So this happened...

Taking care of Lexi.

 Recently the girls were given the job of taking care of their cousin, Lexi Rabbit, for a weekend.

Elsie and Lexi had a great partnership, in which Lexi allowed herself to be petted just long enough for Elsie to get settled on the ground before she ran off again.

Sylvie, on the other hand, seems to be something of a bunny whisperer (or perhaps Lexi thought she was a bunny in that fuzzy white sweater?).  Whatever the reason, Lexi liked to follow Sylvie around the room, and calmly submitted to all types of toddler petting with no complaints.

Sylvie's first birthday!

Elsie made Sylvie a birthday banner.

It didn't start 'til Daddy came home with the cake and pizzas!

Playing with Annie (the hat didn't last long).

Partying with Auntie Kristin.

Yummy cake!

You guys sure this is for eating?

Look, guys...we're gonna need more cake.  Lots more cake...

Playing with new jewelry from Huck and Lily.

Pictures from Sylvie's first year.

There were a few tears...but only because Sylvie walked behind the table and got stuck.

Five minutes left in the party, and we found Sylvie had shut herself in the bathroom with her milk bottle.  I guess she needed some alone time after such a wild party...or she was embarrassed of her frosting-encrusted hair-do!

February Miscellany

While sitting on the potty:
Mama: "Elsie, are you finished pooping yet?"
Elsie:  "No.  More poopers are coming.  Go, boona, go!  Go, boona, go!  You can do it!

Daddy:  "Elsie, why are you out of bed?  What's wrong?"
Elsie:  "Daddy, you know what's wrong!  Can't you see that I am wiggling?"

***

Watching Olympic figure skater Gracie Gold perform a triple-triple combination:
"Mama, I don't think she is making safe choices!"

"Daddy"

Discussing possible Night Time Monster Encounters with Daddy before bed:
"If it is a STINKY monster, but it is also a NICE monster, then I can just make the monster take a bath so it won't be stinky any more!"

***

Valentine's Day candy means that Elsie has been introduced to the concept that she sometimes gets dessert when she finishes dinner.  After finishing a giant monster cookie at the coffee shop with Miss Heather:
"Mama, since I finished my whole cookie, now do I get to pick out a treat?"

Sylvie Harriet is ONE!

Mama, this is funny!

...but Olivia Pig and I need to go now...

Health and growth:

Sylvie now weights 17.0 lbs (3%) and stretches to 29.75 inches (70%) (for those interested, Elsie weighed 17lbs, 4oz (3%) and stretched to 28.5 inches (25%) at this age).  She wears size 3 diapers (when she uses disposables), 12 month clothes and size 2 shoes.  

Sylvie still wakes three or four times a night to eat, and consistently takes 1-2 naps a day, totaling about 2 hours. 

Sylvie has 6 teeth, and we suspect her one-year molars are on their way. 

Sylvie started walking a week before her birthday.  She'd been toying with the idea for months, but aside from a few steps here or there, she was perfectly happy to (speedily) crawl around.  The big change started with a Friday play date with 20-month-old Junia, during which Sylvie seemed quite interested in this "big but not so big" kid and how she moved around.  Over the next two days, she practiced scooting along furniture, then taking a few steps on her own all the time.  By Sunday night, Sylvie was successfully standing up, walking, and sitting down again whenever she wanted to.  What a big girl!  Turns out all she needed was the proper motivation!

Other things our big (little!) girl enjoys these days:
-knocking over towers
-dancing to toys that play music
-pulling books off of book shelves
-bath time and water play
-mimicking anything Elsie does
-exploring kitchen cabinets
-hugging stuffed animals

Communication:

Words Sylvie says: Ma (mama), Da (Daddy), mamama (milk), ja (yes)
Signs Sylvie does: good-bye and hello (waving), "all done", yes (clapping), "high 5", eat
Signs and words Sylvie understands: no, "sit down", bounce (jump), dance

Watch me grow:

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

12 months

And just for fun, Elsie at one: