This Baby - 13 Months

Hazel's personality is getting more extreme. She's happier when she's happy and grumpier when she's grumpy, which is why we're all glad she is mostly happy. Let's be honest, she is a super good baby. She's curious and busy too, so by good I don't mean she'll sit still and play with one toy for an hour. By good I mean she really doesn't cry, she is still good if she doesn't get her naps and she loves everyone so she doesn't cry when I leave. Sometimes she'll throw a fit when someone leaves her. Like when we dropped Angela off today, she started screaming. Even still, she's finished with her screams just as quickly as she starts. And let's also set something else straight. She is good, but she's also still learning to handle the devastation when told "no". She's already mastered throwing her head back, arching her back and screeching as loud as she can when she doesn't get her way. Part of me thinks it's hysterical and the other part of me is horrified.

She really has absolutely no desire to walk. She won't even stand if I hold her up. She'll let her legs collapse or jump up and down. I'm beginning to think she won't walk before Clara's age of 14 months. She has, however, started to shake her bum quite a bit when she crawls. It appears this requires much more effort on her part, yet she doesn't move any quicker than before.

She eats bananas super fast. Like, I'll lay one down, whole, go get something from the fridge and abracadabra, the banana is gone. Now we know her and Lucas have something in common. I'm not sure if I'm more fascinated by how fast she eats it or by the fact that she says, "nana". (Or maybe by the fact that she talks this soon period?)

Jason and I laugh every time she says "nack". She doesn't say it softly, it's very crisp, loud and deliberate. She'll easily trick anyone into thinking she's always starving.

She still screams when I lay her down to change her diaper. She can be the happiest baby in the world, but once she realizes I'm going to change her diaper, she starts to scream. She also screams when I brush her teeth. I have to hover over her with her head between my knees, otherwise she turns from side to side and it's near impossible to get the toothbrush in her mouth. Recently she's learned that if she bites on the toothbrush, I can't brush her teeth. So she'll bite on it and just stare at me.

When she was sick, the first few times she hated having her nose wiped. But after that, I would say, "Blow your nose," and she'd hold still while I wiped her little snotty face.

She can finally - kind of - suck from a straw.

She still claps for "more" and this is how she signs "finished".

I've recently discovered that she LOVES her shoulders and back massaged. Not just rubbed/tickled, but firm massage. It puts her in a trance, gives her the goosebumps and the other day, it practically made her fall asleep in my arms while I sang to her before her nap. She has not fallen asleep in my arms in probably 10 months.

On the 24th, I said, "Cheese!" to take a picture and she looked up at me, smiled and said, "eeshe." I took a picture of it, but it's so blurry you can't even tell she has a mouth, let alone that her mouth is saying something. See?

But she does have a mouth! And a sword!

She doesn't like milk. Clara didn't either. Guess after 12+ months of mother's milk, it's hard to downgrade to a cow. :) And yes, for all those wondering, I'm still nursing. There is a peace of mind that comes from knowing she's still getting a fatty, nutrient rich substance twice a day. It also rids me of some guilt if her daily intake doesn't include as many fruits and vegetables as it should.

After 13 months of loving this baby, it's hard to believe it's only been 13 months. I don't think I could love her more, not even if I hand-picked her myself.