Emma Kate: Month 12

Well, here we are. It seems so surreal that a year ago yesterday I gave birth! Looking at Emma Kate now, I can’t believe she was ever tiny enough to be in my belly. She’s such a sweet happy girl, and this year has been quite the ride!

There were times when I never thought I would make it through this year, and times when I wanted it to slow down. Each stage has been very different, and more fun than the last. Life is certainly different than it was a year ago, but I can’t imagine her not being with us now. Let’s take a look at what this little girl has been up to the past month.

This kid loves to sleep like her mama. No lie, two nights ago she slept FOURTEEN HOURS! She had never slept till 9:00 before, and I was about to go in and poke her when she finally woke up. The birthday princess just wanted to sleep in on her special day apparently. This is not the norm, she usually sleeps 12 hours at night from 6:45-6:45 or 7:00-7:00. She is still napping twice a day, usually one nap is about 45 minutes and the other is 1.5 hours or so long.

Emma Kate loves to explore and is in to everything. Locks are on the cabinets, and everything has been taken off table tops and end tables. She loves pushing our furniture around the room, every char and table is fair game. She recently in the past two weeks started standing up on her own from sitting without holding on to anything. She will stand for a few seconds and then sit back down. Just waiting on those first steps! She zooms around the room behind her push toys and is a lot more stable moving around.

Emma Kate eats her baby food and snacks but also eats whatever we eat. She loves cheese, turkey, yogurt, crackers, beef, and cheerios best. She is taking about 18 ounces of formula a day now, give or take. (usually 3 bottles). We are weaning her down as she eats more and more solid food.

She is still into everything that ISN’T one of her toys. Paper, household items, boxes, plastic containers, curtains, etc. She can get up the stairs FAST, but isn’t sure how to get down.

She talks and sings a lot, and her new favorite word is “uh oh!” I didn’t realize I was saying it so much (when she would fall or drop something) and now she will throw something on the ground then say “uh oh” over and over.

She waves bye bye, will clap her hands, give hugs, play peek a boo, and dance to music.

Emma Kate Loves:

-To eat! Just like her daddy

– Standing

-Clapping

-Talking

-Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

-walking in her stroller

-pushing furniture around the room

Emma Kate does not like:

– Having her diaper or clothes changed

-Being redirected from something she isn’t supposed to be playing with

-Taking medicine (she has a double ear infection )

-Broccoli

-Wearing bows in her hair (sad mom)

We just moved her up to size 4 diapers, but honestly I think she could still fit in 3’s but I ran out and had 4’s in the closet so we just started wearing those. She is in size 18 month clothes almost exclusively except for a few dresses and onesies. When she went to the doctor for her ear infection she weighed 23.5 pounds! Her official one month appointment isn’t until October 1 so I will come back and update her stats on here then.

This time last year I was pretty scared and had no idea what to expect, or how I would “know how” to be a mom. People kept telling me I would figure it out and instinct would kick in but I wasn’t so sure. However, they were totally right. You just kind of go with the flow and learn as you go, and boy has there been a big learning curve! We have done some great things, made some mistakes along the way, but our little girl is alive and well and thriving so we must be doing something right!

The first year is so amazing because the rate of change is so fast, faster than at any other time in their lives. I know technically Emma Kate is now no longer a baby, but she will always be my little baby girl.

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY EMMA KATE! Mom and dad love you forever.

QOTD: Were you sad when your baby turned one? Has this year not flown by? Didn’t I just have her?!?