New Words!!

Oh so exciting to share her new words with you!!! Agnes will be 18 months old on Oct. 26. She is walking like a pro and her quick waddle can be mistaken for as a run. It's the cutest thing and I love seeing it whenever she runs to the door after Daddoo comes home from work to give him a kiss. Also, her hair is getting longer and more out of control. It's the cutest when it's in pigtails or in a high ponytail. She's a keeper!

She can now say (or ONLY sign*) (say AND sign**)

No** (she has mastered this word)
Mama
Daddoo
All Done*
Bottle
Hi
Bye**
Balloon
Apple**
Eye
Dog
Duck**
Trees*
Baby**
Go
She said Hamburger a couple of times,,, but can't do it anymore (it was a total fluke... but I did get it on video!)
Please*
Thank You*
Sorry*
Maria (She says it like, "Arruh")
Mimi
Shhh**

She tries to say:

Belly Button
Banana
Cat
Loud

16 Month Door Opener

Guess who learned to open and close doors today...          

            

THIS GIRL!

Agnes is now 16 months old and every day is an adventure for her and mommy.

14 Months

Oh, my little girl! How you've grown.

14 months have come and gone and every day is the best day with you!

Every day to every other day we visit the park or the pool.

You absolutely love the Fountain Park. After walking through the gates and getting settled at our spot, you are off to explore by yourself (Mama can't be too close to you or else you run away). The water fountains mesmerize you and the best part is being able to play with other kids and share the little fountains with them. The cutest thing is when you go up to people (kids or parents) and just stare at them for an awkward amount of time before walking away and giggling or screeching with excitement.

Your sweet giggle face.

Giving you some space :)

My Miss Independent! You do your own thing while Mama isn't too far off watching. However, as soon as you get home, you follow me around the house with your bottle or toys in hand like you miss me as soon as I walk into the other room.

You love big hugs and getting tickled. You actually grab Mama's hands and try and tickle your belly with them as you start laughing crazily and falling into me. Even though you sometimes get a little too rough and start biting Mama's legs or arms and I have to stand you back up and give you some space, you will always come rushing back with your arms wide open ready to fall on me again and continue the tickles.

You have your own way of communicating with Mama and Daddy. To let us know you want something to eat, you sign it to us. You think that the sign for "all done" is the "more" sign. You know how to say bottle ("bobble?") and balloon ("babboon?") and daddy ("Dah-dah?") and you say them all as though they were questions. Almost every time  Daddy is mentioned, you pucker your lips waiting for a kiss. It is one of the cutest things. Daddy and I also wonder if you get "Daddy" confused with "Kisses", but we don't mind :)

You have more than 4 teeth now. Mama is trying hard to give you a variety of food every day for you to munch on with all the teeth you have. For the past couple of days you have had a spinach and tomato omelet for breakfast. Quinoa was introduced about a week ago and Mama did not like the cleanup, but you couldn't resist the texture and feeding yourself the little grainy food. You love vegetables and always go for the green food first. Milk is another love, but Mama is trying to get you to drink more water and even some juice here and there.

You still put yourself to sleep after you, Mama, and Daddy say night prayer and will also keep yourself amused in the morning before Mama comes in to get you. Having books and stuffed animals in your crib helps.

You are a morning person, but you wake up at a reasonable time (7-8am) and even go to sleep at a good time, too (8pm)!

You have a distinct style, and not because Mama dresses you :P  You do not like your hair up. If we are at the park, Mama will pull your hair back with your hat; but when we are home, your eyes seem to always be completely covered because of your messy curls... and you seem to see just fine (usually). Hair-ties get pulled out no matter what. What's sad is that your hair can fit into one ponytail at the back of your head. Pigtails are another thing Mama would love for you not to take out... but you're you :)

Pigtails for 3 seconds!

