It's a Toddler!

[Today I had 2 mini breaks from my baby responsibilities due to work related issues and the fact that husband is developing his own little night routine with Max for when I am no longer available. Husband did great, Max was status quo, and well the only one who really was affected was ME - signs of my mat leave ending! Change! Insert anxiety right about NOW!]

Max has been so fun to watch lately! Ever since he learned to walk, he's evolving ever so rapidly. Daily, he's been 90% walking around the apartment. When i lower him to the ground, it's no longer bum down but feet down! he paces all around the house (like the energizer bunny) deciding on his own where to go, where to turn, where to run from. He goes to toys that he wants and plays, he goes to our cat and lowers his body to pet him or attempt to kiss him, and when one of us is in another room we don't hear crawling, but instead see a little person walk into the room and greet us with his smiles and babbles. I love this little man!

July 2012, Still a baby! 

January 2013, look at this toddler!

As Max's first birthday draws near, i have to say im feeling more confident in the parenting department - like "Hey what are we naming our second child?" type of confident! We survived first time parenthood, our marriage survived, Max is thriving, this has been the best year of my life and according  many other mom's out there, it just gets better from here! Excited! 

This time last year we were prepping for a newborn. Then he became an infant. In a week or so he'll be an official toddler. This time next year, a little boy! 

walking!!

i think he's even choosing to walk rather than crawl now. Extra adventurous after dinner!

My Love is 11 months old!

What's my 11 month old up to these days?

• curious about a lot of things, lots of hand gestures and sometimes pointing towards an object and says "ayyyyy" or "ohhhhh"
• loves the toilet paper roll
• he really enjoys going on his belly and looking for stuff under big furniture (ie. the couch) so i just drop stuff under there and he gets them ...and then he drops it again to see where it goes, watches it come back, and then retrieves it again 
• he's finally noticing (not just looking) things above him and things that surround him like photos, decals, lights
• he's got mild patches of eczema throughout (thanks Winter!), he's been getting daily applications of Aquaphor and so far under control
• footless sleepers! size 12-18months for tops and 6-12 months for bottoms, size 3 Pampers cruisers
• he can turn his walker on his own and even do a full 360
• sleeping from 8pm and waking up sometime between 6-745am (towards the latter part of his 10th month he's been sleeping 8pm-730am with no feeds or wakeups overnight)
• 2 naps a day, first nap 2-2.5hours after waking up and he can go about 4 hours awake until the next nap. Average length 1.25hours
• still naps in my arms, i LOVE our special time together, so though not the best thing for someone who has to go back to work, im not in a panic to change this yet
• he used to enjoy me throwing (in the lightest sense of the word) him up in the air and catching him, now he gets frightened

                        

 

• 3 breastfeeds a day, 3 solids a day and sometimes he gets a snack (i think his favorite food are bananas, he can eat the whole thing in one sitting just cut in half)
• he's a good eater but needs to be on my lap and me pretending to eat it if it's a new food item
• he does not like goats milk ...tried it just after 10.5months and he's not into it at all
• loves watching birds fly
• cries when men he doesnt know interact with him, but not so with women 9/10 times
• developed a separation anxiety with husband, but only when we're grocery shopping and he's on the cart. even if im in front of him, he's still wants Gene
• can crawl while holding onto something or pushing his cars
• sometimes walking or cruising with one hand! a few times ive caught him standing on his own without support and then he drops to the ground
• super clingy with me just after waking up, he needs to be carried/held for quite a bit
• if im not making eye contact with him, he pulls on my pant leg and holds on to my leg jumping and escalating until he's picked up
• lots of high pitched squeals and shrieks when happy, excited, and having fun
• shares everything but doesnt always let go of it (he'll offer someone his food, but just let their mouths touch it and then he eats it) 
• shy around new situations and doesnt really interact with other babies in groups. sometimes he's even scared of other babies and will cry
• able to do partial waves but not always on queue (think open your hand and drop finger each down to make a loose fist
• you know that pampers commercial where the baby is moving chairs and other furniture around? yep that's what Max is doing
• about 21.5lbs, 2 upper 2 lower teeth (i can see two more coming in the upper part, but they haven't cut through the gums yet)
• arms up when wants to be picked up or just held 
• i just need to lean in and i get kisses kisses kisses! (ok open mouthed wet kisses)

• he took his first steps on December 17th at approx 6pm! Since then, he's been able to walk 3-4 steps and stand up on his own for like 10 seconds or so. he wont do it on command (naturally) but instead suprises us by either ditching the walker and just going to walk or ditching a toy and coming to us a few steps away!

crappy quality video with even worse lighting!

Current schedule +/- 30 minutes

745am wakeup and feed

10 am nap

1115 am wakeup and breakfast

2pm lunch

245pm breastfeed and 2nd nap

430pm wakeup

530pm dinner

630pm snack

730pm bedtime routine and breastfeed

8pm in bed, lights out, hopefully asleep

Addendum: the boy is walking!

ok so i left him alone for a split second, he heads for the walker. i turn around and he's pushing the walker by himself and walking! even regulating speed at which to push based on floor surface. no face plants! i managed to capture this a few minutes later...

please slow down, you are growing up too fast!!