Entering into month 11

I can't believe that tomorrow, Elias will be 11 months old! It is in some ways, very hard to believe that he is almost one. On the other hand, I can hardly remember life without him, therefore, I'd expect him to be 2 or 4 or 15. He seems much older to me than a 1 year old and when I look at him in comparison to other one year olds, Elias seems like an old soul, I don't know why. Someone recently speculated that I must be sad because the baby days are quickly passing. I don't really think I am, though. It's not like a kitten, all soft and fluffy and little, pouncing around and being sweet. Watch his mind grow has been one of the most amazing experiences I have been given the gift to observe and to nurture, but mostly to observe.

In the past few weeks, Elias has been trying to say words and trying to stand and walk. He has figure out how to put things into other things and to take things out of other things. He is a master at flipping pages and his pincer grasp, unfortunately, often demonstrating this on mommy's arm (OUCH!). Elias is not a conventional man. He is industrious and outside of the box for sure. Instead of being in his exersaucer, he likes to crawl under it and push it around the house. He has started playing give and take games which is also very cool. When he likes something (foodwise), he can have a monsterous appetite. His little teeth bite pretty hard and effificently, too. He's eating bigger and bigger pieces of things, and sometimes, when what he has devoured is something he isn't supposed to eat, he will take it out of his mouth and give it to mommy, if she remembers to ask nicely.

Elias is very good at expressing his emotions. He doesn't hold back, which is soo good! He loves a smiling face and can be quite a little flirt at times, too. He's waking up from a nap....