22 months

Stats: 
Weight: 23 lbs 11 oz
Length: 32 inches (holy growth spurt)
Head Circumference: 47 cm 
Diaper size: size 4
Clothing size: 18 months & 18-24 months

She went through a huge growth spurt + I feel like she is getting ready to go through another.

Teeth:
6 on top, 8 on bottom.   

Appearance:  
Her hair is getting longer and wavier by the minute. It's shoulder length + her bangs can be pulled back into a ponytail or bun without falling out. She still LOVES hair her hair done but prefers a bow over a headband these days. Her new thing is flipping her hair + brushing it out of her face like a little diva. I feel like her eyes get bluer and bluer by the minute. I can't tell you how many times I get stopped in stores by random strangers to tell me how pretty her eyes are. I don't think she's ever going to lose those round cheeks…I love em'. 

Personality:

OMG- I swear she is the sweetest, most loving little kid I've ever seen. Hugs, kisses, hand-holding, snuggling, all day, all the time. I can't get enough of it. I pray everyday she keeps her sweet disposition. She is still silly + loves to entertain- she obviously loves attention. She loves kids + plays so well. She still is an excellent sharer, although, I did hear my first "mine" not too long ago. 

Feeding: 
Not much has changed when it comes to eating- she loves to eat + she isn't picky. Beverages are still mostly water, unsweetened milk, coconut milk + the occasional watered down 100% organic apple juice concentrate. She likes to steal a sip of Philip's "cof-cof" (coffee) when he isn't looking.  Silly girl hasn't realized that saying "mmmmmmm-good" gives it away every time. She mostly drinks from cups with straws but really enjoys drinking from a cup without a lid. She feels so proud when she does it. She eats mostly with her fork without help.  She still signs "more" + "eat" but says them as well.  She is obsessed with ketchup (probably because of the sugar in it). Still eats anything we give her + things we don't give her, lol.  

Sleep:  
Bedtime is still around 7:30-8:00pm & she wakes up around 7:00am. She is still taking an hour morning nap most days & takes about an hour afternoon nap. Sometimes she takes a 2 hour morning nap + doesn't take an afternoon nap at all. Sleep is definitely not an issue. 

Talking: 
I love listening to her talk. While she still talks in "Addison", she has actual conversations with us. She is putting multiple words together + I can actually understand her! It's crazy, she actually makes sense!  "hold-you" (hold me), "apple juice so good", "oopsy daisy", "pretty please"…I could write an entire blog on things she says. 

Stuff she is doing: 
She loves to skip + jump. She knows she gets a ton of attention by doing so, so she squats + does burpess all the time. She is super imitative, I was doing pistol squats the other day + looked over- she was doing them. She LOOOOVES to color, this happens multiple times during the day. She is learning her colors and can recognize, blue/green/yellow/orange/purple/brown/pink (she says them all clear as day too). If she could spend all day outside, she would. She loves digging in her sandbox, playing in the pool + coloring with sidewalk chalk.  We try to make it to the park a few times per week but lately it's either been too hot or raining. She is completely obsessed with her rain boots…the girl loves shoes.  She mimics you if you say the alphabet- she will repeat the letters back to you.  She loves puzzles and will play endlessly with her little people.  She is constantly singing, especially if it's along to a DVD or one of her favorite shows.  She isn't fully potty trained but she is almost there (or vacation threw a little wrench in that)! 

Likes: 
Kids…she loves to play!  Her favorite toys: iPad, blocks, coloring books/crayons, bear stuffed animal, blankie, any board book, puzzles, blocks, pottery barn chair, rocking horse, toy jeep, books & her piano.  Her favorite TV show is still Sesame Street but she also loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse + Daniel the tiger. She asks to brush her teeth first thing when she wakes up every morning…she loves brushing her teeth.  . She is a very happy kid. 

Dislikes:
Having her face/hands wiped after eating. Being told no or stop it. She now sticks her hand out and says "nop-it" back to you when you tell her.  She really doesn't like being punished.  

18 months

Stats: 
Weight: 21 lbs 14 oz ( 20th percentile)
Length: 30.5 inches (20th percentile)
Head Circumference: 45 cm (15th percentile)
Diaper size: She just graduated this week to a size 4
Clothing size: 12-18 months & 18 months

She had a little growth spurt between her 15th month appointment & 18th month!  She bumped herself from the <3rd percentile in weight to the 20th

Teeth:
4 on top, working on her canines. 6 on bottom (including her molars).   

Appearance:  
Holy super sonic hair growth! Her hair is just about shoulder length, pacing well below the base of her neck. I can do just about anything with it; pigtails, ponytails, center part, side part. We have even graduated to a front braid. I love her little blonde wave. She still looks exactly like I did was I was her age but I see more & more of Philip everyday.  She still has chubby little cheeks. 

Personality:
Such a little comedian. Between the crazy faces, yelling at the top of her lungs, singings, dancing…she is always entertaining, just like her Daddy. She sits at her piano and waves her hands in the air like a mad composer & runs as fast as she can through the house with her shopping cart with the sweetest giggles. She is in an extremely imitative! Stomps your feet, she stomps; burp she burps, lay on the foam roller, she does. She loves clothes. She twirls around in front of the mirror & if she has a skirt on she fluffs it up.  She is very helpful, picks up & puts away her toys, throws things away in the trash can, hands me clothes when I am folding. She remains extremely independent & wants to everything all by herself…maybe a little like her mum. She is sooooo sweet & loving. She LOVES to cuddle & give kisses. She is a wonderful sharer. She always says "hi" and "buhbye", blowing kisses. She is so much fun. 

