Our little boy turned 11 months old yesterday. And parenthood just continues to be a surreal experience. Time’s moved so quickly on us and we still look at each other with “can you believe we’re parents?” eyes. Ollie is such a great source of joy in our lives! He’s a really, really good baby. He’s sweet and funny. He loves when other people laugh. And he loves music and dancing around. He seems like a totally different baby in the last two months. The same demeanor, but just more and more of a little person. He’s developing preferences and personality. We are constantly thankful for him. He pulls us out of monotony and routine. He makes us have fun and laugh (for example, he’s in a fight with a pillow right now). He loves us so much and isn’t super cuddly usually…but sometimes he’ll crawl into our laps or fall asleep on us and it’ll make our whole day.

Here are some things we got to do with him these last two months: We did our first holiday season with him! There was lots of traveling and seeing family and he had lots of people “ooh” and “ahh” over him. He makes friends wherever he goes by flashing a smile or giving a high five. And we got to introduce him to SO many of our favorite people. We celebrated his first Christmas and discovered his fascination with Christmas tags over gifts. We did our first hotel stay with him at Cru’s Christmas conference. And learned just how awesome having a baby in a hotel is. (no sarcasm here, it was the best experience!) We went on countless road trips and countless Olive Garden trips :] (he’s into the breadsticks)

Some random updates: He still has two top teeth and two bottom teeth. He’s not growing any new ones, but the four he has keep getting larger and larger. He’s learned to high five and wave and it’s just the cutest thing. He’s into walking with his walker and crawling away from us, laughing manically along the way. He’s still a giant baby, but he’s lengthening out a little more and losing a little of his chub. He’s so interactive now! He loves when we sing to him. He still loves the pool and I’m hoping he’s a swimmer like his momma. He loves moving blocks back and forth and back and forth. And perhaps my favorite thing: he has a natural mohawk. So prominent that people often ask if we do his hair that way on purpose.

I could gush for days. So instead, I’ll leave you with too many pictures from the last two months. I take pictures of him on my phone every day, but I still try to take out my real camera every few weeks.

Here’s month 9.

Love those long lashes.

He’s such a goofball and he LOVES his papa.

He’s an escape artist.

Some snaps from his first Christmas :]

A sequence aka a love story: Ollie and his tags.

A brief break from his tags to look at some socks.

Tag.

The face he makes when Neville tried to lick him. He opens his mouth and makes noise :/ Trying to break that habit.

Finally understanding a gift was for him.

Ollie in his throne. Essentially how he existed at Cru’s winter conference.

Annnnd he woke up just in time for midnight on NYE.

Tigger is his favorite!

Singing praises to Jesus and cuddling the bear was the perfect way to start 2017.

Month 10. Love that little grin.

He’s really into handing things to people right now.

Love those eyes :]

And the progression: months 1-10!