Almost 13 Months...

12 Months old... and so busy. Everyday seems to be adding something new to your repertoire. I love watching you figure out a new toy. If you can't make it do what you know it can, you drag our fingers over to do it. Eventually, you'll figure it out and do it yourself. But in the meantime, super cute. Same principle goes for reading books - if you want us to point out something, you take our fingers and lead us to it. You love that train Nanny and Pa gave you for your bday. Especially the choo choo button. Seemed a little hard to figure out how pushing one button, makes the light shine elsewhere, but you mastered it yesterday. And so smart with putting the blocks and rings off the train. Amazing that hand-eye coordination. Still can't manage to put two on the knobs at the same time.
Good for cuddle time if you ever calm down long enough for it. Most of the time you entice us with the idea of cuddles, get up on the couch/chair/lap, play around, crawl up a little higher, and get down. Yourself. Regardless of how high off the ground it is. Good with getting off the couch. But same goes for Mommy and Daddy's bed (which you love to roll around on and play with the pillows) until you try to get down yourself. We've caught you each time, but won't be long until you get yourself hurt.
Speaking of, when you figure out you're fixing to get a bath, you try to start crawling into the bathtub. One leg goes up. You actually, non-gracefully, got yourself out the other day. Not really the best idea kid. You stand up when you're ready to get out. Some days you tolerate longer bathtimes than others. Kind of helpful with taking your clothes off. At least getting things off your head. When you find clothes on the floor, you like to try to put them on your head. This you haven't mastered yet. The bibs you yank right off. Outsmarted that no matter how we tried new bibs. Getting you dressed and changing your diaper is still a major screaming ordeal. When do you plan on outgrowing this?
This is one of you favorite things. Getting in Mommy's nightstand drawer and pulling out treasures. Necklaces are you favorite. Especially if the necklace is big enough to pull it over your head - you figured that out pretty quick. And getting really good at putting random things in random drawers all over the house. Pull the drawers open. We never know what we're going to find. We still let you pull open the bathroom drawers and play with the brushes and toothpastes and such... so far no poisonous substances have been ingested.
This bottle... I tried to keep you from dragging it around the house with you. Figure it will be hard to break this habit when it's cups and a little more messy. You drink it sometimes, but the rest of the time, you just chew on it like a toy. And still hold it by the bottom.
Toys all over everywhere. And no matter how much the height difference. If you think it makes you higher off the ground, you will climb in to it... including this tiny little cart of blocks. You climbed up on our kitchen stool when Mommy was looking away.
And pulling all the toys out all over the house. It will never been clean ever again! We need to work on our "clean up clean up". The good thing about this is anything can be considered a toy. Pretty easy to get things accomplished in any room of the house because you can find just about anything to entertain yourself. You latest fascination, other than the ongoing enjoyment with turning off and on the lights, is fan cords. You want to touch them. Daddy says when you get out of the car in the morning, your arms immediatly go to the sky in preparation to tap the door ringer in the door at daycare.
Here would be the example of pulling things over your head... including the backpack of Mommy's which you dug in and pulled out her work ID and stethoscope. The stethoscope you didn't manage to put back in and was missing when Mommy needed it at work the next day.
Love to be outside. Want to run around in the garage after getting home. Love to explore the yard... for some reason grass is difficult to walk on and you insist on crawling. Going up and down the little steps on the porch. Some carefulness, testing out with your toe. When in doubt, sit and scoot.
You like you new scooter. However, difficult to convince you that it's needed to keep your feet up on the kickstands or it won't go.
Something else pulled out of Mommy's lunch bag. You figured out pretty quick that it was edible. And dropped it on the (dirty) floor, picked up, snacked, dropped... and then left it a bit too long and the dogs decided to make it their snack.
Still a pretty picky eater. I guess we should be glad they get you to eat anything at daycare. Although, efforts have been made lately to eat a little healthier. You could really live off of string cheese and diced peached being absolutely happy about it. Some spoonable foods are options. Still prefer to eat whatever Mommy and Daddy are eating. Did we mention the bbq sauce you pulled off the coffee table and dumped all over the beige carpet in the living room?
We have officially switched to whole milk - works out pretty good as they give it to you at daycare and one less thing we have to do in the morning - bottles. If only we didn't even have to pack bottles but cups! They've been working on some sign language at day care. If you're in the right mood, you will sign "more" (usually with prompting) while eating. And Daddy thinks you're a genius - remember when I was mocked and eventually gave up on the whole thing? You could have been a super genius!
And pretty good at entertaining yourself in the kitchen while Mommy cooks. Still like to try to pull things out of the dishwasher. If that is not an option, crawling onto the open door is always a go. Aunt Sam got you a fridge toy with animals that makes noises... You figured out pretty quick how to push the button to get it to play songs.
Did Mommy mention the 12 teeth or so and counting which help to eat that apple? You like brushing your teeth and are helpful with opening you mouth. Sometimes, you want to do it yourself or brush Mommy's. Not too excited about putting the brush back in the drawer as it is a new toy of course.
Note the necklace you are sporting. And that you are naked... still your favorite pasttime (which you get from your father). Like to run around naked after bathtime - which is limited after your floor pooping experience.
Talking is still hit or miss. It's like when you figure something out, it's no longer fun and put on the burner. The latest is clicking like a clock. You point up and start clicking. The doggy pant has come and gone. Not for lack of our trying that's for sure. It's a constant dialogue among us. It just need to take kiddo!
We love you big girl... everyday is a new adventure!