Month 11

She loves: cabinet doors and drawers, balls, food, books, peek-a-boo, mommy and daddy, standing while holding things (she has no interest in standing independently)

She doesn't love: getting her nose wiped, having the sunroom door or refrigerator door closed on her.

• 12 month clothes
• 22lbs
• 5 teeth
• Says "dada", "bye bye" and "hi"
• size 3 diaper for day and 4 at night
• size 3 shoe
• nurses 3 times
• 2 naps, sleeping from 8-7:30!
• Laughs all the time, loves chase and playing with balls and stacking rings, and pulling off all the books on her shelf.

- Started screaming while crying.
- She can play by herself for a long time!
- Rolls around on the carpet for fun.
- When she's hungry, she shovels food into her mouth barely allowing time to chew! She also smacks her lips when she's ready to eat.
- Can redirect her walker while walking and can use it with only one hand.
- Can walk holding just one hand.
- Today, we kept her with us during worship at church. Seeing her clap and smile while we sang "Victory in Jesus" was one of the greatest moments of my life.
- She giggles at herself.
- She stood on her own for a few seconds on 10/1. She even squatted down and stood back up. She did it again the next day in the tub. She's done it a couple more times, but really doesn't have much interest!
- She got a tiny patch of cradle cap. We've been putting coconut oil on it and it's already almost gone.
- Meme watched her one night while we went to an event. She said that Claire played and drank 9+ oz IN A BOTTLE and then went straight down. She slept all night!
- She crawled in the grass without trying to eat it!
- Top right front tooth broke through on 10/4. There is a significant gap...
- The tooth beside it broke through on 10/19.
- Spent our few days with Annie!!! It's tough having the 2 best girls in the same house ;).
- Found out she has croup on 10/7. Went in for bad cough and difficulty breathing. She got a steroid to take for 3 days. We went outside to breathe in cool air and sat in a steamy bathroom. I squirted saline solution a few times a day. The cough lasted about 10 days. I wouldn't let her cry at night because it messed with her breathing. We had to do some more sleep training.
- She's starting to use more sounds while she jabbers, but still mainly says "dada".
- Knows ball, where shoes and bows go, what monkeys, Tigers and elephants say (working on snakes, dogs and cows). She waves hi and bye and says both words. She puts her hands on her cheeks when we say "oh no" and started blowing kisses!
- She hugs and pats my back.
- The Flanagans kept her one evening while I had pics. They took her to Luke's soccer game. I think everyone had a great time!
- She still has some nights where she just cries and needs mama. I'm trying to just hold her to calm her rather than feed her. Sometimes it works.
- Practicing eating with a spoon.
- She's finally started to imitate some more sounds rather than "dada" she does a /t/ and /s/ and /n/ the most. We are trying to work on animal sounds and letters. And MAMA!!!
- She likes to pull things out of bags. - While she was eating she bit me. I spanked her and said "no ma'am, that hurts!" Her instant reaction was to give me a kiss.
- Papa and Poppi's girl
-Plans for her first birthday are in full swing!

My girl, I can't write anything right now without crying. You're amazing. You're almost 1. I can barely handle it.

Choose LIFE

"You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”
‭‭Psalm ‭139:15-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

At the moment of conception, a new LIFE has begun.

I had the privilege of carrying a life for 39 weeks and am now raising her out of he womb. That girl's personality started from DAY ONE. I prayed for her. I prayed so hard. The Lord was molding her and knew even in the utter seclusion of my womb who she was going to be. I know that her life began from day one because of faith. If you're skeptical about that fact, I also knew she was a LIFE because I SAW her HEARTBEAT (hers, not mine) at six weeks. She was the size of a grain of rice, and the flutter was perfectly clear. How can something not be alive if there is a heartbeat? It makes NO SENSE TO ME how someone believes otherwise?!

There are so.many.women. who long to carry a life. It is saddening to hear about people that kill innocent babies for their own convenience when there are women who would give up everything they have to carry a child. There are also women who are told during gestation that their child has a defect, and the doctors recommend abortion. I can't even imagine what this news would do. I'm so thankful for the few women I do know that have received this news, but have chosen to carry their child regardless. What a testimony!

I'm sure that there are many reasons that I don't understand as to why someone would follow through with an abortion. I'm so thankful to serve a Heavenly Father that forgives unconditionally and will help anyone who has faith in him get out of any dark time.

Top Products : Updated

I've decided to make a new top 10 items that we've loved for our 10 month old!

1. TOYS!! [Stacking rings] She loves to clap them together to make noise and now she gets so proud of herself when she can get them back on the peg. They are her go-to toy, for sure! [Walker] It keepers her entertained whether she's sitting and playing with it or pushing it around. [Balls] She can play fetch with herself all.day.

2. Food pouches. Whether you buy baby food or make it, pouches are a life savor. They keep you from needing a spoon and once the baby learns to suck on them, they are so easy! Now, Claire eats the Del Monte "fruit+veggie" pouches. They aren't considered baby food, but they're still a purée and are much cheaper than the individual pouches. (Note: because they are more expensive than regular baby food, I would only use the pouches when out and about.)

