Dear Eleven Month Old Bennett

Dear Eleven Month Old Bennett,

Stop it already.  You’re gonna make Mommy cry.  How on earth are we just one month away from you being one year old?  One.  WHOLE.  Year.  I thought that being pregnant flew by, but this has been the fastest year of my life.

Okay, enough about me.

You, my love, are pure delight, wrapped in skin and bones.  Your laugh is contagious, as is your smile.

This month has been laden with all kinds of snotties thanks to some teeth that are sure to arrive any day now.  Speaking of teeth, Mommy had a stroke of genius and started giving you sugar cane to gnaw on, sure to soothe those sensitive gums.  It’s fibrous and tough, so it won’t fall apart in your mouth (no choking hazard!); it has just enough “give” to feel like you’re getting somewhere; it releases just enough sweetness to minimize any teething pain, all without leaving your hands sticky like most fruit.  And, like most teething doodads, it can be put in the freezer for additional comfort!  You’re welcome.

In terms of baby development, two weeks ago, you began to walk!  Nothing gets you going better than when I hold a phone in front of your face, like a carrot leading a horse.  To date, I’ve seen you take 20 unassisted, consecutive steps.  Well done, darling!  Additionally, you *might* be working on some words.  Please understand that Mommy is a v.e.r.y l.i.t.e.r.a.l person.  It’s not easy for me to realize that ‘gen is probably again, or that ca’ is probably cat.  But if I’m saying, “cat,” and you’re looking at the cat and “ca'” comes out of your mouth, well, then I probably should take note, huh?  And if I’m signing and saying, “again,” and making you sign “again” and you say, “‘gen,” perhaps I ought to recognize!  I’ll try my best.

By the way, it sure wasn’t easy taking your monthly picture yesterday.  All you wanted to do was crocodile roll all over the place.  But do realize that your determination comes from me.  However much you wanna roam, I twice as much want to complete this monthly growth chart next to the Sunday Comics.  You’ll thank me later.  That, or your wife will.

And, buddy, you loOoOoOoOoOove the ladies.  No matter where we go, once you lock eyes with a woman (she could be clear across a restaurant), you turn on that charm and – wow! – those baby blues just twinkle with interest.  I sure hope that quality comes with an expiration date right before puberty.

Lord, help me.

Bennett, I’ve got to thank you for being such a good sleeper.  You love your bedtime routine and we love our rest!  So far, you’re still napping around 9:00AM and 3:00PM (give or take 45 minutes in either direction).  Who knows if that’s normal or not?  And who cares?  (Oh, how gorgeous you are when you’re slumbering!)

Thank you for the giggles and the grins.  And – ya know what? – thanks for the pouty faces, too.  Gosh, they’re precious.  Thanks for the moments when you collapse your restful head into my chest, giving me a minute to deeply inhale the scent of my baby, a minute to forget all of life’s demands and just be still with you.

Much love,

MommyUpdated blooper reel here.