You're eleven months old now!
I'm sitting at our dining room table listening to you 'talk' and am just amazed at how its the best noise I think I could ever hear. You've crawled around the table a few times, and are currently standing up on the buffet playing with the drawer handles.
You've been sick with pink-eye and a head cold, which has turned into double ear infections and a sinus infection - and through it all you've been happy and cheerful - though we can tell something is bothering you. You're still sleeping through the night, but getting you to sleep is becoming a challenge. We're trying the "sit in the room with you" routine until you fall asleep - and some nights are easier than others. You really like being rocked to sleep - but I know that will be too much for us to handle later on - and sometimes that takes 20 or 30 minutes if you're fighting it! We also think you're teething pretty hard these days - just for good measure. We do need to start brushing your teeth soon!
You're such an independent baby, and we know how lucky we are for that. My favorite moments of the day are hearing you talk to yourself as we wake up every morning, and seeing you smile when you're in the middle of playing and realize I've been watching you from the doorway for a few moments. You like playing with blocks, cookie tins, balls and other things you can pick up and throw or make noise with. You love balloons and the ceiling fan - and have even gotten caught playing with the window and shower curtains, throwing them back and forth around you.
You're starting to talk a lot more - and now use your M and N sounds. I think we've heard a T sound in there somewhere - but you're still in love with the word "da". You do use "ma-ma" but not for me just yet. (I'm over the moon about this new phrase by the way!) You've started to point at things and people you're interested in, something you've learned all on your own. You've also begun to mimic us successfully - learning how to wave, make an "Indian call" as we're terming it - and sticking out your tongue.
For the most part, you're not really afraid of other people either - even though you prefer us, you loved your doctor, and even your uncle David / aunt Ninny and MeMe that you haven't seen in months - right away. You have had a few crying jags at some new people, though I'm not sure how you decide who to like and who to not. We bought you a baby pool at the toy store - and you're in LOVE with it. You play very well with other babies so far (though there has been a bit of hair pulling and biting on me recently, you aren't doing it out of anger- more from excitement or interest). And you're walking around the room with support from one of us. Only a matter of another few weeks we think until you're walking on your own.
You're eating a lot on your own, and are great with veggies, cereals, graham crackers, shredded / pureed meats, rice, and some fruits. As a next step we're working on swapping your bottle for a sippy cup - so that we can (hopefully) have you transition to whole milk after your one year as you're already used to it (I don't want you to have to change both things at the same time!). You can drink out of the traditional no-spill sippy cup and a straw-version (you learned the straw version first) and when I have some water in my hand, you're quick to reach out and grab it with a 'death grip' to take a sip - that has often left me covered in water.
I can't believe in one more month, you'll be a year old. We are so very, very, very in love with you - everything you do and are makes us happy. It feels like I've had you forever, and all that came before you were so much less full; making these the best 11 months of our lives. You're our little darling, and we are so very happy for you being just who you are.
Love you baby girl. xoxo.
Mama
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