12 Months of Heaven On Earth!!!

I could sit and watch Baby Kate ALL DAY!!!  After Christmas, she was diagnosed with a double ear infection which was easily treated with Amoxicillin...

Pat and I guestimate that by New Year's Baby Kate was walking about 90-95% of the time.  At this point, we noticed she was walking VERY bow legged...

She was once again diagnosed "perfect" at her well child check up...weighing in at 22 pounds 5 ounces which is 82%,  her height was 31 inches which is 95%, and her head circumference was 47 cm which is 92%. 

I asked the pediatrician to have a Tough Love conversation with me as I was beyond exhaused...Baby Kate and I had gotten ourselves in an awful habit me jumping out of bed everytime she cried in the middle of the night and bringing her into bed with me...most of the time several times a night...which wouldn't be a problem if she fell right back asleep,but she wanted to play or have a bottle and I worried about falling out of bed...all of which wore both of us out...so the pediatrician prescribed "Three Nights Of Hell"...which really wasn't that bad...Pat was to put Baby Kate to bed and let her cry herself to sleep...I had been feeding her a bottle, with her falling asleep in my arms, then putting her in bed, which was causing her to wake up, not knowing where she was and scaring her...I slept in Lizzy and Mary Christine's room because I couldn't bear to hear her cry as we weren't supposed to get her up when she woke up in the middle of the night...By the third night, I was back in bed and life has been so much better...she does still cry out a couple times, but goes right back to sleep...most nights she sleeps from 9 pm until 7:15 am... so much better!!!

Pat usually gets up with her and feeds her breakfast in her high chair, then she goes back down for a morning nap around 10 am...then takes another nap or two in the afternoon depending on her mood...now that she is getting more sleep, she is so much happier...and so am I!!!

On January 13, Baby Kate is walking 100% of the time...she still gets her feet tangled up every now and again, and can usually stop and steady herself...only occassionally stumblinging then falling...she still loves to climb and is a bit hesitant when she senses she may be in danger, she notifies us by crying out...she also is much better about turing around and slowly lowering herself down so she doesn't fall when climbing off the chair, couch and hearth...

I have declared Baby Kate to be the family supervisor as she always seems to be watching what everyone is doing and will race from the family room to the kitchen to "supervise" the activity...often with her hands behind her back...

Baby Kate also devloped her own sign language, first recognized by her Daddy...she holds her hands, palms down, waist high and moves them back and forth very quickly as if to say..."No"...when she really means "NO" she moves her hands very firmly once from the middle outward...

She still loves geeting into the kitchen drawers and cleaning them out, much to my dismay...

I love watching her play and interact with her siblings!!!!  She is such a joy and blessing!!!