Eleven Months

Dear Hadley,

I cannot believe I am writing your eleven month post. 

Eleven months ago I was stuck on the couch nursing severe back pain, anxiously awaiting your arrival. 

I marvel at how much you've changed. 

You're just about a toddler - no longer a baby very soon. 

I just want to freeze you right where you are (well as soon as you walk we can do that!). 

You're so much fun these days and provide the rest of our family entertainment quite often - especially as the dinner table. 

So what are you up to these days?

You wear a size 5 diaper. 

You feed yourself all the time.  
You'll even feed yourself a bottle sometimes.  

You are cruising along furniture quickly now (this started about a week or so ago). 

You are very close to walking.  Sometimes you'll be brave enough to let your hands go and stand there for a second or two without holding on. 

You love to push your walker toys around the playroom. 

Your favorite foods are anything with hamburger, all fruits, cheese, all beef hot dogs, grilled chicken and cucumbers.  

I put veggies on your tray all the time - sometimes you'll eat them and sometimes not.  We did have roasted broccoli the other night with corned beef and you HOUSED it.  Seriously you could not get enough of it. 

You love to play with Jack's old cars and Ri's old play kitchen.  You like to open and close doors, cabinets, drawers and anything else you're NOT supposed to be in. 

One of your favorite pastimes is to sit in the shoe closet and play with the shoes.  If I can't find you I know you're in the shoe closet. 

You still have about 5-6 words but the biggest change in your language development is you like to mimic sounds we make.  You won't do it on demand but often we will 'baby talk' back and forth while you copy my sounds.  It's so cute. 

You're down to 3 1/2 bottles a day. 
8  oz before each nap and bed time and then 4-6 ounces late afternoon to keep you going if we are out and about. 
You eat a light breakfast- normally fruit, sausage and Cheerios/English muffin or pancakes. 
Lunch and dinner are bigger meals and you eat a TON!
You eat a snack in between the meals - mostly puffs, fruit snacks, Goldfish, etc. 

And you do NOT know a stranger.  Just the other day we were in the store and you were waving and smiling at everyone - even the men.  I get comments all the time from strangers about how friendly you seem and smiley you are.  

Once in a while you will get mad at a toy and then bang your head against something in retaliation.  It really is quite comical.  

Now- here's your brother and sister at 11 months. 

I see such a resemblance with you and Jack.  Maybe a similar cheek size with you and Riley. 

Here are a few pics of you the last couple of days.

You had two playdates last week - each with boys. 

 So cute!

This is you and Brennan.  He's six weeks younger that you but man - is he a cutie.  You were both mesmerized with each other. 

You were stuffing your faces with Cheerios here. 

Two - three months ago you were constantly underneath the kitchen table moving the chairs around and moving them back and forth. 

You don't do that too much anymore but you still like to move things around - like the end table by Daddy's chair. 

I was busy in the kitchen and you were busying yourself with the remote and table.  

See for yourself: 

Not sure what made your cry but this pic was hilarious.  

Kinda glad I got it on camera.  

:))-

Well- it's time to start getting ready for your big party in a few weeks. 

We are so excited to celebrate the 1st year of your life. 

We're so lucky to have you my sweet girl.

XOXOXO

Mommy