Oh my gosh... SOOO much time has flown by!!
Taylor is 11 months old... almost a YEAR! I can't believe it. I don't think I have EVER wished time to slow down more than I have this past year. She gets more fun EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. and I cannot believe it, but every night I realize I love her even more today than I did yesterday.
It's ridiculous.
So here's a rundown on our family as of now:
First off, we live in Idaho. Yes. I believe it's the Gem State... but a far cry from the Gem of the Foothills. It's a pretty decent place (truth be told), and I think I'll keep liking it more and more every day.
This was taken the first weekend we moved here, before we went to the Cherry Festival
She was so tiny!
Eric is self-employed doing pest control and garbage can cleaning (yes, he is really gross. He would love to spend all day every day with cockroaches and garbage. Have I mentioned he is planning on purchasing 100 chickens to raise this spring??)
I stay home. I keep toying with the idea of working part-time, but... I really don't want to miss
Taylor's first steps and words (or being able to take a nap 2X a day).
Taylor is still a big girl. She's shrunk slightly from the 95% in weight to the 80%, but she's still pretty chubby. Gosh, I just LOVE her big chubby cheeks and thighs...
She went through a little rough patch where she got REALLY chubby and lost almost all her hair (except the back, bottom section - think mullet) when she was about 5 months old, but now her hair is growing in, and she can wear clothes other than sweatpants (which, if we're honest, I think most of us can relate to having a sweatpants-only weight problem from time to time).
She has finally stopped growling! For awhile we were worried maybe her vocal chords were damaged, but eventually we got some sweet, normal baby-girl sounds out of her.
She is very reserved with her smiles. I think she believes she has a limited number to give out and wants to make sure she has enough for those big days when lots of photos will be taken:
Christmases, graduations, wedding(s)
In fact, sometimes, in public places, grandmas will be trying to coax a smile out of Taylor and they really pull out all the stops. Meanwhile, Taylor just sits stone-faced. I try to explain to them that she is the most serious baby in the world, and they shouldn't be offended b/c she NEVER smiles at strangers (I'm talking serious stranger danger with this girl, especially towards men, all men (except Eric). She is horrified by them). Anyway, the grandmas NEVER take my advice and simply tell me something like, "Ohhhh, I'm sure I can get one out of her... abuggaboo! abuggagoo!" while pulling the most ridiculous faces and shenanigans. Taylor just sits stone-faced and eventually puts her eyebrows together like "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with this lady?" and then looks up at me like "Are you seeing this crazy banshee??!!" Then the grandma makes a halfhearted laugh and slowly just backs away. It is really awkward. I feel so bad for the sweet grandmas.
So in the past 11 months we've:
Done lots of sleeping. Well, two family members have...
Been crawling
Waving
Saying "uh-oh"
"Dancing"
Eating
Giggling (but like I said, NOT with strangers)
Standing
Walking along furniture
Emptying dryers, dishwashers, cupboards, drawers, shelves, purses, wet wipes, boxes, closets, backpacks, files, ziplocks, tissue boxes, laundry hampers, shoe racks, etc.
Going up stairs
Playing in the bath
Growing lots of hair
Occasionally sleeping through the night
Visiting the family
Pulling hair
Eye gouging
Refusing to wean
I can't believe that in 11 months, she has gone from that tiny, squished baby with no coordination to THIS!
Ok, so this part of the post could get a little... uhmm... uncomfortable. Especially if you're of the male variety and are not entirely comfortable with the whole nursing thing.
Here's a test: if I were to use the word "breastfeeding" instead of "nursing," do you secretly want to die inside? If yes, stop reading the post, if no... continue at your own risk.
So my sister just had her second baby boy, Jonah. He's perfect.
In anticipation of his birth, she and her husband Jeff went on a little trip and we got to watch Ezra (almost 3 years old) for a few days.
I love Ezra. I love all my nieces and nephews. It's almost bordering on an unhealthy infatuation (everyone said once I had my own slobber/poop bucket my love for them would wane, but I'm yet to notice any results).
So yeah, I LOVE Ezra. And ya know what Ezra loves?
Taylor.
And the notion of breastfeeding
(WATCHING, that is... not like... partaking sicko!).
So the whole time Ezra is here, he is just the SWEETEST thing EVER to "Baby TayTay."
Please note the evidence:
Anytime he is getting a toy, he brings one for Taylor, too.
If she is fussing he tells her, "It's ok TayTay, I'm here. Ezra's here."
When she's saying, "momomomomom" (i.e. "mom") Ezra interrupts and tries to get her to say "Ez-ra, Ez-ra" and keeps repeating his name slowly for her.
He'll come right up to her and put his head down so she can pull his hair and doesn't get mad when she takes his stuff - he just keeps handing her even more toys.
She can crawl right over him and lay on his head and he just laughs and laughs "Ugh TayTay, you're squishing me!"
Honestly, NONE of this is exaggerated or made up. So sweet!
The downfall of his sweetness?
His most favorite thing to do with Baby TayTay is help feed her. He tries to feed her all sorts of stuff, and when it is time for her to nurse, he is just enthralled. I tried to keep what was happening a secret, but even if I left the room and gave strict instructions that it was "time for Baby TayTay to go to sleep, so we have to be quiet and stay out of her room," he would always find his way in and silently tiptoe over until he was sitting on the armrest, absolutely silent, and just STARE at what was taking place. After a few sessions he tried to be his helpful-self and was nonstop questions, observations and assistance.
Right before we'd leave for her room:
"Are you going to feed her nipple?"
Half-way through nursing:
"You feeding her? Feed her the other one."
One afternoon he overheard me tell a fussing Taylor to hold on, I'd feed her in a minute, and he zooms across the room until he's right in her face and exclaims, "It's ok TayTay! Nipples are coming, nipples are coming!" in his most high-pitched, motherly voice.
And after a couple days I'm just nursing her in the front room when Ezra turns around from his toys to face me and says:
"I'll get the other one out for you."
I. ABOUT. DIED. RIGHT. THERE.
He is going to be the BEST big brother... and I feel bad for Jen. Bahahaha!
Anyway, my baby is about to be 1! If anyone has weaning tips for a baby that refuses to drink from ANYTHING, I'd LOVE to hear them!
