Thirteen Months...

Whew! What a busy two weeks we've had around here since I last posted. October has come and gone meaning our sweet girl is now thirteen months old. I figured I would stop the monthly updates after twelve months, but so much has happened that I want to keep track of!

Our biggest accomplishment by far happened Friday afternoon on the 25th when Goosey took her first three steps toward me! I was sitting in front of her up in her bedroom taking pictures of her crazy curly hair after bathtime when to my surprise she started toddling toward me! I'll never forget the look on her face as she hesitantly picked up her little feet for the first time! The picture below was just before she did it!

I jumped and cheered and jumped and cheered some more and she thought it was so funny! I got some really cute shots of her reaction to my craziness!

In addition to walking, she has blossomed so much in her understanding of things!! Though she still isn't saying many words, she has amazed us with all the new things she's learning!

I've been trying to keep a running list over the last week on the notepad in my phone since it seems like it really is something new every day!

Here's the list so far :
10/26 At church someone said, "Londyn Grace, you are getting so big!" And you opened your arms wide like you do when I say "How big is Londyn Grace?!" because you related the words "So big!" to that!

"How big is Londyn Grace?!"  "SO BIG!!"

10/28 You said "again" when you wanted Mimi to bounce the ball again!

10/28 Today I am certain you were listening and understood my conversation about biting while nursing because you were nursing like normal and then bit me as I was talking about it!

10/30 You walked more! You took about 8 steps in a row!

10/31 Cece (a little girl from church that I tutor) taught you "Ring Around the Rosey" and you laughed and laughed and kept wanting to do it again!

You took my finger and started moving it around wanting me to sing "This Little Light of Mine!"

11/1 You took my finger again and moved it in a circle, but this time you said, "This!" wanting me to sing "This Little Light of Mine!"

11/2 You went through tunnels at the playground for the first time.

11/3 You were really "singing" in church during the congregational songs! It was the sweetest thing!

After weeks of Mimi trying to get you to blow kisses, you blew Mamal (my almost 94 year old great grandmother) a kiss while doing FaceTime!!

11/4 You pointed to the drawer where we keep the graham crackers when I asked if you wanted one!

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She does a lot of pointing to indicate what she wants, and we are working on the word, "Please!" I still think that Dr. Schlachter is going to be right when he says that she may be a late talker, but I am encouraged by all she has accomplished in just the last few weeks!

She loves to point at the pictures on the walls and point out Dada and Mama. 
Her new favorite snacks are graham crackers and veggie sticks. She gets a "cookie" (graham cracker) to munch on while sitting in her high chair as I do dishes or make dinner. 

She's gotten pickier in her eating recently and will sometimes spit out what she doesn't like or not open her mouth when it's offered so we are working through that! 

She is still nursing well, and I am just in amazed that we've made it this far! God is so good! I say this every month, but after our beginning I never would have imagined we'd make it to this point!

Weighing in at nineteen and a half pounds and measuring 29 inches long, Dr. Schlachter was pleased with her growth at her well visit last week! She cut another tooth this month, bringing her total to five! One of her eye teeth is there, but hasn't cut yet. 

We have continued working on using sippy cup, but it's still mostly used for chewing!

As for toys, she is still loving her baby dolls, but prefers to play with my bowls of necklaces and bracelets while I'm getting ready for the day. It keeps her occupied for a few minutes at least!

She also loves her pink ride-on car she was gifted for her birthday. Another favorite is an elephant ball popper, we got her for her birthday. You put the ball into a tube, push a button to release it and then push another button to pop it into the air. She can do all three steps by herself!

She will start moving her arms and dancing around when she hears any kind of music. 

We are still pretty much the same in the sleep department. Starting in the crib, but not lasting long so spending the rest of the night in our bed. We wouldn't trade the extra sweet cuddles for anything, though!

Each morning when we wake, she seems to look a little bigger, a little less like a baby! 

This past month was so full between the birthday celebrations at the beginning, then the apple orchard, pumpkin patch, family portraits, and lots of church activities! I am sad to see October go, (It is definitely my favorite month!) but I'm looking forward to November and a month focused on thankfulness for all He has done! I am especially thankful for the precious privilege of being mama to my Lovey Lou!