Ten Months- Double Digits

10 Months Old

Well, it finally happened.  Monday you hit double digits in the month count.  You just refuse to stay small, don't you?  What is so great about growing up anyway?  You are a feisty little ten month old, too.  And a toothless one.  I tried my best to get the usual "month pictures" before I realized that nothing will ever be the same again.  You will not be sitting still for a photo shoot anytime soon.  There is no chance that I can just sit you down and snap away.  I need another set of hands to corral you and keep you out of danger.  And I also have to learn to love blurry pictures.  Actually, I do love blurry pictures...I just have to learn to love the fact that those amazing eyes of yours probably won't be in focus in any pictures again for quite a while.  I think I'll have to rethink my strategy for next month, because all I have to show for the ten month mark is a bunch of blurry, headless, out-of-focus shots.  And, of course, the list of:

What Finnlee's Digging: 10 Months

• Babies!  Real life ones or just pictures of babies.  You're not picky.  You just like small humans.  A lot.
• Mickey Mouse.  Strange, I know.  But Mickey Mouse Clubhouse airs right around breakfast time, and when you hear the music you start bobbing up and down, doing your best dance moves.  It's adorable and disturbing.  I'm really not pro-tv for babies.  But your reaction is priceless.   
• Daddy, daddy, daddy.  You light up when he comes home.  You want to hang with him when you're not hungry or tired.  I think he's your new favorite person.
• Swings.  You love swinging at the park.  I feel guilty taking you to playgrounds during these sweltering summer months because you get so hot and sweaty.  That is until we plop you into a baby swing.  Then you are in breezy, squealy heaven.
• Water.  To drink, that is...still not so much for baths.  You started drinking water from a sippy cup a bit more frequently (probably because of those sweltering playdates I mentioned above.)  You really like it.  

You are starting to understand the meaning of "no."  It's been a funny thing to you, that shaking of the head that you love to mimic.  But with all of your coffee-table-cruising, you've heard "no" quite a bit because you are drawn to the off-limits stuff like laptops and portable hard drives and charging cables.  Yes, I should make life easier on both of us and put them on a desk, but that kind of defeats the purpose of having a laptop.  But today, after being told "no" twice to touching the keyboard, you started reaching your hand toward it, stopping midstream, and shaking your head while looking at me to see if I'm noticing.  I'm noticing alright.  And here I thought it was all a game to you.  But you're really getting it.  Little smarty.  I'm pretty sure you'll hear the word "no" quite a bit by the looks of things, so I'm glad you are catching on.  

This is you...trying to escape.

You also are also blowing kisses now!  Okay, if I'm being honest, all that happens is that you put your hand over your mouth.  But it occurs at the moment that we tell you to blow someone kisses, so it counts.  Right?  And you reserve your best kisses for Mommy for now.  The great big, open-mouth, slobbery ones.  The kind that last for an uncomfortable amount of time.  You tried to lay one of those on Daddy and his whiskers completely freaked you out. I doubt you'll be trying that again anytime soon.  Poor dad.  I'm surprised (but glad) that he hasn't shaved them all off for you by now.

How we actually spent much of your "month"day: blowing bubbles.

Despite your lack of teeth, we have been making our best attempt at finger foods so you can practice gripping small things and eating textures.  You are not. a. fan.  I really don't know what to do about it.  All of your sisters had teeth long before this age, so finger foods were a natural progression.  With you, it's a conscious effort.  And one that makes me nervous.  Last night it was brown rice.  I thought it was small enough to go down with minimal chewing.  Wrong.  You act like you're gagging on anything that isn't pureed.  How am I going to feed you a birthday cake???  I have such high hopes for a smash cake, however between the likelihood that you are harboring some food allergies and your aversion to non-pureed foods, I'm afraid you may end up with a vegan "milk"shake for your first birthday.  

You get so sweaty outside.

The majority of your major progress lately has been on the social scene.  You have gone from a clingy, sobbing recluse to a smiley, chattering mingler.  You wave at strangers when they tell you hello or goodbye.  And you have this new language that is all your own.  It started when I would whisper to you and you would whisper back something that sounded like "D'ula B'ula".  Now you say it in full volume, with your tongue flicking out of your mouth between syllables.  And if there happens to be high ceilings and good acoustics, all the better. You'll happily shout it out so everyone can hear.  I'm not so sure the other Target shoppers or doctor's office visitors find it as endearing as I do.  

Still not quite sure what to make of these bubbles.

I have been busy turning Ashley's old, empty bedroom into a beautiful space for you and Sydney to spend time in.  One of my favorite things to do lately is to watch the two of you together.  I am seeing a side of your sister that I never have.  She's always been the "little one," but now she gets to be the helper, the influence and the hero.  I am so proud of the big sister she is being to you.  You truly love her and I can see the adoration in your eyes.  You want to go where she goes and do what she does, already.  It's a beautiful thing to observe this blooming relationship.  

Sydney, teaching you the fine art of bubble-popping.

We are back on school schedules in order to ease back into the routine as much as possible next week.  Friday, we met Sydney's teacher.  She is thrilled with who she has this year, which makes me feel much better about walking her up to the door Monday morning.  I adored her kindergarten teacher so much that I almost feel bad for any future teacher she has.  But perhaps I'll get to reprise my role as "unofficial class photographer."  And luckily, your cousins have Sydney's old teacher this year, so we have an excuse to drop in now and then to say hello.  Sydney is so wound up about starting school that everyday she goes on and on about how she wishes she could start today.  She makes paper teddy bears and flower magnets and paper dolls for her teacher.  Because what teacher doesn't need those things.  And tonight she was too hyper to go to sleep.  Then she ended up sleepwalking, standing in the corner by the play kitchen, talking to "her teacher" and giving me the thumbs up because "Life is awesome!"  I actually got some of that on video.  I should warn you now that all of your sisters were sleepwalkers at this age.  It doesn't look good for you.  

Finding her desk.

I'm sure the next post will have back to school pictures and some mention of what we are doing with our time now that the house is empty all day.  But for now, I am hanging onto the last tiny shred of summer.  I refuse to let it go.  I really wanted to catch the sunset tonight with you and Sydney, but time wasn't on our side, so we had a frozen yogurt date instead.  I am cherishing these times.  Sydney is already warning me not to lift her out of the car now because she's a first grader and "that's just embarrassing."  Apparently, I'm also not supposed to tell her I love her in front of her friends either.  What?  It won't be long before you are also making these ridiculous requests, too.  But today it is summer vacation.  You are  still a baby, and Sydney is only unofficially a first grader.  I really like today.