Well here we are, and what a year it has been. In what has probably been the fastest year of my life and the one I wish had gone the most slowly we are now at the stage where we have a toddler and that's even more scary bringing with it a whole heap of new challenges like learning to read, potty training and temper tantrums. Hopefully it will be like the baby stage and filled with thousands of good moments within the trickier ones but it's going to be quite a journey all the same. But before I start to think too deeply about the road ahead it's time for Rosie's one year update and lots happened this month that I'm incredibly happy about. FeedingGradually over the month I dropped all the breastfeeds, first swapping them out for formula and then the week before her first birthday I started to introduce cows milk. To begin with Rosie wasn't that fussed and would only take a couple of ounces however once I swapped her mealtime water for milk and she got used to the taste she was drinking cows milk with no problem and I switched back to water after that. A couple of days after her first birthday we had an incredibly emotional last breastfeed and then started the full weaning which seemed to go well for my left breast but I had a few lumpy problems on my right. I'm going to write a whole breastfeeding blogpost to talk about all of this but for the most part it has gone quite well and now 3 weeks later my body is starting to feel back to normal.At our One year review meeting with the Health Visitor she said that for her age Rosie should be having 3 main meals, 2 snacks and a pint of whole milk (about 18oz) but I've been talking to other mums and this advice seems to differ dependant on your HV. At the moment we are following these guidelines although she only has one snack currently. We give her 3 bottles a day, 7oz at 10am, 7oz at 3pm and 7oz at bedtime. She doesn't always drink the whole bottle but she is getting the majority of a pint, as well as the extra calcium she is receiving from her food. Breakfast is weetabix, porridge, shreddies or yoghurt with some fruit. Lunch continues to be a bit of a chore but she'll usually have a sandwich or jacket potato with fruit. Her snack is a couple of breadsticks, a bowl of sweetcorn, some grapes and cheese. Dinner is whatever we are having - usually some meat or fish with vegetables. I always give her the main first before giving her fruit after, I don't put it all on one plate and let her choose because I can then make sure she's filled up on carbs, protein, diary and veg before the sugar.She loves drinking water which I'm so glad about, and will gesture to her cup if she wants more. She loves her DOIDY cup but the only problem with it is that I have to help her drink, she doesn't have the independence that a sippy cup would afford her. We have to make a bit switch and stop giving her milk in bottles soon but I've been putting it off as it's a big job. Using a spoon is a bit sporadic, she can get a loaded spoon into her mouth no problem but she doesn't seem to want to do it herself every time despite being really interested last month. She finds it much faster to eat with her hands but I've been leaving a spoon out for her and she scoops the odd thing in her bowl and feed herself. I've been showing her with every meal so she'll pick it up in her own time I'm sure. SleepingWe are now in a clear nap time routine which is wonderful because it makes it so much easier to plan the day. Rosie wakes up pretty consistently at 7am every day and has her first nap at 10am usually for around 1.5hrs, although sometimes it can be as long as 2hrs. Thank God the 40min nap time days seem to be behind us. Her second nap is then at 3pm and lasts about an hour although I am anticipating these naps merging at some point until we are on just one nap a day. She is sleeping through the night still which I am ever so grateful for. We had a week where she was waking up in the middle of the night but as I type this I realise that it was just after I'd stopped breastfeeding and stopped feeding her in the night so it might have been her body getting used to the change in food supply i.e. no point waking up if I'm not going to get some food!Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to attempt The Big Change and go back to some sleep training. It would be nice to be able to put her in her cot, walk away and for her to go to sleep. Rather than the current - bottle, rock and sing combo I'm having to use. Now she's One she should be able to do it herself really and I need to help her with this rather than putting it off because I'm dreading the hassle!Social/Developmental/PhysicalWhat a month we've had for developments! She turned One and they came thick and fast which I suppose makes sense. She's definitely not so much baby, more toddler. The day after we moved house, and at 49 weeks - just shy of her first birthday - Rosie finally cut her first tooth. Top left just to be a bit different! This was swiftly followed by her second tooth, bottom left and then more recently her top right. We are now waiting for the 4th tooth to cut and