11 Months Old.

To our sweet baby girl Aubrey,

At 11 months old, simply put, you are sweeter than all of the candy combined that will be given out next week on Halloween. And while your big day is still a month away, it is simply amazing how much and how fast you are growing and developing. Every new day seems to bring a new sound or smile or skill. You dance to music, shaking to the rhythm either on the playroom floor or strapped in your carseat. You can be a bit of a copycat at times, which is how you learned to catch and throw a ball. You aren’t walking yet, but you are able to stand on your own, at least for a few seconds before plopping down on your behind. Mommy and Daddy have “heard” you say a few words like “doggie,” “momma,” “yea,” and “hey” but you don’t say the same things consistently enough for us to claim you are speaking our language. We haven't officially "heard" your very first word but you certianly speak very clearly in your own language. You are very expressive with laughs, squeals and screeches. You even rattle off your own full sentences. And while you don’t have the "words" thing quite down yet, you are fully capable of communicating with us. You reach for the doorknob when you want to go outside or for the bottle as it warms to reassure MiMi or Daddy that you are ready for milk. You have your own special ways of letting Mommy know you are hungry too. And we know we are loved when you cry when we leave the room. You wave hello and goodbye and point to the sky to alert us to passing birds or airplanes. Taking a work trip to Chicago with Daddy gave you plenty of people and things to point and wave at. You flew on an airplane for the first time and did an amazing job. We rode the train together and also took you to Wrigley Field for your first Cubs game. It was a night game so we didn’t stay very long. We also visited the Shedd Aquarium and the Children’s Museum at Navy Pier. With MiMi and Grandaddy taking a trip to Hawaii, Daddy had to stay home a couple days with you while Mommy worked. As busy as Daddy is at his job, he got a taste of how hard Mommy works at home all day taking care of you. Speaking of new tastes, this month you’ve started really enjoying spaghetti nights at our house...and the required extra-long, warm baths that immediately follow a spaghetti dinner. Like Daddy, you love to eat cheese but unlike Daddy, you like to share your food with others at the table. The dogs love when you share food with them by dropping it on the floor. You really like drinking water through a straw in your sippy cup…and equally enjoy spitting it back out. Carrot juice was also a new taste this month. Not all things are new however, over the past few weeks, you’ve fallen back to old sleeping habits, waking up several times a night, either for a snack or a snuggle or both. You are getting more teeth, this time on the top, so that might be why you aren’t sleeping as well lately. Or maybe a part of you realizes how fast you are growing up and you want to get as much sweet co-sleep time with Mommy and Daddy as you can now, because one day, it won't be as cool to do so. One day, you’ll have a say in the matter, but Mommy and Daddy so far have determined that 11 is your lucky number. You were born just after 11pm in November, the 11 months in 2011. You weighed 8 lbs and 11 ounces on that special day. As you turn 11 months old, every day is more special as the last and Mommy and Daddy are the lucky ones.

10 Months Old.

Aubrey Elizabeth,


As beautiful as it is to read your name aloud in my head as I type it, we know you by many names these days: A, AEJ, Little Miss, Booger, Scooter Poot, Schmooter, Baby Boo, Love Bug; all of which equally reflect how beautifully the world sees you and how affectionately those around us love you. At this month's check-up, Dr. P. tells us you are the height and weight of the average 14 month old, you are healthy and growing. Your personality is growing even faster. You are very aware now of all the love around you. You express delight with loud squeals, you laugh the sweetest full-body laughs when tickled. You don't like to be left alone in your crib, you remain particulary very fond of snuggling with Mommy when it's time to sleep. You talk to the dogs, your toys and to Mommy and Daddy, making sure you have our attention when it is wanted. The attention is always focused on you though, lately you've been alerting us to things around you. This month you have developed the skill of pointing...at the light in your nursery, at the dogs on the floor or at the moon in the sky. You've realized that not only is there a big world all around you, but that it is full of new experiences and new experiences you want to share. You still share those soft kisses with Mommy regularly and give Daddy big bear hugs around his neck, which is fitting given that football season kicked-off and you wore a Bears cheerleader outfit to watch the game with Daddy. There was some serious Daddy-Daughter time this month. You spent a Saturday together while Mommy and Mrs. Terri went and listened to Guiliana speak. Daddy also watched you while Mommy and Mimi shopped at the Upscale WeeSale and For Every Season consignment sales. That is where the Bears cheerleader outfit came from, but also plenty of other new clothes and toys as well. Itty Bitty Bookworm resumed at the Library, Daddy was lucky enough to leave work early and come watch you and LeeLee and Graham play together. Two new friends joined the world this month: babies Olivia and Hayden were born. We took you to Aunt Louise and Uncle AJ's house and you actually held Olivia for a few minutes, with Mommy's help of course. That same weekend, you went junking with Mommy, MiMi and Aunt Jessica. Monday nights have been dedicated to spaghetti dinner with Uncle PJ. You've been eating all sorts of new foods, even some big people foods including Cheerios. It is easier to eat now that you have a second tooth. But that second tooth has made it harder for you to sleep at night, especially when you had a cold for a few days. All it means is a little more snuggling at night.