KatieKate at 12 months and 3 weeks

It's amazing to watch Katie. Every single week, she learns multitudes of new things. She's in a constant stage of changing, growing and learning. This week she learned how to balance herself and stand. Before she was always so wobbly, but now as long as she has a hand on something steady, she can stand for long periods at a time. If she holds on to me, she can take steps as well. Slow down, Katie! I'm not prepared to have her walking yet! She's also putting words together. Instead of just waving and saying bye bye, she now says "bye bye, daddy" and "up, mama". She says "hi, Steve" and "bye Blue." I had no idea she was ready to start making small sentences until she just started to one day and day by day, she learns how to put different ones together. Katie is down to one half nap a day now. It's always under an hour long and usually happens between 2-3. She wakes up to start her day around 9 am, has her midday nap, and goes to sleep around 10-11. Previously, she was going to bed every night by 9:30, but I messed up her good sleeping schedule a few days in a row so we have to make it back to there. Katie is eating like crazy. She'll eat just about anything! I made coconut custard pie and tried a slice in front of her - of course she wanted to try it too! She's a little eating machine. But she's still reluctant to drink out of her sippy. She loves to chew on it and carry it, but she doesn't like juice and she doesn't want her teether giving her any liquids! At least she loves to drink out of a straw, which I suppose is more important anyway. She's getting better at playing by herself. Before, she needed me to sit beside her and entertain, but now she has an imagination and sits and plays with her toys alone. Or, she goes off to explore, which is her favorite thing to do. If possible, she enjoys Blue's Clues even more now. Mailbox is her new favorite character, and she's understanding that it's interactive, so she speaks back to the questions. She always, without fail, says bye to Steve at the end of every episode, and dances at mail time. She sometimes points out a clue, or giggles when the clue is right on the screen. Katie loves to have her hair done. I never thought she'd like it, I figured I'd have to coerce her into getting her hair put up and out of her eyes. Instead, she sits very still and smiles as I gather her crazy curly hair and put it into pigtails. Once I'm done, she likes to pat each pigtail a few times and giggles. She likes to feel her hair being brushed as well. I know there was more to write, but I can't think of it. Katie is currently resting by my side in a peaceful nap, so I should probably get ahead of the game and start getting things done. I have a large Minnie Mouse head pillow with a pajama pocket in the dryer right now that I know she's going to love, so I'm going to go get that out for an after nap surprise, and maybe begin my series of apple pies.