Dear Siena -14 Months

Dear Siena,

Another month has passed and we’ve gotten into a groove with our new routine. I know that’ll probably change at any moment, but for now, our day to day life is pretty predictable, yet still really fun. Although your sleep and eating routine hasn’t changed much in the last month (wake 7 a.m., nap 9 a.m., play and lunch til 2 p.m., bed at 7:30 p.m.), you’ve changed quite a bit.

You’re practically running now and can easily walk the 1/4 mile around our block without tiring or falling. You are an expert climber. You really love to climb up onto the dining room chairs, into the dishwasher, and sometimes even the table. I’ve somewhat successfully taught you what “sit” means and patiently explained that we only sit at the dining room table, although you don’t always listen to me. I’m pretty sure that your gym class is responsible for your climbing aptitude, but I don’t mind. You love the explore and I’m not going to fault you for it!

You’re talking up a storm and you’re added another 10 or more words to your vocabulary since last month, including baby, nose (which you can point to), thank you (so polite!), cheese, more, “moo” (for cow), bath, and bowl. You scream “baba” when you want milk or water and you continue to use the sign for “all done” to communicate when you want a change of pace. As soon as we approach the park and you can see the swing you immediately start begging to go “wee!”. We go to the park several times a week, maybe five days a week on average, and the swings are definitely your favorite. You love to watch the older kids play on the equipment, especially if they are swinging or using the monkey bars. You’ll often walk up to the kids and say “hi” and try to join in. You aren’t shy at all. My favorite of all is that you now say “night night” when you’re ready to go down for a nap or to bed. There’s no denying that isn’t useful!

You’ve started to show a some interest and even attachment to your stuffed animals, particularly your doll and your dad’s old dog stuffed animal that he loved as a kid. You generally get bored at home with your toys so I’ve been trying to rotate them out so that you’ll be interested in a toy you haven’t seen in a week or so, but it doesn’t work that well. You still just enjoy to explore new places and things rather than play with toys. You love being involved in our day to day activities, particularly cooking, dishwashing and laundry.

You are starting to enjoy reading more, but mostly just want to read your lift the flap books over and over and over again. You have two, one that involves a zoo and another that involves a farm and we’ve read each of them a hundred times it seems. You won’t sit still for any other book so I don’t mind reading them to you. You’ll even imitate some of the animal noises with me.

You’re right in the middle of the 9th mental leap in development, according to the Wonder Weeks app that we’ve been following since you were born. This app has been pretty dead on for us (there is a book too but we don’t have it) since the beginning and it continues to predict your moods. Literally the day that you entered this “leap” you began to show the signs they listed, including “just wanting mom,” “follows you around constantly,” “is cheerful one moment and crying the next,” and “is mischievous.” Despite your mood swings, which include screaming very, very loudly when you want something, we still think you’re the cutest thing ever, but I’d be lying if I said we didn’t count the minutes til bedtime sometimes!

There were a lot of adventures this month, including your first extended stay away from home! While your Dad and I went to New York City so that I could run the marathon, you stayed with your Nana and Boo and Aunt Claire and Josh for four nights total (two nights at each). You had a great time with them and we missed you a lot. This month you celebrated your second Thanksgiving, which included the Encinitas Turkey Trot in the morning (your dad pushed you in the stroller for the 5k while I ran the 10k), appetizers at Nana and Boo’s house and dinner with my family at Aunt Kerry and Uncle Jeff’s house. You see both your Nana and Grandma Christy every week when they come over to visit you while I work and I’m so thankful that you get to spend so much time with them. You really love Grandma Christy’s pug Lulu and you laugh and laugh while playing with her.

We continue to be amazed by you. Keep challenging us and we’ll continue to learn and grow right long side you.

Love,

Mom