Piper - 11 months

 

Piper is at one of my favorite stages of babyhood. She is increasingly mobile (not quite walking yet, though she did take 7 steps in a row last week) and exploratory. I've been diligent about teaching her how to climb down steps and raised surfaces and it's paid off. She can climb all the way up and down the stairs on her own. (She did fall down a few stairs at Rachel's house in Utah last week, which incidentally is where Libby first fell down the stairs, too. But she does awesome at home.) If she wants to get off the couch, she knows to turn around backwards, hang her feet over the edge, and slide off on her tummy. It's so fun seeing her become more physically independent.

She's learned to clap and does it often. She also points at things she's interested in and flaps her arms up and down when she's excited. She is such a happy baby. Her mouth is nearly always wide open in a smile. She gives big, wet, open-mouthed kisses. I loooove her kisses and I loooove 11 month old Piper.

P.S. Have I ever mentioned how thrilled I am to have 2 girls? I love it. Libby often requests that she and Piper wear matching clothes (see below). They are playing better together every day. They follow each other's lead in so many things. They can make nearly identical high pitched squeals, and Libby has taken up grunting and babbling when she is excited about something. And if I ever want Libby to do something (wash her hands, go upstairs, etc), all I have to do is tell her that Piper is going to do it first ("no, me first!").