14 Months

This is crazy late, but I couldn't let the month go by without acknowledgement.  These monthly updates are getting harder to write; it's impossible to remember all the new things you've learned and started doing.  Everyday there's a new word, gesture or expression.  A lot of mommy bloggers stop the monthly updates after the first year, but this blog is your baby book, and I want to remember these little details (belated or not).

At 14 months you are...

Running.  Walking is too easy, and you like a challenge.  You also don't like to look where you're walking, so you trip a lot.

Dancing.  You are an excellent dancer, and your Auntie Fallon is so very proud.

Still quite the head-flinger.  You hate to be held or restrained via shopping cart or stroller for more than 5 minutes.  The staff and customers of Old Navy thoroughly enjoyed watching you run rampant through the store.  (I did not enjoy cleaning your black feet afterwards, since I forgot your shoes in the car.)

Saying No, Stop (pronounced dop) and Thank you (pronounced dan-ku) in addition to last month's vocabulary.

Ready to open a kissing booth!  You have mastered the art of closed-mouth kisses, and pucker up anytime someone asks for a kiss.

Going to be quite flexible one day, thanks to Grammy's "Big Stretch" routine that she's been practicing with you since you were just an itty bitty.

Also doing lots of headstands.  Gymnastics, here we come!

Sneaky.  If someone catches you with something you shouldn't have, you quickly hide it behind your back.

Helpful.  You like to close doors and hand me clean laundry one piece at a time.

Cleanly.  You know how to brush your teeth and hair.  And speaking of hair, you have curls!

Kind of a bully.  You bite, slap, and scratch everyone, including yourself.  You also hit yourself in the head with your hands or sippy cup and yell, Ow!

An excellent (but messy) eater!  And always more interested in what others are eating than what you have...even if it's the same thing.

No longer throwing your sippy cups and suddenly much more accepting of different types of cups.

A big fan of the juice box after Grammy introduced it a couple weeks ago. 

Ready for swimming season!  You love your baby pool!

Insistent on playing with your water table at least once a day.

Everyone please ignore the fact that she is wearing little boy clothes...she ran out of clean clothes at daycare.

Able to point to your eyes, nose, mouth, ears and belly button when asked.

Still utterly infatuated with Barney and Friends.  It's the only show that will hold your attention from start to finish.  You enjoy watching it from your rocking chair.

Tugging on my leg (occasionally pulling down my pants) and yelling, "Mama Mama Mama" when you want to be picked up.  And if I don't get to you quickly enough, you blow raspberries on my legs to remind me.

The Tantrum Queen.  You let out the most desperate, agonizing cry after someone tells you "No".

Very impatient when it comes to diaper and outfit changes.

Perfectly content laying on the floor.  If you're tired or bored, you'll drop to the floor and just look around.  Sometimes we'll toss you a pillow, if we're feeling generous.  (Kidding!)

 
Glued to your blankie.  You drag it everywhere.  Including the dinner table.  Ick.

Still spending Mondays with Mommy, and in daycare Tuesday through Friday. You are very popular.  All the older kids yell, Hi Baby Lucy, I like your shoes! when we arrive in the mornings.

Transitioning to one very long nap instead of two shorter naps.  This makes me happy.

Sleeping from 8 pm - 7 am.  On the weekends you'll lay in bed and chat with yourself for up to an hour before demanding freedom.  This makes me very happy.

Sleeping on the lowest crib setting, with no immediate plans to transition to a toddler bed.
 
On a healthy streak!  Just a 24-hour stomach bug over the last month.

Without molars to my knowledge.  You have 7 teeth, and are cutting #8.

Taking after Daddy in the freckle department.

Miss Skinny!  Never thought I'd see the day!!  You are down to 23 pounds.  My favorite leg and neck rolls are disappearing.  ::chokes back soft sobs::

... inches long (will update later)

Wearing one-size pocket diapers, size 2 covers, and a combination of 18 month and 24 month clothing.

This last month was yet another reminder that we desperately need to finish babyproofing.  You bit through every.single.K-Cup and even dropped a bottle of (very expensive) truffle oil.  And you just don't look like a baby to me anymore, Lu.  You're all grown up.  You're so smart and fast, I'm in total shock.  You used to be this helpless little newborn that couldn't even hold your head up, and now you're folding laundry!  I fully expect to walk into the kitchen tomorrow morning and find you cooking breakfast.  I love you so much, Princess.  Though I wish you'd let me cuddle you more!  I can't wait to see you as a big sister in action.

How many Russo's can you fit on the staircase?  Answer:  2.5