Month 11

Dear McKinley, 

I just don't understand how time can pass so incredibly fast. I feel like just yesterday I was holding you for the first time, and here we are a week away from your first birthday. This month has been nothing but happiness with you. You are the sweetest, happiest, BEST, baby. At least I think so ;) You had your first Thanksgiving and your Mimi came up to be with us for the week. You got 4 top teeth and continue to eat like a champ. You pull yourself up on things and crawl around at a race car pace. You continue to nap well and sleep from 7p-7a, usually without making a peep (I think you are just repaying us from the first 3 months.. ). We had some great fall weather this month and we have enjoyed being outside with you! You love to swing and just be in fresh air. Some favorites this month: eating, sleeping, crawling and exploring, laughing at Sanford, playing peek-a-boo with your daddy, and taking baths.

Love you forever, 

Mommy

Month 10

Dear McKinley,

I think everyday closer to your 1st birthday I get more sad. This month was the best!! You are at the perfect age and I wish you could stay in this phase a little longer instead of growing up so quickly. This month you took off with your crawling and don't sit still. You love to play with your books, toys, and explore new things in the house (even things you shouldn't). It was also your first Halloween this month and you (in my opinion) were the cutest chicken I have EVER seen. You wore the costume and did great for pictures. I made your costume and was so happy when it all worked out! We watched a lot of UGA football this month and wore our red and black on Saturdays. You keep eating pretty much anything and everything and just LOVE food. You have also been sleeping like a champ this past couple weeks --which is awesome as your dad is still on night shift so I am home alone with you most nights during the week. We didn't have any visitors this month but the holidays are coming up so we will be seeing our GA family so soon! I can't wait for them to see you and be around you! You are quite the character these days MMB and I can't believe it's been 10 months since you came into our lives. Keep growing, smiling, and laughing big girl. I love you more each day!

Love you forever, 

Mommy

Month 9

Dear McKinley, 

This month was so much fun! You are at the best age and I just love every second I get to spend with you. You love to eat and explore the world around you. Grocery shopping and trips to Target take up our weekend mornings usually -- and you love going to both! This month you got sick with a virus. It was your first time being really sick- it was so pitiful and sad to watch you everyday not being your happy, smiling self. You had a fever for a week, with cold symptoms, followed by a rash. You FINALLY got back to normal after missing a week of daycare, and you were so happy to go back! At the tail end of your ninth month, we took a quick trip to Savannah for a wedding. You stayed with your MiMi all weekend and had a great time! It was the first time I ever left you overnight but you did a great job.

Love you forever,

Mommy

Month 8

Dear McKinley, 

Month 8 was another fun month for you! In the middle of your 8th month, I had to go back to work and we had to say goodbye to our summer days. It was so hard to leave you, but you were perfectly fine with going back to Mrs. Kelly's and seeing your little friends. This month you became even more of an awesome eater-- your favorites were fruit, eggs, pasta, rice, and well anything I put on your plate really. We didn't have any visitors and we didn't take any trips. It was a busy time for us and you did great adapting to our busy weekday schedule! You are trying hard to crawl, but you didn't quite get it this month, I am thinking you will very soon. You are growing like a weed and I can't believe how fast 8 months went by. I can't wait to keep watching you grow! 

Things you like: food, being outside, Sanford, reading books, seeing other babies, face timing MiMi

Love you forever, 

Mommy

Month 6 & 7

Dear McKinley,

I'm putting month 6 & 7 together in one post-mainly because I ran out of time, and partly because we were in GA for a majority of both months. You have become such a happy happy baby!! You love everyone and everything. I started giving you food when you turned 6 months. We went with the baby led weaning approach, so you just ate food without me blending it up. You finally got the hang of things by 7 months and enjoyed so much food! You love fruit and you don't mind vegetables either- so far I think peaches are your favorite. 

Me and you went to Georgia to be with the Finnegan clan for the month of July while your daddy worked 12-14 hour shifts for his new job. We stayed with Mimi and had SO MUCH FUN! We hung out with your cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and lots of friends. We were constantly busy but you did so well and loved every minute! 

At the end of our stay in GA, we went to Tybee to stay the week with even more Finnegans! You were  so good and quite the beach babe! We had a lot of fun and we were both very sad to come back to VA. 

These two months have been the b.e.s.t! I can't get enough of your smiles, laughs, and just all around happiness. I can't wait to see you grow even more in your 8th month! 

Things you like: food, books, your paci, toys, stroller rides, any cell phone you can get your hand on & being outside (beach, pool, porch).

Love you forever,

Mommy