"No words, baby girl, no words"

 

 

it's your last week as a baby, and you are making it known, that mama and papa- baby days are over!! you're growing up way too fast and have more energy than we can keep up with. sometimes when you're asleep I look at you and wonder at how still and serene you look. it blows my mind every time because when you're awake, missy you make the most of every waking moment. sometimes I just watch and in the midst of you trying to pick up the ottoman, yes pick up?!? and upon realizing you can't launching yourself onto it, as you "talk" and laugh to yourself. you look up at me with that gummy smile and I think, actually I say it " I have no words, baby girl,no words". this of course means nothing to you so you carry on, this time launching yourself onto the couch!! no words.

when you're hungry, you've now gone beyond just signing "eat". you start walking to the kitchen and head for the fridge, or even better point to your high chair then lead the way to the kitchen. I mean come on.. no words. if its snack time you wait under the cupboard that has the crackers.

After a diaper change you pick up your dirty rolled up diaper and start walking to the diaper genie, I open it and your dump your dump, and wait for your high five..for that I have a word.. Yay!!

one morning I took paper towels with us to the park, because all the swings etc still were wet from the dew. now morning park time includes you trying to clean up the park.. no words. people must think I'm a slave driving mother making my infant daughter clean up everywhere. so I'm actually quite relieved when you give yourself wood chips & dirt showers..but by the time we get to the park we already look cray cray, since we've got one of your favorite songs playing, you're dancing up and down in the ergo and I'm dance walking and we're both laughing for no reason. I'm sure I look like an absolute fool, but I LOVE our dance walk to the park.

 

 

 

 

when it's time for nap/nighttime- miraculously you put yourself on schedule that I LOVE- you make your sleep sigh, start throwing papa night night kisses and if I don't move fast enough, you start to (i call it) cry yelling.

I could go on, but I'm going to enjoy the rest of these rare serene moments as you sleep. because even when you're asleep you leave me speechless. no words can fully explain, baby girl, no words

Baby do, what Baby see

 

these last couple of weeks you have been full of delightful surprises. many things we've done consistently to and with you, even though sometimes it looked like you just gave me the "cray cray mama" look. and God bless your dada acting like a giant kid as he sings yet another song that'll teach you, yet another lesson I came up with as the world slept:) but it looks like you're picking up, even on the things we weren't intentionally trying to teach you.

you used to try and eat the earphones and now, after months of trying to yank them out of our ears, you're now putting them in yours. Hallelurrrrrr 🎶🎶 God is great🎶🎶

 

I guess singing the clean up song "clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere, clean up clean up everybody do your share.." every time we do any cleaning has made you a bit of a clean freak. you are definitely doing your share and then some. I mean I thought my foot was clean, but you apparently thought otherwise..haha. diaper change time now includes you wiping your mouth and legs as well, in case we missed a spot I guess

 

 

 and after months of signing to you and you acknowledging them but only signing two or three, mostly two you finally decided to show us your skills. it's like you woke up and thought I'll communicate now. you are up to 9, yes 9 signs. you want to know what they are??  Okay I'll tell you.. Milk of course, eat of course, water, tree, light, shower, hello and goodbye, sleep and kisses..
it sure has been fun "chatting" with you lately, it makes you laugh and squeal with delight. which makes us melt. I mean is there anything better than watching you chase after one of us signing light as we close the blinds and turn the lights on. actually there are more such moments and we're loving each one more than the last.
Good job baby girl, good job.

Cousins, baking and the zoo- happy 11mos

so we trekked on back for another cousin visit. and it was for me one word-joy-or happiness or contentment. so more than one word but you get the point. it was awesome seeing you actually get to play with your cousins. and after spending time with you, your aunt happy as she was to see you had some wise words from having the experience of two "spirited" kids that have led to today being day one of weaning. Cue mama scream!!! I have been sweating bullets at the thought but I have to say day 1 was a success. anyho back to the fun stuff. I took way too many pics because it was all too amazing not to capture, so my dear for your viewing pleasure...

upon our return, rest was, well maybe I'll do that tomorrow.-Friday: full bake sale prep, picking up goods at front doors from mommy friends; trader joe's; baking until late;Saturday:setting up, selling until 5pm all with you either ergo wrapped or playing with dada. you were really a good baby on your first "giving back" event. we raised a total of $501!!! and since you were the inspiration for it, and continue to inspire, now mama & dada have to come up with event #2;

