11 months!!!

{Pictures coming tomorrow.............}

11 months down, one to go until the big first birthday. I better get planning.....there's outfits to find for the first birthday pictures (scheduled, of course, for the exact day she turns one. Would I do it any other way??)......cakes to pick out...... - Yes. That was cakes. Plural. You'll see. ahem.

We're going to have a small family gathering for our last ever first birthday party, but still. Go big or go home, right? Like I tell D.....it's the only first birthday we'll have. Oh. Wait. That's what I used when the big girls turned one. Aaaaaanywho.

Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, right? There's four whole weeks until then so I'd like to keep all that growing up business quiet for now thankyouverymuch. Eleven months. And I must say that Miss Bella-Bella isn't all about keeping the growing business quiet. Her latest thing........she refuses baby food! As in the jars you buy straight from the store with just the right consistency for little girls with only two teeth. I can't say I blame her, though......one taste of "real" food and baby food from the jars is quite bland. It's funny....it wasn't that long ago that we were moving the girls to table food but I truly don't remember it feeling that challenging to find things they could (and would) eat. D and I seem to have tons of discussions about food for Bella. Which is absolutely hilarious because girl can eat!!! We've already hit a few restaurants out where we've ordered Bella her own kids' plate. And she usually eats better than her sisters.

We're also pretty much done with formula, too. I can't say I'm sorry to see that one go...it's like getting a raise! Next thing we have to do is get her out of diapers and it'll feel like we won the lottery!! Ha!

Other big events in her journey to 11 months.......pulling up. On everything! I was sitting next to her last weekend with my attention turned towards one of her sisters, and when I looked back at Bella she had pulled herself up to standing! It's amazing how quickly she went from being a stationary kid to mobility and pulling up. Seriously. It was a matter of a couple of weeks it seems.

And oh how she loves her big sisters! She follows them everywhere they go. If they move to another room to play, Bella goes. If I can get them to play in the family room, Bella stays there, too. It's so cute. I still say she's going to be a bit of a bully with Olivia & Sofia but hey --- it's already 2 against one, right?!?!!

Her little temper is starting to come out, too. Well. There's nothing little about it. For as laid back as Bella is, when something isn't going her way......man oh man! D said Bella was crawling around the kitchen island opening the cabinets and when one of the doors wouldn't open because she was pulling on the wrong side -- it was all over! She pitched a fit! I know what you're thinking. "How can the sweetest baby in the world possibly act like that??" And to that I say "I know! I can hardly believe it myself!!"

11 months down.....one more to go and it will have been a whole year since we were blessed with the best surprise we've ever received. Sigh..........................................................