Eleven Months

Baby Jude! I'm barely getting this up here before you turn a whole year, but you are still in fact 11 months! You are a full on mover, shaker, dancer, clapper, belly laugher who loves to rough house with your brothers and daddy. Ryder rolls around on the floor with you and you think it's just the most fun ever. You love when we're holding you and we dip you backwards so you're upside down. After we do it, we usually have to watch out because you'll throw yourself back trying to do it again.

You pull up and scoot along everything. You've even stood a couple times without holding onto something when you take a break to clap. You wave at everything and love to dance. You're in one of my most favorite baby stages- the involuntary baby bounce dancing stage. You just start bouncing and twisting anytime you hear music- the car, the grocery store, outside, anywhere.

You get your feelings hurt if your daddy takes your brothers outside to play without you because you want to be included. You also get your feelings hurt if we walk out of the room or if your brothers stop playing with you. You do this sad silent pouty face that turns into a full on scream.

You love to sleep and love going down for naps and bed at night. You're practically already trying to roll over on your belly before we can even place you down in your bed. You do not love Wed and Thurs as those are the days that Finn goes to school until 1:30, so you don't see your bed until after 2.

You love to eat, but are starting to show your preferences very strongly. I am fighting this pickiness as much as possible, because I already have a 3 yr old that will only eat pancakes and peanut butter and jelly- even if it means letting you cry because I put the broccoli on your tray first.

We've made it a whole month without another ear infection, but we've also made it a whole month without you catching a cold.

You recently scared us when you woke up from your nap covered in hives. We were in Clemson visiting Oma and Opa's new house and you ended up covered in hives within a matter of an hour and a half. We took a trip to urgent care and still don't know why. We may never know, but we are going to schedule allergy testing at your one year appointment.

Because of this, I know you're up to 20lbs. You're in size 12-18 mo clothing, but most of it has already been through your brothers and is probably not true to size.

You have 6 teeth and just the longest wispiest hair with a couple curls in the back. If you were a girl, you would absolutely need a bow at all times so I should probably get it cut soon.

We just love you to pieces, our little squish! We can hardly believe we get to celebrate your first birthday next week!

Ten Months

Ten Months! I'm just thankful that I'm able to get this posted before you turn 11 months with how quickly this summer is going. Our sweet baby Dude, you are So. Much. Fun. Seriously! We say it all the time, but we just call you a bundle of fun. You love rolling and wrestling with your brothers. Ryder practically lies on top of you, throws your legs around, squishes your cheeks together and before I can stop him- you are just cackling with belly laughs.

You know how to sit up on your own and it's just the cutest, because you sort of back into it from being on your belly. You just figured out how to pull up on furniture and stand up and are so proud when you do. You're still doing what we call the "wounded turtle" crawl on your belly, but have just figured out how to rock backwards and forwards on your hands and knees.

We just lowered your crib, because you know to pull yourself over and your head would just take you over the edge. 

You love to eat! You are now the best eater of the three boys in that you will eat anything and you typically eat it all. I haven't really found anything you don't like and I hope it stays that way.

You've started dancing and it's the funniest thing. You sort of bounce up and down while sitting and will then roll your head around. I think it makes you dizzy, because then you look up and laugh.

You wave, but it looks more like you're cooling yourself off/waving to yourself and it's the cutest little thing, because the bigger the reaction you get, the more excitedly you do it. 

Your ears haven't been giving you much of a break this summer. You've have 3 separate ear infections in about 10 weeks. You need to have 4 in 6 months before you can get officially referred for tubes, but we know it's only a matter of time. We've got a great ENT and I'm just waiting to give him a call to hopefully give you (and us) some relief. Ryder got them at 15 mos, but I have a feeling you'll be sooner.

You're right at 19lbs and wearing size 12-18 month clothing. I still think that may be because your clothes used to be your brothers' and have been through many washes. I still think you're pretty average size wise, because you're in the 50% for each.

You have 4 teeth now and I'm pretty sure you're working on two more.

We just love you to pieces and you are the perfect little guy we never knew we needed!

 If you've had a morning nap, I'll wait until after I put your brothers in their rooms for rest time before I put you down for an afternoon nap and here is where I usually find you.

 So much love. And so many diapers.

 Last year, for CFA Cow Day I felt like a cow. This year, you got to sit next to me and try your very first nuggets.

 "Just sprinkle some food in front of him on the ground and he'll sit there".

 Ryder's thing he says all the time now that I just love is "Gimme dat baby!!!"

Seaside

We just got back from a fun week down in Seaside with my side of the family. It was hot and sticky and we're still finding sand at home but everyone had a blast. Days were spent at the beach and evenings were spent with (hot) strolls to the square.

When you're the baby brother

 Sunglasses stayed on a total of 30 seconds

 Very grateful this one still beach-napped in the mornings

 "Hey boys, stand normal for a picture"