Huirou @ 11 months

Huirou at 11 months is very very mischievous. It is getting increasingly difficult to get her to pose for a picture. So, I expect to have a lot of candid shots in the months to come. Let's see what have she achieved this month:

Growth, Food Intake and General Well Being

• She weighs 7.3 kg the last time we visited the doctor. It's not much but she's happy and healthy.
• On a daily basis, she eats 2 meals a day ( a heavy brunch, and a light dinner), at least 3 bottles of milk a day at the sitter's and nurses on demand at home, various snacks (fruits, rice puffs, bread) throughout the day and at least 5 oz of water, somewhat depending on thirst.
• Usually takes 2 naps a day. Once, she took a 2-hour nap during lunch and lasted till bedtime.
• She's also cutting four teeth on her top jaw. But currently, only three is visible; Adding the bottom teeth she now has a total of 5 teeth.
  

Physical Development and Communications

• Huirou mainly moves around the house by crawling or cruising along furniture. We have also left sturdy boxes for her to push around, which she rather enjoy.
  
• She is able to dump things out of containers and put them back in.
• She opens and closes her hands when we sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"; She does the same action when asked to wave "Bye" but with one hand only. Subtle, huh?
• When she see children of any age, she utters : didi ; and she calls herself jeje
  
• She can address her papa accurately, with a rather serious looking face.
• When she wants to go upstairs she points.
• When she's excited, she huffs and puffs, and race towards her goal, whether it be nursing or going out.
  
• She recognizes some "words" although she cannot utter them. Among her favorite? Nen-nen (milk), kaikai (going out) and bumbum (bath). She will also stop momentarily if we shout out NO. or UH-UH.
• In fact, she remembers what she's not supposed to do and will look at us if she's near the "forbidden zone"
• When we say "no biting" she smiles and will teeth the object but will not actually bite.
  

Character & Temperament

• She likes to help with folding laundry by unfolding whatever I have folded. In fact, she likes to roll around the unfolded laundry on the bed.
• In the mornings, she lazes in bed with us. Once she's awake, she starts smiling.
• She laughs easily and seldom cries. When she's upset she whines.
• She is not timid at all. She just laugh at the loud bangs that we think will startle any baby.
  
• Her stranger anxiety have improved by leaps and bounds; She now will allow just about anyone to hold her- as long as she's not tired, hungry or in a bad mood.
• She loves to be read to, and will help by turning the pages. Cloth and board books are the easiest for her, but she will need help with actual book pages.
• Loves to play peekaboo. and if you follow behind her while she's being brought upstairs she gets real excited.

The biggest development of all this month is subtle but is the most precious to me of all. She has grown rather independent and can play on her own for some length of time. Previously, she needed to see or at least hear somebody. Sometimes, she will surprise us by waking up from her nap without crying and sit on the bed to play.