Well the count down is officially on. I'm now 11 months old, in one month I'll be the big O-N-E. It's pretty exciting really. I'm growing, learning and developing so much that while it's sad to leave the baby phase, I'm looking forward to being a toddler! I'm eating stage three foods for breakfast and lunch and table foods for dinner. Let me tell you - the real stuff tastes so much better then the stuff mommy buys in the jar. Oh and my fourth tooth finally came in. Now I have all four of my front teeth. About two weeks ago daddy cut my hair again, this time he took lots more off. There was a full baggy of hair on the floor and more on mommy and me that we couldn't get off until we got into the shower. I look like a big boy now, more like my daddy....or so I'm told. I'm still walking with help but it won't be long before I muster up the courage to step out on my own. For now I'll stick to crawling and walking with the support of my parents but just you wait.....when I start walking - Watch OUT! Well more to come on my birthday!

So this message is delayed but our miracle boy is now 10 1/2 months old. He's growing by leaps and bounds and while it's exciting it is also a little sad for me. He's growing so fast and I already miss that baby phase. He's pulling up to stand and walking along things all the time and has actually had his first black eye to show for it! He also has got his third tooth in and it looks like #4 is following shortly.

Can you believe I'm 9 months old already? I've been a member of this world for as long as I was in mommy's belly! Amazing! While today is special, it's also been a little hard. I wasn't supposed to get any shots today at my well visit but one was on back order from my 6 month appointment so they got me anyway! Good news is that I'm growing right along. I'm now 21 pounds 8 ounces which puts me in the 60% range and I'm 30-3/4" tall which puts me in the 98% range. On another possibly sour note, I have asthma. Mommy hopes it's something I grow out of. I'm on my nebulizer four times a day from now until after Christmas then I'll go back for a re-evaluation. I'm crawling like a mad man these days, it's hard to keep up with me. I'm starting to eat a few new foods, real food - not that baby food in a jar stuff! But since I only have two teeth mom is limiting what I get to test out and when. My babysitter is getting ready to stop sitting in January so I'm going to have to develop a relationship with someone new. I'm not sure how that is going to go, I'm developing a big case of separation and stranger anxiety these days. Even at church! Oh we had some pictures taken at JCP over the weekend. Check them out in my photo book.

A little update! Ethan has his first and almost his second tooth. His first tooth broke through the day after he turned 8 months old. The second tooth is breaking through as we speak. Also, he's crawling!! He started crawling Friday, November 28th at the doctor's office. Right now he's got a horrible cold/cough and is on a nebulizer a few times a day. But he's growing strong and continuing to amazing us every day. He enjoyed his first Thanksgiving but I'm sure he'll enjoy his second even more, when he's actually able to eat some of the good food! Now we are looking forward to his first Christmas!

Oh and he's now 21 lbs and 5 oz!

Another month has passed us by, it's true that time flies when you are having fun. These days I'm all about playing as often as I can. I'm over 20 lbs now and in 18 month clothes - mom and dad can't keep up with me. I'm still chanting away with my mama and dada and nana songs but I've also now added "Papaw." My 8 month birthday was a bittersweet day for mommy as Papaw Bob passed away on the 13th and today was his funeral. I will always have pictures with him since he passed away before I really got to know who he was but mommy continues to hold me and tell me stories and sing me his favorite songs. Oh, I can't close without saying that I'm perfecting my army crawl. I still don't like to be up on my knees but man can I book it on my elbows! Just lay me down and let me pull myself to where I need to go, that's the ticket!

What a month we've had. So much has changed. I'm now sitting up by myself and saying "mama", "dada" and once I've said "mamaw." We've taken a trip to the Pumpkin Patch this month too. I'm going to be a Scarecrow for my first Halloween and plan to visit as many family members as I can before falling asleep that night. I'm sleeping in my crib, without my positioner (mommy's still nervous but I'm ok) and rolling around like crazy. I still have no desire to sit on my knees and crawl. I also still don't have a single tooth yet! But I'm growing, growing, growing.

I can't believe my baby boy is half a year old already. Time to start planning a party huh?! Ethan is continuing to amaze us daily. He's such a ray of sunshine to us. He's been battling a cough for a few weeks and as of today's appointment we think it might be reflux again. So we'll see how things go for the next few days and if it doesn't improve he'll start medication. He started stage two foods this month and is loving the variety. However, he HATES mac n cheese. So much for being like his Uncle Tony! He's starting to sit up on his own, he can't get himself up but if he's placed sitting up he can stay that way for a little while. At his six month well visit he was 18 lbs 10 oz (75% for his age) and 29 inches tall (off the charts!). He's a tall boy. My six month old is wearing 12 month clothes - I can't keep up. But we are enjoying life, the laughs and so many of the little things that we took for granted in life before. He's been worth everything!

We are just days away from Ethan turning 5 months. And let me just tell you that while all months have been very special for us this month was full of some great times. Ethan starting eating vegetables after his four month appointment. This month he's had sweet potatoes, sweet peas, green beans, bananas, applesauce and just yesterday started carrots. He's a great eater and I delight in feeding him each evening. He's also rolling over from back to belly all the time but only a few times from belly back to his back. He blows lots of raspberries and has learned to not only sing and hum but yell and let his voice be heard. He's got three buds where teeth will someday be but is handling things very well. He loves to go to the park and just be outside in general. It's as though the movement of the trees is soothing for him. He's still a happy, healthy boy and we are so blessed!