Pictures!

I'd been trying to get some outdoor and creative pictures of E for her first birthday. I had trouble getting her newborn photographer to commit to a date, so on a random evening, my mother in law and I ventured to the walking path behind my home, with an old chair of hers, some dresses and headbands and  a super smiley baby. I was shocked as she had screamed and cried for some groupon pictures at Penney's the weekend before. I'm still a complete novice with my camera, but I'm really in love with these pictures, mostly because they show off the sweet personality that I get to see each day in my daughter.

 I also am so glad I was able to capture these moments with my own little camera and our own stuff. The dress is from the thrift store, the headband was $2 and the pettiskirt was a gift from Auntie K. The chair is about to get reupholstered so my mother in law was happy to lend it to the photo shoot as she wasn't concerned about it getting dirty.

 So much fun!

12 Months!

A year old!

You are really starting to act like a toddler, and truthfully the last two weeks have been more difficult. Not sure if it's because those top teeth are almost all the way in, or if this is just normal behavior for a one year old, but for the first time in a long time I feel worn out! You are going through a "mommy magnet" stage where you panic if I'm out of sight or hand you off to anyone that isn't very familiar (and sometimes freak with those people too). It's been very frustrating. You will go to daddy most of the time, but it takes you a long while to warm up to anyone else. Other than that you've just been much more cranky than usual. I'm not used to it and miss my easy going, happy baby. It looks like walking is just around the corner, so hopefully that milestone will enable you to feel more independent and happy.

Despite this, we still had a really fun month.

 Since I've been home with you, we have been hitting up story time each week, and also tried out gymnastics "open gym for little ones". You weren't that into it, but we'll try it again once you are more mobile.

 You love to eat!

 I've been walking four times a week and you are very cooperative for that, thankfully!

 You love wallets and bags and are entertained for hours going through each pocket. Ok, not hours, but a good twenty minutes!

 I had some serious doubts, but you behaved wonderfully at Uncle T's wedding. You did cry when we tried to hand you off to your Auntie J, but you were an angel for the ceremony and I just held on to you until dinner was over. You were beyond tired, so you didn't put up a fight when others held you while I danced and had a glass of wine, or five. Neither of us had slept the night before, so we really rallied for the occasion! It was a gorgeous wedding in the Santa Ynez wine country, where Auntie S grew up. The weather was perfection and we all had such a great time. I'm so glad you were so good!

 And of course, it's football season! You have been doing the "so big" arms in he air for a while now, so we are trying to use that motion for "touchdown". It's pretty adorable!

Eloise at 12 Months

Weight: 17lb 12.4 oz and in the 19% percentile! 
Height:   26.75 inches...still not even on the chart, but quite a growth spurt nonetheless!
Head:    45.4 cm
Diaper size-  size 3 disposables 4 unsnapped across in cloth.
Clothing Size:  12 month onesies and sleepers,  with some 9 month separates still fitting
Milestones:  Standing with great balance, squatting and picking up items and returning to standing, but still no steps on her own. Babbling non stop but no new sounds since last month. Able to retrieve items we ask for. Still loves to play patty cake, peek a boo and sing a song with hand movements from our story time group "Ellie over the ocean" she is mimicking the hand motions pretty well. Loves to do "so big" with arms in the air when we ask, "How big is Ellie?". 

Eating-  A great eater in general, but still difficult to get her to eat veggies without them being pureed. 

Sleep: We spent 10 days in SoCal for the wedding and changed locations three times. It definitely took it's toll on sleep and routine. Since we've been back she's been waking up about once per night.

Favorite Toys: Pretty much the same as last month. She got lots of new toys for her birthday, including her very own purse from Auntie K and fam! She was elated!