You're 10 months old now! Time is really flying by, as you're closing in on your very first birthday. Memories of being very pregnant with you are flooding my mind this time of year. I wondered then how you'd change our family dynamics; what type of personality you'd add to the mix. Nearly one year later, here you are as sweet and wonderful as I imagined you to be.
The first thing people say when they meet you is how smiley you are. Your face lights up an entire room; your smile is warm, happy and welcoming. And, your pleasant disposition is genuine. You are such a chill little dude! Seemingly, the only times you cry are when you're teething (which happened this month with the addition of your upper central incisors) or sometimes when you're hungry or tired. Mostly, you roll with the punches and even on days when you miss your morning nap (which happens quite frequently due to various activities), you don't seem bothered. We have a new weekly babysitter this fall and she asked me what I do to comfort you when you're upset. I ... give you a pacifier? Hold you? Honestly, you're never very upset so I had to really think about what I do to satisfy you. Your blue blanket is still a favorite so especially when you're tired, snuggling it helps keep your temperament calm.
Though, not everything about you is a dream. You're still not sleeping through the night at 10 months of age. Oh, Aden. Why couldn't you be different from you sister in this way?! You are clocking more consistent sleep this month than ever before (typically 7:30pm - 1:00am / 1:00am - 4:00am / 4:00am - 7:00am) and this month was the first time you ever slept through the night (one glorious night of 7:30pm - 6:00am!). Luckily, you easily settle back to sleep after a quick feeding. I would maybe consider letting you cry it out on your own, but you're still doing that thing where you scratch your beautiful little face to pieces with those baby
I never can tell if this is really the case, and I'm probably telling myself this for personal reassurance, but you're on the cusp of learning to crawl and maybe that's to blame for your wakefulness at night. I'm not sure if this is indicative of your personality, but it's taken you FOREVER to learn how to crawl. At least it seems that way. You've been working on perfecting the technique for weeks, and you've mastered every step to being the best crawler ... but you can't seem to put all the pieces together. So far, you've very good at pushing backwards on your belly or rolling and turning your body to reach things you'd like. You can push up onto your hands and knees and hold yourself there for a while. You've also learned how to scootch from one place to another while sitting on your bottom. You can even make the tricky transition from all fours to sitting. All of that, but no crawling to report. Of course, developmentally you're doing just fine and I know crawling is right around the corner for you. I've got my video camera at the ready these days waiting to catch the big moment.
Your 9 months check- up was just last week, so I'll update quickly about your physical growth. You weigh 20 pounds and are 28 inches tall. Comparatively, you're the same length as Tory was at 10 months, but you're about 4 pounds heavier than she was. Twenty pounds feels like a lug to me, but it's actually the 50% mark for boys. You're wearing size 4 diapers and 12 month clothing. Your blond hair is really growing in now, and your ice-blue eyes still remain. I could seriously stare into them all day. Sometimes, I'm still wow'd that I have a blond haired, blue-eyed baby boy. Grandma Janie says you look just like Daddy's baby pictures at this age.
Your appetite and taste palette continues to grow. Your favorite foods are buttered toast, mandarin oranges, apples (applesauce, baked apples), crackers, buttered noodles and zucchini. At this point, you're eating all solid foods (no purees) and drinking 6oz. of soy formula every 4-ish hours.
We have many nicknames for you, Aden, as you're most definitely one of our favorite people on the planet. Dad, Tory and I affectionately call you Brother, Brother Bear, Aden Bear, Brudda, Buddy and Buddy Brother. Somehow, your addition has turned us all into a family of bears -- Tory even calls Dad and I Mama Bear and Daddy Bear now. I'll always remember you as my "little lion cub," though you don't growl nearly as much as you did when you were smaller. One way you've started to communicate is by shaking your head "no." Sometimes when you're seated in your high chair for a meal, you'll push your hands back and forth on your tray sending food flying all over the kitchen. When I tell you "no no, Aden!" you'll grin and mimic the motion by shaking your head back and forth to me. Little stinker!
Our dog, Chloe, is one of your favorite friends lately. Whenever you see her run by or bark, you strain your neck as far as it'll reach to see what she's doing. You love to watch Chloe, and smile from ear to ear when she's near. There's a special bond between the two of you; I can already see it. Maybe it's the classic "a boy and his dog" thing? Who knows. I remember when Tory was a baby and Chloe wouldn't have anything to do with her. Still to this day, actually, the two of them aren't very close. But, Chloe loves you so much. On car rides to the lake cabin, Chloe sits between the two car seats. You'll hang your hand over the side of your seat and Chloe will lick it repeatedly until I tell her to stop. Too funny.
One thing I noticed about you lately that just makes my heart swoon is the way you "soakie" your baby blanket. Rubbing the edge of my baby blanket between my fingers was the way I comforted myself when I was a little kid, and I just about died the other day when I watched you do it too. Like mother, like son? Maybe. It was so cute.
In other news, you completed your first Backfloat Baby 1 swimming class this summer. You loved the water and would contently back float for 30 seconds or more in class. Being submerged didn't seem to bother you, and you'd "zoom" under the water for 3 or 4 seconds at a time. By far, your favorite part of swimming class was the "welcome song" we sang at the beginning of each session. Even outside of class, whenever I need to distract you I start singing the song and you'll smile and coo right along with me. It works every time.
It's back-to-school time, so you started going to Sibling Care at Tory's preschool on Tuesday mornings while I'm in class with your sister. You transitioned into your own "classroom" just fine. Of course you did; you're such a happy, go-lucky baby. The caregivers in your room were excited to see you again after a break over the summer months. On Thursdays, it's Mama and Aden time while Tory's in preschool alone and I'm really looking forward to the quality time we'll get to spend together on those mornings.
I suppose that's all the news to report in your TENTH month of life, Aden. Keep growing strong and loving life. You sure make me proud to be your mama, and thankful everyday I'm blessed with such a wonderful son.
Love you to pieces!
XOXO,
Mom
No, No, NO!! Aden can't be 10 months already! Time flies.
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