14 Months

Finding Time To Make a Post!

Cordelia is a full on Toddler now.  She is getting braver and more adventurous, exploring all the time.  She is starting to sit on or ride on toys and rockers that used to scare her or make her nervous.  She walks everywhere, leading the charge!  We had to buy her some shoes at last.  We followed our sister-in-law's advice that Stride Rite was the brand to go with, worth the extra money.  I looked at a lot of baby shoes and I don't like how some are just mini versions of adult shoes, like Toms, converse, or sketchers.  Like, I think they're ok for bigger feet, but maybe there should be some change… shoes should be specially designed for early walkers!!  When we first went in the store, we told the Stride Rite sales girl that C was walking.  She pointed us to these super clunky shoes and sandals.  I felt they were too heavy for her little baby feet.  I then looked at their "cruiser" shoes and they were much softer and more flexible, with the rubber sole so kids can still feel the ground beneath them.  Yup.  That is what I was looking for.  So I ignored the sales girl and asked for the softer shoes.  They are great, only wish there were less girly girly colors.  We got white with light pink accents and butterflies on the side.  Pretty cute!  Cordelia is wearing bigger shoes than even her cousin Rocky.  They measured her at size 5, I think, and recommended we get her a 5.5 for room to grow.  But I think the shoes we ended up buying (maybe sizes were limited, I can't remember?) were a full 6.  Rocky is still in 4.5.  Ahhh, my daughter of the big feet!!  She is gonna be a tall one!

We got the shoes just in time because the next weekend we were very busy.  We made our annual family trip to the State Fair in Sacramento.  Cordelia slept in the car and refused to nap the rest of the day.  It was crazy doing something with C that we had done the previous year, when she was 2 months old.  Just the idea that there were things we did "this time last year" exists for her now is kind of boggling.  It was hot, but not unbearable, especially in the shade or the air-conditioned shopping halls.  I let Cordelia taste soft serve ice cream for the first time.  She like it, but wasn't crazy for it.  Maybe a little cold for her mouth?  She liked it on the spoon, but wouldn't lick my ice cream cone.

The next day we had my teacher-play date, for which we took on of the toddlers from my work to Tilden Park's Little Farm.  It was fun getting to spend time with her parents who are lovely and call Cordelia a mini-me of their daughter.  They DO look like they could be sisters.  

Earlier in the month, we made a 4th of July trip to LA.  C did GREAT on the drive, waking up in confusion when we stopped for gas or bathroom breaks, and she had a hard time falling back to sleep once we reached my parents house.  But overall, she slept pretty well in their pack-in-play.  She walked ALL AROUND their house.  It was very fun.  She even wanted to go up and down stairs.  One of the best parts was we took her swimming in their pool.  Cordelia enjoyed it a lot, especially playing with the little waterfall between the hot tub and the pool.  We did not go see any fireworks, and fortunately Cordelia slept through those going off in the neighborhood.  On the way back up, we stopped to see Auntie Alison and her BF Michael for lunch.  And more importantly, Michael's dog.  Cordelia loved watching Bodie catch a Frisbee, which she and Bodie both identified as a "ball."  Despite her love of dogs, Cordelia is not so sure she wants one too close to her.  She much prefers to watch them.

Cats, on the other hand, she will approach happily, thanks to her familiarity with our two.  Alex told me to record Cordelia saying "Wih-wo" before her adorable pronunciation changes too much.  I'm glad I did, her pronunciation is already getting clearer, more evidently "Willow."  Cordelia can also identify "Belle."  However, she seems to mix up her words for the cats sometimes.  For a long time, she would call Belle Willow, but lately she suddenly seems to be saying "Belle" more, even for Willow.  I think she truly knows which cat is which, she just sometimes doesn't think about it too hard so labels them together.  Willow is her favorite to play with, but she loves to watch Belle begging at the table during dinner.

Cordelia wants to be more independent.  She likes to brush her hair, brush her teeth, and try and put her feet on her shoes.  She has seen how certain things are used and wants to copy us.

Her vocabulary is growing.  Sometimes it seems really rapid, other times it feels like it's been a while since she said something new.  And then BOOM she surprises you with something.  She is always listening and absorbing.  I should be keeping a list, but I don't remember the order.  Here are some of the other things she says now.  She MEOWS for cats, says BAA for sheep, and OO OO AH AH for her stuffed money.  She says  NANA for bananas.  Sometimes she has said "nose" and (more clearly) eyes (as she tries to poke me in the eye or grab my glasses).  She has said PAPA for Jason's dad.  She says Ba-oo for Peek a book.  Yes, she plays peek a boo like a pro.  She hides in the corner of her play area and pops out at us.  Last night after her bath, she took the towel and hid under it and played peek a boo many times with me.  I started to scream in surprise when she showed herself.  She loved it and when she got up from the changing table she gave me a big hug.  It was the best hug, a real embrace and I could feel she did it because she was so happy having fun with me.  She sometimes gives kisses.   She sometimes pushes us away.  And we hear NO.  A lot.  Or she shakes her head and refuses things (like water cups and mommy's boobie.)  Ah yes, that reminds me.  Cordelia is still nursing, but in the mornings sometimes she doesn't drink enough and I have to encourage her to have more to be comfortable.  I have started taking only one pump break at last, a 2:30.  I still have my morning half hour and I have been able to do things like GO OUTSIDE and shop at the thrift store.  Just being outside is incredible, after all the months of being shut up in my corner.  Ahhhhhhh.  Cordelia still nurses at night, falling asleep at the boob.  This is probably not good for her teeth (milk teeth decay), but she is not ready to stop.  I have to take her off with my finger once she is out.  And be careful of all those teeth.  (Nine now; first bottom molar came through just the other week!  Another on its way).  Cordelia has started saying milk too.  It is hard to write down how she pronounces it.  She pats my breast and gives it a little jiggle, and says, "Mehrr".  There is an upward lilt to it.

That's all I've got time for, love our girl so much!