SOOO big

I wonder what it is about the expression "so big" that kids enjoy! Awhile back I started asking Kaelyn how big she was and then I would take her hands, wave them above her head and say SOOO big. She must have enjoyed it because after I would do it she would raise her hands up again for me to do it again. I think my mom was doing something similar because now when Kaelyn is running around the house sometimes she'll just throw her hands up in the air. That's our cue to say SOOO big. It seems like most little kids enjoy this game at some point and I wonder why! It's sure adorable, though. Sometimes Kaelyn even does it when I'm changing her diaper. She's laying there throwing her hands up over and over again. Hey, whatever keeps her happy!

Something new I've noticed her doing just this week is asking for more food when she wants it. It started with her snacks after her second nap. She usually sits in my lap and we look at books and she eats cheerios and veggie wheels. I give them to her one at a time as we flip through books. The snack bowl is sitting in the chair next to where we sit and lately if I don't give them to her fast enough she'll reach towards the bowl. Or sometimes just put her hand straight up in the air. Like hello, snack please!! Now at a mealtime if I'm not spooning fast enough she'll reach her hand out in a certain way. Get that spoon going mama! It'd be nice to just give her her own spoon and let her do it as fast or slow as she wants! But anything she has promptly hits the floor. Maybe someday. She's already perfected the, "no thanks" move. I try to give her a spoonful or something and she pushes it away. I call it giving me the stiff arm. Sometimes she's not ready for another bite yet and sometimes she's full or sometimes she sees the color of the food and wants something different. She's getting more picky like her mama, unfortunately! Since I know when she DOESN'T want something it's nice that she's now telling me when she does at times.

We spend a lot of time on the stairs lately. She usually only climbs the first one or two and then throws things off of them onto the tile at the bottom. I leave stuff on the stairs specifically for that purpose. And she's getting better at going down them, with help, of course. Going backwards would probably be best but Kaelyn was just diving face first when we started. She still sometimes tries that move when she's in a hurry but now more often she goes sideways. She'll reach out for my hands then swing one leg over the side of the stair and down. This method could actually work alone someday if she'll hold on to the railing instead of me. Sometimes her steps are hugely exaggerated. Like her leg is searching for the next step through the air. It's pretty funny.

We're looking forward to her first first birthday party this weekend. We'll go to my parents house to celebrate with them and my sister and her family. The following weekend we'll have a party at our house for Sean's family and then the weekend after THAT is her ACTUAL birthday. We haven't decided what to do that weekend but it's going to be just the three of us so hopefully we'll come up with something fun and memorable!

I still can't believe how big Kaelyn IS getting. She has two more teeth coming through on the top for a total of 6. She definitely weighs over 20 pounds. Can't wait to get more exact details on her stats at her next doctor's visit...though I CAN wait to get her shots! :) Her hair seems to be growing thicker and longer everyday. I want to look for some barrettes pretty soon, that'll be cute. And she's running all over the house like she owns the place! Our little girl is growing up!