life with max: eleven months in.
Someone please tell me: how on earth did I get here?
11 months! 11 freaking months. What in the world.
I feel exactly the same as I have every other month about one thing. I won’t bore you with it since I’m such a broken record.
Well, nevermind, yes I will.
I 100% still absolutely feel like even though I have savored every moment (I really have, like nothing else before), time has gone by way too fast, I’ve missed things and I can’t remember the last 11 months. Like what is that!
This has brought new meaning to the expression (is that the right word?) of something happening a year ago but feeling like yesterday. I actually feel like I was just going into labor with him hours ago. I am ridiculously nostalgic about this time of year since I was preparing for him. I’m normally a very nostalgic and sentimental person to begin with, but this has thrown me over the edge. I said to Eddie, it’s like I’m in a good nostalgic depression, ha.
My heart and mind are still on overload about how much I just LOVE this little nugget. 11 months later, I can’t believe how much I love him and how much FUN he is. I adore spending every single day with him. It’s still so much different than what I thought it would be. I want to be with him all the time. It blows my mind that 12 months ago, I was saying I would have a nanny five days a week and things like that. If possible, I want to spend MORE time with him. I don’t even know me!
This snugglebug is still my favorite thing in the entire world. Oh and snugglebug he is – he’s currently in a very clingy phase at the moment and doesn’t like to leave my side (I say this as it’s 11PM and he is snoring next to me in bed, ha) and while it’s not exactly conveninent… it’s kind of wonderful to have him so snuggly. And cuddly. And loveable. GAHHHH.
So what’s new with Max right now… a mere two weeks before he turns one?
He is walking (sometimes running, which is hilarious to watch) about… 70% of the time now. He took his first steps on Halloween and then for about a week or so, he did the same, five or six steps here or there. Then one night, Eddie and I were both in the living room and I watched him let go of the couch and WALK ACROSS THE ROOM.
I’m like Eddie! Look! Hurry! And since “look! hurry!” in husband terms means let-me-scroll-through-the-rest-of-the-instagrams-I’m-looking-at-and-then-maybe-respond-to-a-text-and-THEN-look up, he missed it. But that night started the consistent walking, or what we like to refer to as an extra for The Walking Dead.
Hands out, bopping around.
It’s adorable.
Max is eating three meals a day now and sometimes even SNACKS! Of course, I say this after he sort of refused to eat dinner last night but, you know. His normal schedule right now is breakfast, lunch and dinner with his favorite foods being scrambled eggs, oranges (basically all fruit and even veggies), chicken, broccoli, PB+J toast, pasta and PIZZA. Yes, this babe loves pizza.
One thing he doesn’t seem to be into are slices or pieces of cheese. So perhaps I should double check that he is truly my child?
Um, also, if you follow Eddie on snapchat by chance, you might have seen that he likes burgers too. He really does like burgers – I’ve been giving him a small bite of my burger when we are out for the last few months.
Eddie took that to heart and last weekend, on men’s day out, ordered Max his own cheeseburger. For lunch. With fries.
Yes. He ordered our 11 month old child a gourmet cheeseburger (regular sized, errr, okay, kid-sized, but larger than a slider) with French fries. And a pickle.
I saw this first hand on snapchat, not because he told me or sent me a picture. Heeeeelllllp me.
No, but really, he ate a few bites and Eddie finished his burger.
I really love making breakfast, lunch and dinner right now. I mean, I obviously enjoy cooking very much (one would hope so, hello blog) but cooking delicious things for Max to try has brought more life and excitement into it, if that makes sense. There isn’t much I won’t give him, within reason of course.
Yesterday he was being very quiet and I found him sitting on the floor eating a graham cracker… from a box that he managed to pull out of the pantry without me realizing it. I swear he’s like, secret sneaky baby. And he was super into the graham.
