Happy Holidays!

We are getting ready to hop on our flight back to Maine. I cannot wait to see our families, but the flights and the bitter cold have me nervous. December has been a great month for Paige. She continues to use her potty (albeit somewhat sporadically) and has mastered walking whilst holding onto someone's fingers. She can really move quite fast at this point. She loves to roll back and forth, but still doesn't try to use it as a means to get from point a to point b. She is also babbling away and starting to 'jabber' a bit as well.

Its been an incredible year, and we have a whole lot to be thankful for.

First Words?

Paige is a very verbal gal, and has been babbling for months. In the last couple of months she has started imitating vocal inflections. Then, last weekend she started doing something very cool. We were in the back seat on the way back from our friends' house in Truckee and Paige was babbling her usual "blah blah blah, ba ba ba." I started making the sounds she was making, but changing them slightly to bebe (baby) and bibi (bye bye). Paige imitated the sounds I made. Yesterday and today when I waived and said bye bye, she waived and said bye bye too. Then, this afternoon when I went in to pick her up after her nap, I said hi and she said hi right back. It was amazing. I realize these probably don't count as actual words, just like when she calls out Mamama and night, she's not really calling to me; but this is close. She understands that "hi" and "bye bye" go with waiving because she waives when she says them. I am positive she does not realize that hi is a greeting and bye bye is what you say when you or someone else leaves. This is a video of Paige chilling on her potty and waiving bye bye.

The other very silly thing Paige has started to do is "smile" for the camera. I put smile in quotes because the face she makes is hilarious. She squints her eyes (in anticipation of the flash) and gives a giant toothless smile. She LOVES the camera.

A Musical Genius

Since her birth, Paige has responded very positively to music. She sang along with me when she was smaller, and still smiles and calms when I sing her "You Are My Sunshine." Lately, she has been very excited by both musical instruments as well as toys that play music. Her favorite is a demo of Christmas tunes that her little toy keyboard plays. First is a video of her insanely funny reaction to the keyboard demo followed by a video of her playing the maraca.

November

Paige is 8.5 months and recently celebrated her first Thanksgiving. November was an exciting month for our little Peach. She ran in her first Turkey Trot, began using her potty, and began walking assisted by either Mommy or Daddy. She also started playing games such as patty cake, peek-a-boo, and a funny little chase game where she helps either Mommy or Daddy chase or be chased by the other.

Its amazing to see her changing and growing. She is still babbling away and using Mama and Papa although they aren't actually associated with me or Dave. She is pointing and turning pages in her books. She also gets very interested in tiny details such as a knot in a string or a scratch on her mat, and will spend several minutes quietly examining whatever it is. She is also waiving and clapping, and one of the highlights of the month for me was walking in after a day at work and seeing Paige start laughing, waiving to me and then clapping.

Oh yes, and the potty. Dave and I were amazed with the whole concept of elimination communication when we saw it in effect with Sora. We loved the idea, but never really got past making sound effects when Paige pooped or peed. Sarah told me that she had a little potty that she put under Sora while she was breastfeeding, so I bought Paige a little potty. It is red and adorable, and Paige initially hated it and cried when we put her on it. Obviously, I did not want Paige to be traumatized by the potty, so I ditched the idea. Then, about a month ago our nanny started putting Paige on the potty and reading to her or playing with her. Paige didn't mind it, and over the last few weeks has started going to the bathroom on her potty pretty consistently. She still goes in her diaper as well, but she is pooping and peeing in the potty every day. I have to say, Paige on her potty is about the cutest thing ever.

On the crawling and teeth front, we still have neither. Paige is objecting to being on her belly less, and is raising her hips and doing the Cobra, but she prefers holding on to my fingers and walking around the house. As for the teeth, I've been made fun of enough for my 5 months worth of false alarms. I am now keeping my mouth shut until the child has a mouth full of teeth.

Like Mother Like Daughter

I came across some old photos when I was last back in Maine. After several months of failing to see any resemblance between Paige and either me or Dave, it was fun to see some photos of me as a baby. I'll let others judge for themselves, but I think I see some resemblance. I also came across a photo of my mother with my older sister at the same age I am now.