Month Eleven

Dear Ela,

Last month you did so many new things -- like crawling and pulling up -- that it was as though you reached a new level. This month we've seen you take such joy in exploring that new level of "kid-ness." You really make the most of your mobility!

Mischief in the kitchen.

Your trips to the park are an almost daily adventure. You love to pull grass, find twigs, and sift through the playground bark. 

Such a joyful girl.

Sometimes we're able to spend time in the front yard together. At the center of our fruit/veggie garden is a heart-shaped space that's been named "Ela's Tea Garden." It's meant to be a space for you to play. Right now it's ringed with purple pepper plants -- which you enjoy decapitating.

Fun in Ela's Tea Garden.

 This month we celebrated your Dad's birthday with a hike in Herman's Gulch. He got to try out his new hiking backpack, with a whole 17 (or so) pounds of cargo...

On the trail.

During our hike we stopped for a picnic by the stream. You loved sitting at the edge of water, splashing with your feet. This month you've also started taking great pleasure in feeding others. Not just mom and dad, but your friends, their moms, and even Lucy and the cats.

"Here, Mom. Cheese is good!"

We had a nice family dinner at the Lowry Beer Garden when Uncle Joel was in town. You and your great-grandpa always have a good time together.

"Is she poop-stiffling me?"

And more fun time near the water! One of our family days this month was spent at our little urban riverbank. It has sand, kayakers, and kids splashing -- what more could we ask for?

It's SO exciting!

River stroll.

You're 11 months old now... just on the cusp of your first year. I always knew that I wanted to be a mom, but I honestly never imagined that it would be such an incredible journey. And, of course, your Dad is the perfect partner on this parenting adventure...

The silliness is hereditary.

Your joy illuminates you and everyone around you. You shine as bright as the sun. I love you, sweet girl.

Love,

Momma

Month Ten

Dear Ela,

Wow... what a month! Here is a partial list of the things you started doing during your tenth month -- crawling (9 months and 1 day old!), pulling up, creeping, clapping, pointing, making a very distinctive "I want" sound (usually in conjunction with pointing), crawling up stairs, making "Indian" noises by patting your mouth, and cutting your first tooth. And yet, you seem to have so much energy!

Well... most of the time.

This month we were incredibly blessed to enjoy the company of our extended family -- the Shanghai crew, the NM crew, Grandmommy, Bompa, and Uncle Mike all came to town to visit. 

The Maestas-Williams-Krafts.

Of course, your youngest cousin was the one you were most enchanted with.

"Sharing."

We took a trip to Glenwood Springs and enjoyed a couple of days in the pools, a lovely stay at the Hotel Colorado, and a fantastic dinner out on the town.

The ladies at dinner.

At the Hotel Colorado.

Nap time with Grandma.

We hosted a big family "fiesta" at our house.

Everyone had a darned good time.

I can't quite remember why you were naked at the party... but you had fun.

You've had a busy month. You've done a lot of exploring....

questioning...

and acting silly...

And even though you're growing up fast, you still love to snuggle...

and nurse...

We attended a lot of playgroups this month -- at friends' houses, the pool, the children's museum, and the park. All of you explore and play so well together.

From bottom: Jack, Eavan, Isabella, Jemma, Declan, Ela.

Playgroups rock!

I feel so lucky to have a front-row seat to the wonder that is you growing up. You fill my days with giggles and my nights with snuggles (and a few kicks). I love you, sweet girl.

Love,

Momma

p.s. Although we already have one nursing picture in this post, I can't help including this one. I love this picture. Thank you for photographing us, Grandma!

Nursing after the car trip, before leaving for the pool.

Month Nine

Dear Ela,

The great explorations of your baby-hood continued with earnest during your ninth month. Though not technically crawling yet, you still manage to cover a lot of ground! You do lots of scooting to the side by manuevering from your bottom to your hands and back again, and you love to move backward in a crawling position. You do a great plank and a yoga-style downward dog. It's just amazing to leave the world of a stationary baby and begin to enter the realm of the mobile child.

Hanging at the Children's Museum with Nate, Liam, and other friends.

Our biggest event this month happened right at your nine-month birthday -- you and I took a trip to New Mexico to visit your aunt, uncle, and cousins. Your cousins were SO happy to see you, and spent a ton of time playing with you on the living room floor.

