Riley At 13 Months

Riley is officially 13 months old (a few days late). She has changed so much over the past month. I can't believe how things seem to be picking up so quickly. She was just starting to really walk a little over a month ago. Now, she seems to run everywhere. She just learned to walk backwards. She'll stop and start concentrating, then slowly move backwards. It's so funny to watch. She also loves soccer! This makes her mommy very happy. We have a nerf soccer ball that she dribbles all around the house. Daddy got it on video, but I don't know how to upload from the video camera.

We had to take her to the doctor this week to get checked out. She had a pretty nasty cough and congestion. Turns out she had a virus and had to get a cortisone shot. She weighed in at 19 pounds, 8 ounces. I thought for sure she'd be in the 20s by now, but all this walking seems to be keeping her weight down. They didn't get a good measurement on her height, but thought it was somewhere around 29 inches. Because Riley's been sick there haven't been a lot going on at Murphy household.

Riley's new skills:

• running
• walking backwards
• Dribbling a soccer ball.
• Two more teeth - one of them a molar.
• Being "gentle" with Sam, the cat. After a year with Riley, Sam has finally come to the conclusion that he must allow her to pet him if he wants any attention at all. Now, they are the best of friends for about 3 minutes a day. As soon as we walk in the door Sam is in front of us stretched out on the floor. Sam also becomes very anxious when Riley is up crying at night (like the last five nights! ugh.). We'll hear him meowing downstairs and then 10 seconds later he's walking around Riley's room checking out. We've also noticed him sleeping in her room a lot more these days. He's coming around slowly.
• Stealing any remote in sight and and always finding the power button, volume button, or record button. Never fails.
• Identifying cats, dogs, horses, cows, and sheep.
• Hugging. She loves to hug her bunny (which she now loves to carry everywhere!) and her dollies. She also loves to follow Mommy around everywhere.
• If you are laying on a pillow - move over because Riley is going to join you. She loves to lay down and roll over on pillows.
• "Jumping" onto her ladybug beanbag. Daddy taught her this.
• Running around the house naked at bath time. She runs straight to the tub when you say "bath" and proceeds to try to get in on her own. She loves water!