Wait a Sec....

Flipped the girl upside just now, and realized... HEY! Since when does she have FOUR teeth on top? I knew that she'd been chewing on things alot lately. Socks. Lincoln logs. Spatulas. Dolls. Combs. Tampax. Always carrying something in her mouth like a dog bone. Never thought to check whether there was a CAUSE for all that. But there is. Tooth count is up to 6 now.

Belated 1 year old Portrait

She just doesn't sit still long enough for me to take many pictures of her! She'll smile like a champ - it's just always while "on the move"....

Just Because

Reagan is just especially cute today, and I'm appreciating having her in our lives. Even when she gets into the cupboards and makes a holy mess, right as I'm trying to clean for Christmas. It's so hard to say no to that little face!!!

Sprout

FINALLY, Reagan's hair is long enough to produce THIS sprout on the top of her little head. She's awfully proud of it!! It sticks straight up, and there's a matching cowlick on the back of her head that makes IT stick up, too.

Scraps

Poor Morgan. Now that Reagan has 4 teeth, scraps no longer go to the dog. She's perfectly content to eat the leftovers from her brothers' meals ;)

Jeopardy

The question to Final Jeopardy tonight, which MOI got right, but two of the three contestants got wrong....

"The Shakesperean daughter whose name means 'little king'"......

You got it!

Who is REGAN!!!!

13 Months Old

Time is just flying by Way. Too. Fast. Reagan's 13 month bday today.

Not yet walking, but she HAS stood unsupported for a max of 6 seconds or so. I bought her a good, practical pair of shoes to give her a solid base from which to learn to walk. Although I can't imagine why I'm pushing her to walk, given that she's already into EVERYTHING, and it can only get worse once she's fully upright. I think she's going through a growth spurt, as she's eating like a horse lately. Packing on a few pounds, I believe. I'd guess she's up to about 17 by now!

Reagan's New Thing

Reagan has learned how to shake her head "no". It's very cute. I'll nod "yes", and she'll smile right at me, and then shake her head "no". So tonight at dinner, I decided to have her show Dad her new trick.

Trying to be funny, I asked her "Reagan, are you a good girl?"

Darned if that little girl didn't nod her head YES for the very first time ever!

Mid Week Cuteness

Sometimes I just can't stand it, and have to start snapping pictures for no apparent reason. She looks at me a certain way, and I want to FREEZE TIME at that exact moment. Wish my eyeballs were cameras,with wireless connection to the blog.

Artsy Fartsy

Reagan is so creative. Today, she colored with crayons for the first time. I was excited to see that she actually DID color on paper! Scribble scribble, then put it in her mouth to chew for a bit, then scribble scribble again. She was pretty RED (mouth, hands, highchair tray) by the end, but, so was the PAPER, so I'd say it was a success ;)

Another one for the record books.

Tooth number 4 made it's appearance yesterday. Left front, top. So she's got the bunny look, with her front four teeth and nothin' else.

One Year Stats

Can I just say that one-year well-child visits SUCK. Poor thing. 5 shots, plus a lab draw. Just to say "she's healthy!". Anyways. Here's her stats:

Height - 28" on the nose! (10-25th %)
Weight - 16.5 pounds (<3rd %)
Head Circumference - 43.5 cm (10th-25th %)

So, still a bitty thing, but her body is catching up to her head!

The following is for my own benefit, since this blog is essentially her "baby book". You're welcome to be as fascinated with my daughter as I am, though, if you so choose ;).
Her eyes are still blue, but there's flecks of green in there now. She's not walking yet, but is a VERY fast crawler! She's eating "people" food - and generally refuses baby food. She's trying to use a spoon, and does a pretty darn good job, for a 1 year old! What else do I know about her? Favorite words? Mama and Dada. LOVES balloons, balls, tupperware and toilet brushes. I've had to hide every last toilet brush in the house. She is obsessed with the things. Bedtime around 7-7:30 pm, and sleeps (lately) to about 8 am. Plus usually two naps a day. She loves to be "where the action is", and can crawl up stairs like nothing, but still tries to go down face first. She's a DANCER, and it's so cute, but I have yet to get it on video. Loves to play the piano. Is squirmy squirmy squirmy, refuses to lie down for diaper changes, and screams loudly during church.