Feeding: 
She drinks mostly water, milk & coconut milk. Occasionally I will let her have watered down 100% apple juice. She drinks from cups with straws but we let her sip from our cup sometimes because she loves it.  She feeds herself with a fork & spoon but definitely still uses her hands. Thankfully she still isn't picky; If you put food in front of her she is going to gobble it all up.  Her favorite veggie is still brussel sprouts with broccoli as a close second. Blueberries have met their match, little cuties. I am pretty blueberries are still her favorite but she really really likes clementines. Her favorite meat is Salmon. Lately she loves an egg with a soft yolk. She literally says "mmmmmmm" after every bite.  She likes to dip her food thanks to my Mum. She loves shaved toasted coconut & apple slices with almond butter. Honestly, she really eats & enjoys just about everything we give her.  

Sleep:  
No changes in her sleep routine since 15 months. Bedtime is still around 7:30 & she wakes up around 7:30am. She is still taking an hour morning nap most days & takes about an hour afternoon nap. I think she is working on weeding out her am nap.

Talking: 
What doesn't she say or at least attempt to say these days.  Her primary language is Addison, lol.  She will spout off a few understandable words & a whole bunch of stuff I just nod my head at. She is working on putting multiple words together "bye-bye mumma", "move hampton", "more peese (please)", etc.  She says: "Elmo", counts to 3, "puppa" (my dad), "Jess" (her babysitter), "Nunna" (my Mum), "Jack" (my mother-in-law's fiance), "pepper", "eggplant", "slide", "park", "no", "up", "more", "cuddle", "hot", "bath", "shower", "boat", "choo-choo" (train), "snack", "truck", "cheese" (when you tell her to smile), "baby", "nuh-night", "mere" (bear), "hat", "bow", "rawr", imitates a monkey, makes an elephant sound, meows like a cat, barks like a dog, makes chicken noises, "cracker", "bu-berry" (blueberry), "yuck", "ho, ho, ho", "pee-eew" (when something stinks), "poop", "burp", "all done", "flower", "ball", "apple", "ballon", "Uh-oh", "vroom vroom", "owl", "oh no", "shirt", "sock", "Hampton", "peese" (please), "Mumma, "Da-Da", "that" (what's that), "duck", "Hampton", "dog", "hi", "bye-bye", "puppa" (my Dad), "off","shoe", "Emma", "mack-mouse" (mickey mouse), "go", "cup", "milk", "nose", "eye". She says "shhhh" & put her finger to her mouth", "jump", "squat", "troop" (my mom's dog, Trooper). She talks non-stop…there is undoubtably a ton of stuff I am missing. The best part is she says them all in the sweetest little voice.

Stuff she is doing: 
There is no such thing as slow pace with her. She is running & climbing on everything. She jumps up & down and actually yells "jump" as she does so.  I taught her to flex her muscles and do burpees.  She saw me doing body weight squats and does them as she says "squat", hahaha. She lays on the floor and pretends to do pushups too.  She loves to color, especially with sidewalk chalk. She is a master at the iPad and loves to play Mickey Mouse Road Rally. She knows exactly which folder has he games in it. She knows her body parts  
She is being "girly".  She loves to pick out her own clothes & headbands. She loves to be included in getting dressed. Especially when it comes to picking out her shoes. One of her favorite things to do is point to your eyes, ears nose and mouth and then hers. She still loves her baby & stuffed animals. She'll load them up in the baby stroller and dart around the house.  When the weather is warm enough she LOVES to play at the park & ride her couzy coupe car around the neighborhood. She loves to smell, crinkling her little nose and then asking you to do so as well.  She can count to three and make 1 & 2 with her fingers. She sings along (in her jibberish) to just about anything she hers.  


Likes: 
She loves playing with other kids.  Her favorite toys: bear stuffed animal, blankie, any board book, puzzles, blocks, pottery barn chair, rocking horse, toy jeep, books & her piano.  Her favorite TV show is still Sesame Street but she also loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She enjoys sitting in a shopping cart & being pushed around. She is obsessed with necklaces and always wants to wear one if she sees you with one on, my parent actually bought her a set of her own for Valentines Day. She likes to brush her own hair & put her own lotion on and brush her teeth. She still loves bath time but now also loves a shower. She loves having her hair blow dryed.  Hampton is her best friend, she adores him.  She LOVES my mum & dad. She loves to get into the cabinets & pull out coffee filters & pots/pans. This girl loves some pots and pans! Her favorite play place is Marbles. There isn't much she doesn't like. She is a very happy kid. 

Dislikes:
Not much has changed here: Having her face/hands wiped after eating. Being told no. Having something taken away from her. 

15 month update

Stats: 
Weight: 18 lbs 12 oz (<3rd percentile)
Length: 28.8 inches (8th percentile)
Head Circumference: 44 cm (8th percentile)
Diaper size: 3
Clothing size: 6-12 months & some 12-18 months
She is my steady & consistent girl & tracking perfectly on her growth curve.  


