11 months...and a few days.

Mommy was slow on her 11 month update, she's sorry. But there is too much to remember on what you've done over the past couple of months!

You are now an eating machine. Anything we present you, almost, you love. Daddy's stew is one of your favorites. You're a meat and potato's' girl. You eat hot dogs like a competitive eater on the 4th of July at Nathan's in New York. You can't get them in fast enough. You think Mac and Cheese is pretty dandy too. Daddy started giving you Cheerios with your formula as a substitute for milk, and you love it. Anything that makes you feel like you're one of the grown ups. I remember wanting to be like the grown ups too, but child...just be little!

You're still growing taller, and this month didn't come with a drs. apt. so we don't have exact stats on you yet. You'll have you're 12 month apt. in Dec. (yes, that's one year...good Lord.) You had a bout of Roseola, which is basically a big rash that looked like chicken pox all over you last month. I came home from work one day to find this, scared that it was the pox. After a visit to the good Dr., we found it wasn't. But for 2 days, we didn't take pictures. This was the week before our family pictures, so I was glad it went away when it did. It didn't seem to bother you much, but you had a really high fever right before it that gave us a good scare.

You still talk non-stop, but have now come up with your own language. We figure someone, maybe in Ethiopia, could understand it. It's adorable and I plan on getting video of it soon. You now say mama and Nana, in addition to the before mentioned words. And Duck. Your face makes the most adorable little contortion to say it, but when you say it you mean it! You also sing quite frequently and love anything with music. You dance anytime you hear music, and change your voice tones up/down when singing. We play the keyboard quite often and you think that is pretty cool. I will def. follow up on this interest of yours as you get older.

You learned to climb the stairs, although we don't know how. You just were climbing them one day. The gate now keeps you down. You're any second from walking. Daddy and me practice with you, having you walk back and forth between us. You're getting so close. I'm excited for your new Independence, but know that we're then in trouble. I think once you walk, you'll be gone!

You point to things when we read, and boy how you love to read. You love to be read to, or to read to yourself. You're constantly finding books and pulling them out of where your books are kept. You love to turn the pages yourself. For hours.

You still love Elmo. More so now then ever. Just wait until your birthday....

You had your first Halloween and were less then impressed with the pumpkins. This made daddy said, because this is daddy's favorite holiday. We tried to dress you as the most adorable bee ever, but you weren't having it. Maybe it will still fit next year and we can use it, because it is too cute. Aunt Christie was in tears seeing you in it.

We had your 1 year photos taken, and our first family photos. While we haven't seen the finished result yet, you weren't having it. Kellie (the photographer) and I decided not to have Nana show up until the last 10 min. of the shoot because we thought it would be a distraction. Instead, you screamed in the car the whole 45 min. it took to get there, weren't happy in your Christmas dress, or your bee costume, and cried for a good 95% of the pics. Kellie and Doug are magic though, so I have faith. Nana and grandpa and Uncle Chris showed up and then you were all smiles. We did family photos in Ducks gear, no shock to anyone that knows us. I have a feeling our Christmas pictures will be quite predictable.

We are planning your first birthday, which freaks mommy out a little. I hated hearing when I was pregnant "it goes so fast". It's so true. Your hair is getting long, you learn more every day, and it seems you'll be running any second.

You are truly the light of our lives and continue to make us smile daily. I can't believe this time last year I was huge and pregnant, with only 4 weeks until you made your appearance. You are growing into such a little lady and we just fall more and more in love with you every day!