Here we are in November, and Camp's first birthday is less than a week away! Let's rewind just a few weeks and see what Camp was up to at 11 months old.
Personality:
Camp is starting to show how much he enjoys slapstick type comedy. If Jonathan or I pretend to hit ourselves in the head or run into a door, Camp will give us a pretty hard laugh. The downside of this is that he also laughs when we say "Ouch!" and mean it. He babbles a lot more now, and I just love when he talks to me. He is very cautious with people, but he is extremely adventurous with climbing, crawling, and getting into trouble. Everytime we leave him in the nursery at church, he wants to cling and cry, but he has gotten better about calming down and enjoying some playtime with his baby friends there. It seems like his separation anxiety has eased off a little as he's gaining independence and learning new skills. It's super easy to get him to smile or laugh, and we are just having a lot of fun together every day. He is still curious and wants to explore everything, including toilets and trash cans. He understands "No," and he will obey about 50% of the time. The hardest thing for us now is changing his diaper or his clothes. The boy does not want to stay still or lie down. Some of our tricks worked for a while, but then he was back to the very frustrating diaper change times. He will really fight you until he is fully changed and ready or you just give up and let him crawl away half dressed. Camp is clever and has started showing more knowledge of his world. He loves to mimic us, especially when trying to use the remote control or computer. He has tried to put my socks and my shoes on my feet. He can help put the wet clothes into the dryer (although he just as much likes to take them back out of the dryer and wave them around). When we clap or tell him he did a good job, he smiles so big and is extremely proud of himself. He's generally a very happy and content baby when we are on outings, and he continues to be a good rider in the car as long as he has some toys to play with or a book to enjoy.
Size:
When we did the home weigh-in, Camp was about 24 pounds. I have no idea how tall he is now because he can't stay that still long enough to measure. He wears 12 months pants, 12-18 months tops, and 12-18 months one piece clothing. We have moved up to size 4 diapers. He is still wearing the 5 and half size shoes for now!
Development:
Little Camper has perfected the hands and knees crawl, and he can get across the house super quick. He is still cruising everywhere, too. He has started standing up on his own and maintains good balance. He will squat up and down without holding on to anything. He will say, "Da," but his only word is still "Mama." Camp has an incredible grip, and when he wants to hold onto something, it is really tough to pry his hands off. He can crawl or cruise while holding a MagLite (and other objects) with one hand. When he hears music, he will either dance with his arms or his whole body. It is one of the cutest things I have ever seen in my life.
Sleep:
Things are about the same in this category. Camp is usually a really good sleeper. There have been a couple of nights when he slept 11 and a half hours! Thanks for letting your mama sleep in a little, son. He is taking two nice naps each day. He also really loves sleeping in the car. This is helpful when we have to have naps on the go or if we're headed on a little road trip. Yay for sleep :-)
Eating:
I am worried about the teenage years because the little guy already has quite an appetite. He nurses four times a day, and eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I eat my lunch while he has lunch, because otherwise I wouldn't have a moment to sit and eat. We always try to have our dinner together as a family. I think it's nice that we're on the same eating schedule, and it's a good way to model eating and table manners for our boy. Some of his favorite foods now are turkey meatballs, turkey or beef hotdogs, fruit flavored yogurt, green beans, and pumpkin muffins.
Fun and Games:
At 11 months (and for a while now), Camp adores his Little Tykes Workshop. He pulls up on it, cruises around it, pushes it all around the den, and pulls the drawers out almost everyday. He has started showing more interest in looking through (and not just eating) his board books. Camp spends a lot of time each day taking items out of containers and putting them into different containers. I got out a lot of my colorful, patterned socks for him to practice matching and sorting. He doesn't quite get that yet, but he does like shaking the socks and waving them around. Toys with wheels that he can push or move are really interesting right now. He particularly likes the Push and Go truck I found for him that propels forward when you push the driver's head down.
Dear Camp,
You will soon be one year old. How did I let you grow up so quick? You are funny, outgoing, energetic, and so loving. God has made you special, and I am extremely thankful for you. Every day brings something new to love about you. Thank you for teaching me how to be a good mommy and for being a wonderful son. Hugs and kisses xoxo.
Love,
Mommy
