Molars...

So I was right...you have had the redness on your chin for what seems like 3 months straight. As soon as it looks like its getting better, your finger nails get a little too long and you scratch it like crazy and it bleeds and scabs up. Last week I found out for sure why you were drooling so much to cause the chin problem...MOLARS! Last Tuesday both of the 1 year molars on the right side of you mouth broke through the skin. Then two days later, the other two on the left side broke through. You were getting all 4 molars at once! Yikes, no wonder you were so cranky and drooly and didn't want to sleep by yourself.

Cranky & Drooling...Must be Teething

You have been very cranky and drooling everywhere for nearly a month now. You have been drooling so much that you flared up your eczema on your chin again and it looks like you took a header off the counter or something. This can only mean one thing...you are teething again! And sure enough, I looked in your mouth last Thursday, and you got your fourth tooth on the bottom row (8th total). I also think you are getting 3 molars right now too. I have been trying to feel back there when I brush your teeth, but its kind of hard to tell with you constantly biting me. But I think I feel 3 bumps in the back.

At your doctor appointment today, I asked the doctor to check your molars. He said that there were two on your left side that were ready to pop out, and one on the right that is a little slower. Also, you gained about 3.5 ounces last months. So you are still growing better.

And finally, just like I thought. It only took about 2 days of walking before you were sprinting across the room. And now I have to chase you all over the house. Dang, you're fast!

Love Always,
Mommy

You Did It!!!

You finally did it. Two days after we went to the physical therapy class, you decided it was time to walk. I was doing the dishes before dinner, and since you like to sit on the door of the dishwasher and splash in the water daddy was in charge of keeping you occupied while I finished the dishes. He was having you walk with him, when he let go of you...and you started walking. You took 6 whole steps and then fell on your butt and said "ut-ooohhhh". Then you got up and took 6 more steps. It only took 14 and a half months, but we are so proud of you!

Love Always,
Mommy

Get Me Movin'

We just got back from a physical therapy class called "Get Me Moving". I have been worried recently that you still aren't walking, and now all the kids that are 3 months younger than you are. Well, this class was pretty much a big waste of time. There were 9 month old triplets that were just learning how to sit up and two other 14 month olds that weren't even crawling or pulling themselves up yet. You were crawling circles around these kids. I guess that I am glad that we went because I got to see how great you are actually doing. The physical therapist was convinced that you are fully capable of walking, but just deciding not to walk. She also said that when kids are developing quickly in other areas (like verbally), they tend to develop slower in gross motor skills. But once they feel like they have mastered the one that they were most interested in, they tend to catch up quickly in the other. I think this is totally the case with you. You have said about 8 words by now and are constantly babbling something. You also know a few signs, which leads to verbal skills. So, I have a feeling that you are going to be a Chatty Cathy when you get older.

I definitely think it has a lot to do with how stubborn you are too. I guess you get that from me. And the temper tantrums have started full force now too. There has been at least two times now that we took something away from you and you threw a huge fit (with real tears and screaming/kicking legs). I hope that doesn't go on for too long.

Love Always,
Mommy

14 Months

You are 14 months old today and you continue to crack me up everyday. You still aren't walking. But you have turned standing up into a game that you think is hilarious. You like to sit in a crouching position, then daddy or I will crouch down and say "stand up". Then you will imitate us standing up and laugh your head off. You also like to climb on everything. You learned how to climb into your shopping cart all by yourself and now you are a pro at it. You also climb in and out of your highchair on your own. And right now, you are climbing up my legs to sit in my lap (while making kissing noises). And you have learned how to rappel off of my bed. You know how to get off the end on the foot stool, but that wasn't good enough. So you send your feet off the side of the bed and slowly lower yourself down by the comforter.

You got your 7th tooth about a week ago. But it wasn't a molar like I thought you were getting, it was another bottom tooth. You are eating all kinds of real food now too. And you are even starting to learn to use utensils. You really love try to use a fork.

The cutest thing you have learned to do in the last month is blow kisses. I think Grammy taught you how to do it, because I know I didn't. I can't wait to see what you are going to do next.

Love Always,
Mommy

You Stood Up!

You have been such a stubborn princess. You still to this day do not hold your own bottle. You are perfectly capable, because you hold it once you are done eating. But you refuse to hold your bottle while you are eating. You also refuse to stand up on your own or walk by yourself. You have been standing up on things and walking along the couch since the day after you learned how to crawl (about 4 months ago). But you will not stand up without touching something. You even throw a fit when daddy or I try to make you stand up. You will immediately fold your legs and throw your head back so that we either have to put you back on the ground or pick you up.

But today after your nap, I decided that I would try to make you walk over to your toys while holding my hands. You took a couple labored steps (which you have done before), and slowly lowered yourself to the ground. This is pretty typical, we know you have the coordination and strength to stand because you lower yourself from standing very slowly and precisely. But today, when you crawled over to your toys you picked up your tambourine and shaka-shaka egg and then with both toys in your hands, you stood up on your own! I couldn't believe what I was seeing at first. You stood there for about 5 seconds, then lowered yourself very slowly again. I bet that you will start walking pretty soon. I am pretty sure that you are just waiting until you can sprint before you start walking.

Love Always,
Mommy

Where is your nose?

You just did the coolest thing. You were playing with Zeus, and I came over to watch. You kept grabbing his face and putting your hand in his mouth. I thought it would be a good time to name parts of the face. So I was naming Zeus' mouth, teeth, eyes, ears and nose. Then I named your nose. Then I pointed to my nose and said, "nose". Then you pointed to Zeus' nose all by yourself! You were so proud of yourself. I was pretty proud too!

Love Always,
Mommy