11 months (!)

Helen!

You are turning one in less than a month and this is blowing my mind. BLOWING MY MIND. How can that much time pass so quickly? And how some days feel like years upon years? Motherhood is a such a weird time warp.

You are napping right now. Sleeping on your face working up a sweat. No matter what I dress you in you heat up in your sleep just like your dad. I wonder if you will be wearing t-shirts in the winter like he does and prefer the shade in the summer?

I had my first weekend away from you. Such a BIG deal for me. I cried the night before and the morning of, but I must say your mama had a great time once I arrived in Minneapolis  April was my sidekick for the weekend and together we ate, drank, and watch fleetwood mac in concert! It felt good to sleep in and stay up late, but I it felt even better to swoop you up in my arms and smother your tiny face in kisses when I got home.

Speaking of kisses - you kissed your first boy ON. THE. LIPS. We were attending your nephew, Owens, first birthday and his 6 month old pal, Ty, was there sitting watching you in awe, and you crawled up to him and kissed him right on the lips. We all clapped and you did it again! Such a sight. Grandpa Dave even caught it on film.

Surprisingly you have no interest in walking. In fact, you don't even like to stand up that much anymore. We bought you a little wagon to push, but your prefer sitting in it getting pushed around. You still have 6 teeth and from what I can tell nothing new coming in. You have been getting sick more lately. A high fever a couple nights in a row worried us, but the doctor said you were just fine. 

You are taller and have gained 2 pounds! Lately you haven't had much of an appetite and have been sleeping poorly again. I think you are working through a lot of stuff. It seems like each day you do something new - point to things, identify people in pictures, go get us things we say, and my FAVORITE - you can now turn on the record player! So impressed. You may not being able to walk, but you can play my favorite Leonard Cohen no problem.

I have been busy planning your birthday. I can't believe it's really happening. It's your GOLDEN birthday so we are (meaning I) are sort of making it a big deal. Can't wait to see your little sweet face plow into that cake.

till next month,

mother