Month 13

Leeana Eva,

Wow time hasn't slowed down at all!!! You've grown so much and seriously still are changing daily! Within the last few days you've become an incredible little walker. Only 3 days ago you wouldn't really initiate walking on your own, and now you hold onto the couch and then make your way across the living room to get to something else in the room. It's an incredible site to see everyday! You keep impressing me baby girl!

Yesterday we got to see your doctor and she gave us your growth updates... 30.5 inches tall (85th percentile) and 18lbs 11.5oz (26th percentile) and yet I would've assumed you would've weighed more with your BIG appetite! You're so tall and so beautiful, and becoming your own little person more and more everyday! You now have 3 teeth on top and 3 on the bottom... With a little gap on the top... Which turned out to be super cute on you! 

I love seeing how you react when your daddy gets home from work because you giggle and smile like crazy, and crawl over to him as fast as you can to then give him kisses... Exactly what he's always wanted! You really do know how to light up our lives and make us love you more than we thought we could love someone else. I absolutely love seeing how happy your daddy gets when he comes home because you fill him with such joy. What a precious gift you give him everyday!

Here are the ways you've grown in the last month and some new pics of your life....

First food: venison, split pea soup, peanut butter, lasagna, honey, cake, ice cream, Cheerios (Joes Os-Tjs of course)

-you make this hilarious "grumpy" face with ultimately makes me giggly

-you dance ALL the time when music comes on.. And it's so cute to see how you move your little body

-when you're holding your sippy cup wrong, you've figured out how to rotate it to drink from it properly 

-you're taking multiple steps at one time when you stand up to walk.. And truly are doing amazing with walking

-you're able to get your leg on the couch when you're standing on the ground... And somehow pull up on me end up on my lap on the couch 

-when you hear your own echo, you keep making noise to listen again  

-you've begun to pick up your shoes an out them next to your feet now, trying to put them on 

-you play all types of music for daddy and I daily with your new xylophone and tambourines

-you tap your hands on things an makes you look like such a thinker

-you're learning to wash your hands at the sink and loving it, as you enjoy putting your hands under the water for me

-you say "done" at the end of a meal or when you're finished nursing, and it's super sweet as you repeat it multiple times 

-you're great at blowing kisses and giving kisses when asked to in English or Spanish 

-you're down to 1 nap a day, and you're sleeping well during that nap too 

-you officially initiate walking on your own without daddy or I having to stand you up first!!! (This'll help as you really progress in walking)

Practicing your walking with daddy

Funky hair

Standing on your abuelito's hand

Fun at abuelito & mamitas house

Play date with Caleb

Besos for daddy

Pinky out while you drink your water

Hanging with your tio Chato and cousins

Leeana, You're 1 year old!!!

Leeana Eva,

Happy 1st birthday my BIG girl! I'm so excited that we've finally reached your first birthday, as much as I've dreaded this day coming (because it means that you're getting older and more independent) it's arrived!!!!!. Of course I've wanted you to get older (maybe in another 5 years.. until then be my little baby) but I have loved you being my babygirl, and now I know that time is coming for more change over the rest of your life. 

I look forward to teaching you in the next year, as this next approaching year will be when you learn so many new things! This first year you learned so much that have made me laugh and love you so much more than I already did. You learned to roll over, sit up, crawl, taken your first steps to walking, make silly noises, copy us, say mama & dada, look when we say your name, and that's just the beginning. This next year will be full of new things that we get to learn and will really be exciting as you start to develop and learn to speak even more. I look forward to not only being your mom, but your teacher as you grow older. 

You've become tough as nails and remind me of your Uncle Jonathan when he used to run into things and shake it off and keep on going. You fall a BUNCH and you get up and laugh about it, and even clap after a little tumble. There are moments that you cry and I'm reminded you're still my babygirl. You melt my heart with every smile that you share with me, and it makes me so thankful that I can be your mommy and enjoy these moments. You have no idea the joy you've brought into our lives. Hearing your giggles and laughter fill the Gonzalez home has been one of the sweetest things. It truly makes any bad day a good one. One day you'll experience the same thing when you have children of your own, and realize the joy that a child can bring. I never expected to love someone SOOOO much, so quickly and be willing to give my life if necessary.

I know that everyone usually only celebrates the person whose birthday it is, but today I'm also celebrating myself. (Hold on... I'm not being selfish)  I'm so amazed at how my Creator, God, created my body and made it capable to carry such a precious life as yourself so that your daddy and I could enjoy you! I absolutely enjoyed carrying you inside of me and watching you grow and knowing that you were healthy. Your daddy and I were overjoyed when we found out Thanksgiving 2012 that we were going to have a baby. After losing your brother or sister back in August 2012, it was a joy to find out that you were arriving August 2013, and would change our lives forever! It's amazing knowing what my body was capable of doing, and now watching you grow and change so much outside of me, it's incredible! I'm so thankful that I've been able to nurse you this whole last year and give you the nourishment that you body needed in those first few months, as you solely depended on me to survive. It's been an amazing experience and I look forward to it as we continue.

You're also a great little eater! People always tell me what an incredible eater you are, as you may end up eating us out of a house & home. You sure have a healthy appetite as you eat whatever is in sight. Sometimes you won't eat stuff, but as all sneaky moms know... you mix it, and you'll eat it! Sometimes you'll even cry if I don't feed you fast enough because you always want something being scooped into your mouth to fill that belly. I'm so thankful that you received daddy & my appetite, because well... we LOVE to eat! You definitely are our child! 

