Eleven Months

·         WORDS galore!  You say “Mama, Dadda, Yeah, Bye, Hi, All Done, Sasa (Sasha), Nana, Papa, Bopa (Grandpa)…

·         Thanksgiving!  You loved the turkey, mac-n-cheese and cooked veggies.  Mashed potatoes, not so much. 

·         You’ve decided you are too mobile and busy for nursing.  With the exception of “dark”.  Once it is dark outside, you are fine with nursing – before bed, if you happen to wake-up in the middle of the night or early mornings.  The rest of the day, you can’t be bothered to hold still so long. 

·         You are a mover and a shaker!  You are constantly moving, walking, run-crawling (usually, escaping somewhere you shouldn’t be) all over the place!  You are trying to master walking, but we are letting you take our sweet time so we don’t have to chase you yet you can perfect it.

·         You learn something new every day. literally.  Whether it is a new word, sign or action you are a sponge for life and all it holds.

·         You’ve begun to eat mostly regular food and we are tossing our attempts at baby food out the window!  Your independence has created a stubborn self-sufficiency we are trying to allow you to meet.

·         You are trying to “find your place” and “make your mark”.  In a room of 50 people, everyone knows you are there.  You make yourself known.  Whether it be your ridiculously adorable looks or by chiming in on the conversation or stealing the show with adorable tricks.  You are a social butterfly!

·         We are full-fledged into the Holiday season and I am learning a new love for all that CHRISTmas represents.  I am thankful for a young teen, so long ago, who sacrificed her life to bring Christ into this world.  I am in awe at how she mothered, so perfectly, a young babe and raised him to be the man who would save our dying world.  She is a far better mother than I am, something I strive to do and be better at each day.

I am so thankful for you, Harper Kendall.  Just as Mary mothered Christ with the constant help of God, I desire the same.  I want to raise you to be a Godly woman, someone others admire and strive to be like.  I pray that you dream of goodness and all that it entails.  Most days, I feel like I am making it through as your mom, then others I achieve something great and feel accomplished.  I hope someday you can look back and see all I have achieved and less of what I failed at.  I truly love you to the moon and back.  I call you are healthy, whole, wise and happy. 

We believe:

You ARE smart.

You ARE beautiful.

You ARE important.

You ARE special.