A&W with baby make 3: @ 11 months

Colton Dean,
Your 11th month has been sooo much fun. You are full of laughter and giggles and it is contagious! You find the smallest of small items to stick in your mouth...we have to watch you closely all the time! You only get emotional when we take away "your" cell phone or remote control. You are very independent when it comes to trying to walk. We try to hold onto your fingers and support you as you try taking steps and you want nothing to do with that. Yet, you will cruise right along the edge of the couch without a second thought. Independent you are!! You are such a social little boy. (we have no idea where you got that from. {wink wink}) When we go on walks you kick your feet and laugh at the kids playing in the park. You enjoy your babysitter's house so much because her son is six months older than you are...the two of you get into some mischief together! You love to watch other kids and if they are your age you can't wait to share toys with them.

You are our treasure, sweet one. We pray with you daily. Read you books about God's love for you. And sing songs about how to let your light shine.

We love you, son!
Mommy and Daddy.

@11 months---CRAWLING everywhere...and fast, too! Not walking, just cruising along side the couch, chair, wall, really anything that has a perimeter that he can hold on to.

@11 months--WAVING.
it's adorable. Colton doesn't wave on-demand...just when he wants to, but he will often mimic you if you wave first.

@11 months--PULLING TO STANDING POSITION everywhere. Furniture, walls, Mommy or Daddy's legs, sides of tables. Anything solid and he's there pulling himself up. Colton will DANCE when he hears music. We have frequent Stumbaugh Dance Parties in our livingroom.

@11 months--RELEASING from one stationary object to another (toward the end of his 11 months this started). Example: hold onto recliner with one hand, reach out with other to tv console, then step over to tv console and proceed to cruise down the length of it)

@11 months--7 TEETH!
4 on top, 3 on bottom.

@11 months--SIPPY CUP of water only.
He will drink when he's thirsty...and he will take a mouthful in his mouth then let it dribble out when he's playful.

@11 months--FOOD is Colton's favorite! We are making his baby food and he loves: sweet potato, squash, carrots, applesauce. Colton loves to feed himself puffs and he will use BABY SIGN LANGUAGE to tell you "more"!! He has TWO meals a day--breakfast and dinner.

@11 months--BUSY!! Colton doesn't sit still for one minute. Currently all his toys are stored in the tv console. He thoroughly enjoys when we open the door in the morning and he gets to pull out all his toys and begin playing. Colton will choose ONE TOY to put in his hand and crawl around with all day long. This could be the teething ring, a ball, a plastic shape, a book, a sock, a washcloth, or "his" cellphone or remote control.

@11 months--FULL OF BABY BABBLE and SWEET NOISES. Colton "talks" all day. He mimics the noises and sounds you make when you talk to him. And his laughter fills our home with it's sweet sound.

@11 months--CURIOUS and SERIOUS when checking out new people, places, toys, or things. I wish I could peek into that head and see what he was thinking as he takes everything in when in a new situation. No smiles during this time, just very serious and thoughtful. Very intuitive with new toys and is so thoughtful in figuring out how things work. He's still into details, too.

@11 months--always finding something new to play with and figure out. He is pulling on the ribbon I used to display our Christmas cards. The ribbon isn't attached and he's holding onto only it...nothing else as he stands and pulls and sways.

@11 months--ADVENTUROUS. Thus the cushion Daddy is putting in case of a backward spill.

@11 months--completely ADORABLE. Colton is the sweetest, most loving little boy. He is full of joy...which spills out to all who have the privilege of spending any time with him.

@11 months--NAPS two times a day. 9:00 to 10:30 am and 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. (give or take a bit) BEDTIME is 8:00pm and he sleeps until 7:00 am.
(he is still waking up once per night...pretty sure we've started a bad habit with this. i know he isn't hungry because he eats so well during the day and is gaining weight, but he wakes up about 1 am and is crying for me. so, i snuggle him and nurse him til he is asleep again. can you blame me at 1 am?? i'm tired--working full time is exhausting when you're a mommy! and i feel guilty--again, working full time is hard when you're a mommy! so...tis the month to stop this habit so mommy (and daddy, too!) can sleep for a solid amount of time.)