Dearest Baby Juliet,
10 months seems awfully close to a year, doesn't it! A year? Have you really been with us almost that long? I can't believe it. On one hand, I can hardly remember our life before you got here. On the other hand, that newborn period seems so far away. It's hard to remember you then, small and helpless, staying exactly where you were placed, having trouble focusing your eyes, blinking blearily. My largest memory of that time is cuddling with you, the hours on the couch with you in my arms. Then I couldn't have imagined all that you are doing now!
You crawl! You pull to standing! You point! You play peek-a-boo!
You are amazing, a person developing before our eyes. If we developed as much as you do in a year, we'd be wonderpeople by now.
It's fun to see you encounter new things. You test them over and over. I went with you and Daddy to his cleaning job and you had your first encounter with stairs. You put one knee up and tried rocking back and forth, finding your balance. You didn't manage the other knee, but I could see you thinking, "how do I get over these?" You've found funny things to do at your grandparents' houses too. At my parents' house, you're showing nearly as much interest in tennis balls as Jake. (No, that's impossible.) And you impress gMom by picking them up with one hand! At Daddy's parents' house, you repeat a funny pattern: you go to the shelf under the television and try to pull out the big heavy books on the bottom shelf, then pull yourself to standing and point to the silver sparkly letters of the Band of Brothers DVD collection on the shelf above it. You will do this over and over again. It is fun to predict it (And next, she'll point at the letters....) and then watch you do it. I love that these things entertain you so much. It is fun to see your mind work via your actions and wonder how the world looks to you.
My favorite thing is seeing you when I get off from work. At the end of the day, once I've packed up all my things, I'm greeted with the most exuberant reaction. Sometimes Daddy takes you out of your seat and you both sit in the front seat to wait for me. When I come out, you often start bouncing vigorously. It's like your joy is going to blast out of you. I can usually see your mouth opening wide and closing. Your big smile. You shout, long and loud, as I walk closer. When I open the door, I can hear it, happily greeting me. I love it so much.
There is another thing you do that I think is precious. It's only every here and there and I don't know if I've mentioned it before. When I nurse you in cradle position, sometimes you will take your fist that is below my armpit and clench and unclench handfuls of shirt. I remember you starting that when you were very little, probably about 3 months, and how it just seemed like a sweet little hug. Every now and then, you still do it. It seems very distinctly you. But maybe all babies do it? I have no comparison. =)
We've spent a lot of time at the pool, and you're still enjoying it. You're no longer content to sit on a blanket like you were last month, but you're still a pretty content baby. We just have to watch you really closely because you want to eat everything.
Speaking of which, the other day at our apartment, I was playing with you on the bed and I noticed you munching. Then, slowly, you pushed something out of your mouth. At first it was just something white and you pulled it back in. Then, pushing it out, it proved to be letters - an "m," an "e." Out it came in one more thrust - the word "mean!" Somehow you must have picked up one of the fridge magnets and put it in your mouth. It was kind of hysterical if you don't think about choking hazards and supervision issues. Where did that come from?
You do not want to be held much anymore; You want to get down! You will push your body away with your arms or arch your back trying to get down. This seems to happen especially at church and at our grandparents' houses. Maybe there is too much to explore and too little time at those places.
Physically, you've started communicating more. You point at things that catch your attention. When you want to get picked up, you kind of hold your arms up. You're not exactly reaching out to be picked up, but more like raising your arms so I have better access to your torso. You pull cloths over your head and move them away slowly to play peek-a-boo. You wave your whole arms to say bye-bye. You tense up your body and shake when you want something we have (you love to eat, especially watermelon, and if you run out before we do, you let us know). Even though Daddy might disagree, it seems like you make the sign for milk a lot. You open and close your fist right up next to your nose. I imagine that when I make the sign while you're nursing, it looks like it's supposed to be there, right in front of your face. (You can do it down near your body too, but the way you do it now is pretty cute.) However, it seems like you make it when you want to be rescued from where you currently are, like in your carseat or when you are overly tired and I'm trying to change or dress you. I'm not sure it means "milk" as much as "come and get me - I don't want to be here." And that's fine too.
You are really coming in to your own this month. It is great to see you making such progress. I love being a parent. I still don't always feel like one, but it is great when I reflect on it. I can't imagine you walking and talking confidently. But I know it will come, as quickly as these changes have come. Farther and farther away from that cuddly little newborn and further and further in to the person you will be.
I love you.
Mom
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