1 YEAR!

Rylie turned 1 almost a week ago, but today she had her 1 year check up, so my stats are now up to date.

 

Momma, I have to wear shoes for my photo shoot?

 

 

Yes, honey, big girls wear shoes.

 

So, I'm a BIG girl now??

 

Yes ma'am.

 

In that case, I better show everyone how I can stand like a big girl!

 

That's a great idea, sweetheart.

 

I thought so..

 

Now, if I could just get down there and make my escape!

 

Not yet, give me a smile!

 

How was that?  That was a good one, huh?

 

Yes it was.  You have the prettiest smile...

Ok, so NOW can I get out of here?

 

No.

 

Pleeeaase??

 

How about just one more smile?

 

THEN can I get out of here?

 

Yep.

Well, in that case...

 

So, what is the big ONE year old doing?

 

She is trying so hard to talk.  Her favorite phrase is Uh-oh!  She drops things just so she can say it.

She loves talking to her daddy on the cell phone.  She thinks it's so funny when he calls and talks to her on speaker phone.

She still loves her scooting method to get around, but she does crawl in the traditional manner too.

She pulls up and cruises on everything.

She can walk with her little walker, but won't let go...yet...

She loves staring out the window when it is open.

She loves books and reading.  She can kind of say "book."  It sounds like "guk."

She is eating a variety of finger foods.  She loves her cheerios, bananas, beans, and yogurt bites.  She's still not too crazy about vegetables but she gets lots in the form of her favorite "Spinach, Peas, and Pears" baby food pouch.

She drinks whole milk from a cup.

She loves animals, especially her puppies.

She loves her stuffed animals (especially Pooh) and hugs and pats their bottoms like they are little babies.

Sleep schedule is still the same:  To bed by 8, up by 6:30.  Wakes once during the night.

She has two more teeth (top middle).

She is wearing size 12 months and even starting to wear some 18 month stuff.

She wears size 4 diapers.

She weighs 19lb 11oz (just under 25th percentile).

She is 29.5 inches tall (50-75 percentile).

Size 3 shoes (when she will keep them on).  I think she'll be in a size 4 soon.

 

I cannot believe our baby is a whole year old.  This has been the greatest year of my life so far, and I can't wait to see what unfolds in her second year!

 



Dear Rylie

Dear Rylie,

Tomorrow is your very first birthday.  This first year we have shared together has been the happiest, most fulfilling of my life so far.  Before you were born, I had no idea what to expect.  I knew life would change.  I knew it would never be the same, but from the moment I saw you, I knew I would never want it to be. 

My heart has been ruined by the deepest most profound love we humans could ever encounter here on earth.  It is unlike anything I could have imagined.  If you are old enough to be given this letter to read, you are no doubt old enough to understand love, but until you experience this love for yourself, you may not quite understand how a heart can be so full of love that it actually hurts.

In your first year of life, you have given me the greatest gifts and taught me the most important lessons I have learned in my first 30 years of living.

You made me a mom.

You gave me a reason.  A reason for life, a reason to love, a reason to fight, a reason to play, a reason to give.

You made me more vulnerable than I could have ever imagined.  Someone once told me, “Once you become a parent, you’ll never have another worry-free day in your life.”  Now I get it.

You made me fall in love with your daddy all over again.  You never know how much you can love a man until you see him as a father.

Tonight, I laid down with you to help you fall asleep.  You peeked at me through your sleepy eyelids and gave a soft, sweet squeal.  You softly placed your hands on my cheeks and patted my face as you leaned in for some kisses.  A tear came to my eye.  I never want to forget little moments like this, and part of me is scared that I will. 

Someday, when life is too busy.  When there are after school activities, homework, and social agendas.  Someday, when there are boys, a car to drive, and a cell phone that’s ringing.  Someday when there is college life, a wedding, and a family of your own.  Will I remember these moments?  Will I remember that first year with you?  The year that changed my life for the better.  The year that made us, us.  The year that introduced us and bonded us for life.  Of course I will, sweetheart.

