My Baby...11 Months...

How can it be?

How can her birthday be this month? How is it possible that this time last year I was busy putting the finishing touches on her nursery and now she will be one year old soon?!

I know every mom says it - and I say it all the time - but I just can't believe it's possible. I still feel like she should be like 3 months old or something. I just don't know how my baby went from this:

...to this so quickly:

I'm loving all the new things she's saying/doing, but gosh! It's hard to see her grow so fast!

She hasn't started walking yet {thank goodness}, but she's crawling like crazy and pulling up on everything. Just a couple weeks ago she started randomly standing up on her own in the middle of the floor - no support at all. Interestingly enough, she only does this in the afternoon/evening. And always in the middle of the floor. A couple of times, she did it in the bathtub, which totally freaked me out. 

Mobile babies are very hard to photograph. Especially solo.

It does make for some cute pics, though! =)

The only things she says that we can understand are "mama" and "dada." She says many, many other things, though. The girl talks almost non-stop. Sometimes she is very serious while she's telling us something. If only I knew what she was saying! Occasionally, she'll say something that sounds very much like a word, but I'm still not sure if I'm making it up or she's actually saying it. LOL! The occasional words are: night-night {nigh-nigh}, I don't know {I doh no}, oh {usually followed by babble}, yum, yay, and 'kay. =) She says "no," too, but it usually comes in a stream of babble. 

She is definitely still our "little bean." Everyone everywhere comments on her itty-bitty-ness. I currently have no idea how much she weighs because we haven't been back to the doctor since January. {Even though we were supposed to go back for a check last month. I can't tell you how much I'm OVER doctors telling me she should weigh X amount. She's healthy and she's happy.*sigh*}

She fits into clothes anywhere from 6-12 months. Onesies are mostly 6 months, with some 9 months mixed in. Pants are 6 months. Sleepers are 9 months for the time being. {I have a feeling she'll be in 12 month sleepers fairly soon.} Dresses are 6-9 months. She has a few 12 month shirts that are a little big, but still fit and look cute with pants. And occasionally a 12 month dress will fit/look right. She's pretty much everywhere as far as clothes are concerned. It makes dressing her - and buying clothes for her - interesting! She's in size 3 diapers, although they are a bit big for her. The size 2s are too small, though. *sigh* This girl... ;-)

She loves her bunny and is super-de-duper cute snuggling with it.

Bunny is now a nap/bedtime must-have, and is always good to have in case of emergencies.

{And by "emergencies" I, of course, mean meltdowns. ;-)}

I'm happy to report that her sleep has finally evened out! For a while there we were having horrendous naps. Thankfully, they've gotten better. She still isn't taking 2 hour naps consistently, but I'm starting to think that she just may not be a 2 hour napper. And hey, at least she naps! Most of the time she'll take 2 naps, but sometimes 3. Since we've been in the hotel, it's a bit harder for her to get 3 naps. So far she seems to be doing okay with it. Her nighttime sleep is pretty much the same. Bedtime is 7ish and she sleeps until 7/7:30am. I love my good little sleeper! {And here's hoping my good little sleeper doesn't have a ton of trouble when we get to GA!!}

Typical Charlotte. She's gettin' a bit sassy!

Breastfeeding is still going pretty well! Though she's been a bit of a fussy nurser for the last week, she still clearly wants it. Sometimes just for comfort, though. She'll nurse anywhere from 2-5 times a day. I freak when she only nurses twice, but I try and remind myself some babies wean at a year old...and we're closing in on 1. *sniff* My breastfeeding goal has always been one year, and it's looking like we'll make it! I don't know when we'll stop breastfeeding... Probably whenever she's ready. I have no problem nursing her into toddlerhood. =) {And, for the record, Joe is 100% supportive of this.} I'm pretty sure that's not a normal Babywise mom attribute, but I really love breastfeeding! It's tough and frustrating sometimes, but gosh. It's just so sweet, and I love the bond it's created between us.

Bunny saves the day...and photoshoot! =)

She's doing great with solids, too. She's eating so much more now! I do still give her some purees, just to make sure she gets something in her belly. {About half of what she feeds herself ends up in the floor. *sigh*} After the purees, she usually gets finger foods. Before we got into the hotel, I would usually give her broccoli, potatoes, chicken or ground beef...or some mixture of those. She likes to feed herself! More and more she's battling the spoon, so I figure I don't have much longer to deal with it. I don't mind her feeding herself...but it makes me realize how much she's growing up! I do like that she can eat off my plate when we go out to dinner, though!

My absolute favorite shot from this month's photos!

Through the crankies, the teething, horrible naps and nursing strikes, I sure do love this baby girl. She's brought so much joy into my life, and has helped me through some of the toughest days after losing our second little baby so early. Playing and cuddling with her sure does seem to melt some of the pain away. I'll always be thankful for this girl, and the miracle that she is.

Sweet Bean, I didn't know it was possible, but I love you more and more every day. It's crazy to think that you'll soon be a year old, but I think I'll probably always feel like we just brought you home from the hospital. =) Daddy and I love watching you grow and learn. We love to see you wave "bye-bye," and reach to us when you want to be held. Your kisses are the sweetest! I could always use more of them...even if they are a bit sloppy. I love your jibber-jabber and wish I knew what you were saying all the time! I even love that you're a thumb-sucker. ;-) It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen - especially when you cuddle up with bunny for a nap. Oh, little bean, we love you so! Don't ever forget it!

xoxo,

Mama