Diem-12 months

Age: 12 months

Weight: 20lbs 4oz (57th percentile)

Length: 28.75" (32nd percentile)

Head: 44cm (24th percentile)

This month was a big one for Diem's development! She finally started to pull herself up onto her feet. All that it took was one time, and now she loves standing!
She also finally has teeth! Her lower front two teeth came in together. She loves using them, and thinks its hilarious to bite people's fingers. We have been experimenting with giving her more finger food. She will only eat a little, and then finds so much joy in dropping it to Xander or stashing it next to her little hips in her high chair. She will eat endless amounts of every pureed food. There hasn't been anything that she refuses, so I'm taking advantage of that and packing her full of vegetables that even I won't touch :)
Diem is still taking 2 two hour naps a day and sleeping a straight 12 hours a night. We have just added a 3rd meal into her daily routine and I'm still nursing her 7 times a day.
Diem is content as ever and we just love that about her!

Outtakes:

Brennan-34-35-36 months

Age: 36 months

Weight: 35lbs 13oz (85th percentile)

Height: 3' 2" (64th percentile)

Brennan is 3! He amazes us everyday! He is so smart. He is always listening to us. He is at the age that we have to think about what we are saying in front of him. The other day I was just telling Ryan that Brennan was such a good boy and then I heard Brennan say, "Yes I am."  from the other room. We had no idea he was listening to us.
He makes us laugh so much, especially with the faces that he makes! He's so expressive! My two favorites are when he acts surprised and says, "What in the world!?!" as he curls one side of his lip up and when he sees something cute, he talks in the really high, sweet voice as his face almost looks like he's going to cry (pouting out his lower lip) and says, "Awww, look a little..." I laugh all day long when I'm with him!
I was in the grocery store with Brennan and Diem a couple months ago. I was looking at the lettuces. Brennan points and says, "That's yucky." and as he looks down the wall of vegetables, he says, "That's yucky...that's yucky... that's yucky." as he continues to point at all of the different varieties. He was being so sweet and matter of fact, that I couldn't stop laughing.
One night, we decided to let Brennan lay with us in our bed, as he was having a hard time falling asleep. (Which is completely out of the norm for him!) He was getting really tired and delirious, when he looked at Ryan and said, "Daddy what's this?" as he pointed to a wrinkle on Ryan's forehead. Then he said, "It looks like a road." Then without skipping a beat, he said, "Daddy, your nose is big." Again, we couldn't stop laughing, and Brennan was really confused by us. He didn't understand what was so funny.
Brennan is such a boy's boy. He loves anything with wheels. Grandpa refurbished an electric 3-wheeler for Brennan. Brennan hops on that thing, and rides it like he was born on it! It is, without a doubt, his favorite toy. He is also obsessed with finding airplanes and contrails in the sky. If he sees or hears one, we must drop everything and look into the sky! He says his favorite thing to do is "RUN!" And man can he run! I really have to run to keep up with him.
Brennan is so sweet. When I go into his room in the morning, he says, "'Moring, I'm so glad you're here." as he hugs me and does a fake little whimper. He constantly says, "I like you, Mommy." or "You can be our friend, Mommy." (No idea who the "our" is.) as he hugs me.
I could go on and on about how wonderful our little 3 year old is, but to sum it up...he is perfect to us.

Diem-11 months

 Age: 11 months

Diem is still the happiest little girl. Last month, she started waving and clapping! I didn't even try to teach her, she just started to imitate people. Brennan waves to Ryan from the dining room window, everyday as Ryan is leaving for work. I just about died, when Diem started waving her little hand to Daddy, too!
Diem only pulls herself up to her knees. She really doesn't like standing yet. If I stand her up against her play table, she whines a bit. She'll hold herself there for a few minutes, before she collapses. Her little thighs are still covered in rolls, and I think she needs to add a bit more muscle to them :)
Diem is starting to develop her little attitude. If I'm feeding her "too slowly" she whines and grunts in between bites. She also whines when she's frustrated, like when Brennan or I take a toy away from her.
Diem is crawling really fast. She loves crawling after Brennan, and Brennan thinks it's pretty hilarious, too.
Diem still doesn't have any teeth!

