Sunday, October 10, 2010

10 months: 10/10/10


Making faces., originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Today you are ten months old. It just occurred to me that in just two short months you will be one whole year, a fact that just blows my mind when I think of it. And when I look back over the last ten, joyous months since you arrived and made our world that much brighter, it seems incredible to consider how much you've changed.

You are a very big, robust girl, tipping the scales not only in weight but seriously OFF the chart for your height — you are one tall baby! While your weight is pretty much neck and neck with how Owen and Edie measured up at the same age, you are over two inches LONGER than they were. Your feet are long, too — much longer than Edie's were, and she's got pretty long feet as it is. Here's hoping you'll be a tall girl when you grow up.

You talk a bit less than either Owen or Edie did at the same age, I think, though it is hard to remember specific dates of milestones. You say "Mam mam" and a whole host of other squeals and sounds that carry inflection and clearly mean something to YOU. In fact, you have developed this little chattering sound, which I think is actually you mimicking the sound of real speech, a little jibber jabber of noises that are just delightful to listen to.

You are still such an easy-going, happy, jolly baby, and friendly, too, though not quite as eager to go to other people as Owen and Edie were. You are happy to smile and flirt with people from the safety of your mama's arms, but if someone tries to hold you or pick you up you immediately become very nervous and look around for me.

We were lucky enough to spend nine days in Hawaii just last week, and you did GREAT. First time on a plane? No problem. Snaps to you! You were a little squirmy, but never fussy or loud, and I received lots of compliments on the good behavior of not just my darling infant, but all three of my kids.

One of your very favorite activities is EATING, and you have discovered a whole host of new foods that make you very happy, indeed. In fact, the more regular food you get, the less inclined you are to want to eat the jars of mushy baby food — not that I can blame you there.

And your newest milestone is that you can now stand up, and you love to pull yourself up to stand around the coffee table or stand up near the low shelves in my kitchen where we keep the cookbooks. You especially love to stand in your crib, gripping the rails with those chubby fists and laughing imperiously at Owen and Edie, who are at your eye level when you stand that way.

And I continue to be so grateful that Owen and Edie just love you so very much. They are so careful with you (most of the time), and are quick to make sure you don't have things in your mouth that you shouldn't. I have two extra sets of eyes to help me out, which is great, because you are one busy baby!

You are such a delight, sweet sweet girl, and we are all of us just completely in love with you. You like to give us big, wet kisses — sometimes when we ask you for a kiss, and sometimes — the best times — you just look at me for a moment and then lean in and plant one on me all on your own, and then you have the grace to look exceedingly pleased with yourself. I wish I could bottle the feeling I get in those moments. It's pure euphoria.

Love, Mama