I have been thinking on a few different occasions that I need to jot down some things in the blog,  and really now I’m probably only doing it for myself. I have gone so long in between blogs I don’t think anyone would follow it- except for dear Kristin ;)

Well I will begin to try to recount things I had wanted to talk about. Let’s see: First, I guess, Piper cracks us up pretty much on a regular basis. I have never seen a child with such acting ability and intuitions beyond her years. She will pretend to not hear you and then look at you from the corner of her eyes and then laugh. Tonight she offered Doug a mandarin orange and then quickly ate it herself. :) Piper acts out “sad face, happy face and surprise face” on command. I really think she could take to the stage and not feel out of place at all. Although she’ll act what I call “pretend shy” in front of “singular” people (not crowds) who want her to say hello.

Piper is a lover of animals to the nth degree. Among the multitude of animals sounds she can make, she proceeds to hug and kiss fake and real animals of all kinds (well maybe not insects although she acts interested). It’s a close call but bears are probably her number 1 fave, followed by monkeys, puppies, fish and so on….

She says Mama, Dada, watch, “Pa”, down, up, milk, bread, bear, more, ball, work, juice, eyes, soup (which is hilarious- it is a must listen), sock, shoe, oh and eyes comes out like “ass” (quite funny), baby and buh bye. There could be more I’m not thinking of right now.

Speaking of baby and buh bye. This girl has a heart of gold. She is so caring and sensitive and loving. I know girls “by nature” are supposed to be more motherly, etc., however, Piper seems to be exceedingly so at her age. She asks for “baby” ands lifts up my shirt as she lies her head on my belly, kisses or hugs the baby. She will feed him/her milk, give the baby toys, play ball (yes this is entertaining to watch), wave hi and bye, say night night and buh bye to. She will place her hand or both hands low on my belly and intently wait to feel the baby. It’s incredible. We asked her recently what she wants to name the baby and she said “Doh!” so I guess to her for now the baby is Baby “Doh!” haha

I was just reminded of her incredible act of kindness when at my gallbladder ultrasound after an attack I had. She was sitting on Doug’s lap facing me as they conducted the ultrasound. As I changed to my side and they scanned up under my ribs (quite uncomfortable), I winced. Piper reached out to hold my hand, gave me a kiss and then looked for a second and gave me her bear she was holding. Who does this? And this was a month to 2 months ago. So she was about 16 months old. Many times I think she’s an old soul in there. She’s our little dynamic person.

Last little bit for this post, I cannot wait to get her into dance classes when she is old enough (about 3). She LOVES to dance and can keep the beat like you wouldn’t believe. Cannot wait to see her dance in class and in a recital or something! hahaha I’ll be the proudest Mama there! Oh the fun things ahead…

Goodnight, Everyone

Piper is 16 months as of October 24. And yes we are going by the date now and not the weeks. Geesh I remember how important that was to me back when she was younger. I wanted to document some things before I forgot them, which would not be hard to do these days.

I am pregnant again. We found out September 3 right after I completed a super-sprint triathlon in Niles, Michigan. We told family the next day because we were going to be spending Memorial Day weekend with them. So anyway, back to Piper.

Piper says “all done, Nemo (which actually comes out like Bo- Bo), more, wipe (which sounds like waaahhh), Dada, Daddy, book, shoe, cracker (which sounds like a single da), Up!, down, starting to say please, Pa, Paw Paw, Gigi (which sounds like shhi shhi), cheese…” and probably others I cannot think of right now.

Animal sounds and or/interpretations: Elephant, giraffe, piggie, penguin (flaps her arms), fish, monkey, dolphin, cow, cat, doggie, turtle and the most recent addition: whale- thanks to her relentless viewing of Finding Nemo. We watch at least part of it every day and sometimes twice/day. I love the movie, but frankly, I can only take so  much. And it is a great movie! At least it’s not Curious George episodes on DVD (the same 8) over and over like it was last month. That was a little harder to take.

Piper is now getting interested in dinosaurs and is loving bears at the moment. It’s her animal choice of the month. Oh which reminds me, she also says “Bear” usually 2 or 3 in succession every time. She also says it with an underbite and with serious fervor every time; like if you don’t understand me right now, I shall explode any second!