Tonight is the last night before you’re a big 1-year old.  This time last year, I was in the hospital anticipating your arrival, not knowing what to expect, not knowing what this new life would bring.  To say that you are so special to me would be an understatement.   To say that you are my life, my breath, my heart, and my reason might start to describe what you mean to me. 

Rylie, I love you more than you may ever know.  I thank God for every moment I have with you.  I am so lucky to be your mother.  I still can’t believe God picked me and entrusted me with your life.  I can’t imagine how I could deserve to call you mine.  My promise to you is that I will do everything in my power to give you the best life, the deepest love, and the greatest joy that you deserve.

Because, after all, you gave it all to me first.

Love you forever and ever,

Mommy

11 Months and 30 years

Rylie turned the big eleven yesterday...months that is.  But you may as well have told her she was turning 30.  She wasn't feeling too great about it. 

 

Momma, I don't want my picture taken right now.

 

Are you sure, sweetheart?  It will only take a minute.  Today is a big day!  You're 11 months old now! 

 

(Insert meltdown)

 



 

What did I say wrong?

 

Are you sad that you're already 11 months?

 



(Insert meltdown number 2)

Okay, okay.  We won't talk about it anymore.

 

How about standing up and talking to daddy?

 

Yay!  It's my favorite!!



(Just for the record, I know her mattress needs to be moved down.  She sleeps in her pack 'n' play in our room, so she only gets in her crib for picture taking...fully supervised.)

 

About two hours and one nap later, she was feeling a little better about the whole thing.

 

Momma, I can do without the sticker.  Thanks.

 

Here's what I think about this 11 months thing...

 

You know, it's not that bad.  It means your big 1 YEAR birthday party is only a month away...

 

Oh yeah!  That means my very own cake?

 

Yes, sweetheart.  Your very own cake...

 



 

Well, in that case, what's not to love about this whole 11-months thing?

 

So, what's going on at 11 months?

 

She is still loves to smile, giggle, and "talk."  She's starting to get very serious at times.  You can almost see the wheels turning in her head.  When she's in "the zone," she won't crack a smile for anything...except her daddy.

She is doing some modified version of crawling to get where she wants to go.  It's more of a cross between scooting and crawling, but it's very effective.  She can follow me all over the house doing it.

She is now very independent in pulling up and cruising along the coffee table.

She's still a wiggle worm in her bed.  If she's not sleepy enough when you lay her down, she'll be standing in there calling for you in 30 seconds flat.

She is getting better and better with finger foods.  She's still not crazy about her vegetables, but likes fruits, bread, cheerios, beans, etc.

She loves water to drink and is very good at holding any sippy cup, handles or no handles.

She loves giving hugs and kisses, especially to all of her furry toys and even her books that have furry animals in them.

She still loves her Pooh bear.

She still only has two teeth.

Her sleep schedule hasn't changed much.  Usually two naps during the day.  To bed by 8pm, up by 6:30am, wakes once during the night.

She wears size 4 diapers.

She wears mostly size 12 month clothes.  She's still squeezing into some of her 9 month summer stuff because it still feels like summer.

 

In other news, I'm turning the big 3-0 today. 

(Insert meltdown)

 

Just kidding.  It's not that bad.  Part of me wants to be sad about it, but most of me knows that I have never been happier, and I know my 30's will be my best years yet...

 

Especially since I get to start this decade by hanging out with this little bundle of joy all day...

 

 

 

 



10 Months!



I think my baby girl grew into a pre-toddler over the past month. 

 

Just look at those long legs...

Momma, I'm a big girl!!

 

I know...It makes me cry a little on the inside, but I'm so proud of everything you are learning to do!

Yeah, like my pulling up trick?!

Yes, like your pulling up trick.



 

Hmm...that's pretty far to reach...

