Letters to Valor: 10 months

My dear Valor Zeal,

We are a few days late, but you are in the double digits of babyhood now. You an inquisitive, silly ten-month-old! You are everywhere and get into everything. So. Much. FUN. You crawl with finesse and speed. You chase gleefully after your sister on all fours, determined to play with and alongside her. We often run after you because you've some forbidden object in your mouth. Paper, succulents, plastic, anything and everything, oftentimes much to our chagrin but to your delight. You satiate your curiosity this way, but you are also probably figuring out whether such curiosities are edible. You love food with passion. You eat with ferocity, snatching food primarily with your left hand. Not sure if you will end up left-handed, but you prefer grabbing objects with your left hand. You're mastering the pincer grasp this month. You love blueberries, bananas, squash, peas, avocado, Os oat cereal, tofu, cheese, and the list goes on. You whine whenever you see food, lunging towards it and clearly communicating your desire to eat at the table with the rest of the family. The only food you don't seem to be crazy about is eggs. Overall, you get so giddy during and after mealtimes. You growl with happiness after eating and nursing. Since you're packing in so much food these days, your nursing sessions are shorter and fewer (about 6 times a day).

You are such a silly babe that is easy to please. You giggle as you climb all over us. You pulled up and started cruising for the first time on March 3rd. You were thoroughly pleased with your new accomplishment. You smiled with your entire face, which you often do when happy. You click your tongue. You warble along when you hear singing. You plant raspberries on our faces. You also grab our faces to plant slobbery, open-mouthed kisses. You erupt in wide-mouthed giggles when we smile at you. We cannot help but to grin whenever we see you, and you reciprocate, always. You have become increasingly attached this month. You cry the moment one of us is out of your sight. You crawl after us, whining sadly, until you reach us, getting onto your knees and grabbing at our legs, begging to be picked up. Once we hoist you onto our hips, you snuggle your face into our necks and cling onto us with all your might. You are a bundle of sweetness.

I really cannot fathom that you shall be turning one soon. I still feel like you are so little, but you are definitely no longer a newborn babe. You wear size 6-12 month clothes, size 3 shoes, and size 3 diapers. Even so, no matter how you insist on growing up, you shall always be my baby. I hug you fiercely; I love you so. Of this I hope you shall always know.


Love you so,
Mama

P.S. Valor Zeal at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 months. Plus, his birth story.