Eleven Months Old

TEETH!  Or I guess I should say- TOOTH!  You have your first tooth!  And what's more, you know how to use it.  I can now give you a whole cracker.  You'll balance just the end of one of the four corners on the top of your tooth, bite down, and take a nibble.  I'll watch and hear you "chew" up that piece before moving forward with the next.  It takes you a good half hour to eat the whole thing but I'm pretty sure you make less of a mess than Tata.

So yes, you are fully aware of your new accessory.  I'll ask you, "Can I feel your tooth?"  You'll open your mouth with corners pointed up in a full grin.  I'll put my index finger on top of it and you instantly bring your top gum down with full tease intended.  Sometimes you'll even munch up and down a few times to make it funnier.

I had an acquaintance ask me the other day if I enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom.  I instantly said yes and then proceeded to daydream about you for a few minutes.  I have always loved you and will always love you.  But I LIKE you more and more every day.  You are just so- funny.  And social.  And friendly.  And kind-hearted.  And easy.  Tata feels the same way, too.  I caught him gazing at you the other day and w/out your attention and no one's recognition he simply said, "I love you so much."  It was one of the most sincere things I've ever witnessed.  But it's true, it's hard not to love/like you.  I know we're biased- but you really are just so awesome.

You are trying to jump.  Last Saturday night we all stood in the living room in front of the Christmas tree and took turns.  Tata would jump.  You would laugh.  I would jump.  You would laugh.  Then you would squat down and POP up with all your force.  You would grunt really loud.  A fart may have even come out once or twice.  But those tootsies never left the ground.  I prefer it like that for now.

You got your first fat lip.  Our damn This End Up, North Carolina-made, all-wood couches.  They'll last forever but comfy-ness and safety are not their fortes.  It's the loudest I've ever heard you cry.  I teared up.  Luckily I knew how to make you feel better.  I took you over to the Christmas tree and let you remove one (plastic) ball.  You shrieked with delight and instantly forgot about the pain in your swollen, boxer-looking lip.

Speaking of Christmas tree, you have been VERY good at behaving yourself around it.  We only had to correct you a handful of times and now you steer clear all on your own.  I think you're pretty good at listening to us ...

Except when it involves food.  When you've got your mind/eyes on something to eat, the cautions Tata & I throw at you go in one ear and out the other.  You're a scavenger.

You are starting to not want bottles/milk and only want BIG people's food.  You're becoming a BIG girl.

You wear a size 2 diaper.  Skinny Minny.

You have figured out how to step down from the front door's ledge to the front porch.  You have no fear.

I've started "quizzing" you about body parts and colors and animals.  When you get one right I hug you and kiss you and scream and nibble you and go crazy.  You laugh and throw your arms around my neck.

You have two naps a day and sleep 7p-7a at night.  I hope one day you teach your siblings how you got so good at sleeping.

When I change your diaper I'll ask, "How big is Emilija?!!"  You throw your arms up over your head and smile ear to ear.  I tickle your underarms and belly and you laugh and laugh.  I'll ask again; you'll stretch out again.  I tickle; you laugh.  It goes on for many minutes.

This November/December I've started working in the evenings.  This has given you and Tata a lot of alone time together.  I can tell you've become even more attached to him.  There are many times when we're all three home together and you would prefer to sit with him or play with him or have him read to you.  I don't mind- or I don't like to show it anyway.

You've started picking your favorite books off the bookshelf and bringing them to me.  You'll then turn around and plop down in my lap ready to read.  When I get to the end I'll say, "The end.  Gotovo."  You'll stand back up, turn around, and take the book from me.  If you want to read it one more time you'll immediately hand it back, plop down, and start the process all over again.

You quickly clench and release your hand whenever I sing The Itsy Bitsy Spider.  It's adorable.

You are really good at waving.  When we say goodbye to friends at home you stand looking out the front door.  You smile and wave and wave and smile until they're in their car, seat belt buckled, and out of sight.

You love containers.  And stacking them.  And putting things in them.  And taking things out of them.

One day we were playing with some friends.  One friend started to act not so friendly and attempted to take the toy you were playing with.  You held on tight to your toy, puffed your chest out, stared your friend right in the eyes, and GRUNTED very loudly.  It was very animal-in-the-wild.  While it wasn't your best "sharing" moment, I was secretly tickled that you knew how to defend yourself.

You give great high-fives.

You make lots of noises with your mouth and hands combined.  When you make a new sound, I'll hear you chuckle to yourself.

 Your hair is the mix between a mohawk and a mullet.  Only YOU could pull this off.

You love to clap.  To celebrate.  To music.  To brighten the mood.

We think you are perfect.

We think you are the most beautiful baby we have ever seen.

We love you like crazy.