Enna- 11 months

Enna,

My dear, you are just about 2.5 weeks shy of one year and it kills me to think that my baby is indeed growing up. That being said, you are so much fun right now!

You are saying a few words now: Mama, Dada, bath (ba or da), uh-oh, hi, and night-night (na na). You make lots of noises for different phrases and repeat sounds that we make. You wave goodbye, sign all done, and love to makes "indian" noises.

You are standing alone for a few seconds, but still unstable. You have yet to take any steps on your own, but are a crawling machine. Definitely taking your time in this area.

You squeal and scream and love to be heard. You are opinionated and don't like it when toys get taken from you. You don't like getting dressed or diaper changed when you are tired or hungry. And it is a toss up on bedtime...sometimes you want your bed and other nights you decided that bed is the absolute last place you want to be. You keep us on our toes for sure!

You are pretty flexible and are a late-nighter. You started sleeping great after we had a ton of late activities, keeping you up past your bedtime. You sleep long in the morning and love to nap for a couple hours or more for your first nap. Still taking two good naps a day most days.

After a few weeks of sleeping all night, you developed a virus (Roseola) and were sick for an entire week. That being said, you developed a love for waking often again, but I am hoping that it will be short-lived.

You are super easy to take places and stay contentedly in your stroller for long periods of time. You love to observe and don't fuss much unless you see Mommy.

Your thumb sucking is still just about the cutest thing about you ever. You suck your thumb and hold your ear and it is so sweet. I know it is going to be hard to break the habit, but for now it is so super cute.

You have 8 teeth and more almost breaking through. Teething is no fun for you, but that isn't really a surprise.

You are a joy and a sweetheart!

Love, Mama

Insta-recap

I got an iPhone. Well, you see, I've technically had it for about 6 months now. Seth got it for me for Christmas after I shattered the screen on my bottom of the line "smart" phone. While he was arranging this purchase (it is used-because I am way to cheap for the real deal) I was given my sister's old phone. I am frugal, so I opted to re-sell the iPhone and use hers. But we never even attempted to sell the iPhone. And then the hubby got a brand new one last week when they upgraded his old Blackberry at work and I said, "Go get the iPhone. I am ready to switch."

So, I joined Instagram. And I kinda love it. And it is also kinda my new way of documenting things because that bulky nice camera is just not going anywhere with me these days when I've already got more to hold than I have hands.

Here's our week...Instagram style.

We started our week off with a visit from friends and I caught this sweet moment with Aidan and sweet baby Micah

Then, Nora went off for a night away at my sister's house and had a blast. We took this pic after she got home....sweet girl!

Hearing Aidan read to me is one of my all-time favorite things!

This little thumb sucker gets me every time.

I started ballet classes a couple months ago and have really enjoyed getting to invest in my lifelong passion. Ballet class was Thursday night and I came home feeling energized.

My morning cup of coffee is so much better in my World Market mugs.

We started to pick up on a little summer schooling.

On Friday, I was feeling super stir crazy and was blessed with a nice pool retreat with the older two...a.k.a. I got to sit on the side of the pool in the sun!

To end Friday, we went to the free concert series the city was putting on. They had free face painting and the music was good.

Nora was so sad that we had to wash her butterfly off at the end of the night.

Saturday, the girls (minus Enna) got dressed up for a friend's ballet recital

Then we spent a crazy night at Ol' Shawnee Days with some friends

Sunday, we had a delicious dinner that Aidan actually ate all of!

And Nora played

We had a slower week and then a busy weekend with lots of late nights. Enna started sleeping through the night with all the craziness so that was a blessing in disguise. 

Now we are in the middle of  VBS week at church and crazy late nights. More to come on that next week though!

Five Minute Friday: Hands

Well, apparently, I am a pretty lame blogger these days as my last post was last Friday's FMF. But, I am trying.

Linking up again for Five Minute Friday. Taking just 5 minutes to write, raw and unedited. Feel free to join in on this fun challenge.

Today's word: HANDS

Strong hands, calluses on the fingertips from playing guitar, that scar on the thumb from a our honeymoon ski trip where you gave me your gloves and then fell and cut yourself with your skis, the veins on the tops of the hands that stick out from all the use, the hands that play the piano with ease, that rub my sore shoulders, and hold on to me when I need it most.

Those 6 year old hands, finally losing the baby chubbiness, pulling apart Legos, holding a pencil, dirty fingernails from digging for bugs in the backyard, still holding on to me when we cross a street.

The 3 year old chubby fingers, fingernails painted pink, washing hands in the sink, plunking away on the piano, grasping a brush to comb your hair, buttoning buttons with such focus.

Tiny chubby baby hands, a sore spot from thumb sucking, clapping together, signing "all done," discovering everything, pulling open drawers, touching, touching, touching.

8 hands to hold, different shapes and sizes, some pull away, some hold tight....I am so blessed.