3. Sleep sacks. We have a crazy sleeper, and we keep it pretty cool in our house at light. The Aiden and Anias Muslin and the summer cotton sacks have been a perfect little cover for Claire while she sleeps. She can still crawl around and stand up while wearing.

4. Anti bacterial wipes. I've always got a pack of hand and face wipes and Wet Ones. You never know when you'll need to wipe down a service or wipe off your kid. I like these because they say "kills germs" on the package. I promise I'm not a total germaphobe, but there are certain places (walmart) that I know the surface is disgusting and I also know that my kid will put her mouth on something. **A shopping cart/seat cover is great, but I forget mine or it falls off half the time.**

5. Infant ibprofren. I don't just give my  child meds because, but there are some nights when I can just tell she's on discomfort. On those nights, we take the Ibprofen. It lasts 8 hours!

6. Baby proofing. This child is into anything and everything. When we moved, I had to re think my decor and furniture and arrange everything so that it's safe for her. Right now, I'm so very thankful for our large soft leather ottoman in the center of our living room. She loves walking between it and the couches. We've got a play yard blocking off our kitchen and the push tabs on our cabinets!

7. Water bottle. Claire never took s bottle or a sippy cup very well. The day she learned to drink from a straw was a great day!! Now we always have her contigo bottle with us.

8. Music and books. You'd be amazed at how much your child can learn from listening, playing and dancing to music and looking at and listening to books. Claire loves a tiny piano and maracas, and likes for us to sing songs to her. She loves books with flaps and books with bright pictures. (Keep the books short and sweet right now. As much as you want to read that sweet sappy story to your babe, chances are she won't make it through).

9. Pampers baby dry. I only put these on her at night, but they've saved me from a wet bed multiple times! She wears size 3 up and up diapers during the day, but size 4 baby dry at night.

10. Shout spray. Even with a bib we manage to stain every outfit! I also keep some wipes in her bag.

Month 10

Claire loves: stacking rings, books about colors or one word picture books, dancing, playing chase, climbing, and touching things she's not supposed to.

She doesn't love: being put down when she wants to be held and long car rides

• 12 month clothes
• size 3/4 diapers
• size 3/4 shoes
• Nurses 3 times a day at 8, 4 and 7:30. (Occasionally during the middle of the night.)
• Eats real food or baby food at 7:30, 10:30(snack), 12, 2(snack), 5:30.

- First time to wake up with "bed head" on 8/23.
- Started throwing a ball.
- Started shaking her head "no".
- Toots stink now!
- She throws fits. She will fake cry with her mouth wide open and then slam her arms or legs down.
- Champion flyer
- She prefers her bed to sleeping anywhere else.
- cruises easily while holding onto something.
- For about 5 days in a row, she hit her head pretty significantly.
- She started making this new furrowed bro face at everyone. It's funny but also kind of rude...
- Started sleeping on her pillow.
- She had started pretend playing with us. (Mainly with food.)
- Weaned off lunchtime feeding on 8/9. First, I did 2 days of only nursing on one side. Instead of milk she gets a good lunch of protein, fruit and veggies and carb. Her afternoon naps are the only thing that's been effected.
- Started going through a Naptime sleep regression.
- Started kids day out at cross church on 9/14! They said she was amazing! She reached for the teacher, I kissed her and that was that. She played with others, rode a wagon to gym to play with balls and then music. She ate a good lunch and then NAPPED FOR AN HOUR!!! I got to watch an entire sappy movie and cleaned some areas that are hard to get when she's here.
- Top front left tooth broke through on 9/15.
- Now waves on purpose and expectantly for hi and bye bye. Her wave is now opening and closing her fingers.
- She claps for herself.
- Got another diarrhea bug.
- Starting talking more with different tones, but still only says "dada". She also started this panting taking.
- Got her first busted lip on 9/18 and we don't know how. She didn't cry o just noticed it was bleeding.
- Naps went back down to an hour or hour and a half.
- She points at things.
- When asked about an elephant, she either raises her arm or spits and for a tiger she grunts/growls.
- She says "hi" when she sees people, but never on demand.
- Shakes her head no when we say "no no".

Girlfriend, you are "miss thang". This month I feel like everyone has been talking about your personality. You go from a big smile to that furrowed brow in seconds, and you love when it makes people laugh. I'm so proud of how easily you go to others and make friends. I hope you are always able to step boldly into new situations. This month went by the fastest and it makes me sad because we are creeping on your first birthday! I love you!

(9 month pictures)

In one of her favorite spots wearing my favorite pajamas. 

One of 5 times she's touched Brody. 

Bed head

The lip

Bath time with Kelly Anne.

Riding through the airport.

In Calhoun with Annie.

Plane ride home. 

First injury - bonked her head on the table.

Sweet sleeper. 

KDO open house

Mt. Sequoyah 

Helping daddy

Taco's 4 Life opening.

Bossing

"Tiny" hiny 

Breakfast picnic

3 teeth!

Meeting Hudson Moix

First Tailgate