Eleven.

Ben,

I'm about a week late posting this, but you keep me pretty busy these days! You are now officially eleven months old. Here are a few developmental details that probably wouldn't interest anyone else, but since I'm your mama I'm filing them away...



Talking- You have so much to say to us, but we still haven't officially "counted" anything as your first word. You make all the "ma ma" and "da da" and "ba ba" sounds, and sometimes you just go on and on and on, but don't seem to really specifically assign them to anything, yet. According to what I've read, that doesn't happen until closer to the end of the twelfth month, so you're right on track.

Walking- You are cruising around the house, pulling up on everything and walking with some assistance. Most notably, you are walking just like a Bergeron with your feet pointed out at the funniest angles. Oh, son... I don't know that there was any avoiding this gene. We just giggle as you push your walker across the living room. Your legs don't seem to bend or move at all, you just swivel at the waist, and you're so proud to do it.

Sleeping- You are finally sleeping really, really well. After ten months of parental anguish, you started sleeping 13 hours at night. Just like that. And you nap anywhere from 2-3 hours a day. I think that's a lot of sleep for a baby your age, but Grandma pointed out that while you're awake you never stop moving. Like, ever. There is no sitting still. Even when you sit in your highchair to eat, you kick your legs and wave your arms the entire time. This would certainly explain all the sleeping. I won't complain.

Eating- You are eating us out of house and home, buddy! I can't BELIEVE how much food you eat. Each meal is like an event. You eat pretty much what we do. You had your first encounter with pizza this month and it was love at first taste! Spaghetti is a favorite, too, so maybe you can be my date to Italian restaurants in the future since Italian isn't one of Daddy's favorites.



Reading- You love to read books. I think you enjoy the mechanics of turning the pages more than the pictures, but we are just thrilled you seem so interested. Lift-the-flap books are your favorite, and you amaze us by always going straight for the flap, even when it is "hidden" on the page. Pretty smart, little guy!



Playing- You love unloading laundry baskets (and garbage cans). You take each item out, one at a time, and throw them over your shoulder without a second thought as you reach for the next item. Every day you are more of a little boy. I went to peek at you last night while you were sleeping and I was struck by how long you seemed in your crib. You are less fragile. You are more rough and tumble (all boy) and you've learned how to "fall" pretty well. You just roll and you're up and on to the next thing.



Blessings- This has been a good month. You finally kicked the nasty nose goop that had you down for most of January and February. Your Nana came up from Houston to visit you, and Great-Grandma Palagi has been here to visit, as well. Daddy received a promotion, we bought a new (to us) car. You got your first haircut, too. God has been faithful to us, as He always is, and we thank Him for each blessing.



Overall, you are so good and so happy. You always surprise us by adapting really well to new experiences. This month we had to make a few trips to Baylor in Dallas because Grandma had follow-up appointments after her surgery. One trip involved about 45 minutes in the car, almost three hours of waiting during her appointment, and then another commute home. You were perfect. No fussing in the car either direction. While we were at the hospital, I pushed you around in your stroller and you smiled and delighted some of the other oncology patients in the waiting room. You were tired and off your schedule, but you were a dream, and you made helping grandma so, so easy. I am proud of you, buddy.

We started teaching a four-year-old Sunday school class, so you are now in the nursery all morning on Sundays. It is hard for us to be away from you all morning, but I peek in on you between services and you are always happily playing with all your friends, enjoying the toys that are different from what we have at home. When we come to pick you up, you are standing at the gate at the door waiting for us. Too cute.

That smile lights up a room and lights up our world. In just three weeks, we'll all eat cake and celebrate a year together!