Eleven Months.

So, my kid is one month away from being a whole year old. I'm fairly sure I must be calculating that wrong because there is simply no way, nuh uh, that V is almost a year. Seriously. It's beyond crazy that so much time has passed since she was born.

In terms of awesomeness, this little bean has absolutely killed it in the last month. She can shake her head for 'no', clap her hands and, guys, she's a walker! Well, more of a half-walker, half-staggerer, but she's taking more and more steps all by herself every day and it makes my heart burst with pride. V actually took her first steps while I was Skyping with my parents so they got to see, which was particularly rad. She stretches her arms out and up towards me as she oh so confidently wobbles forward. It's so so so so great.

She doesn't hate her carseat quite so much but doesn't love long journeys, either. She will eat pretty much anything put in front of her, although she's not keen on scrambled eggs or butternut squash. She will eat cheese like it's going out of fashion and adores Marmite on toast. And she has not one, not two, but THREE glorious teeny tiny teeth! Finally with the teeth! They are impossibly cute and wickedly sharp. She's learning that people aren't for nibbling, slowly.

V is the giver of hugs and kisses and most snuggly of snugglers. Her affection for us grows every day and she's figuring out different ways to show it, which usually involve some face-smooshing. Adorable! She's also the screamiest screamer and doesn't like to be told no, you can't eat the dog's treat or dunk your hand in Mumma's hot coffee. We are slightly more deaf and have had a few more giggles due to the yelling. She's lucky she's so dang cute!

I've got one more month of my precious bub being a baby before she is a toddler, as I'm pretty sure she will be toddling well by then. I don't feel sad that she's getting older, as she is so much more exciting and interesting with every day that passes. I'm looking forward to her birthday party, to her first pair of proper shoes, to her first proper sentence. It's all waiting for us and the journey to each stop is, quite simply, the best.

11 months, my baby girl! Here's to the 12th being the funnest one yet!

Love, K.

A Little Of Life Lately.

We don't do busy round here at the moment.  We do relaxing inside, away from the unbearable sticky heat of the sun.  We do mornings full of giggles and quiet afternoon naps.  It's a blessing really, one I should be more thankful for, even though I'm half-desperate for the lull to end.  I love the peaceful days but I'm also rather fond of the busy ones, especially when they involve fun outings and not sweating as soon as I walk out of the door.

One thing I am especially happy about is the butt-load of reading I've been doing.  S got me a Kindle for my birthday and, while I do consider myself a bit of a book purist, (I mean, there's nothing like reading an actual book, is there?) I cannot fault e-reading.  The sheer number of books available at my fingertips is seriously staggering and there are so many freebies to browse I don't have to worry about my bank balance.  I've easily read more in the last month than I have in the past six and that makes me happy.

I have about 60,000 pictures just like this on my phone.  V has officially mastered the art of the reverse-Myspace-selfie.  She loves to play with the camera and I love looking through all the weird, blurry, chubby pictures she takes of herself and the ceiling.  I'll admit sometimes it weirds me out that V will grow up surrounded by technology.  But I do adore her photographs.  Snap on, little one!

I've also relaxed a little lately when it comes to V and food.  Okay, so we all know that when a bub is learning how to eat, mess will ensue.  I was prepared for mess, just not the level of mess V creates!  Food will go everywhere and this little miss doesn't like being washed.  I was holding back a bit with giving her messy foods because she hated being cleaned up so much but now I give her all sorts and dunk her in the bath afterwards.  Hates being washed, loves the bath.  Go figure!  It means this messy monster is trying so much more in terms of food variety and I've got peace of mind knowing she's enjoying herself during her meal and after it too!

A little of our lives lately.  Some reading, some pictures, a whole bunch of food.  Grubby hands and smiling faces.  It feels pretty good to be where we are right now.

Love, K.

Ten Months.

This little goof is double digits! Whaaaaat! It feels like each month is zooming by more quickly than the last and V is changing and growing daily. It's incredible to see, a tiny bit heartbreaking and a whole lot of fun.

We are all about self-feeding now and while V loves yoghurts and oatmeal still, she's really not keen on being spoon-fed. And as she's yet to figure out spoons, her diet is mostly food she can stuff in her mouth. She loves avocados and nectarines, buttered toast, all kinds of pasta, tuna and potatoes. She hasn't refused anything yet and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she won't for a long time! As of yet we're still toothless but I'm hopeful for at least two by the time she's 11 months!

This babe is constantly full of beans, always on the go. I get a workout playing with her and chasing her as she scoots about. She loves being able to move herself around and she's so fast! A couple of times she has balanced while standing by herself and done a baby-squat, which makes me think that the first few steps might not be so far off! She chases Pearl, dances at every opportunity and has even started 'singing' along with her favourite songs. So cute!

V is chatty, fun, adventurous and gorgeous. She makes me laugh every day with her smiles and giggles and my heart grows more than I thought it ever could. She babbles all the time, with sounds that are transforming into words. We've almost mastered 'doggy' and she'll quite happily answer 'yeah!' when I ask her if she wants a snack or to read a book. She covers us with kisses and snuggles Pearl so sweetly I could melt. She's exciting and weird and the best kid ever.

I'm thrilled to be the Mumma of this little girl. Ten months have gone so quickly, so our priority is making the most of every day! Happy Ten Months V!

Love, K.