2 Little Love Birds: eleven months

e l e v e n m o n t h s o l d

| LOVES |

Eating.

Walking.
Grabbing her tongue.

Sticking her fingers in peoples' mouths.
Liam.

| HATES |

Getting her face wiped.
Getting changed.

| DEVELOPMENT // GROWTH |

Thankfully we made it through a month without any new teeth! I can't say it was pain free though because Lyla is officially walking!!! Trying to keep her from bonking her head is a daily challenge and she has several bruises and scrapes to prove it. I missed those arms always in the air as they take those wobbly first steps!! Her hair is long enough for 2 pony tails on top and her feet are quickly outgrowing those size 3-6 month shoes! She is now wearing size 4 diapers and still fitting comfortably in 12-18 month clothes. She isn't much of a jabberer but occasionally says "da da". She learned how to hold a sippy cup on her own on the first try (must have been from watching her brother!). We've started brushing her 5 tiny teeth once a day and letting her get to explore holding the toothbrush herself which she loves. She points at everything.

| SLEEP |

If there is one thing I've learned, Lyla sleeps the very best when she is in her own crib. Her schedule hasn't changed much from last month. She goes to sleep at 7 pm and wakes up around 7 am. It is heaven having her consistently sleep through the night! She typically takes one 3 hour nap from noon to 3 pm.

| EAT |

Lyla loves nursing and I have a feeling will have just as hard of a time as me giving it up when the time comes. She nurses when she wakes for the day, before nap time, and when she goes to sleep. She is still good at trying new foods but is beginning to acquire more taste buds that narrow down what she will take second and third bites of. haha Her favorites are anything carbs and fruit. Everything that goes in the mouth, always has to be taken back out and examined before going back in. I still continue to learn this about her the hard way by giving her things like goldfish or nutri grain bars while going in a store to entertain her and coming out with both covering the floor of the store and her entire outfit. Yikes!

Dear Lyla,

In 3 weeks, we will be celebrating your first birthday and I can hardly believe it. It's been the best year of my life! I'm having so much fun planning for your special day! So many fun rainbow things are beginning to arrive in the mail and I can't wait to watch you dive into your smash cake. ;) I'm cherishing every last moment of nursing with you. You love it just as much as I do. We lay together, you look up at me and reach for my face, and for those few minutes that follow it feels like time has stopped. I went to see the movie Mama Mia with Sita while you were asleep the other night and there is this moment where the mom is a young woman meeting her daughter for the first time as she is placed in her arms ... even though you weren't there watching it with me, tears filled my eyes thinking of you because I felt that same instant bond as I laid my eyes on you for the first time, as if our hearts always knew each other. In fact, that moment had me thinking back to the first time I visited you in the NICU after they took you away, through my tears I whispered hi to you and you reached out and latched your tiny little hand around my finger. That moment was magic for me. So have been all the moments that have followed with you here. You went on your first big trip and rode in an airplane this month to Washington for a family reunion. The take off and landing were hard on your ears but otherwise, you were the perfect traveler! All of your great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. that you met absolutely adored you! You adored that they all would feed you cookies and ice cream sandwiches every day. haha You started taking the sacrament at church and flail your arms as they walk away with the rest of the bread that you'd prefer to have seconds of. haha You joined the goldfish club and Liam is reluctant to have to share his favorite food group with you! You still make an absolute mess whenever you eat. Cover yourself from head to toe and always need a bath after every meal but I don't mind one bit because it is hilarious watching you devour every meal.

Love you so much my Lyla girl!
Love, Momma

| ELEVEN MONTH PICTURES |