10 Months Old!

Ivy will be 10 moths old tomorrow. Can I just say again that the last 10 months have gone by a warp speed. How is it possible that she'll be a year old soon?!?! Mystifying. I mean, the days are long and the afternoons often drag on. (I feel so fortunate to be able to be with my kids during the day, but playing trains for hours on end looses it's appeal after a while.) All those long afternoons have somehow meshed into this giant block of time that is gone. To me, that may be the biggest challenge in being a stay at home mom. The challenge to stay present so even though you're always there you don't miss it all. 

Ivy is getting a little closer to walking every day. She can now stand confidently and cruise with ease. We have seen her take a single small step on two occasions. It won't be long before she's running behind, or in front of Jack.  He remains her very favorite person to play with. In fact, if on an unusual morning we get up before the boys, she greets me with a beaming smile and then quickly looks around for Jack. For the record, Jack also asks for Ivy if she is 'missing' when he gets up. He has a special affection for her, too.

I've been working on a few signs with Ivy. We're pretty sure she's been signing 'more' for a while. It doesn't look like the real sign, but it's her sign....and it's pretty clear that she wants MORE!. But the other day, I laid her on her changing table and she signed 'change' to me. I love these little surprise moments! In terms of words, Ivy can say "Hi". I'll go ahead and say that is her First Word. From the time she was 8 months old, Ivy would say Ma Ma and Da Da but "Hi" is the first thing she has said that could not be mistaken for babble. Now, at 10 months she is clearly calling me Ma Ma and Shawn Da Da.  She nods her head 'Yes' when she likes something.....and she very clearly can say 'NO' without words.