Alexis Monthly Posts, Lexi

Lexi One and a Half (18 months)

Dear Lexi Lou,

Sweet girl, I can’t believe you’re half-way to two. You are growing up so quickly and am enjoying every moment and each new milestone you reach. You are a cheerful, smiley, sweet, analytical, chatty and content little peanut and you have your mama and dad absolutely infatuated with every piece of you.

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Favorite Moments

Because I leave for work before you wake up each morning, I always look forward to bed time. It is good quality mama-Lexi uninterrupted time and this month brought lots of extra snuggling time.  We usually read a couple of books sing songs and then I lie you down in your crib to fall asleep on your own. For whatever reason (I think it was teething) I got in the habit of letting you fall asleep with me in the chair and just cuddle. Deep down I know this isn’t a good habit to form as it is difficult for you to fall asleep when I’m not there and it is just good for you to fall asleep by yourself, but I so rarely get cuddle time with you, I just couldn’t resist the peacefulness of the way you would nuzzle your head against my chest and the sounds of your deep breathing. I would look forward to that moment when there weren’t any distractions of the TV, my phone, you being busy and I could truly enjoy the moment. I was also known to fall asleep once or twice with you.

While discussing sleeping, you’ve really come to love nursery rhymes this month. You love tongue twisters with Peter Piper and Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater being two of your favorites.

After the busy weekend at Leech Lake over Memorial weekend, I was a little hesitant to take you swimming when Auntie She-She called and asked if we wanted to join her at the outdoor pool at the gym It was a beautiful day and we hadn’t been swimming in awhile so I said sure. Oh my stars alive, did you love it. You were laughing and giggling and loved singing songs (Motor Boat, Wheels on the Bus, and Row Row Row your Boat). You were having so much fun, and kept saying ‘summon’ while the lifeguards were taking a break that we had to go swim inside until the break was over. It is so fun to share your joy over some of the simplest things. And you and that hat, is just too cute. (if I take it off, you ask where it is and demand it to be put back on your head.)

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While playing with your foam letters and numbers in the bathtub one night, you were repeating many of the letters or numbers I was sticking to the wall, so I thought I would just see how many letters of the you could repeat and was astounded that you could say them all. You won’t say them by yourself but when I ask Can you say ‘A’, you respond ‘A’ and repeat 26 times with each letter. Way to go Lexi!

I’m a little fearful of this next milestone as I’m nervous it indicates a problem we may have in the future. You love to wear my shoes, well really, any shoes, and love to look in my closet, pull clothes off the hanger and demand to wear them. Sweet for an 18 month old, but terrifying for 15 years from now.

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Shoes Shoes Shoes
Shoes Shoes Shoes

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Oh sweet girl, I love to see your nurturing side show through. Currently, you love to push babies (or really any object) in your stroller and insist that they come outside with you so you can take them for a walk. I know feminists may cringe at the thought of this, but I sincerely hope this is a trait you never loose. Male or female, the need to want to care for others isn’t something that everyone has and it is an asset that I believe will take you far in life, whether that it is caring for your own children if you so wish, me and your dad in the later years or life, sticking up for others on the playground or in the workplace. Going the extra mile to help others is always appreciated.

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Notes:

At your 18 month check up you were 33.5 inches and 28 lbs, putting you in the 90% for both.

You use a spoon or fork at every meal. You’re successful about 50% of the time of getting food on the utensil and into your mouth, but eventually resort to using your fingers (while holding the fork in the other hand). Yogurt tends to be a messy one.

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Your two bottom eye teeth popped through at the same time at the beginning of the month. You were a little crabby, but overall not too bad.

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You continue to be a chatter bug and I have completely lost count of the words you say, but you’ve started putting sentences together. You’ve been saying ‘what happened?’ and ‘What’s that?’ for a couple months now, but have started other phrases like ‘Where go?’ and hi dada (hi dago). You also can now say bankie, which for some reason is absolutely adorable when you say it.

