Our Life, the Howards: Keegan at 11 months

Keegan,

Today you are 11 months. I am stunned that you will be a year in just a month. Your little face is such a core part of our little family that it is hard to remember a time you weren't with us, but at the same time, it feels like just yesterday you were kicking away happily in my belly.

This month has marked some big changes for you. You have advanced a lot on moving and scootching around the furniture, you hate sitting down for too long and would rather be standing with the assistance of anything. You are really close to standing up on your own and will let go and stand unassisted for a few seconds at a time (started that last week). You crawl like a little speed demon around the house and try desperately to keep up with MacKenzie who prefers to run away screaming "Nee-nan's coming, Nee-nan's coming". You also like to bounce and sway to music if it is on the radio, a toy, or t.v.. You are still hesitant to walk too much when we hold your little hands, but I don't know that it will be that much longer before you are pushing off on your own. You have also learned to throw your hands in the air and say "Aaaaaa" whenever we tell you to say Yay! You will sometimes clap when we say "clap, clap" and you will shake your head no when we tell you no. Mommy has even caught you shaking your head "no" when you know you are about to do something wrong! You have started signing a bit more by asking for milk, more, and it seems like you will sign yes and book. You also will wave Hello and Goodbye. You will verbalize Mama, Dada, and buh for book and will "pant" when we ask you what a doggy says (just like we taught MacKenzie to do). All of these are such fun new discoveries for you and for us.

You love to sit and read books and have started bringing them to us when you can find one small enough to drag along with your crawling. You especially love the "touch and feel" books and will touch pages that aren't touch and feel anyways to see if there are any textures. You like to play with balls and stuffed animals and anything that anyone older is playing with. You also love to be tickled and will crawl away from us shrieking, then collapse onto the floor while looking back at us like "Ok, it is time for you to tickle me now". You love to interact with all of us in different ways and Daddy and I think it is very cute that you love your big sissy so much. You love to give her kisses at night after prayer time.

You sleep a ton and are still taking two long naps (and sometimes a short evening "siesta") and sleeping 12 hours at night. Your sister frequently wakes you up in the morning by throwing all of the stuffed animals and sometimes books into your crib with you. You don't seem to mind too much as long as we come get you in a timely manner to feed you. You eat really well, but we have discovered that there are some odd foods you don't like. Specifically, you do not like bananas or raisins. I cannot blame you, but it is strange for a child not to like bananas. You are also very particular about what you DO like and if you see something that Mommy, Daddy, or MacKenzie are eating that you don't have you will shake with frustration and sqwawk until you do get some to eat. You eat like a pig and are taking three meals and 4-5 nursing sessions or bottles. Right now you still just have your bottom teeth, but you have been working on cutting the top two for quite some time now.

Keegan you are so charming and cute that we cannot help but squeeze you everytime we get the chance. We love you so much and cannot wait to see where this month takes us. Raising you is truly a joy to us.

All of our love,

Mommy and Daddy

Here are a few pictures, I will post more soon!