A Day With Zae: 11 Months to ONE!

I am so behind on my Zae updates it's not at all funny. {after all, this blog is called Dear Zae...} As much as I love scrapbooking, it's memories with Zae that I want to capture most of all. After carpal tunnel surgery, I wasn't able to use my camera until recently, so my pictures are sadly limited. These last couple of months have been challenging, but I've been on a journey of self-forgiveness, and attempting to accept things that are out of my control, and that includes giving myself a break when health issues get in the way of productivity. But that doesn't mean I can slack off, especially when it comes to keeping up with the Mini's little achievements!

I am so very much in that stage of motherhood where you're constantly thinking to yourself, "My kid's a genius! Call Guinness! They'll want to know that my kid just got a shape through a hole! I better clean the house for the photos for Mini-Mensa Magazine. {pretty sure I made that up but if not, call me!} I suppose I should get my hair colored so I'll be Oprah ready." To say I'm so proud of this little human would be understating the situation {in case you happened to miss that whole Guinness thing}.

Every day he makes me smile, and now he's gone from being a baby to being a little person with a huge personality. Every day is a new adventure when you're one; everything is interesting, the mundane is exciting, and there is always something fun to do, even if it's pick lint balls out of the carpet just to see what it tastes like {shhh}.

In the last two months, Mini-Monster said his first two words together--"nice kitty" {ice kee}-- and started walking. Eating is suddenly a huge hit, too, and he wants in on everything we have. That one was a slow takeoff, but when he did it seemed like it was overnight. He had an issue with gagging that took a little time to overcome {after all, he's busy being pre-mini-mensa!}. He also finally said Daddy and Nana at long last. {okay, I have to say, it did make me feel a little tiny bit special that he has been saying Mama for so long, but I'm glad he finally said it for Daddy and Nana's sake!}

His favorite toys are his trucks, by far. I take that back. His favorite toys are anything with wheels. That includes the stroller, which he likes to push around so much that I have to hide it when we go play with the train set at the library. He usually manages to find it, though, and I can hardly say no to that level of excitement {especially since it's free}. He's also obsessed with lights lately. He knows how to switch them on and off when he's on his changing table and that is a super-thrill. He points at every light switch or lamp we pass, saying "Whassat?" It's really cute.

Grandpa Williams came out to Chuck E. Cheese to ride some fun rides {I think this face was the: "Daddy, did you see? It has a wheel!"}

Through the rougher times, I try and remember to focus on the good things. One of my simple joys is watching Zae with his daddy. They have their own special bond, and I have been so proud to watch Mr. 67 evolve from husband to daddy. We have been together since high-school, so we've had a lot of time to perfect our roles as husband and wife. Seeing that role change and evolve to become a family instead of a couple has been so rewarding. They are always heading out to the park or out to grandpa's farm. He even likes to take him shopping or run errands. I just wish I had their energy. {to have a sixteenth of Zae's energy...}

Nana headed out to Virginia at the beginning of the month, to stay with my sister and her family. Zae certainly misses "Mimi," but we have done FaceTime so he doesn't forget her. It was so cute to see Zae waving at the phone. Then he reached out toward me, but I think he was reaching out towards Nana. He looked kind of surprised and confused. It was so cute, and kind of sad, too. Nana used to give him a scooter ride every evening before bed, and he would always grab the key on the way out the door, so now when we pass the door he reaches out for the key. Unfortunately we have to pass the door to get up to bed, and the first few nights we had a few moments of unhappiness. Now that it's been a couple of weeks, he's starting to forget, which has made bedtime a little smoother. Not that I can complain; the Mini is really good about bedtime.

Before Nana left, we went down to Riverside Park along the Mississippi river, where we took this picture in the Friendship Gardens, a lovely little place of calm in the city.

Alright, time to wrap this up. It's getting late!