Margot: One Year Old

My precious Margot,

Today you are one year old.  I can hardly believe that an entire 365 days have passed since you came into this world.  It was such an exciting time.

The night before you were born, I told your daddy that something felt different.  I wasn't yet in labor, but somehow I knew you were coming.  And the next morning, there you were.  They handed you to me, and I fell instantly in love with my little girl.

You have so many wonderful qualities- and some that I think might get you into trouble in a few years!

You are sweet.  You give hugs and kisses.  When you see your daddy walk in the door from work, you RUN to him.  He picks you up, and you lay your head on his shoulder, hugging him with your arms.  I think that might be the best part of his day.  You, little one, have that man wrapped right around your tiny finger.  You give big open-mouthed kisses to us, and even to your baby dolls.  You try to hug and kiss and love on your brother, but he doesn't keep still enough for you to get that close.  We can see how very much you love him.  Hang in there, sweet girl.  Someday he'll realize how much you love him, and how much he loves you.  I promise, one day he'll give into those hugs, and maybe even squeeze you back.

You are so sassy.  From the time you were only a few weeks old, you let us know when you were unhappy with us.  You sometimes have an angry cry- a cry not of hunger or pain, but a cry that tells us that we've somehow wronged you.  Lately, even though you have no words, I'm pretty confident that you've started to talk back to us.  If we tell you no, you throw us an angry grunt...Right now, it's pretty hilarious.  I'm pretty sure in a year or two, it won't be so funny.  And yet I'm glad you have this sass in you.  When the time comes for you to interact with other kids, I hope you won't be bullied.  I hope you'll stand up for yourself like the strong little lady that I believe you are.

You are curious.  You have recently learned how to open cabinets, and you open them all frequently to see what's inside.  (I'll give you a hint: it's the same pots, pans, and Tupperware that were in there yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.  But carry on.  I'll pick them up and put them away, so that you can get them out again.)  If someone is reading a book or looking at a screen, you grab on and pull down so that you can see, too.  You won't be left out!  Hold onto that inquisitiveness.  You will learn so much in life.

You love to dance.  If you hear music, even if it's just a television theme song, you'll stop whatever you're doing to bounce up and down to the music.  Never stop dancing to the music, Margot, because it's a beautiful thing to see that joy in you.

My girl, my little lady- you have brought so much joy to our family.  You are everything I could have ever hoped for in a daughter.  I am so glad to call you mine.

Love you forever and always,
Mama

  

Margot: 11 Months

Better late than never...

We've been busy this holiday season, having already traveled to Ohio and back.  Forgive my tardiness!

We have almost reached the end of my girl's first year.  ELEVEN months old already.  Where have these past months scurried off to in such a hurry??

My sweet, happy girl.  She really is just one of the happiest babies.

She is ON THE MOVE.  This past month, the little lady became a walker.  One morning, J and I sat on the floor with her, and had her practice taking a few steps at a time, back and forth between us.  Apparently that was all she needed to realize she knows how to walk.  That very day, she decided that she'd walk everywhere, rather than crawl.  And now she can move at quite a clip!  She just loves it.

She thinks she's a big kid.  She wants to do everything her brother does.  She even climbs up on his little chair and tries to jump, just like he does on his bed.

She's an eater.  She pretty much has no interest in being spoon-fed.  AT. ALL.  She'd prefer to pick up her food and feed herself.  She's a fan of bread, just like her mama.  And potatoes.  And meat.  And fruit.  And vegetables.  She'll eat just about everything, as long as she can feed it to herself.  Independent, this one.

She smiles a lot.  And laughs at nothing in particular.  She hugs her daddy every night when he gets home from work.  She plays tug with the dog, and loves getting slobbery kisses.  She gives slobbery kisses.  She is just a joy.

Margot: Ten Months

My little firecracker is ten months old!

The little speedster is growing up fast.  This past month, she took her first steps.  She hasn't reached walking status quite yet, but she is taking four or five steps at a time before she plops down onto her fanny or dives onto a couch.

She adores her brother.  He can look her way and say just about anything, and she'll laugh.

She's got attitude.

She's happy and playful and sweet.

I can't wait to see more of her personality come out over the next few months.  I think I'm in for lots of fun!

Margot: Nine Months

Dear Margot,

It's very hard to believe that three-quarters of a year have passed since I brought you into this world.  I remember so well snuggling you in the hospital, crying happy tears at the arrival of my daughter.  But at the same time, I look at you now and can't believe that it's only been three-quarters of a year.  You have a full-fledged personality, you're trying desperately to walk, and you have a head FULL of hair.  So accomplished for a mere 9-months of age!

I look at you every day and think about how pretty you are.  Yes, I know I am biased.  But your strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes are just so striking.  I'm not positive where those blue eyes came from, but they sure are beautiful.

Your smile makes me smile, EVERY. TIME.  It is infectious.  People can't help but giggle when they see your silly face, ALWAYS with the tongue out.

You are so strong willed.  You are on your feet, standing alone, cruising along furniture, and even letting go to transfer from one piece of furniture to the next with a little step.  Your daddy says that this is the month when you'll learn to walk.  Time will tell, but I believe that if you want to do it, you're going to do it.  And believe me, you want to grow up.  You have pretty much no use for pureed food anymore- you want to chew.  You want to walk.  And you want to talk.  I have watched you imitate my sounds, watching my mouth move with such concentration.  You are learning to wave.  You will your fingers to open and close like Daddy's do when he waves to you.

Margot Claire, my little lady.  I love you.

Love,
Mama

Margot: 8 Months

Oh, silly Miss Margot.  You are just awesome.

My little lady's personality is really starting to shine through these days.  And lemme tell ya', I think we may be in trouble.  She's a little spitfire.

