10 Months!

Caleb! You are almost TEN MONTHS OLD!! Where did the time go??? Every day when I hold you and cuddle you and observe all the adorable things about your sweet baby-ness, I try to consciously burn the memories into my brain. Alas, experience tells me that despite my valiant effots to do likewise with your two big brothers, these memories will fade as each new exciting stage of your little life begins ...

So ... little boy. Here is a 10 month snapshot ...

For the first 3 months you ate solid food (starting at 6 months), you spurned all fruit and bold tastes. I had to make your babyfood from steamed veggies and grains or you wouldn't eat it. You blew raspberries with store bought baby food and spit out bananas like they were lemons. Now, in the past few weeks you've warmed up to fruit. Watermelon was the gateway taste. You love munching on watermelon slices on our back patio (as pictured here with your bud John H.) and happily munch on blueberries and thin apple slices.

You make this hilarious scrunchy face. We call it your "funny face". It first started as your mad face, you would clench your little fists and draw your nose to your forehead and growl. With those two front teeth poking out, it always makes us laugh. I try to capture it in pictures ...

Like this ...

... and this.

You love to swim. (You hate your swim hat)

Seriously. You LOVE the water.

You blow bubbles with your face in underwater the second we place you in it. You like to kick around the pool in your floatie. You like best when your daddy and I let you swim underwater by passing you between us. You hold your breath everytime, kick those chubby legs, and come up laughing. For a 10 month old, this is pretty remarkable.

You love your big brothers. You are still an enthusiastic nurser, but get easily distracted when they talk or do anything in the background. You think they are pretty exciting.

The other day your big brother Jared took a few (well, a lot) of pictures of you and us in our living room. I sort of love the story they told. Here are a few of them...

You pull yourself up on your own and like to stand all the time. You walk along furniture and crawl all over the place. Your dad exclaimed the other day, "Caleb is everywhere!" You have a little amber teething necklace that is supposed to help with teething pain. Your Daddy calls it "voodoo". I'm not sure it works, but I'm up to try anything. Those teeth coming in look painful! You alreadt have two big ones on the top and two on the bottom, your have two more coming on either side of those upper chompers. You are a banger and make drums out of every surface you can find, banging with your hands or whatever object you happen to be holding. Your favorite item to bang on the floor is the wii remote, when you can get your hands on it (and until we notice and take it away).

Your eyes follow me around the room all the time. You smile and laugh and bounce for joy when I come close. You often cry in disappointment when I walk away without coming to you. I'm still your favorite person. You slept in our room right next to my side of the bed until 2 weeks ago. You has this annoying habit of waking up every hour and a half ALL NIGHT LONG to come cuddle and nurse. You were so tired all day, so I finally moved you into your own room and crib. You sleep great now. I have to wake you up most mornings because I miss you! We cuddle for a long time still every morning.

I always say that you could have 100 things to play with and choose the only option that could pose a real threat to your life. Here you are putting a stray piece of plastic in your mouth. (remember, J is the one who took these pics! ha!)

We often have to dig random stuff like rocks out of those cheeks and from between those 4-6 teeth of yours. You cry at the indignity of it all when we wrench these slobbery treasures from your little mouth.

Here you are checking me out again as I walk past. I can only imagine that if we could see the closeup of your face, it would be the scrunchy face I mentioned above. :-)

You still have a sweet gentle touch and love to knead things with those tiny hands, especially as you go to sleep. You love your blankies an your monkey lovey and stroking my hair. Your toes still curl under. You have an easygoing personality and laugh a lot. You have the most beautiful big, blue eyes and your hair is quite blonde. Daddy says you are growing a mullet and need a haircut. Don't tell him, but I'm going to try to forestall that milestone for as long as possible. I love your baby hair ... and your deliciously soft, milky baby skin. We all like to touch it and hold your little hands. Its a good thing babies can't get a big head because if they could, you might be at risk as your Daddy and I tell you all the time how cute you are. Your Poppi calls you the best baby ever. Jared copies him and often gives you the same compliment too.

Your Daddy calls you, "My Lub" and sings, "My Lubby, dub, dub" and the big boys copy him. You crane your neck to find him whenever you hear his voice.

We can't imagine life without you, little Lub. It's been a beautiful 10 months.