Sam Update: 11 Months

Since it is officially July (aka the month Sam turns ONE), this is almost absurdly late; but I've come so far in my quest to have a photo and update for every month of Sam's first year, I can't give up now... Although, the photos are getting harder and harder to take.  This boy is a wiggler!!

I have told a few people recently, that I feel like this was the month that things really clicked for me as a mom and that Sam and I really bonded.  That might sound terrible, but it is the truth.  The transition into motherhood (as truly wonderful as it has been) has not been as easy as I expected; but this month, I really started trusting myself as a mom and "getting" my boy.  I don't just love him - I really LIKE being with him.  Although being a mom to an eleven month old is still hard work, it's more fun now too.  Plus, I feel like Sam is at a stage where he can really respond to me and exert his own little personality - which has been such a blessing!!  I am in a good place as a mom and, probably as a result, I feel like my boy is thriving.  It's been a good month.

You can totally see some of that personality above.  He's a little ham!!

The older Sam gets, the more I find that my "categories" for updates (i.e. size, development, milestones, etc.) don't really work.  Part of coming to the place where I am right now has been accepting that Sam will grow and develop at his own speed and really trying not to play the compare game.  I can look at my sweet boy and know that he is healthy and happy and things like walking and talking will come.  He's pretty stubborn (like his mama), so I know he will do things when he is good and ready. :)

That said, here's where we stand these days:

- Not a ton heavier than before... Probably around 23 - 25 pounds and wearing 12 - 18 month clothes pretty consistently.

- Still crawling like a champ and, just in the last couple of days, beginning to the do the "bear crawl," where he is on his feet and hands. 

- Pulls up on EVERYTHING, and has just discovered that he can stand on things (like furniture, his toys, Addy) for added excitement.

- Not a lot of interest in walking anymore.  I honestly think he is too efficient at crawling.  I think he could stand by himself, but he mostly just collapses to his hands and knees as soon as he realizes no one is holding him up. I'm trying to enjoy this stage while it lasted as I've been warned that it only gets harder to keep up with him.

- All four front teeth came in this month, giving Sam a grand total of six teeth with more on the way.  I adore his little teethy grin -- looks so grown up!

- LOVES eating.  Seriously, he is a champion double-fister when it comes to meal time.  He has tried just about everything we eat - including peanutbutter (looks like we are in the clear for nut allergies) and whole milk - and the only things he isn't sure about are mushrooms (like his dad) and eggs (like his mom). 

- Mealtime, albeit messy, is really easy.  His pincer reflex is professional (ha) and he is obsessed with feeding himself.  Our latest accomplishment?  Biting.  He is learning to hold an entire cracker or a strawberry and take little bites of it.  He loves it.  We love it because it allows us to eat at the same time as him, which is nice.  Of course, he is practicing his new skill on my fingers/arms/legs sometimes too... Which is less than ideal. ;)

- Down to two bottles of formula a day (one before his afternoon nap and one right before bed).  The rest of the time, he eats solid food and drinks water or milk from a cup.  We use sippy cups about half the time (don't tell our pediatrician!) and regular cups the other times.  Honestly, he does better with the regular cup, but the sippy cup is a lot less messy and easier on us.  #lazymom

- No official "first word" yet, but he continues to babble up a storm.  He also LOVES screaming - in a happy, fun way.  I'm sure this is a bad habit to reinforce, but I kind-of love it.  His squeals crack me up every time!

- Knows/ responds to lots of words like: mama, daddy, addy, light (a favorite), bite, hi, bye, car, and no (when he wants to).

- Expert waver and high-fiver :)  Refuses to clap or use any form of sign language.

- Literally obsessed with Addy.  (And, since beginning solid food, the feeling is mutual.  Addy could not be any better with him if she tried.  She's the best!!)

- Sleep is MUCH better.  On average, he sleeps about eleven hours a night (from 9PM - 8AM) which is BEAUTIFUL!  Every couple of days he will wake up around 3 or 4 and need a bottle to go back to sleep; but I really think that's because we are still figuring out calories etc. with solid food.  He is taking either one extra long nap (3 hours) or two shorter naps every day and, for the most part, goes down very easily.

- People comment ALL the time about what a happy baby he is.  He smiles and laughs ALL the time and is a HUGE flirt with the ladies (watch out!).  I amm always so proud to take him out because he really is so well behaved and happy.  He has really grown into an awesome personality - full of joy and spunk!

Here are a few photos from my phone that sum up some of the fun we've had over the last month:



Swinging, waving, cleaning (this was totally his own doing - I promise), bike riding with Bear, driving his Cozy Coup, and tormenting playing with his BFF



*It is also worth noting that we said goodbye to Sam's wonderful babysitter Miss Rita this month.  With my new job situation, it just didn't make sense to continue there next year, but we were SO sad to go.  I plan to write a whole post about our babysitting situation and Rita, but it should be said that we are forever grateful for the way she loved and cared for our boy the last eight(ish) months.  I really do credit her for much of his happy little personality and contentment.  (If you live in the area and happen to need a sitter - she has an opening.  Seriously, email me!)

OK, as usual, this turned out to be MUCH longer than I anticipated.  Kudos if you made it all the way through!