10 months

Little Blake is 10 months old. He weighs about 22 pounds. He is such a big boy now. These are the things he has done or are doing:

1) Took two steps - now he cruises furniture and wants to sit when I try to make him do more steps.

2) Says hot - not associating it with something hot

3) Points to the light

4) Opens and closes cabinet and takes things out

5) Screams when he doesn't get his way

6) Turn pages of a book and acts like he's reading them

7) Tosses a ball back and forth to someone

8) Drinks out of a cup sometimes, but still really loves the bottle

9) Waves bye bye

10) More attached to mommy

11) Loves to people watch

12) Sits in the cart when I go shopping

13) Has seven teeth

14) Sings with me when I sing and say ahaahhhahhhhhhhahhhhhahhhh

15) Walks while holding onto his toy

16) Sits in a highchair at restaurants

17) Loves putting objects in and out of containers

18) Blake reaches for adult food...when we are eating he wants to eat what we eat

19) He smiles at people or stares at them until they give him attention

20) He still takes two naps a day for a total of 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

21) Loves other kids

22) Palms a bottle of water...he has great upper body strength

We need to work on holding his bottle, in fact not taking bottles but taking sippy cups. We need to work on walking, crawling, and associating words with objects. We don't do flashcards as often because Blake is always moving around. He doesn't sit still for long.

I love Blake and who he is developing to be. I could kiss this boy ALL day long!

2 ?

I had my nephew spend the night last week. I had so much fun with him. He was such a good boy. We made cookies, played Sequence, he wrestled with Uncle Jason and played banana bomb. He even "watched" Blake while I got ready in the morning. I think I could have two kids...for real..I think I could do it. No hurry that's for sure. But when the timing is right, I finally think I could do it. Although, now that I think about it, Parker is a such an expectionally well behaved boy and is 3 years older than Blake maybe that's why it was so easy.

For the first time

We did it, we sure did it. After talking about it for nine months we actually did it tonight for the first time. I was so scared and I thought I would have done it when he was six months old, but didn't feel right about it till now. It was so hard to leave him so hard to say good bye. I just backed away waving my hand and turned my back as he stared at me leaving. Jason and I walked hand in hand to our destination and were not interrupted the whole time. We sat there peacefully and enjoyed ourselves. My mind wondered how he was doing and if he missed us. As soon as it ended, we quickly picked him up, I hugged and kissed him as we left the nursery for the first time!

The Last of a decade

Well, tomorrow I will be turning 29! I had wanted to be married, with kids, in a house, and to have taught several years by the time I was 30. I am so blessed to say that I have done all of those things. I did want to be done with kids by the time I was 30, but obviously that won't be happening. Which I am okay with, I want to enjoy Blake as long as I can before having another baby enter our lives.

Jason out did himself this year for my birthday. On Saturday, he woke me up with several strokes on my feet as I was sleeping in bed. I turn around to see him standing by my side with a candle in my favorite doughnut and coffee. He stood there and sang just the last part of "happy birthday to you". He gave me the cutest card ever!

My sister Janna, which Blake just LOVES...came and watched Blake for us. She is a lifesaver to be able to allow us free babysitting.

Then we got ready and we started off on our little surprise birthday day for me. He didn't tell me where we were going, but I could tell after a while we were headed to the city. As we walked down the city streets, I didn't know where we were going, but he whisked me into the door of this place. I didn't see a sign for it, but I finally did ask him..where we were. He took me to a restaurant that I had wanted to go to for so long...The Grand Lux. It was beautiful. We didn't have to wait long at all and even got a window seat. We had awesome food with a great Key Lime pie to top off our meal. During the meal, Jason kept saying he couldn't wait for the next part of my surprise he was so excited. After we ate we walked a little on Michigan Ave. It was so fun! I spotted one of my favorite stores: Express. Jason said perfect, we can go shop there after your next surprise. We turned the corner and low and behold there was a horse and carriage, we went on a horse and carriage ride in the city. I have always wanted to do that, and finally was able to. The snow began to fall as we were on our ride and the sound of hte horses hooves and bells made it so Christmas like, it was perfect. We got off the carriage and headed to Express where I was able to get several items. It was the best birthday I think I have ever had. I usually celebrate my birthday on Christmas Eve..my actual birthday, but I told Jason that this year maybe we can do a separate day for my birthday. We did, and it was wonderful. Jason did a great job of preplanning everything...even Janna coming to babysit. As we were ending our day together Jason looked down at me and said, "Wow..I really have to think about how to out do this for your 30th!"

Not Sure

This Christmas Season is hard for me this year. I am overwhelmed by those around me who are in such great need. I hurt for them, cry for them, and pray for them so much. I wish God would give these people what they NEED...not so much wants...but what they NEED right now. It breaks my heart. I have been so blessed in so many areas, but I want those around me to have those same blessings. Who am I to have received all this from the Lord. Why did he choose me to have so much and more than I NEED. I am so grateful, but then feel so bad for those who NEED so much more right now. I can only hope this Christmas, that God will meet the needs and desires of those around. That sometime soon I can blog about the overwhelming flowing of God's blessing that has been poured out upon family and friends of mine.

Equal Time

The time that Blake has been alive has been the same amount of time he was in my belly. Blake is 9 months old on Wed. Dec. 24th! We had his nine month appointment today. He is 50th percentile for height (28inches) and weight (20 lbs) and 90th for his head measurement.
At this point Blake can
* Stand while holding on to things
* Say mama and dada (doesn't associate the words to us)
* Spin himself around while sitting
* Scoot backwards
* Pincer grasp
* Eat Gerber puffs
* Eat yogurt
* Drink out of a cup with my assistance
* Lift his body off the ground to his torso
* Give kisses to himself in the mirror
* Sits in a big boy car seat since last week
* Since about a month ago he reaches his hand out to mine to dance
* Claps when other clap
* Still has only 3 teeth
* When I say HI in a high pitch voice, he repeats sound in a high pitch voice
* Screams when he wants something and can't reach it or we won't let him have it
* Is into the remotes

Still working on: crawling, and moving from furniture to furniture, waving bye bye, doing how big is blake, and staying on his stomach longer than 30 sec.

Chef

If you could choose one famous Chef to cook for you who would you choose? I have some thoughts on who some of you would pick???!!!