Eleven Months Old

It’s hard to believe we’re in the final countdown to your first birthday, Baby Boy!!!

{In the chaos of the last month, Mommy totally missed your “Ten Months” post, so we’ll try to include last month’s tidbits, in the likely event she doesn’t go back and write it!}

You are growing into a little boy right before my eyes.

We’re working on taking your bottle away, but otherwise you eat like a big kid. At most meals you are given exactly what your sister eats, and more often than not, you out-eat her…by a lot! We haven’t found much you won’t eat, but you especially love blueberries, watermelon, cheese, raisins and cheerios.

Almost 6 weeks ago we visited the doctor one Saturday morning to discover you had a double ear infection. Two weeks later we headed back because the first antibiotic wasn’t strong enough. Two more weeks went by and we found ourselves there again, thinking the next step may be putting tubes in your ears. Turns out both of your ears had cleared up, but you had  two molars (!!) coming in, causing the same symptons as an ear infection. Your two molars will be your seventh and eighth teeth. Luckily they seem to not be bothering you much anymore, and you’re sleeping like an angel once again.

I was beginning to think that we were wrong about you walking before your first birthday, but you finally took your first steps just days before you turned eleven months. Since then you’ve taken as many as seven steps in a row! You can stand up without the help of holding onto an object and will stand for minutes at a time, but you still prefer to crawl everywhere. I have no doubt you’ll be walking consistently in a week or two, and we’ll be off to get your first pair of shoes!

You’ve always seemed to be too on-the-go to sit still and read, but lately you’ve really begun to enjoy books. Often I find Baby Girl sitting next to you on your bedroom floor, reading you a book. A recent favorite has been Little Blue Truck, which holds your attention well with lots of animal noises and fun rhymes!

You continue to love to play with all of your sister’s toys {her Barrel of Monkeys, Toy Story blocks, even the contents of her dress up drawer!}, but Grandmama just gifted you your first tool box and you’re in love! You’ve actually learned how to hammer the nails and use the screwdriver! Thanks Grandmama!

Along with clapping, pretending to sleep then waking up, waving bye-bye and bumping heads, my most favorite trick has been blowing kisses! They are slobbery and messy, but by far the cutest thing on the planet right now! If I blow you a kiss, then you blow one right back, but then you put your hand to my mouth to help me blow another kiss. It’s precious! And as if that wasn’t enough, it usually cracks you up and you can’t help but giggle. Your big, round, brown eyes quickly turn to teeny, tiny slits as your cheeks swell and a huge smile comes across your face.

Your looks have quickly turned from chubby little infant to a {slowly!} slimming toddler. Your mannerisms now seem so intentional as opposed to just instinct. Your hair is growing and we have been surprised to discover little curls along the nape of your neck! You are in desperate need of a little trim around your ears, but I continue to brush it back in hopes of putting off your first haircut a little longer. I know your babyness will quickly disappear over the next month as you near your first birthday, and most definitely in another few months when your baby brother or sister arrives…        But I’m trying to enjoy the last bit of time we have with you as our littlest one.   Thanks for {most} always being a happy baby, whose face lights up when your Mommy, Daddy or sister enters the room.     I’m sad to see your first year come to an end so soon, but look forward to all that lies ahead! We’re saddling our horse and shining our boots {hint, hint!} as we get ready to celebrate your first birthday, Baby Boy!

Happy eleven months!