Dear Siena – 11 Months

Dear Siena,

Where has our baby gone? You’re transforming before our eyes into a little girl with a big personality. We knew from your entrance into the world that you like to do things your way and you continue to prove that to us. Your personality is big and beautiful and we love you for it.

Your communication skills have dramatically improved this month and we now feel like we are starting to get each other even more. You’re starting to say more words and your babbling is starting to have even more consistency. In addition to “dada” and “mama” which have been around for a while, you started saying “uh-oh” and “no” this month (I also think you say thank you, but it sounds more like “dee-doo.”). But these words aren’t your main tool of communication – its your body language, grunts, screams and pointing which now have startling consistency and we’ve finally decoded. We can tell what you want more easily now and it’s becoming increasingly obvious that you are picking up on our words, body language and noises as well. Your dad and I talk to you constantly and you are happiest when we’re making eye contact with you. You want to be included in our family and you definitely are.

We can now direct you to do something and you’ll actually do it! For example, we can point to a ball and ask you to bring it to us and you will (most of the time). I can point to a piece of your toy and point to another piece and you will bring stack them. You sign “all done” when you’re finished with your meal (none of the other signs have stuck yet although the only other one that I’ve been really consistent with until recently is “more”). You now point to what you want which makes it easier to help you with what you need.

You’re increasingly mobile but have yet to take more than one step on your own. You have been cruising like a champ and you can stand without assistance for quite a while (maybe a minute). You let go of objects and stand on your own for a while to test things out but then do a squat to sit back down. You will use anything as a walker – your stand and play piano, your high chair, or a box – and will bolt across the room with it. Anything that can be pushed across the floor is fair game. You’re rarely taking big tumbles anymore and are really sure on your feet. I’m pretty confident that you can walk but it hasn’t quite clicked yet. We’re definitely in for it when you can!

Your favorite toys are not toys. You enjoy closing and shutting things – drawers, doors, cabinets. You stand up in front of the glider and rock it back and forth. You love to turn on the portable air conditioning unit in your room and then reach up and feel the cool air before pushing all the other buttons and giggling. You love to pull up onto the toilet or grab the toilet paper and unroll as much as you can when we forget to close the bathroom door. You dart for the refrigerator every time it’s open and pull out the hot sauce or any other object you can get your hands on. Your favorite thing that is actually a toy is the toy house that I bought you on Craig’s List – you love to open and close the door, window and mailbox, especially if your dad or I am on the other side.

You are starting to throw things and one of our favorite games is throwing a ball back and forth. You also know how to roll a ball back and forth. When we ask for something with an open hand you will put it in our hand. You love to put things inside of other things and then dump them out and start over. You stack blocks, can put together a stacking toy, and love to feel the fuzzy parts of your touch and feel books. You don’t often like to sit still and read but I’ve started reading to you before every nap, even if it means I’m reading to you as you crawl across the room.

My favorite turn of events this month is that you’ve become more cuddly! You never really liked to cuddle, besides when you are nursing, but now you will rest your head on my arm or shoulder when you are tired and even fall asleep in my arms. It melts my heart! Speaking of nursing, we are now down to just nursing morning and night and you get formula during the day. I don’t plan to completely wean until you are ready, so we will see how long we last. Based on our rocky start, I’m pleasantly surprised that we made it this far and I would be thrilled to make it to a year. Our morning sessions go smoothly and we normally cuddle in bed, but you seem to want to party in the evening and it’s more like you’re twerking than nursing.

The most exciting part of this month was that I left my full-time job to be home with you! We’ve only had a week together but we already have gotten a good routine going. You are taking two naps a day now, around 9 a.m. and around 2 p.m., napping in total 3-4.5 hours a day. You still go to bed at 8 p.m. and wake up anywhere between 6 a.m. – 7 a.m. You’re eating three meals and a 1-2 snacks a day, with a new favorite food being greek yogurt. You’re still obsessed with berries, sweet potato, puffs and toast but I try to give you a wide variety of foods. The only meat or fish that you will consistently eat is tuna (mixed with greek yogurt). We will offer you meat when we have it but you rarely eat it. Maybe when we’ll have to wait until you have more teeth (you still just have 3 bottom teeth although I’m convinced the top ones are about to make an appearance but I think I’ve been saying that for months).

You went on your second road trip this month, this time up the California coast to visit friends along the way. You had a great time meeting so many babies and kids as well as your mom and dad’s friends. You didn’t sleep great so we all came home pretty exhausted but we had a great time. Your Grandpa and Grandma Woyski visited you at the beginning of the month and you got to see your Nana and Boo, Aunt Claire and Uncle Josh and your Grandma Christy as well. You now get to see your Nana every single week because she comes to watch you one day while I work.

One month from now you will be one year old. This year has flown by and I wish I could make time stand still. In the meantime, I’ll just hold you close a little longer.

Love,

Mom