11 month letter

Hi sweet girl! I'm a couple days late on this one, but we are now in the "home stretch" of your first year on this earth - you are 11 months and 2 days old and learning even more things. You are more and more independent every day. I was telling someone not too long ago that even though you are crawling we haven't done much baby-proofing in the house, partially because you love to follow us from room to room so we always have an eye on you. But even that has changed a little - the other day I went from your room to the kitchen, expecting that as usual you'd come crawling after me, either laughing wondering what adventure was next, or pouting in protest (with that cute little blubbery-pout thing you do with your lips) that we were leaving your favorite space in the house...but you didn't follow. At least, not right away. I had to wander all the way back to your room to find you playing with some of the stuffed animals. It was bittersweet! You know what I love? Just watching you explore everything and everyone around you, learning more about your God-given abilities every day. Just this last week you have started pulling yourself to a standing position on just about everything - stools, chairs, the crib, the tub, Mama, Dada. We had to giggle a little bit, though, when we realized you didn't know exactly how to get yourself back down to the ground, and you grew frustrated and made those frustrated baby noises (not quite crying, but definitely cries of distress) until we would rescue you and help you plop back down onto your bum, only to watch you climb to standing one more time and start the cycle again. Today, though, I got to witness you for the first time learn how to lower yourself back down without my assistance. And then do it again, differently. And then again! You had grown brave enough to let go and try something that you felt a little unsure of at first. I hope you keep doing that for the rest of your life - trying things when you don't feel perfectly certain of the outcome, when it might even be a little scary. I haven't lived on this earth that long, but I promise, you'll learn so much about God and about yourself in those times, and about how much you are loved! Do you know it? I hope you do! I really, really want that to get through to you, just as I think God really, really wants it to get through to me (and you!). Zoe, I don't love you perfectly (as God does!), but don't ever doubt that I love you.

Love,
Mama

P.S. If you ever do doubt that you are loved, though, it's ok to talk to God and to talk to people about it. Really! We will listen to everything you have to say and will remind you as many times as it takes that you are so loved.