You love playing ball, whether it is throwing it or kicking it. Your favorite thing to do is roll it under the cars and see where it gets stuck.

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Your hair is getting thicker and longer! Makes your ponies much easier to put in! You’ve also got some curl to it. I’m not sure if it is the length that it is at, but almost everyday, the back part just naturally curls out! There aren’t many things cuter than a little girl with curls, and in my biased opinion, you are not an exception!

You have an obsession with patty cake these days. You want to listen to it over and over and over in the car and want to play it at home and in the cart in stores and pretty much ask for pat-a-cake 24/7.

There have been a handful on tantrum’s that we’ve seen out of you. They mostly occur when you’re tired, haven’t seen me all day and I’m telling you no to something. You fall to the floor and start whining, but usually it is over as fast as it started.

You got to meet one of your new cousins Brian, not sure why you look so grumpy here cause you kept saying Baby over and over again while we were there and on our way home.

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You continue to drag your three amigos with you everywhere you can.

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Happy 18 months sweet pea! We love you so much.

Love,

Mama

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Lexi

Memorial Day at Leech Lake

Dear Lexi,

Over Memorial Day weekend, we made the trek up to Leech Lake to spend some time with Mitch, Teresa and your friend Nessa. Their cabin is over 100 years old and on an island so amenities were limited, not that you noticed, but it was so nice to get away and relax without feeling like I should be cleaning the house or doing errands. My sweet girl, you had so much fun and just LOVED running around. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

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Love,

Mama

Alexis Monthly Posts, Lexi

Lexi One Year Four Months (16 Months)

Lexi Lou,

My sweet sweet girl! The months with you continue to fly by. This month finally brought us temperatures above 30 degrees, grass, walks and enjoyment of the good old vitamin D we’ve all been lacking, and you sure seem to be soaking it up.

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Favorite Moments:

By the time you go to bed most nights the house is in total disarray. Everything you touch is a little seed traveling through the house. Whether its books, toys, socks, combs, clothing, toothbrushes etc… they seem to end up in the opposite location of the house you picked them up. You pick things up and carry them until you get distracted and find something new to pick up. Although it is a lot of work and straight-up exhausting most days to pick up your tornado of a mess before you wake up and do it again the next day, it makes me happy to do so. I love the constant little reminders of you all over our house and am oh so grateful to have you regardless of how messy and exhausting you can be.

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Awhile back I started to bounce you and say ‘bum bum bum bum bum bum’ as we would go down the stairs and you would throw your head back and giggle. There have been a couple of times, I have forgotten to do this and three quarters of the way down I hear your little voice going ‘bububububu’. I love how you pick up and remember little things we do and say.

During bath time, we have a little routine down. You start by let the water run over your hands as the tub fills, then you’ll play for a little. Once you try and climb out or pull the plug to let the water out, we wash your hair and body. Usually, you fight lying down on your back but once you’re there we sing the ‘Down in the Meadow in the itsy Bitsy Blue’ song and you’re very comfortable. After we’re done rinsing, you pull the plug and watch the water drain out. I put your Tigger towel on over your head (which you usually try to take off) wrap the towel around you with your arms at your side like a little soldier and lift you out of the tub. We go right to the mirror to look at ‘Lexi Tigger.’ I could just die at this next moment but you wiggle your arms out, push the hood off your head and wrap your little arms tight around my neck and push your check against mine. I nearly melt every time you do this.  Your tight embrace is one of my favorite things and you do it every time. It. Is. The. Best!!!!

Dada and I have definitely noticed your increased need for our attention. You love to tell us where to sit and watch you play. You’ll even come find us in a different room of the house, pull our hand to where you want to be, pat the floor and say ‘sit’, which by the way sounds awfully close to another four-lettered word.

Lexi, your zest for life makes each day that much better. Each morning you wake up cheerful and will lie in your crib and talk to your animals, sing and just be happy for a good 20 minutes. And the moment Dada or I open your door, you start jumping up and down. What a great way to wake up each morning! Let’s hope this continues into your teenage years! (haha!!)

