One Year Old!

Nora, my sweet little baby (at least until March), is already ONE! I think I've been in denial about her growing up... but really, one?! Already? Evidently the seasons march on, even before a mama is ready for them to.

We celebrated Nora's first year quietly - just family, as has become our tradition - but Nora didn't seem to mind, especially since she got to smash cupcakes on two different days! I really cannot get over this little Belle...what a delightful little thing she is!


As is our tradition, here is what our little Nora is doing as a big one year old! Nora:

• weighs 20 pounds, 5 ounces (35%ile) and is 29inches long (75%ile).
  
• is napping twice a day -- an hour and a half (or so) in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. She still generally sleeps about twelve hours each night, although lately we've had some interruptions thanks to new teeth. (Nora has, however, learned to express her opinion about some of her naps; she throws her pacis overboard, and will occasionally even toss the bunny if she's really mad about napping.)
  
• is off formula! I'm thrilled that I can have a four and a half month break from buying that expensive, expensive stuff. She does still take a bottle, but inconsistently... I'm not in a big hurry to get her off completely, but her interest is definitely waning.
  
• has three teeth, and is working on getting at least two or three more.
• still loves food, but is starting to get more selective about what she eats and also eats a little more slowly. Her favorite foods are cheese, fruit (especially grapes), green beans, and pasta.
  
• says "Mama", "Dada", and "More"... or so I think. (Does anyone else think it's tricky figuring out when they're actually saying these words and not just babbling?)
  
• signs "more", "all done", and "please"... but not consistently.
  
• can stand unassisted for a short period of time and, as of yesterday, has taken one step! Crawling is still preferred, and she will seldom attempt a step unless she is highly motivated.
• loves to read, perhaps even more than Phoebe did at this age. She has a long attention span for short books, which means she'll read lots of short books in a sitting. Her favorites are Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, The Barn Book, and anything written by Tom Arma. Nora also really loves touch-and-feel books.
• has curly hair now! All of a sudden, her hair has really started curling...she even gets these sweet little "wings" over her ears!
  
• loves to play with blocks, sort through odds and ends, and to be a part of the action. She hates to be left behind!
• loves to play peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek.
  
• loves to do anything her sister does. We joke that Phoebe is her favorite toy...and it's true!
• is the happiest baby I know. Really!

Our little "Belle" is such a delight. She is really SO much fun, and it's a joy to spend my days with her (and her sister). We've had a wonderful first year with our happy little love, and I can't wait to see what this next year brings!