This month, movement is the name of the game.  Ain't nothin' gonna hold this girl down.  She really just wants to walk.  After all, she's got a big brother to keep up with.  She's pulling up on everything, and sometimes even letting go to just stand.

She's also got quite a loud mouth, and she's not afraid to use it.  Especially if she's upset with you.

She's pretty, and she knows it.

She's social, she's playful, she's curious, she's a bit of a drama queen.  I have a feeling she's turning out to be all girl.  And I can't wait to find out.

Gabe: 2.5

Well the ole' blog has once again turned into my online baby book. Snicker if you will, but how many well-intentioned moms out there have baby books that are complete through about baby's first month, and sparse or even blank after that?  At least this online space keeps me on the ball when it comes to my babies growing up.

With all of the attention my littlest is getting these days, it's easy to forget about my big boy. But today my little man is two-and-a-half!  I thought this momentous day deserved a post. 

These days, Gabe is a little boy. No baby left here!  He is a walking, talking, jumping, playing, racing, zooming, climbing boy. 

It's only been in the past few weeks that my quiet boy has begun speaking in relatively full sentences. For example, if he sees a toy that he hasn't played with in awhile, he'll say "Look Mommy, I found!" as he shows me what he's found. Or he'll call me to come upstairs to the play room: "Mama!  Come up here!"  And when I respond that I'll be up in a minute, he says "K!" and carries on with his play.  And in ultimate big-kid language, today when I asked him to pick up his toys, he said "five mo minutes!" 

Play consists of his old stand-by: CARS. He still loves them. He's started to recognize specific models, and can point out cars that family members have. Uncle Jeffrey's mustang is certainly his favorite. Sometimes he just likes to cruise Google Images for pictures of Mustangs or police cars. When he comes across one that is particularly cool, he'll say slowly and in awe "Yook at dat one."  Even when he's asleep, you can find car paraphernalia nearby.

Precious. 

He also still loves books. His favorite of the moment is "Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site."  (Or as Gabe says, "Goonight Goonight 'struction site".)  We read this one every night. He has a bevy of others that he loves, as well, and will pretty much sit and listen to anything anyone will read to him. 

He has exactly four favorite movies: Cars (of course), Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and Tangled. He loves to watch them on the TV or on his iPad. And yes, he has completely mastered the iPad, and even added the word "app" to his vocabulary. 

He's a boy.  Of course he watches TV with his hands in his pants.

Gabe loves his Daddy. He wants to be where J is and do what J does. Case in point:

Only when the chips are really down, like a bad dream or an injury, does he call for me. I'm okay with this. Gabe's personality is 100% J- they're two peas in a pod, really. Melts my heart. 

My boy is finally starting to accept his role as big brother. He now not only acknowledges his sister's presence, but he'll sometimes give her a toy to play with, or put her pacifier in her mouth!  The other day we went to wake her from a nap, and he so sweetly said- wait for it- "Hi pretty Margot. How you doing?"

Oh. Em. Gee. 

Gabe is a sweet and quiet boy, and for the most part, so well behaved. He has his two year old moments (being told no isn't his favorite thing), but in the grand scheme of two year olds, he's a dream come true. 

Who am I kidding?  In the grand scheme of all children of all ages the world over, he's my dream come true. 

Nugget, you make this mama a happy one. Happy half-birthday, my sweet boy!

Margot: 7 Months

Somehow I am offended by Margot reaching 7 months of age.  Now that she's an entire months past the half-birthday mark, I feel like she's just this little kid, instead of a tiny baby.

Today, I watched her crawl with such purpose, until she reached the stuffed animal that she wanted.  She then reached out and took it from J.  Just like that, took it.  She saw something, set her mind to getting it, and then got it.  Babies don't do that, do they??

She then, of course, promptly put it in her mouth.

My girl is crawling and drooling, drooling and crawling this month.

Crawling.

Drooling.

Sometimes, if drooling isn't enough, she spits, just for good measure.

She's also growing teeth.  There they are, all two of them.

She refuses to really sit up.  She could do it if she wanted to- she just doesn't want to.  Too busy to sit still, even to eat.

Half-sitting, ready to crawl away.  This is the best she'll give us.

I'm seeing more and more every day that this girl is like her mama, only with beautiful blue eyes- social, likes to laugh, and is always accessorized.

Happy 7 months, my little lady.

Margot: 6 Months

Dear Margot,

Today you are six months old.  You have been with us for a half a year already!  I've learned that with you babies, the first year flies by at a truly alarming rate, and I wish time would slow down.  You are so precious to me, and this time is so fleeting.  I already dread the day when I can no longer carry you around the house on my hip, or rock you to sleep, or gaze lovingly down at you while you sleep in my arms.

But enough of the sappy stuff...

You are a marvel, little girl.  You just light up a room with your happiness.  You, my sweet one, are truly happy.

You like to be on the floor.  You are trying to crawl, but aren't quite there, yet.

You aren't quite sitting up by yourself yet, but we can prop you up so you can see the world.

You know, you aren't in a hurry to do much.  You don't yet have teeth (but those two on the bottom are this close), you're not sitting up or crawling, and you don't think too highly of solid foods.  As a matter of fact, you rarely finish a bottle.  You are just content to be in the moment.  You'll just grab whatever is nearby and put it in your mouth.

You're tongue is always sticking out.

And your brother is your favorite person in the wide world.  (He's not too sure of you yet, but I think you're growing on him.)

Everyone you meet just can't help but love you!  Your blue eyes are mesmerizing, your golden strawberry hair always a topic of conversation, and your smile contagious.  You're a beauty.  And you've added immense joy to our family.

Happy half-birthday, my sweet baby girl.

Love,
Mama