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Sweet girl, you have an incredible sense of hearing! Whenever you hear any kind of sound outside, you immediately stop what you are doing and run to the window and ask “What’s that?” Currently, your favorites are airplanes, helicopters and the garbage truck. You love to run from window to window watching where he will go next.

Notes:

You experienced your 2nd Easter this month and didn’t quite ‘get it’ but looked adorable in your little yellow dress. The Easter bunny brought you bubbles, coloring materials, chalk, your stuffed pig and a bike. You LOVE your pig and gave it a big hug as soon as you found your basket (hidden under your table in the kitchen). Your bike on the other hand, you aren’t a big fan of. We were practicing riding it and you tumbled off and have refused to go near it sense. Overall, the day of Easter was fantastic. The weather was beautiful and you had so much fun running and playing with your big cousins Ashy and Coco. You were also spoiled in getting presents from many of your family members.

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You’re a very polite little girl. You regularly sign ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ without us prompting you and say ‘Chew’ after someone sneezes or coughs.

You like to pretend to sleep and will cuddle with one of your animals or on a pillow and say ‘Sheew’ imitating snoring.

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You love to throw things down the stairs and then go and get them. Playing on the stairs is one of your favorite places to be—not the safest, but you do really really well on them and we have very little fears of you falling. In general, you continue to be very cautious. You’re hesitant on jumping into our arms, sliding off furniture, stepping over ridges or through doors.

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You experienced your first real owes this month. The first was tripping over mama’s computer cord and hitting your face on one of the floor vents and getting a little boo-boo on your nose. The second was getting into Dada’s travel bin, finding his razor and attempting to shave your face. There was a brand new blade on it and you cut your cheek a little.

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You like helping mama cook. You’ll often beg to be picked up and then say ‘hep’ meaning you want to help stir.

Whenever you give a hug, you like to announce by saying ‘Huuug’. I also can not get enough of the way you say ‘ah-k’.  It is just so sweet and innocent. You continue to love almost all foods, with your favorite being blueberries and ask ‘bue’ for everything.

Lexi, we love you and your enthusiasm for every new thing you see, hear or emotion to experience. Your giggles bring life to our walls and radiate happiness to everyone you encounter. Thank you for being you and the way you have perfectly nuzzled your way into the warmest places in our hearts.

Love,

Mama

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Alexis Monthly Posts, Lexi

Lexi One Year Four Months (16 months)

Dear Lexi,

This was another long, cold month. I was reading over your 15 month post and it feels like the things I talked about happened months ago. Coincidently, this is the month I have the fewest ‘notes’ of what happened, so we’re just going to kind of go with it, which describes your personality in the truest sense.

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Favorite Monthly Moments:
To prolong bedtime, you try to play instead of reading books. One night, while doing this, you pulled out all of your diapers from the drawer and attempted to put them on yourself. You would open a diaper up and squat over it. It was hilarious to watch you do this—as if you were thinking they would magically fly onto you, but very sweet to see your nurturing side shine!

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A funny but slightly embarrassing moment occurred while we were out to eat for St. Patrick’s Day. We brought you to listen to some Irish music, your favorite, and enjoy some Fish and chips. For whatever reason, you felt you could skip using your hands to feed yourself and put your mouth directly to the table and suck up your fish. I’m not sure where you got this idea as we have never seen it before, but it was pretty entertaining to watch. I just wish I had an actual picture of it, instead you’ll have to enjoy this one.

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Daddy has been busy working with you on a lot of things, one of which is saying ‘love you’. Now when we say ‘I love you Lexi’ you respond with ‘uv-ew’. You also love to give hugs. You run up with big arms and lean your head onto our shoulders and say ‘hu’. We’ll keep working on pronouncing the whole words, but it feels pretty great to have you attempt to tell and show us how you feel.

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In addition to the words love you and hug, you also say OK, yes (and use them correctly when we ask you questions) pumpkin=pum-pum, cars=zoom zoom, heart, baby, and my favorite word, pillow=piwow.

