Dear Baby - Month #10

Dear baby,

I almost forgot to write this to you - I actually wrote something else instead!

I looked back at the last letter and saw I got a few things right, and a few things not so right. You aren't crawling yet, but you are pulling yourself along the floor. A lot. All over the place. You're getting more coordinated with it, and more determined, and you're seeking things out - mainly the dogs, and the dogs bed, and the dogs food.

Our bigger dog is going to be your dog, I can just tell. She seeks you out pretty much all day. When you're in the highchair, she's there. When you call out from your room, she sits by the sliding door.  When you cry, she looks at you. And when you're on the floor, she sits right by you. You can't seem to help yourself from pulling on her collar (to the point where you busted it today!), and she just sits there and takes it. I ask you to let go, and you eventually do, but she doesn't move. If you're not pulling her collar, you're touching her toes (which she hates). She just lifts her foot and then places it right back down, unfazed. I was a little unsure of how the little dog would go with you - he was feeling unwell last week and you wouldn't leave him alone, even when he turned his back to you which was his signal for you to leave him alone. Then, today, I saw you pulling his tail. And I was very glad that he didn't yelp or bark or growl, but I am going to need to keep a closer eye on the two of you.

Funnily enough, you are taking a liking to the same tv show that our goddaughter loves - Giggle and Hoot. We took a photo while on holiday with you, of you staring slackjawed at the tv when the show came on. And then tonight, the husband pointed out how you spun around straight away to look at the television when the theme song came on. You love it.

Speaking of the holiday, we had a fantastic time. You were pretty good on the plane and you were very patient in the car and stroller, considering how mobile you are now and how much you love to move. We went to Cairns Zoo, we went to Port Douglas (where you had your first taste of icecream - only to have your own full Weiss bar on the plane trip home!), we went to the Daintree twice, we went to Mossman Gorge, we went to Mareeba Coffee Works, we went to Kuranda, and we went to Cairns. You put your feet in the ocean for only the second time in your life, you came in a swimming pool with us, you posed for photos, you squeaked your way around the apartment, and after the first few nights you started sleeping through the night. And this has continued now that we are home (knock wood!).

The days are getting easier, and you're getting older. I love the way you smile at me every morning when I get you up. I love you sleeping from 8pm - 9.30am. I love your cheeky smiles, I love the way you shake your head at me when I tell you 'no', I love the way you splash and flick and spin around in the bath. I love the way you babble 'bub bub', 'dad dad' and 'mum mum mum'. I love the way you get sad when you think I'm taking your cup away when I'm just refilling it for you. I love the way you stare at me quizically when I'm doing something silly, I love the way you try to imitate the noises I make but really you're just opening your mouth like a fish, I love the way you have started offering things to my mouth and crack up when I pretend to eat them.

I love that you're a bit of me and a bit of your father and a bit of each of my brothers and my parents and my cousins and my in-laws.

I love you, baby girl.