14 months

Well, Zooey's 14th month of life has come and gone, and as always I am amazed at how fast time flies and how much she changes in just a single month. We got to visit Ryan's family up in CO for five days, and while we were there we watched some video of Zooey when she was 7 weeks, 7 months and some that was taken throughout the week. She has grown so much! Sometimes when I look at her newborn pictures it's hard to believe that she's the same baby. Zooey is a very smart girl. She understands "no" and will usually stop doing what it is when we tell her not to. We put up our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, and from the first moment she looked at it and we told her "no touch" she hasn't tried to touch it one single time. She looks at it in awe and wonder, but she knows the rules. :) Every morning I sit with Zooey in her room while she has her milk & our "snuggle time," then I ask her if she wants to read her Bible. She looks at it and starts smiling and bouncing with excitement. I personally believe that children are much smarter than we give them credit for sometimes, & I believe that Jesus shows Himself to these little ones. When I tell Zooey "Jesus loves you, Zooey," I usually get smiles and giggles in reply. It's so amazing and a huge privilege to be able to teach my sweet girl about Jesus and His love for her. I did a quick Starbucks run today and was telling Zooey the Christmas story as we drove; I was overcome by emotion that He entrusted me to raise her up in Him and that He cares SO incredibly much for her that He thought of her before she was even conceived...that He put on skin to live and die for her so that she can live eternally. I pray that God will use her mightily for His purpose.

Zooey loves:

-Banana

-Exploring new places (gym, church nursery); at the gym they call her "Miss Independent" and say she leaves a little trail of destruction in her conquest of the room. :)

-To feed herself table foods

-To snuggle before naps (I love this, too!)

Zooey dislikes:

-She still doesn't like naps or getting changed/dressed

Zooey now:

-has taken a couple steps on her own but still needs to work up her confidence level to walk :)

-signs "more"

-stands independently for longer periods of time

-Her hair's getting so long and pretty!

13 months

Zooey is definitely becoming a toddler! Although she can't walk, or "toddle," around yet, she is into everything she can get her hands on. While we've taken more of a boundary-type approach to babyproofing things that are off limits, we've started to babyproof some things that could seriously injure her. I know this will probably change soon, but at the moment Zooey usually listens to our voice when we tell her "no" or "do not touch." She is definitely starting to express her displeasure with having something taken away from her or us moving her from where she is playing when we need to. She also throws mini-fits when she's being changed and during bathtime. I think she doesn't want to sit still and she doesn't like having that control taken away from her. She is definitely a strong-willed child, just like her dad. :) ::ahem - and her mom, too::

My living room is even more filled with toys and books than it used to be, but that's ok, because it's so fun watching her explore. One of her favorite things to do right now is to take a bunch of books down and push her favorite one around the floor or hide it under the rug.

As I said before, Zooey can't walk on her own, yet, but she really enjoys pushing her dinosaur that RaRa & Uncle Rey gave her for her birthday. She's also begining to stand on her own; I don't have any pic's of that, but she can do it for about 30 seconds max right now. She's cruising more and more, and I know it'll be just about any day before she starts walking.

Zooey has become very interested in animals. She loves our animals, but she's also really begun to notice animals on TV, and her favorite books are the ones with animals. She especially loves a book about kittens, and she gets very upset if I take that one away or put it down after reading it to her. I'm so thankful we got such a gentle dog, because his poor ears are a new obsession of Zooey's. Zooey's still taking two naps a day, which I love; the girl loves her sleep.

Zooey just had her 12 month well-check last week. We were a little late due to a number of factors and being out of town, but she looks great. She's a little one, but so are her mom & dad, and the doctor said she looks great. She weighed 19.2 lbs. and is 27 3/4 in. long. Zooey also weaned herself after an ear infection, which was a bit of a surprise and bittersweet, but I'm glad she's the one who did it. That was actually an answer to prayer.

I love my girl so much, and it's incredibly fun to see her learning and exploring new things every day. I know by the end of this year she won't look like a little baby anymore, and she'll be walking and talking more; she'll be a little "kid." I cherish every day with her, and my heart just overflows with love every time I look at her.

Zooey likes:

books

Raffy the giraffe, her new addition to her crib

finger foods, especially turkey

pointing

wiggling her feet when I wiggle mine

blocks

pushing walking toys

Zooey doesn't like:

getting changed

bathtime

getting her teeth brushed

Zooey is 1 year old today!

