10 Months (+2 weeks)

This post is two weeks delayed but better late than never, right?  The trip to California has thrown me for a loop and I am still getting caught up in all areas. 

Ok, back to what you all clicked here to read about: Bman updates!

Stats:  No clue.  He's been healthy so we have not had the need for any weigh-ins this month.  He is still round and plump so I'll take that as a good sign.  He is starting to look a little more boy like to me, but then again maybe that was the haircut.

Sleep:  Bman is back to a good sleeping schedule of 7-6/6:30.  I have tried to push the bedtime back a bit in hopes to have more time to spend together as a family, but he is so ready for bed around 7.  Any minute past 7:15 and he is a crab.  He is a boy of routine, what can I say.  I guess he gets that from me. 

His nap schedule is not very concrete; some days he naps twice and others three times.  On the weekends he typically take a 1.5-2 hour nap in the morning and about an hour in the afternoon.  At school he seems to take three shorter naps and usually a cat nap on the way home from school.  This kid loves to sleep.  Again, something else he inherited from me.

Eating: Brody loves to eat.  My parents were in awe about his feeding skills and what he will eat (which is everything he has been offered).  We are offering three meals to him everyday, on top of him nursing morning and night, and taking three bottles at school.  This weekend I noticed that he can go closer to 4 hours between hitting the milk bar so I asked school to try and see if he can go 4 hours between bottles.  I only packed four ounce bottles and if he goes that long I was thinking tomorrow I would send 2 five ounce bottles.  I will say that being a nursing mom and trying to figure out how much milk they need at various stages during their first year has been the biggest challenge.  I have no idea how much he milk he was taking from me this weekend when going four hours between feedings; therefore, I have no idea how much to put in the bottle.  I tend to pump more than than I need (always have) so that is not really a great indicator either.  For those of you reading and have been through this phase all advice is appreciated.

People have been asking me recently so here is an example of his typical menu:

Breakfast- Kashi cereal bar and fruit (banana, strawberries.. whatever I have in the house).
Lunch- He eats off the menu at school and it includes a protein, carb/starch, veggie and fruit
Dinner- Eats whatever we are having- tonight will be: pizza on whole wheat crust, salad and fruit.

His favorite foods are strawberries, watermelon, pancakes, (on Sundays only) broccoli, whole wheat pasta but only if served with tomato sauce (who likes plain noodles)?, loves homemade pesto, pineapple, green beans, black beans, and toast with peanut butter.  Clearly, I do not follow any rules with his eating.  Luckily he has not ended up in hospital with an allergic reaction.

He is getting really good with his cup both at home and at school.  At home he prefers to use a straw cup, but at school they offer him the Take and Toss cups so we have been trying to use those more often.  He gets water with meals and only drinks a little bit.  He tends to play with the cup and throw it on the floor more than he drinks from it.  The dogs enjoy this game a whole lot.  Me, not so much...

Physical Development:  Whatever calories I am not burning from dropping a nursing session will be made up in chasing this babe.  He is on the move and in to everything!  It seemed like overnight the army crawling disappeared and he is really fast on his hands and knees.  He is also trying to pull up on the furniture.  This has resulted in bruises all over his forehead (you'll see in the photos later- he banged his cheek right before the photo shoot).
Language:  He can say 'mama,' dada,' 'more,' all-done,' which sounds more like 'aduh,' and possibly dog.  He signs more and all-done in all situations.  More peek-a-boo, more signing, more daddy, etc.  Same with 'aduh,' especially when he is ready to get out of his crib in the morning or does not want to lay still for a diaper change.

Play:  He loves his dogs!  He loves to watch and laugh at them, and now that he is on the move they are totally screwed!  Bella usually scurries away but Willis will stay and let Bman climb all over him.  Yesterday, B discovered Willis' tail found the spot Willis likes to be scratched. 

"Get up, Willis.  I want to play." -Brody

He loves songs and games.  We sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and with my time spent teaching preschool I have some great adaptations to the song.  Here are the two he likes the most:

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
If you see a crocodile,
Don't forget to scream. (throw arms up and scream)

OR

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Throw Willis overboard,
and listen to him scream. (Bark like a dog)

Oh my, he loves this!  He just keeps laughing and signing for more.  We throw all types of things and animals/people overboard.  Aaron does a great impression of Bella's howling when we throw her off the boat.  He also like '5 Little Monkeys,' 'Pat-a-Cake,' Wheels on  the Bus,' and many more.  I am no musician but he tolerates my singing quite well- Aaron too! 

He has recently discovered the love of books.  He used to just pick them up to chew on, but now he is interested in looking at the pictures and will sit and listen to a few pages of a book being read to him. 

Other toys of interest: anything that lights up and plays music, wheely cars that zoom across the floor, (loves chasing after them) his giraffe blanket (mostly for snuggling), balls that rattle, and of course everything that he should not be playing with (i.e. dog bowl).

"Hey kid, what are you doing? That's my dog bowl!"- Willis


Happy 10 months to our sweet, happy and loving little boy!  These past ten months have been a blur...  Enjoy the photo shoot (thank goodness we only have two more- these are becoming very challenging)!