Letters to Valor: 11 months

My dear Valor Zeal,

Happy 11 months, my sweet boy! Your one year birthday is quickly approaching, and I can scarcely believe it. You light up our lives. Your sweet silliness is infectious. You break out into smiles that take over your entire face. You have this adorable crooked smile that I can't get over. You love being held, and will go to nearly anyone. You reach out your arms to be carried and have no qualms about being transferred from admirer to admirer. You'll even nap on others if you're terribly tired. You normally sleep between 7:30-8pm, wake up at 6am to nurse, and then sleep for another hour or two before getting up for the day. You love your stuffie, Jean Valjean, and clutch him tightly as you sleep. You take two naps a day, a short one in the morning around 11am, and in the afternoon around 2pm. You wear size 6-12 month clothing, size 3 diapers, and size 3 shoes.

You're nursing less frequently now, and will probably soon drop day feeds and keep morning and night feeds. You're able to nap without nursing first, probably because you love solids with a passion. Your favorite word these days is "nana," which you repeat when you catch sight of food. You stand, whining "nana" and "huh!" as you grip the bars of the baby gate in the kitchen as I prep meals. You eat with ferocity and speed, and I am always astounded at how much you can eat. Your favorites include banana, Os oat cereal, roasted veggies, cheese, and basically anything we offer you. Other words in your repertoire include "mama," "dada," and "ahhhhh." You also screech and grunt quite a bit. You are happiest around your daddy, mama, and big sister. You speed crawl after Serene, screaming with giddiness along the way. You and she love playing together in her "house bed," although she is not fond of how you have a penchant for pulling her hair and knocking down her nicely organized toys and books.

You also enjoy head butting us as you crawl toward us in happiness, playing peekaboo, nuzzling your face into pillows and blankets, wrestling with your daddy, putting everything in your mouth, throwing yourself onto people and the floor, and pulling up onto everything and everyone. You cruise as well, and have taken a couple of steps with your walker. However, you're not confident using the walker yet. You end up squatting onto your knees to "walk" with your knees. We'll see how your mobility progresses this next month. Until then, I shall squeeze your endearing squishiness for as long as you let me.

I am so blessed to watch you grow and learn, to be the first eyewitness to your development. You bring us such immeasurable joy. You are so deeply loved. I thank the Lord for you always, my baby boy. As your personality and preferences develop, we pray the Lord softens your heart to know Him, the one who loves you most.


Love you so,
Mama

P.S. Valor Zeal at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 months. Plus, his birth story.