Teeth:
4 on top, 3 on bottom. She just cut her first set of molars on the left side of her mouth & is in the process of cutting the other set.  

Appearance:  
She has changed so much over the last few months. Her baby-ness is COMPLETELY gone! What little baby "chub" she had left is gone.  I miss the elbow dimples & inner thigh fat :( Her hair is getting super long; I can put it in a ponytail now. It's long & blonde with lots of little ringlets.  

Personality:
She is still my little entertainer, constantly doing things to make people laugh. She eats up attention! Her favorite thing to do is sniff things with her crinkled little nose & make everyone in the room smell it as well.  She thinks it's funny when she burps, laughing then saying "burp" when she is done.  She is in an extremely imitative phase; if she sees a kid stomp their feet, she will stomp her feet.  She loves when you imitate an animal. If you say "the lion says rawr" she will crawl around moving her hands in the air saying "rawr". She repeats just about everything she hears.  She loves to pick out her headbands, you can tell she feels pretty when she has them on.  She also loves to help undress/dress herself. She is extremely independent & wants to everything all by herself. She points to herself and says "Addison" when she wants to do it.  She loves to wrestle & be tickled as she tickles you back.  She is so much fun. 

Feeding: 
She drinks mostly water, milk & coconut milk. Occasionally I will let her have watered down 100% apple juice. She mostly drinks from cups with straws.  She prefers them over her traditional sippy cups. She feeds herself with her own little metal fork & gets extremely mad when we try to help her.  She blows on her food and says "hot" even if it isn't.  She still isn't picky at all. If you put food in front of her she is going to gobble it all up.  Her favorite veggie is probably brussel sprouts or sweet potatoes. Her favorite fruit is blueberries & her favorite main meal is Salmon. This girl LOVES salmon. The only food she has rejected lately was turnip greens at Thanksgiving. 

Sleep:  
Bedtime is still around 7:30 & she wakes up around 7:30am. She takes an hour to 2 hour morning nap & takes about an hour afternoon nap, although she does just fine if she misses it. She is super flexible with her sleep routine now. 

Talking: 
Oh my, oh my. She is a little TALKER!  She says: "Elmo", counts to 3, "Nunna" (my Mum), "Jack" (my mother-in-law's fiance), "pepper", "eggplant" (how crazy that she can say that), "no", "up", "more", "hot", "bath", "boat", "choo-choo" (train), "snack", "truck", "cheese" (when you tell her to smile", "baby", "nuh-night" (when she is tired", "bear", "hat", "bow", "rawr" (when you ask what the lion says), imitates a monkey, makes an elephant sound, "cracker", "bu-berry" (blueberry), "yuck", "ho, ho, ho", "pee-eew" (when something stinks", "poop", "burp", "all done", "flower", "ball", "apple", "ballon", "Uh-oh", "vroom vroom", "owl", "oh no", "meow", woof-woof", "Mumma, "Da-Da", "that" (what's that), "duck", "Hampton", "dog", "hi", "bye-bye", "puppa" (my Dad), "off","shoe", "Emma", "nose". She says "shhhh" & put her finger to her mouth". I am sure she says even more than this.  She talks non-stop!

Stuff she is doing: 
She is running & climbing everything. She stacks pillows & stuffed animals on top of each other to get whatever it is she is trying to reach for. I need to come up with a solution fast because I caught her doing it during nap time trying to climb out of her crib a couple of weeks ago. She is FEARLESS & jumps off of everything. She literally just dives forward with no fear. 
She is being "girly".  She loves to pick out her own clothes & headbands. She loves to be included in getting dressed. Especially when it comes to picking out her shoes.
She knows nose, mouth, eye; if you ask, she points to them. She tries to do somersaults & pushups. She loves to snuggle with her stuffed animals and blankey & carries her blankey everywhere. She loves to stack & put things away. She nicely puts things back one at a time, exactly where they are suppossed to be.  She shares her snacks with her stuffed animals, it's really sweet.  She loves to mix.  If you put a ball in a pot she takes a spoon and vigorously moves it around like she is mixing something.  She likes to wash her own face and highchair tray when she is finished eating.  She feeds herself & likes to help unload the dishwasher. She loves to throw the ball & puts her tiny little hands together to catch it. She LIGHTS up when she does, it's precious. 

Likes: 
She loves playing with other kids.  Her favorite toys: pottery barn chair, rocking horse, toy jeep, books & her piano/drums.  Her favorite TV show is Sesame Street; she's LOVES Elmo. She loves to shopping, especially if she can sit in a shopping cart. She is obsessed with necklaces and always wants to wear one if she sees you with one on. She likes to brush her own hair & put her own lotion on. She still loves bath time. She loves having her hair blow dryed.  We always try to figure out if she is more of mommy's girl or daddy's.  I think she is more of mommy's girl but most definitely is attached to her Daddy.  She LOVES my mum & dad. She loves to get into the cabinets & pull out coffee filters & pots/pans. This girl loves some pots and pans! Her favorite play place is Marbles. There isn't much she doesn't like. She is a very happy kid. 