Most importantly, you are your own person and have the most beautiful, sassy, feisty, and loving personality. You give the best hugs and kisses. Your silly smile and little giggles can't even be described because they are just too adorable. You whine and cry and throw tantrums, but won't hold a grudge for long... just enough to make your point :P 

14 months old; I can only imagine what 14 years old will be like :D

Mama and Daddy love you so much!! And just like before bed, here is a kiss for you, just the way you sound *Mmmmmmmuah*

You Are 1

Disclaimer: You are 1 tomorrow (April 26), but since we are going on a big plane to visit your Auntie, Uncle, and cousins in Texas, Mama is posting your Birthday Blog now.

"Where has the time gone?!"

If you were to tell me, after those first few weeks after I gave birth to my beautiful Aggie Jo, that time flies by, I would have sleepily laughed in your face. My deliriousness was bad, but not as bad as to believe those crazy words. Time seemed to go nowhere as I tried to figure out how to survive after all our relatives had gone and I was alone all day with this wee little one who needed me every minute of every, single day. I felt helpless at times when all I wanted to do was sleep for 3 hours straight. How was I going to do this?!

And just like that, in a blink of an eye, my baby girl is a little one year old, speed crawling across the floor to try and get into the bathroom to play with the toilet paper before anyone realizes and closes the door.

So here she is. My girl. My firstborn. My 1 year old.

My Dearest Agnes Joyce,

Mama can't even begin to describe how much you've grown since Daddy and I first met you. You were once the size of a football and only weighing 6 pounds. We actually have a photo of you in a football hold while Daddy poses for the camera! You couldn't hold your head up by yourself and Mama and Daddy were so scared to even try and change your diaper those first few days because we thought that we would hurt you by touching you.

At first you had your days and nights mixed up. So while Mama and Daddy wanted to sleep, you wanted to eat, rock away in our arms, and stay awake. Grandma G came to the rescue many times during those first few nights at home. She rocked you from 3am to 6am a couple of times (just to give us some relief), and you know what? She was happy to do it, because it was you.

It didn't take us long to realize you'd be a curious, stubborn, smiley, funny little one. For example, after a month or so, we had a routine. Every afternoon, you and Mama had a "Dance Party." Mama would bounce you for an hour or two before Daddy got home from work so you wouldn't fuss and maybe take a little nap so that mama could fix Daddy some dinner. Those were the days.... and this probably helped Mama get some killer leg and arm muscles :P

You loved to eat. Every time you fussed, all Mama had to do was nurse you and you were golden. We called it, "snugging," and we would always say, "It's time for a snug and then sleep." Those were the days.

By 5 months, you were a pro at sitting up. Sure, you fell backwards sometimes and needed help sitting again, but you never needed help to push yourself up when you fell forward; my strong little girl. You loved to roll to your Left; rolling Right never seemed fun. You learned to laugh by coughing a lot (purposefully coughing because that's what you thought other people's laughing sounded like)... you still do it sometimes, too.

At 9 months, we gave up nursing. Mama was so sad, but you were such a trooper. Since we used bottles for trips we took in the car (and we took a lot of trips starting when you were only 3 weeks old), you transitioned well and now, you will only take a bottle if you are able to lie down on your back without being held; my little miss independent. Mama sometimes needs her cuddles, but you make up for it by your sweet slobbery kisses when Mama asks.

Now, at 12 months, you flirt (with your smile and your eyes) with anyone that passes you in the grocery store while you are sitting in the cart. Whoever smiles at you, your eyes just sparkle with happiness. You still need Mama close, though. Without Mama nothing seems fun, unless you are completely distracted, then all is well.

Some of your favorite things to do are: swing (you absolutely love to swing!), pose for pictures (you do this really cute thing where tilt your head and smile), walk with the help of your walkers (you have three and all get equally used), read (you have two books in your crib for when you are awake in your crib... if there is no book around you, you get upset), snack (you like to snack standing up at your Exersaucer more than you like sitting in your chair to eat meals), play with the iPod or any electronics around, and listen to Pat a Cake and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Every night, when we plop you on our bed to say "Night Prayer," you always get so silly and happy, like it's all about you. And you're right, it is... mostly. We pray you stay safe. We pray you grow into a beautiful, holy woman. We pray for our family, for the ones we love, and for people whom in this world are suffering. We pray that you feel God's love for you as well as our love for you. Afterwards, we do the sign of the cross (and we make you do it, too) and then you clap, like it's the end of a good story.

