Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Niva - 13.5 Months

Well I missed writing on her birthday so let's play catch-up about Niva:

She is so different from Zola. I'm assuming that one day they will get tired of me saying that. But she really is. In general she's always slept easier. Where Zola is calm, cool and collected (even keel like her dad), Niva is more like me, emotional, tempermental and a bit unexpected.

She loves: dolls, puppies, curious george theme music, any music, dancing, playing instruments, eating- if there is something red on her plate she eats it first, she eats her vegies but prefers fruit, doesn't eat much meat but loves grains and of course she loves ice cream, doing anything zola is doing, zola, hugging zola, looking for zola when we say zola, holding zola's hand, cars and balls, socks on her hands, kissing, babies, kissing and loving on other kids, screeching (i've never heard a kid this loud), figuring things out, climbing, books, milk, nursing, eating paper and other things she finds laying around, bath time, being outside

She doesn't like: when Zola sits on her, when Zola steals her toys, when Zola can't understand what she's saying, teething

This is a girl who knows what she likes and she'll let you know if she's not happy. She's fiesty and a bit wild. Grant taught her how to come down the stairs by herself because she kept wanting to do it herself and she was falling and getting hurt. She's always trying to climb on the furniture or use chairs as stools to reach things on counters.

She started walking at 9 months and can now walk backwards, spin, stand on one leg and she's attempting to jump but we haven't seen her get any air yet.

Words she says in context: Mama, Mom, Mommy, Dada, Dad, Daddy, La or LaLa for Zola, Baby, Puppy, Banana, Ahp for Apple, Biaper for Diaper, Ow for Out, Uh-Oh, Buh for Bye-Bye

Words she signs in context: More, Nurse



I'm so excited it's my first birthday!
Wearing the owl skirt mom made for my birthday.

Ballerina Balance

Loving her first birthday cake! (blueberry muffins with cream cheese icing)



She LOVES babydolls

She lets us know when she's mad...

She loves to paint, color, draw

blowing kisses



The best shot I managed to get of them in their Christmas clothes.

bundled up for the cold in Pittsburgh after Christmas

Her first toenail paint! She picked blue and you can see that she got a little wiggly!

She loves to eat whole pieces of fruit by herself.




Dear Niva Girl... You are amazing. I love watching you try to figure things out every day. Like how to get down off that stool you just climbed up on. Or how to take off your shoes and socks. Or how to take off your diaper or shirt. Or how to put that diaper on the babydoll. Or how to get that object in that box.
You are fun to be around and you make me laugh every day. Your dancing has taken on some new moves recently and you throw your hip out to the side and freeze- it cracks me up!
You make the sweetest kissy face when you blow us kisses. And the way you lay your head under my chin just so when I rock you makes me feel warm.
I love that you are sleeping so well at night and that you love sharing a room with your sister.
I love how gentle you are with babies.
And how excited you get to see other kids your age.
And how you yell DADA every time you see him.
I love watching you mimic your sister and I pray every day that you two will remain close and love each other and protect each other and be peace to each other for the rest of your lives.
I love watching you grow up...even though each new step means the end of something else and that usually makes me cry. I try to give you as many hugs and kisses as you'll let me every day.
I love you.
Mama