Almost 11 Months

This handsome little red-haired ball of energy is almost 11 months old today.

Half of my days are spent squinting at him, wondering where the time went. Then, an instant later, he flashes me a grin and takes off, intent on some crazy act of destruction.

(Think he looks too sweet for destruction?  Yeah, I thought so too... then he pulled my kitchen cabinet door off of the hinges).

He idolizes his sisters and is far, far happier when they're around to play with him.  I contemplated waking them up at 6am this morning when he was unusally cranky.  I didn't.  But I was right... as soon as they came out of their room, he brightened right on up.

Well, he almost always loves being around them... sometimes the fact that they're a bit bigger can totally exasperate him.  Well, it won't be long til he can dish the "love" back out.

His sisters do just about anything to make him laugh.  One of his most recognizable words is "jump"... most likely resulting from the absolute belly laughs he gives when the girls jump up and down like loonies around him. He cracks up every time.  It's a wonderful little tool to have in my back pocket to stave off that inevitable meltdown while shopping.

Actually, the kid is far more likely to be grinning than crying.  He's not much of a sleeper... in fact, he needs FAR less sleep than his sisters did at this age... but he's happy 95% of the time.  I can handle a small person's company if they're that jolly.

He gives kisses freely, complete with dramatic smacking sounds.  When he gets tired of smooches, he um, bites.  Not hard, but they're stealthy.  It's far less than he used to, but oy.  Watch that you don't put your fingers near his mouth. Now that he's found his tongue,  I'm just waiting for him to start licking people like his sister does, (thank you SHAUN, for teaching her that one).

He loves his Mama, no doubt.... but he'll reach for Shaun any day, even from my arms. And "DADA!  DADA!" is an perpetual exclamation when Shaun walks in the room.  I don't really mind. Because when Shaun scoops him up, that's generally 23 pounds that I don't have to schlep out of the cabinets or from under the table or in my closet.

He's my jolly, sweet, mischievous, delightful little man...  100% percent boy and hasn't even turned one yet. And I think that he's learning quite quickly that the quickest way out of trouble is with dimples and a grin like his.  Then I'm the one in trouble, I think.

I think I'm ok with that kind of trouble.  Now, I have to go put my kitchen cabinets back together.