10 months WHAT?

Well here we are. Yeasterday Bennett turned ten months old. Ten down, two to go and my baby is ONE!

This past month has been pretty rough on Bennett - teething is for the birds. His top two teeth are coming in right now, yet have not quite broken the gum, so to say the least are causing much havoc in the Roe house. Last night was the *first* time since he was an infant infant that he did not sleep through the night. He half-woke up several times fussing, and I found him standing and fussing at 6:30 this morning. He slept for another hour and a half in the bed with me. I didn't sleep, but really enjoyed snuggling with my boy.

He has had interesting tummy issues throughout this teething process - that has lasted two weeks now. I'm sure the first part was a virus, bc both my sister and I caught it, but for the past week and a half he has only thrown up when we give him formula. Still eats everything else like a starving horse. We have tried several times to reintroduce the formula, even soy formula, even diluted, but he wouldn't tolerate it. Eventually we tried diluted whole milk, which worked for two bottles, but then last Saturday morning he threw that up as well. I tried him back on diluted soy formula on Tuesday, which worked great until he had diluted regular formula by mistake on Tuesday night. I found a baby covered in wonderfulness at 11pm and, both of us in tears, I re bathed him TWICE before the throwing up ceased. Oh its been rough. But he has been super good during the day. Orajel has helped some. Running errands has also helped. He loves getting out of the house and riding in the car.

We are also experiencing our first nap-strike. He will take them sporadically (still generally two a day, minus one every once in awhile) but will immediately jump to his feet once placed in his crib. We have had to reposition the cord of the monitor and the mattress is at its lowest setting, which makes his lovely bedding ensemble look quite depressed. No bed skirt to be seen (which irks me a smidge since I know all too well how much work went into that blasted thing).

Case and point - Bennett has gone down for his morning nap but is now standing up screaming. I'll be right back.

(20min later) OK this is going to be an interesting morning. Back to the post:

Things Bennett is doing now:

• pulling up on everything very easily
• army crawling (using arms to pull body across floor)
• walking behind his push-toy
• eating more and more table food
• boycotting formula and some of his naps
• giving hi fives
• kissing
• hugging
• talking to us (repeating the noises we make - especially "ahhh", "eeee", toot noise, and his special laugh he does by sucking in air). still no mamas or dadas or really many consonants (consistently - some sneak out every once in awhile)
• throwing everything
• gently playing with my hair
• seriously grabbing for my eyes
• responding to "come here Bennett" when called from another room. (in his walker or with his push-toy)
• can pick out his duck in the bathtub out of all his many toys
• loving the "what does a ____say?" question. (duck, dog, cow, etc)
• knows where daddy, mommy, and steele are when asked. (turns towards them, or tries to find them if they are not in the room)
• standing for extended periods of time
• understands "no". He actually looks at us and stops doing what he is doing when we say it. like pulling on computer/charger cords.
• laughing every time we open the door to go outside
• wanting to be held all the time. all the time. alllllll the time.
• weighing 21lbs 15oz (70th percentile at the time of his visit, which was last week); and measuring 29.75" long (90th percentile)
• update: after having to go back in to his room as mentioned earlier, he has just now laid back down in his crib and is now appearing like he will go to sleep on his own. please please please
• hating hats of all kinds - really anything on his head. which surprises me bc he wore a hat for the first 7 months of his life (winter hats, then summer hats)
• wanting to spin everything (for example, has a LOVE of wheels of all kinds - his stroller, his push toy, anything he can spin with his hands - or at least think that he can spin).
• opening drawers and closing doors. excuse me, SLAMMING doors.
• eating everything off the floor, which has lead me to vacuum and mop even more than I already do.
• walking everywhere holding on to our fingers. BUT he still wants to hold on with both hands. is uneasy when we try to walk with just one hand holding on.
• cruising
• OBSESSING over Baby Einstein My First Signs. Not so much any of the other DVDs I've bought him though.
• not being wary of strangers at all, but still preferring those he knows.
• being every beat of my heart

We love you B!

This is Stephen's baby hat, and I made Bennett wear it to the point that he forgot he had it on, so I of course snapped some pics to document the occasion.