Happy 1 Year!!!



Happy 1 Year Mila!

12 Month Stats

Weight: 20.13lbs

Length: 29in

Eating: just this week we are a formula free house!  we have switched you over to almond milk and you are gobbling it up!  We are slowly transitioning to sippy cups and cups with straws, I'm ready to get rid of those bottles!  You also have three meals a day and we are working on transitioning in two snacks.  You eat whatever we eat, just cut up into smaller pieces; this, of course, is making us eat better because we can't feed you a chalupa from Taco Bell, now can we?!

Bedtime: you are going down around 7pm every night, sometimes as late as 7:30pm.  For a good two week period this month you were waking up every night between 3am and 5am...it was torture!  You weren't tired, you were just waking up. Thankfully, we are (hopefully) past that now and you're back to sleeping through the night.

Awake: you are awake for about 2-2.5 hours at a time and then you are ready for a nap.  

Naps: you're still taking two naps a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You're still good about going down for your naps awake and then putting yourself to sleep.

Diapers: you're in size 4s now, which seems really huge but more comfortable that the 3s were.

Clothes: we still have some of your 9mo clothes out because I can't bear to put them away; I have taken out your 12mo clothes, though, and you are wearing some of those too. 

Favorites: now that you're walking (!) we can't keep you in the same place. You love climbing up on things and getting into what you're not supposed to (of course).  You love your walker now and push it all over the house and outside too.  You also LOVE playing in and eating Roscoe's food; we literally cannot keep you away. You know exactly what you're doing, and that you're not allowed, but if you see it out. you are headed right towards it!

Development: You are walking!  And not only walk, but doing a speed walk, almost run, now!  It started two weeks ago and now you are an old pro at it and will walk 95% of the time.  It's amazing to see, but we are literally chasing you everywhere now. Luckily it does wear you out some and then you will lay your head on our shoulder when you're tired :)

got your new walking shoes on

Our little Mila,

You are such a little ham and have such a great personality.  I cannot believe that it's been a year since we were in the hospital anxiously awaiting your arrival.  You have changed so much, so quickly over the past year.  I have to remember to take pictures of all of the cute little things that you do so I don't forget them. Like this, you always eat your meals with your feet kicked up on the highchair tray; it's simply adorable.

be still my heart.

Just in the last month not only have you started walking, but you have also started putting your hands up to be picked up.  Just this week you said "mama" again while blabbering, which is the first time you have said it since you initially did months ago.  You love climbing up on me to climb on the couch and then crawling around; you even have started sliding down off the couch on your tummy to get back on the floor.  It's now time to childproof our cabinets, too, because you are opening them up to explore what's inside.

You're in a new, big girl, carseat and you have a new pair of walking shoes.  You still say "ooooo" every time you get excited and it's cute now because you walk/run towards whatever it is that makes you happy.

You already have lots of friends and are quite the social butterfly.

so sweet with Kira!

with your new friend, Blake, at the park (but all you really want is that iPhone!)

Aunt Sissy was in town this month, too, to celebrate your big birthday.  We did all kinds of fun things, including riding the carousal; you were a little unsure of it but had an okay time.

Happy 1st birthday to the most amazing, happy, loving, sweet child we could have ever dreamed about. Thank you for making our lives so much better and replacing the void that we didn't know was there. We love you so unbelievably much, lovebug.

Love,
Mommy

your dad is such a jokester

National Dog Day was this month too...we love you Roscoe!

big girl (two-piece) jammies!

Mila on the left and Robert's aunt on the right

Anniversary flowers from daddy

spending some time with Hannah King

daddy sent me this one day after I left for work...breaks my heart! 

so the next day I took you to work with me for a little bit :)

smell these tootsies Roscoe

big girl carseat..."cowmooflague"!

Mila's new ride

Nana and Papa are in town for someone's birthday!

Mila at her Sunshine and Me tot class...blowing bubbles

pick your musical instrument!

6 Realizations From the Last Year

This past year has been amazing.  There are so many different emotions, feelings and experiences that we have been through. I still can't believe that our child will be a toddler in less that a week.  I've had so many realizations over this past year but here are a few that stick out in my mind:

1)  Without intentionally doing so, Mila has completely changed the eating habits around our house; and it's really for the better.  We're eating more fruits and vegetables now that we ever have, are trying to eat a more plant-based diet and exploring all the different options of milk that are out there. I'm sure many people probably think we're (I'm) crazy, but this is what we think is best for our family, and that's all that anyone wants, right?