Your Auntie Sheila moved back from Chicago so we all went over to Grandma B’s to help welcome her home and unpack the moving track. And you have developed quite the strong bond with Grandma! You love to play with her and beg for her to hold you! It’s so great to see you developing strong bonds with people other than Daddy and myself.

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There were a couple of nice days this month where you were able to go outside and play and you LOVE being outside. You are scared of the snow, but love running up and down the sidewalk! You even walked around the block with me!

With some of your teeth coming in, we enjoyed some extra snuggle time for bed time and in the middle of the night. As exhausting as it can be to get up in the middle of the night, Your cuddles are far and few between and I’ll take them where I can get them! One thing that is really funny when you sleep is how you keep your arms tucked down at your side. You’ll pull giraffee up onto your shoulder and then tuck your hands under your tummy like a little torpedo. Daddy wonders if that habit came as a result of swaddling?

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Notes:
Your other bottom molar came through and one of the top ones is very close. These teeth have given you a hard time. It disrupts your sleeping and generally makes you more whinny than normal.

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You do a great job of putting all of our shoes on the shelf when they’re left out and bringing me yours when we’re going to leave.

You’ve started to throw little tantrums when you don’t get your way.

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You recognize the shape of a heart and say it when you see it

You love to be facing forward in the car! (and I love being able to see you!)

When you say bye-bye to people you say the words nigh-nigh.

You love to wave to people when they aren’t looking. When someone does look, you get very shy and cling to mama.

You’ve regressed a little from going to the bathroom on the potty. We were getting you like 50% of the time and now it is maybe 25%.

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I’ve been working with you on putting puzzle pieces into their spots, verses just taking the pieces out and walking around with them, but you haven’t shown too much interest in this. You’ll usually try once or twice and if you don’t get it, you walk away.

Your favorite book is the big animal book. We read it every night. You love to howl like a wolf.

Your hearing is off the charts. You hear every noise buzz, beep, airplane or car that drives by. You always stop what you’re doing, get huge eyes put your arms out at your sides with palms up and ask ‘What’s that?’

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Love bug, life gets better with you every day. It is so fun to watch you grow and your ability to communicate with us has made things so much easier. We love your sweet antics and your chubby checks!

Love, Mama

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Lexi

A mother’s love

Dear Lexi,

I started writing this post to you over a year ago as a way to help release some of my thoughts and emotions on tragedies that have happened in our neighborhood and across the country. There were too many sad and horrible things that happened your first year of life. Our neighbor’s house burnt down, a man killed 20 innocent 1st graders in school, two boys set of bombs during the Boston Marathon, there was a murder in our neighborhood and much more.

When I first began writing this post, I didn’t necessarily know how to make sense of what I was feeling, and basically just documented the events and how terrible they were and how sad they made me. But now, as time has gone by and the shock of these horrible things has diminished, the thing that sticks with me is a mother’s love.

Sad and horrible things have been happening my entire life. As I would hear about them, I would agree they were sad and felt bad for the people involved, but never had tragedies touched my heart in the way they have since I found out I was pregnant with you. Now, I can’t help but selfishly think, What if that was me? I’m instantly brought to tears and my stomach churns as if I’m going to be sick. I can not imagine life without you and feel for the pain these families go through.

I always thought I knew what the phrase ‘A mother’s love’ meant, but after having you, I realized the feeling is so much stronger and deeper than I ever imagined.

Lexi, you are my world and can’t imagine life without you in it. You make the sun feel warmer, the flowers more fragrant, your giggles are contagious and life is just straight-up more joyful with you in it. I pray there isn’t a day that I have to experience what unfortunately so many other mothers around the world face. And I prey that one day you are blessed with your own little angle so you can experience ‘a mother’s love’, because it is an amazing and powerful thing.

