Liam ~ 11 months old

This big guy is 11 months old! I don't understand how he can be turning one next month! 

(This post is a little late.. the picture was on time!)

He is not walking yet, just pulling up and trying to cruise along furniture. Crawls very fast. He will sometimes let go of what he's holding on to, and teeter there for a minute, but then fall. I love it. :)

He is not very interested in purified baby food anymore... He mostly just wants little pieces of whatever we're having. Loves little bites of Chick-Fil-A nuggets. (Smart boy!) We are still nursing! One more month, and I'll have made my goal of 1 Year of Breastfeeding! I think it was all about determination. I can definitely feel my body tiring of breastfeeding... I feel like I am really struggling to make anywhere near enough milk for him. He gets quite a few formula bottles when I work on the weekends. But when I'm off, I can feed him enough. Oh well, we start introducing whole milk next month anyways. He loves minion Teddy Grahams, and chocolate teddy Grahams! 

He got two more teeth! Not where you might imagine.. hehe! They are on the top, on the immediate right and left of his two middle teeth! Kinda vampire-ish. So he has a total of 4 now. 

He's still a twice-a-day napper and he is nearly sleeping all night! He still wakes up one time to nurse. This feed is his best feed because he's basically asleep and not distracted. 

No words yet, just occasional Da-da and na-na.

The face I see 99% of the time--his sweet little grin!

Loves the little octopus, just like Cohen did.

And very interested in taking the camera into his own hands!

One, next month! How can it be?? We love you so much, William Emile! 

Liam ~ 10 months old

10 months old! Well, five days ago. Work got in the way of his picture. How cute is he?? Mannn.

On his exact 10 month birthday, we were at his pediatrician's office with a 102 fever that he'd had for 2 full days. Must have been a little virus because he's better now. So he didn't want a picture anyways. Mr. No-nap.

So, this guy is precious. He's crawling everywhere, pulling up on furniture, attempting to cruise along furniture, and beelines for the stairs if you look away for 30 seconds. Cohen considers it his personal job to go and grab him from the stairs and carry him to safety.

He is still just babbling unintelligibly. No words yet.

He eats several baby food meals a day. I feel like he's kinda "take it or leave it" with solids. He'll eat them, but he never cries for them or anything. Still breastfeeding! I can hardly believe we've made it this far. He still wakes up to eat at night. Sometimes twice... Ugghh.. Not loving that. Ready for my full nights of sleep again.

He rarely sleeps in our bed anymore, unless he's been up twice already and is still fussing. But overall, he's more comfy in his bed. He is getting better about taking two pretty good naps each day. But if we are out and about, it gets ruined. Ruined, I tell ya. He's one of those kids who will fall asleep five minutes from the house and then wake up when you pull in the garage and be wired to the max, refusing to nap in his crib.

He loves to play pat-a-cake, be sung to, get big brother's cars and nerf bullets, take mama's glasses, pull on cords, bang on the lap top, splash in the bath tub... He's so fun!

And just because we were at the pedi's office, he weighed 20 pounds 11 ounces.

He's still got two teeth, there on the bottom.

Those puppy dog eyes.. they get me every time.

Oh, and he's such a sensitive little guy. Anytime we have to raise our voice or speak sternly to Cohen, he gets a sad, sad look on his face then cries so sincerely... it breaks my heart and I just have to squeeze and hug and kiss him to make it all better.

10 beautiful months with this sweet bug. Better get to party planning! :)

A little of our week {in photos}

This is perhaps the best kind of post.. one with lots of pictures.

I got a little emotional when a friend at work mentioned going to a funeral for a young person who had young children. And I thought about what a gut-wrenching fear that is for me. I pray, pray that my boys won't have to be without either me or Hector while they're little. I want them to remember us, and remember the good times we had, and the love we had/have for one another. I'm getting nauseous just typing these words. BLECHHH. Ok.

Anyways, I also thought, I need to get in more pictures with my kids! How 'not fun' would it be to get older and look back at photos and only see pics of you by yourself?? No. I want them to see Mom and Dad in pictures with them. As Emily Anderson (of The Anderson Crew) calls it, "Embracing the Camera", getting in pictures with your kiddos. It really is special. Do it.

On to the happy!

This baby boy.. getting increasingly uneasy in his jumper.. he'd rather be roaming the house, getting into trouble! Look at those sweet teeth! Two on the bottom.

He crawls up to me EVERY chance he gets. He's kinda smitten with me.. and I kinda thrive on that! 

Pulled him into a "selfie"... But hey! We're together!

Coco and Daddy... lookalikes much?? 

Daddy with Liam! Blurry, but together. :)

Granna and Pop dropped in last night for dinner! Love when they're here!

She is so fantastic, and he is her BIGGEST fan. 

Switched the 'ol camera into manual mode for these next shots. You're welcome. 

My sweaty boy on our walk today. 

Baby bro at least had some stroller shade... Rosy cheeks :)

Those feet...... I just can't. I kiss them everyday. Because, why not?

