11 Months

HOW?? How are you going to be a year old in ONE MONTH? It's a good thing you just keep getting cuter, or I would be bawling at how fast you are growing up.
This month:

Likes:

• Playing in water, even when it's cold, even when she's being sprayed with a hose
• Eating whatever Mom and Dad are eating
• Reading books on Mommy's lap, especially Hand Hand Fingers Thumb, which warrants some air drumming and waving to some of the monkeys
• Dancing,  especially to "Rock Around the Clock," which is apparently the bounciest song ever. But she'll dance to everything, including the classical music on her Baby Einstein toy. 
• Daddy's new beard, which is SO much fun to touch
• Skyping with Grandma and Grandpa
• Unloading drawers at the speed of light

Dislikes:

• That moment when she gets set in her crib for naps (but she's getting better)
• Diaper changes
• Hot car seats
• Being pinned down, put on her back or otherwise restrained.

The one in the middle is you dancing.

Accomplishments and adventures

• Inventing her own dance moves
• Standing on her own without pulling herself up on anything
• Yelling, "Yay!"
• Saying "Hi!" when I walk into the room (or something that sounds like it but is more like, "HAAAA!"
• Nodding and saying something that sounds a lot like, "Yep," which is adorable. 
• First trip to Lagoon! 
• Tried the regular bathtub, loved it, scared the heck out of Daddy and went back to the baby bathtub.
• Sticks hands in the air to get out of the high chair when she's done
• Helped Daddy at the chalk art festival for the first time

CB, you are a RIOT. Oh my goodness baby girl. When did you get so funny? You pull the goofiest faces, you nod, you giggle, you stick your face in streams of water, you treat everything like a drum, and you are the best peek-a-boo player EVER. One of my favorite things that you have learned to do is lift a blanket up so that you can initiate games. It's so great. You also like to try to put your headbands or hats back on your head after you pull them off, which is pretty hilarious.

We took you to Lagoon a few days ago, and the carousel was by far your favorite ride - mostly because of the lights and music I think. You also rode the train, the teacups, Kontiki (a little swinging boat) and the Odysea (a water ride) all of which with good humor, but none of which with the excitement you had for the splash pad. You kept trying to grab the water, getting sprayed in the face, then giggling hysterically. It was the best part of the day.

I have to admit that as early as you started standing well, I expected that you'd be walking by now. I also have to admit that I don't mind that I get your adorable crawl a little longer. One of my favorite things is when you decide to crawl away really fast (for example, if I leave the door open and go to close the window and you crawl out really quick to go pull Harry Potter off the hall bookshelf, or when you try to go after Daddy or me when we leave the room). I will miss your crawl when you start walking, and I'm okay with the fact that you're still just practicing standing for now and only venture to take steps when I hold your hands or when you can cruise (very quickly now) along the couch.

One of my very favorite things this month was a playdate we had with our friends from swim lessons. The little girl is about 3 weeks older than you, so you two are doing similar things, but you're also old enough that you're starting to have your own personalities and interests. I don't have much to gauge what's you and what's just a normal thing that babies do, but when you're with other babies that are the same age it becomes so clear what a fun little personality you have Around other people you start showing off - showing them your toys, climbing around them, laughing, pulling faces. It's basically ridiculous how awesome you are. I'm pretty sure you got quite a bit of that from your dad.

See how awesome you are?

I'm starting to think about weaning you (since you're almost a year old) and it is both a liberating thought (less stress when I want to go somewhere) but also a really sad one. I really enjoy our quiet time together. You reach up to touch my face, and sometimes you fall asleep and I get to just sit and hold you while you sleep for a few minutes. I will miss that, but you are better and better at snuggling me without nursing, which is nice.  I love having your little head on my shoulder while I sing to you before naps. Sometimes you start to cry when I set you down and I pick you up and sing you one more song with your head snuggled in, and you'll go to sleep.

The older you get, the more I get to know you as a person, and the more I like the person you are. I love you.

Love,

Mama