Speaking of Eddie, Max compeltely LIGHTS UP when he sees him. If he wakes up before Eddie leaves in the morning, he is so excited he can’t take it. At night when Eddie comes home, he does this adorable I’m-too-shy excitement thing. And one day last week, he wanted to snuggle with Eddie over me!
He’s also really a chatterbox and constantly babbling. He LOVES to say “uh oh!” – or at least repeat the sound of my voice to “uh oh” – you know? He also repeats “thank you!” and “more!” and I really need to start being better about saying “no” because I’m sure that is next. He is constantly walking around with “mamamamamama” and “dadadadadada.”
He’s still a conscious adventurer, as I like to call him. He climbs all over the place like a maniac. He climbs on top of the couch and the fireplace and I think he’s manage to find a way to climb on top of the fridge if I let him.
But at the same time, he is just really… chill? He is very much go-with-the-flow. For instance, two weeks ago my mom and I had him at the mall from about 10am to 6pm (yes I’m serious) and he was fabulous. We obviously took a few breaks to eat and play and stuff like that, but overall he is just the sweetest. Now that he wants to move constantly, it gets a little trickier to take him out to places like restaurants and what not, especially if it happens to be later at night.
One thing he still has no interest in: sleeping. Thankfully he’s ridiculously happy. Sometimes he is so happy that I don’t know HOW he can be so happy all the time. I kindly reminded Eddie on the morning of Max’s 11th month birthday that it “has been 11 months since I have slept through the night!” I DON’T KNOW HOW I AM STILL FUNCTIONING. Seriously, motherhood is an amazing thing and I never knew I could do so much on so little. Ha.
Some of the issue may still be my choices because I nurse on demand, but after making myself crazy over googling and reading that I was destroying him by nursing him to sleep but also destroying him because I was sleep training blahblahblah… I stopped reading all that stuff and just doing what is working best for us at this moment.
After all, in thirteen years I’ll probably have to drag him out of bed, right?
The good news: I’ve only had a handful of meltdowns that are sleep-deprivation related. Win. I knew my lack of loving to sleep would come in handy some day.
And more good news: the new normal is still becoming more… normaler? It’s still really hard to do some things, but others are easier. I just feel so freaking LUCKY to have him and don’t even know how I deserve him. This whole experience has been so much better than I expected, which I know sounds crazy, but it’s true. And don’t even tell me it’s just going to start going faster. WAH!
31 Comments on “life with max: eleven months in.”
He’s adorable. Enjoy the snuggle time because just as regular time is moving so fast right now, that snuggle time moves with warp speed. And good for you not listening to all the “voices” – do what your gut tells you is best. I think you are going to have a great holiday season now that Max is so aware. So much more fun with little ones. Happy Holidays!
I was a nurser on demand also and LOVED every second of it. The time goes by so fast how can you not want to nurse/snuggle/cuddle every chance you get? My kids are now 7 and 5 and my heart ACHES for those wonderful moments. It’s so incredibly special … keep doing what works best for the both of you! Oh, and he’s so well dressed!
stephanie!! this is exactly how i feel. like the time is going by so fast and i can FEEL how fast it’s going by, i know how much i will already miss the nursing.
Same here!!! I’ve tried to consciously cut down on my online shopping/instagramming/etc. while mine is nursing because I want to really soak him up in all his baby goodness <3
We sound like such similar parents, I feel EXACTLY the same way you do. So lucky that I can work from home & spend so much time with my girl too. I also feed on demand (she’s a good sleeper though) & did baby led weaning. Apart from the sleeping thing my 1 year old sounds a lot like Max, she’s super active. Her favourite games with us are chase (or chasing the cat) & playing “soccer” & the other day I caught her climbing the clothes horse, then standing ON the coffee table ?
OMG, i am laughing out loud. they sound like soul siblings. also, max has totally started climbing onto things and i’m like WHAT.
