Dear Eliot: 10 Months

Dear Eliot,

You cannot POSSIBLY be ten months.  We buckled you into your car seat for the first time with serious fear in our eyes yesterday (it seems).  Every month milestone that comes makes me and your Dad say, "This is definitely the best month for sure."  Each 22nd brings us new laughs, new challenges, new things to report and we love it.  And you.

Eliot's ten month appointment at the Doc's

-You are better at eating chunky baby food but prefer whatever is on our plates.  Faves include: cheese, turkey, blueberries, pork, bananas, beans of any sort and obviously Christmas casseroles.

-You do not understand why I keep putting your milk in a sippy cup and get very frustrated when I do.  Water is for sippy cups...not milk.  

Completely oblivious to the fact that he is about to get THREE shots

-As of December 8th you weighed 19.5 lbs and were 29.25 inches in length.  Your head circumference is 18 inches which caused both the nurse and the doctor to measure it twice.  It is almost off the charts.  Wonder who you got that from.

-You are wearing size three diapers and 12-18 month clothing.  Thanks to Cousin Christina we are able to keep up with your rapidly changing clothing sizes!

He's got the routine down

 - Today you clapped for the first time and you are getting braver about walking around the coffee table and down the couch (while holding on with a white knuckled grip of course).

 - You received many a toy car for Christmas and are starting to crawl and move them with you.  Makes you look so big!  

 - We are working on waving bye-bye and you know how to do it but not WHEN to do it.  You like to wave bye bye when I'm changing your diaper, while you're in your car seat, or just sitting on the living room floor hanging out.

After shots...not too bad!

 - You understand more words such as car, fruit, eat, night-night, and Arkansas Razorbacks..just kidding! ha!

 - When you are told "no" you shake your head no and then contemplate whether to actually obey or not.  It's a 50% chance that you will.  I've had to physically pull your hand away from something harmful and you thought that was hysterical.  We are now moving locations instead of just hands.

Wipes the poor boy out every time (no pun intended)

 - You are starting to show us when you don't want to do something by a. bawling (with zero actual tears), b. slapping your hand down on the floor or table (this makes me laugh even though I try not to), or c. shaking your head "no" vigorously.  

I'm ten months! Monster hands, pointy toes and all.

 - Before you crawl into Dad's office or the laundry room (two no-no rooms) you turn around and look at us, assess the situation, and then crawl in like your diaper is on fire in hopes that we can't catch you.  You're not that fast yet, buddy!

"Sit still for a picture? No thanks, Mom."

You are a stinker, a monkey, a booger bear, a daddy's boy, a mama's boy, a Sebastian taunter, and a lover of books.  How do you fill so many roles? We'll never know.  You are just that complex.  

Love,

Mama