Ten Months

Dear Nathan,

In a short two months, you will be a full year old. I can't believe how quickly the past ten months have flown by and how soon I'll have to call you my toddler instead of my baby.
This month hasn't seen any huge changes, but you continue to grow and mature every day. Every so often, you'll react in an unusual way or move differently, and I'm suddenly reminded that you're no longer that floppy baby I brought home from the hospital. You're a little person with a personality all your own.

I'm sure it will surprise nobody to hear that humor is already a large part of your personality. You love to do things to make us laugh and consider it a triumph when Patrick laughs at you--or with you, which is usually the case. I love the sound of your little laugh, too; it never fails to get at least a smile out of me.

You are also very considerate and thoughtful for a mere ten-month-old. It is clear you love all of us in different ways. Mommy is comfort and basic care; Daddy is entertainment (and comfort when Mommy's not around); Patrick is your hero; and Amber is--well, Amber. As selfish as babies can be, it's comforting to watch your concern for each of us, the way you want to make all of us happy whenever possible. If only you knew that all you had to do is smile that toothy grin...

And speaking of that toothy grin, you are working on adding at least one more tooth before long. You have been teething a molar for the past week or so, and it's interrupted your sleep more than once. Still, you're taking it like a trooper. I don't think you've fussed as much about this one as you did the first few. It's hard to believe that you'll have at least seven teeth long before you turn one.

The one area you haven't really cared to make progress is in your motor skills. You still aren't crawling, even army crawling (although you can scoot pretty well when you are sitting or on your belly), and you like being helped to stand but don't want to try it on your own yet. All in time, though. I'm trying to cherish these last few days of immobility while I can. I'm sure once you start going, you'll never stop. I'm not quite ready to be chasing two of you around the house yet. Hopefully I'll get ready before curiosity gets the best of you and you take off after your brother.

You probably don't even realize this, but you still force me to take a few minutes every day to remember how incredibly lucky I am. I have two of the cutest and sweetest boys ever. I was trying just today to tell you how much I love you (not that you were paying attention; you were a bit focused on nursing at the time), and I realized that I can't find the words. I don't think there are any that can adequately summarize what I'm feeling. It would be like walking up to the ocean and calling it a pond. So know that when I tell you that I love you, what I feel is so, so much more than those three words can ever convey.

Love,

Mommy