ONE ENTIRE YEAR OLD! (12 Months)

My Little Beauty

My HAPPY girl!

Holy wowzers! My little peanut of a baby is one year old.  I have a hard time believing one year has passed, but at the same time can't believe she's only been here for one year.  She is such a joy! I can't put into words the amount of love I feel for this child.  We could not have asked for a better baby and often worry that the next one will be a total terror since she's such a sweatheart.  She really is a charmer and has so much personality! I am looking forward to watching her grow this next year as she learns to walk and communicate, its sure to be exciting!

Family snap shot after my LASIK eye surgery. 

Someone recently asked me if I'm sad that my baby is now a toddler.  I'm really not because she's been a late bloomer and still seems incredibly babyish to me.  I'm sure once she's running around with a fierce attitude, I will want my infant back!

Feeding: Veda is still breastfed, at least four times a day.  We have not yet introduced her to any other type of milk, we have her one year check up next week and have a lot to discuss with our pediatrician.  We're nervous about her lactose tolerance.  I haven't tried yogurt/milk products again on purpose - one night I gave her custard, not even thinking it was a dairy product and she woke up with obvious tummy cramps.  She ended up hanging out in bed with us and watched Snow White and the Huntsman.  I don't want to try Soy because I've researched it and don't think it's right for us, which leads me to Almond milk.  I'm just not sure how to provide her with enough fat.  

She still will only eat purees.  She just pinches and looks at finger foods.  I expose her to it 1-3 times a day and she has yet to put anything in her mouth.  When I sneak real food into her purees, she gags every time she gets a bite.  What will I do with this child?! Feed her purees until preschool!?

We took Veda to Granville for her birthday and bought her a beer ;)

Sleeping: She has officially dropped her third nap of the day.  She takes two naps that are 1-2 hours.  She had been going to sleep earlier, too, around 7.  Right now I'm flexible, she can go down between 7-8:30, whenever she shows signs she's tired.  She still wakes up around 5 to nurse and then back to sleep until 7:30ish.  This last week she now prefers daddy to put her to sleep at night.  She's been working me and would prefer I hold her all night... no matter how much I love her, that's just not happening, mommy needs her sleep!

Goofy girl!

Stats:  I weighed her at our mommy and me class today and she's lost weight :( She didn't have any to lose, but she's down about a pound and a half.  When we were back in the Midwest over the holiday she had the stomach flu :( This was her first illness.  And she was teething, too.  She was up puking for about 3 hours during the night, felt a little feverish (Of course we don't pack anything like a thermometer with us) and was really snuggly.  Poor baby :( She was not herself for a couple of days, but quickly recovered.  And then she shared her flu with mommy - that's a whole other story!

We go to the doc next week and will get her official stats and percentiles.     

Milestones:  We're still scooting over here.  She is attempting to pull herself up on furniture finally, and she does cruise around furniture.  She can walk for miles with her walker or if we let her hold our fingers.  She prefers the latter because she has better control of where she wants to go, with the walker she runs into furniture or the wall and has to wait for someone to redirect her.  She wants to spend all of her time on her feet.  She's a little wobbly, but much stronger than she knows.  She's had a few falls so appears timid.  One of these days it's going to click and she's going to be gone!  

New found independence!

She has seven teeth now.  The newest one is a right upper, that one was a hard one for her, but it may have been because she also had the flu.  She was pretty whiney.  I don't know what it is about going to visit the midwest and getting teeth! 

She now claps and waves, we're working on blowing kisses.  She randomly hugs us, which is just the sweetest thing!  She got a baby doll for Christmas and either kisses her or tries to eat her face, either way, it's adorable :) 

She is now able to make the 'mmm' sound and says "mamamamamom." Does she know its me? I'm not sure but I love hearing it!
She's started dancing to the music some of her musical toys play and it's so cute!

I sometimes feel like she's behind her peers (and I know I shouldn't compare) so I'm trying my best to point everything out to her and read her books and keep her moving.  

Likes/Dislikes:  I've been off work for the last four weeks and she and I have seriously bonded.  She is a total mommy's girl right now and does not want me anywhere but right next to her.  It makes me feel very loved but I also have a hard time getting much done. 

She still loves to go for walks and swing, I think she just likes to be outside.  

Bathtime in Grammy Rhonda's sink

Rock Chalk!

She HATES her diaper changed and changing her clothes.  You just walk into her room and she starts to squirm! Our neighbors probably think we beat her because she cries so loud, throws her head back/arches her back and now stomps.  She's obviously a toddler now! 

How cute is she in this chair?!

Adventures: Well this month we went on a few adventures without Veda.  Yes, we hired babysitter(s)! Brett and I got to go to a wine tasting event with a friend of mine in Culver City.  We also had a night out so that I could watch him perform (Other than Kansas in November, I hadn't seen him since I was pregnant with V!).  Brett was beginning to get sick that night so it wasn't too wild, but he was a trooper and stuck it out.  I offered to go home early many times that night but he was just excited to be out with me :) We also went to a holiday party at the Laugh Factory.  We have used three different girls to babysit and they've all been wonderful.

Happy! Happy! Happy!

Our lil fambam

I also got LASIK eye surgery last month and can now see 20/15, better than perfect! It's been amazing! I sometimes forget and attempt to remove my glasses or think to myself, I should take my contacts out. I'm so happy with the results!
Veda and I went to my work holiday party, Brett was under the weather.  She charmed everyone, as usual!

Christmas Morning

And then the day after Christmas we headed back to the Midwest where we spent a few days with my mom and family and then rented a car and headed to Kansas to spend time with Brett's family.  It was a great trip (minus the sickness) and the weather was decent - the next week the temperature was NEGATIVE 50* so I will not complain about the 30* temps that we had while we were there.  Veda is a great traveler! I know it won't always be this easy, but for now I'll relish in it!

Christmas with Nana Nancy

With her new Baby Grand

She actually looks like she knew what she was doing! (She didn't)

Scootin' around Grammy's kitchen

Practicing walking with Grandad & Uncle Matt

Struggles: Seeing your baby ill is not fun, but we all handled it pretty well.  We are so lucky that she's only been sick once in a year.  I know we are very fortunate.  It was harder for me to be sick because I couldn't take care of her.  I was pretty laid up in bed at my mother in law's house the majority of the time we were there.  I hate being sick, but I especially hate being sick away from home.  We were supposed to be hanging out and having fun, instead I was in bed by 8PM on NYE.  

Sicky cuddles with daddy. 

Santa was a little frightening.

Looking forward to: This weekend we are celebrating Veda's birthday with friends! I'm excited! I planned a small party at our apartment.  Since her birthday is in January I never would have imagined it would be possible to celebrate in a park, but it is going to be 72*.  We're still doing it at home, but my guest list is somehow over 40... wish me luck!

Birthday at Grammy's. 

Her birthday gift from Mommy & Daddy. 

Opening presents on her birthday.

 I know what I'm not looking forward to... returning to work after six weeks off! It'll be good to get back at it, but it would be just amazing if I could be a stay at home mom.  I'm pretty sure it's the world's best (and most challenging - I'm aware) job!

And here is our monthly photo in our 12 month old outfit, it's actually still a bit big, but Veda is a little girl.