Ruthie is Eleven Months Old

Ruthie played peek-a-boo with me the other day, while she was wiggling on the changing table.  Hiding her little blue-green eyes behind Mousie, she had a blast with the whole exchange.  She seemed so big, initiating that little game!  And then I was reminded... she’s almost one!  

Ruthie seems to be doing quite a lot at “almost one”.  She is...

• sleeping well when she’s feeling well (although she hasn’t really felt well for much of the last month).  Her morning nap consistently ends after about an hour and a half; I no longer need to wake her up.  Her afternoon nap is generally between an hour and a half to two and a half hours, depending on how well she napped that morning (and she’ll especially nap longer if we’ve been on the go.)
• still toothless.  Seriously.
• seeming to get her appetite back after nearly a month of a bad cold (which lasted about two weeks) and then a week of a tummy bug.  She still takes the four bottles, and she still enjoys eating just about everything we eat.  Ruthie has discovered veggie straws this month (actually, we all have...and we love them!) and eats them sort of maniacally if she sees them.  She also really loves bananas, cheese, noodles, frozen peas, limas, broccoli, and large chunks of just about anything.  Roo also enjoys drinking water from a sippy cup.
• learning all kinds of new tricks:  she blows kisses, waves bye-bye, plays peek-a-boo, will (unsuccessfully) attempt to step while standing, cruising speedily along the furniture, and generally getting into all sorts of mischief while Mommy is otherwise distracted.
• still a major fan of the bath, but she does NOT like to be left alone in there.  Sisters are always a plus.
• loving to play with baby dolls, books, anything illicit, and loves to cruise around with something in her mouth (like a puppy).  
• talking?  Maybe?  I’m always so hesitant to say.  I think she’s saying more, mama, and Michael and our community group babysitter both claim they’ve heard “thank you”.  She may also be saying banana.  She definitely is trying to communicate with us.  She regularly signs “more”, “all done”, and “milk” (which also means water or eat).  
• liking to be rocked, which is something neither of the other girls really enjoyed.  Mommy likes this too.
• not so crazy about actually reading books, but will sit without squirming for about 1 ½ board books.  Bonus points for books that have textures or pictures of real babies.  Mousie and nay-nay are generally a must.
• always on the move. 

Our little mouse is happy happy happy... and I can’t believe she’s almost one!  What a delight she is, to all of us.  The big girls adore her, we can’t get enough of her, and we’re oh-so-thrilled that we have a little Roo to call our own.