Mia at 17 Months!

Happy 2007! We hope the new year is filled with many blessings for you & your ohanas.

Current stats: 21 lb., 30+ in. tall. Clothing size: 18mo-2T (top) & 18mo (bottom). Favorite books: Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

Mia has grown and developed so much since our last posting. Where to begin? Of course, she is now walking (running) all over the place. Mia began walking at 14 months, exactly 4 months to the day after she started crawling (10 mo.). She is drunk with excitement over her newfound freedom to explore, explore, explore! It's very fun to watch.

Interestingly, she took her first set of steps toward the computer, during a video conference with her Tutu (Grandma) Jackie in San Francisco. It was very moving and struck us how real the conferences are to her. I can't recommend them enough for people who live far away from relatives.

Since August, Mia has had her hair cut, welcomed a new baby cousin, dressed up as a ladybug for Halloween, travelled to SF for Thanksgiving, and helped host Christmas at our house for the first time. The NorCal Octavios all travelled to SoCal, which was a nice treat. The weather was beautiful, so Mia & Eleanor got to play outside quite a bit, which was great for them.

Along with walking, Mia has also begun talking. She is currently using a mishmash of English, Hawaiian, Spanish and Yiddish. Oy vey! Here's a sampling of the Mia glossary:

Actual words: up, out, Mama, Dada, Papa (Grandpa), pau (done), agua.

Dat = that
El-na = Cousin Eleanor
Gaga = Grandma
Tata = Tutu (Hawaiian for Grandma)
Caca = cracker, candy cane, cucumber, cupcake, Auntie Carrie, Uncle Kevin, or any word that begins with hard "C" or "K" sound
Wawa = waffle, or sometimes water
Pappo = apple, or sometimes pineapple

Mia is a wonderful little girl, full of energy and curiosity and enthusiasm. She's a tough little cookie (takes a lot to make her cry or give up), plays hard, takes her time to assess situations and figure out solutions, and literally stops and smells the roses and any kind of flower or plant along her way. She likes to help unload the dishwasher and dryer, and water the plants. She's very social, and adapts well to new environments and situations with other kids, even bigger ones, as long as she's had her naps! Loves reading, going for walks with the moon, and spending time with her little buddies (especially Alexander, Sierra and Garrison, who she sees the most). She's so clever and smart and curious that we're already researching preschools she might begin part-time next summer.

She is truly a blessing in our lives. We love hanging out with her and can't wait to see what she does or says next ... More to come ... Oh, and don't forget to check out her NEW PHOTOS.

XOXO

K-R-M