11 Months!

Dear Benjamin,

Oh my gosh, you are almost a year! Can't believe I was picking out your birthday invites, just a few weeks ago! Nothing like being a parent to remind you how quickly time flies!

This is the month where I really felt the transition from you being  a baby, to a toddler, has started to come about . . . which brings about a whole mix of emotions!

 

 

Communication is in full force with you these days Benjamin! You know so many words!

 Daddy, Mama, Bekah,Ball, Outside, bottle, clap, pacy, all done, you even kiss me when I say, "kisses??" I LOVE IT! I also love how you always smile each time I kiss you, which is alot! 

 

You tell me when you are upset/concerned/hungry/tired, much more than ever before : ), and I know if i respond to them, giving you words to describe what is going on and, of course, giving you what you need, it will help you learn how to communicate better and better!

 

Your scrunchy face is still in full force!

 

 

 

Took the pics with one of your favorite books because I also sense a change in book appreciation right now. We sort of went through a phase of only wanting to hold books, never wanting to be read to. The minute I would read to you, you would want to grab it, and if I gave you another book to hold while reading it, you would still want the one I was holding. We still read to you every day, but during the last 2 weeks, you have let me read to you and now you pick up books and hand them to me! Which I take and read to you! Sweet, sweet!

 

You immitate more and more these days, putting the crayons on the paper, putting hats on your head, putting spoons in pots and pans . . . You also immitate sounds that Bekah and I make, and of course, try to say words like Daddy and Bekah and Mama and bottle. : )

 

You started crusing about 2 weeks into your 11th month, and then, about 1 week later, with lots of practice on your walker,

you started to walk while holding my hand! You especially love it when Bekah holds one hand, and I hold the other. How special it makes you feel! You grin from ear to ear!

 

When you crawl you still crawl with one leg dragging, you've been doing that for 2 months now! We thought for sure you would transistion to the regular crawl, not so much!

 

Your favorite thing to do right now, would hands down be, climbing up the stairs! We are certainly putting our verticle townhome to good use in that way : ). You really could do it all day if I let you!

 

You nurse consistently in the morning, but often times refuse to nurse during the daytime. I sense your self weening is drawing near . . . I've got mixed emotions on that one as well  : ).

 

You can wave and you can high five now too!

 

You sleep from 7 to 7 now and take two naps a day, morning nap can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours but afternoon nap is always atleast 1 1/2 hours. You and Bekah go down at the same time for your afternoon nap, thank goodness!

 

You still love your pacy, but I try to only let you use it in your crib , when you are tired or when I don't want you putting things in your mouth. I have noticed your two front teeth are not coming in as straight as they could and wonder if it's your pacy?

 

One other "pacifier" for you, is holding on to a shirt collar and rubbing it with your thumb and poiner finger. It's sort of weird, but you really need it the minute someone pics you up, you are scrambling around, trying to find their shirt collar or sleeve collar to hold. Many times, I find you rubbing your own clothes, but of course, you go for the seam on your leg, since it is easier to reach. We will see how long this lasts, we are going on about 4 months now! I try to offer you a lovie, to see if that does the same thing, but you prefer articles of clothing to hold on to, kind of funny!

 

 

Last year, you were too little to "watch" football with your daddy, but last weekend, you actually did, with the opening game for Notre Dame! Look at you, kicked back with a bottle, with those eyes on the TV! What a guy already!

 

 

 

Aunt Sarah was in town and she too got to join in the fun of watching the Irish!

 

We got the football out and though you had lots of interest in holding it and rolling it, your sister was the one with all the skills, she loved playing catch with daddy! Reminded me of how I used to love doing the same thing with Grandpa when I was a little girl! Soon, you will be doing that too, don't worry!

 

Speaking of doing, what a do-er you are these days! As your daddy says it, "you are quite capable!" You get into everything! You LOVE getting into your sister's crayon box, making the 96 crayon clean up game very fun for mom : )!

You sit there quietly and take crayon after crayon out of the box, it's interesting how long it keeps your attention!

 

Now if only I could take those with me on the plane ride to Houston, it could keep you happy for hours!

 

You got your first real haircut this month too, your long and straight as a board locks were just too shaggy (and not in a cute, curl at the end kind of way!) so we found a local place and boy was it a success!

How could it not be? Sitting in a cool car, watching movies, side by side, with your sister??

 

You never made a peep, and I was very surprised that you were not upset by it, I think the car made a huge difference, you felt so important!

