Dear Bo, I'm usually not a fan of the alternative look...

...but you look good in just about anything!  (including this mohawk that the nanny fixed this week)

Dear Reader, I'm guessing this is not going to go so well...

Both of our offices have trick or treats on Friday, and Sunday we're going to a fall festival with some friends.  So I tried Bo's costume on him night before last to make sure it fit (it's a spider costume he got for Christmas from his Aunt Jen).

He really didn't care for it at all (though we certainly enjoyed him in it)...

I'm guessing he won't last long.

Dear Bo, You're 11 months old...

Here's what you're up to (you are so busy that I can't get you to sit in the corner of the crib by your pillow with your name on it anymore...):

• Not sure about your height and weight.  We'll go to the doctor next month and see about that.
• You wear size 4 diapers, 12 month clothes, and size 3 shoes.

• You take four 6 ounce bottles a day (4 ounces amino acid formula/2 ounces hemp milk).  We tried you on dairy this month (regular formula and dairy based yogurt), and it was a no go.  You spit up a ton and stopped going to the bathroom.  So for now, I'm planning on transitioning you to hemp milk rather than whole milk.  You take a cup for your first feeding, and we're going to work on eliminating the bottle at the other feedings this month.  You do great with a cup.
• Your favorite breakfast is plain coconut milk yogurt mixed with banana baby food.  You also eat cereal mixed with hemp milk and a fresh banana for breakfast.

• You're eating more big boy food...black beans, sweet potatoes, green beans, spaghetti and lasagna mashed up, potatoes, avocado, and chicken, turkey, or beef ground up.  You love peas, butternut squash, and applesauce.
• You snack on cheerios and Ritz crackers and have 1/3 juice 2/3 water with your meals.
• You're on the same schedule as last month (and the month before that I think):  wake around 7:30 and have a cup of milk, nap around 9:30 for 2-3 hours, have a bottle and lunch, nap for 2-3 hours around 2:30pm, wake and have a bottle, have supper around 6:00pm, bath around 7:45pm, and bath and bottle after that.  You're like clock work on this schedule.  If you're fussing, we can pretty much look at the clock and see what you need.

• You're doing great with sleeping.  I can't recall a time this month when we had to get up in the middle of the night with you (though you did have several spells where you woke up earlier than usual).  You go down easily though you rarely fall asleep in our arms anymore.  We do our routine and put you in bed, and you're fine.  This seems like such a miracle from where you came from.  You love to tuck your arms under you and stick your hiney in the air to get comfortable.
• You only take your paci during naps and at night time.  You've done great getting off the paci!  I'm planning on taking it away completely when you turn 1.  Yikes!
• You crawl everywhere fast and pull up on absolutely everything.  You crawl to us and pull up on our legs and reach for us, and it melts my heart.  

• Despite being only around 3 people day in and day out, you are a friendly little thing.  You don't cry when you go to new people, and you aren't clingy with us.  You don't really have a preference between me or Daddy; you go to us equally generally.

• You're getting more and more verbal, and you love imitating us making different sounds (coughing, etc.).  
• You still have only 2 teeth on the bottom, but I think you're teething this week so we may see more teeth soon.

• You like when we sing to you and read to you, and you always fuss when we're done with a book.
• You still love your Learning Home, your rings, and your music table.
• You love getting into everything--the fridge, the trash can, the kitchen drawers...nothing is off limits.

• You are a giggle box!  I love, love, love your laugh.
• You're great at giving kisses now, but you're only into open mouth ones and you're not afraid to slip the ol' tongue.

I can't believe that next month you will be one.  I am going to relish this last month of you being a baby...

Just look how you've grown:

Dear Mimi and Pop, Thanks a million...

...for letting us drop our Bo off so we could celebrate 10 years.  Wasn't it just yesterday that I walked down the aisle?  You thought you got rid of me, but you really just got 2 extras.

...for knowing Bo so well that his schedule was second nature to you.  What a comfort to know that you knew just what he needed!

...for knowing me so well that you texted me play by plays.  Seeing his smiles and hearing his laughs made the trip more fun because I knew y'all were having such a good time!

...for mule rides, getting up early, being home bound for a week, songs before bed, bath time, playing in your drawers time, ticking on the floor, lots of kisses, Ritz crackers, hugs, holding when whining, moving things out of his way, shutting doors so he couldn't escape, and loving him like you do!

