Saturday 18th February 2012 - Ten Months Old

So mister, ten months today.

It's been an interesting month, with a few things here and there that have been planned for the near future which we are all excited about. 

Your rather odd sleeping position

The first exciting development we had was the arrival of your fourth tooth! You now have a matching set of top teeth, big and standing in all their glory.  At the moment you have a rather cute gap in between the two of them, and whether that stays that way remains to be seen. 

We also had the gang over and booked your first ever holiday abroad! For the occasion, we have Aunty Donna and Matt, Uncle Perry and Chloe and Aunty Karen and Liam all coming with us to the sunny spot of Portugal! We will be off in July and we are all really excited about it.  Originally Aunty Donna had ruled out coming on a holiday this year, because her and Matt are hoping to buy a property this year, but once she realised that this was going to be a momentous occasion for you (plus I reminded her that by the time we go, you may be old enough to start to pick up on people's names) she made sure that she was going no matter what!  So technically, you owe her.  And if you don't say her name, I probably owe her!

Your first snowball - not impressed

We also had another birthday party to go to.  My friend Chris has a son called Zachary who was born three months before you and he was one this month.  So we went to his party and had a great time.  You were more than content with the cocktail sausages and cheese sandwiches which were knocking around.  Your Aunty Paige was plying you with them at every opportunity.

Slob

We've also seen a lot of Uncle Perry this month, as he has kindly been coming over to sort out the garden.  We are planning on having a garden party for your birthday this coming April, and in order to do that, the garden has needed a major overhaul.  Between him and your father, they have managed to lay a patio (with varying degrees of incline in areas), and they have yet to lay a lawn and generally make it look pretty.  The removal of hazards would be great at well, but bearing in mind that the equivalent of Laurel and Hardy have been working out there, the jury is out as to whether there will be more hazards after. 

We've had various visits this month, from Aunties Donna, Claire and Dawn. and day visits from Aunty Karen too, so you've been kept quite entertained.  We've also done some visiting, and made it down to see your Grandad Mark and Aunt Chloe who was down on a visit. You actually made her cry with the new tricks that you've picked up this month, but that may be due to the fact that she is a wimp.  Just saying.

At the end of this month we also had a new friend arrive in the form of your 5th tooth! Your top right tooth now has a buddy either side, and I have to say that you really have been good with all this sudden invasion in your mouth.  So far, none of these gnashers have disturbed your sleep or come along with any other gnarly attributes such as constant whinging or dribbling, so we've been incredibly lucky.  We've got the Bonjela and the teethers ready for you, but you're showing everybody how it's done like a pro.

This month we've seen an increase in your teeth grinding.  This displeases me immensely, and I put it to you that you stop this now, or we will end up falling out.  It seriously agitates me, and you seem to be getting louder with it now, even to the point where your dad struggles to ignore it.  Don't make me have to stop brushing your teeth so that they fall out, and you won't grow the big ones because the little ones won't have been in long enough, so you will have to eat soup for the rest of the life.  True story. 

On the plus side, there have been various developments that are good and lovely, so let's keep those up pal.  You and your walker get along just fine now, in fact you would think that the electronic swinging chair had never existed.  You whiz along forwards and backwards, navigating through the doorways and reaching the radiators to pull my freshly cleaned washing off the radiators.  You're a joy Olly, you really are.  We've also had great progress in the meeting and greeting of people.  You've got the waving hi to people down to a fine art now, and you've even picked up on shaking someones hand when they say 'nice to meet you'.  I have video evidence of this so that I can say you did have manners once upon a time, when you become the teenage oafish lout that you will be.  Especially if you play hockey. I also have a video of you correctly identifying where my eye is, because it's never too early to demonstrate your intellect and prove that you are a little bit like me, seeing how everybody says physically you are the double of your father.   

The sippy cup is getting some more use these days as well.  You are doing well with this and now only have a bottle for your afternoon bottle and one for bed.  We are hoping to have you down to a sippy cup completely for the day and only a bottle for bed by the time you reach a year, so get ready for the crackdown matey.

We've been a bit naughty this month too.  I might have opened one of your birthday presents a little early.  I bought you a Smart Trike about three months ago, and it has been languishing in the spare room ever since.  Seeing as how the weather has been exceptionally mild for this time of year, me, your dad, Karen, Perry and Chloe decided to put it together and we've had some trips in it.  You love it, because you're nosiness is indulged by you being able to see everything around you at all times.  The first time you were out in it you never even noticed your Nana was in front of you until she had bent down and was inches away from your face.   

This month has been good, but I really have reached a point where I'm desperate for you to get going in one way or another.  You really are becoming a bulk, which is hard for us to carry all the time, and you are fed up of being cooped up in a pram when we are out and about.  I'll cut a deal with you if you just let me know what you want in return son.  The bulk probably comes from your voracious appetite, and your acceptance of literally any type of food.  Which I have to admit I love, and if it means you're a bit of a porker because you can't get a move on then so be it.  It's all squidge from good wholesome food, so I'm not complaining.  But let's get going my love, the doors that open when you finally get your tush on the go are endless.

Love Mum xxx