21 Months

Some months it feels like Ingrid morphs into a new, older person in just a few short weeks. Other months, there really isn't anything new to report except that we went to the park and made cookies.

This month's "big news" - Ingrid has given up her pacifier.

A few months ago, Ingrid turned a small, but significant corner with her pacifier. She always used it during naps and bedtime - but she started to grow more attached outside of her bedroom. She would ask for it in the car, during long walks and tried to use it with her babies (and would then sneak little sucks while we weren't looking - like some sort of creepy addict). The pacifier was starting to become more of a "want" than a "need." 

Dan and I tossed around the idea of weaning her off of the pacifier this winter, but we really didn't have a plan. Then on Wednesday I send Dan this text: How was the zoo? 

Dan: It was good and fast. Just read her to sleep without a nuk. 

I was thrilled but wanted the full story. I later learned that they threw it in the trash can and it really wasn't that big of a deal. Two minutes of crying and she was fast asleep. 

That night I started to tear up as I was reading to Ingrid in bed. She was thrashing around, mumbling something about her nuk. In general - she was uncomfortable and searching for the one thing that brought her comfort, every single day, since day one. I wanted to give in, I wanted Dan to stay in the room with me. I just wanted her to be little for a little bit longer. 

She cried for two minutes and went to sleep. This has been the scenario since Wednesday and I feel pretty conflicted. It was obviously the right time but she'll randomly bring up the subject of her pacifier: while reading stories, looking at pictures of babies, playing with babies (babies are pretty hot right now with Ingrid). When she points to a picture of a baby, looks up and declares "No nuk!"  I know it might sound silly, but I think she's in the grieving stage of her pacifier and I just feel a little shitty. She can't be this old yet! 

But she is. She's old enough to understand that babies need pacifiers and sadly, she's no longer a baby. 

Ok, enough pacifier talk for today. Here's a little glimpse into our lives today: 

Ingrid giving herself air-kisses on the reverse camera setting.

ABCs and 1-2-3s

"Mom, when can I stop saying cheese?"

Swinging in the sunshine. Best part of our weekend.

19 Months - Where Did I Put That...?

I told myself that at 18 months the monthly Ingrid updates should stop because, I assumed, they would feel trivial.

After walking and talking, what's left? As it turns out, a whole lot.

Her innocence and sense of humor amaze me and she's starting to stand her ground against bedtimes and vegetables. Here are some of my favorite moments at 19 months:

• On Monday, we had edamame for dinner. Every time we released a little edamame pod from the shell, I'd say "POP" and Ingrid would quickly shovel it into her mouth. Last night, Ingrid pushed her little finger into broccoli yelling "POP" while looking at me as if to say "Remember?"
  
• Every Saturday Ingrid and I head over to our local community center for a Movement Class. Kids under the age of three run around, dance with ribbons and roll on mats to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Ingrid is nervous and hesitant at the beginning of every class and of course at the end, asks for "More?!"
  
• Hummus used to be referred to as "Hummy." Today, she called it hummus. Our little girl is growing up.
  
• More evidence she's growing up, Ingrid ditched the crib for a big girl bed.
  
• From an early age, we used sign language with Ingrid to communicate simple, everyday things - eat, more, mom, dad, milk, hat, fish (the last two, more useful than you would think). This kit includes flash cards. Ingrid loves flash cards. Sometimes when I'm in the kitchen, she'll come racing in with a chubby handful of cards, sit her little self down and whip through them as if she's studying for a math quiz.
  
  But, cards are slippery and sometimes the couch gets the better of you and the cards: 

How many cards can I hold? 

What's cuter? A kitty cat shirt with hearts or these pigtails?

What the? Where's my other card?

Under here?

Under the pillow?

Got it. 

At 19 months, this much is true: she is smart, she can now climb up onto our bed, twirl around in circles and sign language is being replaced by joining words. As in "Hi Mama and Dada."

At 19 months, she is so cute, it makes your heart hurt.

18 Months

At 18 months, Ingrid is: 

• Funny. 
• Talkative. 
• Into the show Bubble Guppies. 
• Really into books.
• Really, really into babies. 
• Gaining control over herself when she spots a yogurt container (opposed to pointing and grunting uncontrollably).
• Taking a movement class (aka, spinning around with other 18 month-olds).  
• Into looking at pictures of herself. 
• Frustrated when you don't know what she wants. Understandably so.
• Turning to a bit of a snuggler. 
• Rediscovering bananas.
• Going through a weird hair stage. 
• Developing a "real" laugh. 
• Is growing up. 

