Well, my baby girl has officially turned one and I have officially been the worst blog- updater ever in the past 5 months or so but we have had a lot going on with holidays and family members passing away (Leighton's sweet great- grandparents passed away within weeks of each other) and various other things. But, I'm baaacck! I thought maybe I should give up blogging because I have been such a slacker but the truth is, I just can't. I love it and I really want Leighton to have all of these accounts of her life one day. And, it's also been good for our friends and family who don't get to see us very often to keep up with us. So, forgive me while I catch everyone up on the passed 4 months of our sweet girl's life. It may take a while. Then, get ready for some changes to the blog. It will soon become much more versatile than just a month by month look at out growing girl (although it will, of course, still be mostly about her.)
Leighton's 9 month Dr. apt was wonderful! She hit all of the 9 month milestones except for saying her first word. However, our sweet Dr. was not concerned in the least because she was babbling like crazy, as usual. She would say "Ga-Ga" all day long but hadn't said "Da-Da" or "Ma-Ma" yet.
Leighton weighed in at just under 18 lbs (35% - up from 30th % at 6 mos!), was 27 1/4 inches long (45%), and her head is a whopping 18 inches around (90%, yes, we are aware it's due to her genius-sized brain.) She had to have her finger stuck to test her blood for anemia. She didn't.even.flinch. when they pricked her. (Umm, are you sure you are my child??) I was so proud! She just sat there and waved her arms and legs in her carrier making it totally impossible for the sweet nurse to collect enough blood. She finally was able too. The results- not anemic with an "excellent blood count." Fabulous.
Well, month 9 was BUSY. Mostly because, well, Leighton is busy. She could actually crawl (not just scoot around- her old version of crawling.) but she just didn't want to. She would crawl to the nearest person or piece of furniture that she can pull up on. She was very hardheaded about it. She just wanted to stand all the time. She will now take steps, while holding our hands, without being forced too (like, without us helping her move her legs). At 9 mos she could also purposefully go from the sitting to crawling position and did it well and often. She would sometimes just fall over and end up in that position and start scooting but at 9 mos she did it intentionally. She could also "sit" on her knees for decent periods of time.
Speaking of pulling up on furniture, she succeeded in doing the one thing that, I am sure, scares the daylights out of every baby's parents the first time during her 9th month. She pulled up on her crib. Here's the story: Her nap times are usually pretty predictable. So, I'd always try and get her lunch bottle ready before she actually wakes up. I heard her begin to stir around lunch time so I went in to the kitchen to make her bottle and then in to her room room to pick her up and feed her. To my shock and horror, there she was, standing up in her crib, holding on to the sides, beaming at me. She was all "look how awesome I am mom" and I was all, "ohmygosh you could fall to your death." (Probably not really, but it could seriously hurt her, I am sure!) So, needless to say, that night, Jeremy lowered her mattress. Then, a few weeks later we just had it lowered the rest of the way because I was still nervous at how she kept pulling up and looking like she could fall out of there.
At The Zoo (she could watch the Jaguars pace back and forth all day long)
We left her overnight with her grandparents twice during her 9th month (first two times I have ever been away from my girl overnight) and she did just fine! The first time was so Jeremy and I could spend a weekend away for our 2 year anniversary and then two weeks later we had an engagement party to attend for a dear friend. We had a ton of fun both times but sure did miss our girl!
Backwards Paci- Silly Girl
Teething got a little worse during her 9th month. She had been more fussy and run a couple of low-grade fevers. However, they weren't long lasting enough or bad enough to where I thought she needed Tylenol or anything.You know me, not a huge fan of medicating when not totally necessary. At 9 months old our child hadn't had any medication aside from the medicines she had to be on for reflux.
Leighton as A Poodle for Halloween
Leighton had a wonderful first Halloween! We did all the fun Halloween stuff last month like going to the pumpkin patch (which she will totally enjoy more next year, when she's a bit older but we still got some cute pictures), going to our Church's fall festival in her adorable costume, and handing out candy to the few trick-or-treaters we had on Halloween night. Speaking of Leighton's costume, when I first purchased it at consignment, I really thought it was a pig costume. Well, it so wasn't. We decided to take votes on what she was. Some people said sheep, some lamb, but most said poodle. I think it's safe to say that for her first Halloween she was, apparently, a pink poodle. Whatever she was, she was the cutest stinking thing I have ever seen in all of my 24 years. And she LOVED her costume. So many people marveled at how she never fussed, especially with the headpiece on. Such a good baby.
The only other interesting thing I can think to write about from the 9th month is that we found the "Your Baby Can Read" set on clearance recently (as in much less than what the online price is) so we got it and Leighton has been watching it once per day. Now, I had mixed feelings on this system as I am sure a lot of parents have, but basically it boils down to, if it works, great, if not, oh well. We aren't psycho about it. And no, it's not setting your kid in front of the T.V. for hours on end forcing them to watch something. The first video is literally long enough for me to take a shower. Which I have to do anyway, every day. So that's when I put her in her jumperoo and turn it on, with her a very safe distance from the T.V. and that's all the T.V. she ever watches.
