Dear Son

Dear Son,

Today you make 11 months old.  It feels like yesterday that you were born and yet, you have accomplished and changed so much in such a short time frame.  I think your sweet personality is still shining through. 

 "They found me in a King Cake" - if you're from New Orleans, you understand the shirt!

Loves to point now!

This doesn’t mean you don’t have a temper, because you can pitch a fit…. When the food doesn’t come quick enough from the container to your lips… when the toys at gym rompers are taken away for the next song…  You don’t mind sharing toys though. 

Mommy used to be so worried that you wouldn’t crawl and now you are all over the place and FAST!  You easily pull yourself up and down, using whatever you can as leverage.

During Gym Rompers, you surprised Mommy a few times.  First, there’s this wavy hard section the kids will climb on.  You actually got into the middle of the blue section and from the pictures, you can see how you progressed from one foot in and one knee down to both feet in and standing.  You were very proud of yourself!

Sticks out tongue when concentrating!

Mommy was very surprised!

That same class, you decided to crawl through the long tube to Mommy.  All the other times, you would stay at one end and Mommy was at the other end.  We would smile and giggle back and forth, but you never crawled through the tube.  This time you did!  Mommy thought for sure you would get stuck in the middle and cry for help.  But no, you just kept trucking along, with determination and made it all the way through!

In the picture below, you are playing with Jacob.  Felix is at the other end of the tube.

In another class, you were sitting on the outskirts of the crowd of kids, as the bubbles were being blown.  It looked like you were content to watch the bubbles, but then you took off, right into the middle of the crowd and started reaching out for the bubbles!  You wanted to play and catch the bubbles too and you weren’t afraid that you were the only one crawling.  In fact, at one point, you grabbed Jacob’s clothing and tried to use HIM as leverage to pull yourself up.  Mommy quickly came to the rescue before you both toppled over.

You are a determined, sweet, strong boy.  You get bored quickly and Mommy has to watch you to make sure you don’t find new things you shouldn’t be getting in to.  You will bypass your toys to get to wires by the television.   (Below picture you are playing with the Lego toys at Oma and Opa's house.  They just opened the box and you went after the Legos!)

When you crawl outside of the family room and into the dining room, you turn and look at Mommy as if to say, “Are you going to follow me?  Is this ok?”  You turn, sit and wait.  Then if Mommy doesn’t move towards you, you keep going… quickly!

The other night, you bypassed the toys and went towards the tv, pulling yourself up.  Mommy didn’t like that you were so close to the television while it was on, so she called out, “Gregory, come see Mommy.”  You turned and crawled towards Mommy… bypassed the toys… coming closer to Mommy.  Daddy was sitting on the other sofa and he said, “Wow, look at that!  He’s coming to you!”  Then, you little stinker… you bypassed Mommy and went to Daddy!  You are a Daddy’s boy.  Too cute!

On another night, you were holding on to one end of the sofa.  Daddy was sitting on the other end of the sofa.  I watched and said, “Did you notice that Gregory is now walking along the side of the sofa?”  Before you would stay stationary while standing and holding on to the sofa.  Now, you move your hands and legs and walk along.  I know it won’t be long before you are walking!

Primarily, you are still eating baby food, but we are introducing you to real food.  You will take anything given to you… but you are storing the food at the top of your mouth or in the cheeks, like a chipmunk.  We have to fish out the food.   You aren’t swallowing it for some reason.  It might be a texture thing.

One thing is certain, you reach out for Mommy and Daddy’s food.  You want what we are eating.

Night times are a little difficult.  You have a bath and bottle and go to bed at 8:30pm.  

But then you are waking up at 1:30am or 2:30am.  Mommy takes you into bed, because otherwise, you cry loudly.  Mommy tried the cry it out (CIO) method, but it breaks her heart and it makes you cry so hard that you get dry heaves.  It’s not worth it and then we are both up for a long time, just trying to get you to calm down.  So, for now, you wake up and Mommy brings you into the bedroom.  You sleep (and toss and turn) until about 5:30am and then you are ready for a bottle and the new day.  You used to sleep through until 5:30am.  Is it the new teeth at the bottom coming out?  (You have four teeth at the top and two at the bottom right now.)  Are you having nightmares?  Is this a growing spurt?  Mommy wishes she could know to help you, but she doesn’t have the answers.  She just knows you relax and go to sleep when you are comforted.  So, she does that.

Mommy is so proud of you, sweet boy.  You are doing a wonderful job.  It’s a blessing to watch as you learn and grow.

Love Always,

Mommy