another thing they don't tell you before you have kids

You will come down with every known illness, back to back, starting as soon as the little ones enter the nursery/child care/etc.

We are now entering Round 4 of the Yucky Icky Snotty Sad Sickies. It started Mid-September. You do the math. :(

My friends say that this lasts until their immune system finally catches up, around age 3. It's gonna be a long infancy!

First Steps: 10 months, 1 week, 5 days

Taken just before letting go of piano and walking 3 steps toward Mama.

She did this about 4 times, deliberately took (wobbly) steps on her own! Hooray!

thankful

need I say anything more?

in the car

on the way to San Francisco. Cool or what?

life as I know it

You know you're a mom when you hear yourself saying, "Please don't eat anything else off the floor. No more floor food."

Go ahead, internet. Pass judgment. YOU try keeping your stone floors clean when it's fall and your dog keeps traipsing in and out, dropping small leaves, branches and whatnot all over. I vacuum every other day. I guess it's not enough. Sigh.

Stop this crazy thing called Time!

Maddie,

How can it be that you are nearly ten months old? I feel like I updated this blog yesterday, when in fact, it was a month ago--so much for regular updates for my 4 faithful readers (Hi Dad!) This month has flown by, which is amazing despite the fact that you and I have spent the better half of it sick. Life really comes to a halt when the cold bugs get you down. I'm finally recovering after 2 weeks of feeling like poo, and you are coughing and congested and tormented. Poor little busy bee.

Despite all this, you are as fun as ever. We have our own little secret code, jokes that only you and I get. People in the grocery store who see me hand you the grocery list and squeal in my highest voice "Don't you go eating my list! I need that!" must think I'm crazy. Who gives their baby a piece of paper that they don't want them to eat? Your Mama do, that's who! You are forever making me laugh, and you know it. One time you slapped me on the breast while enjoying your morning nurse and ever since that fateful giggle, it's become a favorite game. Now you will even reel back, lifting your hand as far away as you can before the SLAP! It doesn't hurt, and for the record, it still makes me laugh.

This month you started exploring new heights, making your way up the structures at the playground and finding all sorts of creative uses for the overturned laundry basket. Your world of accessibility has opened up! New and exciting treasures await! Picture frames? You bet! Lamps, light fixtures, and laptops? Why not? Nothing is safe from your inquisitive little self these days...and I'm considering adding a fourth meal to my day just to keep my energy level constant for the dives, slides and saves I'm doing. Boston, looking for a new infielder? I'm your woman!

You are a constant chatterbox, and it amazes us to no end to hear your babbles changing into what resembles real words! You already know the basics of Mama and Dada, and we hear you use hi, baby, and dog regularly and with intention. We love how you "talk" on the phone, even if it's just the remote. You love to point out the baby on your yogurt containers and in books. Our beloved dog is constantly tortured by your curious little fingers with their pokes, prods, tweaks and pulls. But to hear you say, Dah!Dah! is pure joy. I think Hanalei even likes you some of the time (but mostly when you drop food).

You are excited about seeing people you love, from Dada when he gets home (Squeals! Joy! Claps! Laughter! Dada!) to friends who come by to visit (Claps!) to your family (Squeal! Clap! Clap!). A friend told us when you were first born that you were so social, and boy was she right. You love to socialize, and everyone loves a friendly baby.

Joy, laughter and excitement are no stranger to you, delightful child. Every day you are filled with such wonder and amazement at the simplest of things, and it continues to make me the luckiest Mama alive. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!

Love,

Mama