10 Months today! Update on Me

Today I am 10 months! I have a doctors appt next week, and will update my weight and height stats then. Here's what I've been up to this month:

Standing/Walking: My balance and coordination are both improving rapidly. I can now all by myself get up with my walking toy, and walk across the living room with it. I can easily get up and get down - hardly any falls for me anymore. What a relief for mommy & daddy - I bumped my head a number of times when their guards were down. I have also been standing unassisted a lot more too. I often forget that I am not holding onto anything or leaning on anything when I am reaching to be picked up, or when I am holding something in both my hands, so there I am, standing all by myself for a few seconds.....until I remember that I am not holding on and Plop! down on my bum I go.

Sleeping through the night: I have started to sleep through the night sometimes again. I haven't slept through the night since about 5 1/2 months. This month, I have slept through 5 or 6 times. many other times, I have only woken up once rather than twice for a feeding. Mommy is happy - she can get more sleep now!

Eating:In the past few weeks I have developed a better appetite for solids. Up until about 9 1/2 months, I have only been eating a couple of tablespoons of any food per sitting, as well as some finger foods. Lately I have been eating more - particularly at lunch and dinner. The last few nights at dinner, I ate 6 or 7 tablespoons of food, plus bits of melba toast and cheerios. It's still much less than all the books say I should be eating, as well as less than some babies my age eat, but it is totally normal. I guess I still like mommy's milk best for now. I eat lots of interesting things - Mommy doesn't want me to be a picky eater like her.

Communication: I have been gradually starting to make more sounds this month. Previously, I pretty much only said "Hey" in a breathy sort of voice. I was too busy concentrating on crawling, standing and walking for the past few months to worry about talking. Now I am becoming more and more vocal as days go by. Yesterday, all of a sudden I started babbling! Look out Mom & Dad, you'll never be able to shut me up now. No "real" words yet, but I utter a sort of phlegmy "key" when looking at the keys hanging by the door. Not sure if it's a coincidence or not. Time will tell. I can definitely understand lots of words and sentences though! I can point at things when mommy or daddy says "Where's the _____ (cat, light, tap, dog, etc)?" I understand when asked if I want some Cheerios or toast (I get really excited for toast!) I have also started pointing at things that I want to see. I point to the object, and Mommy or Daddy have to carry me over to see it!

Sign Language - mommy has been taking me to baby sign language classes by Weehands Babies can learn to communicate using sign language even before they say their first word. It can help to avoid frustration for mommies and daddies and for babies too! We learn sing and sign songs, like the ABC's, Itsy Bitsy spider, On top of Spaghetti, and many more. We also learn signs for common things I see and do every day - animals, foods, family, toys, daily routines (feeding, bed, bath, play) etc. I have been pointing up at lights lately, and Mommy does the sign for light (opening and closing the hand & fingers like a light blinking). Once, it looked like I might be trying to sign, as I opened and closed my hand once, while pointing at the light. I really like to watch when Mommy signs the ABC's and I have some books about animals and colors that Mommy signs while reading to me. Mommy can't wait to discover which sign I will do first!

Some other firsts:
- Escaped from the seatbelt of the chair mommy puts me in in the bathroom while she's taking a shower. She looked out of the shower to find me standing up, holding onto the sink. Almost gave her a heart attack. She hopped out of the shower and whisked me into my crib for the remainder of the shower. Now she puts me in my crib with some toys to occupy me.

- I can wave when mommy or daddy ask me to, or copy someone else who is waving. - started laughing on my own. I will be just playing by myself, or sitting in my high chair and just laugh out of the blue! Mom & Dad have no idea why though - must just be having fun.

-Clapped for the first time, copying mommy

- Mommy taught me "High Five" - I crawl over to mommy or daddy, stand up, and start to bounce , which means I want to them to pick me up and make me jump into the air (with them holding me of course). I love to go high, and I laugh and laugh