15 Month Checkup.

Big Man took Dani to her 15 month visit today. Apparently, for the first time, she reacted much like a dog at the vet. Not pleased. He said she screamed from the moment he brought her back with the nurse until they left. She wouldn't stand on the scale or assist in any way and was just squirming and fighting the man. (There's a reason mommy doesn't attend these visits.)

So, she weighs 20 pounds, 14 ounces, and is 31 1/2 inches long, and cute as heck. Although tonight mommy and Dani shed some tears when she fell down went boom on mommy's watch. Not fun. But it happened on daddy's dime today as well.

Dani seems to have interited her mommy's clumsy nature and mommy's tendency not to pay attention to things as carefully as she should. She takes off running, or walking even, and doesn't really look at what's on the floor in front of her. She took a little tumble this morning (on daddy's watch) and started wailing. She was crying and clinging to me when Big Man says, "I know what might help," and breaks out one of the birthday lollipops. The second Dani saw it the tears ended and she smiled. I am certain that we taught the lesson today that: candy is your friend and you should cry until you get some. Awesome.

Da coach.

Dani said "Ditka" today. Daddy wiped a tear from his eye. She's mastering lots of her letter sounds and starting to talk up a storm.

We broke out Dani's birthday bike, and she's finally big enough to scoot around on it.

This morning, I planted Dani in front of The Wiggles so I could pack her diaper bag--we were supposed to meet Aunt Renny and Uncle John at McDonalds for breakfast. This would be Dani's first trip to Mickey D's. So, Dani sat perched on the couch, and was so quiet. When I peeked into the room, this is what I found:

Another fine moment in parenting. It's always important to capture the deed on film before correcting it.

Dani, enjoying her first Mickey D's trip. She was too little to actually play on anything, but the closed off room was kid friendly and we had it all to ourselves.

Parenting 101.

Big Man was in the kitchen making dinner while I was playing with Dani. I decided it was time for a diaper change, so I put her on the changing table, got her undressed, and she started to really fight with me. She was kicking and trying to roll over and making it impossible for me to get a new diaper on her. Rather than try to overpower her, I thought I'd give her a minute to calm down, so I put her on the floor, sans diaper, with just her onesie open and her long sleeved shirt on top. I figured she'd toddle around for a minute while I picked up the clothes and changing table mat that she had flung around the room--then we'd try again. So, she walked over to her blocks, and then stood very still.

Yep. She stood there and peed all over the floor. So, I swear a few times, dart into the kitchen to grab paper towels, and come back to Dani splashing in her pee puddle.

It was then time for a bath. Big Man just shook his head in wonder. How was I supposed to know she had to pee at that instant? No parenting awards for me tonight!


As you can see from the photo, Dani has a little friend. Scrubbie cat is so desperate for love that he allows himself to be mauled by Dani constantly. She loves it.

Swing shift.

Big Man is back to working overnights. That means I'm flying solo in the evenings while he sleeps, so I anticipate a return to more frequent posting. And, it appears that Big Man is back into picture taking mode, as I found a few on the camera tonight!

We are seriously days away from walking. Dani is in full launch mode. She will pull herself up on anything, and when you won't hold her hands, she will just let go and walk as far as she can before sitting on her butt. She loves the newfound vantage point of being on her feet, and is clearly excited by the ability to grab things that are near or over her head, which was okay when she found the diapers, but not so good when she started grabbing books and pictures while on her tippy toes! She doesn't even have to see what she is grabbing--will just reach up and swipe an arm to see what might be there. Not so sure what to do about the Christmas tree, and well, EVERYTHING else in our house that is 36 inches or less off the floor! I asked Big Man's mom what she did when he was small, and she said that he just didn't mess with stuff. Big shock there--even as a toddler, Big Man employed the powers of reason and rationality!

When Dani was little, we did some things (to be honest it was mostly Big Man), or I guess we let her do some things because they were cute. First, if she made a little cough, Big Man would cough back. Lesson learned = mommy and daddy think this noise is good. Thus, the game began. Dani has now upped the ante to make full on coughing fits at dinner because she thinks its funny, meanwhile I'm clipping articles in Parents magazine about babies and choking and what to do. Not such a good move on our part there. Even better--the biting! I've posted many videos of Dani using her fingers to move her lips to make funny sounds--she likes when we do it to her, and she will swipe at our lips so we can make the same sound with her help. With Big Man, she would let him move her lips a few times, and then would chomp his finger--to his giggle and silly response of "Ouch!" Lesson learned= it's fun to bite. Dani will now walk up to you and open her mouth and put it on whatever is closest--your leg, arm, etc. She doesn't really bite down, but she clearly has the idea that this is a good thing to do. The kid has a shirt little fuse, as many of you know, so, for example, when you pick her up when she doesn't want you to, you get limp baby, and sometimes, screeching limp baby, just to make it harder for you to enforce your will. Tonight, I got whining, limp baby, who tried to bite my arm when I picked her up. She was pulling books out of the bookshelf, and really didn't want to stop. Fun times.

She's going to be 1 in three weeks. 1! Holy crap, where does the time go? Anyone have any fun ideas?