Max is seriously the sweetest, cutest, most cuddly baby! It’s amazing to have seen him grow over the last 11 months! I hope this doesn’t sound too weird/creepy, but I adore seeing photos/videos/posts about Max.
It totally does seem like just yesterday that you had him, as I was sitting at home with my then 10-month old. Now he’s almost 1 and my girl is almost 2 and I can’t figure out where the last year went. We have #2 on the way, and I’ll be in the third trimester in less than a month and I’m trying to figure out how this pregnancy has gone so quickly let alone how I almost have a 2 year old! How crazy life changes when you’re a mom. I hope you have a blast with his first birthday party – can’t wait to see pictures!
oh my gosh!! time is going so fast. congrats to you kelly!
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Excuse me while I go sob hysterically. HOW IS HE ALMOST ONE!?!?! This year has flown by way too fast.
ugggh. He is so sweet. We need to have a max/leila play date as soon as humanly possible for us and our crazy lives.
First off, omfg he is the cutest baby!!
I just wanted to say re: the sleeping stuff… do what works for you!!!! Sometimes information is crazy-making and not helpful in the least. The sleep stuff might take some work at some point, but for now, do what you gotta do, and cross that bridge if you come to it.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who uses the snapchat filters on my child. He is two and loves them, and knows to open his mouth to cue the filter. It’s adorable. He reaches for the things on his face or in his mouth (like the rainbow barf) and was worried about me crying. Cutest.
HAHA i can’t help it, love it!
I’m a 37 year old gal with no kids and seem to struggle (personally) with the baby topic. Meaning, I definitely fear giving up my single “I do what I want when I want” life for the child-having life. I feel like I’ve read a few comments like that from older posts of yours. Obv having a kid is a personal choice, but……it seems like you kind of are like “what was I so worried about?” now that you’re actually experiencing it- is that somewhat accurate? Just hoped for a little insight :)
Oh my gosh, me too! I actually found this blog by googling something baby-related awhile back. Now I can’t get enough of the Max updates! He’s so adorable- he actually makes me rethink my baby stance. But I’d want some sort of guarantee that my kid would be as happy and sweet!
I just have to say 11 months is different from lifetime… Of course you know this, but a happy few snaps of someone with a child doesn’t replace the reality of what it’s like to have other people having a huge bearing on every single aspect of your life every single day until you die… There’s no way to ever opt-out – even for a few hours. Adult children’s lives demand sacrifices too! It never stops. It’s just such a huge thing to be swayed by a blog post like this: especially when lives so easily involve health conditions, disabilities, relationship upheavals, financial strains, emotional challenges, complications which can make things a world away from a temporary portrayal of someone else making the best of a life situation they find themselves in & can no longer have any other way.
There’s so many wonderful lives out there to desire and be immersed in…
I admire you both for not simply taking the path most trodden.
Keep the joy and make the most of your freedom x
It’s exactly what the world needs…
haha i love you guys. YES, this is exactly how i felt. for years! i always knew i wanted a family but i really wasn’t ready at all. nicole, that is pretty accurate – i obviously knew i’d love my child but i didn’t realize HOW much i’d love him, maybe? does that sound crazy? or how obsessed i’d be with him?? i am fine with giving up things for myself to take of what he needs, which was what i thought i’d find difficult.
there are definitely things i miss from my “previous life” – but it’s rare and honestly the biggest thing is how quickly i used to be able to go places, how much i used to work and get done, etc. i thought eddie would have a hard time since he has 10 years on me and thus spent more time doing whatever he wanted, be he says he does not miss life before max AT ALL. so it’s definitely true!
i do think it helps that he is such a happy, good, easy baby. i feel very grateful for that. but i think it’s partly his disposition, but also how relaxed i am around him, which blows me away because i always figured i’d be an anxiety ridden-headcase, very nervous and crazy. i think it’s true that he can sense how i’m feeling, which in turn keeps him laid back!
oh and also, i think if i had some childcare or worked outside of the home, i would miss moments before max even less! my real struggle comes from trying to balance work at home and him fulltime.
i know this is so long and worry, i hope this helps!
