14 Months

Clara had a lot of fun this month! She went to a couple of birthday parties, played with a lot of little kids including Reedcito, Kierito, Lyla, and Cooper, and even got to see some Clydesdale Horses! Clara really enjoyed herself at her boyfriend Parker's first birthday party. She loved helping him open presents and then swinging in the swing with Eden (two babies in a swing are way better than one). 

The twins giving her hugs

Swinging with Bri

Helping Parker open his presents

Swinging with cousin Eden

Two babies are better than one!

We took Clara to the Hanford farmer's market because the Budweiser Clydesdale Horses were there (turns out it is an awesome farmer's market and you should check it out). We didn't know if Clarita knew what horses were, but as soon as she saw them she started signing horse and saying "ney ney". Then when we showed her ponies she signed horse and then dog. I think she was confused because they looked like horses but smaller like dogs!

Clarita has continued to become more stubborn and strong willed. She knows what she wants and she becomes upset when she doesn't get it. This little girl can throw a tantrum with the best of them. Abuelita said that Clara is even more strong willed than I was at her age so I say watch out world! I think we are going to have our hands full with this one! That being said, she is still very happy and loves to laugh and "sing". She sings away in church and has quite a following!

The little Wiggle never sits still. She moves from here to there and people are always commenting on how busy she is. One of her favorite activities is taking all of the things she loves (aka fruit, vegetables, and plastic containers) from the kitchen and ferrying them into the dining room where she stacks them on the bench. This can occupy her for a good half hour. I don't think there is a mellow bone in her body and she goes 100 miles per hour from the time she wakes up until the time she goes to sleep. I think this may be why she sleeps so well...just like her mama she needs to replenish after a busy day. Dancing is a new favorite of Clara's and she starts swaying and bouncing anytime she hears music. She is especially partial to Spanish music. 

I couldn't figure out where Clara had gone
 until I saw a tiny foot behind the curtain...

There she is!

Although I would not call Clarita picky, she definitely knows what she wants to eat and what she doesn't. This changes on a daily basis and she will love something one day only to want nothing to do with it the next day. This means that we have to keep a variety of food on hand at all times. Clara also decided this month that she does not want her food cut up into pieces. Apparently she is a big girl and wants strips of food. One day I gave her small pieces of avocado and she would not eat them. She would, however, eat the strips of the exact same avocado I gave her. It makes less work for me so I can't complain. Now if she would only grow more teeth so it would be easier for her to eat (although she does pretty well for only having her two bottom teeth). Tia Erika got her some bunny cookies (more like graham crackers) and Clarita is obsessed with these. She knows where they hide and will often point to them and sign more, please, thank you (what she signs when she really wants something). She cries when she doesn't get them and gobbles them down when she does. She has become obsessed with fruit this month and loves all berries (especially the blackberries picked by dada), and peaches and nectarines from Fafa. I think she would be content to live off fruit and Greek yogurt if we let her.

Clara taking a selfie

All things said, this little girl (she's definitely not a baby anymore and Reedcito even re-named her Big Girl Clara instead of Baby Clara) is so much fun and brings us so much joy. She waves to everyone she meets and I have yet to see someone refrain from smiling when she greets them. It's impossible to be in a bad mood with her around because she is just so happy and friendly!

Clarita's Stats

Weight:18 pounds 

Height: 29.5 inches 

Head Circumference: 18 inches

What Clara Wears

She is now wearing mostly 12 month outfits which are still big on her. Her 9 month pants still fit her pretty well, especially when she has on a disposable diaper! I put 12 month shorts on her with a disposable diaper and they fell off...we have a tiny one.

Things Clara Loves

Mama and Dada, nursing, going for walks, naked baby time, pacifiers (especially her monito), car rides, reading books, people, taking showers with Dada, playing with her toys, animals (especially her cats), eating, playing peek a boo, running, empty bottles, cardboard boxes, phones, remote controls, brushing her "teeth", running up and down the stairs with Mama, Baby Signing Time DVD, stuffed animals, getting the ABCs sung to her while pointing at them on the wall, Tio Chino's wallet, riding her tricycle, being swung through the air, swinging, being outside, playing in her bucket of water, car seat roller coaster rides with Dada, blowing bubbles with Abuelita 

Things Clara Does Not Love

This really just depends on the day/Clara's mood. She is generally happy but has steadily become more and more stubborn. Abuelita says that she is much more stubborn and strong willed than I was at this age and I say watch out world! Clara dislikes being told no, or not getting to do what she wants when she wants it. Tantrums often ensue and this little baby can throw herself on the ground and scream with the best of them. She is getting better at letting you wipe her face and likes putting on socks, pants, and leg warmers, but often does not want to put on her dress or shirt.

How Clarita Sleeps

Clara takes two  naps, the first between 9:30 and 10:00 and another between 2:30 and 3:00. She has been sleeping for about two or more hours each nap this month. She goes to bed between 8:30 and 9:00. Clarita sleeps in her sleep sack in her crib with her pacifier, monito, and pinguino. She generally falls right to sleep and if she wakes up during the night grabs her pacifier and falls right back to sleep. She has been waking up between 6:30 and 6:45 this past month. She will often wake up and roll around and play in her crib for half an hour until someone gets her up.

Nicknames

Clarita, Snugglepuff, Snuggles, Wiggle, Baby/Bebe, Sapita, Munchkin, Birthday Twin, Monkey Butt, Loquita, Midget (thanks Abuelita)

Sign Language

Clara loves sign language and can sign eat, more, please, thank you, hat, ball, sleep, baby, banana, water, milk, bird, dog, cat, mama, dada (her favorite), hurt, shoes, socks, wash hands, frog, book, dirty, all done, car, bus, train, apple, horse, yes, no, bath, bubbles. Clara also makes up her own signs and has a sign for pacifier that looks similar to eat. We teach her awesome things like how to beat on her chest like a gorilla and she has now translated beating on her chest into the sign for monkey which she consistently uses with her pacifier sign when she wants her monkey pacifier.

Talking

Clara says quite a few words but most of them sound very similar and only people that spend a lot of time with her can understand them. She says banana "nana" and her favorite word no no "neh neh". Clara also says more "ma" (probably trying to say mas), bye bye "buh ba", ball "ba", monkey "mo mo", eat "mer" (most likely from comer), yes "ya", thank you "da" (not sure where that one came from but she consistently says it accompanied by the sign), and has learned some animal sounds, mau (meow), woo (woof), (ney) neigh and she tries to tweet but it sounds more like the t sound. 

Monthly Exciting Events

May 10, 2014: Clara's first group bath!
May 8, 2014: Clara starts spinning in circles

May 2, 2014: Clara starts walking backward

April 20, 2014: Clara's first time coloring

Monthly Pictures

La Loquita

She would only stop crying if she held the pool net

I love pictures!