Happy 11!

By 11 Months this Mellow Child of ours:

- has started to let go and walk to us! Crawling is still his preferred choice of transportation but he's getting better and better at walking. He freaks himself out too much when he realizes he's been standing and walking on his own. 

- loves to push his own stroller around. Whether we're on a walk outside or in a store, he loves it! While we were shopping one day he pushed his stroller through the whole store. Whenever he pushed it up against a wall or display he would just scream at the wall (he doesn't know how to control it at all yet) until I turned it for him. He pushes it like it's his job, head down and after 10 minutes he's panting like he's out of breath. When I went to pick him up because it was time to check out he had a total melt down! I made Jake check out while I took him outside. So embarrassing! We had our first horrific moment taking our child to the store, all because he couldn't push his own stroller! Not my favorite parent moment and not looking forward to all those other moments I know are coming. Probably the first time in checkout we weren't told how cute our baby was. :) He doesn't freak out as much when we have him stop pushing his stroller, but he still doesn't surrender it quietly.

- has started dancing to music. He usually shakes his head back and forth like he's saying no, but he's just dancing. If he's standing by the coffee table he'll go up and down on his legs and shake his head. It's the cutest thing ever! He knows how to melt my heart.

- has become attached to cars! They are his favorite toys. Really any toy with wheels is pretty good in his book. I love walking into the living room and seeing him crawling around pushing a car in front of him. It is pretty darling.

- has really started to throw things. And pretty far! This kid has an arm. If only he could figure out how to control it!

- is getting pretty good at mimicking noises I make. If I do a high pitched noise he usually does one back, or if I growl at him he'll copy me. It's a fun game we play together. 

- has a bump of a tooth! OK so there is no tooth yet, but I can definitely feel a bump! I've actually been able to feel it for just over a week now and no progress has been made since, but at least I know there may be teeth in his head! I can tell it hurts him and it breaks my heart. He's also been very clingy. He's even sat and watched a cartoon with me just to be in my lap! (Mickey Mouse Club House, and we made it through 10 whole minutes!)

- Claps! Jake has taught him to clap. We get so proud of him and he sees it and loves it. 

This is the last month we have before our Man Cub turns 1! Before I was a little freaked out (How has it already been a year?), but now I'm just really excited! I'm proud of Jake and I for keeping him alive, happy and healthy for a full year! I'm excited to celebrate his birth. I'm excited to stop nursing and have my body be all mine, mine, Mine!!! (We'll see if that actually stops at 1, I'm at a loss as to how to ween) He's changed our little family for the better and I couldn't be more grateful to have him. I am a little nervous for what year 2 will bring, mostly due to the fact that he has been such a happy and easy baby. He's already started on a little attitude when things don't go his way. He's also a hitter already! We'll have to figure out a way to work on that. We've been spoiled with what we think is the most perfect baby. He sleeps through most nights (maybe once a week I'll get up to feed him in the middle of the night, but I do that in bed and he goes right to sleep within 5 min and back to his crib he goes) from about 8:30pm to sometime between 7:10-8:30am, he still takes 2 naps a day that range from 1 1/5 to 3 hours, we just put him him his crib and he goes to sleep on his own, he wakes up happy and just bounces in his crib until we get him, he eats everything we put in front of him (he usually takes food out of his mouth to examine it and then will put it back in, messy business), he's always eager to give me kisses (wide mouthed and drooly but I'll take it!). Its about time he got a little attitude. He's been too good to us so far. :)


Going for a little walk. He thinks he's so big!

Jake's Cousin Stephanie moved to Dallas this month. :( We just started hanging out when we found out that she was moving! boooooo. We miss her and John and Cute little Jaxon! We had a farewell dinner for her at Cafe Trio with some of her friends! Mmmmmmm. If you've never been, do yourself a favor and fill your bellies there sometime. (Rosemary flatbread will never be a bad choice ;) ) We can't wait to see them again at Jake's family's Bear Lake reunion. Until then, extremely ugly snapchats will have to do. Plus, we've never been to Dallas… so we're for sure going to be planning a trip down there sometime!

Thanks for not leaving us too Lisa! <3

The most fun I've ever seen Owen have was when I left all of our crapy junk mail on our coffee table. Things got a lot out of control.

I had to document Owen's hair at the moment. He has a wild curly mullet with completely straight hair on top. Also, very thin if any hair on the sides. It's pretty fantastic. Good thing he has the prettiest face of any baby in the universe! I just love running my fingers through his curls. He's so perfect!

 I've been going for jogs/walks in the mornings. It's so nice to get out in the morning, if it could just get a little warmer. If I don't do it before Owen's first nap, there's a good chance I wont go at all. I don't so much do it to lose weight (I've accepted that I can't lose weight), but it's just nice to get out.

I feel the need to document every time Owen cuddles with me. It's so rare and my favorite moments of my life.

On a slightly less "cute" note. We also make really ugly faces in the mornings to each other. It's our wake up ritual.

 Ever pushing his stroller. Thank goodness he didn't have his meltdown at Ikea.

We took Owen to Discovery Gateway children's museum this month. I wasn't sure how much he would like it, because he's still so young, but he loved it. He thought he was so big going from the farm area, to cars, to the playhouse, to the helicopter and so on. We'll have to go back when he's a little older. He'll really love it then.

Looking super cute while waiting for his cousin Eva for our morning walk.

We had my dad watch Owen so we could go on a much needed date, when we got back this is how we found them. Oh this melts my heart!

Going for more walks, outside of his stroller.

If he MUST be IN his stroller, this is his preferred position. Sitting is so overrated.

We take a lot of pictures in bed in the mornings. (anything that will keep him happy, that doesn't require me getting out of bed)

We're really looking forward to Owen's Birthday Party. I've been getting ready for it for a while! Not that it's going to be a huge thing, I've been making random things over the past month already just so I'm not rushed in the end. Thankfully all I have left at this point is just the food. Phew. Hopefully it all turns out as planned. We'll find out in about a month! Can't wait to celebrate my Panda's 1 year mark!!!