Sometimes I just want to FREEZE time, as it's moving by much too fast.

Happy First Birthday!

Here's Reagan at One! 3 teeth, eyes STILL blue.

Daddy's Little Girl

Reagan and her Friend Elli

The videos are too big for me to transfer over onto her blog, but Reagan has a good friend in Elli, whom she visits every Monday while Mom and Dad are at work. Elli is such a great little "mommy" to Reagan - even when Reagan's not so thrilled to be "mommied" ;).

Check out the videos at http://www.elianarenee.blogspot.com/.

Gross Gross Gross Gross

This morning, in the twinkling of an eye, one of those stories that will be retold over and over and over happened. YUCK. I was making waffles in the kitchen, the three boys were eating them, and Reagan (who had already eaten) was playing contentedly in my tupperware cupboard. Her back was to me. I look over to her, and see a string in her hand.
I asked her what she was playing with, and decided to go check it out. You know what it was????

A MOUSE! She had him by the TAIL. A DEAD MOUSE! MY BABY!!! YUCK YUCK YUCK!
Thank GOODNESS I caught her before she put it in her mouth. EWWWWWWWWW. I screamed, whisked her up in my arms, and promptly washed her hands with antibacterial soap, and then used the Clorox Disinfectant wipes on her hands, too. I swiped her mouth for good measure. No hantevirus here.

It's been about 20 minutes since it happened, and I can't stop cringing. IIIICCCCCCKKKKKK.

Dressing for the Weather

The 2009-2010 "Hat Season" has begun, and here are this year's first entries. I have a feeling there will be several more before spring. I'm thinking of attempting matching scarves this year. We'll see how ambitious I get.

Addendum: OK. I DID crochet a scarf. Now I'm going to have to make a scarf for every hat. Too cute. Or maybe it's just my model that makes them so cute ;)

She Dances

I don't often play music around here. We don't have a stereo system, so, unless I pop something into the computer and crank up the mini-speakers.... we're out of luck. I KNOW Reagan has never seen anyone dance before. We Aho's were not "born with the rhythm" so to speak. Imagine my surprise, then, when today I started listening to my nephew's electronica/techno-pop band on "My Space", look down, and there is Reagan, jamming out! She's got the moves! Innately! I was absolutely flabbergasted. Of COURSE she stopped dancing the moment we brought out the camera. I'll try again to get it on film. Just so.... odd... to see my baby dancing! Like watching a computer-animated version of my baby girl busting a move.

Sunday Cuteness

I fully realize that I might be a touch biased, what with the whole "fruit of my loins" thing going on, but.... is she NOT just the cutest thing you've ever seen????? She smiles with her entire face. I love it.

Space Baby

Quinn and Colby are going to be astronauts for Halloween, while I was PLANNING on having Reagan be a little fairy. Turns out, she'd prefer to be an astronaut, too. Should've bought three of these helmets!

Another Tooth!

Tooth #3 has made it's appearance! Right top front. Pokin' through, just a tad. 11 months and 11 days old. The hair is only tame for about 5 minutes right after bath time, so thought I'd take advantage.

Latest Developmental Milestones

I need to get it on film, but Reagan is now waving AND clapping her hands. New skills, learned this past week. It's very cute, and I feel like she is communicating with us more and more (well, she's always been good and letting us know when she's MAD).

Me Gusta Comer Los Alimentos

Reagan had her first Mexican meal last night. Spanish rice and refried beans, off of my plate at "Carmelitas". She would've tackled my chimichanga, too, if I'd have let her. The mommy needs to eat, too, though, you know. I honestly did not get a single bite of my own rice. Reagan ate the WHOLE THING. Oh, and she had lime for the first time. She had the lime from my margarita. The faces she made! Hilarious! I kept trying to capture them on my phone camera, without success. Such a glutton for punishment. Take a lick, grimace, gag, put it right back in her mouth. Priceless.

