11 Months

Can't believe this is the end of counting down to their first birthday!! Eeek! Here are the details of what it's like to be Jack and Eli at 11 months old.

Eli

 Jack

Sleep: Going to bed around 7:30pm and waking up around 7:00am. Occasionally one will cry around 6:00 and I go in to give him a binky and he goes back to sleep. Naps haven't changed much. Still taking a morning nap around 9:30 and an afternoon nap around 2:00. Their naps range from 1-1 1/2 hours each.

Eating: For the most part they are eating what we have for meals. They've tried all sorts of new foods it's hard to remember. Thai curry, fried rice, pot stickers, meat loaf, garden green beans, pineapple, quesadillas, jam sandwiches, ravioli, macaroni, sweet potatoes, raspberries, blueberries, cucumbers, etc. They are liking basically anything we have them try and are good eaters. They also like drinking from the sippy cups with straws. They aren't very good at any other kind of sippy cup. I have made them practice a normal kind enough to actually get it.

Playing: Although we haven't got to swim very often lately, they love it when we do. They can hold their breathe under water and recently started "jumping" off the edge into our arms.

They love chase each other (crawling) around the island in our kitchen or around the table. They love doing laps around both of those. They like to go to the back corner behind the table and hang out there. It's secluded and a pretty good hiding spot from mom.

They like to crawl around up on the couch and play with the curtains/bang against the window as they watch outside.

They love music and love to use their voices to 'sing' and are still loving to dance when music is on. We brought out their newborn bjourn seats we used to use all the time and they loved bouncing in them with music.

They like to play 'pass' with toys and ball. Both can roll and throw a ball but it isn't always in the right direction. They like to walk around the exersaucer and play with the toys on that. Eli loves shaking it like crazy back and forth to hear all the sounds.

They like to play with pillows/cushions/blankets/stuffed animals/anything they can hug and cuddle and love on.

Their favorite actual toy is their music train and still the legos and cars. They are more interested in books now. They are starting to point on the pages and both can turn the pages in board books.

New tricks: They can crawl up the stairs really quickly now. We don't have to carry them going up the stairs anymore and that's super nice! Still trying to teach them how to safely go down.

Jack can sign "more" and "eat". He understands that those signs will get him food so of course my Jack boy caught on to that! When I'm in the kitchen cooking, he will crawl in and sign "more" until I give him something to eat. Both can clap and they do when they see clapping on TV. Both wave when we tell them to say 'hi' or 'bye' and always wave when I pick them up to put them down for a nap.  If they're tired, they will hold their arms up to be lifted then start waving to say bye so I will take them up to their crib. Jack holds his hands/arms out in a 'what/huh?' position all the time lately. They understand if we shake our head at one of their actions it means they aren't supposed to be doing it. Like standing up in the bath tub, or standing up on the stair and hanging on the gate. Eli loves to shake his head back at us with a huge grin on his face and giggle while he proceeds to do the naughty action. He is going to be a handful I can already tell. For the most part, Jack will shake his head back at me and stop the action. They can open any drawer or cupboard now.

Personalities: I feel like they've kind of changed this month. Eli has been more consistently whiny and has mastered a pouty face and frown. It's adorable. But the whiny noises aren't necessarily my favorite.

When he is having an off day any little thing can set him off and it often takes lots of hugs then he is all better to keep playing. Dramatic! Eli still has his super happy moments though where he whips out that full face grin.

Jack has been really content and happy this month. He has been super smily and giggly. He also has become a big hugger and cuddler. He loves for me to hold him and give him hugs and will often ask for them in the middle of his playing.

Both have a silly side to them and can get hyper. They know when they are being funny and they like to make me laugh. They are starting to care when they other steals something they are playing with. If it's my phone playing music or their binky, it definitely ends in someone whining or crying to get it back after trying on their own. They are really good at deflecting/maneuvering away from attacks.

Teeth: Eli got 2 top teeth this month (4 teeth total). Jack got 1 top tooth (3 teeth total) and the second top tooth is just starting to cut.
Weight: Both around 25 pounds last time I tried to weigh on our scale. Jack still was about a pound more than Eli.