She's nearly a year old. Unbelievable. Here is the latest with Baby Esme.

First word: cat (tat) She does say mama and dada but not necessarily referring to us. But when she sees one of the cats or sometimes just my Dad, she definitely says cat.

Great eater: especially loves brown rice, broccoli, and cottage cheese. Still nurses 6 or 7 times a day.

She's on a great sleeping and nap schedule except she goes to bed so late. Up around 7:00, morning nap for an hour at 10:00, afternoon nap around 2:00 for an hour. She gets really tired around 5:00, but I try hard not to let her sleep because if so, she can stay up until 10 or 11. If she can stay awake until dinner at 6:30, then she gets a major second wind and plays very happily until 8:00. I try and put her to bed after we take a bath together, but she doesn't give in easily and doesn't go to sleep until after 9:00, which makes a long day for me. Seems like the boys were going to bed much earlier than this at her age.

Her very favorite position in the world is in my arms, on my hip, her right hand thumb in her mouth, a wad of my hair in her left hand.

She has been cruising around the tables a little these past few weeks and in just the last day or two, begun standing unsupported for 5-10 seconds. Loves going up the stairs.