11 Months Old

Reagan is 11 months old today, and I am acutely aware that my "baby" will become a "toddler" in the very near future. WHERE did that year go??? I'm not ready!! Luckily, she is very little, so I can still PRETEND she's a baby for awhile longer yet - if she'd only stay still long enough to let me. Here's what I know about our daughter, eleven months into this whole life thing....

1. She weighs a whopping 15 pounds, which still is below the 3rd percentile for weight. The majority of that weight remains on top, in the form of a cranium full of wild hair. We call her "Lollipop", for obvious reasons.

2. Still in 6-9 month clothing, and that often is a little "baggy" on her.

3. Size 2 diapers.

4. Two teeth, bottom front, although I think the top two might be coming through someday soon.

5. Mode of transport: crawling. Fast. She can go from the front of the house to the back in about 2 seconds flat. Alternative mode of transport is pushing her baby stroller, which is alot of fun but not as fast, so not preferred.

6. Favorite activity: taking every last item out of my tupperware cupboard.

7. Eating some table-foods now: applesauce, oatmeal, green beans, cooked carrots. She loves to feed herself.

8. CAN use a sippy cup, but still would rather use a bottle.

9. Has stood unsupported for a max of about 3 seconds. Feel that Fact #1 (big head, skinny body) may be contributing to balance issues at the moment.

10. Her eyes are still a steely gray-blue. I keep expecting them to change to brown like the rest of us, but it hasn't happened yet.

11. Undeniably, totally, thoroughly, unequivocally CUTE, ADORABLE and LOVEABLE.

Reagan's Hair

The poor girl. She inherited my hair. The longer it gets, the more wild it gets. Too fine for barettes, not long enough for rubberbands. I do headbands - that doesn't get rid of the "wild", just pushes it back away from her face. I could slick it down with mousse or hairspray, but that just seems wrong for a baby. So crazy bed-head it is. She could've inherited my ability to sleep through ANYTHING, but noooooooo. She gets my hair.

Yet another first

This is how the transition from bottle to sippy cup went today.
#1: Put baby in highchair
#2: Listen to baby scream bloody murder, because she is STARVING for breakfast
#3: Hand baby sippy cup instead of bottle.
#4: Watch baby drink out of sippy cup.
#5: Enjoy peace and quiet for the next 30 seconds.

I don't remember it being so easy with the boys.

Another First!

Today Reagan stood unsupported for the first time.... for all of about 3 seconds!! On the grass. After which she promptly fell on her face (literally) and then looked confused as to why we were all clapping and cheering her. Upright mobility is on the horizon!

Mine Tour

Riding through the depths of a copper mine on the back of Great Uncle Bob. The girl looks good in a hat, doesn't she?

Taking A Stroll

She likes to take her baby for a walk.....

One Squirmy Worm

For the record, Reagan is a mover and a shaker. Constantly, unless asleep. Squirmy. Putting her brothers to shame. Active active active. We are in Trouble (note the capital "T").

A Record Sleep

Reagan fought tooth and nail against her afternoon nap yesterday. FINALLY, at about 4 pm, she fell asleep. And then she slept. And slept. And slept. All the way to 7 a.m. this morning. ASTOUNDING. The girl must be going through a growth spurt!

The Aftermath of Blueberry Picking

Went to a farm for blueberry picking today, Reagan's 10 month birthday. She wasn't content to stay in her stroller, so she spent most of the time crawling around in the dirt, eating whatever happened to be nearby (blueberries, leaves, ash, sand). It was darn exhausting!

