Twenty-one months

Dear Violet,
It's quarterly update time! You turned 21 months a few days ago, which means when I write the next update, you will be two years old. Oy! You are such a fun little person now. Here's what you're doing:
- You are a little talker. Not only do you repeat anything that we say, but you say lots of things on your own. You tell us when you have a yucky diaper, what you want to eat, what you want to do. It's so nice to know what you're thinking!
- You have so many things you like to do: you love to be outside (which you tell us all the time), you love to see the turtles and ducks with Dada each night, you like to read books, and you love to pet Petey too. You also like to dig in the garden with your shovel.
- Sometimes you try to crawl in your stroller by yourself, and tell Dada that you want to go on a Ride.
- You sit at the table like a big girl now for dinner. You're also so good when we pray before dinner, and you say Amen.
- Your feet are growing! We're going through shoes so fast!
- You don't like the noise of trucks or cars and run to us when you hear a loud noise.
- You stayed with Grantama and Grandpa while Mama and Dada took a vacation to Boston. Mama and Dada had fun on their trip, but they missed you terribly.
- You did your first Easter egg hunts with MamaLou and Papa D, but you were only slightly interested in the eggs. You'd rather just walk around at your own pace. You also saw baby chicks, baby ducks, and bunnies, which you seemed a little confused about.
- You say a few things we can't understand, and we can't wait until we know what they mean: Foo Foo Fi and Watia/Fatia.

You growing up into a big girl is happening so fast. Every day I see the new things you're learning and I can't believe it. You're so brave and fearless and curious, and Mama admires those things in you so much! Getting to be your Mama is everything. I love you.
Mama

Eighteen months

Dear Violet,
You turned 18 months old last week! You are closer to 2 than you are to 1, and Mama is having a hard time with that. What happened to my little baby girl?
- You are walking, running and climbing everywhere. You love to be on the move.
- You are able to repeat pretty much any word that Mama and Dada say. Your vocabulary is getting bigger and bigger every day.
- You like to go to the park, and you love going to see the ducks at the creek near our house. You say outside and ducks to let us know that's what you want to do.
- You are getting opinionated, even about things you want to wear. You ask to wear your jacket, and you've even started wanting to wear a bib you had from when youy were a baby.
- We had some nasty falls since our last update and Mama had to take you to the dentist for one of them because she was afraid you had hurt your tooth. But the dentist checked you out and said everything was ok. Whew!
- You love to spend time at your new play kitchen and the table and chairs you got for Christmas.
- You love to read books and do alphabet flash cards.
- You love to eat hummus, cheese, and applesauce. You also like to eat soup if Mama and Dada are eating it too.

You are the best thing that ever happened to me, and being with you reminds me of that every day.
Love,
Mama

Fifteen months

Dear Violet,
You're 15 months old, which means it's time for quarterly update time! And so much has changed since your last update.

- You walk everywhere on your own, and you seldom crawl now. When we go places, you would much rather walk by yourself. But at home you like to be carried around still.
- You are very interested in shoes. You call them Suze, and they are the first things you ask for when you wake up in the morning. You also bring Mama and Dada their shoes if they aren't wearing any. 
- Your dad and I have counted, and we think you say around 20 words consistently. Our favorites are Ahbee which is your word for Airplane, Meena (banana), Helper and Up, Please.
- The weather is nicer now that it's fall, so one of your favorite things to do is walk around on the driveway in the back yard. You love to look up in the sky and pick up things on the ground.
- You are a tall girl, and you're wearing 18m clothing. You are growing like a weed! But the doctor says it should slow down a little now that you are over a year.
- You have four front teeth on the top, two bottom front teeth, and now you have molars too! You chew on your thumb when they bother you.
- You like puzzles, books, and playing with the tupperware, and you love your Gymboree class each week.
- You do a great job signing Hungry and Diaper.
- You like to eat meenas, yogurt, cheese, crackers, and sometimes turkey and raisins.

You are more and more fun to be around every day, and I can't believe how lucky I am to be your mom.
Love,
Mama

First Haircut

one year

Dear Violet,
This post is a little late, as your birthday was last Thursday, but we've been busy around here celebrating, so cut Mama some slack!

- You are cruising around with no problem, and just this evening, you took 18 steps across the living room. You still crawl to get from place to place, but I fear it won't be long before you are taking off on your own two feet!
- We bought you some fun toys for your birthday, but you'd rather just put a wooden ball in a cup, or play with mama's old strawberry shortcake cup. You love your pink Teddy, and you've just started to put books in our hands so we will read them to you.
- You have two teeth on the top, and two teeth on the bottom. I love them.
- You can eat most anything that an adult can eat, as long as it's cut in small pieces. Mama and Dada still haven't given you meat though. They are nervous too for some reason.
- You imitate a lizard, do what sound a snake and frog make and you've just started giving kisses and hugs, which makes Mama and Dada very happy.
- You've taken trips to the beach and the big city, and you were such a great traveler! This makes Mama and Dada relieved, because they love to travel and can't wait to take you all over the world.

You're a year old. A toddler now and not a baby. It's bittersweet for us though because even though we can't wait to see what kind of person you turn out to be, we'll miss the little baby you used to be.

