Knocked Up & Unemployed: Dear Violet...

Could it really be January 8, 2012?? Could you really be 11 months old?? It really seems like yesterday when I was (suffering) in the hospital and wondering who you were going to look like...and wondering how much pain you were going to cause me during labor! I've been feeling very nostalgic lately and thinking back to my first few days with you. They were the happiest I've ever been...and most stressed I've ever been! My world had been turned upside down and yet, I never wanted to look back. One look at your sweet little face and my heart and soul were yours.

This past month, I've been doing a lot of chasing you around and picking up after you....when will you learn to pick up all your toys??? I'm ready for that stage! But this past month, I've laughed so much because of you. The older you get, the funnier you get...and you think you're pretty funny, too! I definitely see a lot of my personality and your daddy's personality in you. But there are plenty of times throughout each day that I think, "OMG. Where do you get that from???" So, I know you are definitely your own person as well....which I love...

Here are some of the things you've been up to this past month:
--You're not quite walking yet, but you're sooooo ready! The most steps you've taken are 3...I know if you just let go and take off, you would totally walk circles around me...but something in you just isn't ready.
--You are a little piggie. I'm pretty sure you consume the same amount of calories in a day that I do! You love chicken, blueberries, toast with strawberry jam, bananas, crackers and most of all....CHEESE!!! I'm pretty sure it's like baby crack to you.
--You still drink 3 bottles of formula a day, but we're going to cut that back this month.
--You still take one morning nap (9 am - 10 am) and one afternoon nap (1 pm - 3 pm) but I know you're going to phase out that morning nap pretty soon. *sigh* Even though you only nap for an hour in the morning, I feel like I get a lot done in that hour...like, enjoying my coffee while catching up on my celebrity gossip...
--You love giving kisses to your baby dolls and your stuffed animals. You now even say, "Awwww" when you're hugging them. Beyond. Sweet.
--Your bedtime routine has changed dramatically in just this past week. We give you a bottle at 6:45, you're in your crib by 7 and you're asleep by 7:30. Then you sleep through the night and wake up at 7 the next morning. You have managed to start falling asleep on your own!! YAY!!! I didn't think I could love you any more than I already did, but this sleep schedule has made you a SAINT in my book!! If you wake up in the middle of the night, you might whimper a little bit, but you stick your binky back in your mouth, cuddle your lamb, and fall back asleep.
--You now sleep with your lamb every night and sleep with a nightlight on....works like magic!
--We celebrated your first Christmas and your first New Year. It was perfect.
--You LOVE other kids. Connor came over yesterday, and you practically pounced on him when you saw him! Everywhere he went, you were right behind him...actually, sitting right on top of him. You also love other babies. You want to touch them and kiss them...it's seriously the sweetest thing. I guess I better get you in some sort of playdate soon!
--You point your finger to where you want to go. You also like to point your finger up my nose when I'm feeding you a bottle.
--Right now you're saying, "Dada," "Mama," "Uh" (for Uh-oh), "Ba Ba" (for Bye Bye) and "Buh" (for Baby). It's so cute when you drop something and say "Uh!" But not so cute when you keep dropping it and I have to constantly pick it up for you...
--You now often fall asleep in the car.
--You're in a bad stage for taking out to eat! You're too distracted by everything going on around you so you don't eat and all you want to do is socialize with the other people....mainly the people on the other side of the restaurant. So, you'll give them a shout out, then they look at smile at you, then you smile at them and now you think you all are best friends. So that means, much more and much louder shout outs.
--You haven't picked sides yet, of whether or not you like me better or if you like Daddy better. But you do get very excited when Daddy comes home from work. If he doesn't drop everything and pay attention to you, you get very mad at him!!
--You still love to read (and eat) your books.
--You still love to clap your hands...for an accomplishment that you made! You're your biggest fan! :)
--You can play Patty Cake and instead of "rolling it up" you just shake your hands.
--You play peekaboo, but instead of covering your eyes, you cover your ears. It's the cutest thing ever...

Every single day, you become more of a strong willed girl. Every single day, you never cease to amaze me by your personality and by all your tricks! Every single day, become sweeter than the day before. I look at you, as I did the first time I held you, and I still think, "Can you really be mine? How did I get so lucky?" I've never been completely whole, until you entered my life. Your Daddy and I love you to the moon and back.

Love,
Mommy