Love,

Mama

Alexis Monthly Posts, Lexi

Lexi One Year Three Months (15 months)

Dear Lexi Lou,

My sweet girl, you are a quarter of the way through your second year of life! You are growing and learning at a massive rate. It is getting harder and harder to keep things out of your hands. You open drawers, grab things off the table, and can see above the window sill. Your comprehension is remarkable with new words and behaviors surfacing everyday. Your independence is starting to shine through and you are developing quiet the sense of humor.

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Favorite Monthly Moments:

During one of our ‘Mommy-Lexi date nights’ you were feeling extra sweet and maybe a little tired while swimming. Your little fingers clung the back of my arms and nuzzled your head onto my shoulder and just cuddled for two minutes while we swam around. It was such a sweet and peaceful moment. I know you love and rely on me greatly but this small gesture really showed it, which is a completely ridiculous statement considering your 15 months and you don’t know anything else and there is no reason for you to not feel this way. But, it really was a heart warmer.

We’ve tried to catch you while you’re going ‘poo’ (as you like to call it) and put you on the potty to help avoid your nasty diaper rashes. We’re not necessarily trying to potty-train you as we know you’re too young, but pamper your sensitive little tush. Most of the time, we catch you just as you have finished your business, but we have had a couple of successful attempts at both poo and potty. So far, it has seemed to help as we haven’t had any bad diaper rashes this month.

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After a successful potty trip, you were enjoying your fruit snack treat while I was unloading the dishwashing and peeked your way and found you squatting on your chair over a big pile of poo! So funny and gross!

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Daddy has been working with you on telling us how old you are. When we ask, ‘How old are you?’ your proudly hold up your pointer finger!

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You’ve started watching shows on the ipad. You’re very favorite is Choo Choo Bobs, but have also watched Sesame Street, Barney, Thomas the Train and Baby Einstein. Interestingly, you’ll only watch these on the ipad—not the TV. I think the TV is up too high and too far away to keep you engaged.

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While looking at pictures we often ask ‘who is that’. This month you started to answer and even point and identify without asking. We were at Grandma’s house and you saw pictures of Mama, and you pointed and say ‘ma-ma’.

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You have officially mastered putting together the signs ‘more’ ‘please’, and use them all the time. If you want music on, or even a different song to play, you waddle over to the computer hit the desk, sign ‘more’ ‘please’ and point to the computer. Watching you learn to communicate has been so fun. It has been so helpful for both you and us as we know what you want. Less crying and whining is always a plus in my book!

You’ve become a stuffed animal hoarder! You demand to have as many stuffed animals as you can hold in your little arms whenever leaving your crib. We’ll come into your room and you quickly start gathering as many of your friends as you can fit into your arms, look at us and say ‘up’. In the rare instance you’re distracted upon leaving, you will hold our hands bringing us to your room point to your crib and sign ‘please’ while point to your animals. You are only satisfied if your arms are full.

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One of my favorite things every night is playing ‘I’m gonna get you.’ You run and laugh hysterically, while i crawl after and chase you (creative game, I know). Your giggles are the harmony of my heart and I love seeing the excitement in your eyes as you look over your shoulder and see me about to ‘get you’. Your constant enjoyment of life is such a good reminder to just let things go because it does no good to dwell, worry, be angry or anticipate tomorrow. The simplicity of your life to ‘live today and love today’ is something I try and do more of everyday.

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Notes:

Many of your 18 M clothes are too short and you are transitioning into 2T clothes (especially shirts).

You’re 32 inches (90-95%), 26 lbs. and 10 oz (95-98%) and head size is 47.5 inches (75-90 %)

New words: Poo, Two, Toy, cuw-claw=turtle, cu-ca=cup cake, and lots of attempts at imitating words, OK, bless you, ahh-choo, thank you

We’re working on nodding our head ‘yes’ instead of always saying ‘no’

Occasionally you’ll follow directions. After brushing your teeth, I asked if you could go put your toothbrush away, hoping you would just bring it into the bathroom, but you blew my socks off by opening the drawer and putting your toothbrush away. I’ve also asked you to help pick up your bath toys and playing cards and you happily oblige.

