11 Month Old Baby Update

May I take a moment to ask the universe to slow my life down from “Warp Speed” to just “Really Really Fast”? My 11-month-old daughter is keeping me very busy these days. I still maintain that having a baby who can walk is easier than having a baby who cannot. For me, it’s not quite as hands-on and is less physically intense. I do need to protect her from eating things she shouldn’t, and from climbing up or down the stairs, but in general she entertains herself quite well now that she can walk (and go wherever her sisters go)! I do recognize that this experience is quite different than the one I had with my first daughter, who was glued to my side until she was about 3.5 years of age (there are advantages to that by the way, and I found that by recognizing and accepting her need to be near me until that time, she gained the confidence to become quite independent later. She’s seven now!)

One down side of my 11-month-old’s independence? The ability to cause trouble. Can you believe that this little cherub:

My 11-month-old playing with a doll stroller

is the one who did this:

Blue crayon scribbled on the wall and door

Yes, that’s blue crayon scribbled on two places on my white bedroom wall and door (that happens when you have two older children who like to color and a mobile 11-month-old who is confined in your bedroom but manages to find the only crayon while you put away clothes in your closet). Thank goodness for the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I don’t recommend the product for older paint because it does take some paint off or dull the sheen, but for newer paint or for the situation where it’s better to clean off the crayon or pen or permanent marker than to leave it there, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works wonders! Just make sure to test it in a remote corner if you are concerned about wearing away the paint. And then enjoy your creative toddler!