Kiki

McKinley has grown up so fast this year! Just in the last week she has started walking all the time instead of crawling. It's like she suddenly turned into a toddler! We had so much going on this year that I'm not sure I really noticed just how much she was growing until now. Some aspects of her personality were apparent from birth, but some she is just showing to us now:

• She seems a bit finicky about her sleep. Until about 7 months old, she would only take 30 minute naps. I don't know if that was just how she operates, of if her loud 3-year-old boy is a factor. Once we moved into the new house and her bedroom became a bit more secluded, she started napping better. I myself am obsessed with sleep and cannot fathom why a child would voluntarely NOT sleep when she could be getting the recommended 12-16 hours a day.


• Kinley is not a fish. She does not enjoy a bath, a splash in the kiddie pool or a dip in the waterhole. Once we went to a local pool and she actually enjoyed herself. That scenario hasn't repeated itself.


• McKinley is a thrill-seeker. She loves to be dipped and "tossed" on pillows. She loves to bounce. She is very cute bopping around on the couch, until Finn starts jumping too and I have to kick them both off.


• Kiki is very easy to entertain. She just piddles around the house, playing with toys, looking at books. She loves to watch her brother.


• Feeding one-year-olds is so EASY! Kinley eats almost everything I scoop in her mouth. I'm just waiting for the revolt to begin. Her favs: Boca Burgers, bananas, graham crackers, melons.


• Kinley has a bit of a reserved nature sometimes (she IS a virgo), but she is generally friendly. I think she sort of likes being in the middle of a lot of people.

I always thought that the first year of life for a girl was going to be a lot different than for a boy. It was different, but due to personality, not gender. I think having 2 kids and seeing how they differ personality-wise, weighed heavy for the "nature" debate. Over the last year, I have had to let go of a lot of my control issues to adapt to the little people I now live with. The most important thing that having 2 kids has taught me is to just let things go, and try to enjoy yourself!