With cousins Denae, Jayden, and Nathan.

We also went to a playgroup with other sangha moms and babies. I know that these are kids you'll know throughout your childhood. I can't wait to watch you all grow up together! 

Turiya, Veda, Jagadish, Satori, Ela, Bodhi, and Ashwin.

And, of course, we love our friends in the 'hood oh-so-much. You first met your neighborhood buddies when you were two months old, and it's very clear that you have a relationship with each of them (both the moms and the babies). One of my favorite things as a momma is watching babies play together.

With Jill and Declan.

You take great joy in eating -- you definitely take after your mom! You're starting to shift your preferences away from green vegetables and more toward proteins like meat, but your absolute favorite things to eat are bing cherries and crushed ice. You don't have any teeth yet, but it's amazing what you can do with your gums!

Homemade mac & cheese with arugula.

 Even though you love to eat, you also still love to nurse. So do I.

At the farmers' market.

At Lucky Pie.

Our first Father's Day was a lot of fun. We gave your daddy a songbook (since he loves playing music with you on the guitar) and some bath toys (since he almost always gives you your bath). Oh, and we gave him peanut M&Ms, and didn't even give him a hard time about eating them for breakfast!

Getting harder and harder to photograph a moving target...

Morning snooze.

Visiting Grandpa Grumpy.

Snuggling with Eeyore.

 I know that we're right on the cusp of you crawling, and that feels a bit like waiting to jump off a cliff. I know there will be many, many more cliffs to jump off together as you grow -- and after we jump, we'll soar. I love you, my little explorer.

Love,

Momma

Month Eight

Dear Ela,

We thought you were growing fast before, but now we can barely keep up. You're talking up a storm -- mostly "ma ma" and "da da," but you create new syllables almost every day. You also love to make clicking noises with your tongue, including a fancy one that Mom and Dad can't replicate (we think that it must require toothless gums to execute properly).

This month we took you on your first hike, outside of Evergreen. You rode on my back and slept through most of it, but you did spend a little time enjoying the view and the fresh air. We hope that it's the first of many, many mountain hikes in your future.

Sharing a laugh with Clover.

Your playrug is still the hub of your activity when you're inside. While you appreciate your toys, your favorite activity is grabbing whatever cat or dog happens to be nearby. You've graduated from needing a pillow behind you, mostly because now you're primarily interested in moving forward. 

Showing us a preview of a much older Ela...

You love to launch off your bottom and get into a crawling position, and then twist and turn around in all directions. If you end up on your stomach, you're capable of pushing yourself backward right off the rug and across the wood floor -- until you reach the wall.

"Cloudbursting" in the front garden.

My busy spring schedule has required you to be adaptable. You've happily played in the front yard while I weeded, on the back patio while I watered seedlings, and on the kitchen floor while I cooked. These arrangements mean that you've sometimes put grungy stuff in your mouth (usually whatever you've found on the back patio), but we're just hoping for a strong immune system. You've also "helped" me in the greenhouse by pulling seedlings out of the trays -- they probably needed to be thinned, anyway.

"Sharing" with Declan.

Each week it becomes more and more fun to watch you and your friends play together. You have conversations and pass toys back and forth, occasionally with a bump on the head or a wrestling-style pin-to-the-mat move.

Gotta love these Dads!

You and your Dad go on an adventure in the neighborhood almost every day. On your walks you usually stop at the park for a little grass time. You love to play with the grass, and (of course) enjoy eating it, too.

Glowing girl.

We tried to make fingerpaintings for your Grandma and Grandmommy for Mother's Day. Unfortunately, my attempt at natural homemade paint was a bust. But, you had fun trying!

A budding artist.

On Mother's Day we celebrated with a family brunch. Lately you're not content to sit idly when other people eat, so we ordered you some eggs, steamed spinach, and apple slices. You enjoyed everything, but especially loved the spinach.

Yum yum!

This Momma couldn't be happier.

As I sorted through this month's pictures, I noticed that we always have photos of us on the couch...

Sharing a laugh.

You and I have spent so much time on that couch together. Remember when we used to do this?

Now we like to jump and play, but we also still make time for this...

I can't begin to count the blessings I enjoy as your mom, and I can't wait to see what adventures the next month brings. I love you, sweet one.

Love,

Momma