Noah - Month 10

AT TEN MONTHS YOU ARE:
-Finally cutting your first tooth!
-A future athlete in the making, you can be found holding your basketball or launching things across the room 24/7 and you've got an arm for a 10 month old.
-Drinking from your sippy cup like a pro!
-Very vocal - I can't wait to hear what you have to say when you have the words
-wearing 12 month clothes and size 4 diapers

HEALTH
This past month you've been healthy, a few days of fussiness when you were cutting your first tooth, but other than that you were your happy self.  We have your next week check at ONE year (how is that even possible that you are almost one!) and a check up with the urologist next month as well.     

EAT
You are killing it in the food department.  You eat fruits, veggies, meat, and the list goes on.  You'll try pretty much anything (unlike 2 little girls I know who are the complete opposite!)  Some of your favorite this month have been grapes, string cheese, pineapple, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, chicken, granola bars, and waffles.  The more table food you eat, the less baby food we have to feed you which is so nice.  You are still drinking 3 bottles a day, around 5am when you wake up to eat (luckily you go right back to sleep), before your afternoon nap, and before bed, along with 3 meals a day.  You love your food and I love your rolls, so eat on baby boy, eat on.

SLEEP
We've had a pretty solid month of sleep.  You are still waking up once in the middle of the night to eat and honestly if i put in the effort I could probably break you from that, but right now a quick diaper change and bottle and back to sleep in 5 minutes or less is just easier.  This mama is busy keeping up with you and your sister so crying it out at 5am, ain't nobody got time for that.  Most days you wake up between 7-8am, cat nap in the morning and give me a solid 3 hour nap or so in the afternoon, then you are ready for bed around 7pm.  

LIKES & DISLIKES
Your new favorite toy is your basketball or really any ball you can find.  You also love little music toys, shakers, your drum, xylophone, or piano.  Being outside at the park is your jam and you're a trooper every time your sister wants to bring you down the slide with her...over and over again.  At bed time, you love to hold your little lovey in one hand and an extra pacifier in the other, it's so cute.  The bath tub is your other favorite hang out, I can't wait to see what you think of the beach and pool this summer because I think you're going to love it!  You are not a fan of sitting still to get changed, being hungry, or not getting attention...luckily since you have your sisters smothering you 24/7 you don't usually lack in the attention department :)

PERSONALITY

You continue to be the best baby ever, so calm, flexible, and go with the flow.  Your smile lights up the room and you give the best slobbery open mouth kisses to any one that wants one.  This age is so fun because you are no longer just a spectator wherever we go, you love to partake in whatever activity we are doing and usually with a huge grin on your face and the most adorable slicked back hair.  I know I'm biased but you are the most adorable little guy both on the inside and out.  Your first birthday party is in the works (say what!) and I cannot even believe how fast time has flown by.  

FAVORITE MOMENTS
-Bella has finally learned how to say your name!!! You've graduated from "brother" to Noah and it's so sweet to hear your name come out of her little mouth.
-This month you went to your first Princess Ball (sorry you have 2 older sisters) and stole the show as the cutest little prince, were a champ at your first movie in the movie theater, and made a visit to Carolina Beach and met Chris, Abby, Jake, and Ellie for the first time.
-There was a lot of partying this month, Addie turned four and your Dad turned 36 and you're next!
-We put our house for sale this month and sold it in 2 days!  It makes me a little sad that you won't remember our house on Bulrush, but it hold so many special memories for us, including bringing both you and your sisters home from the hospital for the first time.  When we bought this house 6 years ago it was just your Dad and I, a few months later came Cooper, then Addie, Bella, and finally last but not least you joined our crew.  We started as a newlywed couple and are leaving as a family of 5 plus Coop on to our next adventure.

