11 months
Dear Hazel,
You are now 11 months and 2 days old.
At the same time, you seem so small and so big. You can crawl anywhere you like and climb stairs and low couches. You pull yourself up on anything and cruise around. You have taken a few very tentative steps. Never more than one at a time, and you’ll always revert to crawling immediately. You don’t like to waste time, and crawling is fast and direct. Still, you show all the signs of starting to walk soon and I’m both excited and terrified. Walking will feel like a huge step. Suddenly you will really be a toddler. I’m not ready, Hazel, go ahead and keep on crawling.
You’ve had a busy month. We started off by flying to L.A. We spent several days with our cousin Amy. You loved her. She’s bright and energetic, and she’s often upside down. It’s no wonder she entranced you. You also loved her loft. It was wide open with plenty of room for a busy baby to crawl around. And since she has rabbit proofed her house, it wasn’t far from baby proof.
We visit the Getty Museum, Griffith Park, the observatory and the beach. You had a great time and I really enjoyed traveling with you. I worried about the plane ride. It was only your second plane trip, and this time it was just me. Thankfully, you were an accommodating baby. You slept most of the first flight and happily played with window shade on the second flight. Our layover was in Vegas and you seemed unimpressed with the profusion of neon and slot machines in the airport. That’s my girl. Neon is overrated.
After a few days, Papa joined us and headed to my friend Cara’s wedding. It was on a boat and it was lovely. Cara is one of my greatest friends from high school and it was really exciting to see her married. It made me feel good to see the adorably sweet way the two of them looked at each other. Then you enjoyed playing with another little girl. She was much older than you, but she was wee and you are tall, so the two of you were the same height.
We headed to Joshua Tree National Park next. Before we got there, a coworker told me to be sure the appreciate the “acoustically perfect” silence of Joshua Tree. He was right. Joshua Tree sounds like nowhere else I have ever been. It’s soothing and invigorating all at once. You enjoyed it, as well, but in a different way. You found the rocks and desert perfect for experimenting with your voice. You squealed and yelled and cooed and giggled. You loved crawling around on the sand and rocks. Going new places with you is even more satisfying than going by myself. By myself, I may have never appreciated the feel of the rocks under my hands or the way loud sounds reverberate off the rocks.
After Joshua Tree we headed to Yosemite National Park. Wow. Yosemite is glorious. A paradise for nature lovers. We were early in the season so the waterfalls were going crazy, sending out spray so far we had to keep our distance. No matter, though, we could see them well. You were less than impressed by the waterfalls. But, you loved the campground. You played in the dirt and tasted the granite boulders. You loved it and it made me feel good to watch you getting dirty. I hope you grow up with a healthy appreciate for dirt, rocks, trees and all the things that make the outdoors perfect.
From Yosemite, we headed north and made a short trip through the redwoods. Stunning. You slept through most of that, but don’t worry. We’ll go back. In fact, if we haven’t gone backpacking there by the time you’re reading this, please remind us to take you there at the first available chance. It’s too fabulous a space to not experience by foot.
Returning to our normal jobs was hard. Vacationing with you and being with you and your papa all day was very satisfying. I’ve always loved traveling with your papa, and you’re just as much fun. You mean we travel a little slower, but that’s a good thing. It never hurts to take a little more time.
You have a new trick: blowing raspberries. You think it’s hilarious. So does everyone else. We may have created a monster, but it’s worth it. You also learned how to nod and shake your head recently. And you do it a lot. Sometimes you’ll just crawl around, shaking your head energetically. You also started bouncing to music and the cuteness of it is nearly overwhelming.
The cutest thing you do right now, though, if the back patting. When I pick you up, I often pat you on the back. Now, when I pick you up, you often pat my back. I love it. You also give generous hugs and often give kisses, too. The kisses are a bit slobbery, but adorable. No one can resist when you climb into their lap and drape your arms around their neck.
You are still rather adventurous in your eating. In L.A. I gave you asparagus that Amy and I were sharing. It was soaked in a vinegar sauce but you didn’t care. In fact, that was the only thing you have ever cried about when I didn’t feed you the next bite fast enough. You ate and ate it. You are particularly fond of rice puffs (OK, that’s not particularly adventurous.) I bought you this simple cereal, it’s simply puffed brown rice, nothing else in it. You are crazy for it. You’ll eat it and eat it and eat it. I often give it to you in the morning, it distracts you happily long enough for me to get dressed, put in my contacts and sometimes even shower.
We just came home from a weekend on Hat Island with Andy, Katie, Max, Mark and Annie. We had a great time relaxing. The first night there you refused to sleep. You finally gave up for good around 2 a.m. Your parents were extremely worn out the next day. It was a good thing we didn’t need to do much that day. It was extremely satisfying to watch the waves and water and clouds. We walked on the beach and let you crawl in the sand.
We had been there last year. At the time, both Katie and I were pregnant. So, technically, you and Max had been there before.
I love you, Hazel. I love you every day. Even when I am tired and overwhelmed and confused at 1 a.m. when you are still awake, I love you. Even on such a rough night, as I walked you back and forth, you put your head on my shoulder and patted my back. And it was worth it. Those hard times are so intense and vivid at the moment, but they fade quickly. And then you hug me or kiss me or give me your toes to play “This Little Piggy.”
You fill up my life in ways I never expected. And living life with you is so much fun. I love sharing your joy in new things, in learning and growing.