My Girl

She's almost 10 months old, and I, just this morning, had to remove the 3-6 months clothes out of her drawer. Not because they were too TIGHT, but because they're too SHORT. We're still in 3-6 month onesies. Despite getting extra time out of these particular things, I'm struck by their "nearly brand new" condition, and think what a waste baby clothes are. Whole new wardrobes every three months. SHEESH. I have sweatshirts from highschool 20 years ago still in my closet, that I wear on a regular basis. Now THAT'S getting your money's worth out of a piece of clothing.

Caught Reagan today chewing on our stone-topped table, so I'm not sure if the next teeth are trying to break through or not, but at least she's not crabby any more!!! The teething thing has eased for now, thank goodness, and I have my "sugar and spice and everything nice" back!

The Teething Blues

This teething thing is for the birds! Poor little girl cries herself to sleep each night, wakes up in tears, screams bloody murder if I leave the room, wants to be held, doesn't want to be held, wants to sleep but refuses to sleep, wants to chew on everything and drool, and goes through about 15 diapers a day. She has a diaper rash for the first time in her 9 months of life, as suddenly everything goes right through her, in liquid form. Oh, where or where is my sweet baby girl?????

Ms. Clingy

I don't know if it's the teething or what, but Reagan has suddenly become very much a clingy mama's girl. This is odd to me, as the boys were NEVER clingy, even as babies. She wants to be held all the time, and when I was gone to a meeting the other night, she apparently cried the entire 4 hours. She insists on being rocked to sleep now, too - a taboo I have tried to avoid for the past 5 years, in an effort to instill "self soothing" in my children. But Reagan has also started calling "mamamamama", and... I just can't resist. She calls for me, I jump, and we rock rock rock until she falls asleep. BAD habit, but so sweet.

The 9 Month Stats

Wellchild visit today. Here's the latest.
First teeth: YESTERDAY! Bottom front, left AND right. I've tried get a picture, but she's apparently very modest about them and won't let anyone see.

Weight: 14.8 pounds. That puts her in less than the 3rd percentile.
Height: 27 inches. 30th percentile
Weight for Length: Less than the 3rd percentile.
Head Circumference: 45 cm. 75th to 90th percentile.

So the brains encased in her large cranium are sucking all the fat off her little bones, and she is a long skinny thing! I'm getting lots of use out of her baby clothes, that's for sure!!!

What She Looks Like at 9 Months

The view from the top....

9 Month Birthday

Reagan is 9 months old today!!! WOW! She now weighs 15 pounds. I know this, because she celebrated the anniversary by a trip to the Emergency Room -- her first -- where she was weighed. Welcome to the Aho Family, little girl. You'll get used to the Emergency Room. Rob said "we should just build a house right next door". Yes. Poor thing. Apparently, the babysitter accidentally dropped her while outside on the porch, and she landed hard, hitting her head. Rob got home soon after, and she promptly began projectile vomitting. Worth a trip to the hospital, to make sure no concussion or swelling. She is fine, thank goodness, and our poor babysitter feels horrible. She's a tough little cookie, that Reagan! Soft skulls really do help babies out! She went right to sleep as soon as we got home, so she's exhausted from the ordeal, but I think none-the-worse. According to my calculations, 15 pounds still puts her in less than the 3rd percentile for weight, so she's still a bitty thing, but growing and moving along in her own Reagan way!

On A Roll and On The Move

This little girl is crazy! Sunday, she started crawling all over. Monday (yesterday) she started pulling to stand at beds and things. I'm nervous about what she'll do today!! I'm stopping by Walmart on my way home from work and buying another babygate for the stairs. Nothing is safe!!

Mommy and Reagan

Words cannot express how much I love this little girl!!!

And More

So now the tyke is trying to PULL TO STAND! She can get onto her knees at a chair or table, but needs just a touch of help to come all the way to standing. Slow down, sister!!! You're my baby!!!

Those Firing Brain Cells

Reagan has been a bit of a grump this week, which is unlike her. Maybe it's because of all the brain cells waking up. Sunday she learned to transition into sit, and today she took her first few crawling steps!! At this rate, she'll be walking by next week! I'm not sure I'm ready for that :)