We have always been fortunate to have family around willing and able to watch Tessie as we work, go to home shows, county fairs, or even go on the occasional date. To help the “caregiver of the hour” I’ve always had a Tessie sheet with her schedule, food ideas, habits, etc. I sort of called it “Tessie for Dummies” in my head because while Tessie has always been the easiest baby ever she does have a routine and if you know what that is, you will think she is the easiest baby too. I’ll never forget when one of my sisters watched her for the first time and said “it works!”. It was a proud mama moment.
I’m not sure how many versions of that sheet I have floating around. I do know that this past January I had to change it weekly. We had a home show that spanned two weekends. The first weekend I wrote “she can crawl if she wants but she doesn’t know she can move between rooms yet”. The second weekend I crossed that out and wrote “she will hunt you down if you leave her.” And she would.
Now that she is 12 months she is at a more reasonable routine. It is sort of insane how with an infant you obsess about the clock and what's happening and what she needs next… and then slowly they morph into the 3 meals a day, morning and afternoon nap, bedtime at 8, up at 7 schedule. I like it.
Of course now that she is 12 months she can also do a lot of other things, therefore making working with her awake nearly impossible. It has become a necessity to increase daycare to 2 full days a week – and so starting this week Tessie is hanging with “Auntie Grandma” my aunt CK. CK has never spent time alone with Tessie so I find myself once again needing to update the “Tessie sheet.” Although as I mentioned her schedule is pretty easy now so its really more of likes and dislikes and general baby observations. So I figured I’d just post it here. You’re welcome.
Tessie at 12 months
- She will eat anything. She loves pancakes and scrambled eggs. She loves ham. She will freak with excitement if you give her avocado. Banana Bread on the counter means she waves at it each time we walk by it. YUM. Ravioli is delicious. Pumpernickel over wheat. All fruits and veggies are delicious. Yes, of course she loves sweets because she is ours. We try and stick to ginger snaps and vanilla wafers but sweets happen. We’re okay with that.
- She is less excited about cheese. She is not yet convinced that cows milk is good.
- She loves her books. She doesn’t always want to sit still for you to read a story to her, but she likes the books around so she can look at them on her own. She always has a few books in her crib with her.
- She is an expert un-loader. Don’t turn your back for a second as nothing is off limits for her. Kitchen cabinets, the dishwasher if left open, any bin full of anything, any and every drawer, any basket of clothing, any bag with something in it. This girl has a 6th sense for things in her reach that could be unloaded. She is a mini –tornado leaving a path of destruction. When we go places where I know she can get down and roam I pack bags within bags of stuff just so she can take it all out.
- She throws things when she is done. She throws food off her tray, she throws her water glass, she throws her nuk and bunny and books out of the crib when she wakes up, and she has even started throwing toys out of the tub when she is finished.
- She understands the signs for eat, more, please, thank you and all done. She can do the sign for all done but chooses not to. Instead she reaches her hands over her head as if to say “pick me up. I’m done with this”
- She has a few words. HI, of course, is her staple. For about 2 months now she she has said it several hundred times a day. She will also say “YAY!” while clapping when she sees something fun (even if its something she sees on TV), she has said “YAH” as an answer, will “NUM NUM” when you’re cooking (or when you walk into a chocolate store with her) and she has recently started with “DA-EEY” I dare say she said her first sentence yesterday when she said “HI DA-EEY”. That counts, right?
- She loves music. Loves it. She will dance if she likes it. It can be kids music, it can be American Idol or it can be Led Zepplin. It doesn’t matter. If she likes it she will dance.
- She does have some favorite kids songs.. such as… Itsy Bitsy Spider, If you’re happy and you know it, You are my sunshine, old McDonald, and wheels on the bus come to mind. In a pinch (like a long car ride, a especially squirmy diaper change, or if you’re just trying to keep her occupied) sing these songs to her and she will clap and say “YAH” for your efforts. My singing has never been cheered until her.
- Aside from outlet covers we haven't really baby proofed anything. She knows what NO means and she will respond.
- She is very curious. She will stare and study each new person and each new situation before reacting. I see this most at the grocery store. She’ll stare someone down in aisle one and when we pass them in aisle 3 she smiles and says HI! She sat stone faced on her first ride at Nik Universe and then frantically waved at it five minutes later.
- guard your remotes and your phones.
- She has a pretty long attention span. She will play on her own for quite a long time.
- She loves to push things around. They can be an actual toy, a garbage can, a chair, etc, etc. Her new outside toys are the most fun ever. (Thanks to Gail and Karen for the fun hand me downs!)
That’s our girl. In a nutshell. So much fun every day!
Ciao!
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