poof, he's 10 months

I mean really, how can he be this old? It was almost exactly a year a go that I moved my belly, Cole and I back home to Portland. I was on bed rest and spending the majority of my time being hooked up to machines at the doctor's office.]

We were so scared. We didn't know what to expect. We spent hours upon hours praying that we wouldn't lose him.....

And now look where we are at.

10 months.

10 whole, very full, very quick months.

And he couldn't be any more precious, any more loved than those moments when we first knew him as ours. Oh how my heart swells when I look at him.

Be prepared, this post is going to be a picture dumping ground...because, I just can't help it.

He is still Mr. Sass-O-Fras. I mean, just look at the attitude all over that mug. (It's like it's my fault or something).

 But he is still Mr. Charming who you can't help but squeeze and giggle with.

He still adores his big brother, and is constantly striving to follow in his footsteps (literally).He also, wants whatever big brother has. Good thing Cole is so good with him, and usually tries to find a solution to an upset Bennett.

They can often be found playing a game of tag.....only it's more of Cole running round and round the house yelling "Over here, Bay-bay.... here Bay-bay!" and then Bennett is crawling as fast as his little limbs will take him to his big brother.

This past month brought on some big changes....

Let's all just take a moment to let out a sigh of relief, because......someone has learned how to sleep through the night! I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing it feels to actually feel like my head hit the pillow for longer than an hour each night. I think the fact that he now has his own room, so he can't see me or smell me when he wakes up is the biggest factor of this triumph.

Praise the Lord for a new house to make this possible!

He also immediately associates his room with night-night time. I no sooner get through the door, pop a binky in his mouth, and his little head hits my shoulder like a ton of bricks. We sing two songs and then down he goes, awake, but then quickly falls fast asleep within seconds. Woot-woot!

He loves to pull himself up on everything. This was almost immediately after learning to crawl (8 months). He cruises the furniture (a bit slow....but he's doing it). And he has recently started to reach for my hands to walk. We will see if he will walk before brother did (18 months).

He has also learned how to climb stairs. Scary. We are still trying to figure out how to add a baby gate to our stairway.....looks like we need to figure it out and fast.

He shakes his head 'no'.  Waves (only when it best suits him). And is finally clapping his hands together, although he has been attempting this for months....he finally figured it out.

Tonight I also  learned through a little game we were playing that he actually knows where my nose and lips are. It's his new favorite game...in fact while doing his nighty-night feeding he suddenly popped off and started giggling while trying to play our new game. I couldn't help but smother him in kisses.

He is still very much enjoying his nursing sessions. I actually don't see him letting any of them up any time soon. Although he has decided to spice them up a bit, and often gets creative in how he nurses, sometimes he is sitting up, turning his head from side to side, flipping over, or his favorite is flipped onto his tummy with his feet hanging over my knees and nursing me like I'm a goat....or he forgoes it all  tries to nurse my wedding ring instead. I don't know if I should be flattered or offended at this point.

After his 9 month check-up his doctor was slightly concerned with him losing 1/2 pound in one month, and encouraged me to start feeding him some fatty foods. One suggestion was ice cream...bad suggestion.....I now have an ice cream monster on my hands. The other day we were at Chucks and I saw a sign for soft serve.....I have a hard time ever passing that up. And apparently so will Bennett. I wish I could have gotten his reaction on video. If i didn't give him a bite fast enough, he about jumped out of his seat! Now if he sees us eating something that closely resembles it he throws a fit. And it just might look something like this....

Or this....

Goodness, he wears his emotions all over his face. All.The.Time.

He loves his baths again, still hates being lotioned up.

He takes two naps a day. Likes to rise with the sun (lately it's been 5:30am)

He loves eating cheerios and stealing his brothers milk.....

He loves playing in the sprinkler with his brother and run his finger back and forth in the water.

And then he likes to scavenger for pine cones and eat them. (That's the look I get when I tell him "no, no").

His hair is also coming in blonde and CURLY!

And he still has no teeth. I foresee one miserable baby boy in the near future.....

 (Look at those sweet curls)

Since moving he has been extra clingy to me....I can't help but love it.  I love when he grabs on tight to my arm and nuzzles his head into my neck. I love when he prefers me over any one else, and I love that they are sweet reminders that he is my baby for this moment in time. Some day he is going to be on the go like his brother, and while Cole shows his love in many ways, I don't get the snuggles as much as  Bennett gives me.

I want to savor them.

Every day. For as long as he will give them to me. Because soon, very soon this stage will be gone.

Happy 10 months little guy. I love everything about you. Even your firecracker temperament.