It feels impossible that I’m writing this but our sweet little Riley tuned a whole year 10 days ago. I know that I have not done as well keeping up with her monthly posts. But it is not indicative of the amount of joy she brings to our lives. Having two little ones close together has proven a challenge to my blogging abilities. But as I look back on this year of her life I am overwhelmed with love, joy and gratefulness that we get to be her parents and have this sweet little one in our lives. It has all gone too fast as everyone says it does. The expression the days are long but the years are short continues to ring truer with every birthday we celebrate for our children.
Stats:
She currently weights 20 lbs 12 oz putting her in the 70th percentile for weight. In true busy mom fashion, I left the little card they gave me with her stats on it on the exam table so can’t tell you exactly how tall she is. But I can tell you she is in the 50th percentile for height. It’s funny because she feels “tall” to me in comparison to how her brother seemed. But alas it seems neither of our children are destined to be pro basketball or volleyball players.
Likes: MOVING- this girl is all over the place. She is practically running at this point but she walks all over and when she isn’t walking it seems like she’s trying to climb something. She is definitely our little climber and the one we’ll have to watch extra closely! She loves anything and everything that brother is into. No one makes her smile and laugh more than her brother. She enjoys being outside, riding in the wagon, string cheese, fruit and fistfuls of veggie straws. She loves when daddy gets home from work and just lights up when she hears the door open. She likes to play peek-a-boo and clap her hands at anything that makes her happy and she LOVES to swing. Her and brother have that in common and it’s looking like we’ll need a second one to keep everyone happy.
Dislikes: Having her diaper changed, although I suspect it is more the fact that she has to temporarily stop moving. She doesn’t like to be left out of anything, especially anything involving JB. But otherwise she is a very happy baby.
Eating, Sleeping and Playing:
Little miss is finally developing a bigger appetite for table food. She’s always been great about trying things but hasn’t wanted to actually consume a whole lot but lately she has been really enjoying meal time! She is the world’s messiest eater but I just keep telling myself it’s a phase, she won’t throw her food all over forever. Some of her favorite foods are bananas (she seriously cannot get enough), cheese, pasta of any kind, rice, steak, pretty much all other fruit, green beans, peas, and rice cakes.
She currently wakes anywhere from about 6:15-7:00. And she usually takes 2 naps each day- one at about 9:30 or so and the other around 1 or 1:30. Her first nap is her short nap and the afternoon nap is the long one The afternoon nap lines up with JB’s nap and it is the biggest gift of motherhood at the moment to have them nap simultaneously. In between naps we are playing, snacking, eating, more playing.
We usually play with our toys in the morning, have some kind of outing before the afternoon nap and then spend some time outside in the yard or on a walk after nap before dinner time. After dinner there is usually more playtime with toys and then bath and bed. She loves her bath just like brother always has.
She usually goes to bed around 7, give or take about a half hour. She is working on sleeping through the night. We had some rough months recently but she has been doing better and better. We’ve had several nights of sleeping all the way through the night. But even when she does wake, I just try to focus on how short a season this is. How I can’t remember the last time I rocked JB in the night and how they’re only this little for such a short time. How the late night snuggles might feel almost impossibly difficult now but I will look back and miss them one day. That said, I also savor the nights she sleeps all the way through and pray for her to do so every night for the foreseeable future.
Favorite Moment: She experienced her first snow this month and it was magical and delightful to experience with her. While she’s been taking steps for a while now (since about 9.5 months), at about 11 months she really took off and so this month has been so fun having her really on the go and just getting to experience everything in a different way. Her birthday party of course is a highlight. It worked out to have it on her actual birthday which was so fun and just a joy to have so many people we love celebrate with us.
If I had to describe Riley to someone who’d never met her the main thing I’d say is she is the happiest, smiliest baby you have met. She smiles with her whole face and just lights up. It’s impossible not to smile when you see it. I hope she continues to radiate light and joy as she grows and feel honored to get to be part of that with her.
I was looking back at the post I wrote for JB’s first birthday and at the end I wrote that I was both mourning the infant stages but also really looking forward to what was to come, sure I would enjoy that just as much. And as we embark on the adventure of toddlerhood with Riley and leave infancy behind I know with confidence that what’s coming will be so fun! I can’t wait to see who you become baby girl!
