eleven months. my baby is becoming a toddler.

This makes me both happy and sad at the same time. I'm sure every mother feels this way, but why do our babies have to grow up so fast?

I'm happy because over this past month S has done some serious growing in the learning department. She now says "baby", "ball", and "uh-oh" and she's figured out how to put rings on a stack and press the hands and feet of her Laugh and Learn Puppy to make it talk. I'm sad because my little baby is almost one. She'd rather be crawling around or playing instead of snuggling up in my lap and I have a feeling our wonderful nursing time together will soon be only at night. (She's loving her finger foods too much!) One year old, in the blink of an eye.

But I guess I'm more happy than sad. She still has that baby smell and when she's tired, she still wants to cuddle. And she's growing into the most amazing little girl.

A few of the crazy antics you've been up to over the past month...

>> Becoming a professional toy-thrower. Toys fly off the walker, out of your stroller, out of your crib, and up and over the play yard wall.

>> Figuring out that a toy thrown on the ground warrants a response of "uh-oh". I'm sure you do this a million times a day just so you can say it. And so mommy gets a workout picking up your toys.

>> Actually "reading" your books instead of eating them (you do still eat them occasionally).

>> Your new best feature is your little pointing finger. It points at everything. You're very interested in the world and how it works! I'm one proud mama.

>> Making your play yard look like a tornado hit it. In less than ten minutes.

>> Loving food! (I'm happy about this because it took you three months to stop gagging whenever I tried to feed you. Like we were forcing you to eat cardboard or something.) Now you eat almost any puree combos, bits of fruit, puffs, and you just started a love affair with Cheerios.

>> Learning how to stand up all by yourself! Next up...walking. Daddy wants you to walk, but Mommy thinks you can hold off on that milestone for a few more months. Crawling gets you into enough trouble :)

>> I've been slacking on the baby sign language with you, but somehow you picked up the sign for "more". As in "give me more of those delish Cheerios to stuff my face with". So smart. I think we've been mistaking it for clapping for a while now!

>> Being the most adorable, happy little lady. Even if you are losing those Michelin Man legs.