Double Digits!

You are officially 10 months old, my love. We spent the day over at your great-grandma Vera's house. You loved exploring a new place, and even crawled through her cat door to get into her room! We had to put all her trinkets and delicate décor out of your reach.

At 10 months, you

love: exploring, reading, babbling, Sesame Street, papa's skateboard, mama's iphone, the playground and Saturday morning cartoons (starting at 5:30am)

don't love: being changed! You cry every time I try changing your diaper or getting you dressed...sigh...

should know: we love you more than all the fish in the sea, the stars in the sky. We love you more than the air we breath. And just when I think it's not possible to love you more, I do. You are a true blessing in all of our lives.

Here are some pictures from your 10-month photoshoot:

Ten Minus One

You are turning ten months tomorrow, and I have to say, I really really like you. I know that sounds so odd coming from your mama, but it's true. Over the last ten months, I've come to realize you are an individual, and not just an extension of me, which is I guess how I thought of you when you were a newborn. You are this curious, smiley, silly, determined, strong and complicated individual. You are wild, yet calm. You are loud, yet quiet. You are active, yet still. I genuinely like being around you, and I believe most people feel that way about you.

As I take you out into the world, you have the ability to alter a stranger's day by your mere existence. At the market, an elderly couple, a middle-aged gentleman, the teenage cashier and a woman standing behind us in line who misses her family (she told me) all brighten at your energy, exuberance and unadulterated joy. I can't help but wonder if this will somehow be your role in the universe--reminding people to stop and simply smile. Or perhaps everyone loves a jolly baby...who knows.

Milestones have been many and include: successfully navigating the playground (with mama following closely behind you), climbing downstairs (not just up), picking up and eating cheerios or puffs (although most end up on the floor for Pi and Muffin, grandma's dogs) and standing by yourself for a whole ten seconds. Also, babbling is at an all time high, which is adorable and hilarious as sometimes you don't stop for a really long time. You are also bored with me feeding you, so you reach for the spoon to feed yourself. On the rare occasion, when there is just a tiny bit left I will let you, which always causes a big mess but you are happy, so I am too.

   

Behind the Lense

As you look at your photos, there is something you should know: although you may not see me, I am in every one; I am behind the camera.

Here are photos of you from today at the park. You were fixated on watching papi skateboarding, and I was watching you, my handsome son. 

Driving

As I mentioned below, one of your favorite things to do is pretend to drive. Whenever we are on the road and make any kind of stop, we'll get you out of your carseat and let you take the wheel! It's kind of scarry that you seem to already know what you are doing.

A Reader Lives a Thousand Lives

Your papi and I are avid readers. I can often be found reading modern-day fiction and papi is usually reading the news or informational books. I read to escape and for entertainment, and papi reads to learn new things. No matter what you enjoy, read about it. And if you don't like reading, or don't think you are good at it, keep trying, that is all I ask.

One of my favorite things to do is read to you right before bed. It amazes me that you will transition from actively crawling all over the place to relaxed and engaged the instant I open a book. We sit on the floor together, you on my lap, as you flip the pages (sometimes the wrong way, but you'll sort it out), listen to me speak and look at the colorful illustrations. I am not sure what you are thinking, but I do know you like books and you like being read to.

Your favorite right now is Goodnight Moon. I know

this because any time I reach for another book you swat it away, pick up Goodnight Moon and hand it to me. I kid you not, at just 9 months old, you know what you like. You also like the story of Noah's Ark. These two books are our regulars, even though I try to sneak in another one from time to time. You know the difference, however, and are happy with just these stories for now. I'll happily read them to you as long as you would like.

You have a plethora of bright, colorful, loud, flashy toys scattered across the living room. I enjoy watching you pick up a toy, play with it until you get bored; and then abandon it and quickly move on to another. I've caught you several times, pausing from the commotion and picking up one of your little Sesame Street books. Papi bought you about 12 very small cardboard books, each one containing a story with a different Sesame Street character and some sort of learning activity, like shapes, colors or numbers. There is really nothing that pleases me more than seeing you, sitting in the middle of the crazy clutter of your toys, flipping through a book. I hope that as you grow, you'll always take time to pause and get lost in a good read.

 

9 Months, Swim Lessons and a New Tooth

I haven't updated in a while, so thought I would take this opportunity (while you are napping) to write about our latest shenanigans. Today is Sunday, one of my favorite days of the week, as we usually have no obligations and can be as lazy as we want and stay in our jammies for as long as we want.

So, what have we been up to? Well, you turned 9 months old...can you believe it? 9 months! You are becoming such a big boy, changing and growing and learning new things every day.

You love: Papi, Elmo, baths, crawling, climbing, Mama, music, Goodnight Moon, pretending to drive my car and being tickled

You dislike: Avocado (see below), diaper changes, getting dressed and getting in your car seat

Here are some pics from your 9-month photoshoot:

We enrolled you in swim lessons and have just finished your second class. Papi gets in the water with you and you learn how to hold your breath, kick your little legs and float on your back (all with papi's help, of course). I watch on the sidelines, taking pictures and beaming with pride. I even got a little teary-eyed the first time you went under the water. I can't really explain why, other than that I was just so proud of you. Maybe as you grow older, you'll often see me get choked up at your big accomplishments and you'll say, "aw, mom!" You did so well and love the pool. I can see you being a natural water baby, just like your papi, who already wants to take you surfing!

And lastly, you finally (finally!) got your first tooth. About a quarter of your bottom tooth is popping out from your gums. It's not much, but we were beginning to wonder if you would need dentures soon! During your recent visit with Dr. DeFreitas, she told us that you are ready for more solid foods. We have been giving you baby food for a while, but are starting to introduce more textured foods. I have to say, you aren't impressed...at all. Here is your second go at trying avocado:

Speechless

I always thought that when I had a baby, I would have an abundance of writing material. I am wrong; you have rendered me speechless. More often than not, there are just no words to match what's in my heart.