Sunday: celebrating mama's dear friend Emily's wedding. your dada was amazing. exhausted, having worked all day drove us and mingled, played with you and  socialized. whenever he hears "this friend's event we can't miss .." even if he's never met them he'll still show up. thankfully he knows Em. we love you dada. there was  enough music and food to keep you plenty entertained so the night was a success, the wedding screamed Emily which always equals -Amazing.  classic example: her dad putting an apron on to start cooking in the club kitchen and dinner was served. Amazing!!

dancing baby

Monday: while we were playing and organizing our garage our neighbor who works at the zoo was driving up and while chatting handed us zoo tickets!! I know.shut the front door. best way to celebrate your 11months bday. it was so much fun watching you enjoying yourself. everything on four legs you pointed and called dog, when you walked it was to mostly "chase dada and you walked signing trees, because well, they were everywhere. you laughed at the animal signs and noises we made and signed water for the first time when we saw a waterfall... a lovely way to celebrate 11mos of pure cray cray joy.

social butterfly??

separation anxiety leads to these kinds of phone calls..."it'll be over soon bebe, i read somewhere that it only lasts until 11months".."i read it lasts until 18months!".."i'm sorry bebe but i don't like your baby app"..neither do i. it's just part of you growing up. this phone call ended on a good note two days later..

after weeks of sweating bullets the first 30minutes after arrival, as you tug at me as we try and play at the playspace, this week was a tear-jerker. the play teachers kept telling me each week it was
 getting better, but you know by now, i have mommy denial. i guess you finally realizing you can walk alone helped too. it was absolutely beautiful to see. even as more kids trickled in you didn't "cling and cry", you just kept going. you let walked over and gave jack's mom hugs and kisses as i played with jack. the teacher, jack's mom and i all looked at each other with surprised grins. it was awesome, i got choked up but wasn't going to do the ugly cry in public. eeishhh. so instead i followed closely behind as you went playing and reaching out hello to moms and kids. still working on the hair pulling, except on the boy who hit you on the head with a ball. that pull i let pass.
today went to a swim school and there was some clinging, which is good in a pool i guess, but you were still as social as you can be in a pool.

so here's hoping this is the slow but sure end to separation anxiety

10 months continued...

you're going to love this one. I have a feeling it'll be happening for years to come. as any baby you're expressing yourself in ways that make us proud and ways that make us, well me pause and remind myself to check that. why do I say me not us. because dada's response.. laughing. not just laughing but making a game of it and then saying " but honey baby started it, it makes her happy". delightful no?' to summarize you've cranked up the kid in your dada, and there's no end in sight:) 

oh and how can I forget how for reasons we're not quite sure of, you're becoming quite stubborn. I mean I see a little of that in dada but I honestly thought i'd rub off on you more. when this comes up in conversation especially with any of your aunts, dada, godmother you'll possibly see the finger being pointed at me. it's just a cute joke amongst them don't take it seriously. to be fair we'll credit your determination to dada then. you can go for minutes trying to figure out how to climb the couch, open a box etc. you only glance at us to make sure we're still there and sometimes give us a ehh smile. such sass. 

and @10mos I'm happy to report you have no teeth. yay for mama!! however you eat like you have a mouthful of teeth. mama signs eat you look and point at high chair and do a dance..again you're your Dada's girl:) 

obviously there's more but we'll leave that for another day.

my baby for two more months....

to celebrate getting the best, most fascinating, life lesson that is motherhood I had brownie and ice cream pretty much as my only meal today. can you imagine what I'm going to do when you turn 16??!?. you know what lets just get to a year old first.

at 10mos you're understanding more so it's becoming even more fun interacting with you.in the last month...
you have a favorite show. i avoided that for awhile but its an episode of Barney that gets us through car rides that we've watched ...times. when i say Barney you look for my phone. its pretty much yours now if we're being honest. the Barney episode works because it's mostly music. during the clapping song instead of clapping on your own belly, shoulder or knee you prefer to clap as hard as your little hand can on my knees and shoulder. so much fun. unless its a board or cloth book those pop ups that were so much fun to read to you are pretty much fair game for your mouth. i read a magazine once that said give babies paper to play with because of the crinkling sound. sometimes i wonder if these people ever had kids.

winnie the pooh never tasted so good

I have a new name for you-P90Zoe. my heart rate has actually gone
as we go up our 27stairs for the 5th time and it's only noon. your buddy jack's mom suggested I have super energy drink like milk after we both thought we'd successfully worn you both out and 3hrs later you were still walking and climbing stairs.eeish!! and yes that means we have a walker!! one that prefers to lead the way. when you want to walk after some floor play you reach for one of our hands to indicate.."get up already"...

is that the garage door i hear? where's dada?

oh new words too- dada and duck for your rubber ducky. as I said before I can wait for the talking so take your time baby girl take your time..two more months and I have a toddler.. cray cray.