Tenley Louise || 11 Months Old

I'm sitting here staring at that age - 11 months old.  1 month left until you are ONE YEAR OLD, my sweet little Tenley Girl.  I'm excited and sad at the same time.  I already miss all of your baby-ness, the time went so fast.  You've been the sweetest, happiest little baby!

Over this past month you have taken off walking.  You almost never get down on hands and knees anymore.  In fact, I can't think of a single time you've done that to get where you want to go in the last 2 weeks, or even more!  Once you decided it was time to walk you walked.  I found you some sweet little moccasins and some shoes with soft soles so you can walk around outside or wherever we go because you do NOT like to be contained anymore!

As quickly as you are growing your hair is not. :(  By now all of the boys had their first haircuts.  I know we have many many MANY days ahead where we can play with and style your hair, add cute clips and barrettes, braid lots of braids but waiting for those days is getting hard on this hair-styling momma!  Thank goodness for all of those headbands you have!  Somehow it seems that we never have the perfect shade of pink, though. Funny how that can be!

I am having so much fun dressing you up!  You have the sweetest coat for this winter, kind of a tweed pea coat, and super cute knitted headband to cover your sweet ears up!  We had to pull that out this past week when the temps dipped and boy did you look ADORABLE!!!  I was definitely swooning over you!

Just this past week Daddy came into the kitchen where you were having breakfast.  You looked right at him and said "Dada!"  Your first real word!  You've been saying 'dada' and 'mama' for quite awhile but this was the first time I knew you really knew what that word meant!  Yay, Tenley!

We have finished our last jar of baby food.  Fittingly we finished with sweet potatoes, the very first baby food you ever had.  You now enjoy all fruits and vegetables that I make for you, plus you've added cheese and shaved ham and turkey to the list.  I still spoon feed you oatmeal and applesauce, those are pretty messy for you to feed yourself.  You are finally drinking bottles that aren't warm, but do not like bottles that are cold quite yet. We are trying to get you used to colder drinks because in a short month (sigh) you will be on whole milk.  You don't take your sippy cup at all so we need to start practicing that more this month.  But you do love to find Tate's on the floor and drink that!

For a short period you seemed to require a bottle of milk before naps and bedtime but you are now back to going to sleep without them.  You take 2 naps per day, usually 1 1/2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon.  You go to bed at 8:00 most nights and sleep until 6:30 or so the next morning.

You love your baby dolly and blankie!  You carry them all around the house and it totally melts my heart! You give your dolly kisses, which is more like you lick it's head and get it nice and slobbery. :) You seem to favor the one dolly and so far that's the name she has - Dolly.  :)

You are quite the explorer. Because of those new shoes we let you walk all over the yard.  You will get in the sandbox and try to figure out that strange new texture of sand.  You walk all around picking up leaves, watching the trees blow in the breeze, pulling little blades of grass out of the ground.  You really seem to enjoy being outdoors!  And you love looking out the window to see what's out there, too.  You especially love looking out our new window!

You enjoy books and music and will dance a little sometimes.  As much as Tate wants to hold and kiss you, you will not allow this anymore.  You come to both Mommy and Daddy for comfort and snuggles, but the snuggles don't last long because you have places to go, dollies to carry.  The big boys dote on your like crazy and you get very excited to see them when they get home from school every afternoon.  You aren't afraid of your Grandma Jeannie, Papa or Auntie Cole, and always hold yours sweet little arms out to them so they'll pick you up or take you from me.  And then they fall upon you with kisses!

You get TONS of kisses, by the way!  You don't even act like you notice you are getting them, you are so used to those chubby cheeks getting smooshed on!  And your cheeks are finally chubby!  They bounce a little in the car! :)

I am busy planning your very special First Birthday party!  It's coming very quickly, Little Lou!  Enjoy your last month before you turn 1.  I will probably hold you a little longer and more often than normal, which is quite a bit!  I will kiss you more, which is a lot!  And I will whisper "I love you" in your ear more than you have ever heard it whispered before.

Happy 11 Months, Tenley Louise!  Here are your monthly stats:
Weight: 21.2lbs
Height: 31"
Clothes: all over the place!  3-6m shorts. 9-12 and 12m shirts, jeans and dresses. Whatever fits is what we wear!
Diapers: size 3 Pampers