Miss Independent

It took me about thirty seconds to realize I had given birth to a baby that already had a personality. The last few months of my pregnancy, Brad and I had narrowed down our name choices down to two, and were struggling to narrow it down to one. I shouldn't have worried. She was clearly too sassy for one of the choices. Amelia (though a sweet-sounding name) seemed much better equipped to hold the personality our little girl so clearly had. Because she had a rough start to life, the doctor warned us she might be sleepy for a day or so, but not so. She was awake, aware, and taking everything in from the get go.

Thirteen months later and I have not changed my mind about her personality. She likes to know what's going on around her. Before she could hold her head up, she much preferred to be in a bouncy chair than on the floor because she could see better. Now she insists on sitting in her high chair while I cook so she can see exactly what I am doing.

She also firmly believes that she can do anything, and loves to imitate what we do. She loves to scrub the floors, rock her babies, read to her babies, feed herself, etc. Anything she sees me do, she wants to do, too.

She has always preferred to feed herself, but lately she has become insistent that she can hold the bowl and maneuver the spoon on her own. Eventually she gives up and eats the soup or applesauce with her hands, but she refuses any help. Emphatically.

She also prefers to walk herself, thank you very much. And go down the slide herself. And eat the woodchips herself... She's getting very good at whining to tell me that I am helping way too much. Gosh, I hate that sound. Toddlerhood is shaping up to be a mixed bag of fun and super annoying. (Any advice on stopping temper tantrums?)

She is a little sassy. But she is also extremely nurturing. Lately she's been turning everything into a baby, from a spoon to the remote to her toys. She hugs it close, rocks back and forth, and sings. It's basically the cutest thing of my life.

And of course, her other favorite thing to do is read books. Her current favorite is Chuckling Ducklings. We read it approximately 8-10 times a day. I'm only mildly sick of it. So far.

And that is the update on what life is like with our baby girl in February 2016. Thanks for reading!