12 months

Grace Grace Grace.  12 months. One whole YEAR since you were born.  How did this even happen?  You have become such a big girl and it's amazing how much you've grown over the last few weeks.  The Monday before your first birthday, we started mixing whole milk with your breastmilk (your birthday was on a Thursday) thinking that you may have a hard time with the transition.  What were we thinking?  You enjoy this milk just as much. We've been focusing really hard on getting you to hold your own bottle.  You don't understand why we just won't do it for you!  Mommy has a really hard time letting you do it too, you just aren't a cuddler and it's the only time you'll snuggle in.  You have four bottles a day now - two whole milk at daycare and two half breastmilk and half whole milk at home.  Mommy stored up a lot of milk and is trying to keep you from those nasty sniffles at daycare.  You enjoy pretty much anything - though when you don't like something you take it from your tray and plop it on the ground.  You know how to say you don't like something.  We are also amazed at how smart you are - you know that you can dip your celery in to your ranch dressing and eat the ranch dressing!  We don't argue - since everyone loves some good ranch!

You have become quite the talker. You babble quite a bit, but we've found that when we talk, you really listen.  When Mommy picks you up at daycare each day, you babble to her - telling her what you have done. At daycare they say that you really like the art projects and love to sing and play.  Daycare doesn't have any concerns about you.  You love to be outside and it's evident through them and through Mommy and Daddy. Anything outside and you are happy - as long as the sun is not in your eyes.



As far as sleeping  - you take a 1 hr nap at 12:30 each day....and then go to bed at 6:30pm and wake up at 6:30am. You need your NUK, but otherwise, you are a GREAT sleeper. Still.  At your doctor appt, you had four shots and blood taken - but you did a good job and weren't too angry afterwards.  You are now in the 42% percentile for weight (from 20 - you are growing!) and in the 79% for height.  You are finally getting those top teeth in - and they look HUGE!  They have broken the skin - but we are still waiting to see what they look like:)

Army crawling is your favorite now, though you did take your first real crawl yesterday.  Mommy was so proud of you - but you quite after one movement forward.  You also know how to walk along things really well now and understand that one foot goes in front of the other.  You are such a big girl!  Swimming lessons are your FAVORITE. Every Sunday at 10:15 you have them and you SPLASH and make noise the entire time. Watching your excited little face is the best thing about the lessons. 

It's been an AMAZING year Grace. Amazing. You are such a strong, loving and easygoing little girl that we all can't wait to see you grow. You have a family that loves you more than you will ever know - until you have a little girl of your own someday.