Exhausting Eleven

Zoe turned 11 months old this month... that means we will be celebrating her first birthday in just a few short weeks. I cannot believe I have an (almost) one-year-old.

We will be having a birthday party for her (Winter ONEderland theme), but we will only be inviting family. We plan to make this the general rule until she's old enough to invite people herself. :-)

This month Zoe has changed a lot. She is officially a walker. She still cannot get to a standing position without using something (like a wall) to pull up on, but that doesn't stop her. She goes everywhere and is into EVERYTHING.

They are not lying when they say toddler's will keep you busy. She is a very curious little girl, and picks up everything...and shreds it... She knows what "no" means now, but sometimes she doesn't want to listen. You can see her thought gears working as she tries to decide if it's worth getting in trouble. Of course "trouble" at this point is-
"Zoe, no" and a redirection to a new task. She has been known to throw fits on occasion too. She is going to have quite the "terrible" two's...I can see it now!

On the plus side, she has also started cuddling much more. She was very sick during a few weeks this month with a high fever and vomiting. All she wanted to do was cuddle, which is SO not like her! The trend has continued, and she will let me get in about 20 minutes when she wakes up from naps, etc.

As far as talking, Zoe is also officially saying words. She LOVES
to sing, so aside from the "dada," "mama," and occasional "hi and bye," She has now started singing "backpack, backpack." (From Dora the Explorer). She also points and says "dat" (that) and "oo" (look). Her favorite song is "If you're happy and you know it," and she claps her hands for the song!

Favorite Thing to Do: Sing Songs
Favorite Food: My husband and I joke about her eating habits. She LOVES Italian and Asian food. Particularly, she loves sushi. We have started ordering her her own avocado roll!
New This Month: Walking and Talking!
Growth: Mostly wearing 9 month clothes, but some 12 month stuff. It's hard to find long pants that fit her because her legs are too long for 9 months, but her waist is too small for 12 months.
Sleep: She was sleeping pretty well, and her "OK to Wake" alarm was working well, until we went on our trip...
Speaking: She says mama, dadda, hi, bye, backpack, look, and that. She is working on new words and sounds every day.
Movement: Walking, walking, walking.
Behavior: She is a busy body. Constantly talking, playing, investigating, and trying to meet new people.