Dislikes:
Not much has changed here: having her diaper changed. Having her face/hands wiped after eating. Being told no. Having something taken away from her. 

happy 12 months

Stats: 
Weight: 17.8 lbs
Length: 27.5 inches
Head Circumference: 43.5 inches
Diaper size: 3
Clothing size: 6-9 months & some 6-12 months
Her pediatrician said she is consistent & petite.  Although she is only in the 3rd percentile for weight & 5th for height, they correlate & she is steady on her growth curve.  
 
Teeth:

6...yes, SIX teeth! She has 4 on top & 2 on the bottom.

Appearance: 
She still has soft creamy porcelain skin, GIANT blue eyes & wicked long eyelashes.  Her hair is blonde as can be & gets thicker, longer & wavier by the minute.  Although she doesn't have much baby fat to lose, what's there is starting to fade.  Her little elbows & knees still dimple. She's stuck with those chubby cheeks.  She most definitely has lost her baby appearance & looks much more like a toddler.  She's still the spitting image of me as a child.

Personality:
I've said it monthly since she was born...she is a little social butterfly.  She's sure to greet you with a giant smile, a soft, raspy, "hiiiiiiiiiii" & wave.  Every morning she says hello to her owl mobile followed by a sweet kiss & "awwww".   She is SILLY & loves to make people laugh...an entertainer no doubt. She's bubbly & infectious! I know she is my baby so I am partial but she is honestly one of the happiest babies I've ever seen.  She is such a little explorer, examining every detail of every little thing.

Feeding:
She is fully weened & just finished the last of frozen breast milk.  She LOVES almond milk & coconut milk.  Does awesome drinking from her sippy cup & recently learned how to drink from a straw. She continues to eat EVERYTHING we give her & there isn't much that she doesn't like. Her new favorite snack is dried nori. She LOVES the popsicles I make her too. 

Sleep: 
Bedtime is around 7:30 & she wakes up around 7am, although the last 2 weeks she has been sleeping in until around 8:00 am. She still takes a morning nap (anywhere from 1-2 hours) & an afternoon nap (1 hour). Her sleep schedule is adjusting & appears that she's trying to weed out a morning nap.\\
 
Talking:
 She is talking up a storm. This was another area her doctor was impressed with.  She says: "all done", "flower", "ball", "apple", "ba-lu" (balloon), "Uh-oh", "vroom vroom", "owl", "oh no", "meow", woof-woof", "Ma-Ma", "Da-Da", "sat" (what's that), "duck", "den-den" (Hampton), "dog", "hi", "bye-bye", "puppa" (my Dad), "off","shoe", "Emma".

Stuff she is doing:
She still isn't walking unassisted but walks holding onto your pinky finger or a thread on your pants...she is so close! She is into everything & almost never sits...she is constantly moving. She helps pick out her headbands & clothes & assists in getting dressed. She is learning to feed herself with a spoon & brushes her teeth.  She loves to brush your hair. She loves giving kisses & blows them constantly. She puts her hands on her hips with her elbows bent & shrugs her shoulders...she is a total mess.  She holds up 1 finger when you ask how old she is. If you ask where your nose, eyes & mouth are she will point to yours & then touch her own. 

Likes:
She is super into noise.  She got a baby grand piano, xylophone & percussion table, drum & maraca set for her birthday & is glued to them. (It's the music in her). She is OBSESSED with balloons! Books, wooden puzzles & flash cards. She loves to play ball. She LOVES her friend Emma & gets so excited when she sees her.  She loves food!  She loves to cuddle & will lay with you for hours.  She is so sweet.  McQuacken & her Zebra blanket are always in sight. She loves to watch Sesame Street & the Backyardagains. She loves to pretend she is washing things. She loves to put things inside of eachother & throw!

Dislikes:
Not much has changed here: having her diaper changed. Having her face/hands wiped after eating. Being told no. Having something taken away from her.

the details

It's official....I have a ONE year old.

It started with a simple invitation printed on recycled kraft paper embellished with a lace doily & mixed style lettering.  

Her birthday fell on a Saturday & so naturally we had her party on her actual birthday.  It was held in our backyard, mid morning, under a 20x20 tent. In true North Carolina weather fashion it flipped from 80 degrees & breezy to 90+ degrees, extreme humidity & no breeze. I guess that's the price you pay for a summer baby.

We didn't have a theme but kept the decor simple, girly & shabby chic.  Vintage fabric banners, burlap, soft pinks & ivories, doilies, chalkboard signs, lace & mossy wreaths.

The mail box was adorned with a few soft pink & ivory balloons. There was a chalkboard sign directing guests to the backyard.  Each area was designated with chalkboard signs (games, food, etc).

The tent had tables for eating & an area set up especially for Addison.  Underneath a burlap "Happy Birthday Banner" that I made was a vintage wooden highchair that Philip painted a soft bubble gum pink.  The high chair was dressed with a banner I made with vintage sheets & fabrics.  In the same area was an old trunk from our garage filled with gifts for Addison. I decorated it simply with paper mache letters, spelling ONE,  that I modpodged scrap fabric & lace to. Addison received a floral slip covered arm chair from Pottery Barn from my mother in law which was perfectly in place for her to open presents.

