Eleven Months

It doesn't seem right that my baby is already ALMOST a year old! I clearly remember these days a year ago when she was in my belly. I was focused on preparing for her birth - doing the bradley exercises, mentally prepping for the "pain" (I was trying desperately to change the definition in my head of labor pains from pain to just work that was physically intense... it worked), practicing relaxing, having David practice the back massages for labor :-) I can hardly believe all that was a year ago! Wow. Well, all that to say - I'm glad she was born and she has just been a delight since! 

This little bit is not walking yet, but she will stand for an extended period of time without holding on to anything. The funniest thing these days is that she will "walk" a long way on her knees! She is almost doing that more these days than crawling. I need to get a video. But Elizabeth Joy sure is a GREAT crawler! She is fast. She also loves to crawl in and out of chairs and on and off of stools. I almost don't get nervous anymore because she is so good at getting down. The problem comes when she crawls in and out of rocking chairs....

She eats mostly what we eat now - and a lot of it. She still eats more than Caroline does. Caroline just doesn't care about food at meal times - Elizabeth Joy does. Elizabeth Joy is still nursing. If I'd let her she would still nurse like a newborn - every few hours all day AND night! I planned on finishing nursing when she's 12 months, but I bet she will fight me on it.

We are currently sleep training her. I definitely wanted to do it earlier, but with a late night studier for a husband, he needs all the sleep he has time to get. So, now that it is Jan term and David has decided not to take classes, he is taking night duty! We're on night two. It has gone pretty well. The first night she woke up several times very unhappy. Last night she only woke up once! I haven't seen her at all during the night. I was surprised at how sad I was the first night. I missed snuggling with her and getting her sweet hugs and kissing her chubby cheeks. When David came back to bed the first time getting her I said, "Tell me every detail of what y'all did!" He thought I was crazy and then I realized I guess Elizabeth Joy is not the only one that requires sleep training! I do too. I must say, I'm looking forward to hopefully sleeping all night long for the first time in 11 months though...

Funny thing about Miss Elizabeth Joy: She loves being naked! Another contrast to big sister who hated being naked. When we strip Elizabeth Joy down for a bath, she giggles like we are giving her the most joy in the world. She LOVES it. :-)
She hates anything extra besides the most essential clothing. Socks, bibs, hats, gloves, coats are all on her despise list. Somethings got to give or she is going to be one frozen cutie pie this winter!
People are constantly telling us that we named her well because she is a joyful baby! I very much agree and have said so myself many times.

Ahh! A month from now we will have a little birthday girl!! Hopefully everyone can stay out of the hospital for her birthday (unlike Caroline's last month) to celebrate!!