letters to my daughter: Month 11

Dear Munchie,

Short for munckin!! You are 11 months old TODAY! Girly, this month has been so fun with you....you are such a joy to us and make us smile and laugh each day. You're always surprising us too!

You are currently obsessed with your push cart! And it is your fastest mode of transportation to get all around the house. Soon, (we think) you will abandon it for steps on your own! You've also figured out how to get up on the couch and love the remotes. We always give you the one that operates the dvd player so we don't end up with the tv scrambled in some way we can't fix!

Your hair is getting longer and you have a little wisp that comes down almost to your nose that I've begun to clip back with little clip. Oh, I can't wait for getting to give you pigtails and braids eventually! People have said it's time for a trim of that but NO way!! Not yet!

You are always babbling, and making noises now. Especially in the car. I also love how every day when I come home, as soon as you see me walk in the door you get SOOO excited that you actually screech! with excitement! It is the cutest and makes my heart melt.

The tupperware drawer is also one of your favorite spots to be! We hang out in the kitchen a lot. You eating habits have changed a little bit but I sneak things into your yogurt or cereal to make sure you are getting a little bit of everything. I think it's the texture of some things that makes them come right back out of your mouth. It's cute but I also want to make sure you are getting a good mix of all types of food. Your favorite food is still yogurt for sure, but beans are a close second, followed by cherrios or puffs!

I always make sure I keep a stash of cherrios or puffs in my purse when we are out and about. Speaking of being out and about, we have become "mall walkers" recently. About 3 mornings week we head to the mall to get in 5 miles!! before the stores open. We are the youngest mall walkers by about 35-60 years I would say! 35 for me and 60 years for you! But those other mall walkers sure do get a kick out of your smiles and scowls too! Yes, sweet girl, you still scowl randomly at times, but it always make me laugh. Taking after your mama there.

Another fact about you right now is you are actually down to 1 nap a day. You get up at about 7am each morning, sometime after lunch go down for a nap that ranges between 1.5 to 3 hours and then go to bed around 6:30pm each evening. I think I am finally ready to blog about your sleeping at night (and not be afraid to jinx it) and say that you sleep through the night until about 6:45-7am the next morning. Sometimes we hear a peep or a short cry out in the middle of the night, but only that and we don't have to go in your room to comfort you, you always seem to fall right back to sleep. I honestly love this schedule. I get good quality time with you in the morning, especially now not having a morning nap and then your dad always gets good quality time with you in the late afternoon/evening before you go to bed, and your dad and I get some evening time for each other as well. I think this works great for all 3 of us!

One of my most favorite things to do is go in a peek at you before I go to bed myself each night. I'll adjust your blankets or just stand there and stare for a few minutes. It feels like a parental privilege to get to do that. Watching your child sleep is good for the soul!

I can't believe it's only one more month until your 1 year birthday! I am having fun planning and preparing for your party. We are going to make it really about celebrating you and your 1st year of life! I am so happy that we both will have these letters to look back on in years to come about this time too.

Sweet girl, you amaze me and inspire me each and every day. You move my heart! I love you so so much and are so thankful I get to be your mama.

love,

mama

p.s. this is my new favorite picture of you. You are in "attack the camera" mode!