11 Months

I am running out of steam composing monthly updates on Braylen; good thing I only have one more month to go.

Approximate Weight:  21 lbs. 3 oz.

Food/Drink
Braylen bats away purees and most food coming at him on a spoon.  My growing-independent baby wants to feed himself.  I have to do a little bit of trickery to get him to eat yogurt or pureed veggies; I give him a finger food and as he is putting that in his open mouth, I shovel in the spoon.  He enjoys bananas, turkey meatballs, pasta, cheese (thank goodness!), avocado, and buttered toast.  He has tried most meats and some fish.

Braylen is down to nursing at wake and bed, 2 bottles of breast milk a day, and the rest is formula via sippy or straw cup.  He doesn't need to take the bottles, but he is still sloppy with his cup drinking and I will not let one drop of breast milk go to waste.  The nipples on the bottles are very worn so I think my days of pumping and bottle feeding will be ending very soon (yip.ee.)

Gross Motor
Braylen is steadier walking behind his toys and when we hold his hands.  I notice him being daring at times and switching between different pieces of furniture.  He cruises along the couch.  No standing alone yet.

If you turn your back long enough, you will find him at the top of the stairs smiling down at you.  He thinks he is hot stuff.

When "The Wheels on the Bus" plays on the CD, he will giggle and wave his arms to the music.  He has inherited our musical talent.  He enjoys Evie's singing and motions to a plethora of kid favorites.

Language
Braylen can say "Dada" and "Mama", but does not use them to identify us.  His most used word is "uh-oh!"  I heard him practicing through the monitor at nap time.  He uses it correctly when he throws food and his cup off his tray.  We hear "uh-oh!" A LOT!  Parker is loving life :)

Other random stuff
No new teeth poking through.  I brush his teeth once a day.  He thinks it's funny.

He slept through the night (i.e. Mommy got to sleep from 10-6:30) one time this month.  I don't think this is funny.

Braylen and Evie are trouble together in the bath tub.  Braylen will splash, Evie joins in, both are laughing and splashing, Jason and I are soaked.  It's pretty much a nightly thing.  Should I stop it?  Probably.  Seeing my kids so happy together is kind of worth a wet sweatshirt and a damp towel on the floor though.

Braylen is into every thing.  He yanks on the blinds, opens the bottom drawer on the oven, splashes in Parker's water bowl, bangs the stainless steel colander on the tile kitchen floor, pushes the button on the carbon monoxide alarms, pulls at the toilet brush... your 11 month old did it too, right? It's a season, luckily I know it will end.

Sadly, no slide show of pictures this month.  I'll give you a sneak peak of Braylen's birthday party theme though.