Edith: Thirteen Months

Dear Edie,

You are thirteen months old! You are growing so quickly and you are entering toddlerhood with quite the spunk! This month has been a big one for teething, you have 3 or 4 teeth up top and almost 4 on bottom. It's really hard to get a good look! We started brushing your teeth regularly and you love it! Speaking of teeth... you LOVE eating. Your favorite snack are Gerber "lil crunchies" and you could eat an entire can every day. You also love to play with the lid on the can and put it on and off.

You're a really smart girl! You know how to back out when you're on a chair, you can put items in other items, and you like to read books. You love to tinker with things and will sit and play for a long time with your dollhouse or barn. You're still our mischief maker and you love to pull everything out of toy bins onto the floor. I am guaranteed a few minutes of quiet if I just decide to clean up because you are determined to make a mess. One of your new tricks is to "share" your paci if we ask if we can have it. You will hold it out for us.

You're cruising along furniture and taking steps behind push-toys. When we try to get you to walk, you can stand on your own for a little while and will even take up to 3 steps at a time on your own. You typically think it is a game and start getting really silly and will flop over after a step. I think you'll be walking soon!

Your typical sleep routine is up around 6:30, with 2-3 naps during the day (8:30/9 am, 12/1 pm) for about an hour to two hours. On a rare day you take a third nap in the late afternoon if your emotions are just getting the best of you. You go to bed between 6:30-7pm depending on if you had that third nap. You like to put yourself to sleep and you'll stand up in your crib facing the door when you're done napping.

Our biggest milestone this month has been weaning. A month ago I thought we'd never be at this point, but now we are just nursing in the mornings. It has been bittersweet but I'm thankful that you are handling it like a champ! You're still drinking breastmilk from a sippy cup throughout the day, but you rarely come over to me and tug at my shirt anymore.

You are such a social girl. You love our college friends and your grandparents. You light up when you see your friends! You and your brother are still best buddies, and you love to copy him. You can't handle it when he gets to do things you can't. The other day during an at-home physical therapy session, you had to do whatever brother was doing.

Overall Edith, things just keeping getting better and better with you. Every month we say "this is my favorite age!" because you are just so much fun. You keep us laughing, you offer the sweetest snuggles, and you make us so proud. We love you precious girl!

Love,
Mama