Walker

Well, we have a walker on our hands as of last week.  My parents came to town and my dad was bound and determined to teach her to walk.  She has had great balance for a while and stands alone all the time.  It has been clear for a while that she could walk, she just hadn't quite figured out that she was able to.  I was pretty sure that one day she would just realize she could do it, then there would be no turning back.  Stephen and I went out for lunch last Wednesday, and my parents and grandparents watched B.  I think the audience helped her out a little.  No surprise to us, she took her first 'step' with my dad while we were gone. 

The next day B and I drove to OKC with my parents.  That afternoon she took her first unprompted 'steps.'  She knew exactly what she was doing too.  She was in the dining room by herself (but I could see her) and she was walking from chair to chair, and you could just tell she was thinking about it.  She turned and was looking at me and my mom, smiling really big, and she took a few steps.  She was pretty proud of herself.  So of course after that, we were making her practice all the time.  Here are the first two videos: 

Once she realized she could do this, there was no stopping her.  In fact, I think she has forgotten that she can crawl to get somewhere a little quicker.  She isn't quite to walking exclusively, but I have a feeling it won't be long. 

She also added to her word list:  "Barbara."  It's my parents' dog's name.  And it is by far the clearest word she says.  She is a little obsessed. 

I am so excited that she finally started walking!

X

I thought I'd change things up and use a roman numeral X instead of boring old TEN.  :)  I'll spare you the "I can't believe my baby is ten months old..." business and cut to the chase!

She turned 10 months old last Saturday but had her check up a couple days ago.  We were very excited to learn that there weren't any shots this time.  I just assumed since we hadn't seen the doc in a few months that she would get shots today, but not til 1 year! 

She weighed in at 17lbs 7oz- 13%
She is 28in tall- 45%

I was really thinking that she was going to weigh more, cause she sure feels heavier than that! 

Doesn't she just look like a little person?  It is so crazy how she looks less and less like a baby, and more like a little girl.  I love it!

We spent Blakely's 10 month birthday celebrating my brother's 29th birthday in Kansas City.  We went and saw his apartment, went and ate on the Plaza and shopped around.  Then we all came back to our house to watch the hogs beat Auburn! 

Blakely is an expert crawler.  I thought she would be an early walker, but she has proved me wrong now that she has gotten so good at crawling.  She has recently discovered her inner explorer.  A few weeks ago she discovered that there are other rooms in our house, and she now has the freedom to go to them.  Her favorite spot is the bathroom- mainly because she knows she isn't suppose to go in there.  She is quick too, if she finds something on the floor, as soon as she sees you coming she will slip it into her mouth ASAP.  gross.  She can stand on her own- and she is super proud of it. She also pulls up and walks along anything and everything.  It makes Stephen pretty nervous.  She has taken some pretty hard falls, but I think she is finally mastering bending her knees and landing on her butt. 

She has also recently learned to clap and wave!  She loves to applaud herself.  She also loves to share.  She will take a toy (any toy) and hug it or put it in her mouth then she will hold it out for you and wait for you to hug it or put it in your mouth- then she'd like you to return it.  :)

Here she is exploring.  I don't know why I think this is so funny.  She will also sometimes crouch down and make sure there isn't anything under the couch that she needs. 

She has finally started to love books!  She will pick one up and hand it to me to read to her.  It's so cute.  She will sometimes let me finish the whole book, as long as there aren't too many words.  She loves to turn the pages.

We always have some issue with her eating.  She recently decided that she LOVES her bottle.  She takes FOUR 8oz bottles a day.  However, this new found love has also started her dislike for baby food.  I have to bribe her to eat baby food veggies with a bit of big girl food.  She gets a bite of egg, or turkey or cheese, in exchange for a bite or two of veggies.  It usually only works for a short time before she is just done altogether.  She loves ANY big people food you give her.  It doesn't matter if she just ate, if she sees you eating, she wants some too.  Stephen says I have turned her into quite the begger cause I pretty much give her a little bit of whatever I eat. 

She got her first kiss the other day from her friend Hudson.  He is a little bit older than B, and she usually chases him at church or our playdates, and when she catches him and touches him, he freaks out.  It's pretty hilarious.  But after hanging out for a couple of hours last week, he warmed up to her a little bit and decided to give her a few smooches.  I was SO sad I didn't have my camera ready because it was hilarious.  She didn't even know what to do with the attention after all the rejection she had experienced. 

She is wearing 6-9 month clothes, except for jammies she wears a lot of 12month since we bundle her pretty good. 

She goes to bed between 7:30 and 8, and sleeps till 6:30 or 7.  She wakes up for a little playtime around 3am though.  I usually get up and change her diaper in hopes that she will sleep a little longer.  Sometimes it works.  She takes two 1hr (if I'm lucky) naps a day.  One at 9am and one at 1pm. 

I think her eyes are going to be green like mine.  They are more gray than blue, and they are starting to have little hints of green.  We will see! 

She is talking all the time.  Mostly "dada", and she certainly knows who that is.  She gets very excited when he comes home and goes and stands at the gate saying "dadadadada" until he walks in.  I think she says dog too.  It doesn't really sound like dog, but it's the same word each time she sees a dog, so I am pretty sure that's what she is going for. 

She loves to play hide and seek.  Loves to go on walks outside.  Loves to go to the grocery store.  Hates her carseat.  Hates going to bed.  Hates getting her diaper changed.  I let her crawl around naked every night before bath...and somehow we have never had an accident.  Well, I got a little too confident in her and I let her crawl around on our bed last night.  She stood up, and peed all over.  I think she was proud of herself, too.