Eleven

My precious peanut, you are eleven months old! Only one month to go until your first birthday. I cannot even begin to comprehend it! I have been busy planning your first birthday parties. Yes, that's right kiddo, there will be two. One for your enormous family, and one for our friends and neighbors. Party planning has always been a passion of mine. I'm having a lot of fun coming up with special ideas and decorations. I'm looking forward to the day when you can help me brainstorm what you would like your party to be, and we can work on creating the fun and games together.

As usual, it's been a busy month. Your biggest accomplishment came just 4 days before you hit 11 months. Although, I wasn't home to see it, so I'm not sure it counts. But you took a handful of steps! Uncle J figured out that if distracted you by getting you to look up, you wouldn't think so much about what you were doing. And I guess it worked!

Aside from that, you are a very busy little boy, constantly exploring your world. You will now come to me when I call you, and follow me over to the stairs when it's time to go up. You love to crawl up them...with me following close behind of course, to make sure you don't tumble backward. You also love to walk down them with me holding on to your hands. You take a big step and sort of jump down. The fact that you appear to be fearless does scare me a little.

You are really into our cats, and get so excited when you see them. You often yell "dat!" which I'm beginning to think might mean cat. You crawl over as fast as you can, and try to bury your face in Ziggy's fur. He is, thankfully, extremely patient with you. Sometimes, though, you can be what we like to call "aggressively affectionate," and it's a little too much.

I think you might also say the word ball. "Bawwwl!" is another one of your favorite sounds. It's hard to tell for sure if you know the meaning though. You do talk all the time, trying so hard to communicate. We know you understand a lot of what we say because when we ask if you want a bottle, you get a big smile on your face, and excited little whiny cry. Someday you'll be able to say "yes please!"

This was a busy month for adventures. We took our first trip to the ocean. You loved playing in the sand, and trying to eat the rocks of course. You took off walking, with me holding you, and bee lined right for the water. I think you would have gone right in if I hadn't slowed you down. I carried you in, and you laughed and laughed as the waves crashed around us. I was thrilled that you seemed to enjoy the water.

Daddy took you to the aquarium one day when he had to stay home from work to watch you. He took lots of father-son selfies, and I could tell he had so much fun with you. He even bought the souvenir picture of the two of you.

He and I also took you to the Frog Pond in the Boston Common. It's a giant wadding pool. You had a blast splashing in the water, and toddling around trying to pick up the leaves and put them in your mouth. After that, we walked to Faneuil Hall to grab lunch. It was fun to show you all around the city.

Lastly, you and I had our very first official swimming lesson on Sunday. You did great! You were a little startled when the water hit your bare belly. You're used to having a rash guard covering you, but we don't need to bother with that in an indoor pool. You liked splashing, as always, and did a great job floating on your back and zooming through the water.

Little L-monster, I love you more than words can say. Every day is better, even when life is hard, simply because your shining light is a part it. I love you to pieces little man!