Dear Liam,
Welcome to the last month of babyhood. It’s hard to believe in one short month you will be a year old. Â You are now are now 20.4 lbs, and have six teeth, and it looks like seven and eight are on their way.
This month you learned to let go while standing. Â You will stand for longer and longer periods of time. Â You also learned to get up from the middle of the floor. Â You know how to squat down and stand back up too. Â You are very proud of these new skills and you will look around and wait for the applause.
Speaking of applause, you learned how to clap a few weeks ago. Â You can work a room and make everyone clap with you. Â You also learned to wave bye, and give a high 5… although you seem to reserve those for a select few. Â Sometimes you sign more. Â You are very good at shaking your head no, and you are still saying “up” and “mama?mom” – although not as much as the month before.
You have started to somewhat like drinking milk from a sippy cup.  Slowly we are weaning off nursing in anticipation of my return to work in a few weeks.  It makes me sad, but also slightly relieved.  You like to bite down -hard, as well as pinching and pulling.  I have almost weaned you off due to the sure torture you inflict on my boobs!
You have become very independent with eating and prefer finger foods more and more. Â Some meals you refuse to be spoon fed. Â Tonight you insisted on eating your spaghetti (tomato sauce, squash and all) with your fingers.
You are also growing more independent with play. Â After dinner you love to crawl up the stairs and cruise around the playroom and play with all the toys. Â You keep yourself very busy. Â You are also starting to “play” more outside too. Â You have inherited your brothers old tricycle and you can use your legs to push yourself. Â Caleb “rescued” you from going down the hill into the trees.
But the biggest thrill was today. Â I left you with Great-grandma, to practice for when I go back to work. Â Five hours later when daddy and I returned to pick you up, you got excited and you ran five steps independently from daddy to me! Â Yay! Â We are so thrilled that we were both there to witness those first steps. Â I have a feeling that you are going to be walking around everwhere at your first birthday party.
I love you little boy. Â You will always be my sweet baby bean.
Love always,
Mama
xxxxxx ooooo