Eliza Dove - 11 Months

I was standing in the middle of the nursery today with my sweet, chubby baby girl wrapped up in my arms; I had this overwhelming sense of longing for her to never grow a smidgen bigger. I know, people talk about how it's right and great and needed for our babies to grow up, but I don't agree. I think our babies are just fine as they are... babies.



I love everything about Eliza right now, in this moment of time. I love the desperately soft skin; the trusting, innocent wide blue eyes; the pure excitement for life; the deep, non-judgmental love she holds for me.



She is my treasure, my precious baby girl. This is my last month with her as a baby, baby. After this month she will be a year old and that's just not true baby anymore. Why must children insist on growing up?

Eliza has taken to patting me on my back or my shoulder or whatever body part her fat little hand is resting on at that present moment. It makes my heart feel like it's going to burst. I love feeling that soft pat-pat-pat.



Games... Eliza is true blue third child. She loves life, she loves to play, she loves to be right in the middle of the action. She'll egg you on if you aren't responding to her antics fast enough. She has a twinkle in her eye like none I have ever seen. She is unabashedly playful. And I love that.



Her "Mona" look

We have given Eliza a nickname; it just popped out of my mouth one day. It came about because of a look she has; it's not a smile, it's not a frown, it's unreadable. So, I call her "Mona." It's the perfect nickname for my girl; she puts her special look on quite often so it's likely she'll grow up confused as to whether her name is Eliza or Mona. Both suit her.



Last month of the months... next month my baby is one. But, regardless of everything I priorly said about losing the "baby-ness," Eliza will always be my baby. In my heart she'll forever be my chubby, soft, sweet, smiling, delicious smelling baby girl.

*Posts from 1 year ago today: A Band of Titanium and Leftovers