10 Months

You're 10 months today, Kid. A big day, you've reached double digits. Pretty soon you'll be paying some guy named Louie to make you a kick-ass fake ID so you can hit the bars with the rest of your diaper posse.




You've made some big strides in your development this past month. Not the least of them is your ability to play pat-a-cake, which thrills your Great Nana to no end. Peek-a-Boo is exciting beyond words. I love teaching you to do new things. Its like having a new little puppy to train. I taught you a new one the other day... You'll now throw your hands over your head when I ask "How big is Julia?" and wait for me to say "So Big!".

And you are getting big. You are a long, lean, diaper wetting machine. The problem is your pants are constantly half-way down your butt because if I buy you clothes that fit your height they'll be too big for your tiny tummy. The fact that you've decided that you'll only eat 6 or 7 different foods on a regular basis might have something to do with your shrinking belly. You will now eat yogurt (pretty much any kind), bagels (actually, starches of any kind except pasta), cheese, bananas, cereal, apples and pineapple (on a good day), Gerber Puffs, and of course Cheerios. Some days I can trick you into eating yams, sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash. Green vegetables are out of the question but yet I keep trying and your keep throwing them back at me. You love going out to breakfast with Mama and Dada because you get pancakes or waffles. And the adoration of the waitstaff.

After much trying you will now drink an ounce or two from a sippy cup before throwing it on the floor and demanding your bottle. You love your bottle time when we snuggle together on the couch. I think you might sense that I'm half-heartedly trying to wean you. Even though you can now hold your bottle and feed yourself from it on your own you still prefer me to feed you. But the weaning is going to happen. You're getting more teeth and I'm tired of being used as a chew toy.

You've learned how to push buttons, so now the remote control, my laptop, the television, and my patience have to be put out of your reach or carefully guarded. And, honey, please stop trying to poke the dogs in the eye. They've been so patient with you, let's not push it. Okay?

You're starting to grasp the concept of language. All of that baby sign language that I've been trying to teach you is starting to pay off. You know the signs for "milk", "eat", and "all done". You know what I mean when I say "Would you like some lunch?" or "Do you want to take a nap?" When you don't know what something is you gesture in its direction and say "Dat?" and when I tell you that its, say, a ball or a mitten you smile and say "Dada". Everything is "Dada". Except when you're hungry or tired or you fell and bumped your head, and then its "Mummummummum." That kills me every time.

I'm amazed at how far you've come in a few short weeks. You're growing up so fast. You're getting to be a little person with thoughts and opinions. But you'll always be my itty, bitty babe.

I love you, my Bahbahloo.