Dear Eisley

Peanut,

Happy ten months!  You celebrated your first double digit birthday by sleeping until 9:30 which is something I consider a miracle of giant proportion.  You have been going to be slightly later than you used to, and you are beginning to learn that your two naps a day are a great thing.

You have now been in this crazy world longer than it took to grow you - that it sort of mind blowing.  Ironically, this seems to be the month when you have blossomed the most - seemingly, all of the pieces have started being fit together and you are becoming quite expressive.

It's so strange to see you with a mouthful of teeth!  You use your little chompers primarily for eating dog food at the moment.  I try to keep you out of there, yet I think you are there at least once a day.  I can't figure out why dog food is so appealing when you can't be bothered to eat much else (except for microscopic pieces on the floor).  You have tried several things this month, and you to appear to be broadening your horizons, but you'd much rather throw your food on the floor.  You do enjoy cheese and pasta - something we are quite familiar with in this house.  You also like bread and other things you can feed yourself.

You have a special fondness for wrestling with Ruby and find it particularly hilarious if the two of you bounce around on a bed while doing so - it's so funny to see your different personalities - I think you two will bring out some unique traits in each other.  You graduated from the baby bathtub and give me regular heart attacks (trying to stand, crawling around) - you and your sister could play with blocks and the assortment of rubber duckies for hours if I allowed it.  You two have started interacting in play much more this month - watching sisters play, laugh, and talk together is something I will treasure for all of my life.

Your projectile vomiting days are far from gone, but they are rapidly diminishing, and my laundry-hating self thanks you.  You have only done so twice in the last week which is a huge improvement.  Although it's frustrating to feel incompetent about the whole thing in regards to what is causing it, I have my suspicions - it generally comes at night when you have snacked and snacked.  You also have a poor latch which causes air to be trapped in your belly.  I can't decide if I think you have a dairy sensitivity on top of those things.

You know the word no and often challenge it with squeals and dimpled smiles, but mostly you listen.  If it happens to be something you are extremely passionate about, a small fit will ensue which makes me quite scared for what future fits will look like with you.

You are a master crawler, but want so much more.  You pull up on furniture and legs, but you aren't cautious enough to remember that jumping with excitement afterwards isn't a great idea.  Especially on hardwood floors.

You have also mastered signing for milk, clapping (this can usually be prompted by a YAY!), giving slobbery kisses, and waving which is sometimes directed at yourself.  This month has been especially fun for watching the little wheels inside your head turn.  Two days ago, you had something in your hands but wanted to stand, so you put the magnet in your mouth so you could use both hands to pull up.

This month, you made your thoughts about Santa extremely loud and clear, you traveled to Mexico, the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica, as well as to Missouri for your first Christmas.  You are a pretty easy going kid as long as the staples in your routine remain the same.

Your dark blonde hairs have grown a lot in the last little bit - that's not to say you have a lot of hair.  The back of it has been caught curling - we'll see if we're two for two in the little blonde curls department.

You are still one of the most ticklish people I know; your laugh and your smile warm my heart like nothing else.  Nuzzling the tiny, soft spot of the back of your neck comes in at a close second.  Chubby feet, feathered lashes, and dazzling two-toned eyes tie for third.  You are one sweet, sweet girl.

Love you to the moon.

XOXO,
Momma