It's not lost on us how lucky we are that we have family that loves Bo just as much as we do, that knows him well enough that he doesn't miss a beat while we're gone, and that is willing and able to care for him for a whole week while we go off and have fun.  Thanks a million!

We love you,

Dear Bo, Meanwhile back at the farm (Day 6)...

Incoming from Mimi...

7:30:  Pooka loves y'all, too.  He is becoming a big ham.  He can really maneuver fast.  He loves trash cans, spoons, cups, plastic containers, and loves to climb my steps in my bathroom.  Watch out mommy and daddy!!!

8:07am:  Eating cheerios.

Rain and hail last night.  Pooka woke up at 4.  Went back to sleep until 7am.  Thunder and lightening.

12:15pm:  Bo just woke up.  Taking a bottle.  Good nap.  He's a good boy.

5:49pm:

6:32pm:  Eating so should be happy.

Dear Memory Bank, Friday, Day 6: On our way back to see our Pooka...

We got up early (which was standard for our vacation, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why).  We had breakfast then took a walk along the beach.  We watched the fishermen and enjoyed the views before packing up.

Our flight was on time to Dallas, but AA struck again, and we were late to Lubbock.  I was DYING to see Bo so I was really irritated.  It dawned on me that I have never been that anxious to return from a vacation before.  Of course, I’ve always been on vacation with my only immediate family (Jonathan) so there was nothing to return to other than Scout and my job.  On the upside, I finished my third book of the trip.

Mom was at the airport with Pooka.  He gave us a big smile and touched our faces, but overall I would say we were more thrilled to see him than he was to see us.  We really enjoyed giving him a bath before bed and resuming our bed time routine of singing, reading a book, and rocking.

It was a great vacation, but it was even better to return to the best part of our family of three.

Dear Bo, Meanwhile back at the farm (Day 5)...

7:41am:  He had a great nite.  He likes sleeping on the farm.  Eating better today.  Watching toons.

 Hi Mommy.

 

12:34pm:  Hope you don’t get mad.  But he loves crackers.

Time unknown:  Not needy today.  He didn’t eat good yesterday and slept a lot.  I think he was teething. 

Chewed on fingers yesterday.  Today ate good.  I gave him his favorite…peas.  Teeth haven’t bothered him today.

12:46pm:  Happy anniversary.

2:23pm:  Bo is the best thing to go to sleep.  He has not cried once when he goes to sleep.  I guess he plays hard.  Napping now.  Will text later after he wakes up.

3:52pm:  Guess what I’m doing?

 

8:19pm:  Like clock work.  He is so good to go to bed.

Dear Memory Bank, Thursday, Day 5: 10 year anniversary...

Woke up and enjoyed breakfast at the resort restaurant.  It’s right off the beach and a gorgeous view.  I was terrified to eat anything since I woke up to my tummy feeling better.  

 I scheduled a massage then we went off to the shops and to walk along the Malecon.  It was a great morning to walk about.  We saw some crazy acrobats along the Malecon.

 Had lunch at the resort restaurant then had a wonderful massage at the resort spa that only cost $26.  $26!!  She was so good that it was worth at least twice that.  We hung out at the beach afterwords.  I finished my second book of the trip...hurray for nerds!

 That evening we went on the Rhythms of the Night tour.  We started off with a sunset cruise then watched a show in the amphitheater and had a candlelight dinner.  It was really nice…a perfect evening for our last night here.

Dear Bo, Meanwhile back at the farm (Day 4)...

Incoming from Mimi…

7:54am:  Chewing on fingers.  Maybe teething again.  Had a good night.  Up at 7.  Sweet baby boy.

8:15am:  We are doing fine.  Go have fun.  Jamie coming over for lunch.  He looks up at all the pictures on my bookcase and just smiles.  He really is noticing things.

8:59am:  He likes the pumpkin lights.

12:32pm:  I love my pooka.  He takes a 2 ½ hour nap every morning.  Woke up happy.

2:10pm:  Back asleep.  His eating is off today but he is sleeping ok.  I think he’s trying to get another bottom tooth.

5:07pm:  Pooka slept 3 hours and woke up happy.  Glad since going to church.  Hope he likes Bible class.

 

5:39pm: 

8:35pm:  Pooka asleep for the nite.  Daddy stayed home with him.  Was a little needy so I thought it would be better for him to stay with Pop.  He is fine.  Went to sleep without fussing.  Will text you tomorrow morning.  Have a good night.  He has been good.