11 Months!

I can't believe that I have an 11 month old.  Next month, my baby will be 1!  Everything about my pregnancy with Isabella Rae flew by, and her first year of life has been exactly the same.  There are so many moments in the day that I want to bottle up to be able to pour out  and experience again later. So many mental images I want forever ingrained in my mind.  And yet time just flies by.  I am doing my best to savor every moment with this sweet baby, b/c I know that she will not be a baby for much longer!

Happy 11 Months Isabella Rae!

Gah, she looks like a little lady, not baby here!!!

Yes, this is blurry b/c she kept squealing so hard and rocking the chair...just had to include how precious her little squeals are!

11 Month Highlights:

-We celebrated Daddy's birthday with the family, and had Fried Ice Cream with homemade strawberry and hot fudge sauce (per his request). Well, you didn't have any of this, but the adults did.  And unfortunately, per our usual lately, there were no pictures from this get together.

-We took several drives to enjoy the gorgeous weather and look around our area.  You generally either enjoyed the ride and the wind, or took a little nap.  We found some great places that we will really enjoy this summer (Lake Lanier, Buford Dam, and some really cute parks). 

-We spent a good amount of time enjoying the gorgeous Southern spring weather (that really felt like summer) swinging in the swing and taking walks around the neighborhood. Good investment that little $25 swing has been...you love it!

-We celebrated Mother's Day by strawberry picking which was a lot of fun!  It was hot and sunny but you loved being outside in the Ergo just chillin' and dancing with your Daddy! 

-You are still not crawling, but you are getting closer and closer.  You push yourself up on all 4s, and then just rock back and forth.  You definitely move though- to get around you put yourself on your belly and push yourself backwards...it's pretty funny to watch! 

-You have been laughing a lot more this month...like, for real, super giggles!! We can't get enough!!

Does that laugh get any sweeter!?!?!?

Sleeping:  This girl has really gotten her act together when it comes to sleeping!  While I wouldn't hesitate for a second to say she was a terrible (terrible!) sleeper til she was about 7 months, she really has changed her tune and starting really liking her sleep!  She goes to bed sometime between 5:15 and 6:15 every night, and will sleep usually until sometime between 6:30 or 7am (occasionally she sleeps in til 7:30!).  She wakes up to eat, and then goes back down until 8:30 or 9, although lately she has been either relaxing or playing in bed a majority of that time as opposed to sleeping like she used to. She tends to cat nap off and on during this time now : )  She takes a 1.5 hour nap in the morning around 10:30 or 11, and then another 1 hour nap in the afternoon (usually around 1 or 2).  So yes, that's a whopping 16 or so hours of sleep a day.  I seriously think she is making up for all those months where she was sleeping about 50% of what she should have been!   

Breastfeeding:  Some friends have said their kids self weaned by this age.  Isabella is definitely NOT one of them! She loves her mama's milkies! She is still breastfeeding 4-5 times a day. She usually eats around 7am, 10 am, 12:30, 3pm and 5:30pm for 5 feeds, or 7:30am, 10am, 1pm and 5pm for her 4 feeds. Before bed, she gets a bottle which she takes anywhere about 3-4 oz.  Or some days she likes to eat at 6 am, but the second feed generally stays the same.  

      I made the decision at the beginning of this month to stop pumping at 9pm which has been amazing!  So we have just been using milk from our freezer stash and will have to use formula for this one feed if she still needs it in several weeks. I didn't think I would be ok with this, but with everything going on right now, not pumping was the best decision for me. And considering the amount of breastmilk she gets throughout the entire day, I am totally fine with it!

Isabella Loves:
-Eating "adult" food, AKA anything on Mommy or Daddy's plate!

-Moo cow during sleep and in the car

-Going places and seeing new things

-Being outside
-Wood cube activity center and Musical play table (she likes practicing pulling up on these)

-Sophie the giraffe and her Hippo lovie

-Musical toys

-Soft blocks

-Bathtime in her pink tub with squirty toys and bath books

Isabella Hates:

-Shoes and socks, things on her feet
-People eating in front of her and not sharing the food!

11 Month Stats:

Height: 28 in (25th percentile)

Weight: 17 lb 11 oz (5th percentile)

*Wearing size 3 pampers, and we have officially run out of friend/family given diapers so just purchased Costco brand...so far, so good!

*Wearing some 3-6 mo dresses and short sleeved onesies, but also wearing 6 mo, 9 mo and even 12 mo outfits.  9 mo pants seem to fit the best, although still a but loose around the waist.  

Isabella's Firsts this Month:
-First time pushing up to all 4's, but still not crawling
-She now has 2 bottom teeth, so not a first, but a fun second : )

First Foods:  She has been SO interested in eating whatever is on my plate, so I try to give her what is soft and she can gum and swallow!  Green and black olives (and she loved it...I was shocked!) Brisket, macaroni and cheese, pineapple, cottage cheese, black beans, chipotle chicken burrito bowl, mushrooms off of a gourmet pizza, a variety of gourmet cheeses.

This Month in Pictures:

Girlie loves being outside and looking at the flowers

Gotta watch her closely or she'll drink all the bathwater out of her squirty toys!

And this is what 2 minutes after church looks like...she is out for the count!!

Beets are still one of her (if not the one!) favorite foods!!

Fun in the playroom

Anytime this girl gets fussy in the evening, taking her outside gets instant smiles!

"Mmm brisket is delicious!"