she'll almost be caught up with everyone else. The top teeth haven't seemed to bother her but she was miserable for the bottom tooth, running a temperature, grumpy and clingy so I hope more teeth are like the top ones! It's quite strange having to brush her teeth and seeing her smile is still a bit weird.Then the day after her birthday Rosie took her first couple of steps followed by a few more the day after. In the couple of weeks it has taken me to get around to writing this blogpost she is now walking with more confidence from one side of the room to the other, easily standing from sitting down and going straight into a walk, changing direction, turning and stopping to pick things up so I think a trip to get her first pair of shoes is in order. I can't believe the speed in which she picked it up. She does also do this strange bum/leg shuffle to get places, it's quicker than crawling but not as daunting as walking, but I think she'll grow out of it soon. At her year review Rosie was weighed and measured and i'm very happy to report that she made it over 18lbs, and is weighing in at 18lb 6oz. This is a huge deal and I'm thrilled that she is gaining. She is also on the 25th for height and weight so perfectly in proportion at 72cm tall. We don't have to get her weighed for 3 months now so I wonder what she will be then! Her review went really well and the HV said she is happy with the progress that Rosie has made in all areas, she is doing well - the only two things she didn't do (at the time of the review) all the time are walk and lift a leg up to get dressed so I'm pleased with that. Speaking of, getting dressed; Rosie will help us get her into her coat when we go out and I've caught her trying to put her shoes on a couple of times. She also tries to brush her hair if you give her a hair brush and can put a top on over her head although it then hangs there!Speech continues to come on in leaps and bounds, with the HV even commenting on how she is ahead of the crowd for her age on this one. Her full list of words are:MumDaddyHelloBye ByeDogWoof WoofBaaaaa (Sheep)DuckCatBrrrrm Brrrrm (Car)DoorBananaBrushBallBallooo (Balloon)BubbleBirrrr (Bird)Babo (Grandad - Leigh's dad)Grandaa (Grandad - my dad)We also think we've heard her say 'Wake up mum' and 'What is it' but we aren't sure if we are just putting words with her sounds. She is fully aware of what she is saying and links it to visuals or sounds. If she hears a dog bark she'll say dog for example, or if she sees a sheep she'll Baaaa so I'm really proud of her for doing so well with her words. She's got the B and D sounds nailed!
She continues to be an absolute joy of a child, is so happy all the time and loves people. When we are out in public she is constantly trying to get everyone's attention and beams at them when they give it to her with her nose crinkle smile. She realises when she is being told off and if there is anyone else in the room she will try and get them on side with a cheeky smile. If that doesn't work then the bottom lip comes out and she starts to cry before rushing over to give you a hug. After many months of trying she will finally give you a kiss when you ask for one, and even more adorably her grandparents taught her how to blow kisses. If you ask her for a kiss though she comes at you with such force she normally ends up head-butting you but it's all with affection. One of my favourite Rosalind-isms is that she blows on food before she eats it and if she sees steam or something hot she blows as well, a wonderful example of her copying us. She always has a hug for her cuddly octopus, Betty, and loves putting things into things and making them fit like the lid of a tube or a ball into a circle hole. She also likes helping me stir food in the kitchen and is constantly by the front door because she wants to go and explore outside, something that makes her very happy. Me, PostpartumI haven't been doing that well if I'm being honest. I think with the move, Rosie turning one, a lack of wifi and stopping breastfeeding I've been feeling quite low. I think I'm on the up again now which is a relief as I'm usually quite an optimistic person. It was just all a big change at once and I always do best when I'm surrounded by people - something that was never a problem in London but is more of a problem when you live in the middle of nowhere. My HV asked if I was thinking about having any more children and I said that yes I had planned on doing so but actually I'm not feeling that broody at the moment which is surprising as I had expected to. I think that Rosie is just so great that I'm worried about the second child curse, but also I like spending time with her just the two of us, I don't quite feel ready to let that go just yet. I find it quite hard to believe that I have a toddler, my own little baby is so grown up. It is wonderful to be able to look back on all these updates and see just how far she has come in a year. That such a tiny newborn could turn into my cheeky, happy, walking around little girl is just mind blowing.Cara x

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