Eleven Months...

Hi Avery,
Yesterday you turned eleven months old. The countdown to your first birthday can now officially begin. While you were napping yesterday afternoon and Alex and Eric were having their necessary TV downtime, I did something stupid which was to read a book about developmental milestones. Now while I generally think you are perfect, when I read these types of books, I can have what is known as a 'freak out reaction'. Because there are guidelines about what is developmentally appropriate. And it's not that you are necessarily developmentally delayed (what an evil phrase, huh?), it's more that I have not 'tested' you on these developments.

So you woke up from your nap and I was on a mission: pulls herself to standing. yup, you can do that in your crib with verbal encouragement. check. can walk holding on to a sturdy children's car/push toy. brought your Winnie the Pooh car up from the basement, stood you behind it and lo and behold, you can push it and walk! check. crawling may not be traditional, some children scoot on their behinds or pull themselves along in an 'army crawl' (that's you). as long as both sides of the body (left and right) are being used equally, this is developmentally fine. OMG, OMG, do you pull yourself more with one arm than the other? I need to see you crawl NOW. oh, okay. check.

Those were the gross motor tests. I didn't bother with any of the verbal or fine motor because (smile) I know how advanced you are with these.

Here you are with your brother in your Pooh car. You were taking a break from walking and he was pushing you super fast. You and your brother and your dad were all laughing your heads off.



Love,
Mama

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