! Check it out! Hellooo mom?!' She raised a hand to wave to me. As She did so, of course, She lost Her balance, crashed over backwards, and cut Her head on the corner of the hearth. As I, using all my innate mothering instincts, snapped a photo. She survived. She even decided to try that dangerous move again, and now pulls up on any and everything She can get Her chubby hands on.
Because Miss wants so very much to walk, and to RUN. The better to catch Her sister. Still Her best friend and most beloved person, Little Miss wants nothing more than to have Little One just even look at Her. Fortunately Little One is appropriately honored by the adulation and humors Miss most of the time.
Little Miss still loves to bestow avalanches of affection on anyone She meets, in fact, and creates quite the following wherever we go. She loves to entertain with waves and babbles, grins and blown kisses, and Her new-found talent; using Her clasped hands to cover/uncover Her mouth to make an awesome Tarzan call; "ah-ah-ah-ah-aah!" We all think it's quite entertaining.
She adores patty-cake and little piggy, She loves splashing in the bath and She loves dolls. She despises socks and hats and isn't huge on clothing in general. She loves the touch-and-feel books, especially the "that's not my puppy" line, which never gets old and is the only series of books She will sit still for. All other books are only interesting for a page or two, or if chewed on. She loves to climb all over you and to be tickled, but is terrified of being lifted high in the air, bounced around, or being tortured with a slide or swing. She dislikes sudden, loud noises, unless She is making them. Then they are hilarious.
Little Miss is a sunny, funny baby on the cusp of becoming an opinionated, rather independent little person. Her personality seems to be shaping and forming and taking on new dimensions by the day, and it is SO much fun to be around to watch it happening.
One of the reasons I don't get around to posting as much as I used to is just that Miss keeps me so very busy and is up to (and into) so very much these days that I'm afraid if I stop to write something down, I'll miss the next new thing. It's not that you're neglected, my Miss. It's that I have so much fun with you and your sis, that I can hardly pull myself away long enough to record it! Between late birthday posts though, it's safe to say we're having a LOT of fun, growing and laughing, and making a gigantic, glorious mess.
Eight MonthsFirst and foremost, She got teeth!
Teeth for eating every solid food possible! The solid-er the better! Teeth for flashing at every human being that dares to glance Her way in the perpetual Little Miss Grin! Teeth for biting sisters/teddy bears/mommies with when we get frustrated! Oh yes. We will be hoping to nip this in the bud, so to speak.
But Miss learned more fun things besides the various uses of chompers.
Like how to wave "bye-bye"
How to sign for "more"
And my personal favorite, how to say "Mama"!
She Mama's me a lot these days. Especially when tired or displeased (mamamammamamamama!) but very often just when we play or cuddle. It melts my heart, no matter what brought it on.
She started to become much more an interactive member of the family this month. She perfected the military commando-crawl. And it's hard to remember what else, since so much happened at nine months...
Nine MonthsA landmark birthday! She has officially been out in the world longer than She was in my tummy.
She brought J into the loop, learning to say "Dada". Although Little One has been working very hard to get Her to say "Sissy" also, so far Little One is simply referred to by Miss as a general grunting sound, or sometimes also "Mama".
But that's not all Miss has been saying to us! She babbles on and on, squeals and gasps, and generally loves to regale us all with the amazing adventures She has. We smile and nod. But more exciting (to us) is the use of actual English! Sort of a big event, isn't it, so it gets its own post soon.
She also knows only to well how to hold Her arms up and "Uh! Uh! Uh!" to be held. For a baby who loves to explore and move as much as Miss does, it's an odd paradox that She wants even more to be held ALL THE TIME. She doesn't make a fuss over it always, but if given the choice She'd far prefer to be riding around on someone's hip. She's not super snuggly though. Anymore, it's only every now and then that She will hold still for two seconds to really lay down on a shoulder or consent to be held tight. So although I do think She likes the closeness of being carried, I'm suspicious that maybe we have a chihuahua thing going on here. That maybe She likes to be carted about because it gets Her up off the floor in accordance with Her preferred stature.
Wanting to be conveyed to and fro on a gilded litter is not the only sign we have seen of a little diva lurking under that sweet mellow demeanor. Oh no! Miss is the easiest most sweet tempered baby there is. Unless you cross Her. Take a wad of paper from Her hand? Remove Her from the Hazardous Whatever? Attempt to, heaven FORBID, changer Her clothes or diaper?! Tell Her "no"? Fail in your secretary-to-the-queen scheduling duties and cause Her to miss a nap!?!?!? Oh no.
