11 Months

I can hardly believe we're approaching the one year mark already. This has easily been the fastest year of our lives! This sweet boy has brought us so much joy. We knew this whole parenting gig would be great, but there's no way to prepare for a love that's this big. Sure we have days where we're tired and unsure of the best choices to make (or if there even IS a best choice!), but neither one of us can imagine having it any other way. We are so in love and so thankful for this life that has been entrusted to us!

Every month we are seeing more and more of his personality. He is loving interacting with games like peek-a-boo and and repeating animal sounds that we make when we read to him from his animal books. Two of my favorite things he does right now is sniff/smell when he sees flowers and make a pig noise when we say "pig" or point to the pigs in his books.

He looooves dogs- in books, on TV and in real life. He also thinks gerbils, hamsters, and monkeys are dogs and makes sure to excitedly say, "dah, dah, dah" whenever he sees something that even remotely resembles a dog.

He is balancing on two feet at times and cruising around furniture. And he is so so proud of himself when he walks around the house with his walker.

He thankfully still loves all kinds of food and really likes eating what we eat. We've also learned that he has quite the sweet tooth and gets his feelings hurt big time when dessert is "all done."

He feels the same way about the sprinkler in our backyard and had his first major hurt-feelings melt-down when we had to come back inside after playing in it. He did the silent cry with held breath for a good 10 seconds and then wailed until we found some toys to play with inside. It broke my heart and made me laugh all at once. Sweet boo!

He holds Matt's fingers when he rides in the Baby Bjorn. Melt.

Dog park excitement

Best buds :)

Construction fun in our backyard!

Play date at the park

He loves swinging and got to ride back-to-back with his buddy Reynolds :)

After a meal out at Mirko, we had to unbutton his shorts- hahah, buddy loves his Italian just like his Mama.

Days with Nonna and Papa are our favorite!

National Donut Day was a big hit!

Hiking fun!

Souper Jenny's biggest fan- this was after his first taste of chocolate chip cookie :)

Ryan's first baseball game!

Sound asleep on our hike

While car shopping for daddy, Ryan got to check out a brand new Ferrari. #stickershock

No doubt Ryan is laughing and "tapping" Tally's head while he tries to rest in this picture

Lunch date!

And shopping date :)

Music class with Nonna, Aunt Gretchen and Maddox...

...and then with Mimi!

Ryan's face in this pic... hahah

Testing out daddy's new ride!

Brunch when Great Nanna and Great Grandpa came to town

Pet store visit!

nakey time before bath :)

Sweet morning snuggles with cousins!

Ryan loves feeding Tally his leftovers, and Tal doesn't mind it either.

One of Ryan's (and my) favorite new things to do is pull up on my back and say, "eeek!" (Peek!)

Every time I act so surprised, and he thinks it's the best game. :)

The top pictures are of me teaching Ryan how to make a marinade for our dinner that night, and the bottom picture is what he did for most of the lesson. ;)

This sweet boo and his super sweet Nonna... 

My amazing mama and my sweet stepdad came to stay with us and watch Ryan so that I could take Matt out for a Father's Day dinner. Well of course as we were putting Ryan down that night before we left, we realized something was up. After pushing back our dinner reservations a couple of times, we were ready to cancel them all-together, but my sweet parents INSISTED that we go and that they would love on Ryan and take good care of him while we were out enjoying our dinner. When we got home, Ryan was sound asleep in my mom's arms. :) I could cry just remembering it. Goodness I love them so much!

I love the way Ryan looks at his Papa. And the way Tal perpetually smiles whenever Nonna is around- haha. These two love their Nonna and Papa!

There it is again :)

Some form of this (usually MUCH messier honestly) is what our kitchen floor looks like every night between 5-6 when I'm prepping dinner.

Ryan, Noah, and Maddox looking out into the backyard. Those boys are just the sweetest with him. He is one lucky boy to have such thoughtful cousins!

I've made these drawers up for grabs for Ryan while I get ready every day (actually every day is an over-statement... but you get the idea) ;) #stayathomemomlife

Our last picture in front of my sister's (and once my mom's) house before they moved!

Father's Day!

Park playdate! Ryan saw something exciting... not sure what it was though

Pool day with Aunt Karen, Jackson, and Riley!

Tally comes with me to get Ryan from his naps every day, and Ryan gets so excited to see him. I love watching these two together. :)

Charleston bound with our big boy!

Sharing a meal with his future wife. ;)

A day with these people makes a 6 hour drive feel like a quick jaunt. I wish we could make this trip every weekend!

The sweetest, most squishable 11 month old there ever was. 

Love him so.