10 Months

My Dear Jemma,

Could it really already be your 10 month birthday? I guess the stickers don’t lie … you’ve reached double digits girlie!

In the last month you have learned so much – you wave at your friends, read books like they are going out of style, and have become very aware of where I am at all times. It’s amazing to see how you absorb the world around you, no doubt you are becoming a very smart girl.

Often Daddy and I look at each other and marvel about how our life has changed since you joined our family. You mean the world to us and we can’t imagine life without you – our precious girl who lights up our life each and every day. Your smile is infectious and your giggles fill our hearts with joy.

I’m in love with your sweet spirit, the other day I shed a few tears and once you noticed you quickly scurried into my arms, laid your head on my shoulder, and squeezed your little arms around me. You are wise beyond your months :) You have also learned to give big kisses, not on command, but when you are in the mood you love to plop a big, wet slobber on my cheek.

Many have commented how you are beginning to look more like a little girl and less like a baby. I agree and am so excited for the little girl you are becoming, but I already miss your baby-ness too. You’ll always be my baby, dear Jemma. Mama’s sweet girl. On the little girl front you have sprouted 2 big teeth on the top, your very first ones came back to back. Just today I felt the little razors of one popping through on the bottom. After your giant top ones, this little one doesn’t even seem to phase you. Your golden hair is also growing like crazy and getting thicker by the day. A little girl with teeth and flowing locks … my oh my.

We are still nursing and loving every minute of it. Your teeth have not been a problem at all. You nurse to sleep each night and once or twice throughout the night. There have been a few nights with no nursing at all, but you normally rouse me sometime between midnight and 3am for a snuggle. Every morning when you wake up you quickly move from your tummy into a crawl and smile the biggest grin. Your hair is tossled and your face always has sheet indents, but you are happy and carefree and ready for the day. Whether is it 10 to 6am (much too early) or 7:30 am (just right) nothing makes me happier to wake up than seeing your lovely smirk and you crawl towards me.

This last weekend we sped off to the coast with both sets of grandparents and two of your aunties. This was your first trip to the beach and what better place to take your 10 month pictures! Most of my shots didn’t inculde your smiling face – you were much too intrigued with the sand, surf, passing people, and beach toys!