Wow…we’re closing on one year fast! Our darling little Max is 11 months old! Everywhere we go, people comment on how happy Max is. He really is such a sweet little boy.

This past month, Max has started to declare his independence. If he wants something, he’ll try with all his might to get to it. He’ll bat your hand away if it’s blocking something he’s after. But most of all, he wants DOWN…DOWN…DOWN. “Don’t hold me — I want to try to walk!” He’s been doing so well with his walking. I think the wood floors in the house have helped him master it sooner than I thought he would. He’s up to 12 steps at a time. His balance is getting better.

Max also is trying new foods and loves our portable go-to snack of Cheerios, but he’s also started grabbing at anything I’m eating…so he’s been sampling quite a bit. He still has amazingly squeezable thighs and really fat sausage toes. Everyone seems to want to eat them, which is kind of gross, but hey…even his fat feet are cute — what are you gonna do?

We also entered a really bad biting phase this past month — you can see from the photos, these are NOT love bites! Your arms, legs or fingers are no longer safe with Max around. I have had teeth marks on all limbs…and even on my face! I swear he had broken the skin a few times, but luckily no. I THINK we’re doing a decent job transitioning him to kisses instead of bites, but when Max comes toward you with an open mouth, it’s hard not to cringe!

Favorite things: Sucking his thumb while playing with his hair, loves his new friend Sibley (the little 17-month-old girl pictured with him below), Cheerios, sweet potatoes, eating sand at the beach, walking/jogging in the stroller, cars, his Winnie the Pooh tractor, ripping up magazines, playing the drums, following Ethan and snuggling with Nanny Megan.

Least favorite things: Being put into his stroller. Once he’s strapped in, he’s fine…but he yells, screams and bucks upon our first attempt. Afternoon naptime is also a fight. He screamed when I introduced him to the Pacific Ccean.

Favorite past-time: Taking Ethan’s books out of the basket one at a time, taking books off his shelves, playing with blocks, playing with dishes/pots/pans, banging loudly on anything that will make noise, trying to get into any cabinet without a childlock, sucking his thumb.

Current baby tricks: Playing the drums (see video), waving bye-bye (see second video), trying to clap, but it’s more like he’s slapping his opposite wrist. Fun to watch..

New Words / Sounds: buh buh (bye-bye), dider-dider-dider in a long rambling sentence – he’ll talk back and forth with us when we say it back to him. So cute.

Working toward: WALKING!!! Max is so persistent. He stands up…toddles…falls….rinse and repeat. The most he’s taken is 12 steps…walking across the family room to Ethan. I told him he might as well start walking…he’s basically there. GO MAX MAN!!!