Dear Christian,
Happy eleven-month birthday!
Eleven month statistics: Weight: TBD Length: TBD inches. Diaper Size:4 Clothes: 12 - 18 months.
The word of the month is BUSY. Oh, have we been busy. Since I wrote last month we have celebrated my birthday and brother’s birthday, we have driven your brother to summer camps all around the city, we’ve had play dates and we went to Pennsylvania on vacation.
You had a fabulous time at your brother’s sixth birthday party. (Star Wars theme, complete with Death Star piñata!) Nana was here to help us celebrate and you were such a good boy. You didn’t care for the water much, but you loved to sit on Nana’s lap and eat watermelon. You even signed “more” for her. Of course, you haven’t signed “more” since, but it was cute that day.
Your brother has had a busy summer filled with nature camps, vacation bible schools, fencing camp and more! Of course, most of the drop off and pick up coincided with your nap schedule at some point, so your napping has been off. The past several weeks you have only taken a very short morning nap – if any, and then a longer afternoon nap (1.5 – 2 hours). You are so very tired in the morning and I know you still need a nap, but when we have places to go it just doesn’t always happen that we have time for you to snooze in your crib. Every once in awhile you will fall asleep in the car, but you wake up as soon as we get home.
We had fun this month having a play date with baby David who lives around the circle from us. David has six older brothers and sisters and you seemed to love all the attention and commotion at his house! His sister Anna just loved you, and you loved to play with her hair. Mason also came along since David’s brother, John, is just about his age. We have also enjoyed some playtime with Abigail Pepper. The two of you are adorable as you wave back and forth to each other and make giggling noises!
August 6 – 13 found us at Treasure Lake, PA, where we rented a four-bedroom house right across the street from the lake. It was beautiful! What a lovely, relaxing time we had. You loved to sit in the sand and let the water rush up over your little toes. You really enjoyed the sand and only had a few bites. You were much more interested in the ice cream we were eating. You also enjoyed your first time on the swings. What fun!
You continue to enjoy lots of new foods. You are becoming quite skilled at putting food in your mouth. Blueberries, black beans, kidney beans, waffles, and little baby crackers called Mums Mums are your current favorites. While we were at the lake house we fed you jarred baby food for the most part. Your poor little skin broke out in a nasty rash of eczema. I don’t know what it is about jarred baby food that does that to you. Your brother had the exact same reaction when he was a baby. Good thing we make most of your food. As soon as we got home and fed you table food again, it cleared up. In addition to table foods you continue to nurse four times a day.
You have done lots of exciting things this month. You practice standing, and you are rolling like a champ. You still don’t roll the way your brother did – traveling from room to room. You don’t seem to mind being on your belly quite as much as you did in the past. You are starting to push up on all fours and push yourself backwards. The other day I sat you in the middle of the living room to play while I did some dishes, when I came back you were gone, but I could hear your grunting. I finally found you around the side of the couch with your little legs stuck under the couch and you were laying on top of the A/C vent with cold air blowing on you. Poor baby!
All of your scooting around has led to a new nickname – Scooter! You can blame dad for that one.
In addition to scooting around, you still love your tea set and you are developing a love for board books. The series from Usbornne books, “That’s not my ….” are some of your favorites.
I almost forgot! While we were at the lake house you got your third tooth - another little tiny tooth on the bottom right. Seems like it took months for that stinking tooth to come in. We even make two trips to the pediatrician because I thought for sure you must have a cold with the stuffy nose, fevers, and irritability, but she kept saying, “It’s just teething.”
She was right. I’m so glad the tooth is in. You are much happier now!
My sweet little boy, I’m excited to say that your eyes are still blue as we head towards your first birthday. We’ll see if they stay that way.
Keep smiling at us and showing off those little teeth!
Love,
Mama
