:life with a one year old:

if you have a kid(s), you know where we're at. cute, cuddly, chattering terror. not terror in a bad way, just in the sense that everything is new and exciting...meaning, it's all fair game to open, eat, try on, grab, etc. people have been telling me since she was born that i would miss the early days once she started walking. honestly, i haven't. it's tiring to chase her, but there is so much more that goes along with it. and she sleeps better and entertains herself. i wouldn't want to go back to her infancy for anything.

she loves jared. since i am working part time, she and jared have had many an afternoon to play, walk and get to know each other. now, she often prefers him over me as far as snuggling. when he gets home, she wants to be held by daddy. i love it.

she still loves the phone. she has amassed a collection of cell phones, some real (but no longer in service) and a couple play ones. needless to say, if she can get her hands on it, mine is still the favorite. it's literally hanging by a thread. the top part falls off if held carelessly.

today she did something that surprised me. she was digging in the kitchen drawers which i had just rearranged to keep her from the scissors. she was pulling out baggies and plastic wrap, etc., and after she pulled it all out, she actually put some of it back and closed the drawer. i couldn't believe it. the fact that she's realizing certain things belong here or there, and then replacing it seems quite smart! some adults can't even get that straight.

of course, she climbs. i have yet to witness much of this, but jared has. he found her standing on her box of blocks and then also climbing up an end table which is shaped like steps. she's clearly yearning for steps, which she loves to climb given the opportunity. our nice furniture will not become her step stool. sorry chlo.

i suppose the biggest chage for chloe is that she got her ears pierced last week. she was a champ. unfortunately, they grabbed 2 different size studs so they look a bit lop-sided. not much we can do now. no one has called her a boy since.

she is now a little over 21 pounds and is 28 inches. while she was huge at 5 months, she's now actually on the smaller side, but still perfectly healthy. the nurse practioner, who saw chloe the day after she was born in the hospital, continues to praise us for our good care with chloe and for continuing the breast feeding. i think she likes us.

i think that's about it here in the schauermann household. same 'ol stuff.

and if you're in the sd area, and you hear of a kid with chicken pox, let us know ;)