Letter to Elea: 10 months

Dear Elea,

I know this is late to be starting a tradition, but I’m going to do it anyways. I’ve been keeping a daily journal (seriously… I have!), that talks about you and your dad, and things that happen during our day, funny things you do, but I realized it doesn’t really capture what it’s like to be around you at any one moment in time.

So here goes.

You have started to develop a personality and we are LOVING it! You’ve always been an easy baby – a great eater, sleeper, very happy, comfortable going to strangers (for the most part), eating any food we put in front of you (all food, actually. It’s your favorite), and just seeming to enjoy life in general. You’ve picked up on some things slowly, but ever since you started crawling a few weeks ago, it seems like everything has gone so fast.

You were just mad you didn't get any of our frozen ice

We were at the airport, waiting to come back from a San Diego trip. We decided to let you crawl on the ground as it has become more exhausting to try and keep you entertained on our laps. [don't worry -- she was heavily sanitized afterwards!] You twist and turn and try to go from one person to the other. Once you were on the ground, you started crawling away from me, so I said “Hey! Hey you! You come back here!” You turned to look at me, giggled, and started crawling faster. So I got up to come after you, and as I scooped you up, you cracked up laughing. So then I started laughing because you’ve never reacted to us playing “games” with you before. And I’m so excited. Of course we played that game at least 5 more times, to the delight of everyone in the airport. (I swear they were all delighted).



Here are some other pictures of you first "crawling" -- at first, you refused to go on your knees, but once you got the hang of it, you became pretty fast.

Crawling to the camera while we FaceTime

You get so much love wherever we go – family, friends, strangers alike. You choose to smile at some people – others you just stare at. I feel uncomfortable for them. But when you choose to smile – you are a heartbreaker. The cutest thing you do (but have been doing for a while) is to wave at people. You wave at your dad when I take you from him. When I pick you up from Elizabeth’s house, the first thing you do when you see us is 1) cry and then when we pick you up 2) wave at Elizabeth and turn towards the door, like “OK! I’m ready to go. Thanks!” But I know she’s your favorite person besides us because when we show up in the morning, you do the arms outstretched, crazy shaking thing until she takes you.

You and Aunt EB

I’m also beginning to realize that you can understand what we say to you. Well, some things. When I tell you to go clean up your toys, you don’t do it, so I know your vocab must be limited. But I had seen a pic a friend posted of a little baby kiss, and I realized that I always kiss your cheeks (and your belly, and your neck, and your toes), but I’ve never kissed you on your little lips. So at the peril of my health (I’m very anti-slobber), I’ve been saying “kiss!” and giving you big kisses. In the past week, you’ve started trying to give them yourself (always open mouth and lots of drool – you’re so thoughtful), or at least accepting them when we’ve said “kiss” to you.

You’re also just like your mom – a morning person. We have a security cam pointed at you in the bathroom (yes, that’s normal), and I’ll expect you to be awake, but haven’t heard from you. The past couple of mornings, I’ve pulled up the security feed and you’ll just be laying there, waving at the camera, playing with your giraffe, sitting up and clapping, etc. I really don’t know how we got it so good. (readers: please don’t leave a comment about how she’ll be a terrible teenager. You don’t know!)

This is you snuggling with your (favorite) giraffe

We can’t wait for what’s coming up next. Your dad hopes it will be “dada” as he repeats it to you at least 20 times a day. I secretly whisper “chocolate” to you as I think that will be a really funny first word for an 11 month old. Make momma proud.

xoxo,
mom

Listening to great-aunt and uncle serenade you

Trip to San Diego Safari Zoo Park

Our little fish

More pics from San Diego