LOVES

Ceiling fans
Balloons
Nursing
Mommy
Walking
Baths
Paper
Windows
Opening and closing doors
Mall playground

GROWTH

Clothing size: 12-18 months
Diaper size: 4 during the day and 5 at night
Teeth: 6

DISLIKES

Swinging
Swimming
Diaper changes
Grass
Bananas

EATING

Breastfeeding is still going well! He usually eats 5 times a day and can go 4 hours between feeds. I really really really love it and get kind of sad when I think about weaning. My favorite is nap nursing him on the weekends - we snuggle up on the couch and I just let him fall asleep on me :-) He also loves being fed in his high chair, or feeding himself.

New table foods this month:

Apple (without skin)
Avocado toast
Ravioli
Pineapple
Ground beef
Shredded cheese
Crackers
Bagel

SLEEPING

Bedtime: 5:00-6:00 pm (depends on his naps)
Wake-up time: 7:00-8:30 am
Eats once in the middle of the night (usually between 4:00-5:00 am)
Takes 1-2 naps
Longest sleep stretch: 13 hours

He doesn't take long naps (only 20-40 minutes), but I don't really mind because it allows us to be out and about more during the day, and he is a really awesome night sleeper! I can't even believe it, considering the first 7 months he was up every 2-3 hours. In some ways, he's actually a better night sleeper than Rooney was. She would sleep for a long period, but get up early (5:00 am). She also needed a pacifier to sleep, so sometimes we would have to help her find it in the middle of the night. After Finch goes to bed, we rarely hear from him (maybe a couple times a month). He will sleep 10-11 hours and then get up and nurse, and then go back down for a few more hours. And nursing is super easy because I just have to sit there instead of make and hold a bottle. I'm just really pleased with how it all ended up, even though it was really tough in the beginning!

DEVELOPMENT

HE IS WALKING!!! It is so fun to watch him. He can even carry things like toys, a rolling pin, a broom, etc. ;-) We've also seen him do a 180-turn without falling.
He is getting into a lot more stuff, like the toilet and dishwasher
Signs "more" often and "all done" sometimes
Favorite word: dada

HEALTH

We bathe him once a week
He had bronchiolitis for the fourth time...anyone else have a kid whose lungs get attacked with every cold? I'm wondering if he'll outgrow it or if it's forecasting issues such as asthma...

PARENTING

I sure love being his mama. Every night as I rock him before bed, I tell him how much of a joy he is to me. One of the most special times we share is around 5:00 am after I feed him and he falls asleep in my arms. The house is dark and quiet and while his entire body is in my arms I imagine us dancing at his wedding. I just stand there and hold him for as long as I can and soak it all in.

I have no idea when our breastfeeding journey will end, but as his intake of table foods increases in the next couple months, we will probably drop to 3-4 feedings. When he is 15 months, Eric and I may take a little weekend anniversary trip so I'm anxious because I don't know what our routine will be then. I'm not in a huge hurry to wean, so I don't want us being apart to cause early weaning (or maybe I'll be ready by then???). I'd love to hear how it worked for anyone who is willing to share... :-)

Rooney and Finch have also had some really tender moments lately and it touches my heart so much! I love watching them hug and giggle and even wrestle if it doesn't end in crying!

LOOKING FORWARD TO...

1st birthday party
Family vacation to Okoboji
Saying "mama"

Finch, 11 months