{ Dear Blair :: 10 Months Old }

Happy 10 Months to my baby girl Blair and happy Election Day to the rest of you out there! We decided to do a little patriotic attire for today's photo shoot since this day only happens once every 4 years. What a special day to turn 10 months! I can't believe all the growing and learning you've done in the past month and as I sit down to document it all, it blows my mind all over again. You are getting smarter and brighter with each day. Some mornings I wake up and think to myself...did you just do all the growing last night in your sleep? I swear, you are the biggest, brightest baby and I just love you to pieces!

• At your last 9 month appointment you weighed in at almost 20 pounds (60th percentile) so I'm SURE you've passed that mark and are sailing right on up the charts now.  Every time I pick you up I feel like you've gained another ounce.  You are one SOLID and SQUISHY baby!
• You can clap your hands now!  You play pat-a-cake, you give yourself a round of applause when you do something good, and sometimes you do it just to make us smile!
• You still aren't crawling.  Go figure!  We practice each and everyday but still, nothing!  However, you are scooting pretty well on your bum and can get from one side of the carpet to the other with your own weird and tricky methods.
• You still have just the 6 teeth!  Two on bottom and four on top.  Although trying to get you to show off those top teeth is a feat in and of itself.
• You're still wearing some of your 6-12 months clothes, but mostly your 12-18 months.  It's making me so sad that my little baby is growing up so fast.  I love this stage so much and wish you would stay this little forever!
• You babble and chat with yourself all day long.  The other day at the grocery store you were making this awful sound, kind of like a growl, and a lady came right up to me and said to your sweet little face "I heard you talking all the way over on aisle three!"  HAHA!
• I look to take you shopping with me.  No matter where we go or what we're doing, everyone has to come over and tell you how cute you are and you usually egg them on with a bid toothy smile and some cute baby babble.
• You're eating more and more solids these days.  Lately you've started eating whatever mommy and daddy are having for dinner: rice, beans, chicken, veggies.  Your favorite is hands down the carrots and potatoes from the crockpot.  When you're eating you crockpot veggies you have this look on your face like "Don't bug me, I'm eating!!!"  You are seriously the BEST eater!
• Bath time is still yours and everyone else's favorite time of the day.  You're just so happy and playful and WOW do you make quite the mess.  Splish splash Blairski's takin' a bath!!!
• You give KISSES now!  Big open mouth ones on command.  It's my favorite!  You don't give them out to just anyone though.  Mostly just mommy.  Good girl.  Save those kisses Blair!
•  Recently you have been figuring out some of your more complex toys and know what to do with them, rather than just eat them and beat them to death on the ground.  Like your abacus!  You now know how to swirl the beads and things through the maze and send them from one side of the toy to the other.  Such a little smarty pants!
• You love to sit in front of your dresser or diaper bag or your basket of toys and completely unload them all.  Maybe one of these days we'll be able to teach you how to put them all back in when you're done.
• For your first Halloween you were a butterfly.  And the MOST beautiful butterfly I've ever seen.
• And now we're off to the happiest place on earth with your friends today to celebrate!  Disneyland here we come...