Here are a few snapshots of Ingrid at 18 months. Hey, I can stop saying months and say 1 1/2! Or 1.5 if you want to be silly about it: 

My friends, Ingrid and I attended a local Harvest Fest for good ol' fashioned fall fun. Sure, there was a turtle in the petting zoo, crawling next to the goats. Sure, there was a playpen full of dried soybeans for kids. Why not? Ingrid had a blast. We had some fair food, saw some cows and left with apple pies. 

Faves. 

Awkward squat. 

Dan and I enjoyed our friend's birthday celebration with dinner and drinks. And we had some confusion with cameras: 

Ingrid has always loved the great outdoors, a ball and Harper. Put them all together and you have a hilarious combination. Throw ball. Watch Harper run. Laugh hard. Fall to your knees. Repeat. 

Ingrid also loves trees. Loves as in literally hugging and kissing them. So sweet it makes my heart hurt. 

September, You Just Arrived.

Do you have to leave so soon?

With Dan starting school, his internship - and his business picking up steam - we've had a hectic month at home adjusting to a new schedule. Isn't organization a wonderful thing? If only someone else could arrange everything and I could just reap the rewards of an organized schedule, closet and life. 

With schedules being more structured than we're used to - I've tried to make an effort to be more easygoing. To sleep in on the weekends, have two beers on a school night, stay in bed and watch cartoons with Ingrid and forgo lunch in favor of baking cookies. 

Let's not lie. This isn't really a huge departure from my "normal." 

Anyways, here are some September highlights from my iPhone (sidebar: any recommendations for a decent non-point-and-shoot camera?): 

Celebrating my best friend's 30th birthday with cocktails (and later over manicures.)

Watching Ingrid's face light up as she watched the kites takeoff from Milwaukee's Lakefront Kite Festival. 

Ingrid's love for babies continues to grow. She tests our swaddling skills and insists on giving them a bottle and "pupcakes" (aka, plastic cupcakes.) 

Savoring lemon cucumbers. A cucumber with the zing (and shape of) a lemon. Seriously amazingly good. 

You can bet that I stuffed those figs with (Kirkland) goat cheese and called it dinner too. 

Never one to say no to anything free - I gladly took this hand-me-down car from a coworker. Ingrid has mastered backing up and is trying her best to move forward. She has mastered the art of turning the wheel - and the horn. 

One of my favorite ways to start the day: a long walk to the park with Harper and Ingrid. 

Hoping there is some sort of nutritional benefit to pumpkin-flavored things - because I've consumed a few pumpkin-flavored things. 

Children's literature just gets better and better. Ingrid has a thing for The Foot Book and "Moo Baa, Lalala" - and loves to recite her favorite phrases. 

Regardless of political affiliation, taking Ingrid to see the President, was memorable, inspiring and uplifting. 

Ring ring! The phone's for you and it's probably Henry from daycare. Or grandma. 

It doesn't get anymore Wisconsin than spending a day at the fair: eating cheese curds, getting an Apple Pie Baked in a Paper Bag from The Elegant Farmer and - gazing at cows: 

A sweet end to a sweet month. 

This month I'm looking forward to welcoming fall, carving pumpkins and taking Ingrid to go Trick or Treating for the first time. 

What are you looking forward to this month? 

17 Months

In late August, my friend and I were walking around the park. She with her dog and me with Ingrid. Ingrid noticed a group of kids playing a game of faux-baseball and asked to get out of her stroller to "walk" and said "ball". My friend turned to me and said "When did she become a little kid?"

Last month, Ingrid turned into a little kid (sort of). She's taller, more stable on her feet and loves to talk. 

With each passing month, I like Ingrid more and more. I know I'd mentioned that before and it sounds weird but, it's true. Her personality is warm, she loves kisses and books and above all things, the moon. 

She's starting to join words together, as in "buh-bye Hahpah" and "read book." I know that sounds like small potatoes, but after listening to a year of cooing, signing, babbling and single words, getting a glimpse into Ingrid's thoughts through verbal communication is wonderful. 

It's like listening to a song and understanding the verse, when yesterday you could only make out the refrain. 

16ish Months

When did my baby start playing with babies?

Everything is now a baby. The Glow Worm and stuffed animals are wrapped up in a blanket like a baby. Even the sippy cup gets the swaddle treatment.

We've entered the land of Toddlerville. It's hilarious, weird and taxing.

Last summer, I would hold all fifteen pounds of her and try to imagine how life would be in a year. She would have little thoughts. I would be able to hear her budding voice. Understand her quirks. Know her favorite foods. Plan her sweet little outfits.

12 months later, her thoughts center around Harper, pictures of her cousin Wayne, babies, yogurt, slides, plastic cupcakes and - as embarrassing at it is - Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

Her little voice is slowly perfecting her favorite words. Harper responds to "Hahpa" and I'm thankful she proclaims "EAT" when she's ready to eat.

