This one goes to eleven.

Eleven. I'd be lying if I said I'm not getting a little emotional about it, but I have to remind myself how wonderful this time is too. Such a breeze compared to those early days. We connect and communicate and are in a perfect rhythm. I have not one complaint about this stage. Two good naps (most days), all kinds of personality, not quite walking but plenty mobile, and very self-assured. It's a good age. All the stages are wonderful in their own way, but some are harder than others. But overall it seems like it just gets better and better. You're like a fine wine, Eliza, more delicious and delightful with each passing month. We love you ever so much.





This shoot was, unsurprisingly, the most difficult yet, as all she wanted to do was stand up in the chair and bang on the window. So, we let her (supervised, of course), as it sums up nicely where she is these days. A cruising, crawling, curious, busy little thing.



(This is after she'd tossed all the animals over the chair.)











I know I say it every month. But she is just incredibly sweet. This is how she hugs her stuffed animals when you ask her to, with them up by her ear. What else do you call it?





She gives us tight hugs and kisses too whenever we ask for them; spontaneously too. I am here to tell you, my new mothers and mothers-to-be, there is nothing on this earth that compares to a spontaneous, slobbery kiss from your baby girl as you peruse paper towel offerings at Randalls. She'll pull your face in and plant one on you. Followed of course, by a toothy, delighted-with-herself grin.


(Here's a kiss for Josephine)



She is still a big sharer, probably because I encouraged this inclination with lots of "thank you!"'s and now it's kind of all she does. She shares books and toys with her precious little friends. MOST things she finds on the ground at the park or at home now are offered to me ("Dis?") rather than heading into the mouth. Like dis rock. Why, thank you, Eliza.



She feels very helpful when she hands me things, so we've been finding things around the house that she can "help" with, like handing me laundry to fold.  Her job in the morning is to hand Dada his socks and undershirt when he's getting dressed. She has also been big on putting things away, so she helps me drop certain things into the trashcan, the dishwasher. I save Dada's socks for her so she can "help" me drop them in the drawer. She turns off the light in the nursery at naptime/bedtime. Chooses the story we read. "Holds" my keys and excitedly takes receipts from the cashier for me. When you're 11 months, chores are awesome. And, while more time-consuming on my end, they are a little more awesome for me too with my busy helper by my side.

The other day we unloaded toilet paper together, with her taking them from the bag and handing them to me, and me putting it away in the cabinets. She clapped every time she handed me a roll, so proud of her little self. She is so happy to be actively participating in our family.



Little Eliza Lou, you are TOO much.

(another hug)

And I hate to tell you this, Liz, but I really love this precious lip you've given us since the day you were born. It has the opposite of its intended effect.





Her language is developing so rapidly, but in an unexpected way. Lately she has completely dropped many of the words she was saying in favor of richer, more complex sound combinations, which sound like full sentences but in another language. Ever-curious about such things (and not out of concern, as I am well aware that this child is doing just great from a developmental standpoint), I asked her doctor about why this is last time we were in, and apparently it's very typical; they often master words and move on, rather than incorporating them into their language and using them. She said those words will probably just reappear one day, along with others she understands but doesn't say. I've found her language development completely fascinating. Some days she works on words and others it's just jabber all day long. She continues to be QUITE the chatterbox.

When we read books together now, we ask her if she can find the butterfly or the duck, or the bunny, and she points to them - "Dat." "Dat." She gets them right most of the time, though not always of course, but it's so neat to see how much she already knows. 11 months! A little person, she is.



Other things I want to remember: She communicates her needs now with pointing, along with just pointing at everything in sight as she has been doing for awhile now. The other day I saw her in the carseat mirror pointing at everything we passed by "Dat! (a tree) Dat! (a car) Dat! (a tree)". Also, the rocking and waving her hands in the air (like she just don't care) any time music plays. And girlfriend freaks when Sesame Street comes on - we watch it on Saturday mornings. I mean, FREAKS. Bobbing, rocking, waving her hands. How do they know??

