Paul's Personality in Pictures

Paul is 11 months! Say WHAT?! I missed a few of Paul's monthly updates, and I was doing so good there for a while. So now while I nurse and rock him in the living room, hoping he will finally fall asleep (at 11:04pm) here are some updates and several pictures detailing his personality.

Weight: 21 lbs 8 oz (in about the 50th percentile for height and weight)

Clothes: 9-12 month sizes and a size 3 shoe

Eating: Still nursing every 3-4 hours and eating table food. He eats anything and everything we give him. He does not refuse food. He will get angry if we have food and aren't giving any to him. He wants to feed himself. If we try to put something in his mouth he will back his head up and grab whatever it is out of our fingers and put it in his own mouth. He's a feisty, independent little guy! He loves to eat, he is the happiest baby at the dinner table!

Motor Skills: Clapping and waving. Crawling and pulling up. He lets go while standing and can stand unassisted for a few seconds. This is so exciting for him! He mainly falls down because he starts waving his arms around from excitement and loses his balance. He is excellent at figuring things out with his hands. He will work at something for a long time until he gets it. If he doesn't get it, he gets mad and throws it.

Teeth: 4 on top, 2 on bottom and 2 more coming through on the bottom.

Favorite activity: Playing without Josiah around. He enjoys sitting and playing by himself, not being interrupted. He is very content to entertain himself (unlike his older brother). His other favorite activity (besides eating!) is taking a bath. He is so wild in the tub, splashing, crawling around, standing up, lunging at his brother, putting his face under the water, wiggling all around while we try to wash him. It is insanity during bath time. The whole bathroom is wet by the time he is finished!

Sleeping: Usually sleeps from about 8pm-7:30am, waking once or twice to nurse and going right back to sleep. Lately though he's been waking more frequently due to teething and a growth spurt. Thank the Lord for naptimes, I love naps!

He is so cute, just playing by himself in the mess of toys he made in their room. He makes car noises and laughs, he is so adorable! He is a very independent boy, at home. When we are out and around other people, he is very attached to me or Justin. We have noticed that he much prefers being home. He will be fussy and cranky acting on Sundays or when we are out places or have been gone doing something, but as soon as we get home he's fine and happy. So, I mostly carry him around in my carrier on my back, he feels safe and is happy and I can still get things done! This morning at church he spent 3 hours riding around on my back, just as content as he could be!

He is not a push-over. He knows what he wants and will let you know when something isn't done according to his liking. He also will not back down easy. This picture cracks me up because Josiah is telling Paul very loudly that he is sitting on the car road and he needs to get off NOW. Paul doesn't move, just looks at him like, "Ok dude, whatcha going to do about it? I like it here!"

He loves cars. He loves watching Josiah play with them, and he loves taking them from Josiah. Here he is laughing at his brother being silly.

I have to really work at getting pictures of him now. Every time I try to snap one he crawls away! Most shots are of his bum!

He loves wrestling with us on the floor. He loves giving big open mouth lick kisses, and will sometimes give them to me when I'm not paying attention. He'll just lean over and slop a wet one on me. He is so cuddly, loves to snuggle, so sweet, excited and happy all of the time!

LOOK at all of the those teeth!!

Lately he's been sticking out his tongue. He's concentrating trying to climb the stairs.

I think he's figuring it out. By the time I snapped 3 pictures he was on the 2nd step and heading for the 3rd. Watch out, he'll be walking soon! I'm not sure I'm ready for that!