Vivi: Fourteen Months

The big news since last month's update, Little Miss Vivienne, is that you're walking now.  One night you walked across the room like it was no big deal, and you haven't stopped since.  

You remind me of a little wind-up toy toddling from room to room, round and round, following us everywhere.  You never stop moving.  

The other afternoon, Madeline giggled at something you had done and cried, "Mumma, Vivi is hilarious!" between chuckles.

Your sister is right.   You are one funny baby who delights in making us laugh.  

I found you sitting up in your crib after nap the other day with the blankets pulled up over your face.  As I approached, you pulled them down suddenly, revealing a broad grin and wicked twinkle in your eye.  "Surprise, Mumma!  It's me!"  You seemed to say.  You know how to be silly to get a laugh from us.  

You like looking at photographs.  I have to keep my phone hidden because when you find it, all you want to do is look through the pictures for the afternoon.  You find the pictures we have framed around the house and point at them.  "Dat!  Dat!"  you insist until I say the name of the person in the photo.  

"Yes, Vivi.  That's Madeline.  Yes.  That's Dada."  Then you laugh before pointing to the next photograph.  

Another favorite game of yours is to make piles.  You empty your toy box, toy by toy, into a neat pile, and when it's empty, you neatly put everything away again.  

We recently took you to an indoor playground.  You didn't like going in the baby ball pit, but you did really enjoy putting the balls back where they belonged.  The other kids would make a mess, tossing balls everywhere, and you were thrilled to to clean up after them.  

I had a pile of shoes in our front hall that needed to be brought upstairs.  You took it upon yourself to carry every shoe to an empty cardboard box that your sister had been playing with.  It made bringing them upstairs very easy.  Thanks, Vivi!

You know how to point to your nose, eyes, and ears.  That game can be repeated for an entire afternoon.  

You like to bring me my hat.  You thrust it at me until I put it on.  Once I do, you laugh at me.  I guess I look funny wearing hats.    

You're still not saying many words, but boy, do you make a lot of noises.  Sometimes you yell what sound like commands at us.  Sometimes you babble short statements then look us deep in the eye as if checking for understanding.  You shriek in frustration quite a bit, and follow me around the house whining for a good part of the day.

You need to be the center attention of my world.  If I'm not focused on you because I'm doing laundry, or eating lunch, or talking to Madeline, you let me know how unacceptable that is.

You are demanding.  But that's okay.  The world needs more demanding women.    

Thankfully, you're also mighty sweet.  You love cuddles.  You've started hugging me back, arms wrapped tightly around my neck.  When Dada gets home from work, you toddle to him with your arms outstretched for him to pick you up.  You've started crawling into Madeline's lap.  You hug and throw yourself on your sister a lot actually.  Maddie giggles and rubs your back while you sigh, "Awww" and "Ohhh."  It's pretty darn adorable.

You're less stranger shy.  You like members of our family now.  You don't cry in the supermarket whenever an old lady glances your way anymore.  We had a plumber at the house last week, and I was shocked at how chill you were around a perfect stranger who had entered our house.  You kept your distance, but you kept toddling toward him, curious to see what he was up to.  Meanwhile, big sister hid in the playroom until he was gone.  

You have four perfect teeth, and based on the amount of gnawing you've been doing this week, we suspect more are on the way.  

Your eyes are still green.  Your hair is red and thickening in the back.  We're entering the baby mullet phase.  

You feel sturdier, more solid, in our arms.  And you finally have a big, round baby belly.  

You're growing, little one.  So, so fast.  And it's so, so fun watching it all unfold.