It's hard to believe that Mommy B and I have been posting in This Space for almost a year (OK, ten months or so). So much has changed in that time, and things continue to do so at an almost alarming rate. I faintly recall posting updates about how Alli increased her mommy milk intake here and here, and thinking it was such a big deal. It's funny when you look back - so many little things that you thought were important then are commonplace now. So I decided that it might be a good time to talk about some of the other things that are new with our pride and joy.
* Mommy B and I have been saying it to each other for a while, that as soon as Alli would be able to walk, she'd be a much happier kiddo. Not that she was ever grumpy to begin with... but she's such a curious little squirt that we knew once she'd be able to get anywhere she wanted to check things out for herself, she'd be in heaven. And I have to say we weren't far off on our guesses. She walks everywhere now - all over the house, up the stairs (with our help still), around the yard, up and down the driveway and even into the street if we let her get that far.
Her stride is more under control than it was just a week ago. She doesn't flail her arms around quite like she did her first day or so, and definitely falls down much less. Another thing she likes to do is when she comes walking towards you (sometimes almost running), she'll almost stop her feet but keep leaning forward. The result is her falling into your arms, similar to a forward-facing trust fall. It makes her giggle endlessly, and of course I get to steal a hug - which is always a treat.
* She loves being tossed up in the air. This also makes her giggle endlessly, even if it usually results in having the hiccups for a little while. My former teammates from my college football team would be amazed at how great my hands are when I'm catching a child instead of a football. Needless to say, I played defense back then...
* When I'm not tossing her in the air, she loves leaning over backwards when I'm holding her in my arms. I'll sometimes wiggle her around or swing her from side to side, and the giggling continues. And what child doesn't love the occasional blood rush to the head?
* She loves her some Pooh. She has a stuffed Winnie the Pooh in her crib and has slept with it since she was two days old. Once she was old enough to crawl, she would crawl over to him, grab him by the arms, and chomp down on his nose. When the teething began, Pooh's nose became our savior. Now that she's older, we put her down in the crib for bed and she immediately crawls over to Pooh to begin playing/chomping on his nose. There have been times when she's dangled him over the side of the crib and accidentally dropped him, only to have Mommy B or I have to retrieve him for her.
Monday night I made the mistake of letting her have Pooh to play with right before we headed to the bath, and she refused to let me have him before she got in the tub. I'm talking scream-in-your-face, take-him-and-I-make-your-life-miserable type of upset. So, I caved in and Pooh went into the tub with her. I'm not really sure that was a good idea, but I figured he probably needed a bath too. He spent the rest of the night in front of the fan to dry off while she slept without him.
* She's been eating grown-up food for a while now, and we've only found one thing she doesn't like. Truth be told, it was actually her teachers who found out. We still get a daily sheet that indicates what she ate/drank, when she napped, and her diaper changes (and their contents). As Mommy B and I have mentioned many times, Alli doesn't shy away from food... ever. In fact, it's become so normal for us to see "All" written next to each of her meals that we really only notice when she doesn't eat all of something.
Her school has four weekly menus that they rotate. One day, they gave her an English Muffin for breakfast, and that night I noticed they wrote "Refused" next to it. It was the first time in her 10+ months of life that she's ever refused anything. Mommy B and I just chalked it up to her not feeling well that day. Until about a month ago, she again refused her English Muffin. I don't know how they prepare it, but it's obvious that she doesn't like it - which is saying a lot for someone who can devour two hot dogs, a cup of diced fruit and multiple handfuls of Crunchies for dinner.
* The sippy cup war is finally over - and has been for a while. We decided that the best way for her to get used to her sippy cup was to just send her formula in one or two to daycare, and have them force her to take it when she eats. Apparently her teachers don't take no crap, because she was taking a sippy cup at home with no problems within a week or two. She still didn't like them much and we could tell that she would still fight with them from time to time.
So, Mommy B decided to get some bigger cups that have a straw that pops out of the top. We thought she might have an easier time with something that she doesn't have to work so hard for. Well, she took to them like a duck to water (or an Alli to the ocean). We just open the top so she can get at the straw, and the rest is history. And now that she's completely onto whole milk (yet another change she could have cared less about), all we have to do is send her cups with her to school, and they take care of the rest. I have to say, buying water and mixing formula was getting a little old... and the fact that her school provides whole milk during the day makes my life a lot easier.
OK, I think that's enough for today. More to come soon, I'm sure.
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