Johnson & Johnson: Piper's summer update

This summer has been so fun with Piper. She loves going swimming or playing in the splash parks. This girl is not afraid of water. She is climbing on everything and trying to jump. She understands the concept, but can’t seem to get both feet off the ground at once. We are breaking the attachment to the pacifier. When she gets up from sleeping she throws the paci and her lovey into her crib and is ready to play again. Piper is very into books, pretend talking on the phone, pushing buttons on the remote, playing with balls, being outside, and blowing bubbles. She’s taken to carrying around her teddy bear like a baby doll and pulling her toy cart everywhere. She likes to dance and her favorite tv show is Yo Gabba Gabba. She is trying to climb the stairs up and down like adults which is very nerve racking for us.

Her daily routine is – wake up around 7:30, get a cup of milk and play in bed with mama and daddy. Then she has her breakfast on the kitchen floor while mama makes coffee and cooks breakfast for everyone else. She plays and is a happy baby, no toddler, going with the flow until naptime. We are working down to one nap which is usually from 11-1. The afternoon is full of more fun playtime usually with brother, until dinner which is immediately followed by bath and bedtime at 7:30. She is now climbing out of the bath tub. Piper got 4 teeth during our construction in June which was no fun, but she is loving eating meat now, especially if she gets to dip the bites in ketchup. She eats pretty much everything we give her, especially frozen treats. She is getting very good with a fork and spoon, and she actually eats more because she is motivated to use these items. She now knows how to take her bib off when she’s finished eating.

Words she can say now are – “daddy”, “no”, “please, sounds like peas”, “ball”, “food” which is sometimes “fo”, “hot” which is said in a whisper, “more/mo and does the sign”, “bubble” then she blows, for dog she “pants” and then says “woof”, “up”, “thank you – with the sign and gibberish”, “hi” (also she’s good at waving, giving leg hugs, and kisses/blowing kisses). She still uses her sign language a lot. She can identify herself in pictures and we’re working on the rest of the family. She likes to pretend clean – wiping up messes, throwing trash away, washing hands, picking up things and putting them away, and blowing her nose. She will dig in my purse looking for her paci, lovey, or milk cup. She can even upzip it to get inside. She can point to her nose, teeth, hair, ears, and belly button. The body part we started with first was feet, but she can’t seem to get that one.

She’s been testing the limits with throwing things and hitting. She gets crushed when we tell her “no” or “stop”. She’s been throwing temper tantrums which makes Chris very nervous about the terrible twos and we have even started trying time out. She loves seeing kids, especially older kids and thinks everyone wants to play with her, by that she expects them to give her whatever toy and let her play with it by her rules. She’s learning to throw the ball with people and even kick, but it sure is hard for her when she can’t do whatever she wants to with the ball. At her 15 month check-up in July she weighed 21.6 lbs. and was 31 ½ inches tall. She has been really healthy her whole first year with only one virus and fevers when she was teething. We pray it stays that way this next year. She has a little eczema in her elbows though. This summer has been so fun with her, I wish I could stay home all the time and enjoy this little girl.

Piper we love you so much and are so grateful for the opportunity to be your parents. We hope and pray that you will quickly come to knowledge of the Lord as your personal savior, seeing his grace and love for you. You bring so much joy to our family, you are LOVED – your parents