13 Months

Eliza, you are 13 whole months old.  Mama can't believe it.  You've been here for more than a year already, so now we can say "a year ago, you were THIS TINY, or, a year ago, you were doing THIS".  And, in fact, I'm going to do it right now!  A year ago, you were THIS TINY!:

And now, you are THIS BIG!:

Except usually, I get pictures of you looking away from me because you are too busy for mama and her camera.  I know, I do get kind of annoying with that thing.  Exhibit A:

You are busy, there is no doubt.  Unless you are asleep, you are moving!  And, preferably, moving in the direction you want to go, most certainly not the direction anyone else *cough, mama, cough* wants you to go.  You have definitely become your own little person lately, and you are not a baby anymore, you are my little toddler.  I guess you're still not technically toddling yet (and, erm, you're not that little...), but in every other way, you are a toddler!  

You do the sweetest things like give kisses and hugs, and smile when you see your family.  And you've started to turn our heads in the direction you want us to look - you put your palm against a cheek, and then move it left or right.  Ha!  

You understand almost everything we say to you now, I think.  If we ask you to pick something and give it to us, you do.  You are so smart - I think I've said that every month since you were born! 

Eliza, you have recently started walking behind your walker - we wondered if you would ever do this!!  Well, not really, but you really have not been interested in using it at all until the last couple of weeks.  It is so amazing to see you walking upright!  I know it won't be long until you are walking by yourself.  And, if the way you walk behind your walker is any indication, you will just start RUNNING when you officially learn to walk.  I think we are in trouble!

You are very verbal, though most of what you say could be categorized as babbling at this point.  You do say "Mama" really well and it is still music to my ears to hear it.  You also say "duck", "dada", "up" (though this one sounds more like "mup")... and make lots of animal sounds (cow, dog, owl, lion, duck, bee).

Well, I have more but you are waking up from your nap, so I better go!

I love you so much, Eliza, and I am excited to celebrate your second Christmas next week!