She is wearing more socks and skidders, still working on the shoe thing. She has refused several pairs of boots, but that will come in time. She loves bananas, strawberries, red raspberries, corn, yogurt, fruit pouches and Kraft macaroni and cheese. Outside of that, it is difficult to get her to eat it. Oh and Gerber’s fruit strips. Leslie has been talking to her telepathically because she does not eat meat. We slip it between pieces of bread. Oh and she loves bread. She is definitely in a picky stage.

She loves climbing into chairs (particularly rocking chairs), on couches and play sets; going down slides and swinging. She likes moving things along the floor like their cars; and absolutely adores stuffed animals and is extremely affectionate toward them. She likes blocks and toys like them. Music is her favorite subject as she excels in playing the drums, piano, maracas and strumming the guitar.

Piper is growing more and more hair but refuses to let me do anything with it except brush it out of her eyes. She is strongwilled, determined and independent. For night night time she prefers her Daddy to put her down for the night after a book reading or two and some milk. Oh she’s been sleeping a tremendous amount with this time change and I believe has grown taller and more hair. Yay she’s actually sleeping 12 or 13 hours— my little non-sleeper that she has always been!

Well I think that’s enough for this blog note. Hope this finds you and yours well! Proud Mama of Piper and Peanut :)

Piper has done so much lately that of course I’m posting this now. It has been a long time since I posted anything per usual. Just this morning Piper said “Daddy” to Doug on the phone. It was awesome! Normally she says Dada and it is so cute, but this morning’s “Daddy” was a first. Loved it! She just started saying Dada clearly a number of weeks ago and says it all the time. She doesn’t really say Mama that much. It comes out more like “mum.”

This past week I was sick and she was teething possibly with a cold but she did have some firsts. She said “no” out loud for the first time. Usually she just shakes her head. We believe she said “soup.” She has been saying “Baby” for at least a week now as she lifts up my shirt and points to my belly. She likes to “boop” my belly button (or lelly) as we call it in this house :)

Yesterday we went to the zoo- the last day it was open. Piper rode a pony for the first time! It was awesome. She took to it like a pro! Doug took her around and she had her hands on the saddle horn and reigns. It was so funny. Now it’s onto Halloween costumes! I have one and have another one in mind. Just need to get it online. We will be going to several Halloween events this year including the zoo, and going to grandparents’ houses. Should be a blast!

Oh and at her 15month appointment, Piper weighed 23.6 lbs, and measured 30.5 inches long. She was healthy except for possibly being allergic to her diapers. Also she got a chicken pox and HIb vaccine. She did well with both later although she put up a fight. Glad Daddy was there! He quickly distracted her with animals on the wall. Wow I remember I was the one to do that with breastfeeding her. Times change. :) Well she is demanding my attention. OFf to read books and watch umpteenth episodes of Curious George. ““O~k“ that as her typing gotta` go`!“

Hi!

Much to report so I’ll just dive in. Piper turned one year old on June 24, 2011 at 4:07pm. :) She had a fun party with family and friends and enjoyed her “smoosh” cake tremendously! I made it out of strawberry cake, whipped frosting and decorated it with strawberries. She loved it and it was easy to smoosh - pictures are priceless. On her birthday she had to bottom teeth in the very front, one upper left tooth and one upper right tooth coming in. Her hair grows all the time and is growing over her ears and her hair in the back stands straight up a lot of the time. It is a blonde color with a glimmer of red here and there. Her eyes are still hazel green color with an outer ring of blue.

Piper cried as the candle burned bright on her cake and a bunch of people sang happy birthday, but she promptly stopped when she tasted the real strawberry on top of her cake. After some coaxing she dove right in!

She had her 12 month check up where she got two shots and a finger prick down in the lab for CBC and lead test. She screamed bloody murder at the finger prick and didn’t stop as she bled all over the nurse (just like her Daddy she hates the finger prick!). Poor thing. She weighed in at exactly 20lbs and is 28 or so inches long and healthy.

Walking is just moments away as she has taken her record two steps in a row without holding onto anything. Otherwise her preferred method is walking along something or holding your hands or even faster- super fast crawl. She enjoys playing with remotes, keys, PHONES and going through my purse to take everything out. She also enjoys credit cards to the max (haha pun intended).

