Ten Months

Eli has been quite a busybody this past month!  Around the 9-month mark, he started to crawl and hasn't stopped since.  He has discovered all kinds of new places in the house that he couldn't get to before on his own.  He can also pull himself up to a standing position as long as he has something to hang on to.  When there is music playing on TV, Eli has just started to bounce up and down when he is on propped up on his knees, so we think he might be trying to dance since this only happens when music comes on TV.  He still really likes books and has started to turn the pages himself with the board books.  As long as he is not distracted by anything else, he can roll a ball back and forth.  Eli has been saying "ma-ma" and "da-da" quite a bit as well.

The biggest accomplishment this past month in the eating department has been Eli's development of the pincer grasp which now allows him to self-feed.  He especially likes the banana flavored puffs.  He also still takes a total of 26 ounces of formula a day.  I had quite the stockpile of the step 2 baby food to use up before he begins the step 3 which will include more meats, but he has been ready for it the past couple of weeks now that he can mash his food a lot better when chewing. 

Eli will go to bed each night between 7:00 and 7:30 and has become a bit of an early riser now, waking up for the day between 6:00 and 6:30.  His morning nap has become shorter, now between 1 hour to an hour and a half, but he will still sleep for a solid 2 hours in the afternoon most days.  Now that he can pull himself up to stand, he is usually standing in his crib when I go in to get him.  He has even personalized his crib rails with bite marks from his two bottom teeth.

The first birthday party plans are in the works.  We were hoping to be finished up with the new house projects and be moved in by the end of June, but we still have quite a ways to go yet, so we will probably be hosting Eli's first birthday party at our house in Lost Nation. 

Dear Eli,

In honor of your 10-month birthday, I created a Top 10 List of things I love about you most:)

Love, Mom

10.  Your features:  I love your bright blue eyes and your long eyelashes (just like your dad:)

9.  Interest in books:  You seem to enjoy books even more now that you can turn the pages by yourself.  Books with real life pictures of babies are still your favorite.  You also really like the touch-and-feel books.  One of my favorite things to do with you is go to the library and pick out new books to read.

8.  Your giggles and smile:  There is nothing more innocent or sweeter than a baby's giggles.  I love to see you smile, knowing you are a happy little boy.

 (I was finally able to capture a picture that shows his teeth.)

7.  Your independence:  You are usually a very content little boy, and you can keep yourself entertained by looking at a book or playing with your toys for quite a while.  

6.  Your love of other people and animals:  You seem to really enjoy being around other people and take a special interest in kids as you show a lot of excitement when they are around.  I think you might even be an animal lover as you get older since you reach out for animals and squeal in delight when they are close by. 

 (Eli with cousins Shea and Liam at Easter)

5.  Your excitement:  When you get really excited about something, you show your enthusiasm by twisting your wrists back and forth.

4.  Your sense of adventure and discovery:  Sometimes I wonder what is going through your little mind when you touched the grass outside for the first time or even pulled out a dandelion (and of course attempted to put it in your mouth).  Now that you can crawl, you are always on an adventure.

3.  The schedule you follow:  Once in a while, your schedule can get a little off, but you typically follow the same sleeping and eating schedule every day.  Sometimes when you wake up from your afternoon nap, it is 2 hours almost to the minute from the time you went to sleep.  

2.  Sleeping pattern:  You have always been a good sleeper.  You started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks.  Around the 6-month mark is when you started sleeping for 12 hours straight at night.  The best advice I have received regarding sleep was to put you in your crib while you were tired but still awake, and you learned to go to sleep on your own. 

 (Favorite napping position)

1.  Your uniqueness:  There is only one you!  I love everything about you, and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be your mother:)