Tate Lately // 11 Months Old

 

Tate the Great!  You are one month shy of being a whole year old!  Wow!  Every day you become more and more fun (and funny!).  You love love love pushing around anything that will slide or roll.  You were given a new push walker for Christmas that lights up and plays music, which is handy so I can find where you’ve walked off to.  You have recently started pushing the stools and kitchen chairs around and I often find them in the front living room.  Sometimes when pushing your little walkers you will throw your head back and make a funny ‘ooo’ sound, then flash us a big smile until we laugh, then you do it all over again.

And speaking of walking!  You took your first steps on your 11 month birthday!  I sat on the floor, Daddy sat on the couch, and you took 4 fast steps between the two of us.  Yay, Tate!!!  Your big brothers were so excited, they cheered and clapped and made a fuss over you doing it.  You walked back and forth between me and Daddy 3 times, then the 4th time you started to cry in the most pitiful way.  It’s been like pulling teeth to get you to do it since.  You’ll make your pitiful cry sound, then give in and walk between us once or twice.  Most times you get jello legs and refuse to hold yourself up, which makes me laugh.  I say “Oh alright, I’ll carry you!”  I’ll carry you as long as you want me to.  My heart grows two sizes every time you hold your chubby little arms up to me with that ‘pick me up’ look on your face. 

Still wearing size 4 diapers, size 18-24month clothes, size 5 shoes.  You take 3-4 8oz. bottles every day, eat 3 meals a day, and are taking a sippy cup with water much better now.  I’m thinking it’s time to start drinking your formula from a sippy cup, too, to prepare yourself for whole milk next month.  I have a feeling you will be one of those difficult baby’s to get switched to cow’s milk – you have made it clear more than once that you like things the way they are and don’t care much for change (ahem, taking a bottle instead of breast!).  We decided to give you a plate without your high chair tray and belly you up to the table to see how you’d handle it.  You did great!  You love being at the table with the rest of us now!  You are such a big boy, Tate! (P.S. Those jammies, you look so adorable walking around in them – the legs hang down past your feet so you walk on them, cracks me up!)

You absolutely love music and when I sing to you.  We crank up your ‘vintage’ Fisher Price radio many many many times every day (and sing along! The Farmer In The Dell, Hi ho the Tatie-oo, the Tater in the Dell!). You are a huge fan of books, which is great since you were given so many for Christmas!  And speaking of being a fan, your big brothers are your number one favorite thing to play with and watch!  They can make you giggle like no other!  You love chasing Aiden around with your walkers and you have started crawling over to Brennie to give him hugs.  Those boys love you as much as you love them.  It’s fun watching you three become the best of friends!

You have 5 teeth now!  2 on top, 3 on the bottom.  Another one must be coming in because you have been fussy these last couple of days – you cry every time I leave the room, the littlest thing will set you off.

You were very happy that we gave you free reign over the front living room again after taking the Christmas tree down – you love going in there and looking out the big window.  You look out the windows in the main living room, too, and especially love when a squirrel comes to visit out bird feeder. 

Less than a month until your first birthday, big boy!  Get ready to celebrate!

Love,

Mommy