happy 10 months, baby Lila Therese

I say this every month.  But every month it surprises me.  I can't help it... TEN months?!  How can this be?!  So close to a year already.  (That means I'd better get crackin' on that birthday quilt that's a requisite 1st birthday present.)

As soon as I realized we would be in Louisiana for her ten (TEN?!) month photos, I knew just which quilt I would use for photos.  (Mom's house is full of fabulous quilts.)  My godmother (Mom's sister) made it by hand from my MawMaw's old flour sacks.  Oh if only flour still arrived in such loveliness.  

Anyway, I digress.

::At ten months, you are sprouting all FOUR top front teeth at the same time.  Dada says this is a good thing; just get it over with.  He, however, is sleeping soundly in Virginia, while you are  here in Louisiana  waking regularly throughout the night. ;)

::You've finally given up swaddling.  It lasted for a nice long time. You've now firmly attached yourself to the little green blankie I crocheted for you, so it's not all that awful of a transition (for me).

::You seek out eye contact with everyone.  (Have I mentioned that already? I'm not sure.)  You will literally stare someone down, follow them around with your eyes until they look at you.  And of course, they receive your huge grin in return.  (As a side note, this does make grocery shopping an interesting experience.  Especially since I'm not a fan of strangers grabbing your hands and such.) 

::You make good use of that little pointer finger of yours!  Poking at your food, pointing when I walk in to get you out of your crib, pointing for your 2 year old sister to rescue you from photo sessions with Mommy... it's rather endearing.

::You still use Army crawling as your fastest method of transportation (translated = you still collect all the animal hair off the floor).  However, you are making use of the regular baby crawling method far more than your older sisters ever did (this is a good thing).  

::I love your solid little thighs, your huge grin, and even your shrill screaming way of communicating.  I love the way you cling to me (gripping under my upper arm with your little hand, locking your legs onto my side), when you don't want to be put down.  I love the way you kick your little pajama'ed legs in the air when I take you out of your crib each morning; the way you gaze up at me when rocking at bedtime; the way you shove cheese into your mouth faster than I can put it on your tray; the way your hair curls right up when it's humid and goes straight as a board when it's not.

::I love you, little Lila - more than words, beyond the stars... to the moon.  And back.