Your top right tooth had been sitting on the edge of your gums just begging to poke through for weeks and it finally did the last couple days of the month. Your bottom left molar also came through at the same time which made your temper flare up. You seemed to beg for medicine, we think. You kept begging to go to the medicine cabinet. At the time, I thought only your top tooth that was coming in and it had already broke through so I didn’t give you anything, but after a couple days, felt your molar and felt awful making you suffer through that pain.

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I love you so much bunkie boo. You are such a happy and laid back little girl and I love being your ma-ma.

Love, Ma-ma

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Alexis Monthly Posts, Lexi

Lexi One Year, Two Months (14 months)

Dear Lexi,

Well, January held up to its reputation of being long and cold! There were many days where it was -40 degrees (with the windchill) and I think it only was above 20 degrees 5 times the entire month. When it has gotten above 15 degrees, it snows…so it has been a hard month cooped up inside. Of course, you haven’t minded. You love wondering around the house, getting into drawers, (literally) cabinets and anything you’re not supposed to. I’m not sure what your growing stats are, but it feels like you’ve gone through a major growth spurt as you seem a taller and have grown out of your size 4 shoes.

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Favorite moments:

I document this every month, but sweet girl, you love you dance! Anytime you hear music, whether it is from a TV commercial, itunes, your toys or ring tones, you start grooving–even in your car seat and highchair. You love to boogie! Your newest move is a one-shoulder shrug.  So cute, especially when the rest of your body is still and you pop you shoulder up and down.

In addition to dancing you really enjoy reading books. You like to flip the pages and ‘read’ them by yourself. Daddy will often find you sitting in your room throughout the day reading books by yourself for a good 15-20 minutes. You also love to be read to. On average, we’ll read 15-20 books a day. As we read, you pick out the smallest most-minute details such as a spider in the background or a little mouse peeking through a hole—very detail oriented my girl.

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We had Auntie Angie and Uncle Joe’s Christmas card on the cupboard and whenever I would hold you, you would randomly say ‘woof woof’—as you saw Lucy on their card. Eventually, I let you hold it, and you carried it around the house the entire day and kept saying ‘woof woof’ and kissing the pictures of Uncle Joe and Auntie Angie.

Your Auntie Beca graduated from her dental hygiene program this month so we were out at Grandma and Grandpa S’s house celebrating and you had so much fun playing with Ashley and Courtney. The three of you went up and down the stairs at least 50 times. At the top and you would put your arms above your head and go ‘ta-da’ and then scoot down. When you got to the bottom you would sit on the last step and bounce up and down, laugh and then repeat the process. It was so entertaining to watch your big cousins take care of you and the three of you playing together.

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This month, you’ve begun to initiate peek-a-boo games. Instead of waiting for mama and dad to start, you’ll run behind a piece of furniture and then peek out, giggle and tuck back. Additionally, by the end of the month, you started putting your hands over your eyes and then pull them away, giggling and then repeat over and over and over again. I love to watch your innocence and peer enjoyment in the simplest things.

My favorite moment of the month took place just after you had finished eating a cookie. You were  at your table and had chocolate frosting on the top of your lip, giving you a mini mustache. As soon as you swallowed your last bite, you ran to the stove, grabbed the dish towels and started dabbing your face to clean off the chocolate. It was such a sweet, genuine and completely un-solicited moment—especially since you despise having your hands and face washed.

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When we went swimming, for the first 30 min or so, you were very unsure of the water, the people, the noises and the whole situation in general. But after you became more comfortable, you loved it! You kicked your legs like a little frog, were very comfortable on your back. You even volunteered to put your face in the water and didn’t cry when you went underwater. It was a lot of fun to see you enjoy a new activity and I can’t wait to go again!

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Noteables:

Another tooth popped through on top for a total of 7.

You’ve had some bad diaper rashes and a couple of colds throughout the month.

You learned to go down stairs. You sit on your butt and scout down one at a time.

Whenever your sippy cup is backwards, you flip it around (previous you just drank from it backwards)

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You love to… RUN, read books, pretend to put clothes on, eat snacks at your table and chairs, take things off Dada’s desk and play our bathroom—probably because you know you’re not supposed to.

