eleven months

 

 

Here we are at 11 months. Over this past month, you started walking! You had been taking a few steps here and there since the beginning of the month but in this past week, you figured out how to walk.  Crawling is still your preferred mode of moving and I have a feeling that it will be for a few more weeks if not the whole next month. Here is a video of the first time you started walking on October 16.

 

 

You have also started talking more. Ba is still your much preferred word. You have also started saying “ooo ooo” for dogs.  Your communication skills in general are improving.  You are starting to recognize that actions other than crying can get you what you want. For instance, you have started to use your finger to point to things that you want to know more about – you will often point and say Ba and we will tell you what it is and you then seem satisfied. And if you’d like me to read you a book, you pick it up and bring it over and wait to be picked up or crawl into my lap. Just this morning, you found some shoes and after trying to put them on yourself, you brought them over to me to put on for you.

You have also finally figured out what sleeping is about. This past month, you have been consistently going to bed between 7:30-8:30 and sleeping until 6:30. Perfect! On good days like that, you get by with one nap during the day.

You have started to be into your blankies – ah, indeed are you a Leibenhaut! You have two blankies in your crib and in the mornings when we are playing in your room, you reach your hands into the crib to grab each of them – it always has to be both and you enjoy waving them around. You really like comfy things – like pillows. When you see a pillow on the floor, you will crawl over and put your face into it and the weight of your body and soak in the comfort for a few seconds.

You are more interested in reading books now.  You also have preferences for some over others.  Your favorites include The House in the Night, Where the Wild Things Are, Peek A Who, and Toes, Ears, & Nose. 

You have also started to understand the concept of balls. You will pick them up and “throw” them.

You like for people to clap when you do something good and you often like to join in on the clapping too.  Sometimes you start the clapping to remind us that whatever you did is worthy of praise.

During this past month, you got to meet and spend time with your Great Grandma Norma.  (And get your face painted too.)

You got to go on your first ferris wheel ride at your first Durham Fair.

 

You went to your first Park Road Parade.  You enjoyed the cow bells that the Hartford Marathon Foundation handed out and were pretty mesmerized by the parade in general. 

You later used the cow bells to watch the half-marathon that raced through our neighborhood.

You also said goodbye to your infant tub and moved in to the full size tub.

 

 

We actually like it because it's one of the few instances where you look like you got younger rather than grew up.

This is just a really great time now because we get to watch your little brain grow before our eyes.  Every morning, it seems you understand more words or do some new act that we just find remarkable.  Go you.