Operation: Sippy Cup, First Steps and more!

So this little lady is rapidly growing right before are very eyes!  Almost 11 months old!  We've decided it's time to attempt to ditch the bottle and transition right to the sippy cup.  She has been very good for the last couple months taking water from the cup, but as soon as I put formula in it, she just scrunches her face and looks at me like "what the heck is this ma?"

So today starts "Operation: Sippy Cup."  Cutting out the bottles.  Attempting "cold turkey" today just to see how it goes.  So far, it's okay.  She took 4 oz of her normal 8 oz serving this morning.  She had a nice heaping helping of yogurt for breakfast, so she is getting a good dose of dairy and nutrients from other sources.  I will try again this afternoon with another 4 oz serving which is what she normally takes.  By evening, I will try another 8 oz before/with dinner.  If she doesn't drink much of that, I will consider putting the rest in the bottle to have her finish it up.

I sometimes complain that this girl is somewhat emotionally "high maintenance" (very needy and clingy at times.)  But when it comes to the basics of what usually mom's complain about, she is a breeze!  She has slept through the night since about 2-3 months, dropped the pacifier at 4 months, dropped the bedtime/naptime bottle around 8-9 months, doesn't need to be rocked/held to go to sleep.  Frankly, it's been pretty great!  I'll take the crazy mood swings and separation anxiety over not sleeping through the night any day!

In other news, missy miss has been taking her "first steps" for the last couple weeks now.  She is so cute!  She gets all excited and will take 2-3 steps before she ends up lunging into you.  Jim and I will prop her up and have her go back and forth in between us.  She thinks its a fun game and is getting better and better every time!  Here is a quick video I shot yesterday:


Original Video - More videos at TinyPic


Another trick she has learned is not one I am very fond of.....chewing on the crib.  I went in to get her from a nap a couple weeks ago and saw this:

nom nom nom

Not good!!!  So I rushed out to the fabric store and bought materials to make some guard rail covers.  I haven't taken any pictures of them yet, but when I do - I will be sure to post them.

Here are a few more pictures of the crazy faced rugrat:

And here is one of Emily and daddy playing their favorite game....Rocket Baby!  Jim flys her around the house making rocket ship noises.  We have got to take a video one of these days because when he sets her down, she gets all upset and starts making the rocket ship sounds because she wants daddy to do it again!  Too cute!