The food & beverage tables were dressed with lacy tablecloths from my grandmother & the food table was adorned with another scrap fabric banner I made.  For adult beverages we had raspberry & lime infused water & pineapple & lemon infused water.  It was sipped on from grey & pink paper straws that accompanied burlap wrapped mason jars.  For the kiddos we had organic milk boxes & organic apple juice boxes.

We served hamburger sliders, scallop & heart shaped PB & J, mini grilled cheese sandwiches, hummus with vegetables, tortilla chips & fruit.  Sweets included frosted sugar cookies, animal crackers (frosted, chocolate & plain), carrot cake & vanilla cupcakes & bread pudding (made especially per my Grandfather's request).  For the little kids there was no sugar added applesauce & mandarin oranges.

There were about 16 kiddos (ranging from 7 weeks to 13 years old) & about 20 adults in attendance.  Several of those that RSVP'd didn't show up. Each child was given a gift bag with bubbles, sidewalk chalk, finger nail polish (girls), football (boys), play dough & a few chatskie items.  The bags were made by yours truly thanks to a little Pinterest inspiration. They were brown paper bags embellished with doilies & tagged with scalloped kraft paper & a worn chevron pattern with each child's name on them.

Addison wore the sweetest aproned dress from Janie & Jack with a matching headband (I am still kicking myself that I didn't get any pictures of her in it). For cake she wore an ivory ruffled diaper cover with matching bib with lace & embroidered cake on the front.

In true Addison fashion she gobbled up the frosting & couldn't get it in her mouth fast enough.  She was happy as could be opening presents, much more attentive than I had thought.  She received lots of music related gifts (baby grand piano, drums, xylophone), a few stuffed animals, some adorable outfits, wooden puzzles & various age appropriate toys.

Although the weather wasn't ideal for an outdoor party I am so pleased with how everything turned out.  She was a happy camper the entire time & I'd like to think that someday she will smile to know that we threw her a special first birthday.  She is our special girl & deserves nothing less. 

addison turns one

{the invitation}

{party tent}

{cake & present area}

{details}

{smash cake}

{cupcakes}

{the party}

{the cake}

{ready to dive in}

{sugar heaven}

{in a happy place}

{presents}

happy 11 months

Stats: 
She weighed in at 16.9 lbs at the doctors last week.  Because it was a sick visit they didn't measure her but she is getting longer by the minute. 
She is still in a size 2 diaper, wearing mostly 3-6 months & 6-9 months.

Teeth:
2 on the bottom. Top right has come in completely, top left has broken the gum line & 2 other top teeth are now visible. This girl deserves a medal...4 teeth at one time & not a peep.

Appearance: 
PIG TAILS!?! By far one of my top 10 "mom moments". I can't wait to be able to do other things with her hair, especially since she is so super cooperative. While she is the spitting image of me as a child I can really see Philip in a lot of her facial expressions. 

Personality:
It's amazing to watch her little personality emerge.  She is so nosy & focused on what's going on around her.  She is a social butterfly & loves to show affection: hugs, kisses, cuddling, stroking your arm, twirling your hair. She loves to share! Her independence is emerging more & more...oh, my she is strong-willed! She is so HAPPY. 

Feeding:
We started the weening process & she is only nursing 3 times a day, eating 3 meals & 2 snacks. Breakfast usually constants of scrambled whole eggs, veggie & egg fritters, coconut toast with sunbutter, coconut french toast, coconut flour pancakes, fresh fruit, bacon...whatever I am in the mode for. She is really into paleo fig newton cookies I make. There isn't a vegetable or fruit she doesn't like & we have recently learned that she REALLY likes spicy food. She drinks water from a sippy cup.

Sleep: 
Bedtime is around 7:30 & she wakes up around 7am.  Lately she has been taking a long morning nap (about 2 hours), going down around 9am after our morning run & breakfast.  She takes about an hour afternoon nap. You will still find her cuddled up with her zebra blanket & Mr. McQuacken (her stuffing-less duck) cuddled up in her arms. If her bum isn't pointed up in the air she literally leans forward from a sitting position (bent at the waist) and falls asleep.

Talking:
People are constantly commenting on the amount of actual words she says & how she babbles non-stop.  She is talking up a storm. "Uh-oh" has now entered her vocab, "oh no", "all done", woof-woof", "Ma-Ma", "Da-Da", "sat" (what's that), "duck", "den-den" (Hampton), "dog", "hi", "bye-bye", "puppa" (my Dad), "off","shoe". She has recently started humming & if you say "la-la-la" she will do it back.

Stuff she is doing:
She is incredibly imitative.  If you clap your hands she will clap her hands.  If you say "ahhhh" after taking a refreshing sip of water, she will copy you.  She bobbles her head all over the place & head bangs to music. She is a dancing machine...there is no sitting still if music is on. Either her foot is tapping or her little bum is wiggling. She can sign "more", "please", "eat" & "milk". She takes a few independent steps but once she falls she is right back to crawling, although, she is standing and cruising constantly.  She races around the house with her push walker & maneuvers herself from piece of furniture to furniture. She loves to put things inside of each other.  She is still twirling her hair when she is tired & still occasionally sucks her thumb. She is in a big kissing phase & has recently learned how to blow kisses.  We are in the process of teaching her how to hold up 1 finger when you ask how old she is.  She cocks her chin to her shoulder in a bashful way & is a big time FLIRT.

