Monday, January 3, 2011

10 Months Old!


Dear Brenna,


It's your first monthly "birth"day in 2011. It's going to be a big year for you and I'm so excited to watch you grow and change even more. I'll admit it was a little sad to say goodbye to the year you were born, but that's just how things go - time goes too fast! You're such a different little girl than you were just 10 months ago, and your personality is coming out more every day I think.

I wouldn't call you a walker, yet, but you're close! You stand with great balance, and you've taken 5-6 steps several times. You get really proud of yourself and smile really big when you walk from the couch to the ottoman. It's fun to watch you get better and better at it. Daddy doesn't like it when you practice this skill, because he says he'll miss how cute you are when you're crawling around. You are a pretty cute crawler - and you're so fast! You can get from one side of a room to another in the blink of an eye - which explains why we're looking into baby gates to prevent you from crawling UP the stairs and not just down. You've mastered one step already - eeek! You're a pretty determined little thing, that's for sure!


Speaking of being determined - we're trying to figure out how to start disciplining you to the amount that you understand. I've found myself saying, "No, Brenna" quite a lot lately, and I think you've made the connection that it means to stop what you're doing. When I'm nursing you, you have a really lovely habit of smacking me in the face. I always have to tell you no and move your hand down to your side. You think that's funny and laugh at me when I tell you no. Oh, geez. We want you to be obedient as you grow up, so we'll have to really figure out how to begin teaching you right from wrong. But, don't get me wrong, you are still a super friendly, happy, loving baby, and everyone always comments on your sweet personality and attitude.


Miss Kate says you and Liam are playing together more, and you definitely interact with London more, too. It's going to be so fun seeing you make new friends and play with them. You're still surrounded by baby boys, but you seem ok with that for now.

You're still nursing 3 times a day (with an occasional skipped feeding, which you'll be happy to know I no longer freak out about) with a bottle when you're at Kate's. It was SO nice to just be able to give you all your feedings during my Christmas break, but we're back to the grind now. You eat 2 meals of about 8 oz. a day, and you still prefer Stage 2 baby foods. You do eat more finger foods now - including shredded cheese (which you LOVE - in a shoveling it in with both hands kind of way), Ritz crackers, Puffs, cooked carrots, scrambled eggs, bananas, yogurt melts, ground beef, and small pieces of ham. You still despise Stage 3 foods, so I guess we'll go straight to all table food eventually. You're definitely an eater! I'm curious about your weight, but you don't have an appointment this month, so we might have to do an at-home weight check! You still take 2 naps a day, but they seem to be getting shorter. I know you're not ready to drop one yet though, because you get pretty sleepy mid-morning and mid-afternoon.


You wear mainly 6-9 month clothes, with a few 3-6, 6-12, and regular 6 and 9 month ones mixed in. You're pretty long, so we have to move you up in pants size way before we have to go to the next size in shirts. You have some pretty cute clothes, if I do say so myself. And Aunt Mal hooked you up for next year as your Christmas present. Buying clothes for baby girls is so much fun! I think you agree - we have fun on our little shopping "sprees".


Your first Christmas was very special. You got to see lots of your extended family and they spoiled you with gifts and attention. You're finally starting to notice your toys more, and we try to let you play on your own a lot so that you don't always depend on us to entertain you. You do love to be read to and sit pretty well when we read you stories. I hope you love to read as much as I did when I was a little girl.

We are loving how you'll give us "kisses" now on occasion. Your little slobbery kisses are the best kind! You also have a new habit of raising one or both hands out of the blue. Yesterday I would ask you, "Who loves Daddy?" and you would always raise your hand. It was the cutest thing! Kate also told me you raised your hand when she asked you and Liam, "Who needs a diaper change?" Ha! We still think your giggles are the best sound on earth, and we hear them many times a day. I hope you never lose your playful spirit.


It's hard to believe that you'll be 1 in two short months, but I'm determined to soak up these last 2 months of your first year. Here's to more playtime, stories, cuddling, and adventures in 2011!

I love you, sweet little Sprout!
Love, Mommy

*little stinker trying to tear off your sticker - Have you been talking to Finley??*

2 comments:

  1. That is hilarious about her raising her hand to those questions!

    And I remember fondly those slaps while nursing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maybe Brenna and Finn have been skyping at night. :) I can't believe she's walking already! You're gonna have your hands full in no time!!

    ReplyDelete

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