The most horrible of monthdays

Dear Collycakes,

Today you are 11 months old. Shh...maybe if I whisper it, it won't actually be true.
This is the best monthday picture I could get.
You just wanted to get out of that chair and move around! (Anyone have I-11? BINGO!)And the best picture without your pacifier. Tape is yummy.This month, you learned:

• How to stand by yourself for a few seconds.
• How to take just a few unassisted steps. You usually only go about 2 feet. Now that you're 11 months, I am okay with you walking. I didn't want you walking before today because I wanted you crawling as long as possible. It's better for your back and it's better for your eyes. But now I give you free reign to walk when you're ready. But really, no rush. And I'm still not going to encourage it.
• How to clap. But not really because you're having fun. You're still learning the context.
• How to sign "milk." You don't really sign "more" anymore though.
• How to throw your body backwards and hit your head so hard into the back of your high chair that the dining room chair legs lift off the ground. You think it's hilarious. I think it's dangerous, so you can stop now.
• How to turn the light switches on and off.
• How to open and shut doors. You can sit for a loooong time and swing them open and shut, open and shut.
• How to flush the toilet, and how to unroll the toilet paper.
• How to share. We were outside yesterday and today exploring the front yard in the nice weather. You picked up rocks, tried a few times to eat them, and then you put them in my hand. I was holding a big pile of about 8 rocks before you were done playing and crawled away.
• How to slide off the couch belly-first and land on your feet with a big, two-toothed grin.
  
• How to crawl really fast. When you're done taking a bath, you like to zoom around your room without a diaper on and air dry. Without any clothes on, you are one speedy little dude!
  

• How to throw a temper tantrum. Especially when you're getting your diaper changed.

• How to get on and off your riding trucks without any help.
  How to impress the ladies:

How not to impress the ladies:The foods you love to eat are:

• Hot dishes--Really, anything with hamburger, including sloppy joes. And I really do mean SLOPPY joes.

• Macaroni and cheese. You scarf it down like it's going to disappear.
• Fruit (mangoes, bananas, peaches, pears, cherries, kiwi, grapes...)
• Bread

And the foods you hate right now are:

• Veggies. Any kind. I will have to start hiding them in other food. Muhahaha!

Things you love:

• You're back to loving your pacifier. With the sudden change, we're hoping it means you've got teeth moving up there. I stuck my finger in your mouth yesterday to feel, and you bit me so hard with your bottom teeth! From now on, I'll do checks visually.

• You still love the vacuum cleaner. And now, added to the obsession list is your stroller. When we take you out of the car, the first thing you see is your stroller. You make a short, inhaled "Ah!" sound, and get your "gimme" hands going every time you see it. I'm glad you like to go for walks. I hope we'll do a lot of that this summer!
• You also liked helping daddy get the winter muck out of the garage because you got to push a shovel around. You also tried out the snow blower and lawn mower. Daddy is very excited for the day when you can take over those jobs!
  

You saw your first parade yesterday! You wrapped your legs around me oh so tight when the marching band and firetrucks passed us, trumpets blaring, drums drumming , sirens blaring. Tears were coming from your eyes, but you weren't making noise. Maybe your eyes were just watery? But every time you saw something 4-legged; a puppy, a horse, a donkey, an otter (yes, you read that right), you got your gimme hands and your "ah!" noise and your jibber jabber working. Otherwise, you pretty much unimpressed with the St. Patty's Day festivities. That's okay, I'm not sure there's any Irish in you anyway.
You do this thing that I love. When I'm sitting on the floor, you crawl into my lap just to get a hug. Sometimes I even get a sloppy kiss.

As we approach your 1st birthday, we're going to be very busy! Maybe it will help Mommy keep her mind off how big you are getting. You can be such a stinker, and you know it. But you are also a little sweetie pie. And there's no doubt that you are "All Boy."

Love,
Mommy