I can't believe we've known each other for almost a whole year. You have taught me so much about myself that I never knew was there. You have changed me completely in the best way. I thank God every day for giving you to us. For entrusting us with someone so precious to Him. You are growing up in front of our eyes. You do something new every single day and we love it. You have definitely established your likes and dislikes this past month. You turn your head away if you don't like something and you are starting to get more picky with the things you eat. Things you used to love, you just don't care for anymore. You can definitely entertain yourself now and you are WALKING everywhere. It definitely didn't take you long to start walking independently. Once you figured out how your little giraffe walker worked, you went every where and that made you really brave.
I feel like I've said this the past two months, but you keep coming out of your shell. You have developed so much in the past two months it's crazy. You babble ALL the time now. I was so worried about you not talking and once you started you definitely don't want to stop. And we are perfectly fine with that (especially me). You can say "baba" and "mama" and produce consonants /g, w, p, n, k/. You haven't said "dada" yet or anything close to it. You definitely have your favorite sounds. You started variegated babbling right before you turned 11 months. You also have 3 teeth now and are working on cutting your fourth. The only time we ever know your mouth hurts is during the night. I always know when a tooth is about to pop through because you are fussy, restless, and constantly want to nurse during the night. You absolutely love to be imitated, when we make you laugh and when you are laughed at, playing peek-a-boo, and being chased around the house.
I don't even know why we buy you toys because your favorite things to play with are definitely not toys. You love remotes, cell phones, chargers, tupper ware, tearing up paper and trying to eat it, you love to see and talk to yourself in the mirror, and you recently started symbolic play. You will use anything to make a phone and pretend to talk on it. You also have a little sassy attitude as well. When we first started telling you "no" you weren't real sure about it. Then you began to HATE it and would tell us "nuh uh" when you got in trouble. You are so strong willed and that will be good when you're older, but it's driving your daddy and I crazy right now, in a good way. You love to show us your toys and things you find. You will extend and raise your little eyebrows like look what I found. You have started playing with your little hands and clapping to make yourself fall asleep and it's just the cutest thing ever.
You still hate your crib and we don't have a clue how to transition you out of our bed. We have tried during the day to put you in it and we even let you play for hours in your room, but you just want us right there with you when you sleep. I've read about some babies just being afraid to sleep alone and I think that's what the problem is. You get scared and you feel confined in your crib. You have never liked feeling like that even as a newborn. You didn't even like to be swaddled after the first week of your little life. You are learning to like a sippy cup. You have figured out how to hold them now but the ones that look like an open cup are a little hard for you right now. We'll keep trying though. You still don't like to get your diaper changed. Especially now that you never sit still. You wiggle all over the place when we change you.
I can't even fathom the fact that you will be starting preschool on the 15th. I have had so much anxiety over it and I honestly think I am more worried than you are. You have become so social these past couple of weeks. When you see other babies you can't get to them fast enough and you just want to hug and kiss all over them. You aren't sure how to be easy right now though. You just try to be sweet but it comes off as rough and sometimes they cry. I know you are ready to be around other babies and I think you will do just fine. At least we are blessed to be able to be in the same place while you are at school. It's getting so close. Your birthday party planning has been in full force and I can't wait to see you smash your cake.
Love,
Mama
