Today is our last day with Baby Addie. Tomorrow she will suddenly become Toddler Addie. That's not to say she's toddling around yet, but some time ago I arbitrarily decided the label "Baby" was for infants through 1 year. "Toddler" covers years 1-2 and "Preschool" covers years 3-4. So no, Addie is not toddling around yet but she's close. Besides she can't start to walk yet because she's going to be a caterpillar for Halloween and I have yet to see a caterpillar that walks on two legs.
Get back on track, Niffer...
Tomorrow is Baby Addie's first birthday. It's hard to believe that it has been an entire year since we met Baby Addie, yet here we are. I suppose this calls for a summary or comparison of sorts...
Over all Addie has been the easiest baby - much much easier than her older sister was. In fact, because of Baby Addie I now better understand comments I got from other parents when Ellie was a baby. I could totally see wanting to be a stay at home mom with Addie. She is just simply easy and sweet. We just click and always have.
I think that Baby Addie cried less in her first 11 months than Baby Ellie did in any given single month. I'm not sure I can say that about this last month of Baby Addie's life... it seems that she has decided that getting teeth is a good enough reason to come down with a bad case of the crummies and a strong need for Mommy's attention. So this last month has been a little draining.
But oh is she fun now! Baby Addie's favorite games are fetch (Yes, we toss a small toy across the room, she fetches it, sticks it in her mouth and returns it to us. Over and over again) and copy-cat (She hits her head. I hit my head. She laughs. You get the point).
But Addie's favorite form of entertainment is her big sister Ellie. Ellie still has the magic touch. We still think that all she really has to do is read words from a dictionary and Addie would laugh. Of course, Ellie can't read yet, so really it just comes down to her having to make any sound come out of her mouth and Addie laughs. Poor Ellie. She knows that Addie gets too distracted when she's around so Ellie has learned that she can't be around us if Mommy is trying to breast feed Addie. I think Addie would prefer to starve and play with Ellie.
As a result, Addie is just barely hanging in there with the breastfeeding. I'm in denial that it's coming to an end, though, so let's just move on. Addie LOVES her food. She eats a ton of food, both mushy baby food and big girl finger foods. She just loves to eat.
And Addie loves to sleep. Or maybe I should just say she loves to fall asleep. She is by far so much easier to put to sleep than I ever thought would be possible for a baby. I practically have to just feed her, sing a song and leave her in her crib, though the feeding is now no longer a requirement. Sing a song and leave. It's THAT simple. Just because I feel guilty spending only 2 minutes with her bed time routine and 45 minutes with her big sister's, I have recently started to read her a few books too (which brings the total time up to 5 minutes - IF THAT). She takes two good naps during the day and almost makes it 12 hours a night (so close... so very close).
She's incredible. I wish I could describe it better. I am going to miss Baby Addie. We really could not have asked for a better baby, for us or for her big sister. That being said, though, I am SOO SOO SOO excited (and Ellie is soo soo soo cited) that Baby Addie is becoming Toddler Addie.
You heard me. I'm done with this whole baby thing. It's over. No more for Niffer. I have confirmed my original theory that I LOVE my sleep. I want it back. All of it. And the only way I can get to that point is to stop dwelling in this infancy/baby stage.
All joking aside, I am excited to continue to watch Addie grow and discover the world... and start to play more and more games with us... following her big sister's footsteps, this girl is going to make my heart expand so much it will physically hurt. Again. Soon Niffer's heart is going to take over her body. Then the whole world. Beware.
3 comments:
Happy Birthday, Addie!!! I remember when your mom first told us she was going to have you! I can't believe how fast that time went by. You are so adorable and you make your mom, dad, and Ellie so, so happy.
Happy birthday Addie! So glad I was able to meet her during your visit to MD :)
A year flies!!!
I'm having pangs about the loss of "baby Addie" too, although it's soooo much more fun when they can actually interact with you! There's so much good stuff to come with both of them. I am the luckiest grandma in the world!
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