the speechaholic: 12 Months!

Or should I say one year. What a year! What a baby! We are feeling so blessed by our sweet Emerson Jane. It has been such a wonderful, memorable time as we watched our little girl grow, develop and experience the world. And really, it's just beginning!

This last month was another explosion of development. Emerson's personality is showing itself more and more and it's so fun to see what makes her laugh and think.

Emerson started using her first word this month. Actually, she was using it at 10 months, but I wasn't sure if it was for real or not ;). She says, "Hi!". Usually accompanied by a wave. When we're out shopping, she says hi and waves to every person we pass, repeatedly until they look at her and wave or say hi back. She is such a social butterfly! It's really a crack up, but hard to capture on video. There are a million little nuances to her social side. Like how she gets my attention just to smile at me, how she says hi and waves the second her eyes open in the morning (especially if daddy is there) or how she sees the dog, says hi, gets my attention and make sure I see the dog and say hi too. The dog we see most is named Buddy, and she pretty consistently says, "bu" for him, even though we try to call dogs, doggies. She uses 'dada' for Blake and 'mama' or 'mum' for me appropriately, but also uses them in vocal play, so I'm not sure where she's at on those words. She also seems to have an approximation for 'all done' ('ahda') but doesn't use it all the time either. Really, 'Hi' is her only 100% consistent word, but I can see that others are coming. It's all so fun!

Not the best example, but if you listen carefully, you can hear her say hi :)

Emerson is 20.8 pounds and 30 inches long. She fits in 12-18 month clothes and some 18-24 months. She started giving kisses and hugs! She's the first baby I've come across that gives closed mouth kisses, which is great! She also just started trying to blow kisses... It's pretty cute. Some days she'll give kiss out very freely to all her toys and anyone nearby, other days she'll shy away and give you a coy look if you ask for a kiss.

Walking! Emerson also started walking! She took her first unassisted steps on Father's Day and really walked the next day on her birthday. She's so proud of herself when she makes it to the intended person upright (which doesn't always happen still). She doesn't walk as a mode of transportation, unless it's one or two steps between furniture etc, but she trot between people pretty good. It's like it's a fun game that she doesn't realize she can just play by herself yet. And truthfully, her balance isn't quite there yet either, she can't stand up in the middle of a room, she has to climb up on an object/person and then walk from there. Speaking of climbing though, she's getting into that too. She's fairly cautious for now, prefers to have someone near, scares herself when she gets close to an edge or comes close to falling, prefers to hold onto someone's hand when walking etc. It will be interesting to see how she develops there and if she'll remain cautious or not. (As I'm still writing this after her birthday, it was so sweet to walk around the store with her today, just holding one hand and having her walk beside me. I can tell she felt like such a big girl and I thought so too :). It's such a relief on my back from bending over to 'walk' her with her holding onto two fingers).

Practicing with daddy and some friends (just ignore the background chatter)

This month she really started getting into eating solids with more interest and seems to be sleeping a little more soundly as well. For example, she can be moved from her car seat to her bed without waking up, which previously would have woken her up in a second. She's just so interested in the world that as soon as she senses things going on she jerks herself awake to check them out. She still does this, but it takes more now. I think she's trying to switch from two naps to one, but that really depends on so many factors, which are always getting muddled with teething. She finally popped that 8th tooth through, but now she's working on several more.

Lest you think it's all peaches and roses over here.. Emerson also had her first big owie. She got bit by a dog on her head! He caught and tore her ear a bit on the back of it and bruised her head some. Thankfully grandma's essential oils and some Eden salve made short order of getting the swelling down and healing it up. We are so thankful that it wasn't on her face and specifically an eye! Amazingly, she still loves dogs!

Another reality check is her attitude. Although she can be just a sweet as can be, and usually is a sweet, happy, social baby.. she can also throw down some major attitude. Just in this last month she has been especially vocal about her opinions. If she wants something and isn't getting her way, she'll dramatically throw herself down on the floor and cry, sometimes a blood curdling scream, arch her back, flop around etc. The more dramatic of these events happen in relation to sleeping, but she can roll around on the floor pretty well when she wants you to walk her and you don't, or she want's to go a certain direction and you don't let her... or when you're in the dressing room trying on clothes for too long and she's out of toys... I wan't quite prepared for the terrible two's so early!

Despite her occasional outburst of dissatisfaction, she truly is a sweet spirited little lady. Generally very happy and smiley. She still loves to be by momma's side, or at my feet, but she also plays more independently every month. She still loves her daddy and especially delights in telling him 'Hi' over and over, with several waves. I can't wait to see her vocabulary develop and to see more of her likes (and I guess more of her dislikes) ;). As sad as I am that the baby stage is coming to a close, I'm so excited to see my sweet girl grow.

This month photos were a little bit easier, even though we moved and had to find a new picture location. This was the first time the best bribe was food or a sip of water, which resulted in some funny facial expressions, but did keep her in the seat. I can't say that a little part of me is relieved that the monthly photo shoots are done. There was an element of pressure involved and as she got older they got harder and harder. However, I'll miss them a little too. I'll also keep taking pictures of her, of course, I just won't worry so much about all the details being consistent for comparison. I love looking back through at all of her characteristics and facial expressions at the time. It's usually the less portrait of the shots that show her personality the most. And without further ado, here are our 12 month pictures!

Her serious face.

She has the cutest wave, she only moves her hand at her wrist and gives kind of a
princess excusing the servant hand gesture.

Eating her favorite food, a toasted coconut flake

Tempted to grab the headband, but knows better.

Coming in for a sip of water.

I'll miss these, but of course I probably won't stop taking them either ;)

Playing 'Patty Cake, Patty Cake' while we wait for the shutter.

She fell asleep again and I got some more sleep shots. Look how big she is in that chair!

A little grin

Still has those chubby wrists :)

Up at the neighbor's pool playing with her favorite 'toy'... the rocks.

I love this dress :)

She seems so little when she sleeps. The usual entourage: the muslin blanket and glow worm.
Neither of which she really cares about having to go to sleep but
I keep trying to establish a blanket preference.

Family frozen yogurt date. She's eating a blueberry.

I can't tell you how much this girl loves dirt. Both playing in and eating.
Yes, I'm sure it's a sign of some mineral deficiency, but hey, dirt is
full of minerals, and good bacteria (and some other icky things I'm sure)