Barrett - Ten months old

Dear Barrett

This 10th month of you life has been pure amazement. It is so much fun to watch you become such a little boy. You are such a little character and have your own little personality. I love seeing the world through your eyes. You are still crawling around everywhere with no fear. You pull yourself up on your knees and to standing. Sometimes you'll even hold on with one hand. You crawl over things now and crawl with such determination - if Payton is in your way, you just keep on going head-first into him and he has to jump out of your way. You race all around, to grab things, to stick your hand in Payton's water bowl and splash the water, to chase balls. It's amazing to watch you throw a ball, with such aim, and chase after it. And you love to throw the ball to Payton and giggle with delight when you two play together.

And speaking of balls, you said your first word on your 10 month birthday! It was ball, said so charmingly as "ba." It's hard to tell when you're actually speaking versus babbling but you say it so clearly when we show you a ball so I know it's no fluke or babbling, you definitely know what you're saying. So exciting! Now if we can only turn that "mamamama" into actually meaning me, we're all set!

You are a little rascal sometimes - you have discovered the joys of the pantry and refrigerator and we have to watch those curious little fingers as they try to grab things. You love to pull the dishtowel down and pull open the oven drawer. You are often caught trying to steal food off the other kid's trays at daycare - you get up on your knees and sneak those little fingers to their cheerios and the kids yelp with annoyance but I can't help but laugh.

You have tried all kinds of new food - cornbread, raw apples, graham crackers, muffins, pumpkin pancakes, casseroles and soups. You are a carb-aholic like your mommy. You still love milk though and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Everything is such a discovery. You discovered the joys of playing with your tongue this month and are constantly running it over your teeth. You want to grab everything and touch it to see what it is. Yet, even though you are a man on the go, you are still wanting to be held and cuddled. As much as you love crawling and exploring, you prefer to be held and carried by us. You reach out those arms to be picked up and get so excited to be in our arms. I think my arms are getting stronger every day from carrying around my not-so-little baby boy.

We got out your fall clothes and you have recently had a growth spurt, I think. Your legs seem so much longer in the last few weeks and you are firmly in the 9month and up clothes. But even the 9 month stuff is starting to get small - your 9 month pajamas are barely long enough anymore so it's time to go shopping for some fleecy 12 month jammies.

Some of the most exciting news of all, however, is that you are finally sleeping past 6am! Within a week or two's time, you changed from waking up consistently around 5:15-5:30 to sleeping until 6, sometimes even past 7. It is wonderful for me. And you continue to go to sleep every night with rarely a peep.

It is so much fun to be your parents and we love seeing the world through your eyes. So much even more fun is ahead, I know!

Love
Mommy