Who She Is

Em is just over 11 months and I cannot believe I can start talking about her birthday in terms of days rather than months.  That she is such a big girl.  That she has grown up into a little lady before we were ready, and seemingly overnight.  She is beautiful, sweet, funny, adoring, happy, and loving.  Oh, and one more thing:

Fussy.

She is fussy about where she sleeps.  How she sleeps.  How she goes back to sleep (since of course she still doesn't sleep through the night!).  What she eats.  How much she eats.  Whether she feels like eating that right now even though it's one of her favorites.  If we leave the room.  If we leave the room without telling her.  If we leave the room even if we tell her.  Very fussy.

This is the fussy face.  She shakes her head decidely, closes her eyes, wrinkles her nose, and pouts her lips in displeasure.  She is probably going to say no before she says mama.  There's lots of things she'll probably do before she says mama.  Like drive.

Well, maybe not drive, but at least walk.  Yes, she's walking.  It's official.  She will walk around small spaces comfortably but gets intimidated by large distances.  She can catch herself and regain her balance and only rarely falls.  She could easily be a full-time walker, I just don't think she realizes that yet.  Once she does, she'll be off.  Oh, Lord.

She loves her new chair.  She loves her brother.  She suddenly loves to read and will turn away from toys or the tv to bring me a book, and I always happily oblige.  She loves being under--under a tent, under the table, under the running water in the bathtub.  Under our watchful eye, because she screams like a banshee if I leave the room.  Separation anxiety in full effect over here.  It has been slightly unpleasant and very wearying. 

Yes, Em, we all love each other, but would it be okay if we loved each other for a while with a little personal space?  How about from across the room?  No?  You have to be right here?  Okay...

She still isn't sleeping completely, although she is better.  She puts herself to sleep for naps and bedtime (usually).  She is weaning herself from her bottles (down to two).  She is becoming interested in dolls.  She loves her puppets from The Land of Nod.  She claps and has a fake laugh.  She is starting to stand up to Jax a bit.  She is growing up.

She is all this and so much more, but this is all I can think of off the top of my head.  I have to remember who she is at this moment because I know I will blink and suddenly she'll be in school, and I will have to remember these days at home together.  I never want to forget the fussy face.  Or her fussy noise.  Or her sweet little smile.  She's our beautiful baby girl and she's growing up, but I guess I'll let her.  As long as she says mama before she says no!