Ten Months Old

Dear Will,

I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but oh my gosh, you are sooooooo busy. You're here! Then there! You want to see this! Now that! Up, Mama! No, down! Let's play with this now! Etc, etc. This busy-streak also means you are super fun, but I literally collapse in bed every night after you go to sleep. Parenting a ten month old is exhausting!

Because you're so busy, diaper changes have become a bit of a challenge. You twist, turn and roll as I try and wrestle a cloth diaper on you. Needless to say, it's a workout for both of us.

Though you're still not crawling on your hands and knees, you started "naughty crawling" when you're trying to reach something you're not supposed to have (i.e. Stella's dog toys, Mama's cell phone, miscellaneous small items that somehow end up on the floor). You drag your belly on the ground in hyper-drive, giggling and gasping in excitement. This actually draws more attention to you, meaning I'm almost always able to intercept you before you get to whatever you're trying to reach. But it's really cute.

You have a complete and total obsession with dog bowls. Wherever we are, you manage to find the dog bowl and want to inspect it. You know their exact location at home and at Grandma's house, and will try anything and everything to get someone to take you over by them. Your persistence is admirable.

You love water, which likely drives your bowl obsession. You love to splash in the tub, put your hands under a running faucet, or swim in your "wimmy pool" at Grandma's house.

You haven't been the best eater in the last month. You literally will not touch anything that resembles a vegetable, insisting on only fruits or yogurt. We attempted to introduce meat purees this month, which was an epic fail. You hated the texture, and actually vomited after trying chicken. I felt so awful.

You play with your food now more than you eat it. You love to play tiddlywinks with your puffs and drop food on the floor for Stella. You want to bang the spoon on your high chair more than eat with it. And finishing a bottle takes forever since we have to stop every few ounces to bounce or play.

You share food now, which is so sweet. I'll ask you, "can Mama have puff?" And you'll smile really big, gingerly pick up a puff and put it in my mouth. I'm so proud that you're sharing already.

You started clapping on your own this past month. Usually in response to other people clapping, or Mama and Daddy saying "yay!" You love the sound you hands make, and always clap with a big smile on your face.

You're starting to pull to stand, but tend to get your legs and feet tangled up beneath you. Right now, you try and pull up entirely with your upper body, so getting up is a bit of struggle. When you succeed (or when Mama helps you) you are so proud of yourself. You love to stand perched by the coffee table or in your crib.

Grandpa calls you "Bam Bam" because you bang objects on everything. Doesn't matter what it is, if there is a flat surface to hit, you find something to hit it with. You also like to put objects in things, namely your blocks in an old Charlie's Soap container, which we were using as a make-shift drum.

We read every day. I love how you snuggle into my lap and touch the illustrations on each page. "Very Hungry Caterpillar" is still your favorite book, but "Hello, Bugs!" and "Does A Kangaroo Have A Mother Too?" are also very heavy in our rotation. When we're reading, you turn the page when I ask you to (and sometimes before). I love to see you engaged with your books.

Every month, I am amazed by how much you accomplish. It's such a joy to watch you grow. I love you so much.

Love,

Mama