Happy 11 Months Hope!

c11 months old, enjoying some fresh air

Chillin' with Birthday Lamby on the porch

YIKES!

This is her "kissy face" when you ask her for a kiss, this is what you will get (if you are lucky)

Standing in her crib, (YES the mattress does need to be lowered, she doesn't really sleep here. She is safe, I promise.)

Can you believe it?! Hope is one month away from her FIRST birthday! SO bittersweet! I am so thankful for all we have been given in Hope, and am LOVING seeing her grow and learn, yet it seems to slip by so fast. I feel like I blinked and she was suddenly a toddler. Let's not even talk about the meltdown I had in Target when I realized I could no longer buy her PJs in the "Infant" section.

Anyway, here is what our sweet Hope is up to these days:

She started the month with one tooth and one poking through and ended it with a whopping FIVE almost six teeth!

She still despises baby food in ANY form but will nurse anytime she is given the chance

She has mastered the art of "fit throwing" she arches her back and screams when she doesn't get what she wants. I am pretty sure we are in for a strong willed child! :)

She LOVES balls.

She says a few words: Ma Ma, DaDa, Ball, Uh-Oh, Yeah, Ba (Ben), Yay!, Vroom! (when playing with cars), nack (snack), duck, Bye-Bye, and Hi

She waves hello and good bye

She puckers up and gives kisses and blows kisses (especially to Ben)

She tips the scales at a whopping 16 1/2 pounds

She LOVES to throw EVERY SINGLE morsel of food off of her high chair tray and onto the floor

She only naps with the vacuum running.

She is still crawlking, but is also pulling up and cruising along EVERYTHING she can get her hands on

She takes only a minute to get where she wants to go and get into and destroy everything she can.

She ONLY wants mommy, STILL.

She thinks Ben is hilarious.

She is overcoming her fears of dogs, cats and plants.

She is amazing. She brings a whole new dynamic to our family, just as each child has and we are just over the moon in love with her!


I have spent a lot of time lately in reflection of the past year. I think about where we were a year ago, waiting for Hope to arrive, then she was here! I spent a portion of the summer, grieving because of Hope's EB. I know it may seem silly, but I had looked SO forward to a baby girl in sweet little dresses and bare little toes.

Hope's feet and ankles were wrapped for the first two months of her life because of blistering from her hospital bands, so we did not get that last summer, and honestly I never imagined we would be here today. It was a warm day today and this morning, Hope wore a sweet orange sundress sans shoes, showing of her beautiful, mildly scarred feet. Each time I see those feet, I praise God! Only Him! :) Then this afternoon, she wore the outfit she has on in the pictures (Thank you Auntie Kate) with an awesome pair of orange Crocs, a sweet "blog friend" had sent her after I had her. She knew my favorite color was orange and they were so tiny and cute! I hate to admit that those shoes sat in Hope's shoe basket and I would glance in and see them, and feel bitter that Hope would likely never wear them. Can I just tell you that she ROCKED them today!? My heart is just overflowing in gratitude and joy for what the Lord has done in our girl.