How big is Abigail?

Soooooo big!

When life gives you lemons...

...suck on 'em!

10 months

Hi! Have you missed me?

Things have been crazy over here. Life with a 10 month old is exhausting - even more so than than it was when Abby was a newborn. She's crawling, pulling up, exploring, and is quite vocal about her demands. No longer content to just sit in her Bumbo and chew on a toy, she requires constant entertainment. Add the recent time change to the mix? Yeah, Mama's tired.

Getting ready for work in the morning has become a daily battle. Usually we're up by 5am, have a bottle / nurse, and then it's operation Destroy The Bedroom. First mission: attempt to insert finger into electrical outlet. Then it's straight for the trash can to fish for some papers and q-tips, followed by a nice game of "pull all the books out of the bookcase." I know I could really lock down the house, put up bumpers on all the furniture, etc. but the thing is, eventually we'll go somewhere that's not babyproofed. I'd rather just attempt to teach her what's appropriate to play with and risk some minor bumps and bruises now. Plus, I'm just a glutton for punishment. Also? Bumpers on furniture are ugly.

Don't get me wrong; I've taken some basic safety precautions. I've plugged up the outlets and plan to get locks for cabinets that contain dangerous chemicals. But I'm not going to line the house with feather pillows.

I'm having a really hard time with just how quickly this year has gone by. In less than two months Abby will be a year old, and that just blows my mind. Sometimes I find myself thinking back to the early weeks when she was so tiny and helpless and I have to fight back tears. I think this feeling is compounded by the fact that we're slowly weaning. I had no idea how much I would miss breastfeeding my baby. The closeness and bonding that I experienced while nursing Abigail is almost indescribable, and I'm sad to see that aspect of our relationship go away.

Wow, do I sound sappy or what? Sorry about that.

Yes, 10 months is exhausting, and yes, I do miss the baby days, but this is also the most fun age ever. When she figures out a new trick she just beams with pride and gives me a big toothy grin. She cracks up when I sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" to her and tickle her belly. Watching her explore and learn and grow is just the most amazing and rewarding experience, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.