John Shea at 11 Months

I feel like Cam and I blinked and we're a month away from our sweet baby being a one year old! (Though, haha, the months of sleepless nights and the 5month sleep regression felt at the time like an eternity!) Our John Shea is more little boy these days than baby it seems. You can find him crawling as fast as he possibly can to the patio door, sliding open the screen with his chubby little fingers and scurrying in a beeline, giggling the whole way, to his favorite substance on earth: dirt. His curiosity, abilities and understanding have exploded lately. He's also been a champion sleeper this month! He was an angel and slept like one the week we really needed it... like he understood that mama needed rest and he needed to be on his best and sweetest behavior. I even got extra open-mouthed kisses all over my face. God's grace is constant. I think he would have become a good sleeper much sooner if we hadn't been living like gypsies the past few months, taking him all over through different time zones. We still have rough nights here and there but I'm sure that will (along with all of his other ever-changing patterns!) continue to ebb and flow as he gets older. He still captures attention from every person we pass by, still smiles and wants to "chat" with everyone, is still the most joyful person we know, still loves snuggling and giving hugs and kisses, and still eats about as much as a grown adult. Currently his favorite foods are marinated mozzarella in olive oil and herbs and parmesan crusted salmon. Ha, quite the refined palate! John Shea, we tell you this about a thousand times a day, but we love you so so so much and cannot get enough of you. All of these day-to-day moments your Daddy and I get with you are the sweetest, most precious gifts.