Happy 11th Month Birthday, Jordy!

Birthday jaunt in the park. You had fun rolling your car all over the grass!

Dear Jordy,

Happy 11th month birthday! Life is getting more and more exciting in the Turnip household. It's almost like you are going into hyperdrive - and I don't mean just your crawling speed.

I'm talking about all the things you are learning to do! Every day, you'll do something to surprise me and make me clap and cheer you on. Like today, you managed to match the circle piece into your shape sorter more than twenty times! And each time, I'd cheer and clap you'd lean over and plant a kiss on my lips!

I didn't manage to capture you putting the circle block in its proper place 'cos I was too busy clapping! So this is a photo of one of your initial attempts!

So, the latest tricks you've got under your belt this past month include:

* Putting things inside containers, from blocks, to coloured rings, to cars, to soft toys, into all manner of pails, boxes, bowls, drawers etc.

* Your first words: "Mum-mum" for food, and me! and "Car" for cars, trucks, tractors and motorbikes! The last few days, you've been saying "Ca-ow" for your toy cow and sheep! You say "Pla" for plane and helicopter!

* Waving and clapping: Once you started you now don't stop. You favourite thing to clap at is when you are in the high chair and I bring your lunch over to you. I've also seen you clapping at the Baby Einstein puppets. Especially when the Wheels on the Bus comes on!

* Rolling your cars all over the house while crawling: This is one of your signature activities these days. You roll the cars on any surface, from the floor, to the carpets, over sofas, at a 90 degree angle on the fridge, into the bathroom (!), and today all over the grass at Keppel Marina!

* Kisses for everyone: You went from kissing all your animals on your Old MacDonald poster before naptime, to kissing any soft toy, your bath toys (!!),and me and daddy! It's the most wonderful thing in the world to get a Jordy smooch. You may look fierce to those who don't know you, but we know that you really are a softie... A loving, lovable softie :)

* Walking with your walker: I didn't manage to catch you on video when you were at your most boy-racer-ish, but you were hooning around today for a long time! Clever boy!

* And you're becoming a little bit more sophisticated when you dine! For example, I gave you asparagus for the first time today and you could not get enough of it. I had to ration your portion as I read that asparagus can give you a bloated tummy. So didn't want you to be uncomfortable, but boy, you would've finished off the lot if you had your way... And you're now eating grapes as is (I cut them up into quarters)! And little cubes of bread and cheese, and of course, you LOVE Cheerios.

Now Jordy, I know you may find this catalogue of tiny miracles slightly mundane. You're probably thinking, "What's the fuss about, mum? I'm just being me! Stop fluffing about!".

Well, there. You've said it like a little pro. You are being you, and I feel like a million bucks (sometimes, a tired, wrung-out million bucks) being able to witness your coming into your own.

This time next month, you'll be ONE! Agh! ONE!!! One. Whole. Year.

Is there a word for time seeming to fly, but yet grinding down to a halt some days? I'm not sure but that's what it's been like these past months. The days can pass slowly sometimes, but then suddenly, I look at you, like, really look at you, and then I can see how you've changed just from the day before.

It's perplexing and wonderful all in the same heartbeat.

Ok Mr J, at your present trajectory, you might even be reading this blog next year (spot the biased parent!), so I'm going to keep listing these little milestones. If anything, mummy is remembering how to spell and write grammatically. The hundredth reading of your favourite book "Diggers and Dumpers" does take its toll you know!

Love you lots and lots,

Your mum xxoo