Hollman Hullabaloo: March 2017

Dear sweet Eden,

Ten months. We've entered double digits, and your time here as now eclipsed the time we shared as I carried you. Its amazing to see how you've grown in these ten months and how your personality has begun to shine through. At ten months you are so interested in movement, you army crawl around on your belly, pulling with all your strength to heave your little body to the destination of your choice. Its adorable to watch and clear to see that you have such strength buried within your tiny body. Alongside of your new scenery as you drag yourself around, are the expressions that you extend. You now shrug your shoulders often. We certainly don't know that its with any real intention to convey confusion-- instead you do it simply as a matter of joy and excitement. We love it though, and enjoy seeing you making these antics as you are trying to communicate.

At the same time, your babbling is getting more focused. We hear many more ma ma ma ma mas and da da da da da and ba ba ba ba bas than before. You are taking notice that these sounds you produce elicit more attention from us, and in the most peculiar ways you try out how to change tones and intensity, as you find your voice.

This month, for the first time we are beginning to see what your attitude looks like. You've scolded us a few times and shown off your first bits of resistance and hesitation when we say no. Its endearing to see you develop these traits, and it remains adorable because you really are such an even-tempered and happy baby that we rarely see these emotional moments. Sometimes your voice sounds like you are trying to argue your point or tell us off when you are resisting what we want (which is often keeping you on the changing table).

This month we visited Grandma and Grandpa's house in Vegas where you had your first dip in the pool (not counting the time when you were six weeks old and I dipped your toes in the pool in portugal).You have always been a water baby, and continued to love it in the pool. You are now splashing around and trying to drink the water whenever you can, no matter what the container- bath, pool, if you are in it, you are trying to drink it. In the bath you've learned to pull yourself up on the side, which is lots of fun for you, but screams danger to us, so we are constantly asking and helping you to sit back down.

As you play with your brothers, who continue to be so good to you and just adore you, you are figuring out that toys can be tools too. You bang them together and toss them to entertain yourself with a fun game of cause and effect, where we (momma, daddy, Collin and Owen) do your bidding to pick whatever item it is up and give it back to you. You also love to pick yourself up on the play table and push all sorts of buttons and slides along with your continued love of jumping, where the jumperoo makes for a fitting favorite. You love being in there and hoping around while the boys play nearby. This often leads to fun interactions, most often between you and your brothers where you have such adorable and joyful giggle fits and belly laughs. Your laugh is so happy and we love to hear it. They make your world such a wonderful place, we are so lucky to have all three of you.

You routine continues to be easy going, you are a good sleeper, usually down around 6:30 and sleep through until 5:30 or 6, and then two naps, often totaling about 3 more hours of sleep. To complement your sleep routine, you have really taken a liking to eating on your own- shoveling all the bits of food into your mouth whenever you can. You love food and we have to cut things up very small because you try to take handfuls and place them in your mouth, without much consideration for how you might not be able to chew it well, given your lack of teeth. You love yogurt, meats (most except read meat like steak, which we think is due to the texture), water (from a cup!) and tons and tons of fruits and veggies. You continue to nurse every 4-5 hours and are gaining weight like a champ, so much so you are tipping the scales in the 75th percentile. You are a chunky baby, but as with your siblings, I'm sure you'll start to lose it once you start walking.

Speaking of walking, we aren't doing much of that, but you are very entertained and motivated to move by things you cannot have including cords and outlets. This has been our first real reason to say no to you, and its shown us your sensitive side, as you do not like it when we are so firm and are quick to tear up when we say no. Fortunately though, it usually works and you stop pursuing the highly coveted cords.

Really, 10 months seems to be the time when doors are opening and the world is in your fingertips. You seem to be able to see the many possibilities right ahead of you and I can almost see your excitement and anxiousness to go forth and explore.