2)  While I used to be on the go all the time and looking for something to do, I've realized that I now look forward to the days when Robert is working and Mila has gone to bed because these are the couple hours of the day that I get to myself. Sometimes I don't even turn on the television, I just sit and enjoy the quiet. And then usually I miss Mila and think about waking her up to snuggle her (sometimes I do, sometimes I don't!).

3)  I am surprised by the things that bother me and the things that do not when it comes to child rearing. I am shocked at how sensitive I am still to the whole breastfeeding issue!  I STILL mourn the fact that I had to stop earlier than I wanted to and I get defensive anytime anyone asks me if I am still doing it.  On the other side, I thought I would be such a germaphobe mom and I'm not at all. I put Mila directly in the shopping basket, I could care less when she puts a fist full of dirt in her mouth and she crawls around the house without a diaper any chance she can get.  My friend (and nanny), Kerry, said to me not long ago that I am a very laid back mom, I think that is such a great compliment!

4)  If I have learned ONE thing from this year it's how little you appreciate your parents until you have kids of your own!  As someone who is always quick to tell my parents how I appreciate them, I appreciate them SO. MUCH. MORE. now!  I especially think this when I have to pick up Mila's books for the 8,000th time and then turn around to find her pulling them off AGAIN.  And, most importantly, I feel bad for all those times I thought it was funny to wake my mom up from a nap...why couldn't I just let the woman sleep! I hate to see this karma come back around two-fold.

5)  Speaking of, I really wish I would've taken those people seriously that told me to sleep as much as I possibly could before the baby came.   Another little gem that I did not "get" until Mila was born is that, raising a child is hard but it's so worth it.  That is the absolute truth; there are days when Robert and I are pushed to the limit with all of our responsibilities slamming together but each and every time we look back and wouldn't trade it for the world.

6)  I never knew it was possible to love another human being so much. And not just Mila, but Robert as well.  My heart absolutely melts when I see Robert with Mila and the love he has for her and for me.  Our lives are so much better than we could have ever possibly imagined they could be.

I find myself thinking of a quote I read somewhere regarding parenthood,

"The days are long and the years are short."  

That's such a wonderfully scary way of looking at it...and I wouldn't change a thing.

Happy Anniversary!

"A healthy relationship is one where two independent people just make a deal that they will help make the other person the best version of themselves."

Today is Robert and my's third anniversary.  It's hard to believe that six years ago I was looking for jobs in Kansas and planning on moving back as soon as I found one but then Robert and I went on a date and it was all history.

I read on another blog recently that marriage isn't 50/50; it went on to say that, "Sometimes marriage can't be 50/50 because you know when you need to do extra and pick up the slack.  A great marriage fluctuates and sometimes it's 60/40 or 80/20.  You work together as partners to help each other out, even when the other person might not be able to do as much."

I think that this excerpt describes Robert and me so much.  We used to joke with each other about who does more around the house and now, with Mila, but that's not the way to go and I think we realize it now.  The importance of a marriage is taking and giving, especially when your partner needs the opposite.

I am thankful for Robert every day; for always being what I cannot be and picking up my slack when needed.  More often than not people comment on how wonderful of a dad Robert is and how lucky I am that he does so much for Mila and for me.  Don't get me wrong, I am unexplainabley grateful for him and I absolutely know he does much more than 90% of other dads out there but I don't find this surprising because I knew this from the moment I knew I wanted to spend my life with him.  I KNEW he was going to be an amazing, hands-on father who would do anything to make us happy. I KNEW he was going to be an amazing, loving husband whose life centered around his family.  I KNEW I could count on him for anything and all things.  I KNEW all of this because he's the man of my dreams.  He keeps me on my toes, makes me happy and has me laughing and smiling more than I ever have.  He takes care of his girls and loves us more than life.

Happy 3rd anniversary to the love of my life. Syf.

First Steps!

Mila took her first steps tonight just as Robert got home from work!

Here's a video: