Eleven months

I'm feeling very verklempt. My baby is almost ONE.

I mean, look at this difference. Gulp.

This last month was full of changes, even more so than the past few months. Which is saying a lot, considering this kid is growing and developing and blossoming in leaps and bounds.

First, getting the boo hoo hoo part out of the way: Carter has pretty much self-weaned from nursing. There were tears (on my part), but I now feel peace knowing this was HIS decision. I can't argue with that. I was away two nights on business last month, and ever since, he has refused to nurse at bedtime or during the day (biting me and giggling instead). It seems he will only nurse if he wakes in the middle of the night, in the dark (aka, half asleep). I’ll take it.

My supply took a hit during all of this as well, but I'm determined to produce enough to cover him until he's 1. I've been popping supplements and drinking Mother's Milk tea and eating a zillion lactation cookies, and have almost rebounded back to normal, thankfully. I just have to survive exclusive pumping for another month, maybe less with the freezer stash I have.

It’s just another sign that my itty bitty baby is growing up.

Let’s see. Other changes…

Carter started walking with a walker toy. He had been cruising around with it while on his knees for weeks, and he always beamed with pride that he was moving ‘upright’, so one day we put him on his feet with the walker and let go. He took several steps and fell to his trusty knees the rest of the way. Since then, he has walked across the entire living room, and can regularly get up to his feet from his knees as well. All with the walker, mind you, but yeah. He’ll be walking on his own by his first birthday, I'm sure.

He understands ‘ball’ and will go get this blue bouncy ball of his if you ask him to. And “Where’s Daddy?” or “Where’s Mama?” always prompts whipping his head in all directions searching for us.

His hair is growing insanely fast. It falls well over an inch over his ears, and his bangs are getting close to his eyes. I can’t bear to cut it until after his first birthday though. My hairdresser in fact recommended waiting, as they look so much older after the first cut.

He has two bottom teeth and one just started to pop through on the top. Hooray!

His newest obsession are tongues, and will grab at anyone's tongue if they let him. He started sticking his in and out, like a lizard, and will do so throughout the day while he's playing or crawling around. He also started shaking his head 'no.' He only does it accurately about half the time, so he clearly doesn't know what it means.

He transitioned to a convertible car seat, and seems to love sitting up higher and looking out the window. I can’t reach him as well in the new car, which is problematic when he can’t find his pacifier (clipped to his collar, mind you) and we have a long drive.

He still hates shoes. And socks. Both come off within minutes in the car. Hopefully he learns to love them or it’s going to be a long winter of sock/shoe assembling (or cold feet).

He is tall enough to pull things off tables, and the sight of my purse throws him in a downright tizzy. Apparently the straps are excellent for chewing. He continues to try to scale the windows, pull on the blinds, climb shelves, and most recently use anything as leverage to get up onto the couch. He is enjoying ripping two weaved baskets we have in our living room, and just last week unrolled his first roll of toilet paper on the dispenser. (I knew the day was coming). He giggles when we say "no, no, no" which has led me to realize we need to use that word more sparingly, for really important things, or we have may have no hope in him understanding. (I know he can't really comprehend that at this stage anyway).

He became much more clingy to me in the last few weeks. He is constantly tugging at my pant leg and whining to be picked up. It's getting really hard to get things done with 22 pounds in one arm. He doesn't do this with Jon, so I suppose I should feel extra special he wants to be near me. But the whining, that high-pitched whine...oooh it can get to be a lot.

I am just so utterly in love with this boy. I never could have imagined how much I could love him. The thought of his sweet face brings a smile to mine. I rush home every single day to squeeze out as many minutes with him as I can get. I stare at his photos in wonderment, and get such a feeling of pride watching him grow and learn things. It's awesome.

Okay, that's enough sap for now. Will see how I handle the upcoming milestone. :)