There is so much to say about our baby girl at 11 1/2 months old. (My gosh, I can't believe our tiny little baby will be one year old in just a few weeks!) This little girl is definitely cut from her own fabric.
She is very independent in so many ways. She has been walking for two months now and is very steady on her feet. She runs, carries things around, can climb up steps, get down off the couch, and open cabinets like a pro.
She LOVES music and dances whenever she hears singing or any music from any source.
She is starting to like books and to be read to (just in the last month)...but her attention span is pretty short and unless there is some activity that she can participate in (pat the bunny, etc.) she generally won't sit still for an entire story.
Katie is VERY active. She has to be moving all of the time...going somewhere, grabbing something, dancing, opening things, etc. She also puts everything in her mouth.
She barely takes time to sleep. She can go a whole day with just a short afternoon nap (like 45 minutes) if there is a lot of activity. And she doesn't sleep that much at night. (she usually sleeps from 9pm until about 6:30am.) Obviously she should be getting more sleep...and she normally takes two naps...but she really does okay (doesn't crash and melt down without a nap like her brother did.)
She still is not saying much of anything yet. She says MaMa and Daaa but not that often. I think she is saying Nana also...but her pronunciation isn't very clear so I can't be certain...and she is very stubborn about repeating words or signs. She will be saying things or signing something...and if you ask her to do it again...she will refuse to do so...or walk away. It is clear that she knows the word (MaMa) or sign...and she knows what you are asking....but she just will not do it. It is very frustrating as she seems to have no real desire to please which makes it hard to teach her things as there is no reward that we can use. This stubborness is very foreign to me as Jack was such an approval seeker.
She is finally using a lot of signs. She knows, doggy, kitty, drink, num nums, eat, fish, bath, more, change diaper, pig (sometimes), hat, and bye bye.
She waives to everyone and is very social. She will go to anyone and let anyone hold her. (Infact, she must be held almost all of the time. If you try to put her down, she arches her back and screams. If you put her down, she cries and folds herself over in hysterics until she is picked back up.) She is a master of getting what she wants. She will cry (and scream with tears streaming down her face) if the wrong person is holding her, if she is put down, if something has been taken from her, etc. If there are people around she wants to be in the middle of the action and she is happy. She will go from person to person to be hld or talked to...and she will happily skip naps to be around the excitement and people.
She is very very cute...with her dark dark brown eyes, blonde hair, and button nose. People stop us when we are out to comment on how pretty she is and what beautiful DARK eyes she has. Her dark eyes are very striking. She seems so tiny and looks like a little nunchkin with her delicate little features and tiny body. She was under 19lbs about two weeks agfo when we took her in for her flu shot.) She was tlal (95% at her last pediatrician's appt. so I will be anxious to see where she is on the charts at one year old).
She loves to make a laughing noise to communicate. She says: "AhhAAA" when she sees something she likes, or to say "yes" to something.
Katie just loves shoes. She loves to wear them and to find them and carry them around. She loves her own shoes (she has since she was just 9 months) and will often pick up any shoes she finds, carry them around and say "Ahhaa!" She also LOVES hats. She also love hats...and likes to have them on her head, likes to take them off, and then try to put them back on....she will cry if you take them from her. She LOVES baths and is never happier than when in the tub with Jack splashing around and giggling.
Overall, this little girl seems so much more grown up than Jack was at this age. Maybe she has to be to survive in a household with so much going on and with a 4 1/2 year old big brother that loves her but grabs everything away from her and gets everything first. I sometimes wonder if her independence doesn't come from not getting as much parental attention and time as Jack got. I love our little girl with every ounce of my heart and I only hope that I am giving her enough of myself. Sweet baby...please know that I love you so very much....the baby that you are and the little person that you are becoming...Mommy loves you sweet girl...always know that.