Outtakes:

Diem-10 months

Age: 10 months

This last month was huge for Diem's development! She started crawling a few weeks ago! Her crawl is very different from how Brennan's was. She stays in perfect knee and hand posture and inches each knee forward very slowly. (Brennan did a sweeping knee to hip movement.) She motors all over the house.
Diem also says "Mama" and "Dada" now. She is really good at repeating sounds and I think she'll be talking sooner than Brennan did.
Diem still hasn't popped any teeth! I can't believe that Brennan got his first two at 4 months of age and here's Diem, all gums still!
Diem takes two 2 hour naps a day. She doesn't lay down at nap time and bed time quite as well as Brennan did. She's still pretty easy, I just have to rock and relax her a bit first. I end up holding her in my arms for an hour or so, after she falls asleep at night. I just love that moment so much, that I can't get myself to let go of her.
Diem is still our sweet, content, happy-go-lucky little angel! We love her so!

Outtakes:

Diem-9 months

 Age: 9 months

Weight: 19lbs. 5oz (68th percentile)

Height: 28" (50th percentile)

Head: 43cm (25th percentile)

Diem started eating solids this month. She has tried bananas, blueberries, avocado, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal. We are a little concerned, because she throws up violently when she has bananas or avocado. Apparently, the two go hand in hand for allergies. We are going to hold off on both of those, until right before her 12 month checkup. If she has a sensitivity then, she will see an allergy specialist.
Diem got into the sitting position all by herself this month. Unfortunately, I haven't witnessed the act, yet. A few days ago,  I had her laying down in the living room. When I went to check on her a minute later, she was sitting! I was so surprised to see her like that!
Diem has a loud voice! She really enjoys yelling one note, for as long as she can. She is especially loud while shopping. I'm sure the other customers can hear her from across the store.
Diem also sat in a shopping cart for the first time a few weeks ago. She loved being upright and checking everything out.
Diem's tongue is crazy. She has it moving all of the time. The way she can roll and bend it amazes us.
Diem is still obsessed with eyelashes. She feels hers whenever she is sucking her thumb (which is a lot!) She has just become aware of my eyelashes. She is bound and determined to stick her finger in my eye, if I'm within arms length.
Diem also blows bubbles, A LOT! She knows she's being funny, so she tries not to separate her lips by smiling.

Outtakes:

Brennan-31 32 33 months

Age: 31-33 months

Brennan is becoming a little man right before our eyes. He is getting so big that it's hard to hold him and rock him in his glider. Every night he says, "Rock me, Mommy." and there are no sweeter words to my ears. I try to breath in the smell of his skin and enjoy how his body feels hugging against mine. I know no matter how much I try to cherish these moments, there just won't be enough of them. I cannot love him anymore than I already do...its just not possible.
A couple months ago, I took a photo of Brennan and his face was distorted, because he was moving. I said, "Uhhh creepy!" Brennan said, "Creepy? I'm not creepy, I'm a boy!" The things that he says make me laugh so hard. He loves being funny. He knows that I think it's hilarious when he curls his lip and says, "Huh?..." Such as, "Huh? What's THAT doing THERE?!?" with a perplexed voice.
Brennan uses the word "not" instead of "don't" He says, "I not like that."
Brennan still loves his baby sister so much. Last month, Diem was taking a nap in her crib. She woke up and was fussing. I heard Brennan say, "I help." I didn't think anything of it, until I heard his sweet voice over the monitor saying, "Hi Diem. It's ok Diem. I here." I went into her room, and Brennan was holding her hand through the slats of her crib. My heart melted!
Brennan has started using the toilet to poop only. He usually goes number 2 while he's in his crib, so we're working on that. We're not pushing potty training, mainly for my sake. I can't imagine how difficult it will be to run errands with the kids, when Brennan will announce that he has to use the bathroom.

Outtakes:

Diem-8 months

Age: 8 months

Diem is still the sweetest, most content baby I have ever met. She is really rolling around and going for what she wants. She can make it from one side of the living room, to the other, in 20 seconds. She loves touching new objects and playing with her toys. The other day, she was laying on her back and watched her hands turn into fists and her fingers wiggle for a minute straight.
She is more vocal than last month. She is blowing bubbles and yelling to herself.
Diem tried solid food for the first time this month. So far she's had bananas and blueberries. It's not surprise that she loved both. I'd be surprised if there's a food out there that she won't eat ;)
Diem is still a wonderful sleeper. She sleeps from 8:30PM-8:00AM. She take 2 or 3 naps a day, that are usually an hour or two long. When she wakes up, she just sucks on her thumb and patiently waits for me to get her. She only sucks on her left thumb.
Diem loves the feeling of her eyelashes! She puts her fingers just close enough to her eyes, to feel her eyelashes as they open and close. She especially does this when she's sucking her thumb.
Diem smiles all of the time, but she has just started smiling with her mouth closed. She has this innocent little grin on her face ALL OF THE TIME! It has become her resting face!

Outtakes: