Teething Ten Month Old!

This is our little family the night before Aaron moved to Santa Monica.

 Here I was thinking that not much has taken place during this last month for our little Bug --- but having just read over my 9 month blog I realize that SO much has!

The girls at the beach! It was cold, but still so fun!

Olivia's top 2 teeth have finally cut through - her left one has made significantly more progress though. It is darling to watch Livi eat her foods, she can tell that something has changed - but can't quite figure it out. What she HAS figured out is she can bite anything much better now (including our fingers, arms, legs, etc.) She is far from malicious --- but she's gotta bite onto something when those little gums hurt!

Her diet continues to expand to include more foods. I must say, I am the one running out of ideas for her! Until she gets some more teeth, I have to keep her foods pretty soft which seems to irritate her! She is growing ever more independent and wants to feed herself. That being said, she cannot seem to figure out how to use a spoon or fork. It's quite hilarious. She will hold the utensil in one hand (using it to play around with) and will use her other hand to pick up her food (even if it's oatmeal). I can hardly blame her, licking your fingers is just so much fun!  

 

Above: The photo on the left is Livi chasing the seagulls. The photo on the right is Livi waiting for the wave to come catch her feet! Icy cold ocean water, really Mom?!

This is the only photo I managed to get of Livi on her 10 month birthday. She is one active girl!

WALKING. That is the understatement of this month. It is hard to believe that just a month again she was teetering about. She has MASTERED walking, and she is FAST. Just the other day I was in the kitchen making dinner with Livi at my side...I turned to stir something on the stove and when I turned back around Livi was NO where to be found! I found her at the front door going through the shoe basket. Ah yes. Shoes. Olivia has a shoe fettish. Seriously. Anywhere we go, anyone we meet, Livi has to check out the shoes. She loves to carry shoes around the house with her - her favorites seem to be Grandpa's brown sandals and ANY pair of Uncle Jordan's. Payless Shoe Store is her dream come true. My Mom and I went to buy Livi shoes and her face just LIT up when we walked into Payless and Stride Rite. She had to touch every display shoes and pull down as many boxes as possible. SO stinkin' cute...although a pain to clean up. Side note -- so I wanted to get Livi cute girly shoes. We tried on every tennis shoe and sandal. Olivia did her best to walk in them...but struggled with most. I laughed with I saw the Crocs on the wall because I knew Aaron HATES Crocs...so naturally, I had to have Livi try some on. The minute they were on her feet, Olivia literally booked it out of the store! She loved the Crocs. And so did Grandma Laurie and I. :) Olivia now sports her Crocs on a daily basis. Aaron admits...Livi can make even Crocs look cute. 

Olivia wanted to go to school with her Uncle Jordan!

 Livi also discovered stairs this month. She can make it up all 18 stairs in under 30 seconds. Needless to say, we keep the stairs barricaded and keep a close eye on her. The positive side - I don't always have to carry her up and down the stairs now. She and I "race" to the top (I follow close behind her to catch her in case of a missed step). Despite my best efforts, Livi has zero interest in learning how to go down the stairs. She will simply wait at the top for my to extend a hand or pick her up.

We did finally cut Livi's mullet, it was darling - but it was time. So much to Aaron's chagrine, and with some convincing on Amber Harker's part - Aaron agreed it was time. I'm hoping to tame her hair to part to the side - with double cowlicks at the crown of her head, Livi will face quite the hair frustration in the future. For now, she is darling in ponytails on top, to the side, and in pigtails.

Livi loves swimming. She has no fear of the water, which means her mama has to stay extra close!

 Livi has finally figured out how to give hugs. Literally she melts my heart when she comes walking over to me, reaches up for me and gives me a squeeze. She'll rest her little head on my shoulder, arm, or leg (whichever is closest). Then as quick as she came, she's gone and playing again. Sweetness.  

At the Farmer's Market, Olivia saw other kids with balloons. She kept pointing at the balloons saying "ba-ba". Of course I couldn't resist finding her one of her own. She was SO excited.

UP. Olivia has discovered that there is a world above her! She points at everything and says, "ba-ba". She loves lights and smoke detectors indoors and loves trees and birds outdoors. We recently went to the beach with Michelle - Olivia spent the entire day chasing the seagulls. Of course, she had to have one of us with her (walking in the sand is hard stuff!). Thanks to Grandpa Gary, she got some good bird-chasing in. Since then, anywhere there are birds, Livi goes. She is definitely aware that things around her have names and loves to point out both the interesting and the ordinary.  

Beautiful. Blue. Eyes.

Because of her new found independence, I now look forward to establishing a discipline plan (right now it's all about distracting her - especially from unpotting Grandma Laurie's house plants). She definitely knows what she wants and when she wants it. She sure keeps us entertained, busy, and absolutely in love with her. She misses her Daddy now that he's moved to Santa Monica to work for Riot, but we look forward to joining him soon. She'll be raised a California beach girl (just like her Mama).

This is Liv waving goodbye to her daddy as he left for Santa Monica. To keep in touch,we love to Skype with daddy in the mornings (he's working night shifts). Olivia can't figure out why Daddy is stuck in a screen!