 

 

You clean up real well Benjamin!

 

Even though daddy works alot, you and him have bonded so much! Now, when he comes home, you say, "Da!" It's very cute and I love seeing y'all play together!

 

 Any chance daddy has, he is holding you, talking to you and showing you how much he loves you! You guys had fun at the park the other weekend!

 

 

Daddy gets to hold you and you love it, but eventually, you always want to go back to mama, which is sweet and always melts my heart : )! It has made for some tricky bedtimes or naptimes with your seperation anxiety. I know it is just a phase though, and until then, I am loving all your attention!

 

Your sense of humor is getting more mature too! I love discovering what YOU think is funny! One time I didn't have a knife, so I bit off a piece of food from my food, and sort of dropped it on your tray ( okay, I spit it!) and I thought nothing of it, until you started cracking up, you thought it was so funny that I spit something on your tray! I love having moments like that with you!

You enjoy shaking your head back and forth and always appreciate it when other people do it too, and you are a big time appreciator of peek a boo and even chase! Bekah and I chase you all over the place and the way you look back at us to see if we are still there and then, pause to "let us get you" is soooo endearing!

 

You learned how to clap this month, as well as sign, "all done!"

 

You are still a great eater, but you are getting pickier! I knew the day would come, but I'm rolling with it, your sister was picky from day one!

 

Even still, mealtime is still such a happy time for us! You love to watch Bekah and I pray before we eat, you always stare at us, and stay real still. So cute! How special it will be to watch you learn about Jesus, the way your sister did, only, you are extra lucky to have your sister help teach you too!

 

 

 

I love the way you always cross your feet while you eat . . .

 

 

 

 

You now say "Kah!" when you see Bekah, and are always on the lookout for her! The day I dropped Bekah off at school for the first time, you cried all the way home! Tired? Maybe! Missed Bekah? perhaps! During the past 2 months here,  you hardly ever drove in that car without Bekah, it will be something you will have to get used to, you love always having her by your side!

 

 

Even though you are growing up faster than I could ever imagine, you still remind me that you are my baby in so many ways, such as the days you fall asleep in the carseat and let me carry you up to your bed, to continue your nap! Whohoo for the excellent transfer from carseat to crib Benjamin! You got that one over on your sissy for sure!

(Watch tomorrow be the first day it doesn't work because I am saying this!)

 

The feeling of having you your sleepy head on my shoulder is one I never want to forget . . .

 

The neighborhood is still one of our favorite things about living in Indy. Even though we don't have a backyard for you to play in, we make the most of the beautiful weather here, the great parks and the lovely wagon ride that we get to take all the time! You looooove being outside! Every time we walk around our neighborhood, I thank God that he found us such a pretty place : ).

 

 

You are at that age where it really doesn't matter what the item is, as long as you think WE like it, you like it and want it too! Whatever mama or Bekah is holding, Benjamin must hold! And when daddy is around, anyone who knows your daddy would not be surprised to hear that you too want a diet coke or coke zero! : ) Ha!

Mama sure learned her lesson the time I gave in and handed you the unopened coke zero in the kitchen! Next thing I knew, the coke can was spinning on the floor in circles and coke was squirtting everywhere! Teehee, you got drenched and so did the kitchen!

As daddy said, you are very "capable" physically, I am child prooffing like never before!

 

 

 

With a face like that though, I really have a hard time saying no to you sometimes!

 

Wanting to do everything that Bekah does is just the way life will be for you, for awhile, and I am trying to make it positive for both you and her, it's a new experience for all of us, me always figuring out what is okay for you to do, what bekah should share, what is okay for her not to share.

When we go to the children's museum, now more than ever before, you want to get out of the stroller to join in the fun too!

 

But for exhibits like that one, where you are digging for fossils, babies aren't allowed and Bekah's coolness factor only increases as you look on in wonder, teehee!

One day buddy!

 

She has always been a little mommy to you, and I love that about her, here you are, caught red handed, trying to throw the coasters to the floor, but big sister bekah has swooped in to tell you "No, Benjamin, No!" I want her to help you learn, but I don't want her upsetting you every time, so you are learning about what you can and can not do in the house, but Bekah is learning about how to help you  kindly, not in a bossy way!

 

 

You are just so delightful Benjamin! Your joy and excitement  for life is the most beautiful thing! Your happy sounds, coos and laughter is pure joy to me and I love you so very much!

Love,

Mama