Ten months old!

Dear Ben,

Ten months - double digits! Next time you hit that milestone you'll be what? A fifth grader?!But I'm getting ahead of myself. You spent the majority of this month being sick with some sort of ear infection/fever virus/daycare plague, but have been healthy for the past couple of weeks and for that, Daddy and I are extremely thankful.

But a little sickness doesn't slow you down for too long. Your gimpy creeping quickly developed into speedy crawling, which led to the impressive cruising that now makes up your playtime at home, usually moving from chair to chair under the table, aka your first fort. And at the park the other day, you balanced all by yourself for a few seconds when I let go of your hands. Such a big boy whose legs are just about ready to make his world bigger.

Another clue of your budding independence has led to our most challenging moments of this month. You have become extremely comfortable telling us when we are trying to get you to do anything that cramps your style. Like changing your diaper and/or clothes. Eating green vegetables. Wiping your hands and face off after you've finger painted on your face and in your hair with aforementioned green vegetables. Bathing. But I just pray for patience and sing "Under the Sea" a little goofier or call in your daddy to surprise you for the zillionth time.

Because you sure do love your daddy. Tonight you responded to his prompting of "Da-da" with "A-da" and "A-dee", to which we made no big deal about whatsoever...:)

You love your taggie and lovie, becoming more attached during your sickness. When I feed you your bedtime bottle, you like to hold it in each hand and cover your face and bottle with it. And for the last few months, whenever you see it coming, you pop your thumb in your mouth and lay your head on our shoulder. A creature of habit.

Other babies and bigger children are captivating to you, and it's so fun to see you follow them around, wrestle if given the chance and give your interpretation of a wave to kids and adults alike - even if no one is coming or going.

Maybe it's since you are so social that you just can't settle yourself down during the day to take good naps at school. Daddy and I worry about you getting all the sleep you need, but Dr. Smith says you're making it easy on us by being more tired at night! Which might be true, since you were in bed a little after 7 tonight...

There are some days that I feel like you've grown overnight, and even now I have a hard time remembering what it was like when you were so teeny tiny and helpless. I so enjoy the time we get to spend together, playing on the weekends, reading books at night, cuddling in the mornings and grabbing you up at school after a long day apart. You are such a wonderful little person to me, Ben. I hope that next time you hit the double-digit marker, we still have lots of things that are special between us...but that bathtime is a little more fun and productive for everyone!

I love you!
Mommy
...say it with me: "Mah-mee"

...we'll keep working on it.