12 Months

Sara Kate, you are 12 months old! What have you been up to?

(These pictures were the hardest month to take! You kept wanting to crawl off your chair!)

- You haven't moved classrooms yet and are still loving going to school! On days that I pick you up, I love to peak in and watch you playing with your friends. Daddy says that you like to hang out by the kids in the high chairs, probably waiting for one of them to drop something. When you see us at the end of the day, you get so excited! You smile and screech and crawl to us as fast as you can! You're school schedule is the same as last month: you get to school about 7:30, have breakfast between 8 and 9 (oatmeal mixed with fruit), nap time, you get a bottle of formula between 10:30 and 11, lunch is between 12 and 1 (lately it's been fruit and veggie or 2 veggies), nap time, you get a bottle of formula between 3 and 4, and then daddy usually comes to pick you up!
- You are a FAST crawler now! You see something and you go after it! You love to chase the cat...one day maybe you'll catch her. :-) You still do the thing where you put your feet down when crawling...so you have hands on ground, feet on ground, and your bottom in the air.
- You aren't pulling all the way up yet on your own. You pull to your knees, and you have great balance on your knees. If we give you a little push on your bottom you can go to your feet. We have learned that your personality is such that you like to study and figure things out before you just do it. It was like that with rolling, then crawling, and I'm sure you'll be the same way with walking.

- You love food and are trying more and more 'big people' food! I still make all your food, and we are letting you try more stuff off our plates. Here's what all you've had so far: butternut squash (love), sweet potatoes (love), zucchini (like...it purees really thin so I mix it with oatmeal and you really like it), green beans (don't like these all of a sudden), sweet peas (don't like homemade, like jarred), cauliflower (like), mashed potatoes (like), carrots (really like), apples (love), pears (love), banana (love), blueberries (love), peaches (love), mango (like), cherries (like), blackberries (like mixed with oatmeal), grapes (will cut them into little pieces so you can feed them to yourself and you love them), strawberries (like), pineapple (not sure) During the holidays you had cream corn (like) and dressing (like). Some big people food you've had includes grilled cheese sandwich (love), chicken salad sandwich (like), this chicken pie stuff your Gran made (like), rotisserie chicken from the store (cut into little pieces so you can feed yourself...like), BBQ chicken (like), BBQ pork (like), potato salad (like), boiled okra (like), Cool Whip (like), the edge of a pop tart (not the filling part or icing part, only the edge...love), some noodles (you couldn't quite figure out how to eat it), graham crackers (love), pancakes (love), and bread (love!!!). You've had apple puffs, strawberry puffs, banana puffs, and sweet potato puffs, along with biter biscuits...you are really good about feeding your self this stuff. We've switched from puffs to Cheerio's and you love those!! So far you aren't picky and will eat about anything!

- We made it a year nursing!!! I'm so proud of us, sweet pea! Right now, you nurse first thing in the morning and at bed time, and as of last week both your bottles at school are formula. In addition to those, you are drinking lots of water out of your sippy cup. We have let you try a little bit of orange juice too. At your 1 year well baby appointment next week, we'll find out about switching to cow's milk and then I'll probably wean you completely.
- I mentioned your schedule at school already, but here's your schedule for the day: I wake you up around 6:15 and you nurse, you go to school, breakfast (oatmeal mixed with fruit) between 8 and 9, nap time, you get a bottle of formula between 10:30 and 11 (around 4 oz), lunch between 12 and 1 (a fruit and a veggie or 2 veggies), nap time, you a bottle of formula between 3 and 4 (around 4 oz), come home, you have dinner when we do between 6:30 and 7 (usually 2 veggies and a handful of puffs or a biter biscuit), bedtime routine starts around 8:30, around 9 you nurse, and you are usually asleep in bed between 9:15-9:30.
- Nothing has changed on the bath front...you LOVE it! I just think you love water period! Your latest thing to going from your bottom, to your tummy, and back to your bottom, like you're 'swimming.' You also like to play with the water when it comes out of the spout when the tub is filling.
- You are an excellent sleeper, and I am so grateful for that. I think we've been really lucky when it comes to sleeping during your whole first year! You are moving all around during your sleep these days, and I laugh when I wake you up in the mornings just seeing what position you have moved yourself into.

- You are working on your top teeth, but nothing yet! We can feel the pocket on the top right (I think) so maybe soon.
- You clap, wave, imitate us, and you just started pointing at things. Daddy said you pointed to him earlier and said 'dada.' As you point to things, we be sure to tell you what they are! I can see your little brain learning and it's so interesting!

- You are really good about playing with toys by yourself. Sometimes you play in your pack n play, sometimes it's in your room, and sometimes we spread toys out on the living room floor. You love things that you can bang together or toys that fit inside other toys!
- You aren't speaking any new words but you do love to talk! Sometimes you get to babbling to yourself and it sounds like you are telling stories. 'Dada' and 'mama' are words you say, along with something that sounds like 'bye' and 'hi.'
- You weigh 19 lbs, 6 oz (that's your weight from going to the doctor last week).
- You are still in 6-9 month clothes (like Jumping Bean), 9-month clothes (like Carters), and 6-12 month clothes (Baby Gap and Old Navy). You're starting to wear some 12 month shirts, though. You are still wearing mostly 9 month sleepers.
- You are in size 2 shoes, but you can wear a size 3 if they velcro real tight (even though they are still big).
- You are in size 3 diapers.
- I cannot believe you are 1 year old. Your first year has passed so fast, yet it seems like only yesterday that we met you for the first time. I have loved watching you grow and change and learn over the last year. I know I am partial, but you are so beautiful with your blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. We are so lucky to have such a happy little girl, and we love you more than words can say. Happy 1st birthday, Sara Kate!