I love you,
Mama
You are now 11 months and 2 days old.
At the same time, you seem so small and so big. You can crawl anywhere you like and climb stairs and low couches. You pull yourself up on anything and cruise around. You have taken a few very tentative steps. Never more than one at a time, and you’ll always revert to crawling immediately. You don’t like to waste time, and crawling is fast and direct. Still, you show all the signs of starting to walk soon and I’m both excited and terrified. Walking will feel like a huge step. Suddenly you will really be a toddler. I’m not ready, Hazel, go ahead and keep on crawling.
You’ve had a busy month. We started off by flying to L.A. We spent several days with our cousin Amy. You loved her. She’s bright and energetic, and she’s often upside down. It’s no wonder she entranced you. You also loved her loft. It was wide open with plenty of room for a busy baby to crawl around. And since she has rabbit proofed her house, it wasn’t far from baby proof.
We visit the Getty Museum, Griffith Park, the observatory and the beach. You had a great time and I really enjoyed traveling with you. I worried about the plane ride. It was only your second plane trip, and this time it was just me. Thankfully, you were an accommodating baby. You slept most of the first flight and happily played with window shade on the second flight. Our layover was in Vegas and you seemed unimpressed with the profusion of neon and slot machines in the airport. That’s my girl. Neon is overrated.
After a few days, Papa joined us and headed to my friend Cara’s wedding. It was on a boat and it was lovely. Cara is one of my greatest friends from high school and it was really exciting to see her married. It made me feel good to see the adorably sweet way the two of them looked at each other. Then you enjoyed playing with another little girl. She was much older than you, but she was wee and you are tall, so the two of you were the same height.
We headed to Joshua Tree National Park next. Before we got there, a coworker told me to be sure the appreciate the “acoustically perfect” silence of Joshua Tree. He was right. Joshua Tree sounds like nowhere else I have ever been. It’s soothing and invigorating all at once. You enjoyed it, as well, but in a different way. You found the rocks and desert perfect for experimenting with your voice. You squealed and yelled and cooed and giggled. You loved crawling around on the sand and rocks. Going new places with you is even more satisfying than going by myself. By myself, I may have never appreciated the feel of the rocks under my hands or the way loud sounds reverberate off the rocks.
After Joshua Tree we headed to Yosemite National Park. Wow. Yosemite is glorious. A paradise for nature lovers. We were early in the season so the waterfalls were going crazy, sending out spray so far we had to keep our distance. No matter, though, we could see them well. You were less than impressed by the waterfalls. But, you loved the campground. You played in the dirt and tasted the granite boulders. You loved it and it made me feel good to watch you getting dirty. I hope you grow up with a healthy appreciate for dirt, rocks, trees and all the things that make the outdoors perfect.
From Yosemite, we headed north and made a short trip through the redwoods. Stunning. You slept through most of that, but don’t worry. We’ll go back. In fact, if we haven’t gone backpacking there by the time you’re reading this, please remind us to take you there at the first available chance. It’s too fabulous a space to not experience by foot.
Returning to our normal jobs was hard. Vacationing with you and being with you and your papa all day was very satisfying. I’ve always loved traveling with your papa, and you’re just as much fun. You mean we travel a little slower, but that’s a good thing. It never hurts to take a little more time.
You have a new trick: blowing raspberries. You think it’s hilarious. So does everyone else. We may have created a monster, but it’s worth it. You also learned how to nod and shake your head recently. And you do it a lot. Sometimes you’ll just crawl around, shaking your head energetically. You also started bouncing to music and the cuteness of it is nearly overwhelming.
The cutest thing you do right now, though, if the back patting. When I pick you up, I often pat you on the back. Now, when I pick you up, you often pat my back. I love it. You also give generous hugs and often give kisses, too. The kisses are a bit slobbery, but adorable. No one can resist when you climb into their lap and drape your arms around their neck.
You are still rather adventurous in your eating. In L.A. I gave you asparagus that Amy and I were sharing. It was soaked in a vinegar sauce but you didn’t care. In fact, that was the only thing you have ever cried about when I didn’t feed you the next bite fast enough. You ate and ate it. You are particularly fond of rice puffs (OK, that’s not particularly adventurous.) I bought you this simple cereal, it’s simply puffed brown rice, nothing else in it. You are crazy for it. You’ll eat it and eat it and eat it. I often give it to you in the morning, it distracts you happily long enough for me to get dressed, put in my contacts and sometimes even shower.
We just came home from a weekend on Hat Island with Andy, Katie, Max, Mark and Annie. We had a great time relaxing. The first night there you refused to sleep. You finally gave up for good around 2 a.m. Your parents were extremely worn out the next day. It was a good thing we didn’t need to do much that day. It was extremely satisfying to watch the waves and water and clouds. We walked on the beach and let you crawl in the sand.
We had been there last year. At the time, both Katie and I were pregnant. So, technically, you and Max had been there before.
I love you, Hazel. I love you every day. Even when I am tired and overwhelmed and confused at 1 a.m. when you are still awake, I love you. Even on such a rough night, as I walked you back and forth, you put your head on my shoulder and patted my back. And it was worth it. Those hard times are so intense and vivid at the moment, but they fade quickly. And then you hug me or kiss me or give me your toes to play “This Little Piggy.”
You fill up my life in ways I never expected. And living life with you is so much fun. I love sharing your joy in new things, in learning and growing.
I love you,
Mama