Jenna - first words

Jenna has been babbling for awhile, but we were starting to notice she wasn't really even calling us mama and dada like a normal 14-month-old might. We weren't concerned, since she was definitely hearing us and responding to things, but no "real" words except uh-oh, which she has been saying at all the right times for months now.

Tonight - breakthrough!!! I had just this week started noticing she was picking up some sign language, mostly the sign for "all done." I'm embarassed to say that I didn't realize her version of all done until the teacher told me she was doing it because her version looks very similar to her waving, except its both hands. But tonight, without any prompting, she was having a snack to tide her over until a later dinner, and when her crackers were gone, she put her little hands in the air, twisting them around similar to a wave, and said "ah duh" at the same time. Clear as a bell!! Of course, she wouldn't replicate for daddy....typical.

Here is a list of other neat little things about my precious baby girl.

1. Her favorite thing to do is peekaboo, which comes in handy during diaper changes when I need her hands to stay away from the diaper area!

2. She is very good at blowing kisses - its a very vibrant MUAH sound with each blown kiss. And she will even put her hand on your mouth and do the sound for you if you want.

3. Jenna gives kisses on command (most of the time) or shakes her head no if she doesn't want to give it up. And she is big on waving (Hunter never waved as a baby). I almost forgot that she LOVES giving high fives...sometimes might get confused and think it gives her the right to hit her friends....but it doesn't hurt....much. :)

4. She is obsessed with the fuzzy underside of her carseat cover - there is a space where she can get to it and she picks at it and pulls it apart while riding in the car. So we have fuzz to deal with just about every car trip.

5. Speaking of carseats, she is still rear-facing because my little munchkin is still only 19 lbs and some ounces. I think we'll keep her in the carrier rear-facing for at least another month or two - she has to be 20 lbs to face forward, and the carrier carseat lasts to 22 lbs.

6. Her teachers brag on her daily about how good she is about getting her "work" off the shelf, taking it to her mat, and putting it back on the shelf when she is done. If you aren't familiar with Montessori schools, "work" at this age is toys, but they keep toys in bins which have a particular place on the shelf. And they have a place on the floor that is theirs and theirs alone, which she takes her work to, plays with it, and puts it up when she's done. She's 14 months old!!! Hunter didn't start Montessori until he was already 2, so this concept took awhile for him. She'll be a pro by the time she hits the 2-year-old class.

7. Jenna is a very active little girl. She wants to walk everywhere and doesn't like to stay in her stroller for too long at soccer games or practice. She would walk right onto the field if we let her (and did at last week's practice). She walks so fast sometimes that she just falls over herself, but picks herself right back up without a second thought. She seems like she's going to be a tough little girl, which doesn't surprise me a bit - look at her momma!

8. She refuses to keep a bow in her hair, which is growing at a pretty good pace now. It's starting to curl a little at the ends, but its too early to say whether it will be curly or just wavy. Trust me - her hair will be as long as it will grow. Neither of us want to cut it for a LONG time.

9. Jenna sleeps SO well. 11-12 hours every night...she has only woken up during the night once in the past few months, and I think that was just because a new sitter put her to bed and she wanted her mommy. And she goes down for naps with zero hesitation at home (not so easy at school, but probably just because of all the distractions).

10. She's gorgeous and perfect in every way. I'm sure we aren't partial because we at least compare her to her brother and recognize she's cuter than he was at this age. LOL - Hunter, please don't get mad at me someday when you read this. She's cute - admit it!! :)