T minus 1 month

Saturday, 2/4/12 marked 11 months for you, sweet Kirby.  That means we are one month away from your big birthday.  The next month's post will be full of birthday party pictures as we are headed south for your birthday weekend for a big birthday family full of family!  We can't wait.  Here are the amazing things you are doing now at 11 months:

My two favorite boys.

Wild Thang!

Hey, Dad!!!!  Look at me!

* Man, can you crawl...and FAST!  Now you can walk with the assistance of Momma or Dada, and you can really take off on his push toys.  You have just begun to cruise along furniture.  Sometimes when standing, you'll try to let go and plop down on that little tooshy.  You're not far from walking, buddy!
* You HEART the stairs, and I'm here to tell you that the gates don't scare you at all.  You'll try to do a chin up on them or just plum pull them down.  I call you WildThang.  When I take you upstairs, I better not be in a hurry because you beg for me to let you down so you can scale the stairs yourself.
* You love Quillen, but he has become a little more hesitant around you...unless you have food, of course!!!
* Food has recently become a little bit of a battle during this eleventh month, until at the sound advice from dear friends and other Mommas, when I decided to let go of my need to control your intake and let you do what you need to do.  You'll suck down a pouch of veggies/fruit, occasionally, you'll let me shovel some food in your mouth, and most of the time, you're shoveling it in yourself.  I'm trying to make our meals a little more Kirby-friendly or make a Kirby-variation along with our dinner so you can eat all the table food you want.
* You are a bit of a bully at our Mom's group.  You see someone else with a toy, and you go right for them and right for it.  We'll have to work on that, buddy!  No one likes a thief!
* You are really beginning to jabber.  I love the sound of your sweet voice.
* You get so excited when your Dad gets home.  In fact, you've learned now that when you hear the puppy bark after the garage door opens that someone really special is about to walk through that back door.  You grin so big, squeal and laugh a lot.  Melts my heart!
* You are not very fond of the word NO.  You get pretty upset over that one!  We'll have to work on that, too!
* You have done such a good job adapting to Momma's new work schedule.  You are a champ at the child watch, in fact I think you do better than I have so far!  After two visits, you had one of the girls there wrapped around your fingers, and she cheers when I bring you in now because she can't wait to play with you.  You fall asleep on our way home and go back down for the night like a pro after we get home.
* Where do you get all your energy??!?!!!?!?!?  Can you give me just a little?
* You still give the most amazing HUGS.  Dada and I love them, and we love you, little bug.  Happy 11 months!

As I write this post, I am watching you ride your push toy like a scooter.  I think I better sign off as I might have to pick up the pieces in the wake of YOU, my little Wild Thang.  I love you tons and TONS!