Keeley Dawn: Month 10

Today you turned 11 months. This is your last month in your first year. Sniff. Ah, but this was an amazing month. I'm sure I say that every month, but this month really was. You took your first steps this month. And now you can almost walk across whole rooms. You get so excited when you walk. You look to us like, "Look what I can do!" When you get close to whatever it is that you're walking towards, you lunge for it. Luckily, you usually walk to us or the couch.

Your first Christmas was also this month. You were an angel. You opened each present and played with whatever was inside. Even clothes. It was like a fun game for you. Of course, on Christmas morning we had to take the present away after you opened and played with the gift for an appropriate time (30 seconds?) and then thrust another present in front of you. You had that many presents. You had to take a nap to get through them all. And that was just the ones on Christmas morning. I tell you, you are a lucky girl.

You've also begun copying us. If we bang on a pot with a spoon, you want to bang on the pot with a spoon. If I hold Baby, you want to hold Baby. We're lucky you can't talk yet or I'm sure you would've been kicked out of the YMCA daycare for swearing. The best is when you try to copy a facial expression or some sound we make. You can't quite get it right, but whatever you actually do is much better that what you were trying to do. Tonite you were trying to make the "fish face" but you weren't anywhere close. You ended up doing something with your tongue and it was hilarious. Oh, and you love it when we laugh at the funny things you do. It just encourages you more. When we laugh and you don't know why, you just join right in.

This month you visited the grave of your Grandma and Grandpa Lund for the first time. I hope we will make it every year. They would have loved you. Grandpa Lund was a GREAT horsey-ride giver. And Grandma Lund was the BEST to make cookies with. And she would've made you all kinds of outfits - both for you and your dolls. Oh, and if you ever wanted a cherry milkshake, Grandpa Lund was the one to go to. I still haven't found a better milkshake. Even at Andy's Igloo.

I just can't believe how much you're growing and changing. You've been watching my mouth intently the past couple weeks. You're watching how I move it when I say things. I swear, one day you're just going to start telling me a story. You seem to have so much to say. The other day I was showing Mimi photos of you on the tv and one of Buddy came up. You started going, "Buh! Buh! Buh!" You were so excited.

I love seeing things through your eyes. You bring so much more to my life. I wish I woke up as excited as you do. You are just so ready. Life is so new and fun for you. You're ready for it all. I am so proud of you. You are my girl. (You're sleeping now, but I really want to go kiss your head. I won't, but I really want to.)

Love you,

Mommy