Physically: She is full-on running. Trying to keep up with everyone! She ran straight into the wall earlier today because she had gotten going too fast and couldn't stop herself, hilarious! (she wasn't hurt!) She is such a fun dancer, she has the cutest shoulder-shake, especially in the car. She eats really well with a fork and is trying to learn to use a spoon. She is transitioning from two naps to one (ROUGH), and I can't wait until she will nap at the same time as Owen's nap/quiet time, because right now she sleeps from like 11-1, then he does from 2-4, then she takes a quick nap from like 4:30-5:30. It would be super cool to have her down at the same time as Owen!! Anyway she has started to be an early riser :( I've been in denial for a while but she's been waking up pretty consistently around 6:45. Sad for me. I like to get up before my kids and get some stuff done, and the other kids don't wake up until 7:30. So that extra 45 minutes was so precious... too bad. Whitney did that for a while but then started sleeping later when she was around 2 1/2. So we can hope. :) But at least she does go down for bed and naps SUPER easily, can't complain there.
She goes down stairs really well and wants to walk up them holding onto the wall. She loves to CLOSE things and wants to play with any kind of switch or button. She turns pages of books really well and hasn't destroyed many pages yet. :) She FINALLY got her 5th and 6th teeth last week!! Keep them coming girl. Maris LOVES to play with balls!! She dribbled a ball around for like 15 minutes at Whitney's soccer game last night, and one time when Eric's mom(Mary and Brad and Kurtis came!) asked her if she wanted to go get the ball she turned and ran right onto the field, like she was going to go into the game and play! Hilarious. She loves to throw balls too. And play chase with Eric or any of her siblings. It is so funny, she will run after them screaming and laughing FOREVER, they usually end up stopping when THEY get tired, not her!
Communication: She learns new words every day, it is so fun!! In the last couple of weeks a few fun ones have been "gen" for again (used frequently when roughhousing with Eric!) "hep" - I'm so glad she's picking this one up for "help", so I can get her to say it instead of whining when she needs something! She's been saying the kids' names for about 3-4 weeks now, and they LOVE it of course. "Kake-n" or "Kakey" for Katelyn, "wee-ee" or "winnie" for Whitney, and O-wah for Owen. She used to say "memememe" for herself, but hasn't been doing it lately. She is starting to say please! And one of my favorites was last week one day I picked the girls up from school and I asked "How was your day today?" and this little voice pops up "ged" for good, we all busted up laughing! It was so cute and funny that she knew what to say; apparently I always ask that question? She tries to do the old Batman theme song- she'll hum a little like she's trying to do the "dunna-nunna-nunna-nunna" and then say Bat-ba, batba, batba in a sing-song-y voice, so awesome! Also lately she'll put her hands up for a touchdown and she can say football "but-bah". I guess that's what you get when you get woken up more than once from mom and dad screaming at amazing game-winning touchdown passes! It's a great time to be a cougar! At least it has been so far this season haha. Let's see, what else can she say, oh yeah she can say her version of Jesus and Amen, and she folds her arms for prayers it is SO ADORABLE. And at least 6 weeks ago this happened: we were reading scriptures and she was freaking out about something, getting in my face and I couldn't figure out what was going on. She especially got mad when I helped Owen read (said each phrase for him to repeat). So I said "Maris do you want a turn?" and looked right at her and said a couple of words and she calmed right down and repeated something back to me in baby language! I said a few more and she said something back, all the way through the verse, and a few times she even copied my sounds a little, we all just laughed in amazement and then she sat quietly through the rest of scripture reading! Eric was like " I can't believe she just wanted her own turn reading!"So now she always gets her own turn. So cute and funny, that girl. Other words she says a lot are: SHOES, oh my the girl loves shoes. Several times a day she goes into her room and runs out carrying a pair of shoes saying urgently "Shz, shz!" Often she is already wearing a pair and just wants to change! Lately she has been trying to put them on herself, which obviously does not go well. Oh and the last couple of days she has requested to pick her own outfits. Like pushed away my hand saying "n-n-n" and picked something else from the drawer and handed it to me! Really??Let's hope that doesn't last yet!! She says Juice, milk, wa-wa, cup"cu-p" and raises her hand and says "duh!" when she's done eating. She says "wawawawa" in a growly voice for watermelon for some reason! She says diaper "d-puh" and poop haha. And we're pretty sure she has said her version of Kurtis and Jonathan. :) She says run and GO and car and several animal noises. She LOVES to see dogs but if they get too close she's started to wave and say "bye!" like she wants them to go away, so funny. She can say blanket. and book. and treat. All very important words.
I love that she gives hugs and kisses to her brothers and sisters and me and Eric. She idolizes Owen, and he continues to be so sweet to her, thank goodness. She is pretty obedient, and isn't too picky of an eater. She can point to many body parts and say some of them. She loves to brush hair, although none of us want her to brush it for long, it hurts!
Well, it's getting late and there's more I could say but at least this is something, it feels good to have it recorded. I love my baby girl SO MUCH and it brings me so much joy to see her grow and develop. I pray every day that I can be the best Mom I can to my kids, and that God will make up for
the things I cannot do on my own. I know He will. I better say that I love my sweet Whitney, sweet Owen, and sweet Katelyn too, they are my life! What me and Eric work and live for every day. :)
a few pics I haven't already posted:
she's not all smiles, but that's okay!
she doesn't do the nose crinkle as much but I still love it!
another cute face.
tired of mom taking selfies...
We all love our Maris!!
so glad you took the time to write about her. so sweet and makes me feel closer!
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