15 Months!

It's been awhile since our last monthly update, so we've got some catching up to do. Kaitlyn is now 15 months old! She's an active toddler that loves exploring and is learning new things each day.

• She is 19 lbs, 6 oz. and 30 inches: I can't believe she still hasn't hit 20 lbs yet!
• Walking: Kaitlyn was taking solid steps by 13 months and quickly picked it up from there. I think the turning point of her walking ability came when we went camping in August. After a whole weekend of trying to walk through the uneven grassy campground, by the time we got home she was walking steadily around the house. By the following weekend she was practically running.
• Eating: Kaitlyn has always been a good eater but lately it's been hit or miss. At mealtime she will either eat anything we give her or will take one look at her food and refuse everything. The only foods she never refuses are goldfish crackers, cheese, yogurt, and fruit (she goes crazy for melons, berries, and peaches/nectarines). She also loves those squeeze pouches, especially the applesauce pouches from Trader Joe's. Lately the biggest challenge has been getting her to eat enough protein. She never seems interested in the meat dishes we give her, unless it's jarred baby food, which I would prefer to not give her at this point. I need to work more on disguising the meat with cheese or fruit so that she'll eat it!
• Talking: Kaitlyn is still a chatterbox talking in her native "Kaitlynese." The only real words I've heard her say are: bye bye (while waving), dada (Daddy), baba (ball, bubble or balloon), hi, and "dah" (yay). Her daycare teacher insists she also says "si," "gracias," and "leche," but I have yet to hear it.
• Sleep. I can't complain anymore about Kaitlyn's sleep. We put her down between 7:30-8pm each night without a fight and she sleeps solidly until 6-6:30am. She still takes two naps a day, with her first nap being around 10am and second nap at around 4pm. At some point she'll need to consolidate naps but right now keeping her awake for any time beyond 5 hours is really pushing it. 
• Teeth: She currently has four upper teeth and four bottom teeth. It's been awhile, but we think she's starting another round of teething. In the past few days she has been waking up in the middle of the night crying, cranky at home, and drooling up a storm. I hope it doesn't last too long this time.
• TV: We *try* to avoid having the TV on all the time, but there are two shows that always catch Kaitlyn's attention: Sesame Street and Mister Roger's Neighborhood. I DVR'ed a few episodes and whenever she hears the voice of Murray at the beginning of Sesame Street or the tinkling music of Mister Roger's Neighborhood, she will drop whatever she's doing and head straight to the TV. She is absolutely mesmerized by Mister Rogers - it must be his soothing voice and gentle demeanor, but unlike other shows or cartoons, Mister Rogers will always hold her attention for at least 20 minutes. We don't want to become dependent on the TV for entertainment, but sometimes it's a good way to help her calm down (and buy us a few minutes to get other things done).
• Personality: When she is with people she's comfortable with, Kaitlyn is talkative, playful, and curious. She loves to get our attention and make lots of noise, whether it's yelling at the top of her voice or banging on objects around the house. In contrast, in group settings such as music class or playdates, she tends to sit back and quietly observe, and it takes her some time to warm up to those around her. Kaitlyn is selective in how she reacts to strangers. Sometimes she gets very shy, clinging to me or hiding behind my leg when she meets someone new. Other times, she'll see a stranger at a grocery store or mall, and will do everything she can to catch their attention (point, wave, stick out tongue) - it's very cute. :) Overall Kaitlyn is a happy, fun little toddler and these past few months have been a blast.

In the coming months I'm hoping that Kaitlyn will learn some more words, be less picky about the food we give her, and drop the use of her bottle and pacifiers!