eleven months.

It's crazy to think that my little baby will be a year old in less than a month. I remember when he was a newborn and time went by soooo sloooow, especially those nights. And now here he is, eleven months old, almost a one-year-old. I can't believe it.

This little boy is so funny. Throughout the day, I'll just look at him while he's in his own little world, talking to himself or playing with a toy or a book, and just laugh, because he is so funny. And then he'll look up at me and laugh back. One thing I love about this fiesty kid is that, while he's stubborn and strong-willed and has an attitude, he is all smiles and laughs all the time. He smiles at strangers with his signature "hey!" and looks for any opportunity to laugh, whether it's trying to get me to chase him down the hallway, or making papa do a dance for him while he's in the tub, this boy loves to laugh. It brings me insane and pure joy.

One thing also worth mentioning is that he loves to nurse. Loves it. Like, he still nurses 4 or 5 times a day, and 3 or 4 times at night. This kid loves my boobs, and I don't see him weaning in the near future. And because I'm going to let him self-wean, I joke that he'll probably be done breastfeeding by the time he enters Kindergarten (and a part of me knows that it probably isn't a joke).

At eleven months, Franz...

• crawls, and crawls fast.
• is getting 4 new teeth all at once. One on each side of his top and bottom front teeth.
• wears mostly 24 month clothes and will be in size 5 diapers when the rest of the size 4's are gone. Seriously.
• is getting long hair, which I refuse to cut, and it's laying straight down now, except for the part on the top of his head.
• is fascinated with pumpkins and fire (from our candles) right now. Happy Halloween!
• loves reading books (I've caught him looking at the pictures by himself quite a few times) and loves helping you turn the pages when you're reading to him.
• can say "mama", "papa", "more" (muh), "book" (buh), "bum bum" (buh buh), "pumpkin" (puh), "puff" (puh), "turtle" (tuh tuh), "toys" (tuh), "monkey" (muh), "duck" (duh), "rawr", "ball" (buh) and "bear" (buh). Not only does he say these words, but he knows what each one represents. He knows that is he says more, we'll give him more food (so mealtimes are spent saying "muh muh muh muh muh muh muh!"), and he knows that bum bum means diaper change, and he knows that the pumpkin on our bookshelf is a "puh." I know this is ordinary for his age, but I am so proud and so impressed!
• just got over his third cold to date. I feel fortunate that he hasn't had more colds than that. I've read that the average amount in the first year is five.
• has discovered the wonder that is opening drawers and cupboards and pulling everything out.
• loves pizza. He is our son.
• hates bibs. This may have something to do with us never putting them on him.
• has lately started to make a kissy face (or a duck face) and say "ooh! ooh! ooh!" when he's excited or wants something.
• has learned to clap! And it is precious.
• still doesn't sign, but the fact that he says some words now makes my life easier.
• can't say his C's or K's. So when we ask him where his car is, he says, "bah".
• gets ornery and clingy when he's tired. It only took me 11 months to pick up on my child's cues. No big deal.
• still doesn't sleep through the night, but is starting to wake up less and less (slowly, but surely) and is easier to put to sleep most of the time (we rock him until he's almost asleep and then put him in his crib).
• loves raspberries blown on his tummy, and loves being tickled. A guaranteed laugh with those.
• gives hugs and kisses on demand... most of the time.
• loves Zac's fox shirt and our Audrey Hepburn poster. He gives the fox kisses without fail, and says "hiiii" to Audrey whenever he passes her.
• can stand up by himself, but gets nervous and sits back down whenever he does.
• cruises along furniture like a pro.
• still sleeps on his belly with his bum up.
• loves playing with the tub's faucet when mama's getting ready, as well as the toilet paper, the toilet, and the bathroom garbage.
• bites everything he can get his mouth on. Books, toys, tables, the tub, but thankfully, not people.
• loves being scared.
• loves his binky. I don't see him weaning off of that any time soon either.

This boy. I can't even. He is so special to me. I can't wait to celebrate this last year with him in our lives! It's been such a good one.

conference weekend.

We spent conference weekend up at the cabin, like we do every October. It was Franz's first time, so this trip was extra special. Franz loved playing outside, picking up rocks and leaves, and pushing his cousin Kaleb's toy car all around the cabin floor. We had to move the coffee table in front of the old wood fireplace because Franz was so enthralled by it. That boy likes fire, I tell you.

We enjoyed our time shooting bows and guns, listening to 8 hours of conference (more like... oh, I dunno... 2 hours for me, because Franz is a wild boy), eating pizza from a restaurant down the mountain and donuts that Whit and JT brought up, and playing Farkle--just me and Zac. 

During the last stretch of one of the Sunday sessions, JoJo and I took turns taking pictures of the other one sleeping through it. There's just something about being cozy on the couch next to your husband with the fire burning in the fireplace while your baby is napping that makes you so relaxed and so tired. It was bound to happen, really.

Before leaving on Sunday, Zac, Franz, and I found the tree where we carved my name next to Zac's back in 2011 (when we were newlyweds!) and carved Franz's name underneath (leaving room for a few more babies!). I can't wait for him to grow up and come up to the cabin and see his name carved there by his mama's and papa's. 

witch fest.

Two weekends ago, to kick off the start of October, we took Franz to see all the witches at Gardner Village. We stopped by the cafe for some lunch, and then the Chocolate Covered Wagon for a few chocolates and the best salt water taffy I've ever eaten before making our rounds through the village. We showed him pumpkins, witches, and stuffed animals, but the thing that caught his attention the most was the little Halloween village displayed in one of the shops there, filled with ghosts and witches and little old buildings. And I've gotta admit, it was incredible! A part of me wanted to live there.

This was just what I needed to get into the Halloween spirit. Since then, I've been thinking up Halloween treats to make, planning trips to the pumpkin patch and a Halloween cruise (this weekend!), and getting ready to make our costumes. And just in the last few days, the leaves in our neighborhood have started changing, and I couldn't be more excited! I love the fall.

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