10 months

Elysen, today you are 10 months old. This month has gone by so much faster than the others because we've been so busy with the holidays.

Weight: Probably still hovering around 18 lbs.

Height: Not sure

Sizes: You are still in a size 3 diaper. You are wearing 9 month clothes and a few 12 month outfits.



What you're up to:

- EVERYTHING! You are into just about everything imaginable. You are crawling - army crawling, scooting, etc. - and you can move extremely quickly when you spot something that you shouldn't have. There are presents under our tree and we have to cover them with the couch pillows so that you don't notice them. You also are putting anything and everything into your mouth. We have had to fish some things out of your jaws of steel so that you wouldn't choke.

- While we're on the subject of eating, you are also eating all sorts of fun food. I've almost stopped giving you your oatmeal because it made your tummy rumbly. I'll break out the baby food sometimes, but most often, you eat puffs or Cheerios or saltines or whatever else we have around. Last month, we went to Chick-fil-A and I got you a fruit cup. You loved the mandarin oranges. You also like bananas, which is no surprise since you've liked the banana-flavored oatmeal and baby food for a long time.

- You are pulling up on everything. You try to take steps if we are holding your hands, but you're not really trying to walk. You are very sturdy on your legs.

- You are giving kisses to everyone and everything....even the dogs (we try to discourage this - Ha!).

- You had your first Thanksgiving this month. We had such fun. You loved eating bites of rolls, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. We were at your Aunt Sarah's house in West Fork on Thanksgiving day. It's the house where your daddy had his first Thanksgiving!

- You love music and you love to dance. And, of course, you still love the dogs so much.

- We went to get your first Christmas tree this month! You had a lot of fun playing around with everyone and looking at the lights. We started a new tradition. After getting the tree, you and I read a Christmas book together and I let you wear your Christmas pjs for the first time. You looked precious.

- We traveled to Branson this month with the Savage family. It was the first time that Charlie got to come with us. You had a fun time playing with everyone in the condo (and unpacking your clothes)

- You are starting to try to say "words". Besides "da-da" and "ma-ma" and "ba-ba", you are making other sounds with recognition. You make a "p" sound when I ask you if you want to go see the puppies outside. You also make the "p" sound when we ask you if want some puffs to eat. You also say "uh-oh" when you drop things (accidentally or on purpose). It makes me happy to see that you are already so smart.

- You love to wrinkle your nose and "sniff" at us. You do it all the time to show off because it makes us laugh. I was so happy to catch this picture of you and your Aunt Sarah sniffing together.

- You had your first haircut today. Your hair fell out a few months ago, except for the hair on the top of your head...well, that hair had gotten so long, and the rest of your hair is only about an inch! Your daddy was very sad and didn't want me to cut it at all. But you were starting to get tangles that we had to comb out, and I knew it would look so cute, so we gave it a little trim tonight. You got mad because you couldn't hold the comb, and it made me so nervous to have scissors close to your head (ha!). But it turned out to look precious.

Sweet girl, we love you more and more every single day. You are full of life and laughter. You make us smile all the time, even when we are stressed or tired. You are developing the sweetest personality, and I can't wait to see what develops over the next month.

You are a gift from God, and we are even more thankful for you during this time of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We love you so very much.

Elysen's playlist

      

      These days, we are all about music and dancing. 

      Since it's almost Christmas, I have been playing Christmas music on the radio while we drive to Amanda's house. At home, we listen to Christmas music on Pandora while we get ready. 

But no matter how fun Christmas music is, it cannot possibly compare to THE songs...those few, special songs that are Elysen's favorite. Those songs that inspire Tigger-like bouncing, clapping, and smiles from a very happy girl. Those songs that David and I are slightly tired of hearing, but really we'll never tire of seeing her excitement. Those songs that can make her stop crying when nothing else can. 

These are the songs that Elysen loves with her whole heart. 

