11 months and in top form

J has just hit 11 months and is in top form: lovely, irresistible and utterly adorable.

When I carry her, she wraps her arms around my neck and leans her head on my shoulder. She didn't use to do this.

She's also mimicking facial expressions.

When someone laughs, she too laughs, as if she's in on the joke, even though she may not have a clue what's going on. She looks so cute and comical, with her mouth wide open in guileless mirth and her three-and-a-half teeth showing, that you can't help but laugh with her.

I love how she claps when I clap, waves goodbye and says "ta ta" and "dog" and "Dad" and calls me Mama.

When asked, "Where's Elephant?" she points correctly at her favourite toy.

I love her healthy appetite and her impatient thump-thump on the tabletop and grumbles of "mum ma mum!" when the next spoonful is slow to arrive.

I delight in watching her gleefully cram her mouth with fistfuls of bread or biscuit.

I marvel that she is able to pick up her sippy cup and drink without my help.

As I jested to CA last night, how to go back to work like that?