She does elephant and piggie noises to everyone’s delight. Also, she does kisses, initiates peek-a-boo and is starting to recognize that she has hair and a nose like other people.

One of my favorite new things to do with her is sign back and forth. Two days ago was a victory when she signed “more” and then “please” without prompting. It was the best! She also signs “milk” and we’re working on “swing” and “water.”

The more kids she is around the better. She loves watching them and playing with them. She is also happier when she is around more than one person. Just the other night she started rolling around on the floor this way and that thinking it was just the funniest thing. She loves evening play time with Daddy. They do the silliest things like the “tickle squeeze” and the “on the shoulders” ride along.

The teething and change in her GI system with new foods, etc. has caused for some fussy days but all in all she is doing VERY well and is adjusting really well. Oh Piper also weened herself off of paci’s which was FANTASTIC (although I think it was due to pain with her teeth). We are working on weening from the bottle and she is now on organic cow’s milk. She still takes a little bit of a bottle before bedtime. But we just started all of this Tuesday so yay!

OK that’s enough for now, but I wanted to post so that I had it documented. :) Off to enjoy free time during nap time.

So it has been a really long time and thought I would post so I wouldn’t forget.

Piper has two teeth very center, bottom. She also has another one coming in her upper left! She started getting the bottom two teeth a couple of weeks ago. She has two different waves to say “hi.” One is an open and close of the hand and the other is a side to side wave. We are working on a pageant wave requested by my dad. Haha! She is getting more hair all the time and it is really lightening up blonde. She has also gotten taller but I do not know her height. She will be having a 12 month doc appt sometime soon.

We are having her birthday party here at the house on June 25. Wish we could celebrate ON her birthday the 24th, but maybe we will have a small thing that day, too! Just wanted to post that. Sometime soon I’ll put some pictures up and maybe video. :)

It’s been a long time since I have posted on here. I guess the time has flown and it has been busy! I just completed my first ever sprint distance triathlon Sunday, May 1. Piper cheered me on all the way until before the finish when the excitement got the better of her and she fell asleep. That same morning, before the race, she mastered something her Daddy is very proud of… she said, “Dada!” :) yay!

She now says Mama, Dada, Ma (for more or food), Baba (for bottle, milk and now sometimes food in general). Oh and “Guh.” :) She is getting more hair and still waves hello and claps (hands and feet). She’s walking around things and occasionally will free stand.

One funny thing I love, now when we are going somewhere and I put her in her car seat, she will switch out the paci she has in her mouth for her tethered one. Thank you for your help in preparation to leave, Little One! :) haha

No teeth yet to speak of. We are afraid we will wake up one morning and she will bear a big grin with a full set of teeth! Speaking of no fun, she got three shots this past Monday and got her first ever “shot fever” from them. Felt so bad for her 102 for 2 days. Poor baby. She would lie in my arms and just look up at me — pitiful. :(

She is better now though, Yay! Oh and she now likes spinach and had her first taste of chicken yesterday- yum yum. Well it’s off to soothe the little munchkin for she doth exclaim unhappiness from her crib!

Piper poppin’ and lockin’ or just scooting like a doggy who has a butt itch :P First time I’ve seen her do this :)

Piper whistles- one of her latest tricks :)

fun in the video store

Good movie

Sunset at the lake

Snuggly with “Puppy” and Grandma at the lake week or two ago

Dada and and Piper at the lake

Demonstrating how we pull off hats

Hmm Baba?

Adult Baba…

Crawling up to Mama

ready to go outside!

Product placement for Uncle Ben’s?

typical sleeping holding onto something

Hi Ho silver it is this way …and this is my mighty brush!

Brush and buckle it doesn’t get better (Mama had to allow her to take her brush with us to the gym’s childwatch- luckily they kept an eye on it for me :)

One tired morning she was being snuggly :)

Pre-game hydration at Bob Evans

Checking out at Bob’s

Post game nap with leftovers

MerBaby is my best friend

I love my baby’s morning hairs (reminds me of that chief penguin in Happy Feet puhahaha)!