1. The original favorite song - Elmo's Song. Oh my goodness. The minute Elmo starts to play his tiny piano, our baby's eyes light up. 

2. My personal favorite of the Sesame Street songs - What I Am by Will.I.Am (aka "Black Eyed Peas" singer extraordinaire). I actually found myself singing this one at work the other day. Elysen loves to dance to this one. 

3. Did you know that Elmo's Got the Moves? Well, he does. And I'm sure that Elysen will learn some of these cool dance moves to use in the future when she can stand up on her own. Right now, she just bounces like a crazy girl. 

4. Last, but certainly not least, the odd man out: Paradise by Coldplay. I have been a Coldplay fan since their first album, and I must have listened to them when Elysen was in the womb or something because she LOVES this song. This is not a bouncing song - this is a sit-still-and-gaze-in-wonder-at-the-screen kind of song. 

     The other night, Elysen had a horrible diaper rash because we had started back on regular formula. (We have since gone back to soy). It was so bad that it hurt to even put a diaper on. Nothing helped - not cream, not baths, nothing. When David got home from work, she was sitting in my lap wearing a towel and we were watching all 4 of these videos on YouTube. 

Later that night, I decided to tie on a cloth diaper (to protect the carpet). We let her watch and listen to her songs until bath time. She was so happy....and no music has ever sounded so sweet. :)

Go ahead and laugh

         Today was one of many girl movie outings with Brittany. She counts on me to go to the movies that Emery can't stand...i.e. Harry Potter, romantic comedies, and Twilight. Today was about the last category on that list. We both really enjoyed the movie - and that is why I titled this post "Go ahead and laugh". Yes, I am an adult and yes, today I liked a Twilight movie. But, for those of you who are still reading, I would like to say that my enjoyment today did not in any way come from the phenomenon known as the great Edward Cullen.
        When I discovered this series (and I do say "discovered" because I had no idea what a craze I would inspire by ordering this relatively unknown book from the Scholastic magazine), I was in my first year at Lincoln...that would be 7 years ago. I read it first because I wanted to see if a vampire tale could possibly be appropriate for the classroom library (because Anne Rice is not really up my alley). I continued reading because I liked the story. And I continued to give it to my students because it was doing something I couldn't: it was making them read!
         When I read New Moon, I had just fallen head over heels in love with David, and I felt the pain of Bella's loss because I could imagine how I would feel if it were my own. Today, I felt that same sensation...sort of. My eyes watered during the wedding scene (I have to admit, I always tear up at weddings). But it was a song on the soundtrack that pulled me in the most. The melody is lovely, and the singer's voice is just the right amount of scratchy but on-pitch. But the lyrics...

         "I surrender who I’ve been for who you are,
         For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart.
         If I had only felt how it feels to be yours,
         Well, I would have known what I’ve been living for all along.
         What I’ve been living for.
                          - "Turning Pages" by Sleeping at Last

          I told David tonight that, yes, I though of him, but the reason I had to pick up a tissue to dab my eyes for th rest of the movie was because of Bella and her sacrifice for her child. When she talked to her unborn child and felt her move...teary eyes. When she refused to sacrifice her child's life to save her own...teary eyes. When the baby was born and made its first tiny baby noises...I'll be darned if Brittany didn't have tears on her cheeks as well. When Jacob realizes what it is to live for another person in a completely (well, almost completely) unselfish way...I had to get another napkin.
          Before any of you starts to wonder why I haven't mentioned it: of course, I know that the greatest sacrificial love was exemplified in my Savior. However, I couldn't come close to understanding it before I became a mother. Now, I still don't fully understand the love of Christ but I do understand what it is to "surrender who I've been" in order to help Elysen become who she will be. Even though she is not ALL I've been living for my whole life, she is the reason that I know what it means to truly love another unselfishly and through that, to truly live. So laugh all you want, I will admit...I went to a Twilight movie and I shed tears as though it was real life. There are just those times when a movie hits you on a perfect day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E20WNhsDXwE