Tennyson is 11 months!

I may refuse to believe that my baby boy is going to be one next month, but that doesn't change the fact that he is. :( Bittersweet!

Tennyson now:
- Weighs 22.5 lbs. as of last week
- Crawls pretty fast
- Pushes a walking-push toy. The way Tennyson does this is so funny and cute, because he doesn't just push and walk along with it. He uses his massive baby upper body strength (he takes after Ryan!) to push the toy out, hold the toy, then kind of drag his legs forward. It's comical yet adorable.
- Got another tooth, one of his lower lateral incisors, and as of today the other one is popping through
- Is beginning to use more jargon, especially when Zooey's talking or there's lots of conversation at a meal.
- Says "ba" for "ball," "kuh" for "cat," "give"
- Tries to sign "mother" and "father," but he just ends up hitting the side of his face. LOL
- Is trying to say "RaRa" and "Gideon"
- Knows what a lion, fish and duck say and tries to make the sound when asked...well, when he feels like it
- I think I forgot to mention last month that he pulls up all the time now. He sometimes cries in his crib when his teeth are hurting and looks at the door crying "Mama." Poor baby. That is just pitiful! That's also pretty much the only time he says "Mama."
- Takes 2 naps a day, sometimes only 1, but doesn't get TOO cranky and makes up for it by sleeping 13 hours at night.
- Tries to crawl off the bed and jump out of the shopping cart at the store. This is one of those areas I feel like he's different because he's a boy - Zooey never did this! One warning of "Danger" was enough for her.

Tennyson loves:
- Animals
- Books
- Balls
- Cars
- Following Zooey around and "talking" to her
- Nursing
- Gideon
- RaRa
- Swinging
- Beans
- Bathtime

Tennyson dislikes:
- Having his nose suctioned. I forgot how traumatizing their screams are.
- Having his face wiped.
- He still dislikes it when I leave the room...even to just run to the bathroom really quick.

This month Tennyson got in the toilet water after Zooey went pee and didn't flush. OH.MY.GOSH. I flipped out! I still don't know if he ate it. I'm believing he didn't, even though it's probably more likely that he did.

Tennyson was in a wonder week leap for most of this month, so he was a little cranky and clingy many days. I took to wearing the Moby wrap again just to get dinner made sometimes. :) Honestly, even though it was a little annoying, I didn't mind too much like I did with Zooey. I guess it's something about knowing he's my last one. The last few days of the month, he was out of the leap, and OH MY was he a happy baby! He was cracking himself and everyone else up! He was laughing and giggling at everything and everyone. I love it!!

I seriously fall more in love with this boy every day. He is such a sweet little guy. He is so laid back and not touchy at all...except about his feet and his face. Zooey can play with him and be what sometimes seems too rough, and he just laughs and laughs. He is a little flirt who loves to make bashful faces and crinkly faces at the ladies. He is kind of a mama's boy (and you know what? I kind of like it. :) ). I nurse him often, I'm more laid back about his routine. I know it will have to end, but I take pictures (I WISH I would've done that with her!!). I cherish my time more in the here and now with him, and I don't try to rush him through his milestones. I try to carry that lesson onto watching Zooey, too...I don't want to rush them. It's already going way too fast. I love watching Zooey and his relationship and how they both crack each other up and find so much joy in one another. Zooey watches out for him a lot and defends him to us. She'll say, "He wants you to hold him! Hold him!" or "Stop! He doesn't like that!" Tennyson likes to reach for Zooey's hand and hold it in the car. He tries to share his food with her. It's really so sweet.

I am praying for Tennyson to become a man among men who uses his life and his talents to serve the Lord. I pray that Zooey and he have a close, godly bond that carries through to adulthood. I pray that he will be a strong spiritual leader. I pray for his purity and his future wife, if that's God's will. I pray for him to be a man after God's own heart.

with his new lovey

A little clingy this month through the wonder week and teeth

First visit to the children's museum

Doesn't he look like he's plotting something devious?

Who needs toys when you have a box?

Sleepy, sick, teething boy. Love these snuggles, but hate that he doesn't feel good.

Lovin' the water!

Overalls

Popping up to say hello and take a break from trying to match all Zooey's tooth marks in the crib.

Love

Fun in the sand...and then he ate a fistful!

Exploring

Seriously, I wish I could've bought this hat, because it was the most adorable thing on him EVER.

Post-bath snuggly towel