10 months!

O.M.G. What a month it has been!! Landon is growing and changing so fast now I feel like he is learning something new every day. Matt and I were just talking about how it feel like a switch went off in his head and he is ready to take on the world. So far, month 10 has been the biggest in terms of development. Here goes...

Landon began pulling himself up to a stand this month, although most of the time he is content to just pull up onto his knees.

He started taking steps when he hold his hands. He will walk all over the house now - but only when he hold his hands, he hasn't quite figured out the walker yet!

He learned his first sign! He signs for "more" now like a pro!! It's a little overgeneralized, though, and he also uses it to say "give me that thing that I want". It is so darn cute though! When he first figured it out, we could see his eyes light up with excitement like "wow - I can communicate with you!" So cute. We are working on some other signs too - but that is the only one he has done independently so far.

We are fairly certain that he is saying "mama" and "dog" and maybe "dada" too (it's so hard to tell since the sound "da" is what he babbles allllll the time!). We have heard "mama" when he wants me to pick him up or when I do pick him up and we have heard "dog" when the dogs come in the room and after we say "dog". It's seriously the cutest thing ever. I could just listen to him say "mama" all day long. Seriously. All. Day. Long.

Here is some sensory bin fun...just some dry oatmeal and kitchen utensils! Who needs toys??

He is starting to wave and clap (but is confused between signing more and clapping).

He figured out how to blow bubbles in the bathtub! So cute! Bath time is the best part of the day :)

He finally got the hang of finger food this month too. Still perfecting the skill of getting it into his mouth, but does pretty good with hard crunchy things like puffs and cheerios. All of a sudden this month he is way interested in solid foods and is seeming to want them way more. Now that he learned the sign for "more" every time I eat something around him he looks at my food and starts frantically signing "more"! I am now trying find new ideas for foods to feed him since I still don't want him eating all the stuff we do. Still trying to keep it mostly organic without sugar and processed foods for the little man.

First trip to the snow this month! Landon refused to smile for the camera, I think he was confused.

First Easter! Landon loved the Easter grass and the eggs. It was so cute watching him dig into his basket too!

Overall he is learning more imitation. He started imitating growling and it is hilarious!

He gives kisses now too! Big ol' sloppy, slobbery, open mouth kisses - and I LOVE it! BUT - only when it is his idea! Mommy tries so hard to get him to do it on command (I REALLY want a picture!!), but he will only do it when he wants to! We had a park play-date with one of his baby friends and he kept trying to kiss her, but he holds out on his Mama!

He has two teeth now. Well, two half teeth anyways! He has some slow growing little teeth :) They are super cute too! He is a way easy teether so far.

And....drumroll please...he learned to crawl!! FINALLY! We were starting to think this kid would never actually crawl. After two months of working so hard on crawling, he finally did it on the day of this 10 month birthday! Here is a picture of Landon's "bear crawl" pose that he has been working on for a while... And here he is getting ready to get his crawl on!

Back to the daily grind.

There's nothing like a whole week off from work to lull you into a feeling like work doesn't exist. After an amazing week off from work for spring break, it's back to work in the morning. I feel weary at the thought. It's not that I dislike my job, in fact this work has been a passion of mine for years, it's the simple fact that home tugs at my heart every time I go. Nothing can prepare you for what it feels like to leave your baby. It's like breaking off a piece of my heart and leaving it behind me - and it's even harder now that he is starting to fuss or cry when I walk away. I want nothing more than to stay home and just be Mommy. I am not one of the mothers who need to work to feel fulfilled or maintain my own identity - I am so completely fulfilled by being Mom that I don't want anything more. It is a feeling of defeat knowing that we cannot make that happen and to feel that each day that goes by is another day I am missing with my son. It goes by so fast! I am so thankful that we have been able to avoid daycare and that gives me some comfort, but still - would you want to leave this precious face every morning??

Deep breaths...Tuesday here I come!