11 (and a half) months

Ack. We are running quite late this month. Maybe it was sickness; maybe it was busy; maybe it was a combination of both!? We had a bit of a stomach bug that was passed around the family and then AK was hit with hand, foot, and mouth. Ick. That one was tough. I hated that with the exception of cuddles when she would let us, there was little to nothing we could do to help her feel better on that one.

So now on to 11 months!

Many things remain similar, and many things are continuing to constantly change as you grow and develop into such a sweet, SPUNKY, and amazing little girl. You are definitely finding out what you like/prefer and you are also finding ways to let us know! You have a dose of ham from your daddy and a LOT of stubborn from your mommy :).

One of your favorite things to do is walk around the house while holding on to my fingers. If I try to let go of one finger, you sit down and get sooooo mad at me. You'll plop down and throw your arms up and down a few times to let me know you're frustrated with me. The funny thing is, you can walk just fine while only holding on to one finger; you just prefer not to :). You've even taken a few unassisted steps (the first of which was on October 25). But for now, I think you're pretty content having a walking buddy!

Speaking of frustration, you're starting to throw a few little tantrums. It's so hard to watch you get frustrated when you don't get your way,  but I also know it's the best thing for you (and us) in the long run for you to start learning that gratification doesn't always come instantly and in some cases, at all. We're definitely starting to turn the page from baby into toddlerhood, and with that comes new lessons learned for both of us. Wow. Just writing that made me tear up a little!

Your dad and I can often be heard saying "you're just so much fun!" to you as you laugh and find new ways to entertain yourself (and us!). Watching you discover new things and the joy that subsequently lights up your face is such an amazing blessing for us.

You are making so many new sounds and mimicking us quite often. If you cough once, you'll keep making the sound over and over again so that it sounds (to the outside ear) like you're having a bit of a coughing fit. But your dad and I know that you just like the sound and you get this little grin on your face when you're doing it :). We've heard a few "words" and your repeating skills are definitely expanding more and more each day!

You amaze us, little girl, and we are so blessed to have the opportunity to raise you!