Eleven months old

I'm eleven months old!

The main thing you should know about me is that I'm a really good helper now.

I'm simply obssessed with this vacuum. Gone are the days when its noise would scare me. Now I cry if mommy tries to vacuum without me or--worse--tries to put this lovely red machine away! My hand must be on this handle at all times that it's visible.

I help mommy blend . . .

. . . and even knead bread! Something about this dough reminds me of touching my face.

I'm Daddy's assistant camera op. It's easy.

I like to make funny noises, stand up everywhere, and clap, of course. When I'm sick of all that, I make my special nose scrunching face. It gets me what I want every time.

This is my new favorite toy. If you visit me, we can make it go "boinnnng" together!

I also like playing with my cousin Dallas. I steer and he honks the horn.

This is what I do to strengthen my eyes. I'm almost as tall as a DVD menu!

I don't know why Daddy wraps his neck in these. They're much funner to sit in.

Mommy wasn't ready to take this picture, but I guess she wanted to document this new trick. It's cool--I found a place where my finger fits perfectly.

I drew a card for Grandma Jane on her birthday. It had a picture of my fat little hand on it. I wonder if she knows where my finger had been . . .

I love looking at reflections of myself (I'm pretty cute, you know) and playing peek-a-boo.

Also, the world looks better upside down most days.

I'm still best buddies with MMMM (my mommy milk machine).

But I'm a big fan of this guy too--and the snow! Also, I decided to trade my pink hat in for this one when I was at the store with Daddy. I wanted to be a brown bear like the one in my favorite book.

Excuse me?

This is what I wear to swimming lessons. Did you know that I'm a professional breath-holder now? I can also hold on to the side of the pool all by myself. But who can't, really.

I like getting IN YOUR FACE! Especially if you let me suck on it.

Do you like my bear bum (Leah)?

Sometimes I do leg lifts to maintain my physique . . .

. . . which for some reason Mommy likens to "Buddha." As long as she worships me, I guess it's okay.

I love standing on my changing table to look out the window. Mommy likes to look at my cheeks.

I heard double chins were in this season. Good thing.

Guess what? My hair is getting a little bit curly. That means I never have to get it combed.

Eleven months old today!

* * *

Zoë is such a smart little girl. This month she learned a lot of new things. We can't believe she only has a few weeks left in her first year!

Zoë's tricks: Waving, signing "milk" and pointing to anything she wants, giving "hugs" when we put our arms up by laying her head on our chests, giving open mouthed kisses--mostly to the teacher in her Brown Bear book and stuffed animals but occassionally to a lucky mama, doing most of the actions to the "itsy bitsy spider," asking for "ma," "da," and "num nums," honking noses when we say "honk," cruising around the livingroom furniture getting ready to walk, bear crawling in an attempt to stand up.

Zoë likes: Dancing, standing up in the bathtub and trying to grab the toilet paper, sucking on wet washcloths (if a washcloth or wet paper towel gets anywhere in the vicinity of her mouth, her tongue is out and licking), playing peekaboo while I'm making the bed, crawling away and squealing when I say "I'm gonna get you!" and make pounding noises on the floor or bed, being mimicked, vacuuming, trying to get my computer (okay, she would actually like the computer, but I don't let her get that far), petting dogs and cats, eating "num nums," her grandparents, grabbing other kids' toys.

Zoë doesn't like: Giving other kids' toys back, being moved away from things she's not supposed to get into (thanks to my friend Julie, who reminded me of the language, we say "Zoë, that's not for touching!" after which she proceeds to shake her head violently while continuing to touch the forbidden object), having to sit down in the bathtub, being put in her own bed after she's asleep (she inevitably opens her eyes, gives me the saddest look, and raises her arms--how can I resist?), falling (she held her breath after a pretty minor fall until she passed out for a second!), coming inside after a fun day of walks and waving"hi" to trees.