A. update

A. is just a bit more than 10 months old now, and much happier with her growing toddler status than she was as a baby (we call her a toddlet).

A. has one word -- "hi" -- and uses it constantly. There's the greeting -- "Hi!". The demand for attention from another shopper -- "Haaai?". And then there's I-see-something-neat-why-won't-it-pay-attention-to-me. For instance, the flock of ibis birds who were looking for insects in our yard. "Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi....."

We've been working on "bye" and "cat" and various signs, but none of it has clicked for her yet. She does have receptive language -- from the front seat of the car, I asked her to share a toy with JJ and she did, which was really cool. But for now, pointing is getting her everything that she needs.

Motor-wise, she can freestand but only does so when she's playing with a toy and forgets to hang on, or when she's around other, slightly older kids. She has no interest in walking -- when we try to get her to take steps with our help, she just drops down and speed-crawls over to whatever is of interest.

Although she's right around the 50th percentile for her size, she seems to eat with the appetite of a much larger baby. She still nurses multiple times a day and night, and also eats 3 meals a day and any snacks we offer. She'll eat pretty much any food we eat and still has some baby favorites. Some people-food favorites include french toast, sloppy joes, and turkey sandwiches. Her baby favorites are teething biscuits and toast spread with squash puree.

We go to 2 storytimes a week because she loves them so much. One is more baby-oriented, with singing and felt-board stories. The other is more toddler-oriented, where she just listens to the stories. She still loves her books, loves to turn pages and open flaps. Sometimes she'll just pull a book out of the box and sit on the floor with it, turning the pages and talking to herself. It's totally adorable.

If you gave her a choice, though, she wouldn't be in her room or playroom, she'd be out shopping or in Disney World, where she can see and greet people. One of the best times of the day for her is when we wait out on the porch for JJ to come home in the morning, and she can watch the trees and squirrels and greet all the cars and morning walkers who come by.

She's growing up into a happy, interactive little person, and it's great fun to watch.