My favorite Ingrid word, hands down, is "Wayne":

 


(Try not to get too jealous of that cutting-edge phone.) 

Least favorites words include: "No", and "Buh-bye!" as I'm leaving for work.

She loves to sleep with her over-sized stuffed unicorn and is afraid of the vacuum. She gets a kick out of sweeping alongside of us in the kitchen. She helps to get dinner on the table by working in her little kitchen (I know, I know, must not perpetuate gender roles...).

She's becoming a little kid who grow out of her 18-24 month clothes and understand that purpose of the toilet in the near future.

I don't think there's been enough distance between the baby stage and toddler stage to fully appreciate how wonderfully snuggly those short precious baby moments truly are - because I'm so loving her as a bubbly little 16ish month old.

Even though I'm so tired at the end of the day that I might accidentally slam my head on the keyboard if I don't go to bed soon.

Eleven

Ingrid is eleven months old. 

She likes to crawl. And put a bird on it.

She likes to help out around the house - and keep her hair out of her face.

She got sick for the first time ever and it was pretty sad.
I stayed home from work one morning to take care of her and she didn't want to move from this spot.
See, it was pretty sad.

For Mother's Day last year, Shutterfly gave me a free photo book gift card, so I used it to make a book about our family.
Ingrid now loves this and refers to everyone as "Da-da."

Not sure if whole apples are appropriate for 11 month olds,
but she loves them and I think they help with her teething pain.

This is her new fake smile.
Stop it, Ingrid. 

This is her real version of her fake smile.

I received one too many "What a cute boy" comments
and decided that barrettes are now pretty cute. 

Ingrid can now sign hungry, drink, and book. She signs book a lot.  

Ten

On February 10, Ingrid turned 10 months old.

She's cuddly, cheery and all-around fun.

She's starting to pull herself up onto the furniture.

She's getting the hang of "marking it with an I" during PattyCake.

Current loves include: books, making sounds with her lips and those little Cuties. 

This month, my girlfriends and I visited Minneapolis for a little weekend getaway. 

Sister + best friends + cheap spa treatments = great weekend.

Ingrid started swimming lessons last week.
She ohhed and ahhed over basically everything.

And the majority of the lesson consisted of me throwing a rubbery ducky
and helping Ingrid retrieve it.  

Basically, we play fetch.

She's growing up so fast and I love her so much.

Nine Months.

Earlier this week, I came across a real nugget of wisdom in What To Expect The First Year, The Ninth Month, Games Babies Play: 


"Clap Hands. While you sing - 'Clap hands, clap hands, till daddy comes home, 'cause daddy has money and mommy has none.' is the traditional verse - take your baby's hands and show her how to clap." 


What.

At first I was flat-out offended. Then, I furrowed my brow at the absurdity of it all and moved on with the day. But, if Ingrid did earn money for clapping (or am I earning the money as 'mommy'?) - she would earn lots of moneys.

At nine months, Ingrid's dislikes include: going to sleep, loud noises and redirection (away from the cable box and from picking at paint). Ingrid's likes include: crawling (or scooting), the board books cleverly titled - What, Who, Where and Where, yogurt, Harper, newspaper and black beans.

Do you have any black beans? 

Hey You. 

Mmm, it looks like I have four of those little white things now.

Seven and Eighth Month

We've been slacking in the photo department over the past few months - but with Christmas around the corner, I'm sure we'll have plenty of photographic memories to embarrass Ingrid for years to come.

Last month, something in our house just started to click. The weeks started to feel routine and normal, Dan's business is still clipping along and Ingrid has been pretty bubbly. 

Ingrid's development is pretty amazing to watch. One minute she's jamming a little baby-cereal-puff on her chin and the next, it's magically in her mouth. One minute her little tummy is on the floor the next she's attempting a little child's-pose-rocking-scooting move. 

This fall, we've had a good time chilling out, getting ready for the holidays and getting back in the groove! Here's a look at her seventh and eighth month - Thanksgiving, Atkinson Christmas and a little more.

Long lost toy makes an appearance. Rattle bird is welcomed to the play mat once again.

Fake-napping

Chubby thighs. 

Thanksgiving lovin' 

Thank goodness for elastic-waist jeans.

Gabbing with cousin Audri

Tiger attacks at Micheal's 

Who are you calling a milk junkie? 

Paper - the latest living room craze

Ok, I AM a milk junkie. Happy?

Reading with Great Grandma Atkinson

Laying around with Santay-cousins

Aunt Alex and baby Wayne

First present (cliche - the paper was the bigger hit)

That. Santa. Hat. Is. Funny.

Watching the Republican debate.