Anyway, when I asked Miller what he wanted to remember about this month, he said, "Oh, everything." Me too. Well said, my man of much fewer words.



We head to New Orleans tomorrow (driving). We've been talking about making it to Jazzfest this year since I was pregnant, so we are seizing this perfect moment and taking off for a weekend. It never gets any easier to leave her, but it's so good for the two of us to get away for a bit. And next week, I head to Atlanta on my first real solo trip with E! I know she is very excited to be reunited with Miss MJ and meet some of our college friends, along with the Malatesta Clan, who I have no doubt will show her a GREAT time. Pray for my liver first, and then my sanity as I brave the airlines alone with my spunky little lady. Love y'all.

in which our petite miss doles out fashion advice ala Chanel.

Well, my dear readers, I feel a bit sheepish. I didn't know you were checking in so often. I heard from so many people that said they were glad to see a new post up that now I feel a bit bad for neglecting you, my silent but devoted blog stalkers. Thus, rather than waiting for April 20 I have a bit of high chair wisdom to impart from my near-11 month old daughter, courtesy of Instagram.


If your day gets rough, just put a noodle on your head. Life is always a little better when one wears noodle like a hat. Other things that are fun to wear like hats: Bibs.



Real hats, on the other hand, are a total bummer and should only be worn when your mom makes you. Something about the sun and not having enough hair. Hats are for the birds. Eliza thinks a bird wearing a hat would actually be quite silly.


Really, whatever you do, just don't leave the house without your game face on. It's your most valuable accessory.

(This rule she takes seriously. Lately we've been leaving the house with bits of game face stuck to our hair.)

Happy Wednesday, friends.

- Posted from my iPhone

In which I catch up in epic fashion, and have a glass of vino

Let me start by addressing the text I received that simply said, "Where are you? I need me some busted pie." My apologies. The days pass and pictures pile and the blog sometimes just hangs over me until I have something to say. Where have we been? Well, I'll tell you. But first, we have a very important announcement.

I have to say, I'm pretty excited

to share this happy news...

Miller just received a huge job offer! This blog rarely features him, what with me writing and Lizzy Lou in all the pictures, but you see, he is actually a big part of us. A most valuable player in our little family of three. His old job was wonderful for a lot of reasons, and certainly there is a bit of sadness in leaving that opportunity behind. But for him, this was THE job - his dream job. Not an easy one to get by any stretch, and doing exactly what he set out to do when he went to law school, in the city he loves, at the firm he respects so highly. His current firm said it was the only place they could stand to lose him to. Anyway, I just had to share as I'm bursting with pride for this man who has my heart; he's deserving in every regard and has worked his tail off for this.

So, big clap for dada.

Wait, what did you think I was going to say?

So, what have we been up to?

Well, we've been putting cheerios on our heads.

...Ringing the windchime on the porch;

...Enjoying a beautiful first Easter at church, and with a delicious Texas-style barbeque at my dad and Carolyn's house (she was very good in church. Maybe a bit ahem, vocal, happily singing the Lord's praises and whatnot. She lasted a good hour and then we decided everyone around us had had enough of her joyful noise).

...Hanging out with our amigos all over town. At the park:

And in the bluebonnets:

So, it turns out, all you really need to keep a bunch of 9-12 month old babies happy is a quilt and some cheerios. If you brought cheerios, you brought the party. Not unlike a feeding frenzy of puppies, really. You can see why Eliza gets along so well with this bunch; lots of shared interests, like competitive eating and removing the lid from things that need lids.

...We've been on the party circuit too, with some of Eliza's besties hitting their big one year marks at the same time. Whew. We went to two parties in one afternoon. Girlfriend was le tired.

Happy birthday to precious Piercy Joye,

who is adventurous and fearless and doles out the sweetest little hugs for her blondie twin E.

