11 Months of Lily Harper

How is this Lily’s 11 month update?  That means the next one will be 12 months.  And then supposedly we stop counting in months.  I told Mark the other night I remember when we moved from weeks to months.  I am definitely not ready to move to counting in years.  However, I learned recently that you count in months until they are two as the difference between 13 months and 22 months is massive.

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Nicknames:  Monkey, Squishy, and Big Girl still hold the top three spots though we have started calling her “baby bear” a bit more, especially because she has two full body fleece jackets with bear ears.   I also often call her Lily girl which likely should have been on the list the past few months as well. My parents came to visit from the States and my dad occasionally calls her “Mrs. Magoo” but this is a name reserved for when she’s being cranky and thankfully it was used much during their trip.

Firsts:  Lily has been babbling for a while now but after one of our weekly swim lessons she said “mama”.  I would have been over the moon but she said it while crying, almost begging me to make it better.  This was right after she got out of a warm shower and was cold and didn’t want to be changed.  I went as fast as I could but she was still a sad little girl. She has said it a few times since but always when upset.

Last month Lily had her first Sunday roast and this morning was her second though it crossed another bucket list item off, her first Michelin dining experience at a local restaurant called 12:51 By Chef James Cochran which has a Michelin plate.

Lily has learned how to wave and thinks it is very fun to wave at people – from mummy and daddy to strangers. She is particularly aware of adult’s reactions so when her waving receives positive reinforcement she keeps doing it.

We finally caught Lily crawling on camera but her head teacher at nursery said it best, she’s a little ninja. She moves from one place to another quite quickly and you really have no idea how she got there.  We may actually just surpass normal crawling for walking at some point.  This month she started standing for long periods of time on the couch as well in the center of the room holding on to an adult’s finger with each hand.  Last week for the first time she also took multiple steps towards one parent while the other was holding her fingers – I am sure she will be walking before we know it.

Weight:  More than 18lbs but other than that, we have no idea.  In mid March we have an official checkup for her and will know more then.

Length:  No idea, see above.

Teeth: Two – same as last month – and the third is coming through which is causing her a ton of pain.  My poor baby!

Loves:  Lily loves what we call “bang-bang-bang” – when she is holding an object in each hand and when she brings them together they make a noise.  This applies to everything from toys to food – she tries it with nearly everything though hint, cucumber sticks do not go bang-bang-bang.  Similarly she knows clap-clap-clap and has started doing it without being prompted.

She also loves to see everything that is going on and often scoots in 360 circles while sitting down either for fun to visually follow something that is moving.  When she is being held she will whip her head around or maneuver her whole body to see where an adult is going, especially if they disappear around a corner.

It is no surprise that even though it is a new month Lily still loves so many of her Lovevery toys; the smallest cup with a flapping lid, this colorful rattle ball and playing with these water cups when she is in the bath. Since she was five months old her Sophie La Girafe Teething Ring has been a hit and it still is – we don’t go anywhere without Sophie on her lead.   Another favorite, the same as last month, is the stacking toy she got from her grandma for Christmas – it goes bang- bang-bang very well.  Lastly, I rarely putter her in it but Lily still loves  jumping in her Fisher-Price Jumperoo, her face is usually pure joy.

Hates: Being left alone.  When mum or dad walks away and leaves her with another adult.  Lily hates “nap time” if she’s not tired

Memories I Never Want to Forget:

• In our weekly swimming Lily is progressing so well and now can hold on to the wall completely by herself for up to 15 seconds!
• How she flaps hands and waving feet when she sees food she is excited about, especially melon.
• Trip to the London Zoo with her grandparents, her Mimi and Grandpa took turns carrying her and she was mesmerized by the animals – especially the red birds and the gorillas.
• Big Girl Lily has always loved being picked up but now when she is sitting down and you walk over to her she throws her arms up at you to indicate she would like to be picked up and smiles when you say “up?”
• Lily’s hair is getting quite long and we now need to brush it every night post bath.  It sticks up in every direction when we take off her hat and Mark is getting more used to her wearing bows.

There you have it, Lily’s 11 month update. I know the next one is going to be very hard to write but I will be ready (I think)!