From baby to...... toddler?! Sigh.

I kept telling myself since Juni's birthday that I had to stop calling her, "my baby," but I just couldn't do it. She still was, and still is, my baby. But, over this past week I've come to the realization that she is indeed a toddler now. 13 1/2 months, a baby no more.

She has been sleeping much better (knock on wood, please) throughout the night. She loves to walk around outside in her big girl tennis shoes. She is quick to comply when we ask her for a hug or a kiss. Now, instead of just pulling all the toys/diapers/etc. out of the basket, she now likes to put them all back in the basket! Yay! She is kicking her feet at swim and was under water for 7 seconds, no biggy, this last Saturday. Her hair is growing longer and thicker by the second. She says and points to her eyes and teeth.

We are enjoying every giggly moment of these precious weeks of transition. She is cuddling more than ever and I don't have a complaint to mention. My sweet baby....errrr, toddler :), continues to brighten my every day.

Lately

1) As Juni starts to eat more fun foods (spaghetti) we are using aprons to cover her, instead of bibs. This is her owl kid-size apron that we bought for her a few months back, for when she is ready to bake cupcakes with Mama :)

2) Papa was sick and coughing a lot, so he slept on the air mattress a few nights. Juni was so excited to come out and find him in the living room each morning. This is also where she perfected her "getting down from the bed all on her own" moves.

3) After Juni gets down from her chair she loves to look up in the seat and see if she missed anything. Even if she says she is 'all done' she still will eat whatever has fallen into her seat.

4) Juni's favorite part of tuna and noodles: sticking her finger through the noodle :)

5) Sunday morning breakfast.

6) Juni got a Build-A-Bear giftcard from my friend Cicely for her birthday. Sunday we drove to Walnut Creek so she could build her bear! I held her up at each station and she pointed to what she wanted and said, "This, this." We tried to show her other shoes besides the pink satin, rubber high heeled, little rosettes down the front.... but she knew what she wanted and every time we gave her a choice, she picked those again and again! She really did love them. She held her bear the whole way home and played with the shoes for most of the ride.

Juni earned a ribbon!

Yesterday at swim Juni earned her 1st ribbon! She has completed the first 5 goals. 1) Independently sit in shallow water 2) Go underwater 3 seconds 3) Reach, grab wall, independently hold for 3 seconds 4) Comfortable back float in 1st position (with assistance) 5) Kick legs in front float position We are so proud of her and her new-found comfort in the water. We are only half way through this 12 week session, so we are excited to see how far she will go. She has now graduated to Intermediate Aqua Babies.

Her 'most steps in a row' total is now up to 19. She takes more and more each day. She is so steady on her feet, but doesn't seem to have the urge to just get up and walk down the hallway yet. Soon enough, I am sure.

Our Mother's Day was quiet and peaceful. Last year we were in the thick of things with a brand new baby. It is amazing how far we have come. I clearly remember getting everything ready, rushing to Panera, swinging Juni while waiting for our food, swaying her while I shoved my sandwich in my mouth, and getting home as quick as we could to take a nap. Today, I had to go in to work for a store meeting at 6:30 this morning, but then spent the rest of the day relaxing, with a little fun cooking and baking in the mix. We didn't have any big plans, but we rented a movie and spent lots of time playing with Juni. She has grown into such a fun and playful girl.

The photo of her sleeping is another fun day at the zoo.

Extra Squeezes

Zach's cousin unexpectedly lost their nearly 1 year old baby girl on the 3rd. My heart is filled with sadness for their loss. I have been giving Juni lots of extra squeezes the past couple of days and telling her how much I love her, probably more than she would like :) Please send extra love and positive energy out to their corner of the universe, that they may grieve and process their sadness in a way that helps them get through each day. Maggie, may your spirit rest in peace.

http://bismarcktribune.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/magdeline-hulm/article_0a93cdcc-97c0-11e1-988e-001a4bcf887a.html

Summer Tease

Juniper's vocabulary is growing each and every day. Today, she copied her toy by saying, "Yankee Doodle!" She asks for 'tissues' by name to pretend to blow her nose :), 'juice' to drink with dinner, 'night night' to drink her milk and go to bed...... She is growing up SO fast!

Our everlasting Spring has given way to a few days of hot sun. We made sure to take full advantage and put Juni in her sunshine outfits, before the low 60s are back in action. She got this one from Grandpa Butch and Grandma Jill for her birthday. (and a little picture of Juicy too :>)

8 teeth and counting

Juni now has 4 teeth on top, 4 on bottom, and I think still more might be coming soon! Her little mouth is filling up. She has really started saying more and more words this past week. She loves to repeat us. She has said juice, shoes, grandma, fridge, and I know there is more I am forgetting. She now says, "woof, woof!" whenever she sees a dog (real, cartoon, in person, on tv, in a book... she catches them all!) Just the last two days she has starting meowing too. She has been signing 'milk' for quite some time, but added 'all done' a couple of weeks ago, and now 'drink' as well. My little smart cookie is learning every day!

7 teeth and counting

Juni has a little icky sinus action this week, but she's been getting through it pretty well. She continues to take a few steps at a time, and gets so excited when it works out like she has planned! I have to work quite a bit extra this week while my boss is out of town and I think we are both missing each other quite a bit, but Papa is doing a great job with the extra hours he has with her. He manages to get 3 times as much done when he is home with her as I can.

She had her 12 month check-up at the pediatrician and the orthopedist this week. Both went well, except for the shots in her poor little arms. Poor girl. :( 

Happy 100th Post ;)