The Eleven-Month Update

One month shy of her first birthday Holly is just amazing. She is transforming from a baby to a toddler, and I am terribly behind in an update. Holly has grown in leaps and bounds and now can:

• Stand unsupported
• Clap her hands
• Stand unsupported WHILE clapping her hands!
• Point: she's mad for the pointing. If she sees something super-exciting she points at it with both index fingers and cries out a big arrrrwwww!!!
• Talk. She's got a decent use of Mamma, Dadda, and babby. She also growls like a veloceraptor.
• Walk while supported. She getting great at this and looks ready to start taking steps on her own. Her biggest hindrance is her habit of walking around on tippy-toes like a ballerina. Once her heals hit the ground she'll be off like a marathon runner.
• Eat lots of things. While she doesn't eat great amounts of anything, she likes almost everything, with the exception of squash. She even loves cauliflower, broccoli and spinach.
• Chomp! She now has three teeth (two bottom, one top) and the other top one is close to coming through.
• Turn pages of books. She loves books both for their words and pictures (and sometimes taste).
• Dance. She loves music and will bounce back and forth to the beat of music she likes. She is her father's daughter
• Unfortunately, she has also figured out how to turn on the TV, remove articles of clothing and put objects in the toilet.

Her favourite things are bright lights, trees, people, books, music and cuddles. She's had a rough patch with the sleeping ever since we came back from Australia, but we're working on it, and she seems to be getting better at sleeping through the night once we finally get her down.

Most of all, she's a happy baby. She loves smiling, laughing, and playing with her friends. She even enjoys going out for dinner! She's the bestest bubby ever and we love her so much.

PS: I forgot to add that she has learnt to high-five!

So True

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An Update

So you know when you get so far behind in your blogging that just feel this immense amount of guilt about it and part of your brain is like "just delete the thing already"? But then the other part of your brain is like "just write something to catch up". So I've got some catching up to do. Need to fill you all in on Australia and such, but the most exciting topic is that Holly is now a fully mobile baby. She's a crawling demon now: life just got interesting. I'm waiting for my eyes in the back of my head to arrive.

Hey, look what I found in the basement...

...it's a blog...how do you turn these things on again?

Jaime's Away

This little Piggy went to Penny Arcade Expo
and These little Piggies stayed home
This little Piggy had roast beef, and beer and drunk chicken
and these little piggyies had none
And this little piggy will go wee, wee, wee, all the way home tomorrow

Jaime's at Penny Arcade Expo. I'm happy for him, but really wish I could have gone too. Especially after hearing about Jaime's performance at Drunk Rock Band on stage in front of 50 paxers. He claims to have got 100 on his rendition of Vaseline by Stone Temple Pilots.

We miss his so much. Holly keeps looking round for her daddy. And I realise now how much I look forward to Jaime when he comes home from work.

Our Baby is Six Months Old Today!

I can't believe it but Holly is now six months old. Its been the fastest and best six months of my life. Having a baby has brought us such joy. Holly is just the most lovely person.

Each day she learns something new; each day brings a new achievement. She is close to being able to sit up on her own. Her manual dexterity has improved so much. And we have started real foods. So far rice cereal and bananas. She was a little weary at first. We tried the cereal, but it just sat as a glob on her lip before Holly burst in tears, I'm sure she was convinced we were trying to poison her. I was a little disheartened that feeding was going to be hard. But the next night we tried again, and she really took to it. Now she really enjoys the feeding sessions. She certainly enjoys the mess she makes. Tonight we're going to try pears.

Along with the food, Holly has had lots of firsts lately. First time sleeping in a tent; first time watching mum play the cello; first time viewing wonders of the British Museum*. She loved them all. And while its a little sad to see her growing so quickly (can't they stay little babies just a little longer?), its is wonderful to watch her grow and learn and develop as a person. We are so proud of and absolutely in love with our Holly.

* Currently on display at the Royal BC Museum

Holly Speaks :)

This is Holly at three and half months practising her speaking voice.

Holly Speaks from Jaime & Shannon on Vimeo.