"I'm a Little Miracle All Put Together Well" {10 Months}

Carly is 10 months old today!  The ninth month has definitely been my favorite and I've been holding onto it as long as possible.  Sunday we were out and about and someone asked how old she was to which I replied, "9 months!"  I enjoy everything about Carly.  I love that she is still snugly and wants to be held but that she doesn't want to be held all day.  She is independent and goes back and forth from playing with us to playing by herself.  When she is done having interaction she'll just crawl away.  I love that her personality continues to shine through and we learn new things about her preferences all the time.  I love that she still sleeps with me in the morning but will sleep 9-10 hours on her own, first.  I love that she is usually all smiles and giggles and finds humor in Brian and I.  I love that she still loves to nurse and chooses to do so sometimes for a half hour at a time.  I love that she can feed herself and that we can give her what we are eating for dinner each night.  Family meals are super special.  I hope I never take those for granted.  I love that she is easy to take places, that she loves being social with others (although don't try to pick her up or she will be mad!) and is incredibly verbal.  I love having a baby to hang out with everyday and still miss her terribly when I'm at work.  I never need or take a break and I'd rather be with her than doing anything else,ever.  Being a mom is simply awesome.

Here are some facts about Carly this month.

• Is most interested in clapping, and does so at least 50 times throughout the day, but is also quite capable of pointing and waving (even on command)
• Speaks in consonant sounds and can say Mama, Dada and JT (one of her many cousins)
• She enjoys eating soap bubbles 
• Loves counting objects, especially when reading books
• Always wants to taste our food, but doesn't like it as much if it's her food
• Is a pro at motor-boating her lips
• Gives open-mouth kisses on demand
• Loves water, mirrors and bathrooms
• She can be heard singing in her car seat or any time music is played (funny story...Brian and I were having a "who can sing higher" contest and as we got higher and louder Carly stands up and starts screaming right along with us. HILARIOUS.)
• LOVES puppets. Just adores them.  She was introduced to a Baby Einstein video with her babysitter this month and freaks out every time a little blue sock puppet comes on the screen.  Also responds the same way with characters at Disney...even from afar (like when watching a show)
• Gets very very excited when Brian or I come home from work.  She hears the garage opening and starts crawling toward the laundry room....precious!
• Can sign "so big," "all done" and "more please" using her hands
• Adores playing games with us; including: peekaboo, roll the ball, push daddy away, I'm gona get you, tickle monster and the song, "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands."
• Understands approximately 100 words
• Frequently bangs her head against her high chair or car seat or head board of our bed. (funny note about this...one of the articles on baby center this week was saying how banging their head is a development milestone of learning and control and that some children don't grow out of it until age 3!  They also said that she's not hurting herself and to let her enjoy doing it).  Brian doesn't like it when she does it but I find it hilarious.
• Thoroughly enjoys being introduced to new books.  This is a big change from last month.  Before, she enjoyed the familiar and would anticipate what was coming next.  We would have to introduce books slowly and one at a time.  Now, however, she is excited to see new images and hear new words, so we introduce new books all the time (which is more fun for us).
• Eats essentially all day long, 3 meals, 2 snacks, whatever I'm eating and nurses 4 times/day 

The older she gets the more I could share, but those are some things that came to mind today.  Her schedule is as follows (roughly):

5:30am-joins us in bed, falls asleep after nursing
7:30am-up, play in bed for a while (she LOVES exploring the items on our night stands)
8:00am-cheerios and whatever I'm eating
9:30am-oatmeal
10:35am-11:15am-nap (consistently sleeps about 40 minutes at a time)
12pm-nurse
1:30pm-lunch (this week she has eaten a lot of eggs, or a whole banana)
3pm-cheerios or pretzels or whatever I'm snacking on
3:30pm-4:10pm-nap
4:15pm-nurse
6pm-dinner
8pm-get ready for bed...usually asleep between 8:15pm-8:30pm

I don't have any statistics on her this month, but I bet she has gained a pound and half an inch; probably coming out at 16.5 pounds and 26.5 inches.  She has almost out grown her 9 month sleepers and has a little room to grow in 12 month hand-me-downs.  She can still fit into all of her 6 month clothes (minus sleepers bc her legs are so long) and can still wear her 3 month shirts and a few pants!  She also wears some 12 month dresses and wears a size 3 shoe.  In other words...she had endless options for clothes right now!

Enjoy her 10 Month pictures...it took 3 tries throughout the day to get a "typical" photo!  Also...I know I'm about to go a little crazy but I just have to post this sequence.  I took 71 photos in total...

And I also got some pretty adorable ones...

And I laid her on her back just for kicks and giggles...

Life is pretty good, we've been blessed abundantly by our Heavenly Father and we are thankful for the grace He pours on us, for keeping us safe and healthy and for giving us the capability to have so much love in our hearts.  I'm going to hold tight to these last two months of having my sweet girl as a baby!