Fourteen Months of Hope...

Yesterday was Hope's "fourteen month" birthday!  

We have officially entered the phase where HOPE is in charge of all photo shoots.  She'll sit when she wants.  She'll smile when she wants.  She'll pretty much do whatever she wants.  It's my job to just get a photo when I can and enjoy who she is at this time in her life:

  

Miss Independent.

This month has been so much fun as we watched our little girl change so much!

  She has so many sides to her.  It's not uncommon to find her sitting quietly for quite a while looking at books... something she has in common with both of her brothers.

Or running - RUNNING!! - to keep up with Brian or race to the toilet when she hears it flush from 3 miles away or rush to the refrigerator or the dishwasher when she hears the door open with her supersonic hearing.  What I'm trying to say is this - you have to be FAST with Hope.  She doesn't miss a trick and if you think you can outsmart or outrun her - you'd be wrong.  

She has been showing off her cunning side, too.  She knows when we say words like "diaper" or "change you" and she'll turn her back on us and walk away.  Then she'll throw in a quick look back over her shoulder to smile and laugh.  "Catch me if you can," she seems to say!

Hope loves her bed and loves to sleep.  She easily goes down for two naps a day and will sit in her crib for a while talking to her friends or sometimes looking at a book.  Sometimes you can find me watching the "Hope Show" on the video monitor in the afternoon.  I love to see how she entertains herself and for how long.

Bedtime is at 7 for both kids.  For the past few weeks Hope has been difficult at bedtime which means I'm spending more time in her room nursing, snuggling and singing.  Brian has been so understanding - and has been enjoying his bonding time with just his Dad instead of both of us.  Hope has a wonderful big brother.

I sat down with Brian today and we re-read his fourteen month journal entry, which was so fun.  I think it was actually a great exercise!  Brian had a lot of "I did that?  Hope does that, too!!" moments that will give him a new way to look at his sister.  "We have so much in common, Mommy!" he told me at the end.  I would read that Brian loved to throw food off of his high chair tray when he was Hope's age and his mouth dropped open.  "I did that?"  Or I would read that Brian used to love playing in the bathtub... or carrying things around the house... playing the piano... reading... and his eyes would light up.  "I still love all of those things!"  

And his whole face smiled when I read the parts about how much I loved him... and how much his Daddy and Gavin loved him, too.  I'm so glad I write these journals.

(If you'd like to read Brian's 14 month entry, you can find it HERE.  Note that the photo sharing websites I used back then went out of business so you'll find non-working links.  *sad face*)

Now back to Hope...

She is so much fun to play with.  She's becoming more and more interactive with her play - trying to feed me or feed her dolls... handing me books she wants me to read... rolling a ball back and forth, etc.  She also loves to screech!  She'll let out a scream and then crack up.  It's even more fun for her when Brian is home and they play a back and forth screeching game.  I love that game.

(no, I don't.)

When we're out in public it's become quite challenging.  I usually say to people - "Excuse my daughter.  She has these legs she learned to use and insists upon using them all the time."  She has to walk and touch and explore everything.  So basically, what I'm trying to say is...

...we don't go out much.  Ha!

One of Hope's favorite things to do (besides eat!) is read and play with her toy instruments.  These were two of Gavin's long time favorite things, too!  And, like her brother, she will stop and listen when I start to sing songs.  Especially HER song.  I've sung the same tune to all three of my children since I was pregnant with Gavin.  There is "I love you, Bugaboo"  for Gavin - "I love you, Monkey Doo" for Brian - and "I love you, Hopi Doo" for Hope.  I'll never get a Grammy, but hey - it's a crowd pleaser in our house!

Having a daughter has been such a thrill - more than I imagined it would be.  I hope she grows up feeling confident and brave.  I hope she questions everything and loves to learn.  I hope she continues to love music and will love going to Broadway shows with me (and hopefully Brian, too!).  I can't wait to see what month 15 brings!  

There are still days that I can't believe that she's even here.  She is such a wonderful addition to our little family. 

Every morning when she wakes and every night when I place her gently in her crib, I thank God... and Gavin... for the beautiful gift of Hope.

(p.s. - You can find me on Instagram now!  Click the brown camera on the right side of this blog - or search for "kategavinsmom.")