You play really well by yourself—for as long as 30 minutes sometimes.

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We officially weaned you from bottles.

Daddy was gone for a week, which made childcare tricky!

We’re working on keeping a regular bed time routine—jammies, brush teeth, hugs and kisses to dada and read stories.

We visited Choo Choo Bobs for music and story time. There were a lot of people there and you were TERRIFIED! You had a death grip on my neck and just sat on my lap for the first 30 minutes, but you did eventually play!

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Words: mama, dada, oh-oh, up, all done, num-a-num-a-num, nigh-nigh, no-no-no-no, on, hot, papa, two and attempts: thank you, milk, Lexi

Signs: hi, bye, more, all done, train, please, thank you, frog, bunny, cat, dog, airplane, elephant, bird, night-time, monkey, stars, light

Noises: dog, wind, snake, pig, bee, owl and attempts: turkey, cat, goat, cow, choo choo, airplane sounds

You are the light of everyday sweet girl and am so eager to get home and see you each day. It is so fun to watch you grow, learn and discover new things everyday.

Love,

Mama

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Alexis Monthly Posts, Lexi

Lexi One year one month (13 months)

Dear Lexi,

What a fast, crazy, fun-filled month! It was cold, we got lots of snow and you had you’re first (second) Christmas. Technically, your first Christmas was last year, but you were 3 weeks old so it only 1/2 counts. And to be completely honest, you could have given two hoots about Christmas this year too. You definitely didn’t ‘get it’.

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Favorite moments

For your birthday you received two baby-dolls, some pretend bottles a stroller and you love to take care of your babies. It is so sweet to watch you put the bottles up to their faces and put them over your shoulder and pat their back. When you take them for ‘walks’ in their stroller, you’ll waddle to the front, squat down and check on them and fuss with them a little bit and then continue your ‘walk’. It’s so adorable to see how caring and nurturing you are!

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We took you to see Santa for the first time. I tried to plan the visit so we wouldn’t have to wait in line very long, but failed. Luckily, you and Daddy were stuck in traffic while I waited, so you only had to wait twenty minutes. I wasn’t sure how you would react as you usually take awhile to warm up to new people and places, but you did surprisingly well. You didn’t cry or smile. You pretty much just sat there and looked at him were intrigued by the items on the table next to him.

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You’ve made the connection that when you pull the bathtub drain up, water disappears. When you’re done playing you’ll announce ‘aaaww done’, pull the plug and try and swing your leg over the edge of the tub, which you not quite tall enough to do so yet, and makes mom nervous.

Daddy has done a really great job teaching and enforcing ‘one-touch’ with you. You can touch almost anything one time, but no grabbing or multiple touches. This came in handy with the Christmas decorations up. You touched the tree and a couple of ornaments a few times and then were done with it. Daddy also set-up the Christmas tree train and you LOVED it. Every time you came into the room, you would run and point for it to be turned on. Then, you would proceed to run back and forth as it would circle and giggle and stomp your feet. You were pretty darn cute. And it was fun to see Daddy excited, as you showed interest in his hobby!

Not exactly a favorite moment, but definitely a memorable one, is the first negative behavior we’ve seen from you. On a couple of different occasions if I said ‘no’ to something you wanted, you would take my hand and try and bite it. At first, I thought it was a teething thing, but after it happened a couple of times and you would look at me as I said no, and then take my hand and bite it, I knew you were expressing your anger. I’m not sure what to think of this. Part of me is nervous for what that may mean for the future. Part of me is intrigued that you have been pre-programmed to react this way. This isn’t a learned behavior because you have never seen anyone else do this. Another part of me is sad that I’ve made you so angry you’re driven to hurt me. I know there are going to be many situations in the future where you’re not going to like what I say, but it doesn’t mean I like it.

Other notables:

You learned how to climb up on our couches this month.

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You spent your first night away from both mom and dad. We’ve each spent nights away from you, but not at the same time. Grandma B loved having you!

