Walking with the Cooks: April 2018

As always, it is hard to believe we are here. Almost to two with our babiest of babies. She is growing beautifully and maturing wonderfully. We are smitten with our Anna!

Diapers: size 5- no interest in potty training
Clothing: 2T, 3T

Likes: singing, the piano, being carried, kisses, raiding the candy cabinet, bath time, snuggling baby dolls

Dislikes: eating when she isn't hungry, being put down when she wants to be held <- basically not getting what she wants :)

Schedule:
7am Awake for the day!
9:00-10:30am Play in her room
12:00-3pm Nap
7pm Down for bed

Sleep: Anna is a good napper, but we are still working to transition to one nap a day and efficiently accomplish school with the big kids in the morning. She continues to wake occasionally at night. We take great care to make sure she is very full before bed and pray for the best!

Physically: Anna has taken steps! She is very cautious and growing in courage. Her hair is so long and pretty, all her teeth have broken through, and she has the most sweet smile when she is feeling playful.

Food: I think she is my pickiest child. If she isn't hungry, she isn't bothered. She usually loves blueberries, raisins, mashed sweet potato, and cut up peanut butter sandwich. Anna has a cup of warm whole milk 3-4 times a day, sometimes drinking it well and other times not. She often likes to be fed, but is sometimes insistent on feeding herself. I don't feel like we've fully figured her out.

Communication: Anna has added words to her vocabulary, though most of what she says is babbling. She loves joining in routines, like folding her hands when we pray before bed and saying "amen" (sometimes before we are finished praying!) and then singing along to her goodnight song. It doesn't sound anything like the song, but she sings it the same way every night. Words she says most often: bye-bye, more, hi, no-no, yeah. Often when we ask her a question she just grins. At least she is cute :)

Fun things:
- We borrowed a walker from the physical therapist and Anna felt large and in charge as she was learning to walk. She also got her first really good busted lip :(
- She loves to say one, two, three and hold up a variety of fingers before we pull her down the slide or jump off something.
- Anna started walking at almost the exact same age as Sarah. Sarah took off when she began, while Anna has been much more slow to use her newfound talent. (21 months, 1 day for Sarah; 20 months, 22 days for Anna)