Jude's 10 month letter

Dear Jude,

I can't believe you are 10 months old! You are getting so big so fast and while part of me feels like I want to shout out to time "SLOW DOWN!", the other part of me is loving all your latest discoveries and newfound abilities! It's so fun to watch you grow and learn and develop and continue to become even cheekier than you were last month.

You have become mobile this month! You can crawl. It's really more of a hop/crawl as you use one of your legs (in a sitting position) to boost your other leg and body forward. It's quite cute but it does the trick and gets you where you want to be. Which is usually wherever Noah and his toys are (much to Noah's chagrin). You aren't full-on exploring on your own, but you are definitely getting there. I often forget that you can get yourself around and sometimes quickly run to another room to do something but then have to come back because I remember you aren't just going to stay put anymore!

You also said your first word. (Can you guess?) Dada. You've been able to say "dada" for over a month now, but this month you say it whenever you see your Daddy for the first time (whether it's in the morning or after a nap, etc.). It's adorable and melts my heart when you start off just mouthing it, then whispering it and then often you escalate to a loud babble "DADA". Cutie pie.

Jude, my boy, you are a BOTTOMLESS PIT. Last night, for instance, we all went out to a restaurant and you ate an entire chicken breast (meant for your brother) and half of his potatoes. You can eat, and eat, and eat. You often eat more than Noah and while I know that this will likely change once you become a toddler it still seems crazy to me how much you can pack away! Your favourites are sweet potatoes, bananas, yogurt, toast, Mum Mums, and pretty much most fruit.

You are also still breastfeeding. Right now I'm nursing you 3 or 4 times a day plus you get one cup of formula in the afternoon. You also like to bite. Sigh. Not nice, Mister. But you're getting better. I figure around the time you turn 1 year, we'll completely wean you. Once I've finished this container of formula we'll move you straight to milk. Hopefully that takes.

You are still very much attached to me, but still do well with other people and I'm able to drop you off at both the church nursery and the play care center at the YMCA. You sometimes will cry briefly or whimper, but usually recover quite quickly.

You can be quite fussy when you want to, but you are still pretty happy and easy going. I think you just want and need the one-on-one attention and most people are happy to give it to you because of your big smiles and cheeky grins. Your belly laugh is also one of the most wonderful sounds ever - your Daddy is usually responsible for getting you to laugh like this.

You are still in the office - not in the same room as Noah and for now that is where you'll stay. You wake up almost every day at 6:30am so I nurse you and you fall back to sleep for at least another hour, often 2 more hours. I hesitate to put you and Noah in the same room for fear that Noah will wake up at stay up at 6:30 - which would not be good for anyone. But by the time you are one I'm hoping you two will share a bedroom. We'll see how that one goes...

But you are still sleeping through the night - down at 7pm and all the way through 'til 6:30 and then back down 'til usually 8:30am. I've got no complaints and am thankful you are finally consistently sleeping through the night.

You don't mind sitting on the grass, but so far you can't be convinced to crawl on it.

You LOVE the water and having baths in the big bath tub and so far don't mind it when Noah pours water on your head.

I'm looking forward to being outside this summer with you and watching you discover more new and exciting things!

I love you so much my little Jude...

love

Mama