10 Months

My baby girl is 10 months old today. Amazing how fast it went, and quick summer just flew by. I'm a little sad about it and really I can't be in denial because the trees are changing and yesterday was offically the first day of fall. However, the weather has been magnificent and so we have been outside as much as we can to enjoy it and soak it in before the rotten weather comes. I know I have been a bit of MIA these past few weeks but that's how the end of summer usually is, right?

Morell and her favorite cat - Migo. These two are best buds. One of my favorite things to do is watch her chase Migo around the living room. It's adorable when Migo let's her "catch" her, but I have to be careful and make sure Migo doesn't play back using claws...which is usually waht she does. Another of Morella's current past times is climbing up to the laptop and banging on the keys while I am using it. I am fairly certain that this is a common baby lap top technique. It's amazing what Morella can pull up on now -- she is becoming quite adept at even pulling up using my pants or skirt.

The Music Stand of Doom. This is the cause of so many accidents the past week. She gets excited and loses her grip and smacks her face into it, or she pulls the whole thing over with her when she gets down (aka falls back on her butt). In fact, I put it up when I am pumping because it's the kind of thing that requires some touch supervision. She loves it though. It's on loan from her cousin's Moslee and Zeland. It is one of her current faves. Though she had red eye in this photo I included it because she is standing on her tippy toes and screaming -- a common Morella posture.

She figured out to crawl while wearing a dress, and so I busted out the dresses while she can still wear them. I always liked this one because it's a dress/jumper combo. We got this from our Aussie friend currently living in TX. It's rated 9 mo, and our little shrimp still fits in it with plenty of room. It is Carter brand though, and those tend to be bigger (which is nice!). With tweaking (long sleeved turtle neck onsie and tights or leg warmers) I plan on using this outfit until it's outgrown. ;) Hm. She looks kind of like a weeble wobble in this one. Heh.

Investigating the camera. She still has the same old two teeth, but they are really growing in. Other Morella updates:

• Pointing. She points to everything.
• Babbling is sounding more like ... sentences. Almost like another language.
  
• Will still clap if you clap, or put her hands on her head in a attempt to play peek a boo, and is starting to immitate really well. Right now the most immitating is with her daddy in which they take turns blowing.
  
• LOVES books. Sit's quietly and looks at the pictures and is now catching on to helping me turn the pages.
  
• Swim Class is going well - she doesn't like to lay back though. She kind of freaks out, clamps her eyes shut and flails. She does this in the bath too.
• Eating is still a challenge. I still offer her food several times a day for snacks and at least two meals. She eats about 4 bites and stops.
  
• Choke meter had been reset and we are now on day 4. I also bought some baby probiotics and am now adding them to her bottle to see if that will help with the reflux.
  
• Changing diapers is usually a baby wrestling match. I miss the old days where she would just lay there and be good. Now she has to flip over, stand up, look out the window, get into everything else....
• She has been caught standing her herself unassisted for one or two seconds before she realizes it and lands on her butt. I also saw her "cruise" between two pieces of furniture. But really she just turned around...though she has taken a few steps in either direction.
  
• Bedtime is still 8:00 an she sleeps through until 6 - 7 in the morning. Oh sure she will wake up and cry sometimes before midnight and rarely after that...but never getting up for two or three hours with her (knocking on wood). I'm really grateful for that.
  
• Loves dancing. When she hears music with a beat she yell a happy yell and start bobbing her head. If you are holding her and start dancing she really gets happy. It's awesome that she loves music and dancing so much. Maybe she'll be that kid that knows how to breakdance and make all the other little girls totally jealous.