Isla at 17 Months

You’re 17 months old!

Your very first swing ride!

New words: Gaga for Gertie, uh-oh, ow, and you are really trying to say your name. It sounds like eylalalalalala.

Favorite foods: Pizza, smoothies, pineapple, blueberries, mama’s pancakes, and biscuits

 Dislikes: You will not eat cheese! Who is this child? Not mine! Your mama + papa LOVE cheese so I’m not sure what the aversion is, but more for us!

 Weight: 22 pounds

Hair: A wee bit more on the top, but you are still rocking your bullet (baby mullet)

Walking: Nope! You are starting to stand on your own, but you still don’t have the confidence to take that first step. No rush baby girl.

Proud mom moment: I realized I forgot your 15 month well baby visit…oops

Proud dad moment: Daddy was carrying you in the baby bjorn and he turned the corner to the office a little too sharply and banged your head on the door jamb…complete meltdown!

You are a smooching machine! You kiss everything! You have to make your mmmmwaaahhhh with every kiss. We love it! You chase Gertie around saying mmmmmwah, mmmmmwah! I’m laughing just typing this. Your kisses were even irresistible when you were sick. You puckered up and mama couldn’t resist! Lay one on me baby :)

We have started to transition to letting you eat everything by yourself. I pioneered this movement and Daddy was slow to jump on board. He said he liked feeding you and enjoyed the time he spent with you at dinner.  I have been putting more and more of your liquid/soft foods in the infantino squeeze pouches and really appreciate that you can now suck them down on your own and not make a mess. I’ve been putting your oatmeal, yogurt, apples + pears, and semi-homemade alphabet soup in them. Homemade alphabet soup: Alphabet pasta, food processed carrots + zucchini + squash, and organic + low sodium tomato soup.

Best bibs to save your babes clothes!

Ummm, my only guess is that you are imitating Gertie when you eat like this!

And you still love to share your leftovers!

 You attended your first annual SunFest this month! You went 3 out of the 5 days and loved every second of it! Daddy mostly carried you in the Baby Bjorn, but mommy had to step in when you started to get restless. You’re favorite part? Kid Rock had you shakin’ that little bootie, but the fireworks put the biggest smile on your face. You kept pointing at them and saying “ohhhhhhh.” The fireworks were the last night and they started at 9:00. You typically go to bed between 7:30-8:30 so it really wasn’t a stretch to have you out at 9:00. However, a little teenybopper felt otherwise. As we were having a lovely mama + mini moment enjoying the fireworks, she walks by and says, “Who would bring a baby?!” Needless to say, I had some choice words for her. I will not apologize for bringing you somewhere if it means Daddy and I would have to stay home if we didn’t. I have rarely bailed out of something with you as the excuse unless you are sick or asleep. Daddy and I try to live our lives not only for you, but for us too. We feel it is very important to have a baby, life balance.

You look less than enthused, but I promise, you loved it!

You had your first real cold this month too. It was heartbreaking :( The worst of it came on a Tuesday night. I told Daddy we were in for a long one. I was right. We attempted to put you to bed at least 5 times. I even crawled into your crib with you, but you just couldn’t get comfy because you couldn’t breathe. You just cried and held out your little arms and wailed, “maaaaammmmmmmaaaaa!” You wanted nothing to do with Daddy. It warmed my heart that you, like your fur sister, only wanted her mama when sick. We snuggled, used our snot sucker, and took lots of bubble baths together. I am very happy it was a short lived cold. My predictions came true…the nosefrida was a lifesaver in cleaning out your runny nose.

You make the best snuggle bunny when you're sick

You are so smart! I don’t know how other babes compare, but you blow our minds every day! We went to breakfast at Cracker Barrel with Mimi and Gigi and you rocked that peg tee game. Your fine motor skills have always impressed me, but this was something else. Our little genius! You are so very curious and tenacious. You won’t stop at anything until you’ve figured it out. If something opens, you instinctively know it and find a way to get into it. You will figure out how to unscrew a cap, open a sealed container of cookies with a lid on it, and spend 15 minutes do so if that’s what it takes. I know how to keep you busy!

Mother’s Day was this month and you stayed with your first non-family babysitter. Our friend so graciously offered to watch you while we went to dinner. We have the best friends! You were so in love with her that by the time we got home, you cried when I took you from her arms. I just know you’re going to be a social butterfly.

I love you, sweet Islaboo