Mrs. Bojangles: The Adventures Of Baby Bo: 11 Months

...Better late than never, right!? It has taken me awhile to get around to writing this post, primarily due to the fact that our internet connectivity has been on the fritz lately. Also, BB and I haven't been at home as much the past few weeks, so I haven't had as many opportunities to sit down and write like I usually do. On October 1st I started baby sitting for some friends of ours to help supplement some money until I find a job. So far it has been going well, but it's hard getting used to not being able to get as many household things done when I'm not home all day. ANYWAY, enough about all that, and more about what you all really came here to read about; The Bambino!

On October 13th BB turned 11 months old. In less than a month he will be a one. year. old. Really!?!? You'll forgive me if I continue referring to him as "Baby Bo" even after he officially becomes a *tear* toddler. You'll also forgive me if I continue to do so when he graduates college. This week I mailed out invitations for his first birthday party, and if I can get through the day without being a blubbering mess, it should be a lot of fun.
The most exciting news I have for you this month is that BB is walking! And not just toddling around, but full-on-walking around like a big shot. He still crawls about 65% of the time, most likely because it is quicker, and because he hasn't figured out how to get up from sitting without pulling up on something. Still, Mr. Bo and I are amazed at the fact that literally within 48 hours he went from taking his first steps to being able to walk the full radius of our downstairs by himself. He has also started clapping, and doing "so big." He is even beginning to say words like "uh-oh" "mama" and "dada," although we aren't sure he really knows what he is saying when he does.
He is still a good eater, but has been going through definite phases where he doesn't eat as much, or he is really picky about what he eats. Meal times always seem to me like a mad dash to keep food in front of him without him scarfing it all down before you can even get the next thing on his tray, or to get foods in front of him that he approves of that day, before he starts squealing, whining, and making a giant mess with the food he doesn't want. It has been nice being able to give him bites of the stuff that we eat too, instead of always making him his own meals.
His daily routine has been thrown for a loop a bit lately, due to the a fore mentioned babysitting gig. I was spoiled by the 8 a.m. wake up calls I was getting before. Now however, it is me getting him up at 6:30 a.m. so that we can leave the house by 7, and he is back to going to bed at 7 p.m. as opposed to 8. He has been handling both of these times well, as he is getting ample sleep at night. It is his day time naps, though, that are more of an issue. When we stayed at home, I functioned around his nap routine, where as now I am having to force him to nap around my routine. For example, in the morning BB, E (the little girl I baby sit), and myself walk E's brother to school. Then, in the afternoon, we pick him up. We have to leave the house by 3:30 in the afternoon to pick him up, which means for BB to get his usual 1 1/2-2 hour nap, he has to lay down for an afternoon nap by 2 p.m. at the latest. This in turn means that he has to lay down by 9 a.m. for his morning nap so that the two naps don't run too close to one another. The problem is he is rarely ready for a nap at these times, which makes for an unhappy BB when he is expected to sleep before he is tired. After almost three weeks though, I think he is getting used to his more structured schedule, and at least doesn't cry as much when I lay him down. On the bright side, he gets to hang out with a cute girl all day :).