Baby Steps

We knew this day would come sooner rather than later, but today Shaina started walking!

Here is a short video highlighting her first steps. She's officially a toddler now!

Winter 2013-14 Update

We are going to call this Shaina's first real winter.  Yes, we know that she was born in November 2012, but this winter she has been able to put on her winter coat and go out in the snow, crawl over to the window and stare out with Ozzie, participate in indoor activities, and snowbird down to Florida.

At 15 months, Shaina:

- Is a wonderful eater.  Although she definitely has her opinions, this girl will try almost anything.  Her favorite foods are yogurt, cheese (not her father's daughter), meats from the slow cooker, spicy food (not her mother's daughter, PB&J and . . . tuna (?!?!?).  Shaina also said bye bye bottle and is now all sippy all the time.  

- Is a good sleeper, but a stingy napper.  Shaina regularly goes to sleep at 7:30 without a fight, and she sleeps until around 7 and then stays in her crib for awhile until we are ready to get her out.  She is a light sleeper, but she is getting better at falling back asleep on her own.  Naps, however, are another story.  Why nap when you can play?  Shaina fights naps unless she is in her stroller, where she will fall asleep to the motion.

- Loves her doggy (baba).  It has been a lot of fun watching Shaina and Ozzie start to interact more.  Ozzie has learned to tolerate her little wayward hands and Shaina enjoys chasing, petting, and feeding her canine friend.

- Is a master crawler/cruiser.  If there was a toddler track and field team, Shaina would be the star.  This girl can move!  She loves crawling to and up the stairs (before we even have a chance to turn around) and then she slides into position and comes down backwards.  No walking just yet, but you can tell that she is close as she cruises around and lunges between the furniture.

- Plays well with others.  We enrolled Shaina in a weekly "Fun Fit" class through the Rockville Parks and Rec Department.  Shaina loves waving at the other kids, playing on the parachute, tossing and cleaning up the foam balls, and playing with a variety of musical instruments.
- Is starting to both talk and comprehend.  Shaina still really babbles more than talks, but she does say bye bye and the following words with multiple meanings: bah bah, dada, mama, and something that sounds like flower.  She also will sit in her chair on command, points to her head and tummy, and claps to tell us that she wants something. 

Some pictures from these last few months are below:

Shaina Turns One!

It's hard to believe it's been a year since our little girl came into our lives. This past year has been one of blissful happiness as we watched Shaina grow. She makes us laugh and smile on a daily basis continuing to fill our hearts with joy. Sorry to gush so much, but have you met our daughter?

On Saturday, Nov 23, 2013, we had a small birthday party at our house for Shaina. Thanks to everyone who was able to join us as we celebrated this momentous occasion. We are grateful for all of your love and support over this past year. Below are a smattering of pictures from her birthday party. Turning one is fun!

A Berry Happy Halloween!

Tonight was Shaina's first Halloween, and she was the cutest strawberry in town!

Since she was too young to go trick-or-treating, we decided to take her to a parade over at her favorite playmate Brendan's neighborhood. As you can see from the photos below, the two of them were adorable in their Halloween outfits.

Happy Halloween!

11 Months

Whoever coined the phrase "time flies when you are having fun" clearly must have been a parent.  Shaina is a really happy and easy baby - she sleeps approximately 12 hours a night, she loves to try new foods (from hamburger and french fries to barbecue chicken to pizza to squash and strawberries), and she loves to explore the world from the perspective of an infant.  And Shaina also loves to verbalize, whether by growling at the dog, asking for her "baba" (bottle), or saying mama/dada (to no one in particular, but that is beside the point).

Walking still seems a ways away, but Shaina is not afraid to hold on with one hand or to "scoot" along the couch, a table, or even our wall of cabinets in the basement.

This next month will be a bonus, as Shaina already has brought us more than a year's worth of joy!

Little Crawler

Shaina has become a particularly adept crawler, mobiling around with ease.  This video demonstrates both her crawling prowess and her apparent early disdain for the paparazzi.

Shaina Goes to the Pumpkin Patch

Sounds like the title of a children's book, right?

Today we took a short trip over to Homestead Farm to pick out the perfect pumpkins for our porch. This was Shaina's first trip to the pumpkin patch, and she had a blast. She especially enjoyed playing in the hay.