J-Bear is 10 months!

Dear J-Bear,

I can't believe how fast your first year is going!  You are already 10 months, and you continue to keep me on my toes.  Sleep is still not happening for us, as you wake to feed every 2 hours.  Yes, I know you are old enough to sleep through the night, and people tell me I should be letting you cry.  But you are a big boy and you don't eat.  Am I making excuses?  Possibly.  But you are my baby, and you get so worked up when you are crying.

At ten months, you are crawling.  It started as an "injured army crawl".  You would tuck your right arm under your body and pull yourself with only your left arm.  Now you are crawling slowly, but building up confidence.

You clap just by hearing the word clap.  You can also wave bye-bye and you are beginning to blow a kiss - when I say "blow a kiss" you put your hand to your mouth.

FOOD - you are definitely not a foodie like your sister.  You are so stubborn.  Baby cereal is just not your thing.  In fact, you don't really like purees at all....so I've pretty much stopped making you baby food and just need to finish up what is in the freezer.  But you are so picky with the finger foods you will eat.  Cheerios and shredded cheese you will always eat.  You had a few pieces of chicken the past two nights (I don't eat meat so it wasn't my cooking or feeding it to you).  You really like avocado mashed up, but until I convince you to try it you have thrown a fit and we are both covered in avocado.  Lately you enjoy biting into a banana, but I'm worried that you will take too much into your mouth and choke...so after your first bite, I break it off and pop it in your mouth.  I tried doing the same with avocado tonight (which you love) and that wasn't happening.  But pieces of apple you will pick up and eat.  You love your water and your soup.  I just don't get it....but I know you aren't eating enough calories to fuel your big boy body to sustain you through the night.

We are only a week or two away from moving from Suvta and Zaidy's (my parents) house into our own house....you will have your own room.  I'm convinced that you will sleep longer stretches without hearing me in the room with you.  I think sometimes you wake up because you hear me.  

Hey, it's my birthday!!!

You LOVE your sister, SR, soooooo much.  When she comes home from school you are so excited, kicking and talking and you want so much to play with her.  She loves you so much too, but doesn't like when you crawl to her toys.  But she is very good about sharing with you.

You are really smart - I watch how you figure out how toys work and once you figure out what to do, you are able to do it again and again.  

I love when you give me kisses and when you use both hands to wrap around my neck.  You have the cutest giggle, but you don't give it out for free.  You are a tough cookie.

Today I put you in a shopping cart for the first time.  You did not smile for our entire shopping trip until the ladies at the checkout gave you attention.  

I finally got a pair of shoes to fit your cute and chubby feet!

My little J-Bear. mommy loves you so much.  Mommy loves all of the attention you get about how big your eyes are, and how chubby your cheeks are (red riding-hood theme?).  You are my little snuggle puppy.  I'm really going to miss sharing a room with you - how we would hold hands through the crib to my bed when we were still living in the condo. I love how when you are nursing you reach for my hand, or you tickle my back.  I think you are going to be nursing for a very long time.  How on earth will you go to daycare?  I have definitely ruined you by nursing you to sleep, although I try to make sure you are somewhat awake....sometimes.  

I can't wait to see what you learn this month.

Love, Mommy!