The other week when Brielle was at the doctor for her ear infection she was right around 21 lbs and 29 inches long. She's still able to easily wear her 12 month footie pjs, but most of her clothes are 12-18 month just because that's what we have in this season leftover from Raya. For pants she really needs 12 month still....the pants she's wearing today are 18 month and I have to roll them up so that she can walk. My little shorty!
Brielle's current favorite foods are yogurt, applesauce, and any other food she can self feed with a spoon (she thinks she's hot stuff haha). She also loved chicken nuggets, goldfish crackers, cereal, and icecream! The last time we went to DQ she sat in her highchair with her spoon and little bowl of icecream and everyone kept commenting on how well she was eating---she didn't want to drip a single drop of that icecream!
Brielle goes to bed somewhere between 7-8pm. She wakes up like clockwork between 6:30-7am no matter how late she stays up. She still takes a morning nap on most days (1/2 hour to 1 hour) and then naps in the afternoon with Raya for 1-2 hours.
Brielle is starting to talk more, but she's still mostly babbling. When you ask her to repeat words she just giggles and gives you a look like "i could, but I"m not going too!" As you saw in our recent movie, she loves to say Dada....she has just started saying Mama too in the last couple days, but it's almost always when she's whining or crying lol. She also says "hi!" and in the right context. She kinda/sorta says "downstairs"....when we say we're going to play downstairs she always says the same thing for it---but it doesn't actually sound like the word downstairs to anyone who doesn't know that's what she's trying to say. She has repeated "i love you" a couple times and she has said "gunny". She very clearly says "uh-oh!" and in the right context----she loves to purposely drop things and then say uh-oh and point at them. She has been pointing at things lately and saying "what's that?"....but it sounds more like "wassat".
Here she is pointing :-)
She also loves to pick things up and bring them to me now. She picks up fuzz off the carpet, food crumbs off the floor, random toys, etc. and brings them to me proudly. I *must* say "thank you" or she just keeps standing there looking at me haha. She's very proud of all her "finds"
Brielle still loves her pacis, and every once in awhile Lee asks when I'm going to wean her off of them, but this time around I'm just not motivated lol. With Raya at about age 1 we started making them something she got in her bed only....and she kept using them in bed until after age 2, when she just gave them up one day without a fuss. With Brielle though I just feel bad taking away her pacis! And I guess I just keep thinking how Raya gave them up at age 2 and it wasn't a problem, so really what's the harm in letting her keep them a little longer ;-) I think I will try putting them up more during the day when she doesn't need them though.
When she's not sick, Brielle has the best personality. She's such a happy girl! She has the greatest laugh that sounds like a little old man who's smoked too many cigarettes hehe. I just love her scrunchy nose smile and she has a great (and loud!) happy squeal :-)
Brielle has never had a true nickname like Rayana (Raya). I actually thought I might miss it, but in the end I really like that she doesn't! Sometimes it gets confusing for us, and Raya, that her "real" name is Rayana but we hardly ever call her that. We're trying to teach her what her real name is (in preparation for preschool) and she argues with us and says she isn't Rayana lol. So anyways, Brielle is Brielle and I still love her name! *But* as with most kids, they sort of have nicknames evolve over time regardless of their real name...and for Brielle her nickname (for me only) is Stinky! Lee hates that I call her this lol, but I can't help it---it just stuck and it's habit now! It started because she's such a stinker...so at first I called her stinker, but it somehow got shortened to Stinky and now I can be heard calling her Stinky constantly haha. I say it with a loving tone so hopefully people don't think I"m a cruel Mama :-) She LOVES it though, and always laughs and laughs when I call her it.
Like when she's climbing on my coffee table---and I find her and say "What are you doing Stinkey?!?!"
Brielle loves her big sister too. As she's gotten older they can play together more and they have a lot of fun! Sometimes Raya loves sissy too much, and Brielle doesn't like the hugs and contant touching lol...but overall they play so well together. Brielle is learning to stick up for herself more and more too---and can often be heard tattling on Raya or giving an indignant shriek when Raya has offended her in some way :-P
So happy 14.5 months (approximately) Brielle! I may have never done your 12 month sock monkey photoshoot, but I did a 14.5 month update, and that's got to count for something, right? ;-)
And now, as a quick Fashion Friday P.S...let's talk shoes! When it comes to my own shoes I usually buy 1 pair of really expensive/quality shoes and I just wear them with everything. One winter pair, one summer pair. Mostly I do this because of my arthritis and my feet flare up without highly supportive shoes. Also, my feet are done growing and I'm not particularly hard on shoes, so I don't mind spending more.
For the girls however, I prefer to buy multiple pairs of cheaper shoes. I do usually get some higher quality/more expensive shoes when they are Brielle's age, and just learning to walk. Because shoes at that age are hard to fit and you usually pay more for a kind that stays on their feet, etc. But by Raya's age I go for quantity, not quality lol. I do this because 1) toddlers are hard on their shoes! No matter how high quality the shoe, Raya can scuff it up with one trip to the playground. Also, I do this because 2) they are girls and frankly need many different shoe styles to go with their outfits :-)
So here are the girls' spring/summer shoes!
For Brielle (She's currently wearing size 4, with room to spare):
The Pumas she's had a couple months now, and they are a quality shoe....they've been great for her as an early walker. The Nike tennis shoes my mom just got for her used, and they look brand new. They are the next size up from the Pumas and will continue to be her supportive shoe for when she's going to be walking any distance. The Buster Brown sandals were Raya's, and I got these at Famous Footwear. They are a great sandal! So sturdy and well made. However when I pulled them out of storage the other day Gunner got ahold of one and chewed the strap! Now it's taped and these shoes will be for everyday....damn dog :-P The Nike sandals are also from Raya and are a great pool shoe. They are almost too small though. The Children's Place ones are the same type of shoe, and surprisingly nice quality. We recently bought those, so they are available now if you're looking for a pool shoe. Then the white sandals my mom bought Brielle ---we got them at Sears. They are Brielles "good" shoe right now.
For Raya (I've been buying size 8 for her):
The Wonder Kids sandals are from Kmart. Ok, ok...I'm the first one to say that Kmart is not the most impressive store to shop from, but I have excellent luck there for kids shoes! They often run a BOGO 50% off, and you can get adorable shoes way cheaper than Target. And they hold up just as well! Aren't the little flower ones adorable? They are actually a small high heel LOL. I don't know how much Raya will wear them, but they were too precious to pass up. Then the TKS sandals are the ones my mom bought Raya "for good"...very cute and comfy---from Sears. The Buster Brown sandals I just got Raya...basically the same shoe she handed down to Brielle. These will be Raya's play sandals because they are very rough and tough. Raya doesn't currently have tennis shoes, but at that age my girls don't really need them ...frankly we don't wear many "sporty" outfits lol. And lastly, the wonder kids canvas shoes are adorable...sparkly! and the purple ruffle really makes them. Cheap too!
So Happy 14.5 months to my youngest, and happy shoe shopping to you all! :-)
