My eleven-month-old...

… walks! Unless he's in a major hurry to get to some book or toy, Nathan is on his feet for the majority of the day. With his baby pot belly and bow-legged stride, he looks like a little muscle man parading around the house.
 
… had his last drop of formula on Martin Luther King Day, when Luke and I introduced whole milk instead of buying another container of Similac. Nathan took to it like a champ, and other than finishing his bottles more readily, we haven't noticed anything different, so there you go. Chapter closed. A tiny part of me is sad that he's taking this big-boy step already, but my bank account has no complaints.

… went from drinking five formula bottles a day to three milk bottles in a span of two weeks. He was fighting the mid-morning one something fierce, which was also the first to go for Kara, so it was quickly replaced with a snack and sippy cup of water. Since he was giving us similar problems at bedtime, we skipped that one, too, and offered water instead, which he accepted just fine. We increased the amount of milk he gets at meals to make up for the reduction in frequency, and again, golden. What this child has cost us in REM sleep he is slowly making up for in the eating department.

... sports two teeth on his top gums.
 
…is a chatterbox and makes sounds resembling "kitty," "cat," "duck," "dog," "puppy," "bunny," "night-night," "no," and other random words Luke and I are still deciphering. He’s been saying "mama" and "dada" for a while now, and he's also fond of "bop." If you think this is adorable, you would be right.
 
… enjoys playing with mega blocks, his Laugh and Learn puppy, Kara's tea set, and the figurines from her fire truck. He's also a big fan of trying to choke himself with the utensils from the play kitchen he and Kara received from Auntie Samantha and Uncle Dan at Christmas.

... loves to splash around in the tub.
 
… is more enthusiastic about reading, especially the books Bear Snores On, Little Bear's Bedtime, Barnyard Dance!, Big Dog, Little Dog, The Fire Engine Book, Can You Cuddle Like a Koala?, Good Night, Little Bear, The Foot Book, and the Animal Babies series.

... freaks out over snowmen and loved pointing to the gel window clings we had fastened to the sliding glass door.

... is now rocking the convertible car seat. I can't believe the Chicco lasted as long as it did - almost a year! We didn't make the switch until New Year's before our drive up north, and it was only due to his length; weight-wise, he was still well within the acceptable range. Nathan prefers this new arrangement much better, the extra space and increased visibility during travel, but his feet are cramped against the back seat, so we're counting the days until we can finally turn him around.
 
… gets a skin rash from raspberries.
 
… will eat just about any kind of table food you put in front of him. He loves sampling from our plates and goes wild until we share.
 
… is mesmerized by snow.
 
… likes to pounce on Kara and pull on her hair during diaper changes.

... continues to fight his own diaper changes, especially on the changing table. You'd think we were pulling his toe nails off one by one without anesthesia, he gets so upset.
 
… can crawl up the staircase fairly well (but never without supervision).

... still has a blank baby book. Seeing as his eleven-month update posted a week before his first birthday and his birth story still only exists in my head, I'm guessing you're not surprised.

... celebrated his big day with cake and presents three weeks early.

... is finally getting easier to manage when it comes to bedtime. He allows us to put him in the crib awake most of the time, and though he does fuss for a couple of minutes, he will go to sleep. He still goes down faster for Luke, though, and I continue to struggle with naptime, but it means so much to me to share the last few minutes of his day without choking back expletives while he thrashes against my chest. Now he wraps his arms around my neck and buries his face into me, and I tell you what, there is nothing better.

 

Contemplating life's mysteries as revealed in That's Not My Snowman!

 

A struggle-free diaper change? For serious? Momma, you crazy.

 

Mega (blocks) Man.

 

They're cousins, identical cousins (almost - in height, at least).

 

You want a piece of me and my turtle, on which I love to sit but have no semblance of control?

 

Evidence. 

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And finally, footage of my wittle baybee walking (sob). So amazing, such a miracle, he is. How can he go and turn ONE on me? Be still, my heart.

Comments

[debi]

He is one very cute boy. He has changed so much in a year. I love that you keep us posted on his growth.

[eva]

What a gorgeous boy he's becoming! He looks like such a total toddler now. It's absolutely amazing. I am really impressed with how much he's "talking" .... sounds like way way more than Megan had at 11 months, which was approximately no words at all:)

[AJU5's Mom]

I can't believe he is almost 1! He seems to be a smart, strong little guy!

[Julie]

What a handsome guy- seriously, your kids are beautiful! And walking and talking, and eating... I love reading your updates, keep them coming!

[Su]

WOW!!! 1 year already
He looks so cute

[Diane]

WOW-he has changed so much already! PS I did not get the family picture from your 10 year update! BTY HAPPY 30th!

Love AD

[Must Be Motherhood]

Horrah for walking. And those little hands around your neck are the closest things to angel hugs I can imagine. I never want them to end!

[Jen L.]

He is mighty handsome! I can't believe he's almost 1. How dare he do that to you. Does he not know that Kara just hit 2? Gah.

[DaddyD]

What a happy guy he is in life and in his pictures!