You love to point at everything and shake your head ‘no-no-no’.

New words for the month: ‘uh-oh’, ‘oh-no’, ‘no-no-no’, ‘see’, ‘num-a-num-a-num’, which translates to ‘I’m hungary’.

Your hair has grown long enough to be put into pigtails. You look like blonde Boo from Monster’s Inc.

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Your bottom right tooth popped through–which was pretty terrible and you felt awful from it. You also had a cold at this time which made the teething process that much worse.

You can identify your ears and your toes (in addition to your nose and eyes)

If we leave food out on the counter, you demand to have some of it.

You make brum-brum noises while playing and pushing your cars.

Sweet Lexi, you are so fun to be around and dada and I love watching you grow and learn. We love you more everyday.

Love,

Mama

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Snuggling with Daddy on Christmas! Too much fun for you!

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Reading stories with your Grandma Sampson’s.

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Family pic on Christmas Eve

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Fun playing in boxes

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Snuggles for your pillow

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The ONLY decent day to get outside in the entire month!

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Sleeping like Auntie Sheila, butt up in the air.

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You LOVE LOVE LOVE reading books, with mama and dada and by yourself

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Your first wall ‘artwork’ we woke up to as your sippy cup wasn’t properly screwed on and you were shaking it all over the place creating beautiful artwork.

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Carrying your 6 lbs bag of gummies to me.

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You learned how to crawl up and down in the chair this month.

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Helping clean the floors! Love that you saw the rags and just got down and started cleaning!

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‘I swear I didn’t do it dada!’

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Somehow you got yourself between the bar and the mirror

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Day to Day, Lexi

Peanut-free club

Dear Lexi,

A couple of weeks ago, you joined the peanut-free club. About a week before your first birthday, I gave you some peanut butter on toast and you didn’t have any kind of reaction, so I thought we were in the clear on the peanut allergy. So the Saturday after your birthday, you had some peanut butter on your toast again. This time, wherever the peanut butter was touching your face was all red and then when I wiped your face off, the red spots turned into hives, little white raised bumps. I called the doctor immediately and by the time I got off the phone they were gone. Apparently, you don’t react the first time with food allergies as you need to be exposed before you can have a reaction.

Luckily, we had your 12 month checkup schedule within a couple of days so we could talk to the doctor about your reaction then.

While at the doctor, they did a blood test to confirm any allergies and sure enough you have a mild peanut allergy. Thankfully, you aren’t allergic to any other foods, but we still need to be very careful with the foods we give you.

Since they said you have a mild allergy, I’m hopeful that you’ll grow out of it within a couple of years!

Until then, we’re stocked with epi-pens, Benadryl and reading labels!

Love,

Mama

Chirstmas, Lexi

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas Lexi Lou!

You definitely made the ‘nice’ list this year and were so spoiled with wonderful gifts from your family!

Our first Christmas celebration this year was mama’s dad’s extended family. You were such a trooper with all of the people that were there, and had fun playing with all your second cousins–there are 7 of them now and 4 more on the way!

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The crew has grown quite a bit since 2007... 10 new cousins, 8 second cousins and 4 more on the way
The crew has grown quite a bit since 2007… 10 new cousins, 8 second cousins and 4 more on the way

Your second celebration was on Christmas Eve with mama’s family. We went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, ate meat pies, opened presents and then went to church (which you did great in and loved the music and were hamming it up with everyone around you).

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Christmas morning, Grandma and Grandpa B came over for breakfast after they dropped Auntie Sheila at the airport. And we hung out all day and played with all of your new toys: table and chairs, baby dolls, your playhouse, books, a new giraffee (which you don’t like, but felt like we needed to have a back up for you) and a couple of other odds and ends.

Then a couple days later, we went over Great-Grandma and Grandpa S’s house to celebrate with Daddy. You loved all the attention from your big cousins, Ashley and Courtney.

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It was a wonderful, busy couple of days and you are so loved by your family.

Love,

Mama