Carter: 11 Months

Monkey,
You are ELEVEN MONTHS old today! I sit here stunned that I am writing this post; how did you get to be another month older when it seems like I just wrote your ten month post?!? I simply cannot comprehend how fast time is flying by and how quickly you are morphing into a toddler.  When I was pregnant and time was creeping by while I was so anxious to meet you, people would tell me how much faster time went by once you had a child.  But I had no idea how true that would turn out to be.  The fact that you are one month away from your first birthday is just not something I can believe, nor comprehend.  Regardless of how fast time is going by, we are having an absolute blast raising you, and you seem to be having an equally good time hanging out with us.

So much of your ten month update is still true today: you are a great sleeper, a sometimes picky eater, improving at napping, and very, very happy.  This month has been all about gaining your independence.  You are happy to just explore all day, just as long as mama is not too far away.  You will crawl as fast as you can across a room, and then turn to look at me to make sure I'm following behind you, always with a huge smile on your face.

I thought we were done with baby food at the beginning of the month when all you wanted was "real" food.  You are quick to let us know what you want or don't want to eat and you were NOT having your baby food.  Now you are scarfing down your baby food like I can't feed it to you quick enough, so time will tell when we will be done with the smooth stuff.  If you are anything like your cousin Mason you will continue with your purees for awhile.  Currently you are only wanting yogurt and cheerios...an odd combo but it definitely sounds like something your mama would eat!

We have made huge strides in your napping routine.  Most days you take at least 2 1-hour naps, usually longer.  This has made the biggest difference in your overall disposition and happiness.  With that being said, you have also started to wake up much earlier in the mornings.  As in 6:00 or 6:30am.  I don't know what happened to you sleeping until 7:00 or 8:00, but the last two weeks you have not slept past 7:00am.  A few morning you were even up at 5:30!!  I can't decide what's worse...you sleeping late in the morning but not napping during the day, or getting up at 6:00 but having two naps each last two hours.  I'm wondering if your early rising has anything to do with teething?

Speaking of teething, you are still rocking 8 teeth total: 4 top and 4 bottom.  I swore all month that you were going to cut a new tooth any day now, and you have completely proved me wrong.  All the signs are there, so maybe we will see a new pearly white in the next few weeks.  Thankfully you haven't been too fussy, so if it takes awhile longer for your molars to appear I promise not to complain too much.

We officially cut down to only nursing three times a day this month: 7am, 1pm and 7pm.  You were not really eating too much at your 11am and 3pm feedings, so we combined them early in the month and it was a very smooth transition for you.  I am thinking we will start weaning after your first birthday, if you are not too opposed to the idea of switching to cows milk.  The idea of being completely done nursing in one month is not very appealing to me, so we will just take it one day at a time.  If it takes you awhile to wean that's perfectly okay too.

Our biggest obstacle this month has been your separation anxiety.  Baby boy, you've got it bad.  There are even some nights when you won't go to Daddy and are only happy if you are in Mama's arms.  You break your daddys heart when you do that!  When we are in public you are the biggest flirt, as long as I am holding you.  But as soon as I try to pass you off to someone you cry big crocodile teams until I bring you back to me, I'm sure making the other person feel terrible.  I've done a lot of reading so I know that this is just a phase, but it sure does make it hard to prepare dinner or carry the groceries in the house.  I just remind myself daily that one day you won't want me to hold you, or rock you, or even sit at the same table as you.  So go ahead, cling to me and stay in my arms and I will soak up every minute.

You went through a week where you were constantly falling asleep in your high chair.  The first time you did it was at home and Daddy and I had no idea what to think.  We just reclined your chair and let you nap in the kitchen for as long as you would.  The second time I was at home and you were eating your breakfast and took a quick snooze mid-toast.  THEN you fell asleep at Black Eyed Pea.  And slept the rest of dinner with your head laid back in the middle of a loud restaurant.  Wow.  This was the cutest phase ever.  :)

You finally learned how to wave, although it's more of an arm raise than a real wave.  And only ever with your right arm.  You're funny like that.  And you are crawling faster than I could have ever imagined that a child could crawl.  If there is a running version of crawling, you, my dear, are the olympic gold medalist in the event.  And you can pull yourself up and stand on your tip toes, and you are desperate to start climbing things.  It's only a matter of days before you figure out how to get up on the couch or Mama's chair.  And your newest thing is walking behind anything you can push.  We've had several falls and bumps along the way, but you are getting steadier by the day.

Monkey butt, Carter Man, stinky face, buddy boy...you are truly the best part of our lives.  Your happiness is infectious and your laugh is simply addicting.  We spend all day just marveling at the fact that we created you, and that you are just perfect.  I can't say it enough...we love you.  We love you, we love you, we love you.  To the moon and back.

11 Month Stats:

Weight: 23ish pounds

Length: 30ish inches

Eating: nursing around 7:00am, 1:00pm, and 7:00pm

Bedtime: around 7:30pm

Awake: between 6:00 and 7:30am

Naps: around 9am and 2pm

Diapers: size 3 Huggies, size 4 overnights

Clothes: 9 months and some 12 months

Favorites: being close to Mama, playing outside, playing with other babies
Dislikes: when we take a toy away or move you somewhere you don't want to be

Development: pulling up and standing for a few seconds at a time, waving, comprehending more and more, understands "Mama" and "Dada" and uses them appropriately