Almost there...(11 months)

Today is Gus' last double-digit "birthday anniversary" for a while. I myself can't quite believe we're already passing this momentous milestone and heading toward that amazing day that marks the time Gus came into our lives one year ago. I still marvel at the rate at which he develops new skills and hones the familiar ones. It's like he waits until I fall asleep at night, and then he gets up and practices walking, talking, fine-motor skills and many more crowd-pleasing tricks, until I wake up in the morning.
Here are some of the new-and-improved skills our pre-toddler likes to show off these days:
- Paddling in the pool
- Mock diving in the sink (sticking his face under water and emerging amidst a blast of bubbles)
- Whipping around on his butt and going down a set of stairs like it's nothing (he just started this one day, like he had finally solved the problem during a sleepless night)
- Crawling up the stairs at a speed that has me huff to keep up
- Saying "tata" "grrrrrr" "kawawa" "ahhhsss" (I know, that one is a bit embarrassing, especially in a quiet store), "gaaa" along with a wide selection of spittle-and-spit producing sounds, including a rolling R, I can't reproduce on the keyboard
- Grating an entire apple with six teeth and eating about half of it
- Signing 'bye-bye" "all done" "stop" and "good job" (still working on "potty" "Mamma" and "I love you"
- Playing his baby piano and ukulele with much delight, drumming on everything else
- Passing a ball (tennis ball, Andy) back and forth with much shrieking
- Playing by himself with lots of humming
- Ullulating with the back of his hand flapping in front of his mouth, while he bellows (this is his favorite party trick)
- Bellowing and whipping his index fingers between his lips to create a babbly stream of sounds
- Drinking out of a cup (with some leakage)
- Eating string cheese like he half-Swiss that he is
- Blowing farty noises on Mommi's belly
- Two words: Kiss Attack - when it's coming you can't avoid it
- Sliding down the slide at the playground and crawling right back up (this startled Mommie big time)
- Walking a good dozen steps, slowly and with tought, sitting down and standing up without support.
- Walking longer distances holding on to an adult hand (this pleases him to no end)

I don't care that others do all this, too - this child is marvelous!!!