One Year

TGM turned a year old earlier this month. It's been amazing to think back over how much she's grown and how much she's learned to do in the year since she was born!

The night before her birthday, while we were with all of my family, TGM walked back and forth (3-6 steps) between two aunts for more than 15 minutes. When she as tired of that, she picked her own direction and walked to me (instead of her aunt) and climbed up onto my lap. Other than isolated steps, she hasn't tried walking on her own since then. But I have every confidence that she'll take it up again someday soon. She does love to walk-around while holding onto fingers. That includes walking up and down our stairs--as many times in a row as you will let her. If the gate isn't up, watch for her to go crawling up the stairs without any help. Crawling back down hasn't been figured out yet, but she works at it.

TGM been sleeping more this week, so I think she may be growing as well as cutting her 4th tooth. Her 1-yr check-up with the doctor is in a few days. We'll see how big she is then. :-)

TGM loves to bounce and clap in time to music. There are nights at clogging when Mary says she has better rhythm than the dancers!

TGM is a trooper. She doesn't spend much time crying over hurts and injuries. Shots don't get more than 30 seconds of crying; pinched fingers and hands are fine as soon as they are released (as long as she isn't tired); even a finger-tip sized scalp wound from a broken mirror didn't warrant more than a couple of minutes of tears.

"No"s are a bit harder on the feelings. Not being allowed to climb the stairs, having a particularly messy "play" thing denied (the potted plant, the mop water, etc), or just being tired can result in wailing cries that can last for minutes. (And can include throwing herself down to lay on the floor on her back. She used to like dropping her face to the floor in a tantrum, but doing that a couple of times on the sandy beach seems to have reduced that drastically.)

For the most part, TGM loves to go and travel. Walks in her stroller seem to be welcome at anytime. Traveling in the car is fine, for about the first 3-4 hours. Then it is a bit tiresome. Unless, of course, she can sleep most of the way, then she does better longer.

TGM sleeps pretty well at nights. At one point she was sleeping 8-10 hours a night. For the last few months, she's waking up a couple of times a night--usually about 12:30 and 5:30. I think the early morning wake-up might be due to the sun rising, as it seems to be getting a bit later with the shortening of summer days. But I haven't gotten any heavier curtains up in her room to try to help her sleep longer. Her naps during the day are generally pretty short--seldom more than an hour and often less than 45-50 minutes. Again, it could be related to the amount of light in her room.

She loves her brother Jer; he can make her laugh like no one else can. When he puts on a silly act for her, she goes into gales of giggles. She is still pretty easy-going about separations and letting others hold her. That is especially good for the number of young girls at church that love to hold her and play with her.

She is also beginning to pick up some words. "Mama" and "Dada" are not uncommonly heard. She has an "A-da" or "A-me" that is generally heard at the end of prayers. There is also a "dye-dye" or "bye-bye" with a hand wave that she will use when prompted (and in the mood). She has a sign that we think was derived from the ASL sign for "more" but is just the right index finger poking the left palm. It gets used for "more", "nurse", "want", and "food/drink"...and sometimes a bit randomly. She was also starting to use "please" this evening, but we'll wait to see if that lasts and transfers beyond tonight's treat.

Aside from all the milestones and accomplishments, I feel blessed beyond measure to have an easy-to-care-for baby. A toddler who is generally content and happy. A girl who enjoys laughing and making others smile and laugh. And while walking may not yet be her primary mode, she is definitely getting to be more toddler than baby. As her hair grows and is now long enough to get in her eyes, she is looking more like a girl and less like an infant.

She's outgrown being a helpless infant. We've encouraged her to begin rolling, crawling, and walking--becoming mobile and independent. Now we are beginning to face issues of tantrums and fights with friends--helping and leading the emerging girl to continue to explore her independence and to temper independence with developing other qualities, such as understanding, compassion, love, and respect for others--from family to friends to strangers.