14 Month Pictures

The can wasn't open, but she was certainly trying! My mom says I need to submit this one to Pepsi Co.

It's hard to resist her cuteness!

This is the Rocking Harley my parents made for Tree Faerie.

In case you can't tell, she's wearing my socks. Actually, she's wearing two and carrying one, all different.

Another of the Rocking Harley.

This is the first time Tree Faerie has ever played in the snow.

And she's done...

14 Months

Dear Tree Faerie,

I apologize for not writing you a letter last month. Since you started walking, I’ve had to spend a lot more time keeping you out of things. Now you’re practically a pro!

In January, you got to go to Grams and Papaw’s house for the first time, and you had a great time! You slept the whole way down there in your new car seat. You played with all the dog toys, and Grams got to feed you in the make-shift high chair. We were there for Grams’ 50th birthday, so we took her out to eat crab legs per her request. You didn’t want to eat much of anything, but you enjoyed making a mess with crackers and Jell-O. Grams and Papaw also finished your Rocking Harley, which you now request to ride.

Before going to Grams and Papaw’s, you caught RSV again, although this time we didn’t have to rush off to the hospital. Instead you spent several nights sleeping upright in your old infant car seat. The congestion continued to hang around for a while, and just as it was clearing up you developed an ear infection that would not go away. We went through two rounds of antibiotics, and not only did the antibiotics not work, but your other ear got infected in the mean time! Your doctor referred us to an ENT doctor who was really nice and gave you tubes for your 14 month birthday. I was so nervous, partially because it would be your first time under general anesthesia and partially because I couldn’t nurse you after midnight the night before. Just like clockwork, you woke up at 2AM to nurse and could not understand why I wasn’t giving it to you. Your daddy got up and took us for a ride to get you to go to sleep, which worked like a charm. The morning of the surgery, I had to keep you distracted from the idea of nursing until after the surgery.

The surgery went fine. You were only away from me for 15 minutes total. When they brought me back to you in recovery, you were very, very, very unhappy. Once you realized you could nurse, you were a little happier but not much. As soon as we got you home, I put you down for a nap, and once you slept off the effects of the anesthesia, you were actually happy! Since the surgery, your balance has improved greatly so you don’t fall down nearly so much. You’ve also started mimicking words more often. The ENT doctor told us that your speech would improve after the tubes were in because you’d be able to hear better, but I really wasn’t expecting much. After all, you’re only 14 months old!

Speaking of talking, I’m going to have to teach you more signs, which means I have to learn more signs. You know “done,” “more,” “bye-bye,” and “nurse.” When you get frustrated trying to convey something, you go through all the signs you know over and over again. I can definitely understand that you want and need an effective way to communicate.

Of course, just because you can communicate your wants does not necessarily mean you’re going to get whatever it is you’re asking for. Another thing you’re working on mastering is the art of fit-throwing. When you throw a tantrum, I make sure you’re not going to hurt yourself, and then I walk away and let you scream. I’m sorry that one of the life-lessons you must learn is that you can’t have everything you want, but the sooner you learn it, the happier we will all be.

Sometimes it is a very good thing you are so darn cute, because otherwise we might actually consider returning you. You and I have had a few battles, sometimes involving hair-pulling, but I know that this is simply your way of learning how the world works. You constantly test your boundaries and our limits.

You finally cut your third tooth, although it was not either of the upper front teeth. You cut the tooth just to the right of the upper front teeth. You are working on teeth #4, 5, and 6, and you are not happy about it. I keep hoping they will go ahead and break through, but alas, they are being stubborn. People have offered all kinds of suggestions to help you out, from giving you chicken bones to gnaw on to hanging an egg in a sock over the bedroom door. I haven’t tried either of these. I have given you metal spoons, teething rings, and pieces of ice in either a washcloth or a mesh chew-thing to chew on.

Thank you for making me a better person. I am very proud to be your mother. Everyone loves you, and you know it. You even amp up the cuteness when you think it may help you get your way. You’ve given us so many hugs, kisses, and snuggles. I wouldn’t miss any of them for the world. I love you, Tree Faerie. As always, I look forward to what the coming weeks will bring.

