14 months

Layla is 14 months old now, I can hardly believe it. This month has been a bit better...I haven't been praying for patients as often. I found that just removing everything in my house has helped a lot, if it's not there than she can't touch it.It is crazy to me how fast she has gone from a baby to a toddler. She makes me laugh everyday! I love watching her learn to walk, watching her let go of things and just walk away. You can tell she is really concentrating on the task. She is finally getting more teeth and by more I mean 1 more. Yup # 3 has cut in the top center. So I am hoping there are more right behind it. I have been putting cute bows in her hair since it is really starting to grow, how ever they only last seconds most of the time, she then rips them out.

I think we are about to see an end to two naps a day :(. Most days now she will cry, play and talk during one and never fall asleep. Jatovi is really convinced that she still needs the morning nap, and I am not quite sure why. Clearly it makes more sense to transition to one early afternoon nap. But he keeps putting her down in the morning and she won't take an afternoon one then. I guess it is a process and we will work it out. Not much new as far as food, graham crackers and fruit are still her favorites, right now blue berries. We try and go out most days spending a lot of time at the pool, the museum and the park. Layla is so busy it is best just to go out and let her use some of that energy some where else.

WALKING!

Layla is on her way!! Layla has begun walking more and more each day. She is very comfortable walking between two people, and small distances. If she is in a hurry she will still crawl...but I am sure she will be walking full time soon!

Giving in

So there seems to be some battles that I am losing.

1. Juice

My plan was for Layla to not have juice....or very little. It is vary important for Layla to have healthy eating habits so she doesn't spend her life battling her weight as I have. So my plan was for her to drink plenty of water and milk and NO pop and very little juice. However once Layla stopped having her bottle....she stopped peeing. She would drink well from a sippy cup...just small amounts at a time. After two weeks and several dry to almost dry diapers I gave in and gave her watered down juice. It seems to have done the trick....good wet diapers again. We also bought new sippy cups that have a plastic straw and she loves them.

2. Pacifier

Another plan of mine was pacy only while sleeping. That changed to sleeping and in the car a month ago because I was done with the crying in the car. Now I don't care when she has it. Layla seems to wine and cry ALOT! I am not sure if it's normal or just our crazy girl ...but it drives me insane. Until she can use words I feel this is how she is going to be. Her little brain knows what she wants she just has no way of telling us....so screaming, and wining it is. But give her a pacifier and she is quiet! So after giving it thought ...when she is 30 will it matter if she sucked her pacifier for a year? Since she really just started to love it, and I take it away at 2...doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Of course taking it away will be a hassle I am not looking forward to but I will deal with that later. So Layla you can suck til your heart is content as long as it keeps you happy and quiet.

3. Throwing food

Layla lost her dining room privileges. With her loving to throw her food as a way of telling you she is done it was driving me crazy. The floor looked terrible all the time. So Layla know eats in the corner of the kitchen. Our kitchen has tile and its grey so you it is much easier to keep clean.

What the difference a day can make!

What the difference a day can make!

Some days I could just lie down and cry! I love Layla with all of my heart however......the girl can drive me nuts! I think I have mentioned some of her "skills" that can put me over the edge, throwing food, screaming, getting into everything. I guess really just being a toddler...one that doesn't walk!

So yesterday after we woke up, the thought of spending the day alone with her again was more than I can handle. So after a text to see what Molly was doing we were off on a play date. We met Mary, Hilary and Michelle and all the other kids at the Granite Falls pool. Boy was it exactly what we needed!!

We had sooooo much fun! Layla loved the water, the water slide, playing with the kids....all of it! And I loved being around other Mom's that were there to tell me that it's all ok. I also loved watching Layla with the new experiences, eating a Mr.Freezes, going down the water slide, eating peanut butter(oopps she wasn't suppose to yet, but Molly's cracker just looked so good!)and playing in the sprinklers.

I can't wait to spend the summer in the water with our little fish!! ( If only I didn't have to wear a bathing suit)

Granddaddy's Birthday

13 months

What can I say about 13 months? Well it has not been my favorite..that's for sure. I know it can be worse at least she goes to bed at 7 and sleeps for 12hrs, but really the 7-8 hours she is awake a day she can drive me nuts. Some of her favorite things are pulling things out of the cabinets, unplugging the T.V., eating dog food, and hitting Molly Brown with the T.V remote. Since she is my first I thought I could just teach her to not do these things.....um No I can't! That doesn't seem possible at this age so the cabinets are locked, the T.V plug is hidden, Molly's food is put up and poor Molly gets told to move every time she gets close. She throws food, and screams all the time, and throws any thing she can reach. When shes not doing these things she is as cute as she can be!!
Layla has defiantly turned into a toddler. She eats way less with apple sauce in the self feed container and graham crackers being this weeks favorites. She tends to eat a large breakfast and little snacks and meals the rest of the day. Layla is done with bottles! She has not had one in 5 days and didn't seem to miss it all. Since I stopped breastfeeding she has only had her bottles while sitting on our lap, in a chair in her room. This has only been before naps/bedtime. I was worried when we tried to take her bottle away she wouldn't go to sleep. Over the last few weeks she rarely drank her whole bottle so we went cold turkey and I just put her to bed. To my surprise she didn't seem to notice. Boy I am happy that wasn't a big deal...her sleeping so well is what keeps me sane!
She still only has 2 teeth! Can you believe it? Her hair is really coming in now. I have given up the fight about baby oil....if Jatovi wants to put oil on her hair then so be it. Really with the heat and humidity it needs something. Layla is not walking...yet. Just last week I thought we were months away how ever even today she is standing longer and longer with out holding anything. She will drink standing by her self and has taken two steps to her dad with out holding anything. So we will see. She only has a few words...not enough that's why she screams to get what she wants. She says Mom, Dad, hi, bye,bird, up and makes a barking sounds for Molly. I have been working on sign with her but she doesn't seem to be paying any attention.
I know that I am not a get down on the floor and play kinda Mom but I may need to try it! As she grows it appears I will grow as well....patience! I will need them.


I walked by Jatovi's car last week...and what did I see? A for ward facing car seat? When I asked him he said he turned her around because she was happier that way. Well of course she was....so she can't be two different ways. Forward facing it is. Now if we are in an accident it will turn out to be the biggest mistake of our lives.

At home with Daddy while Mommy is at work

Loves to climb

The real Layla...into every thing

Fun Weekend

We had a great weekend. Friday we went to the Life and Science Museum, and then Saturday we took a trip to Wal mart and came home with backyard toys!

The pool is even fun with no water!

Climbing up the slide

Layla seemed to love the tunnel

Watching the butterflies

I was surprised at how much Layla seemed to like the pool. However her love of balls helped her to get comfortable in the water. The pool had little balls that she moved around playing with. I am sure when she starts walking it will be even better!