 





I think I'll just peel my number off instead.  That's a fun trick too.

See, Momma, I got it off all in once piece.

 

Yes, sweetheart and I saw you did the same thing at least 10 times already.  Let's put it back on...

 

Again...

 

Ok!  You better hurry up and get your shot!

 

Yay!! Momma helped me reach!

 

Hehe!  Try to catch me now!!

 

So what is happening at 10 months?

 

She still loves to laugh, smile, babble, and imitate annoying sounds that her daddy teaches her.  It's funny until you have to listen to the same sound for an hour straight in Target. ;)

She still doesn't crawl.  She seems to get close, but she ultimately just scoots on her bottom to get where she's going.

She is now a wiggle worm when she sleeps.  She rolls to her side, belly, and back again.  Sometimes she sleeps with her bottom sticking up in the air.

She can sit up from a lying position.

She can pull up all by herself, but she prefers to have some help if you're nearby.

She is getting really good with finger foods.  She loves bananas and those little dried yogurt bites that taste like space ice cream.  She has been trying a lot of soft foods.

She loves baby yogurt.  She'll down a whole pouch in 5 minutes flat.

She loves giving hugs and kisses.

She will lick you in the mouth if you're not careful.

She loves her Pooh Bear.  She holds him up by her face and pats his bottom like he's her little baby.

She loves the dogs, and if they'll sit still for her, she'll pat them, hug them, and pull their ears.

She got her first two teeth about 3 days after my last post.  She acts like there are more coming...

She still goes to bed around 8 and wakes up once during the night.  Then she's up around 6:30 every morning.

She usually takes 2 naps...A short one in the morning, a long one in the afternoon.

She wears size 4 diapers.

She wears size 12 month clothes, ideally.  I'm still trying to make her 9 month summer stuff stretch until it gets cold enough for some new fall clothes.  It's 100 degrees outside right now, on September 10th...

 

It "feels like" 102 with the heat index.

 

Let us take a moment to soak that in.

 

Now, I hear a baby girl... er... pre-toddler talking to herself because she just woke up from a nap.  I'm gonna go scoop her up and call her my sweet baby.

 

 



9 Months!

ANOTHER photo shoot, Momma??

 

Yep, it's that time again.  Another birthday!!

 

Well, if you insist...

 

How about a little wave?

 

And how 'bout this?  They need to know I'm still practicing hard on my crawling skills.

 

And they should also know that my feet are near the top of the list of my favorite toys.

 

Well, I think that's all I've got, Momma.  I'm fresh out of new material.

 

That's ok...How about a wave goodbye?

 

Now, I can do that!!

 

BYYYEEE!!!  See ya next month!!!



 

So, what's happening this month?

 

She still loves to play, squeal, laugh, read, and babble.

She can entertain herself on the floor for a long time while sitting playing with toys.

She has started to scoot short distances on her bottom to get to her toys.

Breaking news!!  She is getting more comfortable on her belly and even scoots around and plays while on her belly for more than 30 seconds.  This is a big accomplishment for this belly-hating girl.

She even rolls over and sleeps on her belly sometimes during the night.

She can hold her sippy cup all by herself.

She has started eating some this week.  Her favorite?  Prunes.  Of all things...

She just finished off a big bowl (meaning probably 1/8-1/4 cup) of oatmeal and prunes mixed together. 

She also likes spinach and bananas.

She gives kisses and hugs.

She waves hello with both hands when she's excited to see you.

Her hair is still long and dark.

She still loves the dogs.

She is still chewing on everything and drooling a ton, but no teeth yet!

She has been going to bed around 8 this week. 

She still wakes up 1-2 times per night.

She takes a long nap most afternoons.

She weighs 18lbs. 1oz.

She is 27.5 inches long.

That puts her in the 50th percentile for height and weight.

She wears size 3 diapers.

She is wearing her first pair of 12 month pjs right now.  Double digits.  How did that happen?  They fit her perfectly.