Eleven 12ths of a Year

Today is a big day. A BIG DAY!

Today we are celebrating the last official "birthday" before Charlotte's actual birthday...she's officially 11 months old today! Much to my surprise, I'm quite nostalgic over the whole thing. It just seems so bizarre to me that she can be coming up on the one year mark so quickly. On one hand this year has felt like 10 squeezed into one, but then I look at her and wonder where the time has gone. My itty bitty baby isn't so itty bitty any more....sob.

Charlotte,

My oh my...ELEVEN MONTHS?! What a big girl you are becoming! This past month has flown by and has certainly been a busy one for you! As always, it was filled with lots of firsts, and you are showing no signs of stopping.

This month....

-You mastered the art of clapping. We worked and worked with no results, then one morning while Daddy was getting ready and you decided that it was officially time---and have yet to stop since! We think that you were secretly practicing at night and didn't want to reveal those cute little claps until they were absolutely perfect.

-You learned something we like to call the "wiggle wiggle wiggle" which comes in handy with the next item....

-We started the after dinner tradition of "family dance party!" At first you sat quietly in your high chair with a grin on your face, but the very next night you were sitting on the floor doing your own little dance. Too cute!

-Two words....SOOOOO BIG. (the action AND the fact that you officially hit 17 pounds last week!)

-You learned to wave!

-Overall, you are getting soooo much stronger. Tummy time has become tolerable and you are a becoming quite the little stander. You still need lots of support from Mommy, Daddy, toys or furniture, but are definitely becoming more comfortable with it. This past week you even started moving your feet a little to take steps toward Daddy.

-You are quite the talker, babbling away in your cute little Charlotte language--which to this point, still doesn't consist of anything remotely close to mama. Stinker.

I feel like I say this every month when I write these, but baby girl, you amaze me. Every month, every day, every minute. Mommy and Daddy love you with every bit of our hearts (plus some more) and can't wait to celebrate 12 months together!

Love you to pieces....Mamamamamamamamamama (I thought you could practice a little)

Its getting harder and harder to snap a "smiley" picture of this child. She has quite the personality! Basically, she opens her mouth as wide as she can, then makes this noise and breathes like she's hyperventilating. See below....

and below....

and below...