Elyse, who wears pearls like the little lady she is and knows how to work that camera

and sweet, silly little songbird Blake, Eliza's first friend. I know they'll always remember the first movie they saw together, Bridesmaids, at Alamo's Baby Day when they were just a few weeks old.

(and also a happy birthday to chill, smiley man Bryker and perpetually happy girl McCrae, who turned one around the same time as Hunter!). The parties were simple and lovely, and the precious birthday girls seemed to know their day was about them. I have to say, selfishly I've loved that most of her friends are just a smidge older. I've always been ready for what's coming right around the corner. It's helping me prepare emotionally so I'm not quite as gobsmacked when she turns one as I may have otherwise been.

That said, I still cannot believe these itty bitty babies have already had their first birthdays. Time has flown, just as everyone (no really, everyone) tells you it does, and it has been such a joy to watch them grow from our tiny babes into such different, darling little beings. I feel so grateful for our very wide network of their mamas, my friends. When you just need to get out of the house, there's always someone who wants to meet up for a walk, a playdate, the park, a lunch. Our days are very full, and I know how lucky I am. They are the most excellent support network, and they add such a rich layer to this wonderful, evolving, rewarding experience. My days would be much less bright without them and their babies, who I've gotten to know and love almost as well as my own, and I'm just so grateful to be sharing this time with them.

Elyse's shirt says "Make local friends"

Otherwise, I've been working on my textiles a bit, and a big project for Eliza's first birthday (along with planning E's party, which I am determined to keep simple despite all inclinations to the contrary). I can't wait to share that with you too.

And to gingerly address a current topic of controversy, I've had a demanding career in which I worked very, very long hours, and this job. This job, to me, is non-stop work in a completely different way, and similarly challenging. I know, I know, it really doesn't seem like it should be. Because getting to spend quality time with this?

I mean, are you kidding? Of course it is heaven on earth spending the days with my precious girl. Far more rewarding than my former career, which often sucked the life out of me, and not without its additional perks - park time and coffee playdates? Don't mind if I do. But if that's the equivalent of your "lunch break" - which one does not always get in the stay at home mom realm - it's a pretty relentless 12 hour day, with those playdates crammed between laundry and naps of undetermined length and dishes and bottles and keeping the floor clean, the baby from eating weird bits of stuff you didn't pick up, like a flower petal or your shoe, errands of all varieties, more dishes, and cleaning poo off your shirt (yep, that's happened twice this week, lovely) and it's hard in a way that you don't understand until you do it. It can be isolating and lonely, and at times confusing - especially in those early days when you're worried every move you make is going to land your kid on Maury Povich in 15 years. For as much as I've always loved children, I wasn't positive I'd love this job, but I do. I'll admit, I didn't quite comprehend all that it entailed - how can you, really. And not to take away from all those who work, with children or without, because obviously you do different, important, tiring juggling acts of your own – but I guess the point is, no matter how you slice it, if you're exhausted at the end of the day, you've done a hard day's work. And trust me when I say, I don't know any stay at home mom who isn't perpetually exhausted! But it's fulfilling work.

Anyway, I just had to get that off my chest. I totally get why people don't think it's "work," but I am proud of this constantly evolving job that I do - and I know it only gets more challenging with 2+. Although, sidenote, I learned last night at a deliciously fun girls' night that I am a most incompetent housewife in comparison to my dear friends. I was pretty satisfied with my noble efforts, things like most/all of Eliza's food is organic and made by me - it's not hard but you do have to carve out a little time to do it. But where does one go to take lessons on professional dress shirt ironing or daily elaborate breakfast-making in 2012? How do they have the time/energy for such Martha Stewart-esque heroics? It turns out, my baby's breakfast of cheerios piled atop a quartered banana and various methods of outsourcing certain unsavory household tasks are not the gold standard for stay-at-home mama of the year. I guess I already knew that, but hats off to my even harder-working counterparts. I don't know how you manage. Now excuse me while I prop my feet up and enjoy a glass of vino. I've earned it after a long week at the office!