Hannah: 11 Months

~21.8 pounds

~28.5 inches

Sweet Hannah,

Somehow, and I'm not sure how, but somehow we have made our way to month 11. One month shy of being 1 year old. I'm in denial. I can't believe that my little baby is almost 1. I'm planning your party, invitations are ordered, the venue is booked (which is actually Nana and Papa Chip's house!), the date is set. It's all coming fast and furious. But for now, you're 11 months old. If I could freeze you at this age I would. You are so fun and happy and full of life. Every day and every outing is a new adventure. I ask you if you're Mama's big girl or Daddy's big girl. You usually respond with jabbery noises or dadadada (which does not mean you're agreeing to being Daddy's big girl!).

We started off the month in Orlando, Florida, visiting Grandpa and Grandma Tammy. We had such a good time with all of our family there. You were a hit, to say the least! In addition to visiting family we also did a day trip to Sea World and an overnight trip to St. Augustine. While we were on vacation you decided to practice and perfect all these cool tricks that you had seen at daycare. You mastered the army crawl, started clapping (especially for yourself), giving sloppy kisses, going from tummy to sitting up, and waving. It was insane how much you exploded.

We saw the end of MDO, which was very sad. You've spent the last 3 interim weeks with me at home, but after your taste of socialization and activity I am just not enough anymore. We have to get out of the house at least once a day, even if it's just to go walk around Target. We've done more zoo trips in the last 3 weeks than we have all year! Fun thing about the zoo these days, you finally have started noticing the animals!! We've also been to the Botanical Gardens twice. MDO picks back up next week and we are both very excited!

We welcomed a new family member this month, Cousin Kirra!! She came early like you and we are still (un)patiently waiting for her to be released from the NICU. We went to her baby shower and you were such a good girl. Just amazed at all the people, most of whom were different than who you are used to seeing, and hearing. This was a Filipino party and at first you were a little unsure. They were excited and loud and speaking another language. Before long though you were ready to party and hung in there really well despite being hot and tired. It was your first baby shower!

You've become a professional jabberbox. You changed from making the same sounds (ma-ma-ma, da-da-da) to conversational talk. You make different sounds, use inflection, act like you're responding to questions and comments. It's really too cute. You are a talkative girl!! In addition to these talking sessions, you said your first purposeful word, BABY! We look at the pictures and art you made for Daddy on Father's Day and point to it and ask who it is, then we say baby. Now every time you see another baby, a mirror, a picture of a baby, a box of diapers with a baby on it -- you said baby. It's the cutest word I've ever heard.

You mastered a new cool trick at the end of the month -- standing up in your crib! You started pulling up on anything you can get your hands on, playing on your knees and standing up (while holding onto things). You are SO proud of yourself, and so are we. After you wake from naps you stand in your crib and just jabber away. Unless we take too long in getting you up, then you cry.

On the last day of your month we went to Marion to meet family from my dad's side. I've decided to call him Paw Paw. We went to the cemetery and stood at his grave site and talked for a bit. I told him about you, and told you about him and how much he would love you. It was nice to be close to him again and let you get to know him. We tried to visit with some other family members but they had other plans so it wasn't much time with them.

I've started planning your 1st birthday party and part of it includes a ball pit. We broke it out one night and let you test it out and it was just too cute. You thought it was so much fun. We don't leave it out all the time (because hello, it's messy!) but when we get it out you love to take the balls out of the pit, bang them together and then drop them, pick up 2 more and start over again. 

This month was so much fun, so full of new milestones and fun times. Every month feels like my favorite, and this month was so different. I'm so in love with you and the fun, happy little girl you are growing into. We love you Baby!!!