Kimber's First Bee-Day: The big DAY

Kimber started her birthday with a crib full of balloons! She was pretty tired and didn't really know what was going on when she woke up and I was in her face singing happy birthday & bouncing balloons around her room! But after waking up a little, she was excited to play with her balloons!

 

 

 

 

I was a little sad that I couldn't take the day off work to spend with Kimber on her first birthday, but due to everyone else in my office being out on vacation or maternity leave - it just wasn't possible. I'm sure she had much more fun playing with all her friends at daycare anyways!! She dressed in her birthday princess outfit and brought donuts & chocolate milk to daycare to share with everyone!!



 

 

 

After I picked her up from daycare, we went home for an outfit change since she was filthy from playing outside!! Which to me  means she had a great day- the dirtier the better!

 

Since it was Kimber's birthday - she got to pick where we went out to eat and she picked Texas Roadhouse {with the help of Daddy}.

 

 

 

Daddy thought it would be funny to get a picture of Kimber holding his beer.

 

 

 

She had her favorite for dinner - mac & cheese! And she ate TWO rolls with the cinnamon butter! She also tried the loaded baked potatoes & steak and seemed to like them both. She usually isn't a fan of mashed potatoes, but when you throw cheese & bacon on them...I guess she's a fan!

 

 

Next it was time for the birthday girl to sit on the saddle while everyone wished her Happy Birthday! We weren't sure how this was going to go. We figured she's love it and smile & laugh. Or hate it and cry. At first she wasn't too sure, but she ended up loving it and held onto the saddle like a pro!

 

 

When we got home from dinner, we took her for a couple laps down the driveway in her new bike that she got from Gramma & Papa for her birthday. She loves this thing and could go for walks all night long!

 

 

 

 

I took a couple final pictures of the birthday girl and then it was time for a bath & bed time!

 

 

 

We had a great FIRST birthday with Kimber! We established a couple birthday traditions for her - balloons in her room & picking her favorite restaurant for dinner. But most of all, I hope she felt how extremely loved she is by both Mommy & Daddy!!

 

Kimber: Twelve Months Old

Today you turn ONE! Everyone told me as your birthday got closer, I would be an emotional mess. I didn't believe them. I'm not really the emotional type. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve. I don't like to let others see my emotions. But baby girl, there is no hiding the fact that I am a mess this week!! As I type this, my eyes are filled with tears. I can't believe my sweet little baby girl is becoming a big girl right in front of my eyes. 

Daddy & I watch you and make comments about how you are becoming such a big girl. Like when we go out to eat and cut up food and place it in front of you. You decide what you want to eat, in what order, when you want a drink of water in between bites. I know it's just eating and everyone does it, but it just amazes us that you are able to do it all on your own and making your own decisions.

To be honest, I was never the type that dreamed about growing up, getting married & having kids when I was younger. Sure, I knew it was going to happen one day but I didn't think about it much. And I'm glad that I didn't think about it because my dreams would have failed in comparison to what my life has become.

This last year has been the most amazing year of our lives. Yes, we have had some rough times {being up all.night.long with ear infections!!} but it's so easy to forget about those times when we've had so many more happy times.

Happy Birthday, baby girl!
I can't wait to see what the next year brings and to see all the things that you will learn!!

Weight: 22.0 pounds {81%}

 

Height: 29.0 inches {45%}

 

Diaper Size: Size 3. {when we finish this package of size 3, we are moving up to size 4}  

Clothing Size: 12 months and starting to transition her to 12-18 month clothes. As we move her up to the next size, her clothes are going to be huge on her for awhile. The weight range for the next size up is about 5 pounds and she's on the lower end of the range, but the 12 month clothes are starting to get tight on her. I bought several rompers last weekend, so she'll be living in them this summer. They are so easy...and SO cute!!

 

 

Sleeping:  The first three weeks were AMAZING! She slept thru the night almost every night!! And then her birthday weekend took place and her sleep was horrible! Between the sweets, being off schedule during the day, staying up later than usual and being over stimulated - she hasn't slept the same since. I'm hoping once she's back in her normal daycare/home routine for a couple of days, she'll get back to sleeping well.

Down to one nap a day at daycare. 1.5-2 hour nap at 1pm.

On the weekends, she will sometimes take a cat nap in the morning {around 7:30} with Dad in the lazy-boy while watching cartoons. But I think that's more for Dad than Kimber!

 

Food: Table food & Cows milk & {some} Breast milk. While I was away on work this month, I had to pump and realized I was only getting 2oz of milk in the morning, so we cut out our morning nursing session when I returned and only nursed at night before bedtime. Towards the end of the month, we began to wean from the night time nursing sessions and only nursed  every other night. Our last nursing session was the night before her 1st birthday. I'm just not producing anymore, so I don't see a reason to try to increase my production since she is old enough to drink cow's milk. We had a great run and I can't believe we made it the entire first year!!