Hugs and Kisses,

=|= Mama

12 Months - Happy Birthday, Tree Faerie!

Dear Tree Faerie,

It is so hard to believe that an entire year has gone by since the day of your birth. We made it! One of your daddy’s favorite stories to tell is of being discharged from the hospital with you. I don’t think he believed the nurse when she first told him he could take you home. We were nervous and scared yet excited and overjoyed. I cried all the way home because all the cars were entirely too close to us. Your disapproval of your first car ride was not helping matters any. When we finally got you home, I unbuckled you from the seat as quickly as possible so I could hold you close, comforting us both. I am sometimes still surprised by how much love I have for you. It doesn’t seem possible for one person to contain this much love (which may be why I feel on the verge of exploding sometimes)!

You finally got to meet your Aunt T, Uncle M, and your two cousins, CRK (2.5 years old) and CSK (2.5 months old). You and CRK had a great time playing together, though you are exhibiting signs of being a bully. You kept forcefully taking CRK’s pacifier away. The first time I saw you do it, I had a plate of food in my hands and was sitting next to your Nana. Your Nana just sat there and laughed while watching you try to take CRK’s pacifier while he tried to gently prevent you from doing so. I must admit that it was kind of cute, but I really don’t want you to grow up and be a bully. You can’t always have things just because you want them.

We do a great job of spoiling you, though. You came away like a bandit for Yule and Christmas. Tearing paper is now one of your favorite pastimes. There are more toys than I know what to do with. I’m still feeling a little overwhelmed about that right now, but I’ll have it figured out soon. You love having your choice of which toy to play with, so you certainly don’t mind the abundance.

One of your favorites is Lavender, the purple hippo you and Nana built at Build-A-Bear. It’s so cute to watch you hug and kiss Lavender. You even hug her close and pat her back, just like I do to you. Another favorite is your push-buggy shaped like a VW Bug. When you’re not being pushed in it, you like to push it yourself. Grams got you a gift that clearly shows what we have to look forward to in the future. She got you a cell phone toy that talks and plays music. It’s absolutely adorable to watch you walk around with the phone up to your ear and hear you just jabbering away – or at least it’s adorable at the moment. When you’re 14 it may not be so adorable…

You’ve completed your transition period into the toddler room and have now been in the toddler room a whole week! The teachers just love you, of course. I’m amazed by how well you follow directions and behave! I must be too lenient on you, because you don’t mind what I say as well as you do for your teachers. Even so, you’re a great kid at home, too. I have no real complaints.

Your First Birthday was this past Sunday, and Grams and Papaw drove up to spend it with you. I’m glad they decided to drive up the night before so they could be here when you woke up, because you had a surprise for us all after you woke up on your First Birthday. You took your First Steps! Not just one, but 4 or 5! You were standing up in front of Grams and you just toddled right to me! Daddy missed the first time, so of course I had to go get him up. When I told him, I could tell that he thought I was exaggerating, so after he got up I stood you in front of him. He held out his hands and you toddled to him. The look on his face was priceless! You’ve practiced off and on ever since then, but only if you’re not wearing shoes. If you’re wearing shoes, you still prefer to hold on to a finger.

Grams and I installed your new car seat while you were napping. The weather was perfect for it – 70 degrees and breezy. For January, that is unusual weather! We couldn’t get the seat installed rear-facing, which is how I would have preferred to install it for just a little while longer. Instead, we installed it forward-facing. The only thing that kept us from testing it out right then was you being asleep.

Later that afternoon, Nana came for our little party. We had fish sticks with macaroni and cheese because you LOVE macaroni and cheese. Then we opened presents, which of course means more toys, including a piano, a Mickey Mouse, and a pull-along puppy. Finally, we were ready for your first cupcake experience. I stuck a “1” candle on top of your cupcake and lit it. We turned out the lights and sang Happy Birthday to you, then I helped you blow out the candle. When I set the cupcake in front of you, you had a confused look on your face. I finally convinced you that it was okay to play with it, so you proceeded to remove all the icing and squish it. You finally put your fingers in your mouth and immediately decided you did not like icing and tried to wipe it off your tongue with the other hand, which also happened to be covered in icing. Thankfully you didn’t throw a fit, but the look on your face clearly said, “I am not thrilled with this!” You continued to play with the frosting and tried tasting it a time or two more, but you still weren’t crazy about the taste and refused to try the actual cake part.

After you put the icing in your hair, I gave you a bath, and then we saw Grams and Papaw off. You’ll get to see them again in a couple of weeks when we go visit Grams for her 50th birthday. I’m really glad they came up to see you for yours.

This past year has gone by so quickly, and you weren’t the only one growing. You have brought about a lot of good changes in me. Thank you for being so wonderful, Tree Faerie. I look forward to what the next year will bring.

Hugs, Kisses, and Lots of Love,

Mama