These outrages will not be permitted. Miss goes from cooing, smiling at you, batting those angelic eyelids, to "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD YOU FIENDISH PEON!" in about 0.082 of a second. The girl will tell you off with words that I may not understand but I would never repeat in fine society. And if you really tick Her off? Watch. Out. The child has teeth now, and She is NOT afraid to use them.
At the moment, it's all really quite funny. I can't help but envision Her as a tiny Queen of Hearts when She does this. And as a person with a bit of a Streak myself, I was starting to worry that She was going to be almost too mild-mannered. Not a problem. We will have to work on taking frustrations in stride, and certainly on keeping our fangs to ourselves, but on the whole She is still sweet and happy 99% of the time, and is so very easily re-directed and quick to forgive that Her little rages aren't much bother for now.
At least Little Miss knows what She wants. One thing She wants very much, as I've mentioned, is to be on a perfect, by-the-book sleeping schedule. On an ideal day, Little Miss is up like an set alarm clock at 6:30am, in Her own soft bed to nap at 9am sharp, back for another siesta at 1:30pm, and bathed, fed, read to, tucked in and snoozing by 8pm. Or else.
She also wants whatever you're having. Whatever anyone is having. Miss has got the dogs beat for giving a "please please?" puppy-dog face to anyone with food. I am as staunch about what I'll allow Her to eat as a baby as I was with Little One, so the majority of the time She is denied. But when it's Her turn to eat? ANYthing? Woo hoo!!! I haven't found anything yet that She won't eat. Including lemons and raw onion. Her favorites, in the weird style of the rest of Her family, are: kale, tofu, rice cereal, and lettuce. Yes, lettuce. A leaf to hold and gum for 8 minutes until it's soft enough to swallow. LOVES it! Generally speaking She does prefer table food to blended baby food, I think just because She's more likely to be allowed to feed Herself. An extremely messy but apparently very fulfilling endeavor.
All this good eating and sleeping is working out. She is still growing all directions, sharing shorts, skirts, dresses, leggings, jackets, and most shirts with Little One. She's still on the small side of "normal" size for Her age, but only just. Overall She is a healthy, strong little thing and I LOVE it. In fact, She is so strong that She is now able to get out of that eternal commando-crawl and see the world from the great aerial height of about 24 inches.
That's right, She's gone vertical! She pulled to a stand on the wooden play cube and J called, "C! Come look come look!" There She was, teetering precariously and grinning ear to ear, just oozing with pride. So what did I do? Went for the camera, of course. And while I adjusted the setting, Miss wondered where my attention went. 'Hello?! Major accomplishment here mom! Check it out! Hellooo mom?!' She raised a hand to wave to me. As She did so, of course, She lost Her balance, crashed over backwards, and cut Her head on the corner of the hearth. As I, using all my innate mothering instincts, snapped a photo. She survived. She even decided to try that dangerous move again, and now pulls up on any and everything She can get Her chubby hands on.
Because Miss wants so very much to walk, and to RUN. The better to catch Her sister. Still Her best friend and most beloved person, Little Miss wants nothing more than to have Little One just even look at Her. Fortunately Little One is appropriately honored by the adulation and humors Miss most of the time.
Little Miss still loves to bestow avalanches of affection on anyone She meets, in fact, and creates quite the following wherever we go. She loves to entertain with waves and babbles, grins and blown kisses, and Her new-found talent; using Her clasped hands to cover/uncover Her mouth to make an awesome Tarzan call; "ah-ah-ah-ah-aah!" We all think it's quite entertaining.
She adores patty-cake and little piggy, She loves splashing in the bath and She loves dolls. She despises socks and hats and isn't huge on clothing in general. She loves the touch-and-feel books, especially the "that's not my puppy" line, which never gets old and is the only series of books She will sit still for. All other books are only interesting for a page or two, or if chewed on. She loves to climb all over you and to be tickled, but is terrified of being lifted high in the air, bounced around, or being tortured with a slide or swing. She dislikes sudden, loud noises, unless She is making them. Then they are hilarious.
Little Miss is a sunny, funny baby on the cusp of becoming an opinionated, rather independent little person. Her personality seems to be shaping and forming and taking on new dimensions by the day, and it is SO much fun to be around to watch it happening.
One of the reasons I don't get around to posting as much as I used to is just that Miss keeps me so very busy and is up to (and into) so very much these days that I'm afraid if I stop to write something down, I'll miss the next new thing. It's not that you're neglected, my Miss. It's that I have so much fun with you and your sis, that I can hardly pull myself away long enough to record it! Between late birthday posts though, it's safe to say we're having a LOT of fun, growing and laughing, and making a gigantic, glorious mess.
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