Fourteen Months!

I apologize this post is so delayed... I told my parents that for their birthday I wanted to make them a photobook. This has involved me sorting through and scanning roughly 10 billion pictures. And I just realized that doesn't include all of the digital pictures that are on their computer >.< Needless to say, these days I have either been avoiding my computer or focusing on completing the project.

But I decided that I would try to multitask this morning - working on this post while the pictures scan. Multitasking is something I used to be quite skilled at but Elsa seems to have zapped that talent right out of me! Even if she is safely tucked away in her crib, I am no longer efficient when trying to do multiple projects at once. I think it's because I never know when she's going to startle awake and start crying, so I do everything as fast as possible, cutting too many corners along the way.

Ok, enough of the whining (I'm sure those of you who have 2+ kids at home are thinking "wah wah... she has no clue..."). This post is supposed to be about Miss Elsa, who turned 14 whole months old on March 21!

Over the last month, Elsa has been practicing her steps. She's not quite at a full on walk but can take about 15 steps in a row. Something else she just mastered is standing up on her own - previous, she had to pull herself up with the aid of a piece of furniture - but now she can "drop it like it's hot" and stand right back up!

Carl and I have also been working with her on simple signs to help her communicate her needs with out screaming at us. We started with the sign for milk and have also taught her "more". Now, I'm trying to teach her "thirsty" and "eat". It's interesting to see how quickly babies pick up on non-verbal communication.

Of course, I also need to share some pictures of the beautiful babe, because you never can get enough pictures of Elsa :-)

At the zoo with her pals. She especially loved the tiger and monkeys.

Cheese!

On her actual "14 month birthday"; happy to be in Daddy's arms.

And the Real fun begins...

Elsa decided to give me the ultimate birthday present yesterday - she took her first "real" steps!

All weekend she had been taking a single step here and there but yesterday evening she took eight consecutive steps. Best birthday present ever!

From what I've heard from other mommies, this is pretty much "game over" for Carl and I. Time to hit the treadmill so I can get my endurance up for the next several months years.

Playing the Packing Game

What is it about babies (toddlers? ...I haven't decided what to call Elsa these days...) that makes packing for trips so darn complicated?

We're getting ready for our next Oregon road trip and I've been making mental packing lists for the last four weeks. I get incredibly paranoid that I'm going to leave something important behind... like diapers.

I'm fully aware that Oregon has these neat things called supermarkets and shopping malls but I can't imagine anything worse than breaking down on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere only to find that I left the diapers and wipes on the kitchen counter at home.

So here it is... Elsa's mega packing list. Please, please, please tell me if I am missing something!

• Clothing (tops, pants, socks, sweaters)
• Shoes
• Bibs
• Suction plates
• Sippy cups
• Food pouches
• Bumbo
• Vitamins
• Medicine
• Blanket
• Lovey
• Pacifier
• Comb
• Hair elastics and bow clips
• Nail clippers
• Bulb syringe 
• Toothbrush
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Toys
• Books
• Pack n Play*
• Stroller**

* Carl thinks we should leave the Pack n Play at home and bring an air mattress instead; I think this would cause major disaster at nap time 
 **Debating whether umbrella stroller will suffice or if we should bring the full sized one... choices, choices!

We Have a Teenager Under Our Roof

Okay... technically not an actual teenager... but as of yesterday, Elsa is 13 months old! I swear each month is flying by faster than the one before.

She's still not quite walking but Elsa is all over the place these days. Between crawling, climbing up and down the stairs and cruising the furniture, that girl does not stay in one place long. Thankfully, she was willing to sit on my lap for a couple of minutes last night to capture some pictures.

Smiles with Mama

Cheese!

Elsa has inherited "The Meghan Look"

And here's a cutie pie pictures we clicked on Sunday:

Practicing her super model poses

Crowing from the Rooftop

Back in the day when I was a Marketing Director, I participated in monthly management meetings where we were asked to report a "crow". Crows were essentially reports of something great that had happened in the prior month; they had to be measurable and something that was above average.

During my final management meeting before departing the Credit Union, my manager joked that I would line up Elsa and Bear every month and make them do Crows (yes, even my boss realized and made jokes about what a geek I had become).

Well, I never made Elsa or Bear do Crows (yes, you can now all take a big sigh of relief), but as Elsa turned one last week,  started reflecting on some of the major accomplishments of the year. And, I believe there are three that are truly "crow-worthy":

1. I was able to provide Elsa breast milk for an entire year. This is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics but according to the 2011 Breastfeeding Report Card published by the CDC, only 44.3% of babies are breastfed at 6 months and only 23.8% of babies are breastfed at 12 months. Just yesterday, I packed up my breast pump and added it to the growing collection of baby items in storage. I'm proud that I made it as long as I did; while it certainly wasn't always easy, I'm glad I stuck it out with the trusty pump instead of waving the white flag. 
2. Elsa has jumped up the charts with her weight and height as she continues to develop and practice healthy eating habits. As you may recall, we had a bumpy start when it came to eating. From the start, it was a struggle to get Elsa to eat. She was born at the 50th percentile for weight and height but quickly dropped to the 12th percentile for her weight. Through some coaxing and my acceptance that the bottle was the best route for Elsa, our baby has turned into quite the little eater (the other night, she out ate me at dinner). And, according to today's doctor appointment, Elsa is continuing to climb up the charts - she now weighs 21 pounds, 2 ounces (about 55 - 60th percentile) and measures 30 1/2 inches (85 - 90th percentile).
3. Elsa is able to stand up tall. Laugh as much as you want but that girl has a freaking huge head! It continues to chart at about the 90 - 95th percentile and I am just amazed at the strength of her neck. Okay, yes, I joke with this Crow. But still - what a head (and BTW, it is an incredibly cute head that by no means looks proportionate; but the "Claussen head" was my biggest fear when it came to childbirth)!

And a Pinch to Grow an Inch

This weekend was a big one in the Claussen house - Elsa turned the big O-N-E!!

Carl and I kicked off Miss Elsa's birthday by waking up bright and early to wish the Birthday Girl a happy birthday at 6:49 a.m. I don't think Carl was very happy about getting up so early but he can take that up with Miss Elsa, as that was the time that she chose appropriate to grace us with her presence last year.

After a round of the Birthday Song and some early morning cuddles, it was time to prepare for the first of her parties (yes, as in multiple shindigs!).

After the house was prepped, the Birthday Girl got in some play time!

And then it was time for cupcakes, ice cream and presents!

After a day of cupcakes and fun, we got up bright and early the next day to do it all over again!

Baby's First Christmas

Elsa has now experienced the wondrous joy that is Christmas!

It was fun to see Christmas through a baby's eyes this year. She loved eating opening her presents and has already put them all to the test. Lots of great pjs, books and toys. And, of course, her favorite gift - an electric Disney Princess toothbrush!

Here's some pictures of Miss Elsa partaking in the Christmas activities: