Dear Ana,
Today you turn ten months old. Double digits: WAHOO!

The big news of the last month is you officially became mobile. But more amazing than you actually crawling, was the fact that I was there to witness it. You see, I was worried you would crawl for the first time while your father and I were in Europe. You were so close to crawling before we left that in the days leading up to our departure I told your caregivers if you didn’t crawl before we left they were not allowed to set you down. Ever. Because I knew if they did, you would crawl and I would miss it. It was the scariest thing about leaving you behind. Sure, I knew I would miss you more than anything, but I also knew you were in loving, capable hands and you were going to have a great time. No, the scariest thing about leaving you was knowing that I could very well miss something you did for the first time. And you just don’t get another “first.”

Being the wonderfully considerate daughter that you are, you waited just under a week after we got back to crawl for the first time. I watched you lean down onto your hands and knees, getting stuck on your chubby right thigh, like you had done a thousand times before. Then you twisted just right to free your leg, rocked in place like you had done a hundred times before, but instead of rocking until you were tired, giving up and laying flat on your face, you actually moved your tiny hands and knees and crawled! You moved about a whole foot and a half, in the direction you intended before plopping down on your tummy. The funny thing was you stopped about six inches short of the toy you were crawling toward, laid on your tummy, and reached the rest of the way. Apparently you were unaware that you can actually crawl all the way over to things you want.

Just before you started crawling you started pulling yourself up to standing on furniture and “walking” around the room. You discovered there was a whole level of the room above the floor that you weren’t experiencing and this had to be changed. Oh my do you love to stand! Any moment not spent standing is a moment wasted. It is this very reason we were sure you were not going to crawl at all, but simply proceed straight to walking. As it turns out, there are some things you couldn’t get to from scooting along the furniture and that was the only reason you ever crawled–as a last resort.

Now that you are mobile, that is crawling and walking along the furniture, nothing is safe. You are into everything. And I mean everything. I cannot leave you for more than five seconds before you are off to discover something new. Most of your time is spend chasing the animals around the house, which can keep you quite busy because we have two cats and two dogs and more often than not as you are chasing after one you spot another and get distracted. It is a vicious, but quite entertaining, cycle.

Oh and we cannot forget about the climbing. You have discovered how to climb around in your crib. Just the other morning I walked in only to find you half way up the edge and practically over the side. Needless to say, we lowered your crib that night in an effort to slow down your escape. However, in the lower position the slats (or bars) are totally visible over the bumper and your once cozy little bed has now become a baby prison. You even peak through the bars with your big eyes and beg to be released. You are such a crafty little inmate.

Every day I am amazed at how quickly you are growing up. Not only in your mobility, but at meal time as well. You are such a good eater; trying all the different foods we give you, keeping your mess contained to your high chair, and only occasionally “sharing” with the dogs. Your daddy and I have been giving you more finger foods, or small bites of our dinner, and allowing you to self-feed. Nothing makes you happier than picking up a piece of food and feeding yourself. It is so fun to watch your eyes light up when I sprinkle tidbits of food in front of you and watch you go to town. More often than not you tend to gather up every speck of food I give you and pack them into your cheeks, chipmunk style, so I have to slowly ration your food. On the rare occasion you have a meal of purely pureed foods you spend the majority of the time peering over your highchair to see what we are eating and wondering why you don’t have the same thing.

Over the last month your development has been exponential and you have been learning or discovering something new every day. I simply cannot wait to see what you have in store for me next. I know this adventure we are on is only just getting started, Ana, but I want you to know there is no one I would rather share it with than you.

All my love,
Mama