10 Months!

Last week, Annabel turned 10 months.  I think this 9-10 month period has shown the biggest changes of all the months with huge process in mobility, balance and understanding.

So proud to be balancing by herself.

I love when she looks really intently at me.

 Long wet hair.

Her army crawling is getting faster and faster.  She has developed a quick way to get from crawling to sitting by doing the complete splits.  It's really something.  She is just starting to show some interest in pulling herself to standing.  She claps almost every time she sits up.  It's so cute how proud babies seem to get over their accomplishments.  She has a new little piano/xylophone and she looks up at one of us after she hits a few keys, like "did you see what I just did" or "what do you think of that?"

Loves to empty mom's purse.

All of a sudden she is demonstrating associations; it's really neat to watch.  She is responding to the words 'clap,' 'dance,' 'hug,' 'kisses,' and 'wave bye, bye.'    She looks over at the stack of books when I say "read books," and the other day she crawled over to the phone when I said "should we call Grandma?"

She really is enjoying dancing to any beat or song.  It is so cute to watch her little torso move like a little worm; she'll even dance in her bucket car seat.  I've been having her make decisions by offering a choice of a couple books so she will tap on the one she wants....so cute!  I'm working on teaching her to sign for 'more drink' or 'more eat' but she is not grasping that yet.  Hopefully that would help cut down on screeching at a restaurant.  She has started sucking her thumb when tired, but I don't think she is using it to sooth herself back to sleep at night.  Diaper changes are now most similar to wrestling a raccoon.

This month she caught onto using a straw, so she can now use a little water bottle.  That has been handy for in public, especially if she has a snack and wants a sip.  The nurses encouraged trying to skip the sippy cup, so we tried the straw and after some practice, she got it.  It's suppose to help strengthen their muscles that will later be helpful for speech.

She had her first illness.  We have been so fortunate with her health, having made it 10 months without even getting a cold.  She caught a stomach virus and was really down for the count for two days and just less active for about 3-4 days after that, but recovered well by mid-week of our trip to Wisconsin.