I love you more than you'll ever know.
Mama

nine months

Dear Little V,
You're already nine months old??? It's time for your quarterly update, and so much has changed in the last three months!
- You crawled for the first time when we were at Grantama and Grandpa's house in late February, and by March you were pulling up on your own. Your dad went and bought you a big gate to put in the living room so you would have a safe place to roam.
- You like to play with your toys, but you really love grown up things like remote controls, calculators and paper.
- You have two little teeth on the bottom, and the doctor tells us you have some coming in on the top.
- You love to eat fruits and veggies, and you've started eating puffs too. You crunch the puff on your bottom teeth, and we love to listen to it.
- You have lots of tricks - so big, bravo, high five. We're trying to teach you to blow kisses, and Grantama is trying to teach you beautiful eyes.
- You are a trooper everywhere we go - we've taken you to your first concert, a basketball game with Mama Lou and Papa D, and an outdoor street fair, and you just rolled with the punches!
- You had your first ear infection, and Mom and Dad were so worried, but you bounced back pretty quickly, and were never very fussy. We're so lucky.
- You are trying to say Mama and Dada, and you go through spurts where you are very talkative. I only wish I knew just what you were saying.
- Just last night, you fell in your crib, and got your first (and I hope only) black eye! Poor girl.
- You've now been in this world as long as you were in my tummy, and that's so hard to believe.

You are curious, and determined, and beautiful, and you teach me so much every day. I love you.
Mama

A Weekend of "Firsts"

Violet had a very busy weekend. We travelled to Wichita Falls and had lots of QT with Grantama, Grandpa and extended family. On Saturday, we noticed her first tooth had (finally) broken through. A few moments later, she crawled for the first time in front of a large audience. :)

Then, on Sunday, she sat up. All the way. Full on. Not balancing on one arm. ...and I just happened to be filming. She did a full-on repeat performance for her Mom (who you'll hear in the video missed part of it) just moments later.

Today, I Leared to SPLASH!!!!

six months

Happy six month birthday little girl! It's already time for your second quarterly post (first one here). I've decided to write these to you now, so that one day, you can see all that you were doing this first year of your life. You're changing so much in one year, and I only wish you would be able to remember it all! It's truly remarkable.

- You are a busy little bee! You are always grabbing for things, trying to scoot around like a little caterpillar and waving your arms around. Yesterday, I even saw you do a downward facing dog yoga pose! I am certain that crawling isn't far away now.
- You don't have teeth yet, but you have a little spot that I think may be a tooth emerging. But you never open your mouth long enough for me to see.
- You've eaten cereal, butternut squash, peas, summer squash, carrots, pears, apples and bananas. You did not like bananas at all, just like your mom!
- You still aren't on a regular nap schedule during the day, but you have a pretty good routine going at night. Your dad gets you ready for bed around 7-8 and you sleep until around midnight. Just recently, we started omitting your midnight feeding, so now you're just eating again at 4am, then back to sleep until 7!
- You love to talk. Baa baa is your absolute favorite thing to say.
- You just started learning a few signs: milk, diaper change, eat and all done.
- You still love to be outside and look at trees.
- You are the best thing that ever happened to me and your dad.

I love you Little V!
Mama

Little V in the Big City

Almost every year since we've known each other, JD and I have picked a night during the weeks leading up to Christmas to head downtown to the flagship Neiman Marcus store to check out their Christmas lights and their big tree. So before Little V's introduction to Santa, she had her first stroll in the Big City. Here are some pics.

Meeting Santa For the First Time

Things were going okay... Little V was a bit skeptical of the photographer's attempts to make her smile. She's seen those tricks before...



Then she looked to her left and noticed Santa. Game. Over.




Merry Christmas!

First Taste

Tonight, Violet had her first taste of 'solid' (non-cereal) food - (organic) butternut squash. I think she really liked it.

Give Me That Thing, Dad

Today for the first time, I grabbed the bottle out of Dad's hands and held it myself. I drained that sucker dry.

First Solid Food

It was no steak and potatoes (organic rice cereal, actually), but one thing is for sure: This little girl enjoys a good solid meal. Here she is enjoying her first:



"...not sure what's going on, but I've seen mom and dad do it and I think i like it..."



"...YUM!!!"



"...next time mom and dad should use a bib..."

Rockin' and a Rollin'

Little V learned how to roll over about a week ago. It was tough to capture on video because it required so much effort on her part and occurred so infrequently at first. Now, it's constant. Anytime you lay her down, bam! Over she rolls. And though it has only been a week, we're beginning to see her pull her legs up under her tummy and thrust forward. We'll call it the "crawl instinct". She's got the roll. Now, she's ready to rock (by which I mean crawl...)!

Sittin' Pretty

Today Violet sat in her Bumbo seat for the first time. She seemed very comfortable and, well, pretty happy about having a new view of the world.

Baptism

Violet with her parents and godparents

With Monsignor Zimmerman, who was also the officiant at our wedding

Violet had her Baptism last Sunday at Christ the King, and didn't cry one bit, not even when she got water poured in her eye. She also was a trooper at dinner as she was passed around from family member to family member who were all eager to get in some quality time. We are really so lucky to have such a well-behaved little girl!