Eleven Eleven

At eleven months Ash communicates in a highly effective system of points and grunts.

He put weight on his legs for the very first time after seeing a baby at church do it.  He had an adorable and very accomplished grin from ear to ear and did it for an entire day.  Much like everything else, once he proved he could do it, he was over it and hasn't done it since that day. (I know I'm looking HOT, but this is such a rare feat, I didn't have any other photos to choose from.)

(Just thought I'd include a little picture of River almost standing at two months... yep... every baby is different.)

He tested positive for milk and peanut allergies.  Where is the double dislike button.  I'm not sure how bad these allergies will end up being.  We have to wait till he is older to do a food challenge, but in the meantime, we are doing our best to avoid them.

He might be smiling here, but just know it lasted for about point five seconds.  He still hates tummy time and isn't even close to crawling, but his spinning around on his bum is slowly turning into scooching.

He now cries every time I grab my camera.  Yes, yes Ashy Boy... I am the meanest mom ever, but you just looked so dapper in your church clothes.  How will you ever survive?

No teeth yet, but I swear he's been teething every day since he was three months old.  Check out his super studly amber teething necklace.  Maybe it will be the magic cure?  No?

He loves to lay his head down on his own legs for a little rest, essentially folding in half.

He will sign "more" and "all done" every now and then.

He loves kicking his feet under the sink faucet with the water running.  When he has gone nuclear, this is the only way to calm him down.

His diaper rash from hades is ever present, but isn't quite so fierce.

He wants whatever I am eating or drinking.

His eyes are mostly a green/goldish color, except when they are brown and blue?  Your guess is as good as mine people.

His favorite game has gone from peek-a-boo, to playing catch and by playing catch, I mostly mean he just likes to throw things.

He hates his diaper getting changed.  He never minded before, but I think it is a combination of the rash being uncomfortable and not wanting to hold still.

He  prefers to nurse while I am lying down.  This is super convenient by the way... ummm... not.  I gave him a bottle, just to try it out again (anything for a bit of freedom right) and he thought it was the most fun chew toy ever.  Maybe a few drops of milk rolled down his throat, but mostly it just ended up all over his face.

After being sick for awhile and going on vacation, he has somehow managed to get me to nurse him back to sleep after every wake-up and nurse him to sleep for his naps.  Since I am the only one who can put him down to bed again, my freedom is very limited.  While I love nursing and cuddling with him, I feel like all my hard work in July to get him to sleep better has come undone and I don't currently have the energy for a second round of sleep training.  The good news is, he isn't waking up quite as much as he did then.  Thank Heavens!

He went to his first pumpkin patch.  It was the same pumpkin patch that I took River to last year, when I was nine months pregnant with Ash.  Carrying him for hours in the baby carrier, while I followed River from Hay-slide, to Cow-train, back to Hay-slide across an epically huge field, sure brought back memories of doing the same thing while pregnant last year.  Neither version is easy, but at least you can set the non prego version down and rest your back for a second. (Sorry no pictures... I wasn't about to haul a camera around too.  The last half hour I was carrying both boys!!!)

He will only take one nap.  I am pretty sure he needs more daytime sleep, but he refuses, so I make the best of having more time for activities in the morning and try not to let my mommy guilt roll in.

He likes to chatter incoherently and enjoys his own jokes on occasion.

He's ticklish and has a laugh that will keep me warm all through winter.

He is ready to be a big kid and is happiest when included in his big brother's activities.

I think his little blonde mullet is to die for.  I'm not sure if his temper, or his charm will be my undoing first, but Ash at eleven months has me wrapped around his cute little pointing finger.

Here is my brown eyed River Boy at eleven months for comparison.  My goodness!  How do they ever stand up with their heads being so much bigger than the rest of their bodies?