Eleven Months Old

Holy Cow! When did my kid get to be so old?  I can't believe that in one short month Alexander will be one.  Time has flown by so fast.  I was kind of able to edit out the huge bruise on his forehead, he just keeps bumping it over and over again; on the tub, the floor, the wall, the coffee table, etc....   Some of his new fun, and some not so fun tricks are:

• He loves garbage cans, to tip them over and to put things in them (usually things we don't want in them).
• He is dancing more than ever, it's so fun to watch him shake his thing to music. I'll take a video soon and post it.
• He's very fast at crawling now, one minute he's here the next he's across the house.
• He's curious about everything, he just keeps getting into things we don't really want him playing with.  We got some of the enclosed blinds for the patio door because he kept pulling on the blinds and pulling slats out (I am very excited about this and will post pictures soon).
• He is eating more and more real food. I am so impressed that things a month ago he would choke on, now he takes the time to mash them with his gums. He loves food and anything we eat he thinks he needs to have some too.
• He talks more and more every day, he's recently started using mama more often and even though I know he hasn't associated it with me yet it thrills me to hear it repeated.
• He has eight teeth now and I hope his molars come soon because they have been giving him trouble for a while.
• He loves to stand and has become very fast at pulling himself up. In the morning and after naps usually I go in to see him peeking over the top rail of his crib. I love to see his grinning face letting me know he's ready to play.
• He likes to put things in whatever he can and then take them back out.  His stacking cups from the dollar store are one of his favorite toys because his balls and small toys fit inside. 
• He still loves books, he likes to help me turn the pages and he especially likes books that have texture to them. 
• He will occasionally do the clapping and rolling actions to patty cake. It's pretty rare, but it's the only time he does the rolling movement so it seems deliberate. 

I guess that's enough rambling on about my boy, he just seems to be doing more and getting into more trouble than ever before.  Below is a picture of Xander with his cousin Reid at my parents house. Two troublemakers, I say!