Little Lermas!: Isabella 14 Months!

This past month it has become clear that Bella is officially a toddler and definitely not a baby anymore. She has become less afraid of new things, more curious about her surroundings, eager to be on the move, and certainly understands "No." While this has been a fun transition and I look forward to her continuing to grow and develop, it's sad how fast time goes! And yet, here we are...14 months. So without further delay...

Happy 14 Months Isabella Rae!

Near impossible to get a still, non-blurry, happy picture with this little lady!

14 Month Highlights:

-Your hair has really grown and become very curly this month. It's crazy most days and keeping a headband on is more difficult, but I LOVE it! Some days you look like Einstein hair and while crazy it is adorable on you! With the humidity outside, you get tight little curls.

-I absolutely love having a video monitor, if not for anything other than seeing your cute little sleeping positions. More nights than not we find you on your stomach with your little booty in the air. So cute!

-We took walks at Sims Lake park with Tia and Daddy several times this month, and playing in the little creek afterwards is a fun way to cool down!

-We went to Fort Walton Beach, FL for vacation again this year and had a blast. We stayed for a week (seriously, staying 2 weeks last year was a WAY better idea!), and you loved it! You didn't love the sand, but had fun splashing in the water (as long as waves weren't charging into you, which scared you!) or playing in the small pool under the canopy with a bunch of squirty toys. You also loved the pool which was no surprise there! You took great naps during the day there and overall slept well at night (minus waking up really early every morning!) even though you were in a pack-n-play in the walk in closet : )

Skeptical of those waves

-You've really started loving to read books this month and once you find one you like, you wan to read it about 7 times (sometimes 70!) in a row! Favorites have been your Goodnight Butterflies book, First Words (which all 8 words in there are rivoting I tell ya!), Wheels on the Bus, Baby Einstein Languages First Words Book, and any touch and feel book.

-We had a few more pool days this month at Mimi's and the Lefler's pool. I love being in the water with you because you just love it so much!

-Tia and Dani Leigh slept over a couple nights while Daddy went on a business trip. We loved having 24/7 playdates : )

Sleeping: Sleep has been a bit unpredictable this month. Let's just say sleep has never been your strong suit, and this month was no different. Bedtime is generally around 6pm and a majority of the nights you don't need our attention until about 6 or 7 am. However, maybe once a week (two or three times on not great weeks) you are still waking up at 2 or 3 am and not able to go back to sleep. Most nights we try to let you figure it out on your own. However, some nights I just don't have the patience to listen to you cry for more than 5 minutes so I rock you for a bit and put you back in the crib.

Your morning nap this month has also been very unpredictable in terms of timing. Some mornings you were up at 6 and ready to be back down by 8. Other mornings you are up at 6:30 or 7 and go down around 9. Some days its 10. Just totally depends! Keeps me on my toes. Either way, you morning nap is usually 1 hr 15 min to 1.5 hours.

You are ready for your afternoon nap about 2 hours after you wake up from your first...I can sometimes stretch it to 3 hours if we stay busy. Either way, afternoon nap is usually around 1 (ish) and lasts about an hour (sometimes 1.5 when I am lucky!).

I will say 2 positive things about sleep though:
1.) Putting you to bed is one of my favorite things to do! When I ask if are you ready for "night night" you smile and get excited. As we climb the stairs your hands are moving and you are giggling, and if someone is in the living room you wave bye-bye. As soon as I pick up the paci out of the crib, and go to sit in the rocker you are all smiles. I love the time that we get to cuddle and you are just so content laying in my arms. Naps we sing our one good night song I made up ("It's Time to Say Goodnight"), and bedtime we pray and sing 3 songs (usually You are My Sunshine, Don't Shut the Door Tight, and the Goodnight Song). Then I put you in the crib wide awake, and you put yourself to sleep. This still amazes me (probably b/c of all the sleep problems you had early on)!

2.) You are very content in your crib. You go down wide awake and if you aren't completely ready for sleep, you crawl and play around until you are. When you wake up, you wake up happy and talking, never crying (unless something is legit wrong!). It's nice because you like to leisurely wake up, and it gives me about a 15 minute warning before I have to come get you. You easily can entertain yourself with the 2 Moos and Lovie for 15-30 minutes once you wake up. I am amazed!

Breastfeeding: For the first month ever since Bella was born, I have nothing to say in the breastfeeding column. I don't miss it one bit. Not one bit!

From now on I will talk about eating instead : ) And boy oh boy are you a good eater! Some days you out-eat me! You absolutely love your oatmeal in the morning with mixed berries, strawberries, or pears. We recently realized you eat an entire half cup of oatmeal and about 1/2 cup of fruit...hello! Lunch and dinner you are totally not into purees anymore, and only are wanting finger foods. You still like green beans, broccoli, meat, chicken, and pretty much anything if it comes off of my plate.

Perhaps your favorites this month have been sweet potatoes, grilled chicken, cheese, eggs with spinach and Ezekiel bread, and greek yogurt. You eat 3 meals and one snack (after your second nap). You don't like milk at all (whole, coconut or almond) so we get your calcium in with your morning oatmeal (making it with whole milk), cheese, yogurt etc. You love drinking from your water bottle, and also love coconut water.

Isabella Loves:

-Music! This lady has truly started dancing and singing to any and all music in the car, in the playroom, anywhere in the house!

-Musical toys (especially her talking/singing puppy)

-Cuddling with her Lambie floor mat

-Playing "Roly Poly"

-Swinging and playing outside

-Swimming or being in water in general

-Eating good food (you seriously get more excited about things you love to eat than anything else in this life right now!)
-Moo Cow with sleep

Isabella Hates:

-Being tired!

-Shoes or anything on her feet

-Flying monkey toy that yells like tarzan (she loves the monkey, hates when he screams!)