Ten Month Beauty

I spent the morning buying new 12 month clothes, and decided to spend nap time going through and organizing Olive's old clothing. I sat on the ground, surrounded by piles and piles of tiny little onsies and footie PJ's, and found myself doing some strange things. First, I actually smelled the newborn clothes, hoping to smell that smell again. Not there. Then, I found myself picking up certain clothes and talking to myself explaining when she wore this. "She wore this the first time she met her grandma". "She wore this when she was sick", "She wore this when I held her for the first time". Finally, I was surprised at how teary I got remembering these times. They are all gone. My tiny tiny little newborn that smelled like chicken pot-pie has become a beautiful, strong, intelligent  amazing, funny little 10 month old, that smells more like detergent and fruit puree.

I guess I'm feeling nostalgic because last night I was laying in bed watching old videos of her when she still grunted like a puppy and still had crossed eyes. I remember her then, like it was yesterday. Holding her was easy because she only weighed six pounds. Changing her diaper was so easy and fun. I could take all day, and she wouldnt mind. Now, holding her hurts my arm and back because she weighs 22 pounds, and changing her diaper has become an olympic sport. It feels like Im trying to put pants on an octopus. 

I constantly compare how she was to how she is now, not to say that she was better at any one phase, but to just compare how different she is. Each phase has its easy parts and its hard parts. Back then, changing the diaper was easy, but sleep was hard. I will take the sleep, thank you very much. 

I just am amazed at how quickly these changes happen. Everyday it seems she's doing something new and amazing. What is she up to these days? OH, she's very verbal these days. I watch her just playing on the ground, and she carries on full lengthy conversations with herself. Her babbling is quite impressive, and sometimes i hear things that sound like real words. I have hear her say the following words "dada" (of course), doggie, "ok", "ticky- ticky" (which is what i say when i tickle her), yum, "oh no", "ma", "baba", "la- la- la"... thats about it, besides "all done". Her little voice is so sweet!! 

Physically she has just chubbied out! She used to be the smallest in her play group, but now she seems so chubby!! I know its normal, and she will have a tall growth spurt and be thinner again. She is so physically active! She loves to stand and squat. She is very strong and balanced, and now doesn't really fall over much unless she's tired. She is now "cruising" much more on stuff, and is the fastest crawler I have ever seen. She drinks out of a straw- sippy cup. She loves almond milk, beans, asparagus, blueberries, and turkey. She drinks a LOT of water. 

She has now phased out the morning nap and is napping one big nap in the middle of the day, which is amazing to me! I LOVE it! Now, we can plan stuff in the mornings, and the afternoons! Plus, I get this 2 hour (plus...) nap in the middle of the day!!! I never thought I would say it, but one nap is the best!! I dont feel like I spend all day trying to nap her anymore. Love Love Love. 

Ok, enough rambling. On with some pictures!

"Firsts" this month:

Bubbles, peanut butter, dancing, pointing to somrthings "eye", looking under things and inside things, sand, WORD: "tickle" and "eye".