This month has been full of milestones for Hunter. The biggest change? He’s a walker now. Capturing a clear photo is a challenge since he rarely stays still for more than a second, but from two quick photo sessions I managed to get a few good shots where he’s looking at the camera. Here’s one of the runners-up:
That picture cracks me up, but for his 11-month photo I wanted one of him standing since he’s become such a little mover.
Trips to the park are a new adventure—sitting still is out of the question. Mabel, who’s an even more enthusiastic walker, and Hunter make a sweet pair. In photos from last week his walking was still a bit wobbly, but he gains confidence daily. He now crosses the house unaided. Sometimes he gets excited and tries to run, which can lead to a tumble, but he always pops back up and keeps going. He walks more than he crawls these days, although crawling remains the quickest way for him to reach something.
And of course, anything that resembles a box becomes a climbing and standing platform for him.
Swings remain a favorite, and we discovered a nearby park just minutes from home that we’ll likely visit all summer. It has a large grassy area where I can already picture him happily running around.
Another welcome change this month: longer afternoon naps. From the start he’s been more of a cat napper, often waking after short stretches, but recently he’s started taking 1.5–2 hour naps more often. They’re not consistent—some days are shorter—but usually he wakes after 20–40 minutes, fusses for a bit, then drifts back off. Those longer naps have been a game-changer and I hope they continue.
His morning nap is still short, typically 20–45 minutes. Nighttime sleep is solid: he goes down around 7:30 pm and usually sleeps until between 7:00–8:00 am, which feels like a great stretch. I’m watching whether a long afternoon nap affects his nighttime sleep. Some mornings he stirs earlier—like today at 6:30 am—but often settles back to sleep for a while before the day begins. Today we started at 7:20 am after a couple brief wake-ups.
Hunter loves to be messy and loud—especially together—and he’s thriving with baby-led weaning. He feeds himself confidently and is beginning to show preferences: he favors more flavorful foods over bland ones. Plain black beans get a thumbs down unless they’re seasoned; simple scrambled eggs are ignored until I add Parmesan, then they’re devoured.
Dining out has become easier because he can sit at the table with us and share pieces of our meals. There’s still food on the floor afterward, but that’s part of feeding a baby in public.
He’s nursing twice a day now—first thing in the morning and at bedtime, around 7:30 am and 7:00 pm—and I’m close to my goal of nursing for a full year.
With less nursing, he’s drinking a lot more water. I leave a couple of sippy cups within reach and he often helps himself. I’m encouraging him to try a regular cup at meals, though the sippy cup is still available.
I can’t believe he’ll be one year old so soon. Less than 3.5 weeks until his birthday party—I’m almost finished with invitations for a vintage newspaper–themed celebration and will share more as I complete the decorations.
Hunter’s current words: banana (banana-na-na), Joe (sounds like doe), mama, dada and no!
What milestones will next month bring? We’ll find out.
Moms: When did your child start drinking from a cup? Everyone: What’s the weather like where you are? I keep seeing stories of snow in May—it’s sunny here.
Have a great Thursday!
Heather