To LaylaBug @ 11 Months Old

My Daring Little LoveBug,

May I start by saying Holy F**k you are 11 months old. (Don't use that word until you're at least 13 ok?) Anyhow... I can't believe you're 11 months old. This week I found myself planning your 1st Birthday Bash and booking a reservation at the local park and I felt OLD and like I had missed so much time. But the truth of the matter is that I have been blessed. I have missed hardly any time with you this first year of your life. Less than 3 months you spent days with Daddy and Auntie Mel and the rest of it I was here.

I see every funny face you make. I understand every word you say (well almost). I know what you want. I understand you. It's like you are a part of me walking around and yet you are so completely you...independent of me. It's something I could never find words to explain and yet it is so blatantly clear in my heart.

I got to see your first smile, your first roll over, your first scoot (on your back I might add) and now that you're older I got to hear your first words, first sentences, first 12 teeth (yes I said you already have 12 teeth). I got to see your first 2 free and purposeful steps today. I got to watch you walk from the kitchen counter to the oven as I yelled no and you got to learn what the word HOT really means. But, I got to be here to kiss away your little tears and give you a bite of my cupcake and ease the pain by making rasberries on your bare tummy.

You are fearless so I was not suprised when this evening the hot oven was merely something to tempt fate with. After all, within minutes of living here you figured out how to climb up stairs and within the first day you decided sliding down them on your belly was a great solution for getting down. That gives me a heart attack so we let you do that while Daddy supervises.

Face first, is also the way you get off the couch, down from people holding you, off beds and high chairs and over most objects. You will strech, bend, climb and tumble without so much as a whimper and I fear that you will someday outsport any extreme adventure boy who dares to double dog dare you. You just have to figure out how to stop walking along furniture and then Mommy is going to need to watch you like a hawk.

You're also exceptionally verbal. You know at least 25 words (which you can say) about 15 of which you say so clearly I don't have to translate for you. You have great joy in telling me and others what you want and need and express great frustration if they stop doing what you want. But, you also love to be curious so when things aren't going how you expect you just toddle off to the next adventure.

You talk to Nana on the phone every single day. Usually you talk to her in the morning while she drives to work. Thanks to Nana you know all about the cell phone and it is not uncommon for you to pick mine up and hand it to me and say "nana" until I dial her for you. You say "hi nana" and you weave tall tales of baby gibberish and just like that you are done and you will hand her back to me and wonder away.

You love music. You dance along with the TV, silly songs we sing, the car stereo and even to things that aren't really music like the windchimes outside or kids dribbling a basketball outside the door. You really like Jack's Big Music Show on Noggin and will tap your feet or clap along with the songs. You also like Johnny and the Sprites on Disney and you dance when the sprites fly around.

You're a random sort of girl. You love dolls and your Abbey Caddabby, but you also love cars and blocks. You are very into Cars both the toys and the movie. You vroom a lot and wave them back and forth. You could be quite the little grease monkey some day as you're currently trying to figure out how exactly your play walk ride car works. Then the next minute you are all about pink socks, hair prettys and pretending to play with a stuffed pink carebear.

You also love adult foods, you eat everything but green beans regardless of how spicy, or different it might be. You can eat a whole egg, 2 sausages and half a pancake on a Saturday morning breakfast plate at Perkos. You eat horseradish with bites of mommy's steaks. You like chinese and mexican food. You'll even eat spicy italian sausage without any complications.

You are really into getting applause right now so you'll make the sound of an elephant, doggy, or you'll dance, or sometimes you'll wave or play peek a boo. It's amazing to watch you interact with other people. You love to make others laugh. Mommy taught you to do the "wax on, wax off" from Karate Kid when people ask you if you are fast like a ninja. I also taught you to stick out your tongue and stick your fist in the air when someone asks you if you are a rock star. That's how I entertain myself during the day... watching you dance, blow like an elephant and stick out your tongue on command.

In fact there are very few things about you that aren't full of joy and peace. You take naps easily, you sleep through the night in your own bed, you only fuss when your diaper is stinky (although now that you say STHINKTHY (stinky) I don't even have to deal with that much), you love the bath and the pool, you love other little kids, you love the grandparents you see often and some of the ones you don't see often, you love the car, you love the house, you love playing in the lawn, you love the park, the grocery store, and even the stroller.

You know what you don't like? It's a shorter list. Let's see... Green beans, cats, men with fuzzy beards (sorry Godfather George's Dad), hitting your head when you fall, Keith Urban music videos, mean kids, and um... let's see... being held down or not allowed to do what you want. But, if we say no you always stop doing things... so even that you're good about.

You're such a good baby... and soon you won't be a baby any more. But, you'll always be my baby. Or as I call you now that you're talking and almost walking... my baby big girl. I love you to the moon and stars and back again baby girl... and then some.

Love,

Mommy