eleven months

that's baby Charlie upside down making her first appearance

monthly sticker picture hardly shows up: 11

I'm over these pictures!

So fresh and so clean!

...sigh. I held Riley a little longer before bed last night knowing that these moments of her cuddled in my arms fast asleep are going to be less and less as she quickly approaches toddlerhood. I still need to write her birth story...it only took me three years to write Jackson's. I have time. Here are some recaps over Riley's tenth month:

Food and Milkfest

• Eats everything we will allow. LOVES broccoli, green beans, avocado, and pears. Coincidence they are all green?
• Tried peanut butter and jelly this month--wasn't thrilled but she ate it anyways.



Happy New Year!

• Nursing every 2.5 to 3 hours. Still. I tried four hours and she was pretty upset for an hour...then made up by nursing an hour after she just nursed. I'm going to check at her one year appointment about introducing whole milk and trying to wean. I'm tired. I would prefer three times a day.

Toys

Playdate with Miles 

Really into her dolls! It's adorable. Cousin Eleanor gave her a dolly stroller/walker for Christmas and she loves pushing her "babies" around. She also gives them hugs and we added tucking them in at night to her bedtime routine. Another favorite are balls. She enjoys throwing and rolling them as well as walking around with them just in case someone wants to play.

Also loving her new kitchen that we gave the kids for Christmas. They spend 30-60 minutes in the morning making things for me. Love it.

First time at Disneyland!

Animal

Cats. Riley says "cat" for almost any furry animal and goes nuts when we are in the cat aisle at the pet store. There are cat pictures everywhere. Ha!

Personality

Santa Baby

We call her Riley Smiley and Shy Ri for a reason. She is shy at first but then gives huge smiles once she feels comfortable with you and realizes Mama isn't leaving.

Firsts

• Added another tooth (top) after WEEKS of pain. Riley has been pretty grumpy after 3 p.m. over the last two weeks and only wants to be held. That makes dinner making interesting.
• We went to D-land over Christmas and she loved the music, colors, and people watching. I think we went on two rides together.
• Went to Julian and Riley had her first bites of apple berry pie! 
• Riley increased her steps to full on walking and met her goal by Christmas. I wasn't a big fan of shoes because it was just another thing to put on both kids...but now she really needed real ones (not the soft soles she owns). So we went to Stride Rite last night to pick up her first pair of walkers. She loves shoes. She could play in my closet or her own looking at the shoes for an hour and be perfectly happy. So being at the shoe store was a dream come true...and so it begins! I had promised her pink sparkle Toms once she started walking but they don't come in her size (Toms run big). I ordered them anyways for when her foot grows. Nordstrom Notes put to good use!
• Can slide down her slide by herself--and begs to go outside so she can slide and swing.
• Sat in the car cart with Jackson for the first time while grocery shopping. 
• Plays pat-a-cake
• Loves her new pal, Violet, who sings to her during diaper changes and helps us keep this squirmy baby still for a few seconds!
• New words: shoes, yes, this, bath, night.

Sliding Fun!

We went to the doctor on Christmas Eve morning because I had to verify her ears were good. She had a fever of 101 and was so unhappy...just teething. But we did get a weigh in...20 pounds!

Oh Riley we love you so much and just can't believe how fast you have grown. Feels like you were just in my belly and we were asking you to hold on until after Jackson's birthday to come...and you did...four days later! Love you baby girl. xoxo

Measuring her foot...size 3 1/2

Thanks Grandpa and Gram for this bench for our yard!

Reading about the different faces babies make
and making one of her own...

Grocery shopping in the car cart

Day trip to Julian (food poisoning the next day-yuck)

Sliding at Java Mama with brother

Baths are fun!

First time falling asleep in the grocery cart! LOL!

Favorite teething toy--her toothbrush!

Home Depot has the best carts!