And every night before Mama and Daddy turn out the lights and get in our bed, we tip toe into your room, peek over the side of the crib, and watch you sleep for a little bit, whispering to each other, "She's our baby! We have a baby! She's just so cute!" And sometimes you readjust your sleeping position while we are in there watching you (that's when we hide, just in case you open your eyes and want to join in on the disbelief of our blessing that is You).

You have changed us. We now have an additional Being to live for. We have You, my dear Aggie Jo. You are our sunshine. Our little blessing. Happy Birthday, Baby Girl! I can't wait to see what God has in store for you this year and many more years to come <3 Mama and Daddy Love You so much!

Mischevious Baby

Well she is officially pulling herself up to stand and getting into things... like books that are sitting on the nightstand near her crib (or the iPod I use for white noise), door-stop knobs that come off easily and into her mouth, and everything that can be easily torn apart in the kitchen. This little girlie will break for the bathroom when she realizes it was accidentally left open. If she sees any type of cord plugged into an outlet where she can reach, you can bet your bottom she will crawl her little fanny over there (not before making sure mommy can't see her... yes, she checks) and get those cords! Here is the face I have to deal with every time she is being a little goober:

 

Those big blue eyes get me every time!!!

 

Also had to share this one with daddy being silly!

 

 

9 Month Check Up!

9 months and very mobile! I leave the room and when I come back, I have to go looking for this little peanut. Child proofing is done (I think) and I feel confident that we've covered all the potentially disastrous places in the apartment. God forbid anything happen now.

Because of my low milk supply, we switched to formula. I'm not complaining; some mothers aren't able to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months so even though I feel sad about not being able to BF anymore, at least she is getting the nutrients she needs... and at least I still get the snuggles I need, too :)

It was a good 9 month check up. Agnes' weight is almost the same at it was 3 months ago which makes me think that I had been drying up for a while and hadn't noticed she wasn't getting as much breast milk as I thought... sooooo we are going to give her 35oz of formula a day to see if she can get that weight up. Crawling can also be helping with the lack of weight gain, but I'm hoping in the next month or so we see an increase.

Hear are some of the things she is doing now:

She crawls like a champ. And what a mischievous little champ she is! We have most of the apartment open for her to explore except the bathrooms. She will follow me into the kitchen a lot of the time and climb up my leg so that she stands with me while I make dinner or do dishes. She is still very anxious when I leave a room so she is never far away from her mama. She always makes sure that I am within crawling distance.

Like I said before, she can pull herself up to a kneeling and standing position... soooo it's time to adjust the crib!

She says "Mama" when she's sad or fussy... maybe she knows what she's saying (or maybe it's the fact that I come running when she does it)?? She also learned a new consonant, "D," so hopefully "Dada" comes soon! That would be cool!

She claps. Every time she is happy or sees something she likes, she claps. After night prayers, she claps; when she finishes her dinner, she claps; when daddy comes home from work and she peeks her head around the corner to see him and he gives her a big hello, she claps. She cannot get enough of life.

Agnes now has two bottom teeth and two top teeth! It was a real challenge for a minute there with all of her teething and crying, but she got through it. We know those teeth are there because now she grinds them, sending daddy a tingle in his spine (Paul always cringes when he hears her mouth grinding away).

She can feed herself finger foods (cheerios, fruit, little teething snacks, green beans, etc.).

Bath time is her favorite, I think. Whenever I am drawing a bath for her, all I have to do is call her name and she will come crawling into the bathroom within seconds. Recently I bought the Aveeno baby wash and lotion and it is doing wonders for her dry skin. I was using coconut oil for moisture before but this stuff is way better, who would've thought! She also loves her duckies :)