11 month old gunner!

11 MONTHS OLD.

my heart is preparing itself for next month's "big birthday blog" and for the dreaded realization that you, my dear baby gunner, are no longer a baby.

I've been telling myself for awhile now to just NOT think about it until it's staring me in the face - and that's my plan even now. SO, let's talk about how awesome you are at 11 months (and save mommy's meltdown for a later time, say... in about 27 days).

 

As hard as it is to admit - I really do love this age. You are so full of life and you are bubbling with personality! You make your dad and me laugh ALL day long. You crack everyone up with your personality and you're such a cool little guy. You're growing so fast that you literally are like a whole new baby these days, probably because you're not a baby at all these days. You're really a little boy now. And as hard as it is for mama to accept - it really is so much fun to watch and enjoy all these new experiences with you.

 

 

- you learned to play hide & seek this month - and LOVE it! You crack up anytime plays with you and you are constantly poking your head out or around things to get me to realize that you're playing with me. You just smile with this huge grin until I start playing back with you.

 

- You are crazy fast! Everyone comments on it and I swear you're like a little energizer bunny! Too fast for this (VERY PREGNANT) mama! I can't wait for your sister to be here so I have more energy to chase you around the house all day & night (even though I try now)

 

- You learned to climb up on the couches & think it's the coolest thing ever. Oh boy, talk about giving me a heart attack! As much as we try, we can't keep you off!

 

- You just learned how to wave bye-bye! cutest.thing.ever.

 

- You talk nonstop now. But not just random jibberish - you say things with meaning. You actually hold conversations with us in your own little language and just go on & on all day. I can't wait until you learn more words so I can find out all the things you're always talking to us about!

 

- You started WALKING. I can say that now because it's not just a couple random steps here & there - you can get up to 8 steps in a row now and walk halfway across the room! It just blows my mind! I have YET to get it on camera though because everytime you see me trying you plop down, laugh & crawl away. not cool. I'll get it on film soon though ;)

 

- You have graduated into "big boy snacks" - they even say graduates on them! I have so much buying you all the fun food these days at the store. I secretly have a weird addiction to raiding the baby food aisles just so we can try out all the big boy foods. We discovered gerber YOGURT this month and you cannot get enough. seriously, you eat 2-3 containers at a time and always cry when you finish the last one! You also love pretty much ALL snacks ever created by gerber. Yogurt melts, puffs (or mom's "puff medley" I make you of all the different flavors), cheese puffs, pinwheels - you love it ALL.

 

- you are quite the little eater these days! you can drink 8 oz at a time and still love your formula over all else. You eat level 3 foods (pretty much any/all of them now) and you'd snack all day long if we let you. You've got the appetite of a growing boy - but you're still quite tiny my love. it's pretty adorable though. dr says its just because you're so active - and active you ARE!

 

- you finally are holding your own bottle! I feel like you've actually known how to do this for a long time now and just didnt' want to do it - but now that you are doing it - you never let us hold it for you. It's a BEAUTIFUL THING. Car rides, stroller rides, EVERYTHING is so much easier now because when the bottle falls out, you just pick it right back up! ah, it's just glorious.

 

- We just packed up all your summer clothes and pulled out all your brand new fall clothes and I am SO EXCITED! nothing is cuter than a bundled up baby in sweats & hoodies. And I found a new obsession with baby gap sweats/sweaters - so you are one stylish dude now. Only problem - you can still wear 6 month sizes, so all your 12 month fall clothes are a big big on you.

 

- You started sleeping in two-piece pajama sets and OH MY GOD. I wish you could wear them all day long now they are so adorable. And the little thermal pants give you the cutest little diaper butt when you're walking around!

 

- You are an AMAZING sleeper. Definitely your dad's child. You go to bed around 9-10 every night and sleep until after 10am everyday. I literally wake you up to change your diaper every morning before I leave for work (so you don't leak through) and dad has to WAKE you up around 9 because you would just sleep all day it were up to you!

 

- With that, comes the bad part - you only sleep in YOUR crib. I don't know if it's your crib or your bedorom - but you seem to not sleep very well anywhere but your bedroom. I can't say I blame you - your dad and I have put a lot of thought into making your room "yours" and very peaceful for you. You have your comfy bed, your favorite stuffed animals, your blanket and pillow - and you have the special playlist dad made you that plays while you nap or sleep, and of course you have your special turtle that lights up your room in stars - As hard as it can be for your grandparents (since you don't nap when they baysit) it makes my heart happy to know that you love your room so much and are so comfortable in it.

 

- you learned to dance this month! And you LOVE it! It's more of a "bounce really fast up & down and laugh with your eyes closed" but it CRACKS us up everytime! Now anytime you hear music you look around for a minute and then just burst into laughter and dance!

 

- you LOVE: chasing grizzly and messing with her until she finally plays with you, getting past your security gates and crawling as fast as you can down the hallway (you laugh hysterically lke you just outsmarted us), bath time, snack time, cuddling with mom and dad on the floor (LOVE that your back into cuddling and snuggling)

 

-you HATE: your shoes and you pull them & your socks off within minutes everytime. hate getting your diaper changed (you still scream like you're being tortured), hate getting your clothes changed, hate security gates, hate when I leave the room (even for 5 seconds you have a total meltdown), hates when we take something away from you that you can't play with (instant meltdown)

 

 

 

Those are the biggest things I can think of. There are so many I am probably not even mentioning because you are just FULL of new things everyday! You're so much fun and you bring so much joy to your daddy & I gunner. We could sit at home and play with you on the floor all day & night (we actually kinda do for the most part) because you are just so much fun on your own. I couldn't ask for a more perfect little guy and you just continue to amaze us.

 

In the next month things are going to be changing and as nervous as I am to shake things up, I am so excited to see how you do with your new little sister coming. We have so many things to look forward to and now, they are just days and weeks away. Your big birthday party, your first time eating cake (& smashing it on camera), meeting your baby sister - and then right around the corner are all our favorite holidays. I am just so excited. You have honestly made our world so full of love and happines Gunner, I can't even explain it. You're perfect. And here's to your LAST month of "baby blogging" - next month you're officially a toddler!!

 

Love you always & forever, love mom.