10 months

Today you are 10 months old, Lil! I can hardly believe it.

You are getting to be such a little person, rather than a baby. You have more hair, personality, and smiles every day!

Our days are starting later, now that you are allowing Mommy to sleep in a bit. You wake up at about 7-7:30. Sometimes later... which is awesome. We then change your diaper and head downstairs for cereal and applesauce. This is the only meal of the day that I don't put a bib on you. You've gotten to be really good at keeping the food in your mouth! This is when, a couple of days ago, I realized you had 2 teeth coming in the bottom of your mouth! I was super excited.. I kept wanting to feel them. By the time Daddy got home you wouldn't let anyone touch your teeth!

After breakfast, you play downstairs with the puppies while I check my emails and blogs and eat breakfast. You love to pull EVERYTHING out of my desk drawers. You don't mess too much up, you just like to empty the drawers. I've noticed this in other places, too. For instance, you like to pull every toy, one by one, out of your toy box. You don't like to clean up, yet, though!

We do some cleaning in the kitchen and maybe some laundry before you are ready for your morning nap. This usually happens around 9. I make you an 8 oz. bottle, check your diaper, and we settle in for snuggle time. Depending on how tired you are, I'll read you a book first.

Your naps are still pretty long. Both of them last for at least 2 hours, on average. So, when you wake up, we have another diaper check, then we play for a little. Usually this "play" consists of me trying to fold laundry and you unfolding it.

At 11:30-12, we go downstairs and I get your lunch ready. You are getting a little better at eating healthy foods. You did so well for a while, but then when you were cutting teeth, you got really picky. If I only offer you the healthy stuff first, you will eat it.... eventually.

After lunch, we play more downstairs. I'll let you walk around in your walker and get some energy out. We sometimes go for walks, which you love. I've noticed you talking a lot more during walks. You are really starting to notice things! We hang out and do fun things until it is nap time again. I don't really have a set time for either nap times any more, but even less so for this one. In the afternoon, I assess what we are doing that evening & your mood now to determine what time to put you to bed. You do not get a bottle before this nap time. It didn't take much time for you to adjust to this, either. As long as you have your paci, you're good.

This nap, like the first, lasts for a couple of hours. You are usually awake or just waking up when Daddy gets home around 3:30. You play really hard with him until dinner, usually. He's super good at wearing you out. For dinner, you usually eat what we eat unless it is something you can't have.

Since you are SUCH a messy eater, after dinner is bath time. You LOVE bath time. Daddy usually handles this, but I like to play with you, too. I like to get you hyper and splashing so Dad has to clean you up. When you are done, you reach up to Daddy, which is pretty much the cutest thing ever.

You and Daddy go upstairs while I clean up dinner. I bring up your night time bottle and we all play a little before you take another 8 oz. and go to sleep. While you drink your bottle, Daddy has been reading Alice in Wonderland to you. He usually only gets about 3 pages done before you have sucked the bottle dry and are restless to get to bed. Daddy comes and gets you off my lap, gives you hugs and kisses, then you lean towards me and let me give my hugs and kisses. You are ready to lay down as soon as the last kiss is given. On average, you are in bed asleep by 7:30, sometimes later, but almost never earlier.

Some special things about this month: you climb the entire flight of stairs, really enjoy running while in your walker, have agreed to like your jumperoo again, will play peekaboo all by yourself,

& probably the funniest thing -- you said "cat"

let me elaborate... we were at Grandpa and Grandma's house and you were playing with Annie, Auntie Jessica's cat. Grandpa said, "Aw, Lillian, it's a kitty kitty." You looked at him, and we all swear, with the straightest face ever said, "Cat." Just like a grown up!

You're such a big girl now. Daddy and I are as proud of you as ever!

Love,
Mommy