she’s not a baby anymore

Today is MacKenna’s 16 month birthday. I’m not going to give you an official monthly update (I’ll keep doing those, but they’ll be more like every 3 months or when she has her well-baby checkups), but I will tell you that for the first time, I’m starting to feel like she’s officially a toddler.

I spent some time this weekend going through the next size up of clothing for her. I’ve actually done really well so far when she’s outgrown her clothes. Except for her newborn clothes and this set of clothes. The reason: I’m gradually moving out all of her 6 to 9 month clothes and adding in all her 12 month and up clothes.

So grown up. I think she’ll eventually have hair…

It’s like the end of an era. (Name that Friends episode…) Yes, I know she’s 16 months and is well behind other babies as far as size. (She barely ranks on the growth chart – she’s been rocking the 1st percentile since birth.) But, there’s something about these 12 month clothes that just hits me. She’s no longer the tiny little baby we brought home for the hospital 16 months ago. She’s not even the same baby she was 4 months ago. She has grown and progressed so much lately that I am finally realizing that she’s not a baby anymore.

Taken about 1 year ago. Time flies, doesn’t it?!

Walking.

My baby girl is a toddler. She can walk all by herself and we sometimes find her actually running. She’s feeding herself for the most part and eating more now than she ever has (well, except for the past few days). She can communicate pretty much everything she needs or wants either by saying it or pointing.

This is her, “Mommy’s letting me try using a spoon on my own, but I think I’ll use my fingers instead” face.

Old iPhones become awesome toys for ~~babies~~ toddlers.

And we’re really hitting weaning her off the bottle and will hopefully be totally weaned by the time she is 17 months – far later than she should be. This is definitely the hardest on me. We spent a whole year nursing together and it was hard to have to give up that precious time with her. Now, taking away that “Baba” time, those last moments of our day together, is really going to kill me.

“No close ups, Mom.”

But, she’s not a baby anymore. We’ll never get those days back, and I know I’ll miss those baby days with her. But, I don’t regret a second. She is a little girl. OUR little girl. And a smart one at that. I love watching the changes she is going through every single day and I can’t wait to see the girl that she becomes. But, deep down I know, she’ll always be my little baby.