She can walk. After taking her first step on Father's Day and some shuffling episodes in the days leading up to her birthday, she quickly put it all together and was walking everywhere soon after turning 1. Now she can even walk backwards and just the other day she managed to climb to the top of our arm chair (which prompted me to text Lee, "She has no compassion for my poor nerves.")
In September she started going to a Parents' Day Out Program two mornings a week which we both love! While she wasn't very enthusiastic about it for the first month or so, she didn't have any major meltdowns like I feared. Now she throws her arms open for her teachers when we arrive and when I pick her up I hear reports of how she is just the smiliest, happiest, best baby ever.
For Halloween Elizabeth was an ice cream cone (not a cupcake). She wasn't a big fan of her costume but she did let me snap a couple pictures. Lesson learned from Halloween shopping this year: If you wait until the last minute, you will wind up spending more than you wanted for a costume that you like a lot more than what you would've purchased to save money. So it's a win? I don't know.
In November we took two back-to-back vacations to Gatlinburg. First, a weekend getaway for our friend's 30th birthday and then a week with my parents and sister. We drove during the middle of the day every trip and E did really well. She would get a little restless and fussy, but we never had to pull over. The second trip we had my sister with us to help provide entertainment and cheddar bunnies. The best part of the trip for me was the three nights that E slept in my parents' room. Even though I couldn't sleep as is my habit now and was up reading from 3-5 a.m. one morning. Elizabeth enjoyed her first (second, and third) winery tour(s).
Christmas was pretty great. Our realtor always has an open house with a Santa for free pictures, but we had an out-of-town wedding that weekend. I was torn between paying silly amounts of money to stand in a long line and have Elizabeth break down in tears when I leave her in a strange man's lap and having the "needed" annual photo. We compromised by taking her to see Santa at our favorite toy store for a casual meet-and-greet. She was very reluctant to get even this close to Santa, so I think I'm relieved we didn't go the mall route. But my friends' pictures of their kids melting down in Santa's lap are pretty awesome. ;)
Why yes, I did craft that lopsided pot on the fireplace. An eyesore only a mother could love and display.
She was a bit more into her presents this year, although still not paying attention long enough to open one. She really liked handing/throwing people gifts.
And we have to include a picture of her in her Christmas dress! Gorgeous! Sadly I don't think we got a picture that included her champagne shrug. And she was especially opposed to shoes that evening.
Now that Elizabeth is getting older she is finally started to carry some of her weight around here. ;) The other day I was wiping her off after lunch and the she wiped off her tray. She can also put her shoes away (A huge help since she likes to take her shoes out of their spot and line them up on our bed.) and help carry things to and from the car.
She loves Sesame Street, reading, Zoey and Reagan, and cheese. She loves to give hugs, blow kisses and pull my hair. She can sometimes get her clothes off and is trying to figure out how to get them back on. When she manages to get her sock on her toe she gives herself a round of applause. Recently she started giving the Sign of Peace during mass, much to everyone's enjoyment. After over a year of playing with my phone screen, she now also likes to pretend talk on it and hold the phone to your ear so you can talk too. She also thinks that Zoey enjoys talking on the phone. She doesn't seem to be into using actual words, although she babbles all the time. She likes to "read" to herself and it often sounds like she's muttering spells. I'm not sure if they're for good or evil. ;) I slacked off on my attempts to teach her sign language, but she will do her own little version of "more" while saying, "Mo?"
When I'm not making burnt offerings to the toddler sleep gods or explaining again that that hurts mommy and it is not funny (Maracas are not weapons.), I completely believe that she is the bestest, sweetest little booger ever.
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