We still have some frozen breast milk, so we are combining it with cows milk until it is gone. If we are out & about or forget to thaw the milk, we give her 100% cows milk and she takes it fine.

She still drinks a lot of water with apple juice during the day in her sippy cup. She loves her apple juice!

Favorite Foods: pancakes, cheese, bread/toast, mac & cheese, ham, cooked carrots, applesauce, bananas, spaghetti, hotdogs, grapes

Least Favorite Foods: mash potatoes, hamburgers

Health: Kimber was healthy all month until the last few days of the month. I picked her up from daycare and her right ear was all gunky. Another ear infection. But at least now they will drain since she has the tubes and not cause her to be in so much pain. She was running a low temp but she was not fussy. We gave her Tylenol and it seemed to help.

 

Nicknames: Kimber Sue. Kibber. Sissy.
 

 

Likes: {new} Swings. Slides. Rides: Wagon/Bike/Lawn Mower. Crawling up the steps.

We try to take Kimber to the park on a regular basis and she loves to be pushed on the swings! She also loves to go down the slide. We sit her at the top of the slide and she'll scoot herself down far enough until she slides down it! We now have a swing and slide in our yard {that she got as birthday gifts from Mommy & Daddy} and I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time under that tree this summer!

Kimber loves to go on rides - in the little red wagon, on her new tricycle {she got from Gramma & Papa for her birthday} or with Daddy on the lawn mower {with the blade OFF!}

This month, Kimber discovered the steps and wants to climb them all.the.time. She also loves to climb up in her Pottery Barn Anywhere chair and look out the windows and then slide down on her bottom it to the floor like it's a slide.

{same as last month}:  Vtech Sit to Stand Walker. Eating. Bath time.  Puffs. Music/Dancing. Standing. Scooting around. Apple Juice. Showers. Giving Hugs.  Kisses. Stuffed Animals. Sharing. Being on the move.

 

 

Disikes {new}: Being held.

Now that Kimber is on the move, she doesn't like to be held as much. Especially in situations where she needs to be held - such as at church! She just wants to be down on the ground & moving around!

{same as last month}: Getting Dressed. Changing her diaper. Getting told 'no'. Face Washed. 

 

Words: Dada. Hi. Mama. Jayde. No. Okay.

 

She is really starting to mimic us more & more. Sometimes we hear her babbling and swear she has said a word, but we're not sure if they are words or just noise at this point! And she might only say the words a couple of times. But the words listed above, she says on a regular basis.

 

Jayde {our black lab} has been up at the farm since we went on vacation. She has so much more interaction there. Someone is always on the farm, she has cats to chase and cows to play with. At home, she would be sitting home alone all day long. But I still feel guilty that she is not home with us. And Kimber seems to miss her, too. She will pull herself up to the window and yell "Jayde" as if she's looking for her. It is SO adorable!!! But sad at the same time. We get to see Jayde on the weekends when we go up to the farm and she always has kisses for Kimber! I can't wait until we get moved up to our new house and Jayde can come back home!

 

 

 

Things to note:
Kimber is moving so much more now and I want to note the milestones of these dates:
Walked along couch for the first time: May 21
Climbed the stairs for first time: May 18

We weaned Kimber from the paci this month on May 8. I had been talking with our daycare provider about weaning her and when she put her down for her nap, she laid the paci next to her but did not give it to her. When she woke up from her nap, the paci was in the same place. So that night, I decided not to give her the paci when she went to bed and it didn't phase her. So after that day, she was 100% weaned. She's never fussed for it or used her thumb instead, so it wasn't too difficult. But she only used it at nap time and at night, so I don't think she was too attached to it.

Kimber is still a mama's girl. If she's tired or fussy, she just wants me.

Kimber is really turning into a sweet little girl. She gives the best bear hugs and kisses. When we are playing on the floor at night, she will crawl over to me and stretch her neck as far as she can to give me a kiss on the lips! When I'm holding her, she will give me a big bear hug and a big, wet, sloppy FRENCH kiss!! But she doesn't give Daddy too many kisses!

Kimber has been pointing to things for awhile. If I ask where Daddy is, she'll point to him. Her little pointer finger gets a workout during the day always pointing to things!!

On May 21,  we had another follow up follow up appointment with AEA. They were amazed at her progress! She was suppose to complete 4 of the item on the list by the end of May, but they were able to mark off closer to 10 items. We have another follow up appointment in June. After that appointment, I am going to stop using their services. I feel that Kimber is developing fine and we will not need their services anymore.

  

Kimber: Month by Month