A letter to my FOUR year old Princess

Dear Addie,

We celebrated your 4th birthday last month and life has been a little crazy since then so I am just now sitting down to write you your letter as I've done every year since you were born.  I hope one day when you are older you sit down and read them as I sit next to you in a puddle of tears about how life once was with my little Addie girl.  It blows my mind that although I have so many wonderful memories from the first 4 years of your life, you will remember so little of them.  Luckily, your yearly letters can give you a little glimpse of what life was like and how even these early years will shape you into who you will become in the future.   I honestly can't even wrap my mind around the fact that you are 4 years old.  I remember bringing you home from the hospital like it was yesterday.  It seems like at 4 years old you are all of a sudden leaving those toddler years behind and entering kid territory, which is so exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

At four years old, you are so smart.  You started your first year of preschool this year and you absolutely love it.  You adore your teachers and have such an excitement about learning.  An excitement that makes this former teacher very happy :)  You've been working on your letters, shapes, and numbers.  You love having classroom jobs and love to reinforce the rules with your sister at home (aka Bella it's my turn to be the line leader, you have to get behind me!)

At four years old, you are a caregiver and the best big sister to Bella and Noah.  You have a heart of gold and you truly take pride in taking care of them.  You kiss boo-boos, fetch pacifiers, and entertain them every chance you get and are the perfect little mommy's helper.  Bella and Noah are so lucky to have such an amazing big sister who will always have their backs and be in their corner, no matter what.

At four years old, you have developed the best little imagination.  I feel like over night your "playing" has taken off and it's so fun to watch what your little mind comes up with.  You are creative and your dad is a champ, happily picking up a Barbie doll and playing fashion show with you the second you ask.  You also love to play with your kitchen, always bringing me a cup of pretend coffee at exactly the right times.  I've loved watching your imagination blossom and I can't wait to continue to see where it goes.

At four years old, you have a million friends and you love every single one of them.  You continue to be a social butterfly, you just love people.  It makes me happy that when we walk into preschool your friends run up and greet you with a hug or when I pick you up from the stay and play at the Y you are surrounded with little friends asking when you will be coming back.  "Other Addy" as you call her is one of your best buds and the two of you are so funny, constantly planning sleep overs and play dates to the mall and at only four years old...I have a feeling it's going to be a challenge keeping up with you and your social life in the years to come.

At four years old, you are a Daddy's girl.  No one makes you happier than your Daddy and it's so sweet to watch.  You miss Daddy from the second he leaves for work until the second he gets home and then you don't leave his side for the rest of the night.  You are constantly counting down the days until the weekend because you know that means he doesn't have to go to work.  The two of you have so much fun together and share such a special bond.

At four years old, you love all things princess.  There's not a day that goes by that you aren't twirling around in your dress up clothes, high heels, tiara, and all.  Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel are your current favorites, but you remind me frequently that all of the princesses are your favorite.  It was only fitting that you had a "Beauty and the Beast" themed birthday party this year and you pretty much lost your mind when Belle walked through the door.  A few weeks later we took you to your first ever "Princess Ball" where you not only got to see Bella, but all the other princess as well.  You had the best day ever dancing and singing with all of your favorite princess, you were star struck and the entire day was magical.

At four years old, you can be a challenge at times.  You are very, very strong willed and you know what you want, when you want it, and how you want it, and boy do you let us know.  You are a determined little stinker too who does not give up until you get it.  You love the power struggle and your dad and I have been tested a time or two (or a hundred) over this past year, but the good thing is we are much older and wiser, so we can outsmart you (most of the time!)  I do know that in the future that you will use these leadership qualities of determination, strength, and confidence to do great things in life and that makes these daily battles so worth it.

At four years old, you love life and you love big.  You are such a happy little girl who has the best personality.  You make me laugh, make me smile, and make me want to pull my hair out on a daily basis and at times even all at once.  I don't think you will truly understand how much your dad and I love you until the day that you become a mom and have your own daughter.  Addie girl, you are special and one of my most favorite people in the whole world.

Happy 4th birthday to my princess, my Addie girl!  I love you to the moon and back :)

Love, Mommy

P.S. At 4 years old you are 41 inches tall (80th percentile) and you weigh 38 pounds (73rd percentile.)