Month 10 was certainly busy as well! Leighton was crawling like crazy, eating like a champ, and pulling up on everything.
During her 10th month we completely weaned her off of the cereal in her bottle. Each time we removed a teaspoon she would spit up once, and then she was fine.
Unfortunately, Leighton had to have two "sick" visits to the Dr. during her 10th month (November). She got her first fever that was high enough for her to receive her first dose of Tylenol and that did the trick but then she got a cold on top of that, so we went to the Dr. He wrote us a prescription and I went to go to get it filled the next day and she woke up feeling all better. Then, a couple of weeks later she ended up with two abscesses on her skin. I took her to the Dr. and he had to drain one that was ready to be drained. I went back there while they did it to hold my sweet girl and talk to her while she screamed in pain. It was so sad to watch but I was glad I was with her to help calm her down. The other abscess ended up rupturing while I was changing her diaper the next day so I called the Dr. and he instructed me over the phone as to how to drain it. They sent the gunk they got out of the abscess off to pathology which revealed it was a bacteria and we gave her an antibiotic for it. Abscesses are, apparently, genetic, though neither Jeremy or I can remember having one before so who knows. She could get another one later, or she could not, it just depends. She has a minor scar from the first abscess.
She said her first word: Mama. Love it!
Leighton's first Thanksgiving was wonderful. We visited with 2 sides of our families and got to see my oldest sister and her 4 beautiful children who came all the way from Texas, as they do most Thanksgivings. Leighton and my sister's youngest girl, Vivi, are close in age. It was so fun to see them interact. Leighton got to taste many new foods on Thanksgiving and really enjoyed the Turkey. She didn't get to take a full nap that day, poor baby. So, she took occasional snoozes on her Papa and Geegee and was SO tired that night.
Month 11 was the month of December. Leighton got to meet Santa Claus for the first time. (she was mesmerized by him and the picture turned out really cute). Her first Christmas was incredible and we thank everyone who gave her such wonderful gifts. She loved opening presents, even if she had to take a nap in the middle of it and was only interested in the tissue/wrapping paper. She loved all of her toys and plays with them all of the time.
Also, during Month 11, Leighton learned how to clap and wave! It was so precious to watch and so exciting for her. To this day, her favorite thing to do is wave at everyone and say "hey." She also learned how to give kisses. Some days she is very generous with her kisses and others not so much. But we love each and every kiss she gives us on our cheeks, noses, and lips. Even if she occasionally bites us (not on purpose.) Lastly, Leighton learned how to stand all by herself, not holding on to anything during her 11th month. She was SO proud of herself and we were equally as proud! She could stand up to like a whole minute by herself.
Month 12 was January 5th -February 5th (her first birthday!). It was unreal that a year went by SO fast. Most of the month was spent preparing for her 1st Birthday party! At 12 months Leighton was:
Drinking whole milk out of a sippy cup all by herself, Clapping, Waving, Standing, Crawling, Shanking her head "no" (her newest, not so cute, trick), completely off baby food and totally feeding herself all finger foods that were cut up in "her size" pieces, playing peek-a-boo back with me (when I say "Where's Leighton?" she covers her eyes.then she pulls them down and I say "peekaboo." SO cute), she says the following words: Mama, Dada, Pop, Baba, Cup, "P-cup" (sippy cup), "Cack" (cracker) Milk, Happy, Cheese, Hey, Yep, Yay, Yum/yummy. (and probably some others I can't think of right now.)
Her favorite foods are: Crackers, Bread, Bananas, Cheese, Oranges, Ham, Turkey, Beans, Rice, Grapes, Kiwi, Applesauce, Yogurt, and basically anything she can feed to herself. She no longer wants us to feed her anything.
She loves to dance to any and all music.
At her 12 month check up she was 30 1/4 inches long (75%!) and 20 1/2 lbs (40%). This means she quadrupled her preemie birth weight and most babies only triple their birth weight. She "beat the odds" as our Dr. said. Oh, how proud of our big girl I am. She got her third tooth the day before her birthday (her birthday party day). Her Upper Left Lateral Incisor (or in normal people terms, her vampire tooth.) She just recently acquired her Left top middle tooth.
She still sleeps 12 hours a night from around 7:30-7:30 (give or take 30 min here and there) and still naps twice a day (roughly 10-12 and 2:30-4:30). At one point we thought she was ready to move to one nap and she did great for a couple of weeks but then feel in to a regression and we decided she needs those two naps still, for sure!
She took her first steps at 12.5 months and can now take several (5-15) steps at a time, but this child just doesn't want to walk. Why would she? She can get there faster if she crawls. We are ok with that, we just want her to do things on her terms right now.
I am going to do another entire post on her first birthday party and 12 month photo shoot very soon!
Sweet, beautiful, smart, precious Leighton. You have filled the past year of our lives with SO much joy. I can't imagine what my life was like without your bright smile, infectious laugh, and sweet kisses. How did we we ever do anything in this world to deserve such an incredible child like you? I can't believe you are not a baby anymore and are so independent but never forget, you will always be my baby and I am always going to be here for you as a constant source of love and support. We thank God for you every day and hope your second year of life is just as incredible as the first!
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