Nature boy, he wanted me to eat that, I think.

I refused and his 16 year old attitude came out.

His face kills me. So big.

Wonder when they'll both look at the camera? At one time, I mean? 

Liam totally ripped that page right outta the magazine Hector was looking at. Baby gets what baby wants. 

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week... nursing a 9 month old! I don't mind showing this photo, because you know what? It's not inappropriate at all. Nothing is seen that 'shouldn't' be. 

Anyways, I'm proud to still be breastfeeding, and I want to remember this forever (as if I could forget). And it's just a few more pictures that I get to be in with my sweet baby. Thanks, Hector, for the pictures. While taking them he said, "Just a beautiful mama feeding her baby." I really appreciated that.. and not the compliment.. but the observation. 

After he removed my glasses, as he does during most feeds nowadays.. because that's super fun for him. :) Love the eye contact. 

Then I snatched up this guy! How is he so big?? Coco starts 3K in few weeks. He's ready, I'm so nottttt. :(

Well, I'm super impressed if you made it all the way to the end of that long post! Hope you enjoyed! 

Liam ~ 9 months old

Well, our tiny baby is not so tiny anymore! He turned 9 months yesterday! **pats self on back for getting a picture and a blog post done on time**

This was a month of milestones!! But first, his Tonka picture:

He changes so much each month--I can't stand it!! 

Listen to what this kid accomplished this month:

1. Got TWO bottom teeth!

2. Started CRAWLING like a BOSS.

3. Started pulling up on furniture and in his crib.

4. Can feed himself PUFFS. 

5. Can halfway sign "more" when he wants more PUFFS. :)

6. Can crawl up stairs. *heart attack*

7. Got a double ear infection on his 9 month bday. O_O

8. Loves to hug his brother!

9. Went swimming in the big pool--loved it!

Still no words. 

He is still breastfed, though, he is way more distractible. His best feeds are in the middle of the night and right when he wakes up in the morning. In addition to nursing, he gets solid food several times a day. He loves pretty much all the fruits. And some veggies, if they are mixed with fruit. ;)

He is 20 pounds, 1 ounce. So big! (Cohen was 20 pounds, 15.5 ounces!) Crazy how similar they are! His thighs are so big and chunky!! PERFECTLY SQUISHY. 

He goes to bed between 8 and 9 (We aim for 8) and wakes up somewhere between 2-4am to eat. He honestly likes to go back to his bed, where he can spread out, but I'm sleepy and lazy and usually keep him with me, until he fights it too much. Then he's pretty much up by 7:30. He takes a 1-2 hour nap after he's been up for about 2 hours (unless he has an undiagnosed [yet] double ear infection, like today) and then another 2 hour nap when Cohen naps (around 2 or 3 pm.)

He's loving sound toys now, and trying to push the buttons. :) We're training him to love his lovey ;) by tucking it in with him each night and at nap time. (Cohen still very much needs his, and treats it like his baby now.. putting it for naps, feeding it) :)

Here were some outtakes:

Ummm.. I think this is the last one, Mom...

Yup, I'm outta here!

Ok, one more. :)

Buh-bye!

That elbow, though!!!

It is the perfect age right now. Perfect. Stay little, my sweet boy. Please??? We love you!

Liam ~ 8 months old

Yaaay! A week late! We've been busy, okay??  There was the Fourth.. there was work.. there was Cohen going to Granna and Pop's, then US going there.. there were home repairs..

Anyways, I took his picture today.. at 8 months and 10 days old. Oh well. At least I took it. :)

I. just. can't.

This has got to be the best age. He's figured out how to scoot backwards, so that's fun. He rolls every which way, so that's also fun. He's for real teething (for real, this time), so that's not very fun. No seriously, I can SEE a tooth coming in on the bottom, right middle. :)

He is still breast fed, and we've added in 2-3 meals of baby purees each day. He's a fan of them now. He's had everything from carrots to sweet potatoes to beets to mango to pineapple and everything in between. He also loves the puffs. (who doesn't??) He likes to drink water from a sippy cup, but he thinks it's real funny to let the water run right out of his mouth, while smiling real big. :) Silly boy. 

He wears 9 month to 12 month clothes.. although, I got him into an 18 month onesie the other day...

He shows no interest in standing up or cruising. And I'm perfectly fine with that. 

No words, lots of babble. No "ma ma" yet. Still pushing for that one. 

Oh, and he hates napping. I hate that he hates napping.

outtakes:

Funny boy!

Still likes sticking that tongue out!

I told Cohen to jump in with him and Liam immediately moved in for a hug. :)

Mr. Soon-to-be-crawling!

What baby brother does, big brother must imitate... >_<

Mama with my baby boy! Cohen is getting pretty good at snapping pictures ;)

I like to chew on everything.

Look at that boy, playing with his truck!

(remember Cohen at 8 months? started taking interest in his truck at this age too!)

(and look at Coco wearing this outfit at almost the exact same age!!)