Likes:
Not much has changed since last month. She still lights up when she sees Hampton...she completely  adores him. She loves to climb & if there is something "kickable" you better believe she is going to kick it.  She loves being held upside down & falling backwards.  She loves to go running in the BOB & the faster the better.  She loves to eat LAMB...holy moly, this girl LOVES lamb.  I have never seen her get so excited about food. She loves to lay back in your lap & have you play with her hair. She loves being told that she is beautiful or pretty. She loves to climb.  She loves big kids & isn't shy about jumping in and trying to do what they are doing.  She loves to look at herself in the mirror & will play for 20 minutes with a baby doll just babbling away.  She loves her Daddy.  She darts over to the door when she hears him pull into the garage, it completely melts my heart. She loves if you blow in her face or kiss her gently on her neck.  She is never without her Zebra blanket or Mr. McQuacken. 

Dislikes:
Having her diaper changed. Having her face wiped after eating. Being told no. Having something taken away from her.

No sappy words this month...I'll save them all for her 12 month update. 

Happy 10 Months

She has officially reached the double digits & planning for her FIRST birthday is in full swing.   

Stats: 
She hasn't been weighed since last month's well check-up but I'd guess she's still around 15.6-15.10 lbs.  She doesn't look or feel like she has gained much weight, if any. She undoubtedly has gotten longer, as she is growing out of footed pj's in length left & right. She looks so grown up in her 2 piece footless jammies.
She is still in a size 2 diaper & wearing mostly 3-6 months (some 6-9 months).

Teeth:
2, holding down the bottom gum line.  I swear she has been trying to cut her top 2 FOREVER but they still haven't broken the skin.

Appearance: 
Her hair is getting super long, wavy & wild.  Thankfully she still wears headbands & clips without taking them out because she looks like a hot mess without them.  She is completely obsessed with her hair, twirling it constantly.

Personality:
SILLY, strong-willed, social, affectionate, CUDDLY, curious, HAPPY. 

Feeding:
Still nursing 4-5 times a day, eating 3 meals & sometimes a snack.
These days for breakfast she usually has a scrambled egg yolk with fruit, or mini egg yolk muffins made with coconut milk & veggies, coconut flour pancakes with sunflower butter & fruit, or another source of protein, veggie & fruit.  Snacks typically consist of soft cooked veggies, dried fruits, sunflower butter with apple slices, homemade grain free crackers, etc.  Lunch/dinner is always a protein & vegetable; anything from homemade beef stew, crab cakes to grilled chicken/fish.  She is my good eater!  She drinks water from a sippy cup. There literally isn't a food she won't eat which makes meal time fun & easy.  She pretty much eats whatever Philip & I are having these days. 

Sleep: 
She is back into her normal sleep routine. Bedtime is around 7:30 & she has been waking up around 7am.  Lately she has been taking a long morning nap (about 2 hours), going down around 9am after our morning run & breakfast.  Afternoon naps have been super variable but she hasn't slept more than an hour in the afternoon since we came back from Hawaii. She sleeps with Mr. McQuacken (her stuffing-less duck) cuddled up in her arms with her little bum pointed up in the air.

Talking:
She is NEVER quiet.  If it isn't babbling it's "Ma-Ma", "Da-Da", "sat" (what's that), "duck", "den-den" (Hampton), "dog", "hi", "bye-bye", "puppa" (my Dad), "off","shoe". She giggles constantly too.

Stuff she is doing:
She loves to kick...anything & everything that is kick-able (future soccer player?).  She can sign "more" & "milk".  She has completely mastered clapping her hands & is constantly doing it. She loves waving hello & bye-bye. She also points out of curiosity when she says "sat".  She has recently started pointing when she says "no-no" as well. She shakes her head yes & no & my mum recently taught her how to bobble her head, it's hilarious. She has started throwing mini temper tantrums...unbelievable! She loves to share: food, toys...you name it. She is climbing& cruising everywhere, she is completely fearless. She lets go & stands independently for 10+ seconds at a time as she moves from one thing to another only using one hand. She loves to bounce & jump...she just loves to move, period. She's super imitative. Lately she has been imitating Hampton panting. Crazy girl! She loves to sing. She "sing-babbles" along to anything she can while shaking her little body to the beat, she is my little music lover.  

Likes:
SWIMMING! Playing "peek-a-boo".The Backyardagains, Sesame Street & Curious George. Being in the side position in the ERGO. Hampton. My high heels. Bath time. Cuddling. Food. Going for runs. Walking while holding onto to somebody's fingers. Kids. Wind blowing in her face. Having her hair brushed. Being naked.

Dislikes:
Having her diaper changed. Being told no. Having something taken away from her.

Each time I sit down to write the updates I am amazed at how fast she is growing/changing.  I am also amazed how certain personality traits have been evident from the beginning & I love seeing them flourish & develop.  While it breaks my heart "losing" my baby as she grows into a toddler, it also excites me watching her figure the world out. Someday she will change the world.