Oh. My. Gosh. To much cute in one post! I love the curly reddish hair! The second picture with the “O” mouth face is exactly what my 17 month old does whenever he sees a banana, along with dramatic panting, outstretched hands, and in desperate moments, head thrown back. Foodie babies unite!
I have a 4.5 month old and love reading your updates. I can totally relate. I’m constantly aware of how fast time is passing. I already miss the baby stage and she’s still in it! She changes so fast that everything seems like so long ago and just like yesterday at the same time. And your posts always inspire me to keep taking pictures…
love love love these updates. but seriously! i feel like you had your book signing in richmond YESTERDAY, MAYBE last week and now you have an almost one year old and barbara is about to have our little girl. SO CRAZY!?!
My oldest “baby” is turning 19 yrs old next week! Cherish this time with your son because it does truly fly by!!
Max is too sweet! I cannot even handle Eddie’s snaps of him, they kill me!! I love when he throws things off your balcony, ha! I feel like I say “no” so often and can’t really think of another way to put it when Casper is climbing onto a chair and then onto the table! Or doing a pull up on the oven door and trying to turn the handles on the stove. Even though it can be really (really, really) inconvenient when Casper is clingy and wrapped around my legs when I’m in the kitchen, I just melt because it’s SO SWEET. He went through and anti-snuggling-mom phase right after he turned one and it broke my heart. Like 2 weeks. Then we went on a trip to visit family and it turned around. When he hugs me he sighs and it just turns me to goo. Casper loves pizza too! and olives. ha!
Also, I’m glad you’re just doing your own thing with nursing and everything! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed and feel SO MUCH guilt. I still have to remind myself to shut out the noise. It’s hard!
Please don’t EVER stop these updates. It may take me a week or two to get over here and see them, but every time I do, I LOVE what I read (AND OF COURSE I love the pictures)! You’re just such a damned good mom and your boy is too adorable. Eddie looks happy as hell too!!!!! I just LOVE it!! So, don’t ever stop these updates, and DON’T EVER CHANGE!!!!
He is seriously the cutest! Always listen to yourself first and do what you think is best for Max. Yes totally let him be your snugglebug in bed! My 10yr old son will still curl up in my lap or on the arm of the couch right next to me and still gives the greatest biggest hugs. My 14yr old son I have to chase down for a hug and it’s not easy, he towers over me at 5’11! And yes, in 13yrs you’ll be dragging his butt out of bed! Lol It happens in the blink of an eye but it’s the best time of your life. I so miss all those little firsts, and as they enter the teen years it’s just a different kind of firsts and a different way of life. And just remember, when he hits 13 he’ll revert back to the toddler years: cranky when he’s hungry, thirsty and tired! Happy Birthday to Max!
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I laughed out loud so many times when I read this. I have only visited your lacation cookie recipe…but this blog post popped up & I decided to read it. I’m so glad I did! I have a 6 month old & TOTALLY relate with your googling and such. It can drive you crazy, can’t it?!?! Ah. We are doing what works best for us too. Thanks for the laughs, the advice, and sharing your life! God bless! Off to make cookies =D
I’m sure this is too old to get a response but I would love to know what you eventually did for sleeping with Emilia and max! I have a 4 month old now and am exhausted.
ahhh hi Cori!!
i wish i had better news re: Max – LOL! he didn’t sleep through (not even once) until 24 months. it was so hard. like unbelievably hard. but i can say it gets better because he is 5 and now he sleeps. :)
emilia never had sleeping issues, which blew my mind. she slept through thru the night almost instantly and i didn’t do anything different with her!
Thanks! I’m always curious of what parents choose to do as far as sleeping goes with their kids. Looking at sleep training but it breaks my heart to hear to cry sooooo not sure if I can do it. :-)