Although I can't believe it, my baby is now one year old. She still seems like such a baby to me. I think that's why moms continue to say their baby's age in months: they're in denial that their baby's not "technically considered" a baby anymore. Ryan and I agreed we're not calling Zooey a toddler until she's walking, and maybe not even then. :)

Zooey's party was a lot of fun. We had family and friends over to the house, and the weather's been so beautiful here that we were able to have the party out back. She got a lot of nice toys and some adorable clothes that I'm really looking to put her in now that the weather's cooling down. It was just such a blessing to be able to celebrate her sweet life with everyone. She didn't get too upset when Ryan or I weren't around, and she seemed to enjoy herself quite a bit. Zooey doesn't really like touching certain textures, so I was pretty sure she wouldn't dig into her cake like I've seen some babies do. She didn't dig in, but she kind of fingerpainted and sucked on her fingers, and, of course, Daddy spoiled her and hand-fed her some cake, too. She really did enjoy the icing.

Zooey hasn't had her 12 month check-up yet, so I'm not exactly sure of how much she weighs and how tall she is.

Zooey likes:

yogurt & applesauce (now when she sees the containers she tries to lunge out of her chair and squeals)

graham crackers

Daddy - she is such a daddy's girl that sometimes she screams when we walk away from him just to go to the other room

stacking cups

books

shaped blocks

her Leap Frog table

her seahorse - she turns it on then rubs her tummy to self-soothe (Aw! Cutest thing!)

animals

most of the time, she likes bathtime again

Zooey dislikes:

diaper changes...getting dressed

Zooey now:

pulls herself to standing

is starting to "cruise"

can say dog, cat, all done (or "all-duh") and "ga" which means "more" to her

can sign all done

has one molar in

points all the time at things and can point when we ask her where something is

gives her daddy "five" when he tells her to

waves when we say the words hi or bye

A friend of mine asked how I've changed as a mom over the last year. I thought that was a good question to blog about. I think the biggest change has been my view of God's love for us. I now have a glimpse of the love He has for us as His children that I didn't truly get before. It has increased my trust in Him immensely. Also, everyone told me to cherish the time with Zooey because of how fast it goes. I didn't get that before she came. I do now. I want to take as many pictures, get as many snuggles, kiss as many cheeks and soak up every belly laugh I can. I truly understand now why the Bible says that children are a gift from God. Zooey is such a sweet, amazing, precious gift and a blessing to our family. I also knew I was going to pray for Zooey, but I had no idea how fervently I would pray for her. How God's best for her is my ultimate concern. I petition Him for new ways to pray for her, and I pray for her all the time. This love is immense, and I hope when she grows she will know how much love I have for her.

Zooey is 11 months old today!

Ok, you know you're in serious denial about your baby entering their 12th month when you keep saying, "I need to take her 5 month pictures today!" Wow. I don't know where that came from, other than pure denial.

Ohmygoodness my baby is going to be a year old next month! Crazy! It seems like she is becoming such a big girl these days.

Zooey likes:

our animals

blocks

stuffed animals - she now talks to them and strokes them

going on runs with me and looking around (she squeals in delight at all she sees)

balls - she's started to copy daddy and drops and attempts to roll the balls

stacking or measuring cups

"reading" books

applesauce

Zooey hates:

bathtime, for some reason...I'm hoping it's just a phase

...and lotion and PJ time, too :(

waiting for her food, which she protests with a very high pitched whine

Zooey can now:

sit up from her tummy

crawl

stand while holding onto something

mimic me & Ryan: actions, some words (all done, bye bye)

say DaDa

Cute stuff:

She started babbling all the time.

She talks to her seahorse when she wakes up.

She crinkles her nose and bounces when she gets really excited.

She musses her hair if I try to smooth it.

She gets a kick out herself and starts laughing, usually when she gets a toy or in her playpen.

Whenever one of the animals come in the room, she goes, "AAAAAAHHHH!!!!" and pumps her arms and kicks her legs in excitement.

She shakes her head "no" all the time, though I know she doesn't know what it means.

She waves "hi" and "bye" to almost everyone.

She throws herself at me or Ryan when one of us has been away from her, even for an hour (I treasure this, because I know 13 years will go fast, and then I'll get an eye roll and a grunt. :) )

I'm sure I'm forgetting about a thousand things I wish I could capture and remember, but these are the things that really stand out to me. A quote comes to my head a lot; I'm unsure of the source, but it's "Motherhood is wearing your heart outside of your body." It's so true. I look at Zooey, and she is my heart. I want so much for her; I want the best for her. Having a child has really deepened my faith in that way; I can see now that as a Father, God truly does want His best for us.

