My gift

3 months ago today I held Elliott for the first time. She is the greatest gift I have ever been given and the only Mother’s Day present I want.  Like the others, the last few weeks have been a serious of milestones. She had a play date with a baby a bit younger than she and triplets just a few days older. As usually, she was the all over, playing, having fun and trying to climb any kid anywhere near her. She just has this need to hug every kid who comes into her reach. They don’t feel the same way. She got her first injury that evening. She split her lip on an incrediblock. Oh the blood and tears. Especially the blood.

But it is healing nicely and all is well.

She hit it again and cut it on the inside a couple days ago but that sealed up quickly. I guess the injuries are a sign she is more mobile. She can very briefly stand by herself and walk with you only holding one of her hands.

She got her first car, thanks to my sister.

She enjoys riding it around the neighborhood.

And someone is usually willing to accommodate her. Think she is spoiled much?

She is mimicking more. She repeats a lot more including entire phrases. She also will occasionally use words correctly that she doesn’t normally say. For example. She attended her first birthday party yesterday. It was for a little girl who was also in her children’s home. They were playing and several times either her mother or I said play nice to one or the other. At one point in time she looked at me and said “Nice” referring to the fact she was holding the other little girl’s hand. I told her that yes that was playing “Nice.”

She refers to herself as “Baby” and will often jabber long sentences at me with “Baby” in them. She is usually trying to convince me of something or telling me what she wants so I know she is referring to herself.

She also understands a lot. She can follow directions. Like “Where is Chewy? If you want me to rock you to sleep go get Chewy and come back?” Chewy is her comfort object. A cloth diaper, she picked it (we tried fancy little blankets but she prefers the target, cloth diaper, burp clothes.)  I made the mistake of naming it while sleep deprived in Ethiopia. I pretend it stand for Chewbacca.

She loves to open and close things. Drawers, doors, whatever. She also has developed an affection for baby dolls or small stuffed animals. She loves her drum and anything (including the air vent) that makes noise.

She is still stubborn and will argue with me when I tell her not to do something. You can see her little mind debating when I say no what to do. She turns to me, turn to whatever she shouldn’t be doing, turns to me, turns to it and so on. If I say no or tell her to come to me she’ll stop but sometimes the temptations is just too great.  She actually crawled sideways briefly back towards something I told her to leave alone. It was like it is drawing her in. But usually (after I say no a few times) she resists and does something else.

She is getting 2 possible 3 more teeth. All on the top. Every once in a while she gets cranky because of it but for the most part, other than the drool and the chewing on everything, you wouldn’t know. She is a really happy baby.

She is adjusting okay to me going back to work more. She is staying with family and though she loves them, she has some rough moments. This week I start back into the office 2 days a week. Unfortunately for her, I have to work. Even if both of us wish it was otherwise.