9 MONTH STATS

Addison's doctor visits seem to be slightly anxiety producing while exciting at the same time.  I am always nervous on how she'll do with shots but excited to find out how she stacks up. Since we constantly get comments on how small she is, it's always reaffirming for her pediatrician to tell us how great she looks & that we are doing the right thing. Developmentally she is doing marvelously; she is exactly where she needs to be in some areas & ahead in others.  While she is still tiny for her age, she falls exactly where she should on her growth curve since birth.  She weighed in at 15.6 lbs putting her in the 8th percentile. She is 27 inches long (30th percentile) & her head circumference is 42.3 (5th percentile).  She did fantastic with her Hepatitis B vaccine & I didn't even have to remind them of her adhesive allergy this time.  She barely flinched, I think she was preoccupied by waving the a wipe at the cute baby in the mirror.  She was as happy as could be & showed off waving at everyone, saying bye-bye & mum-ma. She doesn't go back for her next visit until her 12 month appointment...crazy!

HAPPY 9 MONTHS

Today Addison is 9 months.  It's crazy that she has been out of my belly as long as she was in my belly.  While she was growing inside 9 months felt like forever & the last 9 months has flown by.

Since we have been home from Hawaii she has been my late little sleeper, getting up at 8:00-8:20.  Nice right?!? I have been walking in the door from the gym right as she is waking up. She is still going to bed around the same time (7:30-8:00) but she seems to be requiring a little more cuddle time before I can put her in her crib.  She turns her body sideways so she's cradled in my arms but can see my face; her face pressed against my chest with one arm tightly wrapped around mine while she twirls her hair with her other. She sighs & babbles, gazing at me until eventually she falls asleep.  The past few nights she has startled when I put her down, let out the saddest cry as she reaches her hand towards me (separation anxiety), fusses for a few minutes then falls right to sleep with her little bum in the air.  She hasn't slept in a sleep sack since we have been back from Hawaii so I think we are going to pack it up & put it away. Down to 2 naps a day varying from 1-2 hours. She wakes up so happy...I love to get her from her crib right after she has woken up.

She is working on a tooth on top but it hasn't broken through her gums yet.  She been gnawing on dried unsweetened papaya & frozen apple slices (and Sophie of course).

Her hair is getting SO long & WAVY! I love the way it flips out!! It's super blonde too.

Meal time is a blast.  While she still eats purees but it's obvious she prefers small finger foods...her independence is already shinning through.  We've explored lots of new flavors the last month: mango & coconut sauces, curries, terragon, rosemary; she loved them all! She loves Salmon, tuna, ono (Hawaiian fish), mahi mahi...pretty much will eat whatever we are eating.  She tried scrambled egg yolk for the first time this past week & is a fan.  She loves to snack on grapes without the skin cut in half, soft pears, pieces of peach, fresh mandarin orange slices, cooked carrot sticks, apple slices with homemade sunflower butter, freeze dried fruit of all varieties...thankfully she isn't picky & she loves just about anything we give her.  I made a roasted eggplant baba ganoush dip & she was in heaven, even with a pretty potent garlic flavor. While we were in Hawaii she tried a Hawaiian banana called an apple banana & ate tons of fresh mango & papaya. She loves to drink water from her sippy cup but still hasn't had any juice. Nursing is still going as planned...only a few more months.

Her vocabulary is growing!  She now says Da-Da, Ma-Ma, no-no, Hi, dog, duck, bye bye. She tries SO hard to say just about anything you ask her too.

She waves & claps. She'll imitate your hand motions & if you slam your hand on a surface that makes noise, she'll do the same. She almost has the sign for more down pat.

She is a super sonic crawler now & into everything. I've caught her in Hampton's crate, at his food bowl & actually licking Hampton.  My eyes are on her at all times. She LOVES to stand & walk holding onto something.  Her favorite thing to do is hold onto your pinky fingers & walk around.  She walks along the side of the couch while holding on independently & will move back & forth from the ottoman and couch. She's constantly moving.  She loves to dance & does a little "jig" when she is standing.

my floors need to be waxed so bad!

She plays so well independently.  She'll lay on her tummy with a board book & turn the pages jabbering away as if she is reading. She talks to her baby doll & will sit forever building with her blocks, stacking her cups & putting things inside of each other.  She knows where her toy box is now & crawls over to it when everything is put away.  Smart girl :) I make a point to include her in toy pickup, although I know she doesn't understand yet. She still loves to cruise around in her walker. She darts around the house crashing into things & cracks herself up.

The pool opened while we were in Hawaii so we've tried to spend a little time there everyday since we've been home.  SHE LOVES THE WATER.  In the baby pool section she can touch the bottom while standing & it makes her giggle.  She cruises around in her float just like she does in her walker; hilarious to watch.  She is FEARLESS of the water which is a little scary but super exciting.  She splashes away with her jibber jabber watching all the big kids play.

Hawaii got her broken in with sunscreen application & she doesn't mind it anymore.  We have to stick with California Baby because it's the only thing that she hasn't had a reaction to so far.  I am very proud to say that she still remains sunburn free though!

Bath time is still a highlight of our day because she is so darn cute in it.  She still LOOOOVES to have her head washed! She had her first shower in Hawaii & she kept her tongue stuck out as the water rolled down the whole time.

Happy 9 months my little teddy graham!