Zooey is such a sweet girl, and everyone who meets her says that. She's just full of smiles for everyone, even if it takes her a bit to warm up to them. She's so much fun, and every morning when I go in to get her, I am filled with joy at her sweet, smiling face.

Remission

My mom had a PET scan about 2 weeks ago, and she met with her oncologist on Wednesday to go over the results. The doctor said the scans look as good as she'd like to see them, and she'd consider my mom in remission. Praise God! This is just such an awesome blessing. Here is a copy of the update she wanted sent out:

"I went to see my oncologist today to get the results of my PET scan. She was very happy and said the results were very good! The mass is the lung is almost completely resolved. She said there was no cancer in the lung. I do have some pleural thickening in the lower left lobe. We have already discussed this and I can feel it, so that was no surprise. The lymph nodes are still enlarged and calcified and is most likely due to the sarcoidosis.She said I was given the best treatment for my condition and she is very optimistic given my unusual situation. Then she told me that I was in remission. Yay! I am very happy with this report and I praise God for helping me each and every step along this difficult road. I will return for another PET scan in four months. My life is on God's hands. I just want to live each day in a way that pleases Him and to enjoy His many blessings; many that I have taken for granted.Thanks again for your prayers!"

This was just such awesome news to get. I am so incredibly happy and am giving thanks to God for this blessing.

Lolli Beans Giveaway on babywisemom

Oh my goodness! I am so excited about this giveaway - probably more excited than any other giveaway I've tried to win before. Lolli Beans is giving a way a $100.00 gift card over on www.babywisemom.com. Lolli Beans (http://lollibeans.com/) has some adorable clothing and tons of organic baby items. Here's hoping to winning! Check it out: http://www.babywisemom.com/2010/08/product-review-lolli-beans-organics.html.

Zooey is 10 months old today!

Although I have enjoyed every minute with Zooey, and I definitely have my favorites, I think this past month has been my favorite month overall. Zooey's really beginning to develop a personality, and it's so much fun to watch. When I go in to get her up in the morning or from a nap, she now flips immediately onto her tummy and pops her head up to smile at me. She will babble nonstop from her highchair while I'm cooking dinner - to me, to the cats, to the dog, to Ryan. Zooey has this "scrunchy" smile she smiles that's just like mine. She says "mmmmm" while she's eating (although I know she doesn't know what "mmmmm" means, it's still cute). She has always been a very alert baby, but now more than ever she takes everything in and loves to examine the intricate details of things (like the bangs on her little plush doll or the fibers of the carpet). She is shy when we first walk into a room where others are; she does this cute thing where she smiles at them but then turns her head into my shoulder being bashful, but then she's all smiles and usually doesn't cry if I have to leave her. She laughs and laughs at who knows what, but it's so fun to see her getting a kick out of something. She likes to interact with other children, likes to touch their faces and copy them playing with the toys in the nursery. Zooey loves playing airplane with Ryan; the other day I caught the sweetest sight of them in her room - him holding her up in the air and her squealing with delight. There are so many other little things she does that I just find so fun and adorable! Even though I don't really think it's cute when she whines and persists when she's impatient or we take something away from her, I like that she's becoming more aware and learning more everyday, that she's becoming her own little person. Once again, all I can say is I am blessed and honored to be her mom.

Zooey likes:

touch & feel books

sleeping on her tummy or in the corner of her crib

faces: especially grabbing eyelashes and trying to shove her whole hand in our mouths

the digital clock on the microwave

her car mirror

fish

Zooey dislikes:

sunscreen application

to be burped, changed, dressed, etc. (but this could also be because she's in a leap again)

Zooey's new skills:

turns pages in books

scoots...rolls all over

really improved with the sippy cup!

says "mama" all the time (my personal favorite :) )

is thisclose to pushing herself up to sitting from her tummy and to crawling

Zooey had her 9 month checkup a little late, about 2 weeks ago. She weighed 17.8 lbs. and is 26" tall! Tonight I put her in 12 month pj's, and they're a little big but will definitely fit soon. I can't believe it!

Only two more months until my baby's one year old. Wow. This time with her is so amazing.