14 months

Last week Malaikah turned 14 months.  She is a full time walker now and I love watching her plod around the house, arms raised up for balance.  She has short little legs and a big round belly so it is really quite comical.  Another tooth popped in, and I'm happy to report that it didn't seem to bother her too much.  Still no words, just a lot of grunting and pointing.  She does understand me, though, so I know she's learning things.  It can be hard not having her speak, but I actually don't mind it too much.

There's our smile-y girl on the 14 month day.  She actually sat still enough for me to grab a quick photo.  A miracle!

Here's what we've been up to:

A trip to a nearby park and bike path last month allowed us to get outside and enjoy a beautiful fall day. Malaikah was able to swing for the first time in a long time and LOVED it.  After I took her out of it she walked back to it and sat under it.  Living in hope. That yellow vest was Kyalo's (and a hand-me-down from a friend) and one of my favorite things he wore.  Do you remember THIS?  That is still probably one of my all-time favorite days.  Kyalo and a stick!  He still loves them.  Anyway, it is fun to see her in something that he wore.

This year we kind of got into Halloween.  It helps to have costumes to borrow, or handed down.  And fun for Kyalo and Dexter to carve a Storm Trooper pumpkin.  Kyalo picked it out (he's totally obsessed with Star Wars right now since so many of his friends are) and was quite pleased with how it all turned out.

The day before Halloween someone asked Kyalo what he was going to be.  He told her, 'a Tyrannosaurus  Rex with really sharp teeth.'  I haven't the slightest idea where he came up with that, and had no plans on how to make it happen. Until that moment I didn't think he would even do a costume!  Thankfully a friend had a costume of her son's that she lent and Kyalo was thrilled.

loved it so much that he even wore it for breakfast the next day

 Oscar the Owl (they share a birthday!) and Malaikah at a little town Halloween event.

Storm Trooper ready to go

 all finished!

checking out his handiwork

I loved seeing Malaikah in that butterfly costume.  Wonder what we'll do next year!

Malaikah loves to read, and will often look at books a long time pointing at pictures. Lately she's started bringing me books to read and will sit in my lap kicking her legs and grinning. The other day I said, "let's go to your room and read X book" when we went into her room she grabbed that book.  I just re-read Kyalo's 14 month post and that's what he did around 14 months.  Fun!

books are always strewn about the house

She still loves to eat, but I'm seeing that she really favors carbs: bread, crackers, potato, pasta, cereal. Give her a vegetable and it ends up on the floor.  We're working on that.  She knows where the crackers are kept and is not shy about letting it be known when she wants one.

I've started a little mom's group for some friends from church.  We all have little babies so we have a lot to talk about.  Here they all are at a recent Story Time at Library.  Please note, Malaikah who is the biggest is the one sitting in the Bumbo.  She loves it!

Zadie, Malaikah, Greyson, Weston

pals

And she still absolutely adores Kyalo.  He makes her laugh like no other.  We're in a trickier phase right now because she's mobile and can get to his toys/things and destroy them so it isn't always smooth sailing.  Sharing is hard work!  But when they play well together it is the sweetest thing.  He loves nothing more than to make her laugh.

He's recently learned how to hop, I guess, and does it all the time now.  I love watching her, at the end, trying to do it too.  In time sweet girl, in time.

She still nurses a couple of times a day.  It is strange that it isn't around the clock like it was with Kyalo, but I don't mind.  I'm glad for the times she still does, and I love when she snuggles in with me after...otherwise, she's too busy exploring to bother snuggling.  

I can't wait to see what the next month brings.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.