ben: 11 months

Our little guy turned 11 months old 8 days ago, and it's taken me this long just to figure out exactly what to say. Even now I'm still not sure.

I always thought Sean's first year went by fast, but that doesn't even compare to how quickly Ben's has gone. It just doesn't seem possible that we're so quickly approaching his first birthday. It still seems months away, and yet here it is, right around the corner. And as much as I would like to deny it, I also can't help but embrace it and all the little milestones that come with it, milestones that I want to remember as long as possible. And so, baby Ben, here's a little snapshot of what you were like at one month before you turned one, in some of your last moments of babyhood:

• Taking your first steps! At 10 1/2 months?!
• First steps=first shoes (not that they're new or anything. We hung onto Sean's old footwear for a reason. And it just so happens you have the same Stride Rite XW foot that he does. Convenient.)
  
• Waving...a little delayed, usually, but waving nonetheless.
• Infatuated with balls--you're constantly crawling around with balls in your hands. And you're already trying out the bat-and-ball concept: you first tried it using a baseball-bat-shaped puzzle piece in one hand and swinging at a round toy in the other hand. Amazing!
• Sprouted tooth #6.
• Giving open-mouthed kisses. Sloppy, yes, but oh so sweet!
• Learned the signal for "touchdown!" Daddy's thrilled, to say the least. He's now 2/2 on that being the first "baby sign" our kids learn.
• Still climbing everything, except now you've progressed to climbing onto couches and into the little rocking chair.
• Finally take pleasure in reading books instead of just eating them. Although you seem to think that every book should be a touch-and-feel, because your little finger is constantly rubbing all over the pages looking for something interesting to caress.
• Actually beginning to say words! You'll say "mama" and "hi" (although it sounds more like "ha") when prompted, and without prompting you will make an elementary, but obvious, "vroom" sound when playing with a car. Oh, yes, and we love to ask you what a tiger says, just to hear your adorable baby "rhar!"
  
• Getting cuter and cuter, seriously. We talk about it all the time. The more your little personality shows, the cuter you get. Keep it coming, little guy. We love to see it.