[11 months] Messy

I read somewhere about toddlers having no concept of cleanness and tidiness. Lara thrives on messiness. Toy blocks are not allowed to line up in straight lines, they have to be scattered around. Anything in its container has to be taken out and thrown half way across the room. There has to be (ripped) paper, toys and books everywhere 10 minutes into play time.

Lara loves to play outside. She crawls around inspecting every corner and pulled herself up and down holding onto walls and fences. She likes to play robes with Zebadee except when Zeb takes the rope away and make her cry. Her clothes are normally filthy when she finishes playing outside so are her feet and hands. They require serious scrubbing and soaking. I don't have a very strong heart so I normally only give Lara limited time outside. On Husband’s days to look after Lara, however, Lara gets longer, uninterrupted play outside.

We went to a Christmas party on the weekend (only stayed for an hour, as it was close to Lara's bed time). Lara was in charge of the drinks, playing with the ice blocks most of the time. She dipped the bread I gave her in the ice water and the puddle of water on the floor before eating it. I was not quick enough to stop her. Husband thinks her constitution can only get stronger!


(Lara driving a boat)


(Lara holding out the rope for Zeb)


(Lara disappointed that Zeb just ran past without taking the rope)

Physical development :
* Can stand unsupported for 10-20 seconds.
* Can walk holding the couch from one end to the other.
* Knows how to clap her hands.
* Can open CD cases.
* Likes pressing the on/off button on the DVD player (Husband is already looking at new ones...)
* Likes to change channels by pressing buttons on TV when we watch our programs.
* Can eject CD from CD player. It's good that she hasn't worked out how to turn the CD player on yet.

Language development :
* Can say more "words". Everything was "ba-ba" before, now there are "a-ga", "a-boom", "a-gu".
* Understand the word "give". If you hold out your hand and say "give", she will sometimes give you the thing she's holding. Of course, she'll want it back straight away. If it's something she doesn't want to 'give', she smiles and turns her head and won't let the thing go.
* Understand the word "no". When you say "no" to her, for example, when she tries to eat grass or stone, she sometimes looks at you in disbelieve and cries.
* She reads to herself sometimes - she's mumbling while flipping the pages. Looks very cute.

Food:
* Tried eggs. Egg yolk first then egg white. No allergic reaction.
* Loves fruit. Tried nectarine, peach, mango, kiwi, strawberry, loves all of them.
* Likes cheese and bread. Holds the bread herself sometimes, but she has a tendency to put too much in her mouth.
* Likes rice and pasta.
* Ok with yogurt. I don't think she like it as much as other food

Other development:
* Likes shining stuff. eg. Watches, rings, necklaces .
* Sticky beak. Have to be "in" everything. Wants the phone while you are on it. Wants the comb when you comb your hair...
* I estimated her weight to be between 10.5 and 11 Kilos. The scale at the chemist is too small for her to sit on. Her legs fall on the table so exact weight is unknown at this stage.