I can’t even believe I’m writing this (and I’m a few days late, as it is)… double-digit months! (written July 22nd)
Height: 29 inches
Weight: 19 pounds
Clothing size: 6-9 and 9-12 month onesies, 6-9 month pants, 6-9 month jammies, and then some 12-18 month t-shirts (The Children’s Place tees seem to run quite small).
Eyecolor: Gray or green with little brown specks (everyone still says what big, beautiful eyes she has)! Sometimes people will still come up to her and say what beautiful blue eyes she has, so maybe it really just depends on the light, but to be honest, I don’t think they are a true blue.
Teeth: SIX! Another upper incisor came in this month (dental chart), and according to the chart, she now has teeth G, F, E, D, O and P. I am pretty sure I saw another bottom one that’s about to break the gum, too!
Eating: This month, she’s tried sweet potatoes, vegetarian chili, blueberries, a slice of a navel orange, grapes and graham crackers. I think the only things she truly liked out of that list were grapes and graham crackers! This past weekend, we went to an institute activity where she LOVED eating mac and cheese and bits of fried chicken off of my plate! Last night, I gave her some of the enchilada rice we were having, and she enjoyed that, too. I think I’m just going to start giving her whatever we’re having from now on (which is what I originally hoped to do, because I wanted to do baby-led weaning, but she just needed a slow introduction to softer foods, so that didn’t work out). She still LOVES her Cheerios and yogurt in the morning. At this point, we are trying to do two meals a day. She still nurses on demand and almost always before naps and bedtime. Words: Nothing at all except babbling! I think she thinks she is coherently speaking to us, though.
Favorite things: When Daddy comes home (she gets so excited and crawls right up to him!), looking at books, swimming at the pool, music and dancing (especially if she sees me dancing… I guess that’s pretty hilarious), and whenever Michael is holding her and he quickly walks toward me (she cracks up)! She also loves this completely random fake laugh we do while we nod our heads to one side. She loves grabbing Jax’s tail or tags, too. She loves playing under the table, and she thinks it’s hilarious if we join her and say “we’re in a fort”! Her favorite toys would probably be her purple squishy ball, her toy kitchen, and her orange stuffed kitty (she carries him around a lot!). Dislikes: Getting buckled into her carseat and when we don’t let her play with something she wants.Sleep: Sleep has slightly changed this month- previously, she was still waking up once at night to nurse and then would go back to sleep, but now she sleeps straight through. It’s so strange (but oh so nice!) to go to bed and not get up in the wee hours of the night. She goes to bed between 6 and 7pm, and then wakes up around 6 am, usually. We’ve had two two-hour-long naps for the past few months, but the past few days, her morning nap has been more like an hour and a half long. She seems to be a little crankier though, even after that nap, so I’m not sure if maybe it’s a temporary change because of another tooth or something else.
Milestones, etc.: -She has mastered the pincer grasp, and can pick up Cheerios and feed them to herself! Sometimes she misses her mouth and I have to help her, but I am proud of her nonetheless.
– She wants to walk EVERYWHERE. Only trouble is, she still needs to hold on to something (or someone). She can get around just holding on with one hand (so she can carry something else with her!). She gets cranky if she wants you to help her walk and you stop. Crawling just isn’t good enough anymore.
– She can stand up without holding onto anything for probably about 10 seconds before she drops into a squat. So strong!
– This is the first month I can confidently say that she knows the word “no” as well as her name (she responds to both “Kaya” and her nickname, “Birdy”). Sometimes, when I say no, she’ll shake her head. So cute!
– She’s been waving for a couple of months, but now she does it a whole lot more, especially when we tell her “say bye!”
– She carries things around with her as she crawls!
– She’s always getting ahold of our phones, and now she has mastered using just her index finger to swipe through the screens. – Sometimes it seems like she has started throwing these mini temper tantrums. She’ll fuss and cry if we don’t give her what she wants.
– She’s pretty good at using a sippy cup! She can sometimes use it all on her own, and other times, she needs me to hold it up for her.
– She can also click her tongue/cluck. She’s ready for a pony, daddy!
– When she feels like it, she gives these giant slobbery kisses!

Dear Kaya,

Some days, I think I’m a bit infatuated with you. Your sweet, toothy grin, laughing eyes, and button nose never fail to capture my heart. You really do live up to the meaning of your name, which is “pure”.

I can’t help but feel that you and I are really developing a bond that is even more special and beautiful than before. You are my best little friend.

I’m so proud of all the big-girl things you’ve been learning to do lately. I love you so much and no matter how big you get, you will always be our little princess.

She would not stay still at ALL this time, even with Michael’s help… I resorted to giving her a piece of clear tape to play with. Magic!