 She goes to the doctor's on Monday for her her 9 month visit.  I'll post updated stats after her visit.

HAPPY 8 MONTHS

Hello 8 months! 

 This past month was an eruption of new developments. While this is truly a rewarding stage, I find myself holding on extra tight as her “babyness” is fading. It is the most amazing thing to watch the evolution of this tiny person but I am not ready for the baby stage to be over {insert sappy music here}.

As bad as I wanted to be a mum I still wouldn't have believed anybody if they would have told me how much fun it is, especially the older she gets. She brings me pure joy & there is nothing in this world that can make me smile like her. 8 months later & still my favorite part of the day is seeing her sweet face light up with the most contagious smile first thing in the morning.

 She is still contently settled in her routine of waking up around 7am & going to bed around 7:30pm.  She takes an hour morning nap, usually around 9am & a 2 hour afternoon nap around 2pm. Every now & then she sneaks a mid-morning cat nap in but isn't cranky if she misses it. The older she gets the more adaptable she is & the easier it is to deviate from her routine...good thing because our trip in 2 1/2 weeks to Hawaii is going to rock her world.


During her 7 month she got her 1st tooth & the second made it's appearance just a few days later. This no doubt has contributed to her loosing her baby-ish appearance...that gummy smile is fleeting. Overall you wouldn't have even known she was teething despite the drool.  She did have a couple days where she ran a low grade temp, had a runny nose & was a little more wakeful with the 2nd (I actually took her to the doctors because I thought maybe she had a cold)...that was no fun.

I think I may have a foodie in the making. She isn't shy about letting you know what she likes & doesn't like, much like her Grandma Tabor.  We have always teased Philip's mom because she ENJOYS food & gives a commentary on it as she eats.  Addison gets so excited when she is really digging something, saying "mmmmmmmm" louder & louder as she eats, She giggles, bounces in her highchair & hits her hand on the tray. When she isn't sure, she pauses with the food in her mouth, gets a perplexed look & either opens her mouth for more or as of lately spits it out. Fortunately she isn't a picky eater & the latter doesn't happen often. She definitely does not like avocado or the combination of chicken & carrots (although she enjoys them separately). Fruits she has tried: banana, apples, plums, peaches, blueberries, mango, papaya & pears. Veggies she has tried: kale, asparagus, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, leeks, carrots & turnips. Meats she has tried: chicken & turkey.
Her favorite mealtime is breakfast (a girl after my own heart). She reallllly loves snack time too, especially since we recently introduced finger foods. She likes to share her snacks with me. She will nosh on it for a few seconds & sweetly stick out her hand & hand me what she is eating or try & put it in my mouth. She loves to suck on frozen apple slices, dried papaya, freeze dried mango, banana chunks & puffs. She continues to be a pro at nursing & the plan is continue until she is a year.

She babbles NON-STOP. Words are starting to make an appearance in her babbly vocabulary.  We can definitely add "mumma" to her word list.  I am pretty sure she says "duck" too.  While blowing raspberries is still one of her favorite things to do, she has learned to click her tongue & loves when you do it back to her.

We've been working on waving & clapping lately.  When you say "bye-bye" she puts her arm up in the air.  She laughs when you clap & rocks back & forth when you clap her hands together for her but doesn't understand how to do it herself quite yet.

She is super active- crawling & rolling everywhere, though she is still mostly scooting & rolling.  She puts herself in a sitting position from all fours & is pulling herself up from sitting to standing. Talk about freaking out when I walked in her nursery to find her standing in her crib. In the last week or so she has become infatuated with climbing. She is all over the place.  Good thing she has a fast mamma.

The weather has been amazing & we take advantage of any opportunity we have to be outside. She loves to be outdoors, going for walks, running in the BOB, swinging on the swings but is just as content sitting in grass.  She LOVES the grass. 

One of her new favorite indoor activities is knocking down stacked blocks. We stack them & she knocks them down with glee. It's usually followed by giggles & taking 2 blocks (one in each hand) & smacking them together. She has been really interested in her stacking rings & this abacus type thing that glows. 

She is so curious. She touches & examines everything.  She is completely obsessed with noses & eyelashes.

She doesn't like to be too far from me, and I hate being apart from her. She has a bit of separation anxiety & is definitely developing "stranger danger".  On the same token she is as social as ever especially with kids.  She LOVES kids.

She definitely grew this past month but is still super petite. She weighed 14.6 lbs last week & is approx 26.5  inches long.  She still wears a size 2 diaper.  While 3-6 months are still big on her the length is now perfect.


Things she loves: baths, Hampton, MUSIC, Sophie the giraffe, McQuacken, her blankie, Philip singing to her, Emma, peek-a-boo, being held upside down, having her hair brushed, dancing, ducks, cuddling, being tickled, crawling around on our bed and couch, swinging.

Things she doesn't like: sunscreen application, a wet diaper, being ignored, having something taken away from her, socks, avocado, being told no.

She is miss INDEPENDENT & wants things done her way.  She'll let you know if she doesn't like it. Oh & take something away from her that is captivating her....my goodness. What a temper!!! She is so stubborn & intense.  When she sets her mind on something she is completely bound and determined & gets insanely frustrated. 

I love her to the moon & back. What are you going to delight us with 8 months?