First 12 Months… I Mean First 16 Months
It’s true when they say, “days are long, but years fly by.” I meant to write a blog on my first 12 months with my daughter, however life has been busy, so I’ll fill you in on how my first 16 months with daughter went.
There are a lot of words that can describe my first 16 months with my daughter, but I think I’m going to use the term “I’ve learned something new everyday.” Having a child comes with a lot of wins and a lot of fails, but what I can say, we are all learning together.
The biggest fail, which I’ve learned is actually not a fail was nursing. No matter how hard I tried to pump or breastfeed, I was not producing. So Koa ended up being formula fed all her life and guess what? She’s growing, she’s happy, and she’s thriving. She’s 16 months and her current weight (as of 1/22/2022) is 29 pounds and she is exactly 3ft tall.
At month 3, Koa’s dad passed his medical test for work so we got to move back into our home! When Koa was born, my parents opened up their home for Koa and I to stay so my husband can study for this test. Since I was a first time mom, I definitely needed the support.
At 4 months, we practiced sleep training with Koa. It was hard at first, but it was so worth it in the end. She sleeps in her crib every night and never slept in our bed.
Koa said her first word at 6 months, which was dada. At 16 months, she learned over 100 words. She can identify certain objects and will tell you what it is. When you walk barefoot around Koa, she will grab your toe and she will tell you that you have a toe. Koa is hilarious without even trying.
Also at 6 months, Koa started eating solid foods. Believe me, I was terrified! I wasn’t sure how Koa would be able to chew her food since she doesn’t have teeth yet but I watched her like a hawk. Koa still doesn’t have any teeth. Her two bottom front teeth is barely starting to come out, but maybe in a week or two she will have 2 full ones. Her favorite food is my mom’s (Koa’s grandma) arrozcaldo, which means rice porridge with quail egg. I’m kind of embarrassed to admit, but my daughters first solid food was a cheese roll up from Taco Bell.
Koa had her baptism a little shy of 12 months, but a week later she also celebrated her birthday! We threw a party for those two events with family and close friends. It was so heartwarming to see how many people attended during Covid.
Koa started walking at 14 months. We have been praying and practicing with Koa that she would be able to walk on her own before my brothers wedding because she was the flower girl. Guess what? The day of my brothers wedding, my little girl did it! With the help of my two nephews, my daughter was able to walk down the aisle without me. Some family, including my husband was figuring out a plan B, but as her Mama I just knew.
My daughter has had a few play dates and was invited to a few birthday parties. Since Covid happened, I’ve reconnected with a few friends. It’s really good to see them finally meet my daughter. It’s a good feeling to hear them say they followed my whole IVF journey and watched her grow up. Even though, they got pregnant without having to do IVF, it feels good to know they have supported me and prayed for me during my struggles.
Koa got to go on mini trips here and there, but her favorite trip of all was Disneyland, where she got to meet Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse in person! She was absolutely loving it. Koa also got to visit Las Vegas with her grandparents, her dad, and me!
The biggest win so far was Koa learning about love. The things we do that make someone feel loved. We didn’t have to teach her. She learned by watching our family dynamic. Koa would run up to us for hugs. She would grab your face, smile, and would plant a big sloppy kiss. Koa is always smiling and I love it when people notice she’s such a happy baby.
The first 16 months went by. I’m honestly not sure how I feel about the next 16 months. My daughter is getting older. She’s considered a toddler now. I just wish time froze so Koa will always be my little baby. Since that’s not the case, I just have to wing this parenting thing and pray that I do a great job at it.
For those of you who would like to follow our families journey, we have created a YouTube channel. Also, please follow us at @themacarehere on IG. We would really appreciate the support. Please click the social links below.