So as always, we have to review the last month of your life and look back at all the accomplishments and changes that you've made... so here we go:

-you play pick a boo with me, and always do it when we're changing your diaper, and when we're driving

-when it's time for bed or a nap, we turn on your music, turn off the light, and by the time were standing by your crib, your head is on my shoulder (you do this with daddy too) in preparation for sleeping... the moments are so sweet

-you're beginning to dance when you hear music.... And you have rhythm!!!! 

-you've learned how to click buttons on a phone, and you LOVE Siri 

-you stick your tongue in and out really fast to make silly noises. 

-you have begun to learn to stand up from a sitting position with no support from anything or anyone

-you've begun to really do well with walking better with only holding 1 hand from an adult

-you pick your nose!!! 

-you figured out how to pull the plug on your bath tub... Uh oh! {guess it's time to move you to the full bath soon!}

-you've taken your first steps (on your way to becoming a walking child)

-you stand at your little baby table and hit one of the buttons so music comes on so you can dance!

-you've begun doing a bear crawl when you only use your hands and feet while your bottom is up in the air. It's super cute and so funny to see!

-you've learned how to knock on doors

-you're FINALLY working on getting your first tooth on the top of your gums! 

-you're learning to say "hi" and wave at the same time

-you squeeze your eyes shut over and over again randomly... It's really cute!

-you climbed up the stairs... All 12 of them on your first try!

-you'll crawl over to your daddy and I when we call you over to us, as you get so excited for us to pick you up 

-you've figured out how to express more than just happiness on your face, as you now show a grumpy face sometimes. 

Meeting Aunt Lily at Uncle Wilmer's memorial lunch

Uncle Wilmer's memorial lunch

Uncle Jon & Aunt Lauren's wedding 7/27/14

Lunch date with Tia Rachel

Wearing Tio Angels hat

Crazy hair during bath time

Granddaddy helping you eat lunch

Visit from Uncle Jonathan & Aunt April

Swinging with daddy

Having fun in Aunt Lori's chair (NASI visit)

Getting fancy for Tia Ariel's birthday

Learning from tio Sergio how to build things

Last family pic before your 1st bday

Look back... month 2, month 6, month 8, 1st birthday!

Hanging with your big cousin Juliette

Last evening before before you turned 1 (8/4/14)

I'm pretty sure every mom thinks this, but I have the greatest jobs ever... Being your daddy's wife, and YOUR mommy! I love you baby girl! You truly make my life so much brighter everyday! I look forward to the next year of your life and what God brings as we watch you grow older, and as a family! I love you so much sweet girl! 

Besos, 
Mama

11 months

Leeana,

What an incredible last month we've had. I thought that it would slow down, but it seems that your 1st birthday is still quickly approaching, faster than I thought. Less than a month left, and then we get to celebrate the first birthday of my precious little girl! It's been a joy being your mommy and watching you grow and change in so many ways. You have no idea the joy that you bring to so many people when you smile or giggle for them, and simply by just being you. You truly are the most amazing little girl I've ever met and I'm so thankful to say that you're my daughter. I look forward to your first birthday, although it means that you're growing up so fast, but it'll be fun and full of joy and smiles as you grow into the amazing lady that God has created you to be. 

Let's recap the last month of your life and all the new things that you've done and experienced! What a great time it's been, but now it's time to share with others the excitement we've had...

New foods:: hotdog, egg salad, chili, tamales, tortillas, miso soup, and so much more!

-you pooped on the potty!! (It wasn't planned but during bath time I saw bubbles and put her on the potty and BAM it happened!!)

-beginning to stand alone for a few seconds when you get up and let go of the object all on your own... now just waiting for those first steps!

-I put a play phone to your ear an you said "hi"

-swang in a hammock

-learned to feed herself with a fork and spoon

-you're becoming more affectionate, and wanting to rest your head on daddy and my chests

-you crawled up 2 steps on the stairs to follow me going upstairs (don't worry daddy was with you)

-you got baptized on June 22, 2014 at Shady Grove PCA

-you're becoming more picky about food and need to stare at everything before I try to feed it to you 

-you click your tongue all the time an giggle when I do it too

-began brushing your teeth, and you love it!!!

-you've become very confident using your walker without any help, and love using it all the time

-you can suck from a straw

-your newest obsession during play time is getting my lipchap and carrying it around with you everywhere you go!!! (you're definitely my little girl!!!)

-you're getting your 3rd tooth 
-you recognize when we facetime with someone and blow kisses and copy them
-you've learned to turn yourself around in a highchair 
-you attended your 3rd wedding... Darneh & Tamryne's on your Uncle Jonathan's bday 6/28/14

July 4, 2014 in Annapolis, MD 

Drawing with your abuelito

Your obsession with my lipchap...

At Darneh & Tamryne's wedding with your daddy

A fun cookout with some family

This obsession with my lipchap is no joke

Lunch after your baptism 6/22/14

Your baptism done by Charles Baile on 6/22/14

You joined daddy & I on a date night and loved the miso soup

Napping at grammys house

Fun playdate with Caleb

Some fun with your great grandma

A fun fathers day celebration for your abuelito

Fathers day celebration for your abuelito

Fathers day celebration for your abuelito

Fathers day with your granddaddy

Fathers day with your daddy

As you can tell we've had a very eventful month, and I'm so thankful for how much you've changed and enjoyed all of the new experiences. I love you babygirl! Keep growing and being the happy little girl you are! 

Love, 

Mommy